Samsung Galaxy Ring vs Ultrahuman Ring Air: Which Subscription-Free Smart Ring Will Win?

Samsung has just launched its first smart ring, The Galaxy Ringin its summer Unpacking EventThis is the first time a major tech company has entered the smart ring market and could signal greater competition in the smart ring market as more major tech companies like Apple or Google enter the market.

Also: Everything Announced at Samsung Unpacked July 2024

The Galaxy Ring tracks your sleep, activity, and energy. It’s made of titanium, comes in three colors (silver, black, and gold), and has a battery that’s said to last seven days. The sleep and energy scores feel similar to those offered by competing smart ring brands. The ring comes with an attractive fast-charging case, with an LED light on the outside that shows the charge percentage. With the ring on your index finger, you can use a double-pinch gesture to take a photo with your phone or turn off an alarm.

Also: The Best Smart Rings You Can Buy Right Now

One of the most interesting features of the Galaxy Ring, however, is its subscription-free model. Many smart rings and other wearables put users’ data behind paywalls and charge monthly or annual subscription fees to access the information. Fortunately, the Galaxy Ring doesn’t do that. But it’s not unique. The Super RingOne of my favorite smart rings I tested this year, it also doesn’t require a subscription. How does the Ultrahuman Ring Air compare to the Galaxy Ring, and which one should you buy? I’ll explain all of this below, so keep reading.

Specifications

You should buy the Samsung Galaxy Ring if…

1. You are an Android user who can live or die

The Galaxy Ring will only work within the Android ecosystem, so iPhone users will have to sit out the smart ring or wait for Apple to make its own smart ring. Seamless WearOS integration means your health data is aggregated from your Android device and your Galaxy Ring in one place, so you don’t have to run multiple apps to track your data.

2. You want to be involved in the latest and hottest innovations

It is the first major mobile brand to launch a smart ring and could signal a shift in the tech space if Apple and Google take note and develop their own smart rings. Early adopters and those interested in the latest technology will enjoy using the Galaxy Ring.

There are some innovative features on the Galaxy Ring, like a double-pinch gesture that can turn off an alarm or take a photo with your phone, that you can experiment with through the device. Of all the smart rings I’ve covered, this feature is the first of its kind.

Also: I Tested This Smart Ring for Fitness Addicts. Here’s How It Beats the Oura Ring

This isn’t to say that the Ultrahuman Ring Air doesn’t incorporate some promising and innovative technology into its smart ring (there is a Artificial intelligence food knowledge tools used ChatGPT (After all, for fitness and diet-related food recommendations.) But when you buy a Galaxy Ring, you’re getting a product that’s at the forefront of technology and innovation.

Plus, with the Samsung brand already established, the product is more likely to be used by more people, the software is more likely to be updated, and you can go to stores like AT&T or Best Buy to get product questions answered or any problems fixed.

3. You’re using the ring to track your sleep

Samsung emphasizes sleep as the foundation of health, and prioritizes sleep tracking technology and features on the Galaxy Ring. Once we get our hands on the ring and test its sleep tracking features, we’ll report back on how well the sleep tracking technology and algorithms perform.

But for now, here’s what we know about the Galaxy Ring’s sleep tracking. According to the press release, sleep analysis is “extensive” and uses a powerful sleep algorithm to track and measure the quality of your sleep. There’s a sleep score, which is pretty standard for smart rings, and the ring also measures movement during sleep, sleep time, and heart and respiratory rate.

Also: This $299 Smart Ring Is My New Sleep Tracker, and It’s Not Oura

Another feature that makes the ring great for sleeping is its lightweight construction. When ZDNET’s Kerry Wan tried the ring out for himself, he was impressed by how light it felt on his finger. Depending on your ring size, the ring can weigh between 2.3g and 3g, while the Ultrahuman Ring Air weighs between 2.4g and 3.6g.

When you sleep, you want a smart ring that’s slim and unobtrusive on your finger, so it’s in a company’s best interest to design a product that balances heavy software with light hardware. Samsung seems to have struck that balance.

You should buy the Ultrahuman Ring Air if…

1. You have an iPhone or an Android phone

Unlike the Galaxy Ring, the Ultrahuman Ring Air works with iPhones running iOS 15 or later and Android devices running Android 6 or later. You don’t have to be locked into the Android ecosystem to use this ring.

2. You are obsessed with exercise

I reviewed this smart ring while I was training for my first half marathon, and over the months of use, I saw how well the Ultrahuman’s features fit into the fitness-focused category. While the Galaxy Ring appeals to a more general audience, seemingly those who want to monitor their daily health and get some granular activity tracking insights, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is for those who want to gamify their activity, sleep, diet, and workout regimens.

Also: Oura Launches AI Health Advisor a Day Before Samsung Galaxy Ring’s Potential Launch

Based on when I wake up, the Ultrahuman Ring Air will send me notifications about when I should hold off on caffeine or other stimulants to clear any residual adenosine from my system. It will send me suggestions to expose myself to sunlight early in the morning and ping me later in the day to prepare for bed. It will let me know in the middle of the day that my stimulant window is closing and when to stop consuming caffeine. And it will tell me to eat protein-rich foods with my recorded Cheez-Its to avoid glucose spikes.

You get the idea: this is for people who aren’t just fitness-minded for fun. This is for people who are always training for a marathon or tracking their calories and fat. You don’t have to be that type of person to use this ring (I don’t consider myself a hardcore fitness person and still like the ring and its sleep and readiness scores, which are on par with the Oura smart ring itself), but fitness junkies will enjoy it the most.

3. You want a less expensive smart ring

Smart rings are still new technology, and there’s a good chance that if you buy a smart ring, it will be the first smart ring you wear. You might buy one and find out you don’t like it. At $350, the Ultrahuman Ring Air is $50 cheaper than Galaxy RingSo if you’re trying to find the least expensive option or avoid wasting money on something you might stop using after a few months, then Ultrahuman is the way to go.

Alternatives to Consider

See at Oura