If you’ve ever met me, you know how much I love talking about my sleep and readiness scores. Needless to say, I LOVE my Oura ring. So much so that if there were a Lizzie McGuire cartoon character of me, she would wear a gold band on the middle finger of her left hand.
It blends seamlessly into my jewellery and with my clothes. Ever since the day I put on the Gen 3, Oura has been a part of my personality. Checking my sleep score in the morning and my readiness score before planning my day is now second nature.
So when I wrote my Oura Ring 3 review about a year ago, I naturally thought it couldn’t get better than this. That was until I tried the Oura Ring 4. Not only was it stylish, but the sleep and period tracking was incredibly insightful and I must say one of the few wearables that I could comfortably wear 24/7.
In this Oura Ring 4 review, I’ll walk through what has actually changed since the previous generation, whether the upgraded sensors make a difference, how accurate the data feels in everyday use and most importantly, whether it’s worth upgrading if you already own the Gen 3.
What is the Oura Ring 4
If you’ve been living under a rock, the Oura Ring 4 is a screenless wearable health tracker designed as a ring. The chunky band comes in multiple colors and finishes and harbors sensors on the inside of the ring to collect biometric signals, which are then sent to the Oura mobile app, where they are processed and interpreted.
The sensors measure signals such as:
- Heart rate
- Heart rate variability (HRV)
- Body temperature trends
- Blood oxygen levels
- Movement patterns
These signals allow the system to estimate sleep quality, recovery status, activity levels and stress trends.
The design is geared towards constant passive tracking. The ring is small and lightweight, making it easy to wear during sleep, daily activities and most of my workouts without constant interaction.
However, it’s important to note that if you are looking for a health tracker that will accompany you on your heavy weight lifting sessions, the Oura Ring 4 is not that. I would much prefer a smartwatch over a smart ring in that case because of the comfort and a screen-based wearable could help me track my workout zones in real time.
And although the Oura Ring can help me predict when I’m about to fall sick, it is not a medical diagnostic device. Instead, it is a long-term health monitoring tool focused on helping us understand patterns in our sleep, recovery and overall well-being.
What’s New in Oura Ring 4
Most mornings now start the same way. Before I check Instagram or email, I open the Oura app to see my sleep score and readiness score for the day.
Some days it tells me I’m well-rested and ready to push myself a bit more. Other days, it quietly suggests taking things slower, which, honestly, I appreciate more than the aggressive “close your rings!” energy I get from my smartwatch.
The fourth generation ring has a number of hardware changes and improvements to the sensing capabilities when compared to the previous generation, the Oura Ring Gen 3.
Smart Sensing Platform
Maybe the most important change is the introduction of the Smart Sensing feature, which enables the ring to change the way the sensors receive the signals based on the circumstances.
This could include the way the ring responds during sleep, especially at rest. This feature is meant to improve the stability of the signals received from the body, especially during sleep.
Redesigned Sensor Interior
In the previous versions, the ring had raised domes inside the ring where the sensors were located. However, the Oura Ring 4 now has a flat surface inside the ring where the sensors are located.
This is an important upgrade since the surface is now flat, which makes the ring more comfortable, especially if you’re like me and your finger gets swollen in the mornings.
Expanded Size Range
One of the best things about the Oura Ring 4 is the larger sizing range, from a 4 to a 15.
Not the most glamorous thing in the world if you don’t know the pain of sizing issues, but trust me when I say this is a BIG deal for comfort. Smart rings only provide you with the best results when they’re fitting properly against your skin (as this is essential for the sensors to work properly) and having a ring that is either too loose or too tight will cause issues with the results provided.
The larger sizing range means that many more people will be able to get the best possible fit without having to make any compromises. This is also made incredibly easy by the fact that Oura Ring will provide you with a sizing kit for free, allowing you to test the ring at home and determine exactly which size will work best for you, especially considering the fact that fingers tend to swell during the day and during physical activities.
What the Oura Ring 4 Tracks
The Oura Ring 4 is next-level when it comes to the data it pulls from your body. It’s collecting a bunch of physiological signals 24/7 and turning them into those addictive insights we all obsess over. Every aspect falls under the four major groups that make the app feel like your own personal wellness therapist.
Here’s my brutally honest review of what it’s actually tracking (spoiler: it’s a lot and the Smart Sensing upgrade makes it scary accurate).
Sleep Tracking
Sleep tracking is still the star of the show and it shows. The Oura Ring 4 uses heart rate, tiny body movements through its accelerometer, breathing rate and temperature changes to determine:
- Total amount of time spent sleeping, including naps
- Sleep stages, including light, deep and REM sleep
- Sleep timing
- Restfulness and interruptions
It all gets crunched into your Sleep Score, which is out of 100 points every morning. I swear, my Oura rings call me out worse than my mom does when I’m staying up late at night scrolling through my phone.
The accuracy feels improved with Gen 4, no weird stage glitches like I used to get with previous versions.
Heart Metrics
The ring monitors several cardiovascular indicators, including:
- Resting heart rate
- Heart rate variability (HRV)
- Heart rate trends throughout sleep
HRV changes are my personal alarm bell for when I’m about to get run down or stressed. Oura Ring 4 Smart Sensing makes the readings feel way more reliable and there are no random drops like I used to see sometimes in Gen 3.
Blood Oxygen and Temperature Trends
The ring does not just spit raw numbers, it searches for patterns and tracks:
- Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2)
- Night time body temperature trends
It does not display “your temp is 98.6”, it displays when you’re trending away from your norm. Like when you’re about to fall sick due to hormonal changes (cycle tracking is amazing) or due to recovery. I’ve caught colds due to temperature increases before symptoms even show up.
I also see SpO2 more consistently, with Gen 4 fewer gaps and better averages at night. I toggle SpO2 off at night sometimes to preserve battery, but when it is on? Chefs kiss.
Activity and Stress
Using motion through accelerometer and heart rate signals, it estimates:
- Step counts (daily motivation to walk around during calls)
- Intensity of movement and calories burned
- Detecting walks, runs or cycling (limited, but works well enough for the basics)
This feeds my Activity Score, how much I’ve moved in relation to what my body is capable of after a period of recovery.
Then there’s the daytime stress monitoring, which tracks physiological signals like HR, HRV dips, etc., to track my stress and resilience levels throughout the day.
I add tags like ‘coffee,’ ‘argument’ or ‘meeting’ and suddenly I know exactly what makes me the most stressed. I’m a much calmer person now and I take breaks instead of pushing through.
The Oura App Experience
The ring does all the heavy lifting by collecting your data 24/7, but honestly, the real magic and where I spend most of my screentime happens inside the Oura app on my phone.
The app is super smart about turning all those complicated biometric numbers into simple, easy-to-digest daily insights. No PhD required.
Right at the top of the main dashboard, you get these three big circular scores, which basically give you a sense of how your body is doing that day:
- Sleep Score
- Readiness Score
- Activity Score
Each one is out of 100 and it’s a super quick way to get a sense at a glance if you’re crushing it or if you should probably take it easy. Tap on any of these circles to get a sense of the underlying metrics.
Vitals and Baseline Tracking
Another important feature is the Vitals page, which compares daily metrics to my own long-term averages or baseline. Instead of just judging me in a vacuum, it actually learns what “normal” looks like for ME over time.
This baseline includes trends for:
- Resting heart rate
- HRV
- Sleep timing
- Body temperature
Once it gets enough data on me, which usually takes a couple of weeks, the app starts flagging when something’s off. Like if my temperature was higher than usual or my heart rate was acting weird. That’s often the first heads-up I get that I might be coming down with something or just running on empty.
A Different Approach to Wellness Tracking
What sets Oura apart from my Apple Watch is how chill the app is. It’s not always reminding me to get some movement in or trying to get me to compete in challenges to close my rings or beat my steps from the day before.
It’s just about awareness and recovery and it shows me how my body is really responding and lets me know what to do about it without any guilt trips, just the facts.
Rest Mode
When the Oura Ring 4 detects signs of illness or unusual physiological stress, the app may suggest enabling Rest Mode.
When you enable it, it basically pauses my activity goals and any workout recommendations for the day (or however long I need). It keeps tracking all my key health metrics, but it takes the pressure off so I can actually rest and recover without feeling like I’m “failing”.
Subscription Model Explained
The Oura Ring 4 uses a subscription-based system that, to be honest, feels like the new normal for these kinds of devices. The Oura Membership currently costs $5.99 per month.
With an active subscription, you get:
- Detailed sleep analysis
- Long-term trend tracking
- Stress and resilience insights
- Recovery guidance
- Advanced physiological metrics
Without the Oura membership, the ring will track the data, but the app is pretty stingy with the information it shares with you.
You can still see the three big daily scores at the top:
- Sleep
- Activity
- Readiness
But that’s pretty much it. With subscription-free smart rings, you usually don’t get deep dives, long-term trends or advanced insights, just surface-level numbers. If you want to understand the difference, check out our guide to subscription vs subscription-free smart rings.
For some people (me included, most days), that recurring fee feels worth it because the insights keep evolving and getting more useful over time. For others, it’s a total deal-breaker and they’d rather just buy a one-and-done, no subscription smart ring with no monthly bill hanging over their head.
Battery, Comfort & Daily Use
Battery life is a huge deal for something you wear 24/7, right? The battery life for the Oura Ring 4 is up to 8 days on a single charge.
Impressive compared to most smartwatches out there that need charging daily or every other day. Plus, since there’s no screen to light up and buzz around, battery consumption is low.
And the cherry on top? Now you can buy the portable charging case for the Oura Ring 4! This way, you don’t need to stress about finding an outlet and your charger when you need to go somewhere.
The ring is also waterproof, which enables me to wear the ring during hand washing, showering or even swimming.
The lack of a screen also means that the ring does not have notifications or other alerts that may distract the user during the day.
Who Oura Ring 4 Is For
Honestly, the Oura Ring 4 shines brightest for people interested in long-term health insights rather than getting real-time fitness coaching.
This smart ring is a great fit if you’re someone who:
- Is interested in improving sleep quality (sleep score is the first thing I check every morning)
- Want recovery insights without wearing a chunky watch overnight
- Loves tracking long-term physiological trends like temperature shifts or HRV patterns to estimate how their habits are paying off over time
- Are comfortable with a subscription-based ecosystem
The design also works well for people who prefer subtle wearable technology that blends with everyday jewelry, which is exactly why smart jewelry has become such a fast-growing category in wearables.
Who Should Avoid Oura Ring 4
While the Oura Ring 4 gives game-changing insights, it’s definitely not going to be the perfect fit for everyone. Let’s be real about who might want to look elsewhere.
- Anyone who hates the idea of a recurring subscription fee because that $5.99/month adds up.
- Athletes who need real time, on screen training metrics like VO2 max.
- Medical diagnostics types
- Budget focused consumers who want cheaper trackers
Knowing the limits of the Oura Ring 4 is key, so your expectations are in line with what the Ring was designed for.
Wrap Up: Is It Worth Upgrading to Oura Ring 4 from Oura Ring Gen 3?
If you’re already using the Oura Ring Gen 3 like I was, the big question is: do you actually need to upgrade to the Oura Ring 4?
Oura Ring 4 does bring a few nice improvements. The interior sensors are now flat instead of raised, which makes the ring noticeably more comfortable. There’s also the new Smart Sensing platform designed to deliver more stable readings, along with a wider size range for a better fit.
That said, the overall experience in Oura Ring Gen 3 vs Ring 4 isn’t dramatically different. Many of the best features, like sleep insights, period tracking, stress monitoring and long-term trends, all come from the app and membership, which work across both generations.
So if your Gen 3 is still working well, there’s honestly no urgent reason to upgrade.
You must’ve noticed in my Oura Ring 4 review that at its core, it feels more like a refinement than a reinvention. It’s still one of the most discreet wearables you can buy. The subscription model remains a key part of the experience.
If you’re comfortable with that and want a wearable that quietly helps you build better habits without adding more screen time, the Oura ecosystem is still one of the most thoughtful wellness platforms available.
But if you want hardcore fitness metrics, real-time workout data or zero subscriptions, other devices might be a better fit. And if you’re still deciding, check out my WHOOP vs Oura vs Apple Watch comparison to see which one is actually worth your money before you go spending your dollars on the Oura Ring 4.
