I'm still very much in the process of trialling the Oura Ring 4, and although we're still very much in our honeymoon period, she might just be a keeper.
Every other person I know has used a fitness tracker at some point, be it the Whoop or Apple Watch, to supercharge their sleep, track their menstrual cycle or monitor their stress, but I could never quite get behind their bulky, unattractive appearance. So, when I learned of the Oura Ring, I was curious: How effective is it really at tracking so much of our bodily functions, and what life-altering insights could I really glean from its data?
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The popular health monitor — the first model of which was launched all the way back in 2015 — is designed to ‘paint a truly holistic picture of your health' by monitoring your sleep, activity, stress, heart health, and hormonal cycle 24/7, before providing personalised health insights via its mobile app. The fact that it happens to also be a sleek Lord-of-the-Rings-esque ring has converted a starry, style-sensitive crowd, including Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston and Mark Zuckerberg.
And, thanks to the return of Black Friday, all titanium versions of the Oura Ring 4 have been discounted, some by as much as 33%. So, read on for everything you need to know about the wellness tracker, as well as my first impressions and answers to all those common FAQs.
STORY LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, 26th November 2025 at 9:35am.
How I tested the Oura Ring 4 & why you can trust me:
As an editor, I am constantly bombarded by brands shouting about new products they want to advertise, but thankfully, I have a close-knit network of fellow industry professionals who advise me on what I should actually invest my time in. I'm also a natural sceptic when it comes to gadgets and do not take recommendations lightly.
The reason why I've decided to give the Oura Ring 4 a go is that my partner and I are currently trying to conceive, which requires monitoring not just my monthly cycle and fertile window, but also my overall health, from optimising sleep to ensuring my meals are balanced.
The latest update to Oura's reproductive health feature set provides cycle insights for your estimated fertile days, chance of conception at that time, and detected day of ovulation by measuring your basal body temperature, so I became curious to find out more.
When reviewing any product — this includes new-in fashion, viral beauty and highly-acclaimed wellness gadgets — I consider them all against the following criteria:
| Design | Is it practical, fit for purpose and aesthetic? |
| Price point | Would I be willing to spend that much? Is it good quality? |
| Delivery | How quickly did it arrive, and what were the associated costs? |
| Giftability | Would this make a suitable birthday or Christmas gift? Is it something the recipient actually wants, needs and would enjoy? |
Everything you need to know about the Oura Ring 4:
| In the box | One size-specific charger and a USB-C cable. |
| Material | Non-allergenic titanium. |
| Width | 7.90mm. |
| Weight | 3.3 to 5.2 grams, depending on ring size. |
| Water resistant | Up to 100m/328 ft. |
| Battery life | Up to 8 days of battery, and typically charges in 20 to 80 minutes. |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth Low Energy. iOS and Android compatible. |
Arguably, the Oura Ring is one of the most sophisticated wellbeing monitors to date, measuring more than 20 biometrics that all directly impact how you feel, including heart rate variability (HRV), blood oxygen levels and temperature.
In its latest iteration, the ring's features have expanded into new categories, including stress & resilience monitoring, women's health, and heart health, is said to soon include metabolic health tracking. As mentioned earlier, cycle insights highlight which phase of the menstrual cycle you are in, providing clarity on factors like typical cycle length, cycle variability, and period length.
You can also log meals using photos or text, and the app will grade its nutritional value, and an in-built meditation tool allows you to take a pause for however long you like while the ring measures your heart rate, HRV and skin temperature.
Every day, the dashboard shows your unique biometrics and health goals, from your “readiness” score for how much energy you might have to tackle your tasks today to longer-term metrics like cardiovascular age, cardio capacity, stress resilience, and sleep trends.
For those concerned about accuracy, the finger actually provides the most accurate reading of your heart rate, blood oxygen levels and temperature. Plus, the brand's ongoing testing has measured the device to have a 79% sleep tracking accuracy, compared to clinical polysomnography at 83%. Need a tad more convincing? It also reported a 98% heart rate variability accuracy when compared to ECG2. Wondering how exactly it measures those metrics, though? Through a quartet of monitors:
| Red and infrared LEDs | Measure blood oxygen levels while you sleep. |
| Green and infrared LEDs | Alternate to measure heart rate and heart rate variability 24/7 and respiration rate during your sleep. |
| Digital sensor | Measures your temperature variations. |
| Accelerometer | Tracks movement and activity 24/7. |
But because a load of numbers and percentages aren't hugely helpful to those without a doctorate, it then shares its findings via the clear and concise Oura app in easy-to-digest graphics tables.
This does mean you will need to sign up for an Oura Ring membership, but for just £5.99 a month or £69.99 a year, you'll also get tailored recommendations on how to up your scores.
Oura Ring 4: My first impressions
I've only trialled the ring for about a week so far, and many insights require at least a few weeks to a month's worth of data to provide more in-depth insight, but my first impressions are generally positive. As someone who does not like to keep jewellery on in the shower or while sleeping (even my thin wedding band was a struggle at first), I was happily surprised to find that the ring not only fits comfortably (and true to size — I did not even use a ring sizer), thanks to the upgraded design of the Oura Ring 4 and is quite unobtrusive. You can also switch fingers if you're feeling like it's getting in the way of any tasks.
Another upgraded feature? The ring charges fully in under an hour on a sleek, compact stand, and lasts just about a week, so the downtime is incredibly short.
Installation took less than five minutes, and within the first two days, it was able to predict my period, log every detail of my sleep pattern and advise me on the amount of exercise I should partake in given my energy levels.
What are the differences between the Oura Ring Gen3 and the Oura Ring 4?
First, the design and material. While the previous model had a titanium exterior surrounding an epoxy interior, the new iteration is made from all lightweight, durable titanium the entire way through. The latter also comes fitted with recessed sensors, aiding a more comfortable fit and improved tracking. Talking of, the accuracy of the Oura Ring 4 is powered by Smart Sensing that dynamically selects the optimal signal path and makes it the most accurate iteration of the ring yet, specifically when it comes to signal quality for blood oxygen and heart rate measurement, as well as tracking your sleep disturbances.
It also expanded its size range from four to 15 and is available in six colours: Brushed Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Stealth, and an updated Black finish. In terms of battery life, designers claimed the Oura Ring Gen3 could last a whole seven days, while you now get up to eight days of uninterrupted tracking per charge with the 4.
Oura Ring 4: The Verdict
Given that I've only just started wearing my ring, Oura needs a bit more time to collect data to properly notice any patterns, but even in this short window, it has provided valuable insight into some of my habits, from my heart rate and by extension stress levels, to my sleep schedule.
The ring sits very comfortably on the finger, and I mostly forget that I'm even wearing it. The fact that it pairs well with my other chunky gold jewellery is a plus!
| Pros: | Cons: |
|---|---|
| Battery lasts up to eight days, depending on activity level, and recharges super quickly in under two hours. | There can be some tracking teething issues in those first few months — for example, mis-reading drying your hair as a workout, or reading an hour-long walk as several short walks. |
| Incredibly accurate period tracking based on your body temperature. | Dashboard can be a little tricky to understand at first but just takes a few days of noodling around. |
| Offers you trends over time, giving you daily, weekly and monthly calendar views of your key body metrics. | |
| Rest Mode automatically switches on when Oura detects that your body might be under stress. | |
| Super aesthetic and plenty of colour options. Choose from: silver, brushed silver, stealth, black, gold and rose gold. | |
| Includes built-in white noise/meditation feature. |
