Three reasons why I can’t wait to buy the Ora Ring 5

The Ora Ring 5 has just arrived, and from what we’ve seen so far, the new model already looks like the version I was expecting. I’ve had an Ora Ring in my rotation for about five years. For the past six months, I’ve been flip-flopping between two Oura Ring 4 models, one metallic and one ceramic. The rings have become as much a part of my daily routine as my house slippers or my rapidly deteriorating Hydro Flask. Ironically, I also hit them on hard surfaces with worrying regularity.

As much as I love my current rings, I’m very excited for the newest generation. This doesn’t impact every item on my extremely unrealistic wish list, but there are a few upgrades in particular that I’m already primed to upgrade.

The main feature of the Ora Ring 5 also deserves the most attention. Oura says the new Ring is 40% smaller than the Oura Ring 4, measuring just 6.09 mm wide and 2.28 mm thick.

I’ve learned from wearing multiple smart rings simultaneously that size still matters, even if you’ve shrunk an absurd amount of tech into a very small wearable. For example, when wearing the Galaxy Ring with my Aura Ring 4, the difference in comfort is immediately noticeable. I notice the Galaxy Ring less frequently overnight and during workouts, but also during everyday tasks like driving or carrying my laundry basket around the house. I have small hands (read: bony) and thick smart rings tend to grind against adjacent fingers more than I’d like. I even have to take off my Aura Ring to shower, even though it’s water resistant, because I can’t stand the feeling of it hitting my scalp while shampooing.

It’s hard to appreciate the passive appeal of a screen-less tracker if its fit keeps drawing your attention. The Ora Ring 4 has never been unbearably uncomfortable for me, but I certainly hoped for a smaller model. The ring also looks a little big on my hand. On my partner, a smart ring could pass for a wedding band. To me, it still feels like a statement piece that reads more as technology than jewellery. Ora also claims that it managed to miniaturize the hardware without sacrificing its battery life, which was always my biggest concern when envisioning a smaller build.

The smaller size is the upgrade I’ll notice immediately, but the improved durability of the Ora Ring 5 will be what I’ll appreciate in the long term. Ora says the new model offers better scratch resistance than previous generations, as well as a refreshed finish lineup that includes a redesigned gold option and a new Deep Rose colorway.

I know that no wearable item stays old forever, especially one that stays on the hand that I use every day. I also know, as established above, that I am not a careful person. No matter how short my review period, my smartwatches get scratched and have a distinct “well-loved look” to them in my regular rotation. Smart rings feel different, however, because they fall into a weird middle ground between wearables and jewellery, and that changes expectations.

My ceramic model still looks great because ceramic is generally more scratch-resistant than coated metal finishes. Meanwhile, my metal ring looks exactly the same as it does when I’ve been wearing it while lifting weights – because I’ve been wearing it while lifting weights. It has a lot more wear than any other piece of jewelry I would wear for a long period of time.

I’m also extremely excited about Ora’s refinement of the gold finish on the Ring 5. Ora says the new version has a lighter, more modern tone, and it feels more in line with the jewelry I already wear than the warm gold colors the company has previously used. Between the claims of better durability and the refined finish, the Ring 5 feels more sophisticated in the literal sense of the word.

In addition to the look and feel upgrades, I’m also very excited about one of Ora’s biggest wellness initiatives. Through its new Health Radar platform, Oura Ring 5 will monitor nightly blood pressure patterns and broader cardiovascular stress trends while users sleep.

Most people still associate blood pressure tracking with an unsightly cuff and the occasional spot check rather than passive monitoring. Oura’s approach very much aligns with the strengths of the company’s platform, turning blood pressure into the passive background tracking Oura already performs well, rather than something users need to actively manage every day. While it’s not replacing a traditional cuff, the company is using the ring to track overnight trends over time, and users can still log cuff readings directly into the app for additional reference. Ora also says that nighttime readings can reveal patterns that might be missed by daytime measurements, such as stress or caffeine intake.

I’m also personally curious about this feature because I’ve had fairly low blood pressure most of my adult life. It’s never been a major medical concern, but it makes me feel vaguely Victorian whenever I stand up too fast, and my doctor makes the same vampire joke whenever he looks at my chart. More than anything, I’m totally in favor of passive tracking that can help identify trends before they become a concern.

At least on paper, the Oura Ring 5 seems like Oura is focusing on user experience, not just what looks good on a spec sheet. Between the slimmer build, better durability, and deeper effort into passive health tracking, I’m very excited to upgrade.