The Oura Ring Gen 3 has officially been replaced by the Oura Ring 4. So, whether you stumble upon an Oura Ring Gen 3 as stores clear stock, or want to know if you should upgrade to the Oura Ring 4, you've come to the right place.
I used the Oura Ring 3 for many years since it was released back in 2021. But the newer Oura Ring 4, featuring an all-titanium redesign and longer battery life, is here as of October 15 starting at $349. Going forward, those interested in buying one of the best smart rings from Oura will shop the Oura Ring 4 — although, the Oura Ring 3 will stick around for a bit while inventory lasts.
That said, there are some upgrades worth noting when it comes to the Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3. The biggest changes materialize with the actual ring design and sensor accuracy. But when it comes to the companion Oura app and types of fitness tracker metrics the smart rings supply, the two have more in common than you might expect.
Below you'll find everything you need to know about the Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3.
Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: specs compared
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Oura Ring 4 | Oura Ring 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $349 | $299 |
| Sizes | 4-15 | 6-13 |
| Colors | Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Brushed Titanium, Black, Stealth | Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Brushed Titanium, Black, Stealth |
| Sensors | PPG (heart rate + SpO2), skin temperature, accelerometer | PPG (heart rate + SpO2), skin temperature, accelerometer |
| Weight | 3.3-5.2 grams | 4-6 grams |
| Thickness | ~ 2.88mm | ~ 2.7-2.9mm |
| Battery life | Up to 8 days | Up to 7 days |
| Subscription | $5.99/month | $5.99/month |
Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: Price and availability
The Oura Ring 4 replaced the Oura Ring 3 as of October 3, 2024, with customers no longer able to purchase an Oura Ring 3 directly from Oura.com; however, October 15 was the official Oura Ring 4 release date.
But, the Ring 3 will still work with the updated Oura app, and retailers can sell through their existing stock. As it's now discontinued, some stores are offering money off the older ring, like the $100 discount we saw during Amazon's October Prime Day.
As for pricing, the Oura Ring 4 starts at $349, which is $50 more than the Oura Ring 3's starting price for the original Heritage style that had a ridged exterior; however, the fully round Oura Ring Gen 3 Horizon style started at $349.
Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: design
The Oura Ring 4 might look just like the Oura Ring 3 at a glance, but take a closer look inside, and you'll see there's been some pretty significant changes made to the newer version's design.
Where the Oura Ring Gen 3 had three protruding ridges inside that housed the fitness-tracking sensors, the Oura Ring 4's sensors are almost entirely recessed. There are now two ever-so-slightly raised bumps — I think most people won't even notice them.
The Oura Ring 4 is also now made entirely of titanium, whereas the Oura Ring 3 had a titanium exterior and epoxy layer on the interior. This makes the ring marginally more lightweight, but apparently helps in terms of accuracy, too.
Another significant change to design is the Oura Ring 4 comes in sizes 4 through 15, providing 4 more size options than Oura Ring 3. While you'll still need to confirm your best fit with a sizing kit, the added sizes now give the Oura Ring an edge over the Samsung Galaxy Ring in this regard. Samsung's smart ring comes in sizes 5 through 13.
Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: fitness tracking features
The Oura Ring 4 introduces a new system called "Smart Sensing" in which the ring's sensors are capable of creating up to 18 sensing paths to read through your finger (up from 8 on Oura Ring 3) and determining which paths are most reliable at any given time. This means that the Oura Ring 4 should be able to collect data more accurately while limiting the frequency of data gaps.
Although the Oura Ring 4 could be up to 120% more accurate than the Oura Ring 3 in certain regards, the actual features and data points are all the same. In fact, thanks to an Oura app overhaul that started to roll out on October 3, 2024, Gen 3 and Ring 4 users alike can benefit from Oura's large bounty of health metrics and integrations.
This includes but is not limited to: sleep tracking, activity tracking with automatic workout detection, heart rate readings, readiness scores, stress ratings, menstrual cycle predictions, resilience estimates, and long-time health trend insights. The Oura app is now split into three tabs, Today, Vitals and My Health, in an effort to keep all your information organized.
Oura is regularly adding new features and third-party integrations to the app experience, though it comes at a cost. The membership, which effectively isn't optional, is $5.99/month.
Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: Battery life and charging
The Oura Ring 3 claimed to last up to 7 days between charges, though in my experience and the experience of most users I've chatted with, 4-5 days is a more accurate battery life window. Oura says the Ring 4 can last up to 8 days, though I've not yet had the chance to test whether that's accurate. My guess is that it'll last between 5-6 days with all the features enabled and moderate fitness tracking, but I'll have to see.
It's worth noting that the charging base of the Oura Ring 4 is different, too. The Oura Ring 3 came with a black, plastic charging base while the Oura Ring 4 comes with a squared-off, metal one. It feels more premium and it's also silver, making it easier to see. I can't even tell you how many times I've lost my Oura Ring 3 charger, so hopefully this new base doesn't cause as many problems for me.
Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: should you upgrade?
This isn't a question of which ring you should buy, but whether you're considering an upgrade from the Oura Ring Gen 3 to the newer Oura Ring 4. Since the app experience and included features are almost entirely the same, it's probably not worth it for most existing users to get the Oura Ring 4.
That said, if you're an avid Oura Ring user and want to be on the cutting edge of the company's latest hardware, I think you can purchase a new one knowing it won't be replaced for a few more years.
