Smart rings were supposed to replace smartwatches, right? Seems like all of us got this wrong! The highly anticipated and most talked about smart ring so far, the Samsung Galaxy Ring was finally launched at the Unpacked 2024 in Paris, France and it is more of an accessory to go with your smartwatch than a proper replacement. At least for now.
The Galaxy Ring is supposed to be your everyday fitness companion that can track most health analytics with ease. But, even Samsung says that the Galaxy Ring is best when worn alongside company’s Galaxy Watches.
Not only the two will provide better and more accurate health data, but it will also ensure more battery efficiency on the Galaxy Ring. Clearly, Samsung’s focus here is to create a larger ecosystem of devices that take advantage of each other. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why it has also added the ability to control your Galaxy phones with Gestures if you are wearing the Ring.
Design
Anyway, I finally got to touch, hold, and use the Galaxy Ring on the sidelines of the Unpacked event. One thing that instantly surprised me was how light this ring is. Even though it’s 2.3mm in size, and quite big — thicker than my engagement ring, it weighs only 3 grams and I could hardly feel the weight. That also makes the Galaxy Ring extremely comfortable to wear. Samsung has launched this in 9 different sizes with a dedicated sizing ring so you can get the ideal fit.
The Ring itself comes in a plastic glass box which has a type-C port at the back, Samsung branding on the front, and support for wireless charging. Honestly, the box looks like a smaller version of the Nothing ear cases. Since it’s all plastic, we will have to see how scratch-resistant it is.
Meanwhile, you will have three colours to choose from – Black, Silver, Gold. I expect a lot of people to opt for Gold or Silver as they match the colours of traditional rings. Since Samsung has used Grade 5 Titanium on the ring, I expect it to be quite durable. Additionally, the ring is IP68 rated and the case has a total 7 days of battery life.
Fitness Features
The Ring comes with three sensors which you can clearly see. Obviously, it supports all the basic fitness monitoring. These include heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and different workout modes. But, there is more. Samsung has powered the Galaxy Ring with its Galaxy AI features. So, the Galaxy Ring analyses your sleep patterns and presents a sleep score, metrics such as movement during sleep, sleep latency, and heart and respiratory rate to provide a detailed report of sleep quality.
The Ring also provides additional data which Samsung is calling the Energy Score. This is a representation of how you are feeling during the day to help build a better and healthier lifestyle. This score is calculated by evaluating your physical and mental conditions across four significant factors: Sleep, Activity, Sleeping Heart Rate, and Sleeping Heart Rate Variability.
Separately, the Ring will also provide Wellness Tips. Then, there is Auto Workout Detection and daily reminders. You can also track the ring using Find My Ring and Samsung Find on your phone.
Initial Thoughts
I don’t mind switching to the Galaxy Ring. It seems more than capable of monitoring all the fitness-driven things I care about. Plus, it’s very comfortable to wear almost to the point that you don’t even realise you are wearing one. Cherry on top is the battery life. A week without having to charge your fitness tracker? Well, I will take that.
Having said all of that, I may still not be comfortable spending on both a smartwatch and a smart ring. So, for me and I am sure for many others like, it will come down to choosing one. The watch, with its screen, gives more flexibility. But, maybe we don’t really need that. In any case, it’s too soon to pick one. Stay tuned for our final review on the Galaxy Ring to find out more.
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