Cyber Monday is upon us, and if you’ve been eyeing up a smart wearable but don’t fancy a chunky watch on your wrist 24/7, let me introduce you to my latest obsession: the Oura Ring 3.
This tiny-but-mighty wellness tracker is not only sleek and chic (seriously, it’s a ring that looks like actual jewellery) but also packed with tech that could rival an AppleWatch. The best part? It’s got £100 off right now for Cyber Monday. If there’s ever been a time to splurge on your health, this is it.
But is the Oura Ring 3 worth the hype? Spoiler alert: I’ve been wearing mine for the past three, and I’ve got thoughts—lots of them. Let’s dive in, starting with the basics.
What is an Oura Ring?
In case this is your first time hearing about it, the Oura Ring is a smart ring that tracks your sleep, activity and overall health metrics. Unlike fitness watches, it’s small, lightweight, and much prettier to look at. Plus, it needs charging much less frequently than a larger device. The Oura Ring 3 is now the second latest version of the ring (the 4 has just launched) featuring upgraded sensors and a bunch of features designed to help you improve your sleep, your moods and your overall health and wellbeing.
Key features of the Oura Ring 3
- Sleep tracking: Monitors your sleep stages (deep, light, and REM) and offers insights to improve your sleep quality.
- Activity tracking: Tracks steps, calories burned, and movement. Plus, it gives you a readiness score to help you plan your day.
- Heart rate monitoring: Measures your resting heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) for stress and recovery insights.
- Temperature sensing: Keeps an eye on your body temperature, which can help you spot early signs of illness—or even predict your period.
- Period prediction: Thanks to its temperature tracking, it helps you keep tabs on your cycle.
- SpO2 monitoring: Measures your blood oxygen levels while you sleep.
- Long battery life: Lasts up to 7 days on a single charge.
- Water resistance: Swim, shower, and sweat without worrying about damaging it.
Image:
Oura Ring)Zoe’s honest review
When the Oura Ring 3 landed on my desk, I was immediately smitten. I opted for the gold finish (though there are several fab options), and it looked so elegant. But I wasn’t here just for the looks—I wanted to know if it could actually track my workouts and my sleep so that I could understand patterns in my moods and daily well-being.
The pros
Excellent sleep tracking
I thought I was a decent sleeper until I wore my ring for about a month. I've realised I get a lot of sleep, but the quality isn't always that great. These past few months, I've started to understand the factors that lead me to light and disrupted sleep.Discreet and wearable
Unlike my old fitness watch, which felt too bulky to wear daily, the Oura Ring is subtle and actually cute. I didn’t feel the need to take it off for a night out, and no one even noticed I was wearing a tracker.Good temperature and period tracking
The temperature sensor is a game-changer for women. I'm on birth control, which means I don't have regular periods, but I have Oura Ring-wearing friends who say this feature is incredible for them.A daily Readiness score
Each morning, the Oura app gives me a readiness score based on my sleep, activity, and heart rate trends. It’s like having a wellness coach in your pocket. Some days, it’s encouraged me to push myself; other days, it’s given me full permission to Netflix and chill guilt-free.
Image:
Zoe Cripps)Could be improved
The app subscription: While the Oura Ring itself is on sale, the app subscription (which unlocks most of its features) isn’t free. It’s about £5.99/month, which isn’t bad but does add up over time.
The ring scratches easily: Oura does warn you that the hardware can be scratched, so remove it before doing an activity like weight-lifting. But this is the exact moment when I want to be wearing my tracker, so I've had to find ways to protect the ring while still working out (fitness gloves, largely)
Not the best tech for tracking my fitness on the market: My biggest niggle with the Oura 3 is that it asks me to choose the level of exertion (easy, medium, hard) after doing a workout. I'd like it to tell me when I'm working out hard rather than me having to judge it. After all, I may feel like I was working out to the best of my ability, but my heart rate could be saying otherwise.
Charges don't last me a week: I charge mine every five or so days, which is still pretty good in comparison to others.
Final verdict: Is the Oura Ring 3 worth the money?
If you’re someone who’s serious about tracking your health but doesn’t want to sacrifice style, the Oura Ring 3 is absolutely worth considering. The Cyber Monday discount makes it even more tempting—£100 off is no small deal for a device this premium. Yes, the app subscription isn't ideal, but the insights it offers are genuinely useful.
I would say if you're keen on tracking your moods, periods, general day-to-day well-being and energy levels, this is for you. For someone like me who is a gym-goer and really wants to work on her fitness goals, I do think a device like an Apple Watch or a WHOOP tracks the calorie burn and exertion levels better.
English (US) ·