When you want 24/7 access to your health and wellness but don’t want to wear a large wristwatch or fitness tracker every day, a smart ring makes a lot of sense, especially if it’s intended to integrate smoothly with your existing device ecosystem. That is precisely why the Samsung Galaxy Ring launch is one of the company’s most anticipated in years.
The Galaxy Ring, which retails for $399, takes much of what Samsung accomplished with the Galaxy Watch and reduces it into a piece of sensor-packed jewelry. But what can these small sensors do? The Galaxy Ring’s key features include monitoring your activities, analyzing your sleep, and feeding a collection of AI-powered insights.
If you follow the headlines around the Galaxy Ring’s official launch, you’ll notice a lot of comparisons to the Oura Ring. However, Samsung discovered several innovative methods to differentiate its wearable, as detailed in my hands-on Galaxy Ring review below.
SAMSUNG GALAXY RING SPECS
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Samsung Galaxy Ring |
|---|---|
| Starting price | $399 |
| Dimensions | 7 x 2.6 mm |
| Sizes | 5 – 13, 9 sizes total |
| Weight | 2.3 – 3.0 g |
| Colors | Titanium Black, Titanium Silver, Titanium Gold |
| Battery life | Up to 7 days |
| Durability | 10 ATM, IP68 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.4 |
| Sensors | PPG (heart rate, SpO2), skin temperature, accelerometer |
SAMSUNG GALAXY RING PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The Samsung Galaxy Ring is available for pre-order beginning July 10, after Samsung Unpacked, with official sale on June 24. The Galaxy Ring costs $399.99, which is $100 more than the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7’s starting price. And, unlike the Oura Ring, which ranges in price from $299 to $549 depending on shape and material, the Galaxy Ring has a single price.
When you buy the Galaxy Ring, you’ll receive a sizing kit to assist you choose the right size between 5 and 13. I usually wear a size 8 or 9, but when I put on the “dummy” rings, I fit between a size 9 and a size 10. In other words, do not skip the fitting procedure. In order for an intelligent ring to be effective, it needs to fit comfortably but also maintain skin contact to collect data.
I stated this when I evaluated the Oura Ring, and I’ll say it again for the Galaxy Ring: I wish there was a way to make the fitting procedure less cumbersome and wasteful, without having to ship a second package of false rings before shipping the customer’s actual ring.
Fortunately, after you’ve paid the amount, there are no extra charges to utilize the Galaxy Ring or any of the Samsung Health features. That’s in stark contrast to Oura Ring, which demands a $5.99 per month membership charge to access all services.
SAMSUNG GALAXY RING DESIGN
Smart rings are popular right now, so sharp eyes may be able to distinguish between one and a standard band based on thickness. Nonetheless, at only 2.6 millimeters, the Galaxy Ring appears incredibly unobtrusive. Customers can choose between Titanium Black, Titanium Silver, and Titanium Gold finishes. After trying on all of the colors, I would go with gold. However, the silver has a beautiful brushed finish.
Smart rings are popular right now, so sharp eyes may be able to distinguish between one and a standard band based on thickness. Nonetheless, at only 2.6 millimeters, the Galaxy Ring appears incredibly unobtrusive. Customers can choose between Titanium Black, Titanium Silver, and Titanium Gold finishes. After trying on all of the colors, I would go with gold. However, the silver has a beautiful brushed finish.
The ring includes a Bluetooth 5.4 module for pairing with your phone. In the event that your ring is missing, Bluetooth allows you to see the last location it was connected to your phone via Find My Ring.
SAMSUNG GALAXY RING HEALTH TRACKING
Unlike a wristwatch, which allows you to see your health data immediately on your wrist, the Galaxy Ring is highly reliant on access to Samsung Health via your smartphone. Samsung’s health service, available at no additional cost, allows you to access data and insights from your Galaxy Ring at any time.
The Galaxy Ring tracks your heart rate, predicts your cycle using the skin temperature sensor, and automatically identifies exercise when you move. It will even send an inactivity alarm to your phone if you have been still for a time. You can also set up notifications for when your heart rate is above or below your regular threshold.
When it’s time to sleep, the Galaxy Ring uses Samsung’s enhanced sleep AI technology. Building on Samsung’s existing sleep tracking priority, the new algorithm determines your quality of sleep by including additional sleep score indications such as sleep latency, nightly movement, and time in bed.
Sleep is also factored into the new AI-powered Energy Score function. The Energy Score is similar to Oura’s Readiness Score in that it assesses your body’s overall state based on activity, recovery, and other factors. Wellness Tips, another new AI function, will use your Energy Score and other health indicators to provide individualized suggestions on everything from activity to nutrition.
SAMSUNG GALAXY RING DOUBLE PINCH GESTURES
Apple introduced Double Tap for the Apple Watch, while Samsung added Double Pinch for the Galaxy Ring. That’s correct, the Galaxy Ring supports gestures, thanks in large part to its built-in accelerometer. These movements, in my opinion, are very ingenious, giving the Galaxy Ring functionality that the Oura Ring does not have.
If you own a Samsung smartphone, like the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, your smart ring will function as a remote camera button. Simply pinch your finger (the one with the ring, obviously) and thumb twice to control the shutter. I’m a huge admirer of the Camera Controller software for Galaxy Watch, but this gesture for Galaxy Ring could be even more useful.
Double Pinch may also be used to snooze alarms, which makes sense given that you’re supposed to wear the Galaxy Ring while sleeping.
SAMSUNG GALAXY RING BATTERY LIFE AND CHARGING
The Samsung Galaxy Ring’s battery capacity ranges from 18 to 23.5 mAh, depending on the ring size. It makes obvious that larger rings can accommodate larger batteries, right? This translates into battery longevity, with sizes 12 and 13 lasting up to 7 days on a full charge. Although Samsung has not provided an estimate for all sizes, I believe smaller sizes will have a battery life of 4 to 5 days, which is comparable to Oura Ring.
Perhaps my favorite feature of the Galaxy Ring is the versatile charging case. The case not only charges the ring via USB-C or wireless charging, but it also includes a 361 mAh battery that keeps it charged even when not attached to a power source. The case also closes, keeping the Galaxy Ring safe if you travel with it. It is practical.
SAMSUNG GALAXY RING OUTLOOK
I believe the Galaxy Ring has a lot to offer. Despite being slightly more expensive than projected, the fact that Samsung Health is still completely free is a significant selling point when compared to the competition. With a great case and gestures, Oura Ring has good reason to be anxious.
However, Oura Ring has the advantage of being ecosystem neutral, which means it works on both iPhones and Android. The Galaxy Ring requires a Samsung phone to use all of its capabilities.
Regardless, I’ll have to watch how the new Galaxy AI health measurements perform on a daily basis. From sleep to exercise, data must be precise and meaningful for the Galaxy Ring to fulfill its primary purpose. Expect a full review from me soon.
