Oura Ring Generation 3 Review: The Guide for Sleep and Fitness Tracking. Wearable tech has taken over the fitness and wellness industry in the past decade, but few devices can offer what the Oura Ring Generation 3 does: a unique blend of health tracking, comfort, and aesthetic appeal. For those looking for in-depth sleep analysis alongside everyday fitness metrics, the Oura Ring presents a sleek alternative to bulky smartwatches. In this review, I’ll walk you through my experience with the Oura Ring Generation 3 after two months of daily use, covering everything from its standout features to where it falls short.

Oura Ring Generation 3 Review: The Guide for Sleep and Fitness Tracking

Aesthetics and Comfort: Style Meets Substance

One of the first things you’ll notice about the Oura Ring is its design. Unlike a traditional smartwatch, the Oura Ring is discreet, lightweight, and stylish. With its minimalist design, the Oura Ring can easily be mistaken for a piece of fine jewelry rather than a tech gadget. I opted for the Horizon model in silver, which offers a sleek, rounded shape without any noticeable techy appearance.

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The comfort level is high, which is essential for a device designed to be worn 24/7. The ring is waterproof up to 330 feet, meaning you don’t need to take it off during showers or swims. For those who don’t like the feel of a watch on their wrist or want a more discreet option, the Oura Ring is a game-changer.

The Sizing Kit: Getting the Perfect Fit

Before the ring arrives, Oura sends a sizing kit to ensure the perfect fit. The process is simple: you wear the sizer rings for a few days to figure out which size feels best. It’s recommended to wear the ring on your index finger for optimal results, but I found it more comfortable on my middle finger. This extra step ensures a comfortable, snug fit for long-term wear.

Setting Up the Oura Ring: Easy and Intuitive

Setting up the Oura Ring is a straightforward process. Once the ring arrives, you download the Oura app and follow the pairing instructions. Within minutes, the ring syncs with your phone, and you’re ready to start tracking your health. It’s worth noting that some data, such as stress levels and long-term trends, don’t appear immediately. The app gradually unlocks more insights as the ring collects data over time.

First Impressions: A Sleep Tracking Powerhouse

I primarily wanted the Oura Ring for sleep tracking, and it did not disappoint. The Generation 3 offers incredibly detailed insights into sleep patterns, including REM and deep sleep. Each morning, the app provides a comprehensive sleep score, giving you an overview of how well you rested and how “ready” you are for the day ahead.

Initially, I found the data to be almost too detailed, but I quickly got used to it. The daily scores became part of my routine, and now I find myself eager to check my app first thing in the morning to see how I slept. The combination of sleep tracking and readiness scores makes the Oura Ring an essential tool for anyone serious about improving their overall health and well-being.

Sleep Tracking: The Oura Ring’s Standout Feature

How It Works

The Oura Ring uses a combination of sensors to track your sleep, including heart rate, body temperature, and movement. These sensors provide a wealth of data, which is then distilled into a simple-to-understand sleep score. The score ranges from 0 to 100, with most people averaging between 60 and 85. Anything below 50 suggests you didn’t sleep well at all.

What the Data Shows

Beyond the overall sleep score, the Oura app offers in-depth data on the various stages of sleep, including:

• Light Sleep: This is where you spend most of your night, and it’s crucial for recovery and rest.
• REM Sleep: The stage where dreaming occurs, essential for cognitive function and emotional regulation.
• Deep Sleep: The most restorative phase, crucial for muscle recovery and immune system support.

The Oura Ring also tracks your overall sleep efficiency, noting how many minutes you were awake, in bed, or in deep sleep. This level of detail is hard to match, even by top-tier smartwatches.

Aiding in Self-Improvement

After a few weeks of use, I began to notice patterns in my sleep data. I realised that I tend to have lower sleep scores when I go to bed after midnight or have a glass of wine before bed. Adjusting these habits resulted in better sleep scores and a noticeable improvement in my daily energy levels. The Oura Ring doesn’t just track your health—it helps you understand how your habits influence it.

Fitness Tracking: Hits and Misses

While the Oura Ring excels at sleep tracking, its fitness features are more of a mixed bag. On the plus side, it provides accurate data on your step count, calories burned, and general activity levels throughout the day. However, it’s not as robust as smartwatches when it comes to specific workout tracking.

Step Count Accuracy

Compared to the Apple Watch and other fitness trackers I’ve used, the Oura Ring provides more accurate step counts. Since the ring is worn on your hand, it better captures your arm’s natural movement while walking, resulting in fewer false positives than wrist-worn devices.

Workout Tracking: Where It Falls Short

Unfortunately, the Oura Ring’s workout recognition is less reliable. While it can detect activities like walking and running, it often fails to distinguish between different types of exercises. For example, it frequently mistook my elliptical workouts for walking, requiring me to manually log the activity afterward.

This lack of automation is a noticeable downside compared to smartwatches, which can automatically recognise and log various exercises with much more precision. If workout tracking is a top priority for you, the Oura Ring may not be the best option.

Health Monitoring: Comprehensive but General

The Oura Ring offers more than just sleep and fitness tracking—it also monitors a range of health metrics, including heart rate, body temperature, and blood oxygen levels. This makes it a versatile tool for general wellness tracking. However, as with any health gadget, it’s important to note that the Oura Ring is not a medical device. The data it provides should be taken as general advice, not a diagnostic tool.

Heart Rate and Blood Oxygen Tracking

One of the most recent additions to the Oura Ring is blood oxygen tracking, a feature that many users had been requesting. Paired with heart rate monitoring, it gives you a comprehensive look at your cardiovascular health. While I found the data to be generally accurate, it did occasionally produce readings that didn’t align with my actual physical state—likely due to my congenital heart condition. For users with underlying health issues, it’s important to interpret the data cautiously.

Stress and Readiness Tracking

In addition to heart and sleep data, the Oura Ring also tracks your stress levels and provides a “Readiness” score to indicate how well your body is prepared for physical or mental activity. I found the readiness score to be a useful gauge for planning my day. If I saw a low readiness score, I knew to take it easy, while a high score encouraged me to tackle more strenuous activities.

Battery Life and Charging: Minimal Hassle

With a device meant to be worn 24/7, battery life is crucial, and the Oura Ring does not disappoint. The battery lasts up to seven days on a single charge, and charging is quick and easy. I typically charge the ring while I shower in the morning, which takes about 20 minutes and keeps it topped up for the rest of the day.

The only downside here is that there’s no low battery indicator on the ring itself—you’ll need to check the app periodically to see when it’s time to recharge. That said, the long battery life means you’ll rarely need to worry about running out of juice in the middle of the day.

The Subscription Model: A Hidden Cost

One of the most controversial aspects of the Oura Ring is its subscription model. After the first month, you’ll need to pay around SGD9 per month to access most of the ring’s advanced features, including detailed sleep insights, heart rate variability, and temperature tracking. While the cost is relatively low, it can be frustrating to have to pay a monthly fee for features that many would consider essential to the device’s core function.

In my opinion, this subscription model detracts from the overall value of the Oura Ring. Without the subscription, the ring loses much of its functionality, making it less of a smart investment in the long run.

Who Should Buy the Oura Ring Generation 3?

The Oura Ring Generation 3 is an excellent option for those who prioritise sleep tracking and want a discreet, stylish wearable that doesn’t scream “tech gadget.” It’s ideal for people who want to track their fitness but don’t necessarily need all the advanced features of a smartwatch. However, if you’re looking for a device that excels at workout tracking or offers comprehensive smart features like notifications, a smartwatch may be a better fit.