The Oura Ring 5 looks perfect, but the Fitbit Air already ruined it

The Oura Ring 5 was just announced late last week, and on paper, it looks like the smart ring I’ve been waiting for. Having worn the Oura Ring 3 and Ring 4, Oura’s companion app and health data truly set it apart from the competition. But there’s always been a hangup for me: the hardware.

As much as I like Oura’s software, the Ring 4’s big and bulky design is something I’ve never been able to fully adjust to — especially after trying something like the Samsung Galaxy Ring. The competition has been beating Oura here for a while, and I wasn’t sure if the company would ever catch up.

But now we have the Oura Ring 5. It’s 40% smaller than the Ring 4, offers much better durability, and even has an impressive blood pressure monitoring feature. It’s exactly the upgrade I’ve wanted, and in theory, I should be over the moon about it.

There were a few reasons I thought this was the right call, but it ultimately boiled down to regular annoyances I’ve had with my Oura Ring 4. There are so many instances where it gets in the way — weightlifting, cooking, and even just holding my phone. I love the idea of the Oura Ring being a distraction-free wearable to track my health, but when I have to take it off multiple times per day because of its bulky design, that ultimately defeats the ring’s purpose.

I thought the Fitbit Air could bridge that gap — seamlessly tracking my health in the background while having a design that works better for me — and it’s proven to do exactly that.

I’ve been wearing the Fitbit Air for just about a week, and throughout that time, not once have I had to remove it because it got in the way of day-to-day life. I can use my hands freely without worrying about a smart ring scraping against the back of my phone, pushing against my finger while lifting a weight, or coming into contact with raw meat while cooking dinner.

This is obviously true of smartwatches, too, but I don’t always want to wear a smartwatch. The Fitbit Air is so lightweight that I honestly find it more comfortable and less distracting than my Oura Ring. It’s so easy to forget that I’m wearing the Air — something I’ve never been able to say about the Ring 4.

Of course, being 40% smaller than the Ring 4, it’s very likely that the Oura Ring 5 would help alleviate some of these quirks — but it’s not going to eliminate them entirely. The Oura Ring 5 is still a smart ring, and as long as it’s a smart ring, it’s going to have smart ring nuances. It’s still going to be in the way when I’m weightlifting at the gym. I’m still going to have to take it off when I’m cooking. I’ve tried smaller rings like the Galaxy Ring, and while they’re more comfortable, they still have these issues.

But with the Fitbit Air, I don’t have to worry about these things at all. I get the benefit of a screenless wearable with week-long battery life, zero distractions, and extreme comfort that I can wear all day long without ever having to remove it. Even with a smaller design, the Oura Ring 5 still won’t match that.

I’m impressed with how good the Ring 5 looks, and it’s honestly hard to imagine where Oura goes from here. I’m sure we’ll see even further design refinements with future generations, but after some time with the Fitbit Air, I’d also love to see Oura’s take on a wrist-based wearable. Something with the Fitbit Air’s design that connects to the Oura app has my name written all over it, and I can’t imagine I’d be the only one eager to hand over their cash for it.

Will that actually happen? Given how much Oura has invested in its smart ring business, it seems unlikely. But then again, with the Fitbit Air’s popularity, combined with other recent trackers like the Luna Band and Garmin’s upcoming Cirqa band, Oura might be wise to get in on the competition.

I certainly hope it does, but until that happens, the Fitbit Air will happily stay on my wrist.