Men's Health August 20, 2026 0 Comments

This Oura Ring 5 Promise: Game-Changer or Just Another Gimmick? Here’s My Raw, Unfiltered Take.

So here’s a little thing I’ve been pondering lately: how many rings does one hand really need? This year, I stepped up my game in both life and tech—tying the knot with a sleek silver band on one finger and seriously rethinking my old, chunky third-gen Oura ring on the other. That bulky piece? It felt more like a paperweight than a smart tracker, especially with its battery dying faster than I could say “recharge.” Then came the upgrade: the Oura Ring 5. This isn’t just a shiny trinket—it promises a sleeker fit, longer battery life, and insights that actually make me want to check in more often. But does it live up to the hype, or is it just another gadget vying for wrist real estate? Well, after a few weeks of wearing it, I’ve got some thoughts to share—because this ring might just be more than an accessory; it could be the smartest decision on my hand yet. LEARN MORE

4 min read

I’VE BEEN THINKING about rings lately. I got engaged and married this year, so I’m sporting some new hardware. As I added my wedding band to my ring finger, I couldn’t help but look at the silver third-gen Oura ring on my index and find it lacking. It felt bulky and unwieldy, and its battery life seemed to deplete quicker after every charge. Thankfully, shortly after I tied the knot, I also leveled up in my tech life and got the latest Oura Ring 5 in to test.

I wasn’t sure that I actually wanted to keep wearing a smart ring after my wedding. I had zagged from tradition and picked a silver band rather than the standard gold, so I would still match my ornamental tech—but did I want to keep wearing jewelry on multiple fingers? Is the extra data worth the trouble when there are other devices I’ve had better luck with on the battery front?

I’ve worn the Ring 5 for a few weeks now, and I have an answer to my doubts: Yes, I do want to keep my hand-worn tracker—and I’ll be thinking about it as a lot more than just ornamentation. The new version is an upgrade over my old model in every way.

What I Liked About the Oura Ring 5

THE OURA RING 5 is significantly smaller and lighter than my previous band, making it much easier to wear. Some guys might like hefty rings, but I don’t—so I appreciate that the device no longer stands out like a chunk of metal on my hand. Oura says the 5 is 40 percent smaller than the 4, too, so it’s an improvement over any of the previous iterations. I didn’t mind keeping the 5 on beside my wedding ring; it actually complimented quite nicely.

This makeover means the 5 is much more comfortable to wear running and lifting weights, too. I kept the 5 on for more of my workouts than I did the 3, which I would usually ditch for exercises like biceps curls and farmer’s carries. I only found myself wanting to take the 5 off for heavy deadlifts.

Two wedding rings resting on a dark surface.

Brett Williams

The Oura Ring 5 (top) is much thinner and lighter than the 3 (top).

But the biggest improvement for me was the battery. I had started thinking of my previous band as just a piece of jewelry, because I struggled to keep it charged and found myself looking to the Oura app for insights about my sleep and recovery less and less frequently. Once I started testing the 5, however, this changed. Over the testing period, I consistently got eight or nine days between charges. For a passive wearable, that’s much more useful than a device that needs power every two or three days.

Speaking of the Oura app—I like its insights and layout. While other tracking homepages are more strictly utilitarian, Oura’s is welcoming, with cool colors and large text highlighting the important data being measured. I found myself checking in on the measures more often during the period than I had in the past, particularly the sleep data as I made more effort to rest during the lead up to a big race.

SHOP THE OURA RING 5

What I Didn’t Like About the Oura Ring 5

I don’t have a ton of gripes about the Oura Ring 5—but those that I do have are mostly just about Oura’s platform and smart rings in general.

One quickie: I don’t love the new charging base for the 5 (which was actually introduced with gen 4); its square base is larger than the old circular charger that occupied a convenient spot on my nightstand for years and slipped easily into dopp kits while traveling. (There’s also a carrying case with an external battery available from Oura for on-the-go power, but I didn’t get to test it). This is a fairly minor qualm though, especially since the improved battery means I’m charging less often.

The biggest issues I have with the Oura Ring 5 have more do with passive vs. active health tracking—which, ultimately, is a matter of personal preference. When I’m not initiating a workout on a smartwatch’s display, for instance, I tend to forget about the tracker and all its data. I have tried Oura’s active tracking, which has been beefed-up from previous versions of the app, but the additional step of picking up my phone and starting another process felt clunky to me. Screen-based devices certainly have their downsides, but I prefer to have more insights immediately available.

Oura is much more useful for tracking larger trends over time. This makes it a powerhouse for sleep, and its readiness scores can be helpful if you’re keeping up from day-to-day. I do appreciate having this data available, but if I were to be forced to choose, I’d opt for a device with more realtime feedback.

Final Thoughts

IF YOU WANT an unobtrusive, aesthetically pleasing wearable, the Oura Ring 5 is stellar. The device is easier for more people to sport 24/7 thanks to the reduction in its size, and the battery life is so much improved from previous generations that I feel like I’m able to use it more reliably.

A close-up of a hand wearing a watch and rings, resting on a black surface with urban background.

Brett Williams

The Oura Ring 5 looks pretty good along with a wedding band.

I might not be the biggest fan of passive tracking, but a lot of people are. If you’re willing to pay the monthly $5.99 ($69.99/annual) membership fee, the Oura Ring 5 is among the best devices in its class.

Other Fitness Trackers to Consider

Whoop One With 5.0 Band

Best Smartwatch

Garmin fenix 8 (AMOLED)

Credit: Courtesy of Retailer

Brett Williams, NASM-CPT, PES, a senior editor at Men’s Health, is a certified trainer and former pro football player and tech reporter. You can find his work elsewhere at Mashable, Thrillist, and other outlets.