Oura Ring 5 Scientific Test (Initial Review)

Oura Ring 5 Launch and Design Changes00:00

Competition is increasing in the wearable market with the Fitbit Air launch competing against the Whoop strap, and various smart rings entering the market to compete with the Oura ring. The Oura Ring 5 was launched with the main selling feature being that it's smaller than the previous generation. However, this smaller form factor required fitting a battery and sensor set into a reduced size, which led to a smaller sensor set inside the new Oura Ring 5 compared to the Oura Ring 4.

The reviewer does not particularly value the smaller size, preferring the larger size of the Oura Ring 4. The purpose of this initial scientific test is to evaluate what the Oura Ring 5 does well and identify its limitations, particularly whether the reduced size has compromised performance.

Testing Methodology and Heart Rate Tracking01:00

The testing involves comparing the Oura Ring 5 against reference devices during sleep. An ECG chest strap was worn alongside the Oura Ring 5 for several nights to measure heart rate and heart rate variability. The data was extracted and similarity calculated between the two measurements.

Heart Rate Measurement Results02:00

Multiple nights showed good agreement between the Oura Ring 5 and ECG chest strap measurements. The heart rate readings were typically within 1-2 BPM of each other. One night showed some deviation where the reference device recorded higher heart rates, but overall the measurements were consistent. The heart rate range tested was narrow, typically between 42-49 BPM, requiring the device to measure small differences accurately.