A new category of wearables has exploded onto the wellness scene. Smart rings, such as Samsung's Galaxy Ring, are proving an increasingly popular option for those who don't want a bulky screen on their wrist (or constant pings from a fitness tracker), but do still want health monitoring and sleep tracking features.
Samsung's Galaxy Ring is made of durable titanium to withstand whatever you throw at it (it's even water resistant so you can leave it on in the shower and in the pool*). The Ring comes with a choice of gold, silver or black finishes on the outside and three sensors lining the inside to monitor your heart rate, track your movements and a skin temperature sensor.
While that probably sounds like a lot of tech to wear on your index finger, the Ring is actually designed to be lightweight and slimline.
After using the free sizing kit, your Ring arrives in a clear charging case that resembles an actual ring box, and can be used with either the USB-C connector or placed on a wireless charging pad. The glow from the LED lights around the perimeter of the case tells you how much battery power you still have left.
After adding it to the Samsung Health app (Samsung's Galaxy Ring exclusively works with Galaxy AI so you will need to pair it with a smartphone with Android 11 or above), the Ring feeds information about your your sleep time average and consistency, your sleep heart rate and your previous day's movement and step count to the app to determine your Energy Score.
It also gives you personalised tips that you can incorporate into your daily routine and sends you an alert if you haven't moved in a while or if you heart rate is too high or too low.
Another key feature is the Skin Temperature Sensor, which detects changes in your skin temperature while you sleep and, when used with an algorithm powered by Natural Cycles, can help to predict your next period**.
The product:
Given Samsung is the first big tech company to invest in a smart ring, and personalisation is a buzzword in beauty and lifestyle spaces, GLAMOUR decided to put the Galaxy Ring through its paces. But what did our five team members think when they tried it?
Denise, GLAMOUR's Beauty Commerce Writer
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is one of — if not *the* best — health trackers I’ve ever used. As someone who’s previously sworn by other smartwatches for all my sleep tracking needs, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much better and more accurately the Galaxy Ring has been able to record my regular sleeping patterns.
The Galaxy Ring was great for helping me understand my stress levels by analysing the quality of my sleep every night and giving me tips on how I can improve my general wellbeing. The best part? It also tracks my body temperature and predicts my menstrual cycle — incredibly useful for my PCOS.
Plus, the design is super chic and matches beautifully with my other jewellery. A must.
Rating: 8/10
Fiona, GLAMOUR's Associate Beauty Director
I've never worn a smart ring and one concern was that it would look (and feel) like a wearable monitor. Those fears were dispelled as soon as I put the ring on. My first impression was how light, discreet and comfortable it is. The sensors don't rub against your skin and, given my other rings are very minimalist in design, it looked just like another piece of jewellery rather than a piece of tech.
I typically don't sleep well and I spend a lot of my day at my desk so monitoring my sleep and improving my step count each day were two key things I wanted to achieve with the ring. I loved how the ring tracked my vital statistics like the quality of my sleep and my blood oxygen level while sleeping (fascinating!), and whether my stress levels had crept into the unhealthy red zone. I also found the tips really motivational for improving on yesterday's scores.
In fact, I was almost in competition with the previous day's Energy Score and found that the Ring actually encouraged me to go for a lunchtime walk and slow down before bed to help me get into relaxed mode. And if my stress levels were high, I took active steps to calm down – whether that meant stepping away from my desk or just taking a few minutes to focus on my breathing – which I probably wouldn't have without the Ring.
I also became pretty addicted to the double-pinch feature (using your thumb and the finger wearing the ring***) to take pictures and turn off my morning alarm without having to stumble across the room in the dark to get my phone.
The biggest plus for me, though, was that you're not being bombarded with visible data on a watch screen or pings throughout the day – the data is there for you to calmly and mindfully access on the app, whenever you want. I'm really impressed.
Rating: 9/10
Mayola Fernandes, GLAMOUR's Commerce Writer
I've been hearing the buzz around the Samsung Galaxy Ring for a little while now, and with its much-anticipated release earlier this year, I had high expectations. When I finally got my hands on it, I was excited to see if it would live up to the hype — and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
After fully charging it in its case, I paired the ring with my Samsung device and slipped it onto my finger, ready to put it to the test.
I found the Ring surprisingly comfortable to wear, especially during sleep, something I’ve always struggled with when wearing a smartwatch. Each morning, I reviewed my sleep data and was genuinely impressed with the accuracy — it pinpointed my frequent middle-of-the-night wake-ups, and gave me an overall sleep score.
Another standout feature was its stress-level tracking, which captured highs and lows throughout the day, which upon reflection did align perfectly with my moments of anxiety, like when I was working towards a deadline.
That’s not all, the menstrual cycle tracking feature was by far my favourite feature. It works by measuring your skin temperature while you sleep and managed to effectively predict my cycle for the month.** While the ring definitely comes in at a premium price point, I've been so impressed with its features that I think it’s well worth the investment.
Rating: 9/10
Robyn, GLAMOUR's Social Media Manager
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is a brilliant alternative to other wearables, especially if, like me, you're tired of constantly staring at yet another screen. I loved that I could just pop it on and forget about it.
I’ve recently ditched the heavy gym routines for some lighter activities like cycling, running, and badminton, and it’s been so interesting to see how they’re affecting my overall health. The insights the ring provides have been super helpful, and seeing real data on how these sports are impacting my body is a game changer. It gives you a clear picture of your daily exertion, and honestly, it’s been motivating to see those stats improving!
One feature I’m obsessed with is the sleep tracking. It not only tells you how much sleep you got, but also breaks down how well you're physically and mentally recovering. It’s honestly fascinating to know just how well you’ve recharged.
That said, it’s not perfect. My only real complaint is that you have to manually tell the ring when you’ve started a workout if it’s anything other than walking. And, for now, it only syncs up with Android phones 11 or above.
Overall though, if you’re looking for a device that gives you health insights without the constant distraction of a screen, the Galaxy Ring is a fantastic choice!
Rating: 8/10
Fiona, GLAMOUR's Acting Website Director
I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with fitness trackers... I love the idea of finding out more about my health and wellness, but since I'm quite an anxious person I don't want to know too much all the time.
In the past, wearable tech has been a bit too visible for me – like my smartwatch, for example – so I like the fact that the Samsung Galaxy Ring is a more subtle way of tracking my movement.
I loved how I could take ownership over when I wanted to go into the app and check out my stats – rather than have it right there on a screen on my body. I also love how it automatically tracks my walks, since they're a big part of my movement routine.
I did find it tricky to wear when doing my weights and reformer pilates workouts, however, since it interfered with my grip, which I found a bit off-putting. But overall, I think it's a useful bit of kit that allows you to track your health without getting too caught up in it.
Rating: 8/10
Sign up to our newsletter for more daily content straight to your inbox.
Disclaimer:
*Water resistance rating of 10 minutes at 100 meters under the ISO standard 22810. Rated IP68 for dust and water resistance, 1.5 meters in fresh water for up to 30 minutes. It is not suitable for diving or high-pressure water activities.
**Not intended for contraception. Intended for users 18 years+. Users should not interpret or take clinical action based on the predictions made without consultation of a qualified healthcare professional.
***Galaxy smartphone with One UI 6.1.1 or above required.
