Oura 5 vs Oura 4: Is It Worth the Price?
Detailed comparison of size, weight, and battery of Oura Ring 5. See how the radical miniaturization turned out — and whether the upgrade is worth it.
In this article, I'll take a fresh look at the new Oura Ring 5 smart ring. I hinted at some things in my anticipation post — now let's measure and weigh some hard millimeters and grams. And as a bonus, I'll include a comparison with Gen 4 and Gen 3.
LORDoftheSMARTRINGS
💍 Three Generations of Oura
I'm a visual-tactile person (my wife could tell you all about it). Numbers on paper and marketing videos I take with a grain of salt. I need to see things with my own eyes and feel them with my own hands 👐. I'll try to share the comparison of all 3 generations visually here in the article and in the related YouTube video.
All my 3 rings — Oura 3, 4, 5 — are size 9. Oura 3 is the glossy Heritage variant. Oura 4 and Oura 5 are matte Stealth variants, which Oura charges a premium for 🙁.
Width
Let's start with the most important thing. While the width of Gen 3 and Gen 4 was essentially the same, Gen 5 really went for it.
So, it reduced the width from 7.9 mm to 6.1 mm — and for that I truly applaud!
Thickness
The second most important parameter is the thickness of the smart ring. While Oura 3 could be measured at different widths in different spots, Oura 4 is rounder on the inside, and the 5 is the roundest of all — and thinner by about 0.7 mm. Very good!
Inner Diameter
The inner diameter saw minor changes.
What does this mean? Among other things, that the sizing kit is not transferable across these generations. And even though I chose size 9 each time, there are small differences.
Weight
Weight is a favorite parameter of smart ring manufacturers, especially when they want to differentiate themselves from watches and bracelets. Otherwise, weight is actually a negligible matter. For completeness, let's note that Oura 5 wins again:
Internal Layout
With version 4, we talked about the sensors being recessed into small windows. Oura now speaks of a complete rearrangement of the internal architecture for the 5. We can visually confirm this, and also note that the sensors protrude slightly above the inner surface and are a bit more robust. Could this be the key to the promised improved measurement accuracy?
This difference also shows up in the charger design...
Chargers
...so chargers are not transferable across generations either.
Battery
If I have any concerns, it's battery life and especially battery longevity. Oura promises 8–9 days. Based on past experience, we can assume that 9 days will truly be the maximum under lab conditions :)
But if Oura 5 still lasts a week for me after a year, that'll be a great result. It's too early to judge.
Let me take a small battery detour. Ring batteries are a pain point. Actually, they're the end point — around the age of two years, the battery degrades regardless of brand. Full stop.
You know what would be really cool? A replaceable battery — like phones in the old mobile days. And Oura knows this; they even have a patent on it, which they started pursuing back in 2022. Maybe the sixth generation will be lucky in this regard. But will it be profitable...?
A minor change is the new approach to the ring orientation indicator. Oura 4 has a recessed groove, Oura 5 has a textured surface. A small but interesting detail.
A Taste of the Oura 5 vs. RingConn Gen 3 Comparison
I'll cover the full comparison in a separate piece of content. But I couldn't help myself and had to give a little preview:
Oura App
With the last upgrade 3➡️4, the app was redesigned. Nothing like that is happening now — Oura is adding some features (see more in my previous article), which will also come to older generation owners.
We'll go through the app visually in part two. In the video version, we'll take a quick look at the output (Oura 4) and the newcomer (Oura 5). Doors closing. So far I've noticed only one cosmetic change in the app header, and the Advisor is gradually improving — it can (similar to Whoop AI) better visualize data directly in the chat.
🤔 In Conclusion
I'm not currently able to verify by exactly how many percent Oura 5 actually shrank. However, I think even from the photos you can see that the difference is significant, and you can really feel it (especially when you make a fist) — and the miniaturization is great!
Whether that alleged 40% is worth $400–550, or — if we calculate the subscription (over two years) — $550–700, I'll leave that up to each of you. I'll probably have to announce at home that vacation is being postponed to next year and pray that Oura 6 doesn't come out. And I'm one of the lucky ones with a lifetime membership.
So in conclusion, I have to give Oura big credit once more for the miniaturization and the excellent preparation of sizing kits and final rings — they're pros in manufacturing and logistics. They're also pros in maximizing profit. It's a bit disappointing that Oura doesn't offer any trade-in — send us your Oura 4 and we'll give you a discount on the 5. Nope!
I'll have my hands — or rather fingers — full of rings, so feel free to let me know what you'd like me to cover first.
