Oura Ring 2 vs Oura Ring 4: A Comprehensive Comparison
Elisabeth Christ
Updated October 2024
In the evolving world of wearable technology, the Oura Ring 2 and Oura Ring 4 stand out as pioneers in health tracking. While the Oura Ring 2 laid the foundation with its reliable metrics, the Oura Ring 4 elevates the experience with advanced features like a fully titanium design and enhanced "Smart Sensing" technology. This allows for greater accuracy and comfort, making it a compelling choice for health enthusiasts. Join us as we explore how these two models compare and which ring might be your ideal companion on the journey to better health.
Key Takeaways
The Oura Ring 2 and Oura Ring 4 both offer exceptional design, wellness tracking, and sleep monitoring, but the Oura Ring 4 brings AI integration and improved accuracy with 18 sensor pathways. While the Oura Ring 2 maintains a cost-effective, subscription-free model, the Oura Ring 4’s premium subscription adds personalized insights and advanced health features. Battery life is slightly better in the Oura Ring 4, along with an improved charging dock.
| Table header 0 | Oura Ring 2 | Oura Ring 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299 | $349 |
| Thickness | 2.55 mm | Approximately 2.88 mm |
| Subscription | $5.99/month | $5.99/month |
| Fitness Tracking | Limited activity tracking | Up to 40 workout detection |
| SpO2 sensor | ✅ | ✅ |
| Optical Heart Rate | ✅ | ✅ |
| Menstrual Tracking | ❌ | ✅ |
| Smart Sensing Technology | Around 8 signal pathways | Up to 18 signal pathways |
| Ai Oura Advisor | ❌ | Enhanced |
| Sleep Tracking | ✅ | ✅ |
| Data Presentation | Insightful trends | Insightful trends |
| Additional Unique Features | Ability to add tags at certain points on timeline | Comfortable fit due to recessed sensors and titanium interior |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth LE | Bluetooth LE |
| Battery Life | 4 to 7 days | Up to 8 days |
Oura Ring 2nd Gen
Entry-Level Smart Ring with Adequate Features
✓ Battery lasts between 4 to 7 days
✓ Holistic wellness tracking features
✓ 2 body temperature sensor
✓ Water resistant to 100m
Oura Ring 4th Gen
Advanced Smart Ring with High-Accuracy Insights
✓ up to 8 days of battery life
✓ AI ‘Oura Advisor'
✓ Advanced Smart Sensing algorithm
✓ New stress and resilience metrics
#1 Design & Fit
Oura Ring 2 vs Oura Ring 4
Both the Oura Ring 2 and Oura Ring 4 continue to uphold the brand's signature minimalist aesthetic, but they offer slightly different takes on the wearable experience. The Oura Ring 2 embraces a classic, timeless look with two design categories: Balance and Heritage. Balance offers a sleek, plain metal band, while Heritage adds a touch of sophistication with options like Stealth or even diamonds. The titanium construction of the Oura Ring 2 ensures it remains lightweight, between 4g and 6g, depending on the size and style, which enhances wearability for both daily activities and sleep. Additionally, the Oura Ring 2’s water resistance up to 100m makes it a versatile choice for those with an active lifestyle, although it lacks haptic feedback, which may limit its tactile interaction capabilities.
On the other hand, Oura Ring 4 refines the design by eliminating the nodules and opting for flatter sensors, enhancing comfort, especially during sleep. The decision results in its ability to twist 30 degrees while still maintaining accurate readings, introducing a flexibility which Oura Ring 2 lacks. Available in a broader array of colors, including Rose Gold and Brushed Silver, the Oura Ring 4 allows users to express personal style without compromising functionality. Its more advanced three-dimensional nodes enhance sensor placement, ensuring accurate readings regardless of how the ring sits on the finger. Although the Oura Ring 4 remains water-resistant and is similarly made of titanium, its design improvements push it slightly ahead in terms of fit and comfort, particularly for those prioritizing seamless wearability.
#2 Smart Features
• Wellness Tracking
Oura Ring 2
Wellness tracking is at the core of both the Oura Ring 2 and Oura Ring 4, but each takes a different approach in terms of innovation and accuracy. The Oura Ring 2 remains a reliable tracker for metrics such as resting heart rate, respiratory rate, and activity levels, including an accurate baseline deviation feature. It also offers a Body Battery score and can estimate calorie burn, making it a powerful tool for holistic wellness tracking. Notably, its pandemic-era design includes early Covid-19 detection through body temperature readings, highlighting its role in health monitoring during critical times.
Moving on to Oura Ring 4, it enhances this experience by integrating AI into its wellness metrics. The new Oura Advisor uses artificial intelligence to provide personalized insights and recommendations based on user queries, making wellness tracking more interactive. It introduces the “Resilience” metric, measuring how well users handle stress, and advanced women’s health tracking for more detailed cycle insights. With up to 18 signal pathways, it significantly improves the accuracy of wellness data compared to the 8-pathway setup in the Oura Ring 2, reducing gaps in data capture and improving signal fidelity. Overall, while both rings offer robust wellness tracking, the Oura Ring 4’s AI-enhanced capabilities elevate the user experience with more precise and personalized insights.
• Sleep Tracking
Oura Ring 4
Sleep tracking is where both the Oura Ring 2 and Oura Ring 4 truly shine, but the Oura Ring 4 takes a leap in detail and accuracy. The Oura Ring 2 is known for its highly accurate sleep monitoring, distinguishing between time spent awake and actual sleep time. It can also detect naps, which are factored into its Recovery score, ensuring comprehensive sleep analysis. With its simple optical sensors, the Oura Ring 2 provides users with valuable insights into their sleep quality and duration, making it an excellent tool for those looking to optimize rest and recovery.
The Oura Ring 4, however, brings sleep tracking to a professional level. Its sleep tracking capabilities are often compared to those of polysomnography machines, delivering extremely detailed metrics that go beyond basic sleep stages. The Oura Ring 4 also introduces new cardiovascular health features, such as approximating VO2 Max, via a six-minute walk test, which can be a useful tool for understanding overall health and fitness levels. Additionally, the ring’s improved signal fidelity through its 18 signal pathways ensures that data capture is more accurate, providing clearer insights into sleep quality and overall wellness.
• Subscription & App Customization
Oura Ring 4
In terms of app features and customization, the Oura Ring 2 stands out by not requiring a premium membership for access to historical data and trends. Users can freely view and analyze their wellness data without the need for a subscription, making it more appealing to those who prefer cost-effective solutions. The user interface is designed to present data in a simple, yet informative way, though it may lack some of the deeper customization options that newer devices are beginning to offer.
The Oura Ring 4, while priced slightly higher, comes with a subscription-based model at $5.99 per month. The membership grants users access to more advanced features, including Oura Advisor's AI-driven insights, personalized recommendations, and more in-depth reports on metrics like resilience and stress. This customization allows users to interact more intimately with their data and receive tailored health advice based on trends and historical patterns. While the cost may be a downside for some, the additional value it provides may justify the investment for those seeking a more detailed and interactive health-tracking experience.
• Insights Presentation
Oura Ring 2
Both the Oura Ring 2 and Oura Ring 4 excel in presenting health data in an intuitive and easy-to-understand format. The Oura Ring 2’s presentation focuses on simplicity, offering users a clear breakdown of their Sleep, Readiness, and Activity scores. It provides contextual explanations for changes in metrics, helping users understand how their behaviors or conditions impact their overall health.
Taking a step further by incorporating the Oura Advisor’s AI-driven insights, Oura Ring 4 now is able to generate tailored responses to the users’ specific questions, making the insights more actionable and personalized. The addition of the Symptom Radar feature also offers users a proactive way to detect potential illnesses before they fully manifest. The combination of AI, enhanced signal pathways, and dynamic presentation of data makes the Oura Ring 4 more interactive, allowing users to gain deeper insights into their health than ever before.
#3 Battery, Charging, & Connectivity
Oura Ring 4
Battery life is a crucial consideration for any wearable, and both the Oura Ring 2 and Oura Ring 4 offer solid performance in this regard. The Oura Ring 2 provides a battery life of 4 to 7 days on a full charge, which is ample for most users. The ring charges within 20 to 80 minutes on its induction charging stand, providing convenience and reliability. It also utilizes Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, allowing seamless connection with both iOS and Android devices, ensuring that users can easily sync their health data without significant power drain.
Oura Ring 2
The Oura Ring 4 improves upon this by extending the battery life to 7 to 8 days, making it a better option for those who prefer fewer charging cycles. Its updated charging dock, which is larger and more stylish with a metal finish, provides a sleeker experience for users. Like its predecessor, the Oura Ring 4 also utilizes BLE technology for seamless connectivity, but the ring’s improved efficiency in both battery life and design makes it a more refined option for those looking for a more premium experience without the hassle of frequent charging.
Oura Ring 2 vs Oura Ring 4
Final Thoughts
Oura Ring 2 vs Oura Ring 4
Both the Oura Ring 2 and Oura Ring 4 are top-tier health-tracking wearables, with each model catering to different needs. The Oura Ring 2 offers simplicity and affordability, while the Oura Ring 4 provides advanced features and AI-driven insights. Regardless of your choice, both deliver an elevated wellness experience with exceptional accuracy and design.
If you like to read more about Smart Ring, check out our other relevant guides here:
Samsung Galaxy Ring vs Oura Ring
Is Samsung’s New Smart Ring Any Good?
Author
Elisabeth Christ
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