Less than two years ago, titanium rings capable of monitoring health and physical activity parameters were a big question for many; today smart rings are everywhere and are increasingly lighter and more performing: the latest Oura Ring 4 is an example of this, and the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 will be one in the near future, which should be able to guarantee functions that were unthinkable until a few months ago (such as measuring blood sugar values). Despite everything, the question is not obvious: is it really worth putting the smartwatch in the drawer and relying only and exclusively on a smart ring?

Smart ring, is it really worth it?

The difference between a smartwatch and a smart ring is certainly aesthetic – they are two completely different devices – but it is also ‘philosophical’. With an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch, to name two of the best-selling ones, we use an active device: it vibrates, sends notifications, allows us to respond to messages or calls. And above all it has a display. And the smart ring? None of this: it is certainly lighter and less bulky, it does not disturb, it has no lights that can disturb your sleep, but it is a mere collector of data, which can be viewed and analyzed via an app on your smartphone. Two clearly opposing philosophies.

One fact is significant: smart rings have made giant strides in recent months. According to reports from international tech publications and analysts, smart rings have in fact surpassed watches in measuring vital and health parameters at rest. The capillaries of the fingers, in fact, give more accurate and precise indications on heart rate and oxygen saturation than the data from the wrist. This is how monitoring during sleep is certainly more effective.

The pros of smart rings

• Question of comfort. Many people struggle to sleep with a watch on their wrist at night, but few are willing to give up monitoring their sleep parameters. The ring weighs less than 5 grams and is ‘forgotten’ in a short time
• Battery with eternal life compared to that of smartwatches: if an Apple Watch must be charged almost every day (depending on more or less intensive use), an average smart ring guarantees between 7 and 10 days of battery life
• Health-tracking features like temperature-based cycle tracking and early monitoring of flu symptoms are incredibly accurate, especially in high-end rings.

The cons of smart rings

• No display, no notifications: for those used to reading WhatsApp messages from the wrist or seeing who is calling us on the phone, this could be a big disappointment. After all, there is no interface, everything goes from your finger to the app on your smartphone
• Smart rings are a hindrance for those who lift weights in the gym (they scratch and are annoying), and not all of them are equipped with integrated GPS, forcing runners in particular to trace the route with their smartphone
• They are small and weigh little, they do not have a display and they lack many functions that smartwatches have. Yet a good quality smart ring costs as much as a mid-to-high range watch. And some rings also require you to pay a monthly subscription to unlock some data.