Oura officially unveiled its fifth-generation smart ring this Thursday, marking a significant evolution in its wearable lineup. Starting at $399, the Oura Ring 5 is 40% smaller than its predecessor and is touted by the company as the world’s smallest smart ring. The device arrives just 18 months after the Ring 4, bringing improved sensor accuracy and extended battery life to compete in an increasingly crowded market.
Design and Availability
Maz Brumand, VP of Product at Oura, confirmed that the design overhaul involved a complete reconstruction of the ring’s mechanical, electrical, optical, and battery architectures. The result is a device with a width reduced by approximately two millimeters and a thickness decreased by roughly 30%. Oura aims to appeal to a broader audience who previously found smart rings too bulky, ensuring the Ring 5 looks and feels like a standard piece of jewelry.
The ring is available for preorder now in sizes 6 to 13, with shipping set to begin on June 4. It comes in six finishes: Silver and Black retail for $399, while the Gold, Deep Rose, Brushed Silver, and Stealth options cost $499. The accelerated release cycle reflects heightened competition from rivals like RingConn and Ultrahuman.
Beyond hardware, the Ring 5 boasts an improved battery life of six to nine days. Oura has also reengineered its sensors to provide better skin contact and utilized more powerful LEDs to enhance tracking accuracy across diverse skin tones and finger sizes.
Advanced Software and Health Features
Oura is launching the “Health Radar” suite, which monitors biometric signals in the background to identify health patterns. The feature debuts with two core capabilities: Blood Pressure Signals and Nighttime Breathing. By tracking cardiovascular patterns during sleep, the ring can detect shifts that might indicate hypertension or cardiovascular strain.
The update also introduces “Nighttime Breathing,” providing a 30-day rolling view of sleep disturbances. Furthermore, Oura is partnering with Counsel Health to offer on-demand care. This service allows U.S. members to consult with licensed physicians and receive personalized medical advice directly within the app for an additional fee beyond the standard $5.99 monthly subscription.
Fitness and Clinical Integration
Oura is expanding its fitness capabilities with live activity tracking for running and cycling, as well as improved automatic detection for low-motion exercises like Pilates. Users can also sync third-party heart-rate monitors for real-time data visualization.
Additionally, the platform now offers GLP-1 insights for tracking medication journeys and body changes. In a new clinical direction, Oura is also introducing a Brain Health Study, which will correlate in-app tasks with long-term physiological trends to better understand the impact of recovery on mental sharpness.
About the Author
