RingConn Smart Ring Review – Is It The Cheapest Oura Alternative?

I have been wearing the RingConn Ring for the past few months to track my workouts and sleep routine, along with other body vitals. Earlier, I was skeptical about wearing smart rings as I was more of a smartwatch person, but the RingConn Ring’s advanced tracking system vanished my doubt.

A gold RingConn Smart Ring with a visible LED light and sensors - RingConn Smart Ring Review

While I admire its ability to track my heart rate changes, naps & sleep, skin temperature, menstrual cycle, etc., I cannot overlook its shortcomings and miscalculations on several occasions. Well, not all smart rings are error-free!

My Experience With RingConn Smart Ring

While I was already wearing the Garmin smartwatch to track my vitals, it was extremely uncomfortable to wear during sleep. Thus, I had no option but to look for a smaller and lighter health gadget, and hence, I got my hands on the RingConn Ring.

When I started wearing it, I found slight differences in charging duration, battery charge, etc. After wearing it for a few months, I decided to pen down my experience with the ring, which can help you in many ways.

Specifications

SpecificationsDetails
Weight3-5 grams
Dimension2.6mm thickness x 7.8 mm width
Ring SizeNine sizes (6–14)
Battery CapacityPortable Charging Case: 500mAh capacity
Ring battery Life7 days
Ring Charging Time90 Minutes
ChargerPortable charging case (Can recharge the ring up to 18 times)
Water ResistanceIP68, 50 meters
DustproofYes
ConnectivityBluetooth 5.2 (Low power Bluetooth module)
EMF SafeYes
Airplane ModeYes
iOS CompatibilityiOS 12.0 or later, or Android 8.0 or later
Operating Temperature Range -10°C -41°C/14°F-104°F
Free Sizing KitYes
FSA / HSA EligibleNo
MemoryUp to 7 days of data
WarrantyOne year
Compatible With Other AppsYes

Design & Color

I was specifically looking for a ring with a distinct design. Since the smart rings don’t have studded jewels, I thought a decent design would make it aesthetically pleasing.

RingConn Ring’s square-oval-shaped design grabbed my attention. The ring has an illusionary effect. For once, I thought that it was a square ring! The design goes well with its outer shiny and smooth finish.

I had a hard time choosing the ring color, though. Since the ring was available only in three colors (Gold, Black, and Silver), I didn’t have much choice. RingConn could have offered more colors like grey, matte black, rose gold, or titanium, for instance.

Anyway, after thinking for a while, I decided to go for the Gold color. I already had silver and black rings, so the gold RingConn Ring was a good addition.

Comfort & Durability

When my ring arrived, I put it on my index finger. However, despite choosing from the sizing kit, it fitted me a bit loose. I guess it’s because of my finger’s shape. Anyway, I am wearing it on my index finger on the other hand now.

The ring is lightweight, and I hardly remember putting it on. However, I noticed that the ring left sweat marks around my finger in 2-3 days of continuous wearing.

SpecificationsDetails
Weight3-5 grams
Thickness2.6mm
Width7.8 mm
MaterialTitanium & PVD Coating

Though the RingConn Ring’s titanium metal and PVD coating make it quite durable, it is not completely scratch-resistant. Unfortunately, I got a dent in my RingConn Ring while gardening. The sharp edges of tools left a straight mark on it.

Since it is black in color, the mark is not very visible, but now I don’t wear it while engaging in intense activities. I have bought the RingConn’s Ring Protector for $30 and am wearing it to save my ring from further damage.

However, I wear it while bathing or swimming. The RingConn Ring has IP68 water resistance and can withstand water up to 50 meters. So, I keep wearing it during showers, diving, etc. I even wore it while having a sauna bath, and the ring was quite fine. Thus, I am impressed with its resistance to heat and water.

While the RingConn Ring is dustproof, I keep it good. Still, to prevent my ring’s functionality from getting affected, I have to clean it with a clean ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ cotton cloth on a regular basis. If I use a wet cloth, I wait until the ring is completely dry to avoid any errors.

Charging Time, Battery Duration & Charger

I liked the RingConn Ring’s charging method, especially the ‘charging case.’ The RingConn Ring’s case can charge the ring 18 times! So, all I have to do is charge the case.

Once the case is charged, I simply put my ring in the charging case and leave it for some time. There is no need to look for a power source or pin in the USB cable.

The charging case is quite compact, so I can carry it in my bag wherever I go. The case also acts as the storage box for the ring, so I don’t have to find it among my millions of things!

SpecificationTime Span
Official Ring Charging Time90 minutes
My Ring’s Charging Time90-100 minutes
Official Battery Durability7 days
My Ring’s Battery Durability5 days

My findings of charging the ring varied from what the official website claimed. Though the difference was not much, it is not the same as what they claim. The ring’s battery lasts for 4-5 days instead of a week. Since I don’t have to charge it that frequently, I am okay with its battery durability.

It takes me more than an hour (around 90-100 minutes) to fully charge the RingConn Ring. So, I prefer to charge the ring when I don’t require it to check my vitals, such as when I am gardening, cooking food, or washing my car. It takes me almost an hour to complete these chores, so I don’t have to wait and sit idle to get my ring fully charged.

Sensors

SensorsAvailability
PPG sensors:white_check_mark:
Red LEDs:white_check_mark:
Green LEDs:white_check_mark:
Infrared LEDs:x:
Skin Temperature sensors:white_check_mark:
Photodiodes:x:
3D Accelerometer:white_check_mark:
Gyroscope:x:

The RingConn smart ring has four PPG modules, four temperature sensors, and an accelerometer. These sensors, along with red & green LEDs, track health and fitness metrics from the finger.

Features

FeaturesAvailability
HR & HRV:white_check_mark:
Resting Heart Rate:x:
Blood oxygen levels (SpO2):white_check_mark:
Sleep Tracking & Nap Detection:white_check_mark:
Sleeping Time Recommendations:x:
Sleep Debt:x:
Bedtime Guidance:white_check_mark:
Respiration Rate:white_check_mark:
Skin Temperature:white_check_mark:
Steps:white_check_mark:
Distance Traveled:white_check_mark:
Calories :white_check_mark:
Standing Time:white_check_mark:
Activity Intensity:white_check_mark:
Workouts Tracking:white_check_mark:
Period Logging:white_check_mark:
Fertility & Ovulation Prediction:white_check_mark:
Pregnancy tracking:x:
Menstrual Symptoms:x:
Mood and Energy:x:
Insights:white_check_mark:
User-based insights :white_check_mark:
Daily Summary :white_check_mark:
Personalized Goals :white_check_mark:
Haptic Alarm:x:
Stress Tracking:white_check_mark:
Physical Strain:x:
Recovery:x:
Wellness Score:white_check_mark:
Wellness Trends:white_check_mark:
Share Report:white_check_mark:
Health Timeline & Note:white_check_mark:

The RingConn Ring tracks several body and fitness-related metrics to check on overall health. While it tracks heart rate and heart rate variability, RingConn doesn’t have the resting heart rate feature.

Similarly, the ring only tracks sleep and naps but does not provide details on sleep debt or sleep time recommendations. Though it has the bedtime guidance feature, more sleep-related metrics would be a smart move.

The RingConn Ring also does not have a feature to track menstrual symptoms. However, it tracks only the period cycle (after logging the information) and predicts ovulation & fertility days.

The smart ring has features to track workouts, steps, distance, calories, standing time, etc., which gives more user-based insights and helps to set personalized goals.

Other/ Upcoming Features

Currently, RingConn Gen 2 is available on Kickstarter. I had been going through the Gen 2 ring details on different online platforms to know what’s new in the game. I found out that the latest RingConn Ring has-

  • Exercise metrics
  • AI-powered sleep health tracking and sleep apnea detection
  • Advanced Stress monitoring
  • Better tracking of SpO2 & HR
  • Better Menstrual Cycle predictions and related metrics

I would wait a few more months to read the real review of the RingConn Gen 2 Ring. If these features are really good, as they claim, then RingConn will surely give tough competition to other competitors in the market. Till then, I am in wait-and-watch mode!

RingConn Ring’s App And Memory

Since RingConn Ring is compatible with both iOS and Android, I didn’t have an issue downloading the app and pairing it via Bluetooth with my Android phone. 

Though the ring took some time to sync, it uploaded the data within a few minutes. However, when I leave my phone at a far place, the ring loses the connection. So, I have to keep my phone near the ring to get synced all the time. As of now, the RingConn Ring stores data for up to 7 days or till the battery is not fully drained.

The app is good overall and has a user-friendly interface, so I don’t have much of an issue with using it. When I open the app, it first shows me the summary page along with wellness balance details based on vital signs, sleep, activity, and stress. The metric ratings—Excellent, Good, or Improvable—contain more suggestions and insights.

RingConn app has 3 options at the bottom: Insights, Trends, Me. It has multiple slides in the Insights screen covering detailed information about sleep, activity, and stress stats. The Health Timeline further keeps me updated with my milestones throughout the day, such as waking time, stress spikes, and step goals.

The wellness balance slide compares yesterday’s and recent readings of sleep, stress management, vital signs, and activity and provides scores based on it. The tab also contains insights and exercise suggestions. You can check out more details of your heart rate in the vital signs tab. It shows not just the HR graph but also gives SpO2 information. Trends screen shows me the variations in my data on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.

Accuracy

While the RingConn Ring claims to track health and fitness metrics accurately, it has failed to provide the correct information. I have noticed that RingConn has miscalculated metrics like sleep, stress, etc., and sometimes fails to track steps. The following sections will tell you more about its accuracy in major tracking metrics.

Health & Fitness Tracking

Summary of Different Health Trackers on RingConn App - RingConn Smart Ring Review
Image Courtesy: Trusted Reviews

I have been using the RingConn Ring to track sleep, calories, steps, activity intensity, etc. This helps me to know how I am faring the day and how many goals I have achieved.

Since I am too lazy and forgetful, I have enabled the notifications to get sedentary reminders. Yeah, it reminds me that I have not moved for 50 minutes and that it’s better to have a walk!

It also notifies me when I don’t exercise but have a higher heart rate. The ring tracks SpO2 and Respiratory Rate regularly. So, I find it quite an attentive health gadget.

Outdoor Running Tracking Screenshots of RingConn App - RingConn Smart Ring Review
Image Courtesy: PCMag

One major drawback I found is that it doesn’t track specific workouts. Instead, it tracks activity intensity and measures other metrics based on that. It would be better if it had an elaborate workout tracking feature in its future versions. As of now, I am using third-party apps like Apple Health and Google Fit apps that are synced to the Ring to tag activities.

There were times when RingConn failed to track my heart rate and HRV accurately. It would show me a normal heart rate range, instead of high HR when I was running or lifting weights. So, the ring must consider improving these important metric readings to provide accurate data.

Also, I noticed a considerable difference in my step tracking on various occasions. I compared RingConn’s step tracking with Apple Watch’s step tracking and found that while the former counted only 496 steps, the latter had counted 912 steps at the given time period. So, I have to be more attentive to reading its tracking metrics.

Another important metric that I am very keen to know is my skin temperature, as it plays an important role in determining the health of the body. RingConn keeps a thorough check on it and tells me how my skin temperature is affecting my sleeping schedule. This helps me to improve my overall fitness.

Though RingConn Ring’s Daily Summary and Health Reports provide details, scores, and graphs, I find them too heavy to read and am unable to decipher them at various times. RingConn Ring can improve in this area and introduce more user-friendly information along with proper guidance.

Sleep Tracking

Sleep Stages and Sleep Score on RingConn App - RingConn Smart Ring Review
Image Courtesy: ZDNET

Whenever I fall on my couch with my shoes on and drift to dreamland, the RingConn Ring is there to track my sleep. Though the ring can differentiate between when I am actually sleeping and when I am just lying & relaxing on my bed, it doesn’t track sleep or nap quite accurately.

There are instances when I am feeling sleepy, but I have not slept and just lie on my bed. RingConn tracks it as sleep and provides the wrong sleep time. It also fails to show my exact waking time. When I simply lay down on my couch and watch TV without making much movement, it tracks it as a nap. So, RingConn needs to make quite improvements to track sleep more accurately.

Despite my accuracy concerns, I found the RingConn Ring’s sleep tracking quite elaborate and descriptive. It provides not only the basic details like my sleeping time, waking time, or sleep duration, but it also analyses my sleep and provides me with sleep stage details.

Sometimes, I don’t understand these lengthy details, but I get an idea of how my sleep was! I guess it will take me some more time to understand these metrics.

Stress Tracking

Night and Day Stress Tracking on RingConn App - RingConn Smart Ring Review
Image Courtesy: ZDNET

Though we all feel stress several times, there are not many options to track it normally. With the RingConn Ring, I now have a specific score for my daily stress. Yes, RingConn Ring tracks stress all day and night. It considers heart rate variability to determine stress levels, and provides a score and graphical representation.

I have noticed that it shows almost accurate stress data when I am very tired, have a bad sleep, have intense workout sessions, or am just exhausted from partying all night. Though it doesn’t provide recovery data, I must check my stress level and make proper recovery strategies. It would have been better if it had also provided details on recovery or at least the recovery score to get more concrete information.

Though scores and bar graphs are fine, I feel that RingConn can further improve its stress metric and add more valuable information to it to give detailed insights.

Price, Subscription & Availability

While most of the smart rings have a fixed price, the RingConn Ring was available at a discounted price on its official website. I bought the RingConn Ring for $259 instead of $279 from there. 

Fortunately, the RingConn Ring is totally subscription-less. So I didn’t have to spend another penny. Once I got the smart ring, I configured it for my phone, downloaded the app, and that’s it!

Pricing DetailsAmount
Official Price$279
Discounted Price$259
SubscriptionFree

Currently, the RingConn Ring is available to ship in all major countries like the United States, Canada, EU countries, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

The RingConn Ring: An Overall Overview

As of now, I have had a good experience with the RingConn Ring. Though I can’t say that it is a perfect ring, it can track several metrics that are crucial to health and fitness. Currently, it is one of the most affordable options for tracking body vitals, like popular but expensive smart rings like Oura.

However, my concern with the ring is its accuracy level. I have found several major reading differences or errors while tracking sleep, naps, steps, and stress. Since the RingConn Ring is a new contender in the market, it has a lot of scope for improvement. Despite its shortcomings, I must admit that it is indeed a promising debut.

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