Samsung Galaxy Ring 2025: Comprehensive Review and Comparison

Samsung has officially entered the smart ring arena with the Galaxy Ring—an ultra-light, titanium wearable designed to track your health 24/7 with powerful Galaxy AI integration. In this full review, we dive into its top features, specs, pros and cons, and how it stands out in the growing world of wellness tech. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or just want smarter insights from your Samsung ecosystem, this ring might be your next favorite gadget.

I. Key Features (Health, Fitness & Smart Integration)

• 24/7 Wellness Tracking: The Galaxy Ring continuously monitors your biometrics day and night. It measures heart rate, heart-rate variability (HRV), blood oxygen (SpO₂), skin temperature changes, and movement. These are used to track sleep quality (stages, duration, disturbances, snoring, oxygen saturation) and daily activity (step count, distance). Like Samsung’s watches, it also tracks stress and offers mindfulness breathing exercises.
• Advanced Sleep Monitoring: Samsung’s Health app now includes an AI-enhanced Sleep Score that uses the Ring’s data. The ring assigns you a “sleep animal” (chronotype) and gives insights (sleep environment report, sleep coaching) to improve rest. Reviewers praise its sleep tracking as “truly excellent,” often on par with or exceeding smartwatch sleep results.
• Fitness Tracking: Auto-detection of workouts is currently limited to walking and running. The ring quietly counts steps and calories all day (catching activity when your watch is off). It issues inactivity alerts and can alert you to abnormal high/low heart rates via Samsung Health. Samsung may add more exercise modes via software updates, but at launch, only two types of workouts are supported.
• Body and Cycle Metrics: It tracks menstrual cycles and provides fertility insights via Samsung Health. Skin temperature data (especially overnight) can reflect menstrual or illness cycles. Samsung also introduced an “Energy Score” (similar to Garmin’s Body Battery) that uses the ring’s data (sleep, activity, HR) to rate your daily readiness.
• Smart and Convenience Features: While the ring itself has no display, it integrates with Galaxy AI on Samsung phones. For example, you can “double-pinch” the ring finger to snooze/dismiss an alarm on your phone. The Health app has a “Find My Ring” feature: LEDs on the ring blink to help locate it if misplaced. The Ring can also control basic phone functions (like music or photos) via gestures (via Labs features).

II. Battery Life and Charging

Samsung claims up to 6–7 days of battery life on a single charge. In practice, reviewers report approximately 6 days on smaller sizes (5–11) and about 7 days on the largest sizes. In daily use, wearing it continuously overnight is easily sustainable because the ring’s low-power sensors and absence of a display conserve energy. The charging case is a key accessory: it recharges the ring in minutes when docked and has its battery big enough to recharge the ring ~6 times. Android Authority notes that one fully charged ring plus a fully charged case yields about 16 days of use before plugging the case in. (The charging case connects via USB-C and has an LED status indicator – a welcome improvement over some competitors.) Battery life is comparable to other smart rings: Oura Gen4 lasts ~7–8 days, and the Ultrahuman Ring Air about 6 days. As Wired observes, since many users also wear a Galaxy Watch, that watch can share tracking duties; in one test, wearing both a Watch and Ring, the Ring easily lasted “over a week”.

III. Compatibility and Ecosystem

The Galaxy Ring is Android-only. It requires a phone running Android 11 or later with the Samsung Health app installed. iPhones are not supported. In particular, many AI-powered features (like the Energy Score and Alarm gesture) currently require a Samsung Galaxy phone (One UI) to operate. In other words, while any Android phone with Samsung Health can display your ring’s data, only Samsung phones unlock the full experience. Likewise, the ring pairs via Bluetooth 5.4 with the Samsung Health app – it will not sync with, say, Apple Health or Google Fit. The ring ties into the Samsung ecosystem: it complements Galaxy Watches and Buds by filling in data gaps (e.g. step tracking when the watch is off). Samsung also uses your Samsung account and Samsung Cloud to store ring health data securely.

Samsung has rapidly expanded Ring availability: by early 2025, it supports sizes 5 through 15, and is sold in dozens of markets globally. A free paper sizing kit is provided in many regions to ensure you choose the correct ring size before ordering. Samsung also emphasizes that the ring requires no monthly subscription, unlike some rivals (Oura Ring’s rich features, for example, now require a ~$6/mo “Membership” after an initial trial). There is a one-time purchase of the ring and charger; all health features are included.

IV. Performance and User Experience

Expert reviewers generally find the Galaxy Ring extremely comfortable and accurate. Its lightweight, flush-band design means you “forget it’s there” after a while. Wired’s reviewer noted it was “more than a gram lighter and noticeably thinner” than the Oura Ring, and he “can’t feel any of these sensors when wearing the ring”. TechRadar echoes that: the Ring is “slim and unobtrusive” and “was comfortable to wear” in tests. Many users find it easier to sleep with than a smartwatch, enhancing sleep-tracking accuracy.

In real-world use, the Galaxy Ring’s health readings are on par with leading competitors. Sleep tracking is highlighted as a strong point: reviewers say it logs more sleep time than an Apple Watch Ultra in some cases, and provides rich breakdowns (stages, breathing, SpO₂) via the Samsung Health app. Heart-rate monitoring and step-counting also “work nicely,” according to TechRadar. (It lacks advanced biomedical tools like ECG or body composition sensors, which are found in some watches, but this is expected in a ring form factor.) The AI-driven insights – Sleep Animal profile, personal Wellness Tips, and Energy Score – are regarded as useful “next-generation” features that add context to the raw data.

Battery life in practice matches the claims. TechRadar reports that the Ring’s battery “performs as described,” often still above 50% after 5–6 days. In a week-long test, a reviewer never let it fully die thanks to regular recharging (often at the gym or cooking) – in effect living on “the abysmal battery life of most smartwatches” that the Ring helps avoid. The included case makes top-ups convenient, much like an AirPods-style cradle.

One notable advantage is the integration with other Galaxy devices. The Ring synchronizes seamlessly with Galaxy Watches (offloading work and extending ring life) and uses Galaxy AI. For Samsung phone users, novel controls exist: e.g. pinch-to-snooze alarms and device search. Wired notes that some features (Energy Score, double-pinch) are locked to Samsung’s ecosystem, but sees this as a plus for Galaxy loyalists: “The Galaxy Ring and Galaxy Watch work together with a seamlessness… that is almost Apple-like”.

Critics point out trade-offs. The high $399 price tag is comparable to premium smartwatches but with a more limited feature set, which some view skeptically. Its feature list is intentionally “sparse” compared to a watch – there are no apps, only passive tracking. Only two exercise types are auto-detected so far. And because it lacks a display, all data must be checked on the phone. A few early reviews and user comments mention the ring feels very light and “plasticky” for the money, though Samsung counters this with durable titanium construction and scratch-resistant finishes. Finally, like all smart rings, it has a sealed battery; iFixit notes this means the ring is effectively disposable once the battery degrades, which has environmental and longevity implications.

V. Comparison with Other Top Smart Rings

Samsung’s Galaxy Ring competes directly with smart rings like the Oura Ring (Gen 4) and Ultrahuman Ring Air. Below is a summary comparison of their key attributes.

1. Oura Ring (Generation 4)

The latest Oura Ring (Gen4) is widely regarded as the category leader, though it now requires a subscription for full functionality. It has a titanium body with recessed sensors (no inner bumps), measuring about 2.7–2.9 mm thick and weighing 3.3–5.2 g. Battery life is about 8 days per charge. It tracks a similarly broad set of health metrics: resting and active heart rate, HRV, blood-oxygen (SpO₂), skin temperature, sleep stages, respiratory rate, and even advanced features like cycle/pregnancy tracking, stress, and “readiness” scores. A major strength is automatic detection of many workout types (over 40) without manual logging. The Oura Ring is compatible with both Android and iOS (via its app) and integrates with Apple Health/Google Fit, but the rich data insights now require a paid Oura membership (~$5.99/month). Reviewers praise its comfortable design and detailed analytics, but note it is more expensive overall (ring + subscription) and tends to scratch more easily on the outside.

2. Ultrahuman Ring Air

The Ultrahuman Ring Air is a newer contender focused on fitness/health aficionados. It is the lightest of the lot (2.4–3.6 g, depending on size), made of titanium with a carbon-titanium coating. Battery life is around 4–6 days per charge. It continuously tracks heart rate, HRV, sleep (including stages), body temperature, and activity. Recent firmware added automatic workout detection for various exercises. The Ring Air syncs with both Android (6+) and iOS (14+), feeding data into its own Ultrahuman app as well as Apple Health, and no subscription is required for its baseline features. TechRadar notes it is “light and comfortable” with “detailed insights,” but also cautions that it is “prone to scratches” on its matte-black finish and comes with “lots of data to comb through” (which can be overwhelming). Priced around $349 (similar to Samsung/Oura), its value depends on whether one prefers a new platform and Ultra’s focus on recovery and metabolism insights.

3. Feature Comparison Table

Feature/Metric	Samsung Galaxy Ring	Oura Ring 4	Ultrahuman Ring Air
Tracked Metrics	Heart rate, HRV, SpO₂, sleep (stages, snoring), stress, body temp, cycles/menstruation; basic steps/activity (auto run/walk)	Heart rate, HRV, SpO₂, sleep (detailed stages), respiratory rate, skin temp, cycle/pregnancy, stress, readiness, [40+ workout types]	Heart rate, HRV, SpO₂, sleep, skin temp, recovery; cycle tracking; [auto activity detection added]
Battery Life	~6–7 days (smaller sizes ~6, largest ~7); plus ~16 days total with charging case	Up to ~8 days (typical)	Up to ~6 days (drops with heavy workout use)
Comfort & Design	Very lightweight (2.3–3 g), thin profile, concave inner band; titanium build (matte or glossy). Excellent comfort but can show scratches over time.	Smooth all-metal design (titanium), no inner sensor bumps – generally rated extremely comfortable. Slightly thicker/heavier. Polished coatings can scratch.	Ultra-light (2.4–3.6 g) with fighter-jet titanium + carbide coating. Very comfortable per reviewers. Matte finish is prone to visible scratches.
Compatibility	Android 11+ only (Samsung Health app required). Best feature set with Samsung Galaxy phones. No iOS support.	Android and iOS (Oura app for both). Broad integration with other fitness apps/Health. Works with any smartphone. Requires Oura membership for full app features.	Android 6+/iOS 14+. Own app plus sync to Apple Health/Google Fit. No subscription required. (Sync via Bluetooth LE.)
Smart Features	Galaxy AI insights (Energy Score, wellness tips), NFC payment not available, Find My Ring LEDs, double-pinch gesture to control phone. No display or notifications on-ring.	Focus on wellness insights (Sleep Score, readiness score). No display; Haptic alerts possible. Smart alarm via app. Requires subscription for AI coaching (“Oura Advisor”).	Focus on fitness analytics (recovery, readiness), real-time HR tracking in app. No display; minimal haptics for alerts. Syncs with Apple Health/Google Fit for consolidated data.
Price (USD)	~$399 (includes ring + charger); no subscription fee.	~$349 for ring; +$5.99/mo membership for full features. (No case included; separate wireless charger.)	~$349 (includes ring + cable). No subscription required.

Each of these rings excels in comfort and passive health monitoring, but targets slightly different users. The Galaxy Ring shines for Samsung Galaxy users who want seamless integration with their phones and watches, with strong sleep/tracking features and AI insights without ongoing fees. The Oura Ring 4 remains the gold standard for detailed health analytics and broad device compatibility, at the cost of a subscription. The Ultrahuman Ring Air appeals to data enthusiasts seeking a lightweight tracker with no monthly fees, emphasizing fitness/recovery metrics.