Oura Ring 5 review 2026: is it worth upgrading?

If you’re thinking about upgrading to Oura Ring 5 but are still unsure, I believe that it all comes down to comfort and design. If you feel Oura 4 Ring is too bulky, or if you’re looking for something sleek, Oura Ring 5 comes in strong with its new, much smaller design.

The most noticeable change with Oura Ring 5 is definitely the 40% smaller volume and somewhat improved battery life. There are also exciting new features, such as insights into menopause and the menstrual cycle. However, these features are rolling out to older Oura Ring models as well.

Over the last several weeks, I wore my Oura Ring 5 every day, including when working out and sleeping, to see how it performs and feels in real-life scenarios. Continue reading this article to find my honest thoughts about Oura Ring 5.

Brand	Oura Ring 5
Price	From $399
Battery	6 to 9 days
Weight	2g to 2.69g
Sizes	6 to 13
Materials	Titanium shell
Water resistance	Up to 100 meters
Compatibility	iOS and Android
Subscription	$5.99/month

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Pros and cons of Oura Ring 5

What's new with Oura Ring 5?

Of course, the most significant change with Oura 5 is its new, sleeker design – the brand somehow managed to shrink it by 40%. If you have smaller hands or prefer a modern, clean look to your rings, Oura Ring 5 is a good choice.

Besides the physical changes, Oura Ring 5 has a few other improvements, such as upgraded sensors. As a result, I found that Oura Ring 5 is now more accurate, especially at tracking heart rate, compared to the Oura Ring 4. With the upgraded ring, you can also expect longer battery life, now around 6 to 9 days. However, I believe it still depends on the ring's usage and even its size.

There are also a few updates to the software’s features, including Health Radar, blood pressure signals, new activity-tracking enhancements, GLP-1 medication tracking, and new health insights through Oura Advisor. However, these updates will also be rolled out to older Oura Ring models, including Oura Ring 4.

Design, comfort, and everyday wear

After wearing it for a couple of weeks, I found Oura Ring 5 to be quite comfortable due to the redesigned titanium shell. Besides, since it’s way smaller and thinner than Oura Ring 4, it looks and feels like real jewelry, which is very rare for such devices. Oura Ring 5 weighs only around 2 grams and is 2.29mm thick (depending on the size).

Compared to Oura Ring 4, the new model is now less bulky and less noticeable in everyday wear. You shouldn’t have any issues wearing it when working out, lifting things, or simply doing your chores. Also, Oura Ring 5 has improved its scratch resistance. While you should still avoid rubbing your ring against rough materials like metal, it is now much more durable.

The new, thinner look is also a huge advantage if you’re planning to sleep with your Oura Ring 5. Since it’s very light, I didn’t even notice it while sleeping, which, in my eyes, is a necessity for uninterrupted, quality sleep.

However, to make it as comfortable as possible, it’s important to get the right size. You can use the official sizing kit before ordering your Oura Ring. It’s also important to note that Oura Ring 5 is not available in sizes 4, 5, 14, and 15. This didn’t really affect me, but if you have very small or very big hands, you might not find a suitable size.

Setup and app experience

When I first started using my Oura Ring 5, I didn’t have any real issues setting it up. First, you need to download the companion Oura app, then place the ring on the charging dock that comes with it. Once you do that, you’ll be able to pair it via Bluetooth.

The app is easy to navigate, so you won’t get lost there, even if you have never had an Oura Ring before. You’ll be able to easily see your Activity Score, Readiness Score, and Trends. Of course, there is even more data that you can track using the app, including your Cycle Insights, Sleep, and Daytime Stress and Recovery. For even more information, you can chat with the AI-driven Oura Advisor, which responded quickly and quite smoothly.

During my tests, all notifications from the app were sent promptly to my phone, including activity-related ones, bedtime, insights, and low-battery notices. If you don’t want to receive all notifications, you can easily manage them via the app’s settings. If you want all your data in one place, you can also sync it with Apple Health and Google Health Connect.

However, keep in mind that the app requires a paid subscription to see all your data. Without a paid subscription, you won’t be able to track your trends, perform detailed analysis, and receive smart recommendations.

Sleep tracking performance

Oura Ring 5 for sleep tracking is one of my favorite devices because of how seamless it feels. However, aside from a few improvements, it doesn’t differ much from what you get with Oura Ring 4.

With Oura Ring 5, you’ll receive a daily sleep score that shows the quality and duration of your sleep across different sleep stages. You can also see data on your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, and temperature.

When I looked at what has changed with Oura Ring 5, I noticed it claims to be 12% more accurate in tracking your overnight HRV (heart rate variability) compared to Oura Ring 4. While it’s a bit hard to confirm this from my testing, Oura Ring 5 indeed upgraded its sensors with stronger LEDs and a larger photodiode, which may lead to more accurate results.

Since I personally don’t like wearing a watch or a band to bed, Oura Ring works much better for me than Apple Watch or WHOOP. While there are other smart rings for a better price, like RingConn, I still believe that Oura Ring 5 delivers much deeper insights.

Activity and recovery tracking

During my tests, I found that Oura Ring 5 measures several metrics that are incredibly useful for daily workouts and recovery.

For workouts, Oura relies on Automatic Activity Detection, which basically easily captures and monitors your movement every day. While it’s excellent for tracking data during runs or walks, I believe it’s not ideal for more structured gym sessions, since you will have to log exercises manually.

Besides, if you’re a professional athlete or just someone who’s looking for a fitness-focused device, Oura Ring 5 is not the best choice since it doesn’t track as much data as other fitness trackers.

On the other hand, I found Oura Ring 5 to be a good option for recovery support. It tracks your sleep, heart rate, temperature, and even stress level, which may help you determine how well-rested you are.

Battery life and charging

Oura Ring 5 now has a battery life of 6–9 days, which is very impressive considering its now much smaller design. While overall battery life depends on the ring’s size and daily usage, I only charged it on the 8th day of my tests.

A full charge lasts about 80 minutes. Besides, the charger itself is quite compact and travel-friendly. However, keep in mind that the charger (specifically the dock) is size-specific. If you buy a different size Oura Ring, you’ll also need a new charger.

Final verdict: should you buy Oura Ring 5?

After trying Oura Ring 5 myself, I found that it has a few updates. However, whether you should invest in one depends on what you already have.

Oura Ring 5 is now around 40% smaller, which not only adds a sleek, elegant look but also provides much more comfort when sleeping and working out. Besides, with updated sensors, it’s now more accurate, especially for heart rate monitoring. Of course, the price is higher than for older versions, and there is still a mandatory subscription to track all data.

Overall, if you don’t have an Oura ring or have the Gen 3 model, I would definitely recommend investing in Oura Ring 5 for its comfort, design, and accuracy. However, if you have Oura Ring 4 and don’t mind the bulkier design, upgrading to the new model might not be worth it.

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