Smart rings are connected to devices. Using sensors, they collect data about you, track your sleep, and monitor your heart rate. They have been around for a while. The first company to introduce smart rings was Oura in 2015. Since then, many companies have tried to build their own smart rings. But it’s not easy to make and sell smart rings because the smart ring market is very small.
However, 2024 is the year when more companies are expected to enter the market. Samsung released its first smart ring in 2024, and rumors suggest that Apple is also trying to build one. In recent years, we have seen how the smart ring market is growing day by day.
Are there affordable options for those on a budget?
Smart rings are not budget-friendly. In the market, we see many budget watches that work really well and are also affordable. So, people are less interested in buying a high-budget smart ring and often opt for a budget smartwatch instead. Many companies are interested in making their own smart rings, which might eventually lead to a decrease in the price of smart rings after a few years. But for now, they are quite expensive.
What is a Smart Ring?
A smart ring looks like a normal ring that can be worn on fingers, but it comes with many features like health monitoring and notification vibration. In health monitoring, it can measure your sleep, step count, cycling, swimming, heart rate, body temperature, etc. If your smart ring is connected to your phone, you can feel it vibrate when a notification comes in. These are the core functionalities of a smart ring.
In the market, you can see other wearable devices like smartwatches, which offer similar features but with better measurement capabilities than smart rings. Also, the price of these wearables is less than that of a smart ring. A smartwatch can offer better battery life, powerful sensors, and more functionality, such as a display where you can see all the measurements and notifications and even reply to them. Some smartwatches also provide calling functionality, which is not available in smart rings.
The High Cost of Premium Smart Rings
In the market, you can find many popular smart rings. People love them for their features and compatibility. I’ll share with you some popular smart rings on the market, emphasizing their features and price tags. Here are the rings I found:
Oura Ring Gen3
I’ve been wearing my Oura Ring for six months now, and I’ve taken it with me everywhere: running around the city, working at the office, stretching on my yoga mat, and sleeping in bed. The app gives me a clear view of my sleep, activity, and recovery data right on the home page, and I’ve found it really helpful for understanding my health better. It even picked up on my increased stress levels during a particularly emotional night.
Ultra Human Ring Air
If you’re into tracking everything from your macros and micros to your steps, training for marathons, and following guided workouts, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is the perfect smart ring for you. It’s made for fitness enthusiasts who want to boost their mental and physical energy all day long. From the moment you wake up until you go to bed, the Ultrahuman Ring Air provides tips on how to make the most of your day, including when to have caffeine, get sunlight, move around, and relax.
Samsung Galaxy Ring
Let me introduce you to the latest smart ring on the market and the first one from a major tech brand: the Samsung Galaxy Ring. Released in July, this ring is a must-have for Android users—unfortunately, it doesn’t work with iOS. The Galaxy Ring offers many of the features you’d expect from a smart ring, but with a few exciting extras. It tracks your sleep and activity, using an AI algorithm to analyze your sleep quality, patterns, and more. Each morning, you’ll get a sleep score that summarizes how well you slept. It also monitors snoring, movement during sleep, sleep latency, and your heart and respiratory rates.
RingConn Smart Ring
The RingConn Smart Ring is a solid choice if you’re looking for two key things: 1) A ring that offers features similar to the Oura or Evie Ring—like heart rate, SPO2, and sleep tracking—but is available for everyone, regardless of gender, and 2) A ring that doesn’t come with a monthly subscription fee. With the RingConn Smart Ring, you only pay the one-time price of $279. In contrast, the Oura Ring has a $6 monthly membership fee on top of the initial purchase cost.
Amazfit Helio Ring
Smartwatches and smart rings have different strengths: smartwatches are generally better for tracking your activities, while smart rings are great for monitoring your sleep. If you’re looking for both types of tracking in one device, consider the Amazfit Helio Ring. It’s unique because it combines the features of a smart ring with smartwatch compatibility, allowing you to keep all your fitness and sleep data in one place.
Evie Ring
Most rings on this list start at around $300, but the Evie Ring is priced at $270 and doesn’t come with any extra subscription fees. While it’s more affordable, it does offer fewer advanced health data features. However, if you’re new to smart rings and just want to start exploring wearables, the Evie Ring is a great option to get you started.
Most smart rings are expensive because their production costs are high. The sensors and parts of the smart ring are too costly, which is why the overall price is high. Smart rings use advanced technology to provide advanced features.
Budget-Friendly Smart Rings
Budget smart rings exist, but only a few companies make them. Nova Rings is one of them. They offer a smart ring for under $100.
Nova Ring is able to offer a budget-friendly ring by cutting costs on features, specs, and compatibility. If you need a budget-friendly ring, then you will have to sacrifice some of these things.
Conclusion
In conclusion, budget smart rings do exist, but they may come with certain compromises. Before buying a smart ring, ask yourself what you need from it. Then, choose the smart ring that fulfills your needs, whether it is cheaper or more expensive.