I wore the Oura Ring 5 for a month, and two big upgrades make it so much better than the 4 - ZDNET

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. Why you can trust ZDNET: ZDNET independently tests and researches products to bring you our best recommendations and advice. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. But there's one feature that makes the Oura Ring 5 truly worth buying. Article updated on July 2, 2026, 1:35 pm EDT Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. After a few weeks of wearing Oura’s skinniest Oura Ring 5 around my finger, I was riding the subway when I spotted a girl’s hand donning the not-so-slim Oura Ring 4. The ring’s chunkiness caught my attention, and I spent several seconds focused on that thick piece of wearable technology. It looked huge on her finger and instantly noticeable — ugly, even. Also: I dug deeper into my Oura Ring data using this free app – here’s what I found Maybe I wouldn’t have noticed that prior to the Oura Ring 5, but as soon as Oura’s latest smart ring launched with a substantially slimmer design, every other smart ring in my view became obsolete. It’s funny how quickly we become accustomed to the newest thing, and how fast technolog