Being an Apple loyalist, I’ve had the Apple Watch on my wrist for days that I can’t do the math for. So when RingConn launched what seems to be the “jewelry version” of the Apple Watch in January 2023, it sparked my curiosity.
Could this be the replacement that I never knew I needed? Not gonna lie; I had my inhibitions. So, I put it to the test.
But, before I could hand my health metrics to a brand new device, I needed to see how accurate they were (I have trust issues, you see). So I wore both devices to see if their metrics matched, which was better, and if one could replace the other.
RingConn vs. Apple Watch Series 9: The Specifications
| Specifications | RingConn | Apple Watch Series 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Titanium & PVD Coating | Aluminum case and Stainless Steel case |
| Size | Nine sizes (6–14) | 41mm and 45mm |
| Weight | 3-5g (depending on size) | 31.9-51.5g (depending on material and size) |
| Thickness | 2.6mm | 10.7mm |
| Width | 7.8 mm | 35mm and 38mm |
| Battery Life | 7 days | 18 hrs |
| Charger | Portable charging case | Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable |
| Charging Time | 90 minutes | 75 minutes |
| Water Resistant | IP68 (Up to 50 meters) | Up to 50 meters |
| Compatibility | iOS 14.0 and above, or Android 8.0 and above | iPhone Xs and above or iOS 17 and above |
| Compatible With Other Apps | Google Fit, Apple Health | Lots of apps |
| Vibration Alarm Clock | N/A | Yes |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years |
| Customization | No | Watch straps can be customized |
| Operating Temperature | -10°C – 40°C/14°F – 104°F | 0°C – 35°C/32°F – 95°F |
| Price | $279 (currently $259) | Starts from $399 |
| Availability | Available in 14 countries | Available worldwide |
| Subscription | No | No |
Design and Comfort
The first thing I notice in a wearable is, ‘How wearable it really is?’
There’s no point in spending $$$ on any gadget that I won’t use. I love the Apple Watch, but with a more minimal approach in my accessories, it seems a bit bulky.
I love how the RingConn is so sleek and small that it doesn’t look or feel like an electronic device.
It is also one less screen to look at, and I love the fact that it’s so comfortable to sleep in. As opposed to my Apple Watch, which is so bulky that after the initial excitement to track my sleep wore off, I almost never wear it at night anymore.
RingConn is clearly a winner when it comes to ease and comfort.
In terms of looks, I have the Apple Watch Series 9, the aluminum variant in Pink.
The RingConn is available in 3 colors – Moonlit Silver, Midnight Black, and Pale Gold. I chose the pale gold (naturally).
Both the Apple Watch Series 9 and the RingConn are equally pretty to look at.
Sizing
The Apple Watch is one size fits all. Just choose the size of the watch, 41mm or 45mm, depending on your preference and there are a million different straps to choose from available in the market. I have the 41mm to suit my petite figure.
The RingConn comes with a sizing kit to help you select your perfect size. Containing nine plastic rings from 6-14, the RingConn doesn’t support half sizes. Don’t try to wing it with the size; get the sizing kit to make the most out of your ring. I got a size 9.
When it comes to the ease of choosing sizes between both, which one is easier to choose?
Between the Apple Watch Series 9 and the RingConn, choose which style you’re more comfortable wearing. Since a lot of people won’t know what ring size they are, Apple Watch makes it much easier to select the size based on the size of the dial itself, without worrying if it would fit your wrist or not.
RingConn vs. Apple Watch Series 9: The Features
| Specifications | RingConn | Apple Watch Series 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Activity tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sleep tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Heart Rate Monitoring | ✅ | ✅ |
| Heart Rate Variability (HRV) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Nap Detection | ✅ | ❌ (will be available on watchOS 11) |
| Respiratory Rate | ✅ | ✅ |
| Skin Temperature | ✅ | ✅ |
| Steps | ✅ | ✅ |
| Calories | ✅ | ✅ |
| Menstrual Symptoms | ❌ | ✅ |
| Cycle tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Fertility & Ovulation Prediction | ✅ | ✅ |
| ECG | ❌ | ✅ |
| Stress Monitoring | ✅ | ❌ |
| Blood Oxygen Monitoring | ✅ | ✅ (not available in Series 9 and Ultra 2 sold or after Jan 18, 2024) |
| User Logged Metrics | ✅ | ✅ |
| Workouts | ✅ (manually logged workouts) | ✅(automatic workout detection) |
| Health Reports | ✅ | ✅ |
| Set Personalized Goals | ✅ | ✅ |
| Guided Meditation and Breathing | ❌ | ✅ |
| Stand Notification | ✅ | ✅ |
| Reminders for medications, supplements | ❌ | ✅ |
| VO2 Max | ❌ | ✅ |
| Heart Rate Notification | ❌ | ✅ |
| Irregular Rhythm Notification | ❌ | ✅ |
| Emergency SOS | ❌ | ✅ |
| Crash Detection | ❌ | ✅ |
| Fall Detection | ❌ | ✅ |
Sleep Tracking
When it comes to features, the very first thing I would look for in a tracker is activity and sleep. While I do admit I was more into tracking workouts and calories when I first got my Apple Watch, I have realized the importance of sleep. The Apple Watch and the RingConn, both excel in this field.
The Apple Watch can track your sleep automatically, just like the RingConn. It tracks your sleep stages (light, REM, and deep sleep), allowing you to know if you’re overworked or under sleeping. Additionally, it tracks your body temperature, sleep duration, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen. It also allows you to set a sleep goal.
However, for the purpose of testing out the metrics of both, I wore my Apple Watch at night for probably the second or third time in my life. And hopefully, my last. I was so aware of it the entire night that this feeling alone couldn’t let me have a proper sleep. The RingConn, on the other hand, didn’t even notice it was there.
The metrics were pretty much the same on both apps, which is amazing because I won’t be wearing my Apple Watch to track my sleep again.
RingConn measures almost the same metrics as my smartwatch. From the moment you fall asleep to the minute you wake up, it measures your resting heart rate, body temperature, and stages of sleep AND gives you a score based on how well you slept. It also tracks my naps, which the Apple Watch doesn’t, and the nap tracking is scary accurate on this thing.
The RingConn is so comfortable to wear at night, and with metrics being the same as my Apple Watch, I will definitely not be wearing my Apple Watch to track sleep anymore.
Activity Tracking
If you ask people why they bought their smartwatches, I bet most of them will tell you that it was to record their steps. For me, I love closing my rings at the end of the day. Ah, the rings… my love-hate relationship.
For those who aren’t familiar, the Apple Watch has a feature wherein there are three rings- move, exercise, and stand. You set your goals for each and strive to close your rings at the end of the day. The day I close all three rings, I feel like I have my life together. The days I spend like a sloth, I curse this feature.
What I like about the Apple Watch is that it tracks my workouts automatically and lets me start and stop a workout from my wrist without having to open an app. The RingConn tracks my steps and overall calories burned; however, it doesn’t automatically track workouts.
The tiny device is accurate in detecting activities like cycling, swimming, running, and walking, therefore displaying the total calories burned. It does allow me to add a workout to the app separately though.
I also found the ring to be a little uncomfortable at the gym during weight lifting so I prefer my Apple Watch for the same. I like the fact that both the data from my RingConn and the Apple Watch can sync into the Apple Health app, making sure my fitness and wellness metrics are covered on all grounds.
For the simple reason that RingConn interferes with my workout equipment, I prefer using my Apple Watch at the gym.
Heart Rate Monitoring
The Apple Watch displays metrics such as heart rate, RHR, HRV, walking heart rate average, cardio fitness, and ECG.
The RingConn measures HRV (heart rate variability) to measure stress and recovery. It complies this data with RHR (resting heart rate) to give accurate sleep scores.
While the metrics calculated by both devices were pretty much the same, the Apple Watch supports ECG, which sends prompts if it detects irregular heart rhythm. This is an extremely useful tool, especially for people prone to heart problems.
Stress Monitoring
The heart rate monitoring also helps these devices detect your stress levels. While the Apple Watch has external apps to detect stress levels, it is not an inbuilt feature.
The RingConn has a separate tab for stress, displaying charts and data for your stress index based on heart rate calculations.
RingConn’s inbuilt stress monitoring feature is so helpful since I don’t have to install an external app unlike my Apple Watch.
My Data Accuracy Comparison
Since I’ve been using my Apple Watch for the longest time, I use it as a standard for measuring the other devices against. I’m happy to report, the RingConn has passed most of my tests.
The measurements for HRV and heart rate differ by only 5%, the sleep duration and stages were almost 10% different, the total calories burned were within 10% and SpO2 was within 5%.
The biggest difference I found was in my step count. Considering why I wear a fitness tracker, like most people, an accurate step count should be fundamental.
Comparing my step count, the RingConn measured my step count at least 15% more than the Apple Watch.
Battery and Charger
My Apple Watch’s battery lasts me around 2 days, but if you’re using yours all the time, it might need to be charged at much shorter intervals.
With an impressive battery life of up to 7 days, the RingConn makes life so much easier. I love not worrying about another device to charge. The best part is the charger (it deserves a special mention).
Yes, the charger. The RingConn comes with a charging case that almost looks like a jewelry box. It’s so easy to carry; just throw it in your bag without worrying about the charging cables. It’s a portable charger that can give you 18 full charges. Now that’s impressive.
Unlike other ring chargers in the market, the charging dock supports all RingConn rings, despite the sizes.
The RingConn is definitely a better choice if you want to carry it for traveling and don’t want another chord to manage.
Water Resistance
Both the Apple Watch and the RingConn are water resistant up to 50 meters. This means I can wash my hands, shower, and do regular chores without worrying about damaging the devices.
While it does mean that I won’t have an issue with my Apple Watch even if I hop into the shower, I hate getting the strap wet.
It takes a lot longer to dry my watch strap than my ring, so I definitely don’t use my Apple Watch in the shower.
Price
The Apple Watch series 9 is available on the Apple website as well as all authorized retail stores worldwide, starting at $399, excluding taxes. A cheaper version of the smartwatch, the Apple Watch SE, is priced at $249, excluding taxes.
The RingConn is one of the cheapest smart rings on the market priced at $279 (currently on discount for $259). It is available for purchase in only 14 countries.
The ring also has no additional subscription fee for accessing data on the app which makes it highly accessible as compared to other smart rings on the market. The Apple Watch too is subscription free and provides access to all your data.
Final Verdict
If you’re looking to transition from your smartwatch to a smart ring, the RingConn is one of the most affordable options in the market. Personally, I really enjoyed using the RingConn app because of the diverse metrics it gave me, that too sectioned into separate tabs.
The price point is also highly different, which makes you wonder which is more important – tracking fitness and activity or wellness and sleep. Because, in my opinion, neither of these devices can comfortably be worn all the time to DO IT ALL.
Buy RingConn If:
- You don’t want to support a chunky watch on your wrist every day.
- You want more focus on sleep and wellness than fitness and workout tracking.
- You want to test if smart rings are worth it. It’s a fairly cheaper option to start with.
Buy Apple Watch If:
- You want more focus on step count, workouts, and activity tracking.
- The data syncs seamlessly to Apple Health and Apple Fitness, and it takes a tad longer for RingConn to sync with its app.
For tracking my workouts, I still turn to my Apple Watch. But if you’re in your Gwyneth Paltrow era and better sleep and mental health are your goals, RingConn is a decent place to start. I would personally invest more for a seamless user experience.
Did you find any smart ring worthy of a replacement for your smartwatch? Let me know in the comments.
