The newest entrant in the wearables market, the Samsung Galaxy Ring has made quite the buzz. But with the competition heating up, especially from seasoned contenders such as Ultrahuman, the question is: how does the Galaxy Ring stack up against the market veteran Ultrahuman Ring AIR?
Specifications
| Specifications | Samsung Galaxy Ring | Ultrahuman AIR |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Titanium | Titanium and epoxy resin |
| Size | 5-13 | 5-14 |
| Sizing Kit | Yes | Yes |
| Colors | 3 colors- Titanium Black, Titanium Silver, Titanium Gold | 5 colors- Raw Titanium, Aster Black, Matte Grey, Bionic Gold, Space Silver |
| Battery | 6-7 days | Up to 6 days |
| Charge Time | Up to 80 mins | Up to 90 mins |
| Water Resistance | 10ATM, IP68 | Up to 100m |
| Thickness | 2.6mm | 2.45 – 2.8mm (size dependent) |
| Width | 7.0mm | 8.1mm |
| Weight | 2.3g – 3g (size dependent) | 2.4 – 3.6g (size dependent) |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth Low Energy 5.4 | Bluetooth Low Energy 5 |
| Compatibility | Android only | iOS 15 and higher or Android 6 and higher |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, PPG, Skin Temperature | PPG; Skin Temperature; 6-axis motion sensors; red, green, and infrared LEDs |
| Price | $399.99 | $350 |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
| Customization | No | Yes, an additional $39 |
| Subscription | Free | Free, with a few paid PowerPlug features |
Pros and Cons
| Samsung Galaxy Ring | Ultrahuman AIR |
|---|---|
| Pros : | Pros : |
| The design is sleeker than other smart rings on the market. | Works across iOS and Android. |
| Portable charging case. | Better app experience. |
| Great battery life. | A great amount of features and metrics. |
| Actionable wellness insights. | |
| Ability to monitor blood glucose with M1. | |
| Cons : | Cons : |
| Only for Android users. | Prone to scratches. |
| Sleep tracking is not as accurate. | Sleep tracking could be better. |
| Only two activities are available for automatic detection. | A few PowerPlug features are paid. |
| AI features are only available for Samsung Galaxy devices. | Steps are sometimes overestimated. |
| ‘Find My Ring’ is exclusive to Galaxy phones. | |
| Steps are sometimes overestimated. |
Design
As far as the design goes for a smart ring, both these variants are largely identical. The difference the Galaxy Ring bears is the slightly concave curve on the band, which makes it visibly slimmer.
I don’t know if it is a placebo or if the concave design of the Galaxy Ring actually makes it seem slimmer, even though the specs define otherwise.
That being said, neither of the two is highly noticeable except for the initial couple of days of having them on my finger. Especially at night, for someone who hates wearing a smartwatch to measure my sleep, both these rings have been seriously comfortable.
Battery
The battery life of a health-tracking device is a key factor that influences my choice. Similar in battery life, the Ultrahuman AIR, while it promises 6-7 days of battery life, lasts me a good 5 days before needing a juice up.
The Galaxy Ring lasts me a good 6 whole days, needing a quick top-up at the end of day 6. Both the rings are quite close to what they advertise, so I don’t have any complaints.
Metrics They Track
| Features | Samsung Galaxy Ring | Ultrahuman AIR |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate, Heart rate variability | ✅ | ✅ |
| AFib Detection | ❌ | ✅ |
| Respiratory rate | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sleep Tracking and Nap Detection | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sleep debt | ❌ | ✅ |
| Movement during sleep | ✅ | ✅ |
| Morning Alertness & Tosses and Turns | ❌ | ✅ |
| Bedtime guidance | ❌ | ✅ |
| Sleep pattern | ✅ | ✅ |
| Snoring analysis | ✅ | ❌ |
| Skin temperature | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sleep score | ✅ | ✅ |
| Automatic Workout tracking | ✅(walking and running) | ✅(up to 1 hour) |
| Steps and Calorie tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Distance Traveled | ✅ | ✅ |
| Movement Index | ❌ | ✅ |
| Phase Response Curve | ❌ | ✅ |
| Recovery/ Energy score | ✅ | ✅ |
| Low and high heart rate alerts | ✅ | ❌ |
| Cycle tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Blood Oxygen | ✅ | ✅ |
| VO2 Max | ❌ | ✅ |
| Cycle tracking | ✅ | ✅(log in manually) |
| Fertility & Ovulation Prediction | ✅ | ✅ |
| Pregnancy Insights | ❌ | ✅ |
| Stress tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Circadian Rhythm and Cardio Adaptability | ❌ | ✅ |
| Glucose Monitoring | ❌ | ✅(with M1 platform) |
| Insights | ✅ | ✅ |
| Health Reports | ✅ | ✅ |
| Caffeine Window and Vitamin D | ❌ | ✅ |
| Screentime | ❌ | ✅ |
Sleep Tracking
Sleep tracking is one of the major reasons people buy a smart ring in the first place. So if the brands don’t nail this part of the ring, there’s not much left to attract your audience with. Ultrahuman, having the edge of being in the market for fairly longer than the Galaxy Ring, has a proven track record.
The sleep tracking on Ultrahuman isn’t the gold standard for me just yet because, a couple of times, it has failed to log my sleep if I wake up in the middle of the night. Apart from that, the data pertaining to my total sleep and time of sleep and awake time are pretty on point.
The Galaxy Ring, on the other hand, is pretty off when it comes to my sleep tracking. The total time of sleep, especially logging naps and sleep when I’m fully awake, is often the reason I don’t trust this device just yet.
However, the Galaxy Ring being Samsung’s first stride into a wearable that is totally focused on sleep and general health tracking, there’s bound to be a lack of accuracy. I’m hoping their competition and feedback will push them to make it better with their upcoming updates.
Health Monitoring and Stress Tracking
Both the Samsung Galaxy Ring and the Ultrahuman Ring AIR measure fairly similar metrics in terms of health tracking, such as– heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen, temperature, etc.
With a few features that are exclusive to each, the Ultrahuman AIR with AFib detection and the Galaxy Ring with high/low heart rate alerts, the Ultrahuman still stands out if we compare the accuracy of the two.
The heart rate measurements on the UH AIR, though not the best, are still far better than what the Galaxy Ring measures. The stress tracking on both devices was similar, with none being accurate to how I felt.
This is owed to the form factor of the ring, I believe, wherein the movement of hands, especially while at work, is more, which the ring relates to higher activity and, therefore, more stress.
Activity Tracking
While smart rings aren’t my go-to for workout tracking, the Ultrahuman AIR is significantly better at monitoring these metrics. The Ring AIR didn’t initially have automatic workout detection, but it was later introduced via a software update.
The Galaxy Ring was launched with automatic activity detection; however, only for two activities– running and walking. So basically, the Galaxy Ring does what even my phone can, counting steps. This is quite limiting to its abilities. I’m hoping Samsung, too, rolls out a new the same in its upcoming updates.
Galaxy Ring is focused on an audience that prioritizes sleep and wellness, while Ultrahuman, with its Ring AIR, has taken a more holistic approach by incorporating activity tracking along with logging calories.
Yes, you heard that right. By connecting Ultrahuman with MyFitnessPal, logging macros and training simultaneously becomes a dream for any fitness enthusiast.
Final Verdict
If you’re an iPhone user, your choice between these two rings is already set. The Samsung Galaxy Ring cannot be paired with iOS, which is a disappointment. But since they’re a new entrant and not yet seasoned in the market, this is also reflected in the performance of the ring.
I’m hoping this will be addressed after massive updates to the Galaxy Ring or maybe even the second or third generation of the product. For now, the Galaxy Ring is not living up to the hype for me. As much as I wanted to love it, the Ultrahuman AIR is a clear winner in my books.
