WE started with pedometers, moved to trackers in our phones, upgraded to smart watches, and now it’s all about rings.
It’s becoming increasingly common to sport a chunky band around your finger that monitors everything from your sleep to body temperature.
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Gen 3 Air, $238.80 (£184.26) from Ringconn
I’ve already tried five of the most popular on the market – Oura Gen 3, Amazfit Helio Ring, Samsung Galaxy Ring, RingConn Gen 2, and Ultrahuman Ring AIR.
But new ones are coming out every year.
For six weeks, I tested the latest release – the RingConn Gen 2 Air (£184, out on March 21), an ultra light, subscription free, slightly cheaper version of its predecessor.
Here’s how it stacks up against its competitors…
SPECIFICATIONS
LIKE most smart rings, the RingConn Gen 2 Air tracks your heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), steps, distance, calories and stress.
It also monitors your sleep patterns, blood oxygen saturation, nighttime movement and body temperature.
But what makes this one a bit different is its simplicity.
It’s designed as an “entry level AI ring for daily wellness” – rather than the “ultimate” one for “advanced users” like the RingConn Gen 2.
For a start, it’s made from stainless steel not aerospace grade titanium, and it lasts up to 10 days without charging, not 12.
The Gen 2 Air also only comes in two colours (silver and dune gold – though multi-coloured protectors and sleeves are available) whereas its predecessor is available in four (silver, matte black, royal gold and rose gold).
Crucially, it offers “daily health insights” not “pro-grade health tracking”. But what does that really mean?
In reality, as far as I can tell, the only feature it lacks is obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) monitoring – essentially the evaluation of your breathing as you sleep, and whether you’re at risk of the condition.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
ON opening the box, I can hardly tell the difference between the old version and new.
It is almost exactly the same design and weight, and has the same slightly squared-off shape, as opposed to a more traditional round ring shape.
I already knew my size, so opted for a seven, but sizing kits (six to 14) are available to order before you buy to ensure your ring is snug.
I got the RingConn Gen 2 Air in gold, and I’m not much of a fan. Silver is definitely my colour!
I also noticed it doesn’t come with the same nifty charging box, but a charging dock instead.
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Gen 3 Air, $238.80 (£184.26) from Ringconn
SET UP
THIS really couldn’t have been easier.
You simply download the RingConn app and connect your ring via Bluetooth. It takes about 60 seconds.
Unlike Oura, which requires a monthly subscription to use all of the ring’s capabilities, you don’t need to sign up for anything.
It means once you’ve paid for the device, that’s it!
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HEALTH METRICS
THE Gen 2 Air provides only “essential” health tracking, but honestly, that should be enough for most people.
When you open the app, you’re presented with a four leaf clover which shows your activity, stress, sleep and vitals (heart rate, blood oxygen etc.).
This then provides an overall “wellness balance” score between zero and 100 – the higher the better.
As you scroll down, you can find further detail about each of your measures, including how long you slept for and how good quality your slumber was the night before, plus how many calories you’ve burnt and steps you’ve taken.
Further down still is more detailed stress monitoring, such as HRV – the variation in time between each heartbeat which can indicate current or future health problems, including heart conditions and mental health issues – as well as your heart rate, oxygen saturation (SpO2), skin temperature and respiratory rate.
This is pretty much exactly what the Oura Gen 3 measures.
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Gen 3 Air, $238.80 (£184.26) from Ringconn
AI ASSISTANT
I MOSTLY focused on the information on the home screen, but there is an inbuilt AI assistant to guide you further, should you wish – something most other rings don’t offer.
The chatbot starts by summarising your data.
Some days it would be highly complimentary and tell me: “You are really a doer! Today’s activity steps have reached the target. You are shining for your efforts for health.”
Other days, not so much.
After a particularly bad night’s sleep and a busy morning at work, I got a message saying: “Your stress level has reached 85. Stand up and relax.”
I primarily used it to monitor my sleep, stress and activity levels, and I found that it seemed to be fairly accurate
Alice Fuller
These got a bit repetitive as the messages were nearly identical every day – although maybe that’s because my routine is pretty regular.
You do have the opportunity to ask your own questions, but these are limited to: “How did I sleep?”, “How active am I?”, and “My stress level?”
Unfortunately there’s no keyboard to type out your own.
I found I honestly didn’t use this function much, but I suppose it’s a nice add-on.
BATTERY LIFE
PROBABLY the biggest selling point of the RingConn Gen 2 Air is its battery life.
It’s advertised as lasting up to 10 days, and I found that to be true.
It was so nice not to have to think about charging it every few days – or every night as I do with my phone!
It majorly outperformed the Oura Gen 3 and Ultrahuman Ring Air, which needed plugging in every four to six days, and the Amazfit Helio Ring, which lasted three.
A downside though is the lack of charging case, as you get with the RingConn Gen 2.
Removing it obviously helps to keep the cost down, but that was one of my favourite things about the more advanced version – partly because it means you can charge on the go, but it also looks nicer on your bedside table!
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Gen 3 Air, $238.80 (£184.26) from Ringconn
MY VERDICT
I GAVE the RingConn Gen 2 a four out of five score, and I’d say the Air is very similar – though I might deduct half a point for the lack of charging box and the fact it scratched fairly quickly.
I tried not to wear it while lifting weights or using the bar in the gym, but it still got some small scratches on the palm side.
That said, it ticks almost every box, so it’s a real draw if you want to try a smart ring without splashing on something like the Oura (£349 to £499).
Just like the Gen 2, probably the best feature of the Air is the battery life. I could go eight days without charging the ring, sometimes almost 10.
The app itself is still a little basic-looking, but all the information is there.
I primarily used it to monitor my sleep, stress levels and activity, and I found that it seemed to be fairly accurate.
Famous faces who swear by smart rings
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SMART rings offer a whole host of health-tracking features, promising to monitor activity, sleep and stress.
They’re regularly seen on the fingers of celebrities worldwide – from Jennifer Aniston to Prince Harry.
Here’s who has been spotted sporting a smart ring in the last few years…
- Jennifer Aniston
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- Prince Harry
- Miranda Kerr
- Kim Kardashian
- Gareth Southgate
- Lewis Hamilton
- Will Smith
- Richard Branson
- Mark Zuckerberg
- Sofia Richie
- Men’s England football team
My ring step count seemed to match my iPhone fairly closely, although it tended to be slightly higher as you would expect (as my phone doesn’t go everywhere with me).
When it told me I’d slept for seven hours, I usually believed it – though I will say it did often record me as taking a nap when I was really watching TV or reading on my sofa.
And when it highlighted my stress levels were elevated, that very much aligned with how I was feeling mentally.
However, it didn’t really change my behaviour.
When it told me to “develop good sleeping habits”, I didn’t always listen – partly because I’m stuck in my ways, and I’m also not sure exactly what that even means.
And when it alerted me to the fact my stress levels were high and I needed to “stand up and relax”, it certainly didn’t mean they immediately came back down.
I think some more specific, personalised guidance would be beneficial.
Overall, I’d say the RingConn Gen 2 Air matches the Gen 2 and is a great entry level smart ring.
It’s also half the price of Oura, and offers most of the same capabilities for the everyday user. A solid 3.5/5!
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