I normally don’t anticipate a lot of hardware or functionality from a gadget as little as a Galaxy Ring. Rings are inherently tiny, so their functionality often boils down to doing a few essential tasks very well. For me, a sleep tracker that doesn’t interfere with sleep is the ultimate dream. That’s where smart rings like the Samsung Galaxy Ring come into play. Promising to deliver sleep insights, daily activity tracking, and a seamless, unobtrusive experience, the Galaxy Ring sets itself apart—but it comes at a premium price of $400.
This makes it $100 more expensive than its closest rival, the Oura Ring, which also charges an additional $6 per month for software use. Oura has been in the game for over five years, refining its offerings, while Samsung is just stepping into this space. Despite being a newcomer, the Galaxy Ring impresses with its capabilities, especially for users with compatible Samsung phones. Here’s an in-depth look at how it performs.
The Galaxy Ring’s Weight and Design
Among wearables, rings are some of the most compact and lightweight options available, and the Galaxy Ring is no exception. My test unit was a size seven, which is the third smallest size Samsung offers. Weighing just 2.3 grams (less than 0.1 ounces), it’s significantly lighter than the Oura Ring, which ranges from 4 to 6 grams depending on size.
This ultra-lightweight design, paired with its slim profile, makes the Galaxy Ring barely noticeable on my finger—even when I’m trying to fall asleep. As someone who’s particularly sensitive to disturbances, this level of comfort is a huge win. The only minor issue I noticed was the occasional flicker of red and green LEDs in a dark room, but the lights weren’t bright enough to disrupt my sleep once my eyes were closed.
However, I am a bit finicky about wearing rings when my hands are even slightly damp, so I often removed the device for activities like handwashing. Fortunately, the Galaxy Ring is water-resistant and handled soap and running water without issues. Even after applying lotion or sunscreen, its sensors worked just fine. If you’re less particular than me, you’ll likely appreciate its durability and convenience.
That said, taking the ring on and off did lead to a few panicky moments when I thought I had misplaced it. Luckily, Samsung’s location-tracking app helped me find it each time. The only drawback here is that the ring lacks a built-in speaker, so it can’t emit an audible sound to aid in locating it. Still, the trade-off for such a discreet and lightweight design feels worth it, even if it means sacrificing some features.
The Galaxy Ring as a Sleep Tracker
For me, sleep tracking was the Galaxy Ring’s primary purpose, and it delivered more than I expected. Unlike older wearables that only measured how long you were still, the Galaxy Ring uses advanced metrics like heart rate to identify sleep stages such as REM and deep sleep. This approach has become standard in modern trackers, and Samsung executes it well.
What stood out to me was the way Samsung presented the data. Beyond simply logging sleep stages, the app added context, explaining the significance of time spent in REM or deep sleep and whether I had enough of each stage for proper recovery. This made the information not just accessible but genuinely helpful. The app also compared my stats to others, providing a benchmark without requiring additional tools or apps.
One particularly surprising feature was the Galaxy Ring’s ability to measure skin temperature fluctuations during the night. After establishing a baseline over a few days, the app highlighted my lowest and highest temperatures nightly. I was intrigued to see my coldest reading recorded during a humid night in Singapore—contrary to my assumptions about the effect of the local climate.
The blood oxygen monitoring, however, was a mixed bag. Results varied depending on which finger I wore the ring on, sometimes showing alarmingly low levels like 76 percent. This inconsistency made me less reliant on that specific metric. Still, the sleep tracking experience as a whole was detailed and insightful, with helpful visualizations and overall sleep scores simplifying the data.
It’s worth noting that some features, like sleep tracking, energy scores, and wellness tips, rely on Samsung’s Galaxy AI, which requires a Galaxy phone, the Samsung Health app, and a Samsung account. This limitation could be a dealbreaker for non-Samsung users.
The Galaxy Ring as an Activity Tracker
While the Galaxy Ring doesn’t support an extensive range of workouts, it still surprised me with its activity tracking capabilities. It automatically detected walks and runs, providing detailed metrics like duration, average speed, cadence, heart rate, calories burned, and distance traveled.
These stats were far more comprehensive than I anticipated, given the ring’s size. For instance, the app logged even short walks with my parents to a nearby hawker center, capturing data that felt like a complete picture of my daily movement. Compared to my Apple Watch, the Galaxy Ring was more consistent in tracking shorter trips, making its activity log more rewarding to review.
That said, it does fall short of competitors like the Oura Ring, which supports over 40 activity types and offers additional features like cardiovascular age, symptom tracking, and more. The Oura Ring’s $6 monthly subscription adds continuous updates and new features, keeping it ahead in terms of innovation.
While Samsung’s offerings are solid, they don’t quite match Oura’s depth yet. However, for basic activity tracking, the Galaxy Ring performs admirably.
The Challenges of Samsung Health
One noticeable limitation of the Galaxy Ring is its lack of notifications. Unlike smartwatches, which buzz to remind you to move after periods of inactivity, the ring relies on phone alerts. These are easy to miss, especially during busy workdays, reducing their effectiveness.
My bigger frustrations stemmed from the Samsung Health app’s interface. For example, enabling automatic activity detection required navigating through multiple settings, each with separate toggles for walking and running. The process felt unnecessarily complicated and could benefit from a more streamlined design.
Another issue arose when using both the Galaxy Ring and a Galaxy Watch. The Health app combined data from both devices, occasionally misinterpreting activities and skewing my energy score. For instance, phantom bike rides recorded by the watch made the app think I had overexerted myself, leading to incorrect recommendations. While this issue won’t affect everyone, it highlights the need for better data handling within Samsung’s ecosystem.
Battery Life
Samsung claims the Galaxy Ring can last up to seven days on a single charge, and my experience aligned with that estimate. The ring consistently lasted six days before dropping below 20 percent, and it only died on day seven when I pushed it to the limit.
Charging was relatively quick—just 30 minutes for a 40 percent boost. If you’re diligent about charging during downtime, you’re unlikely to run out of battery. For a device this small, the weeklong battery life is impressive.
Final Thoughts
For its first foray into smart rings, Samsung has delivered a promising product. The Galaxy Ring excels as a sleep and activity tracker, offering detailed insights in a lightweight, unobtrusive design. However, its limited features, higher price point, and reliance on Samsung phones might make it a less appealing choice for some.
While the Oura Ring currently leads the smart ring market, Samsung’s offering shows potential for growth. With continued investment in research and development, the Galaxy Ring could evolve into a more competitive and feature-rich device.
If you’re in the market for a discreet wearable that prioritizes sleep tracking and basic activity logging, and you’re already in the Samsung ecosystem, the Galaxy Ring is worth considering. It’s not perfect, but it’s a solid debut that lays the groundwork for future innovation.
