Oura Ring 5 vs Ring 4: Is the Gen 5 Upgrade Worth It?
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Medical disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Readers should consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis or treatment.
The Oura Ring 5 is out. The Ring 4 is still on sale for $50 less. If you’re already wearing a Ring 4, this feels like a deliberate trap — and the honest answer is that for most people, the upgrade isn’t urgent. But the gap between the two rings is real, and for specific use cases, it matters a lot.
Here’s the actual difference between them.
Side-by-side specs
| Oura Ring 5 | Oura Ring 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 6.09mm | 7.99mm |
| Thickness | 2.29mm | 2.88mm |
| Battery life | ~7 days | ~8 days |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m |
| Material | Titanium | Titanium |
| Sizes | 4–15 | 4–15 |
| Signal pathways | 12 | Not disclosed |
| Blood Pressure Signals | Yes | No |
| GLP-1 tracking tool | Yes | No |
| Live workout tracking | Yes (via paired phone) | No |
| Starting price | $399 (Silver, Black) | $349 |
| Premium finishes | $499 | $449 |
| Membership | $5.99/mo or $69.99/yr | $5.99/mo or $69.99/yr |
What the Ring 5 actually adds
Size — the most underrated difference
The Ring 5 is 40% smaller than the Ring 4. That’s not a rounding-up number — it’s a genuine architectural rebuild. At 6.09mm wide and 2.29mm thick, it’s noticeably closer to a conventional ring in profile. People with smaller fingers who found the Ring 4 bulky, or people who wear the ring on their index finger rather than their dominant hand, will feel this difference immediately.
It also means the Ring 5 reads differently in professional and social contexts. A 6mm band doesn’t announce itself the way a nearly 8mm one can.
Blood Pressure Signals
Blood Pressure Signals is Ring 5-only — it won’t be added to the Ring 4 via software update. The feature monitors biometric patterns overnight to detect shifts that may suggest cardiovascular strain. It’s a trend-detection tool, not a cuff reading — it does not give you systolic and diastolic numbers. If patterns change persistently, it flags that as something worth discussing with a healthcare provider.
For most users, this will be background context. For people managing cardiovascular health, blood pressure medications, or anyone with a family history of hypertension, it’s a meaningful addition that the Ring 4 simply doesn’t have.
GLP-1 tracking
The Ring 5 includes a dedicated tool for tracking biometric changes during GLP-1 medication use — sleep, HRV, resting heart rate, temperature variance — over the course of treatment. The Ring 4 doesn’t have this. If you’re on semaglutide or tirzepatide and looking for a health tracking ring, the Ring 5 is the clear choice.
Live workout tracking
Real-time heart rate, pace, and distance during exercise via a paired phone. Ring 4 records workout data and surfaces it after the fact. Ring 5 shows it while you’re working out. If you run or ride with your phone and want in-workout feedback, this closes a gap that’s annoyed Oura users for years.
Sensor accuracy
Oura built twelve signal pathways into the Ring 5 — more than previous generations — with redesigned sensor domes for improved skin contact. They specifically call out improved accuracy across skin tones and finger types. The Ring 4 is a good sensor; the Ring 5 is designed to be better. Independent validation will take time, but the architecture is genuinely improved.
What the Ring 4 still does well
The Ring 4 gives you a full week of battery (eight days vs seven on the Ring 5), accurate sleep and HRV data, heart rate, SpO2, and temperature tracking — all the core things Oura has been doing well for years. If that’s your use case and you’re already wearing a Ring 4, you’re not getting garbage data. You’re getting good data on a ring that’s one generation behind on hardware.
The Ring 4 will continue to receive the new software features that Oura is adding platform-wide — Menopause Insights, Hormonal Birth Control support, and the Brain Health Study are available to Ring 4 users. Blood Pressure Signals, GLP-1 tracking, and live workout data are Ring 5 hardware exclusives.
The upgrade math
If you bought the Ring 4 in the last 12 months: wait. You’ll get another year of solid data and the software platform improvements, and the Ring 5’s features will be better understood by then.
If you’ve been on a Ring 3 for 2–3 years: the Ring 5 is a worthwhile jump. You’re skipping a generation and landing on meaningfully better hardware in a much smaller body.
If you’re buying for the first time: buy the Ring 5. The $50 premium over Ring 4 is not meaningful over the life of the ring, and you’re getting current-generation sensors and feature support.
Choose Ring 5 if / Stick with Ring 4 if
| Choose Ring 5 if… | Stick with Ring 4 if… |
|---|---|
| You’re buying your first Oura ring | You bought Ring 4 in the past 12 months |
| You have smaller fingers or find Ring 4 bulky | Sleep and HRV data is all you need |
| You’re on a GLP-1 medication | $399 isn’t justified for your use case |
| Cardiovascular trend monitoring matters to you | You’d rather wait for BP data to mature |
| You run with your phone and want live data | Ring 4 is working fine and you’re happy |
The bottom line
The Ring 5 is unambiguously better hardware — smaller, more sensors, more capable. The Ring 4 is unambiguously still a good smart ring. The upgrade is worth it if you’re new to Oura or specifically need the Ring 5-exclusive features. It’s not worth it if you’re a Ring 4 user who’s happy with your sleep scores. Either way: order a sizing kit before you buy. Ring sizing changes when the profile is this different from what you’re used to.
Check Price on Amazon — Oura Ring 5 →
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Blood Pressure Signals come to the Oura Ring 4?
No. Blood Pressure Signals requires the Ring 5’s hardware — specifically the redesigned optical sensing architecture with twelve signal pathways. It won’t be added to Ring 4 via software update.
Is the Oura Ring 5 compatible with all the new Oura app features?
The Ring 5 supports all Oura platform features. Many of the new app features (Menopause Insights, Hormonal Birth Control support, Brain Health Study) are software-side and available to Ring 4 users too. Blood Pressure Signals, GLP-1 tracking, and live workout tracking are Ring 5 exclusives.
Does the Ring 5 come in the same sizes as Ring 4?
Yes — sizes 4 through 15, same as Ring 4. The size range is identical, but the physical profile is different. If you were a size 8 in Ring 4, order a new sizing kit for Ring 5 rather than assuming it’s the same.
How much smaller does the Ring 5 feel compared to Ring 4?
The Ring 5 is 40% smaller by volume: 6.09mm wide vs 7.99mm, and 2.29mm thick vs 2.88mm. That’s a significant difference in how it sits on the finger — noticeably more like a conventional band ring.
Is Ring 4 still worth buying in 2026?
If you want to save $50 and don’t need Blood Pressure Signals, GLP-1 tracking, or live workout data, the Ring 4 still delivers accurate health tracking and full access to Oura’s software platform. It’s a sensible choice on budget. But if you’re buying your first Oura ring with no constraint on the price difference, the Ring 5 is the better long-term purchase.
