Three reasons why I can’t wait to buy the Oura Ring 5

The Oura Ring 5 just landed, and from everything we’ve seen so far, the new model already sounds a lot like the version I’ve been hoping for. I’ve had an Oura Ring in my rotation for roughly five years. For the past six months, I’ve been flip-flopping between two Oura Ring 4 models, a metallic and a ceramic. The rings have become as much a part of my routine as my house slippers or my increasingly dented Hydro Flask. Ironically, I also smack them into hard surfaces with alarming regularity.

As much as I love my current rings, I’m very excited for the newest generation. It doesn’t hit every item on my extremely unrealistic wishlist, but there are a few upgrades in particular that already have me ready to upgrade.

The headline feature of the Oura Ring 5 is also the most noticeable one. Oura says the new ring is 40% smaller than the Oura Ring 4, measuring just 6.09mm wide and 2.28mm thick.

I’ve learned from wearing multiple smart rings simultaneously that size still matters, even after you’ve shrunk an absurd amount of tech into a very tiny wearable. Wearing the Galaxy Ring alongside my Oura Ring 4, for example, the difference in comfort is immediately noticeable. I notice the Galaxy Ring less overnight and during workouts, but also during everyday tasks like driving or hauling my laundry basket around the house. I have petite hands (read: bony) and chunky smart rings grind against adjacent fingers more than I’d like. I also have to take off my Oura Ring to shower, despite its water resistance, because I cannot handle the feel of it banging against my scalp while shampooing.

It’s hard to appreciate the passive appeal of a screenless tracker if its fit keeps demanding your attention. The Oura Ring 4 has never been unbearably uncomfortable for me, but I’ve definitely hoped for a smaller model. The ring also just reads a little oversized on my hand. On my partner, a smart ring might pass for a wedding band. On me, it’s still a bit of a statement piece that reads as tech more than jewelry. Oura also claims it managed to shrink the hardware without sacrificing its battery life, which was always my biggest concern when imagining a smaller build.

The smaller size is the upgrade I’ll notice immediately, but the improved durability of the Oura Ring 5 will be the one I appreciate most long term. Oura says the new model offers better scratch resistance than previous generations, alongside a refreshed finish lineup that includes a redesigned Gold option and a new Deep Rose colorway.

I know no wearable stays pristine forever, especially one that lives on the hand I use every day. I also know, as established above, that I am not a careful human being. My smartwatches pick up scratches no matter how short my review period, and the ones in my regular rotation have a distinct “well-loved look” about them. Smart rings feel different, though, because they land in a weird middle ground between wearable and jewelry, and that changes the expectation.

My ceramic model still looks great because ceramic is generally more scratch-resistant than coated metal finishes. My metallic ring, meanwhile, looks exactly like I’ve been wearing it while lifting weights — because I have been wearing it while lifting weights. It’s significantly more scratched up than any other piece of jewelry I’d realistically keep wearing long term.

I’m also disproportionately excited about Oura refining the Gold finish on the Ring 5. Oura says the new version features a lighter, more modern tone, and that sounds much more in line with the jewelry I already wear than the warmer gold shades the company used previously. Between the improved durability claims and the refined finishes, the Ring 5 sounds more polished in the literal sense of the word.

Beyond the look and feel upgrades, I’m also very excited about one of Oura’s biggest health pushes. Through its new Health Radar platform, the Oura Ring 5 will monitor nighttime blood pressure patterns and broader cardiovascular strain trends while users sleep.

Most people still associate blood pressure tracking with clunky cuffs and occasional spot checks. Oura’s addition is much more aligned with the strengths of the company’s platform, folding blood pressure signals into the passive background tracking Oura already does well, rather than something users need to actively manage every day. While it’s not replacing a traditional cuff, the company is using the Ring 5 to identify overnight trends over time, and users can still log cuff readings directly in the app for additional context. Oura also says nighttime readings may reveal patterns that daytime measurements can miss, due to variables like stress or caffeine intake.

I’m also personally curious about this feature because I’ve had chronically low blood pressure for most of my adult life. It’s never been a major medical concern, but it does make me feel vaguely Victorian anytime I stand up too fast, and my doctor makes the same vampire joke every time he sees my chart. More than anything, I’m all for passive pattern monitoring that can help spot trends before they become concerns.

At least on paper, the Oura Ring 5 looks like Oura is paying attention to the user experience, not just what looks good on a spec sheet. Between a slimmer build, better durability, and a deeper push into passive health tracking, I am very excited to upgrade.