Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen 3: Should you upgrade?

The Oura Ring 4 is the latest and greatest smart ring from the Finnish company that started the wearable craze. However, the Oura Ring Gen 3 was the smart ring that led that trend, thanks to its impressive feature set, battery life, and small size.

When considering purchasing a smart ring, you're likely wondering if you should still go for the older Gen 3 or splurge for the newer model. Even if you already own the Oura Ring Gen 3, you may want to know if it's worth upgrading to the Oura Ring 4 for the extra battery life and other improvements.

This comparison should help you decide between the two and if it's worth switching out your Gen 3 for a 4, although the answer isn't as simple as you may think.

Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen 3: Design

At first glance, the Oura Ring 4 doesn't look all that different from the Oura Ring Gen 3. The newer model takes after the Horizon style of its predecessor, which features a fully circular design, while the older Heritage style has a flatter "top" section. Where the rings differ, however, is in the materials and the sensors.

Unlike the Gen 3, which has a titanium exterior and an epoxy interior, the Oura Ring 4 has an all-titanium design, which should improve overall durability. In addition, the sensors are now flush with the interior, whereas the Oura Ring Gen 3 has three raised bumps where the sensors go. Having them flush should make the ring more comfortable to wear.

While the Heritage style Oura Ring Gen 3 only comes in four different colorways and finishes, the Horizon style has six options, which correspond with the Oura Ring 4 color options. That includes black, silver, Brushed Titanium (Brushed Silver for the Oura Ring 4), Stealth, Gold, and Rose Gold. What you pay for the ring will depend on the color you choose, and for the Gen 3, it will also depend on the style. For comparison, the most expensive Oura Ring 4 colors are $50 cheaper than the most expensive Gen 3 colors, although the cheapest model is $50 more expensive.

Aside from the all-titanium design, the Oura Ring 4 has the same waterproof protection, meaning it should be safe at depths up to 100 meters. The Oura Ring 4 is also available in more sizes than its predecessor, and the width has remained the same, although the thickness lies somewhere between the two Gen 3 styles, while the weight has been reduced overall.

Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen 3: Specs

Spec-wise, the Oura Ring 4 is actually pretty similar to the Oura Ring 3, with some differences in battery life, size options, and sensor layout (as well as the specific type of sensors.

Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen 3: Health tracking

Both smart rings feature the standard set of health tracking features, including heart rate monitoring, SpO2, heart rate variability (HRV), temperature, and more. The Oura Ring Gen 3 featured superb health tracking features with the help of its sensor array and algorithms. The ring even supports automatic activity detection, meaning it can detect various activities based on your movements. However, its features are somewhat limited, with automatically tracked activities only showing limited information such as calories.

The Oura Ring 4 improves Automatic Activity Detection by including heart rate data when the ring automatically detects certain activities. You'll get a graph of your heart rate, your average HR, and a view of your heart rate zones while the activity was being detected, useful information for people seeking a more active lifestyle.

And while the Oura Ring Gen 3 is fairly accurate (although step counting is hit or miss), the Oura Ring 4 should prove more accurate when measuring things like blood oxygen levels. This is thanks to Oura's new Smart Sensing technology, which takes advantage of the new sensor array on the Oura Ring 4. Instead of static signals, the algorithm can find optimal pathways while on your finger, which can help it remain as accurate as possible, even as the ring shifts around. Oura says this is also aided by the all-titanium build on the new ring, and it has more than double the number of pathways.

With smart sensing, the Oura Ring 4 should also be able to respond better to people with different finger physiology, meaning users across genders, skin tones, and ages will benefit from better accuracy.

As a result, the Oura Ring 4 is 30% more accurate with blood oxygen readings than the Oura Ring Gen 3. You'll also find better heart rate monitoring with fewer gaps throughout the day and overnight.

Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen 3: Which should you buy?

Truth be told, both smart rings are at the top of their class. The Oura Ring 4 is obviously the better ring, but the Oura Ring Gen 3 is still no pushover, and both devices easily best other competing smart rings. That said, if you had to choose between these two, I would recommend buying the Oura Ring 4, and here's why:

The Oura Ring Gen 3 launched in 2021 and has been able to add plenty of new features to its repertoire, proving that smart rings have the kind of longevity and flexibility that doesn't require yearly model updates like a smartwatch. However, it's been a few years already and the Oura Ring Gen 3 is seemingly at the end of the line. Oura says that it will continue to sell the Gen 3 but at a discount, and once stock runs out, that's it.

Meanwhile, given what we know about the Gen 3, the newer Oura Ring 4 will likely receive the same treatment, receiving new features while it's available (and perhaps beyond). So, with the Oura Ring 4 having just launched, this is probably the best time to get one.

However, it's a little different if you already have the Gen 3. Oura doesn't offer any upgrade perks or discounts, so there's no real pathway to "upgrade" your ring besides outright buying a new one. And while that may seem tempting (if you have the money, go for it), you're probably best sticking with the Gen 3 until it completely dies.