Oura Ring 5 review points to slimmer hardware and upgrade caution
The new smart ring earns praise for first-time buyers, while existing Oura owners are told the changes may not justify the price.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
3 min read
The Oura Ring 5 is a smaller, lighter version of Oura’s health-tracking ring, and The Verge reviewer Victoria Song says it is strongest as a first smart ring. For current Oura owners, Song writes that the new model may be hard to justify because its main changes are physical rather than functional.
Song describes the Ring 5 as the best smart ring available for casual health tracking, while saying it is less suited to people who want detailed fitness data. The review gives the device an 8 out of 10 and lists the starting price at $399, with Oura’s $6 monthly subscription still required for the full experience.
According to Song, the Ring 5 uses the same sensors as the Oura Ring 4, has similar battery life and does not lock new software features to the latest hardware. The main hardware change is a thinner and lighter design, which Song calls technically impressive but not enough reason for owners of a working Ring 4 to upgrade.
Hardware changes are limited
The review says the Ring 5’s metal finish held up better than the non-ceramic Ring 4 during testing, though Song still saw some marks after about six weeks of wear. She also says users concerned about wear may prefer the ceramic version of the Oura Ring 4, which launched after the standard Ring 4.
Song’s main hardware criticism is size availability. Oura told The Verge that sizes 4, 5, 14 and 15 are not offered for the Ring 5 while the company assesses demand after expanding the Ring 4 size range. Song says that narrower size range raises accessibility concerns.
The review also notes that the Ring 5 does not come in ceramic. Song recommends using Oura’s latest sizing kit because ring fit can change with finger swelling or weight changes.
Charging is another point of criticism. The Verge reports that Oura sells the Ring 5 charging case separately for $99, rather than including it as the standard charger. Song also says a Ring 4 charging case will not work with the Ring 5 because of generational size differences.
Software grows more crowded
Oura paired the Ring 5 launch with several software additions, according to the review. Those include GLP-1 Insights, Health Radar, medical lab imports, deletion of health data from selected time periods, improved live activity tracking and a medical AI chatbot that can connect users with a doctor through Counsel Health.
Song writes that these features are mostly optional and are not restricted to the Ring 5. Her broader criticism is that the Oura app now feels more crowded than it did when the product focused mainly on activity, readiness and sleep scores.
The review says Health Radar combines Symptom Radar with nighttime breathing patterns and blood pressure signals to flag significant health changes. Song could not judge its accuracy during the test period because she did not experience major health changes.
Song found GLP-1 Insights useful for dose reminders, injection-site logging and symptom tagging, though she says the feature is more helpful for people earlier in treatment and works best when users track symptoms daily. She also remains skeptical of AI chatbots in fitness apps, while saying easier access to a doctor inside Oura’s app could help with quick questions.
Song’s bottom line is that the Ring 5 remains a strong smart ring for new users, especially those who want health tracking without smartwatch notifications. For owners of recent Oura models, The Verge’s review says the slimmer design and added software do not make an upgrade necessary if their current ring still works.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.