This is the best-known smart ring, and now it has experienced a stunningly low price—slashing $100 from its high-end $349 price to only $249 for the Oura Ring 4. That $100 cut is a 29% discount, and it sets a new floor for the device, which has become the go-to choice on “best overall” lists of health-focused wearables. If you’ve been wanting a discreet tracker that gets sleep and recovery insights just right, this is the sort of rare deal that makes an impact.
Why this deal matters for shoppers seeking smart rings
Smart rings have gone from niche to mainstream, powered by a bigger resurgence in wearables. Industry trackers like IDC have said the category has grown again this year, as buyers search for small sensors that aren’t smartwatch bulky. Against that backdrop, the fact that you can pick up the category leader with more recovery analytics and a much smaller footprint for just $249 is notable—it undercuts many of the premium fitness bands.
- Why this deal matters for shoppers seeking smart rings
- What the Oura Ring 4 offers in features and sensors
- Accuracy and real-world credibility backed by research
- How it compares with rivals in the growing ring market
- Before you buy: membership, finish, and proper sizing
- Bottom line: value, features, and who should consider it
It’s rare to see the price of a flagship ring drop, and these prices either match or beat previous seasonal lows. For the vast majority of customers, it takes away the biggest negative about trying a ring: cost to try. With hardware in this advanced state, the value proposition is difficult to ignore.
What the Oura Ring 4 offers in features and sensors
Carved from titanium, the Ring 4 is light yet durable. It’s water-resistant to 100 meters (328 feet), so no sweat if you wear it while swimming or showering. Despite the very small size, there is an optical heart-rate sensor, SpO2 measurement, a skin-temperature reading, and a 3D accelerometer that are at the heart of Oura’s readiness, sleep, and activity scores.
It offers Bluetooth support—syncing and data transfer are faster and more stable compared to earlier generations. Battery life tends to be four to seven days per charge, depending on which features you use, and a rapid top-up fills it back up again. The company highly recommends you use its sizing kit—an extra step that rewards your finger with comfort that, in the end, you’ll hardly notice day to day.
The software remains the differentiator. Oura’s dashboards reveal HRV trends, sleep staging, respiratory rate, and temperature deviations, and translate them into actionable coaching. Many reviewers like its sleep analysis as some of the most digestible in wearables—trading raw metrics for plain-language insights you can use the next morning.
Accuracy and real-world credibility backed by research
Independent research has repeatedly confirmed core elements of Oura’s tracking. Studies released by academic groups, including teams at universities like UCSF and researchers in journals such as Sensors and Digital Medicine, have found a strong relationship between Oura’s temperature trends and early signs of illness. By the time of the NBA’s 2020 restart, during which it became part of a broader wellness-monitoring regimen for athletes, the ring was getting its first real-world stress test for its sensor platform.
Although no consumer wearable is a medical device, for sleep patterns, night heart rate, and HRV (two factors that doctors use to estimate recovery between workouts), Oura’s readings track similarly to those from established benchmarks. If you’re aiming for healthier recovery routines, it offers more information than a simple step counter or minimalist band—and without notifications or screen distractions to clutter up a smartwatch.
How it compares with rivals in the growing ring market
The ring game is growing, with the Samsung Galaxy Ring, Ultrahuman Ring Air, RingConn, and Movano’s Evie Ring added to the fold. Each has its strengths: some eschew subscriptions, while others are tightly integrated with certain phone ecosystems; a few place a strong emphasis on metabolic or women’s health features. Still, Oura’s edge is the depth of insights, app polish established over many years, and a history of frequent feature updates.
With competitors having pursued aggressive pricing, $249 is a price point that places Oura squarely in the fray—below several more high-profile options and at or under quite a few subscription-free offerings. If you prioritize mature software and profound sleep analytics over on-device displays, or locking your phone to one brand’s ecosystem—that calculus has just swung even further toward Oura.
Before you buy: membership, finish, and proper sizing
Throw in the continued membership that Oura requires for its full analytics package. The subscription exposes long-term trends, in-depth scores, and historical data that most owners find essential, but it is an ongoing expense. It’s worth noting that scratches may be more or less visible depending on the finish—polished looks pristine right out of the gate, while matte tends to wear better with time.
Sizing is critical. Test the ring; wear it for a few workouts and a night’s sleep before locking in your size. Fit is everything, and a properly fitting ring will yield an accurate reading—and can determine whether the device becomes just another gadget in your drawer or a habit.
Bottom line: value, features, and who should consider it
At $249, the Oura Ring 4 is as good a smart ring as there is. You’re getting rugged titanium construction, multi-day battery life, 100-meter water resistance, and arguably the most comprehensive sleep and recovery insights the category has to offer at a record-setting low price. If you’ve been waiting to try a smart ring that’s like having a coach instead of some nag, this is the time.