Oura announced the Ring 5 on May 28, 2026, and it started shipping on June 4. The starting price is $399, $50 more than Ring 4 was at launch. That price increase is for a very different product. The Ring 5 is 40% smaller than its predecessor, adds blood pressure monitoring during sleep, adds AI-driven health coaching, and launches with specific features for people taking GLP-1 medications. If you’re thinking about buying your first smart ring—or upgrading your current one—here’s what matters.
WHAT’S CHANGED BETWEEN RING 4 AND RING 5
The Ring 5 is Oura’s most extensive hardware and software redesign since the Ring 2. The internal architecture was changed to reduce the device size by 40 percent and keep the sensor package. It is one of the most compact smart rings out there with a width of 6.09mm.
Finger based biometric sensing offers improved signal quality compared to wrist worn devices for sleep and recovery tracking. The Ring 5 goes even further, offering more granular HRV readings, improved automatic activity recognition across more than 40 types of workouts, and a continuous overnight blood pressure monitoring system, which none of the previous Oura rings have included.
Battery life is 6-9 days. The improvement is slight as Ring 4 was rated up to 8 days. A new portable charging case gives you a month of charge capacity, which is a great help when travelling.
THE FEATURES THAT MAKE RING 5 SHINE
- BLOOD PRESSURE SIGNALS
The most important new feature is the Blood Pressure Signals. It is not a clinical blood pressure monitor and does not give readings of systolic or diastolic pressure. Rather, it uses ongoing overnight biometrics to detect trends related to elevated blood pressure.
Blood pressure drops naturally overnight, which is why we monitor overnight. When that dip does not occur, a condition called non dipping, it can indicate cardiovascular risk that standard daytime readings would miss. Oura built this feature with 40 medical professionals and is launching it first in the United States, India and the UAE through the Health Radar dashboard.
This is a health indication, not a diagnosis. But for those with an eye on long-term cardiovascular health, it provides passive monitoring that can’t be matched by a smartwatch worn only in waking hours.
- GLP-1 DEEP DIVES
GLP-1s, including semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), are now among the most prescribed drugs in the world. They influence appetite, sleep and heart rate variability, which a continuous biometric ring is best positioned to monitor.
GLP-1 Insights provides members with a single view of their medication journey: dosing, side effects, weight changes, and how daily habits interact with the medication over time. There’s nothing even remotely similar available from any other smart ring competitor. This feature alone may justify the Ring 5 over any alternative, for the millions of people currently on these medications.
- IMPROVED SLEEP TRACKING AND LIVE ACTIVITY TRACKING
Ring 5 adds live workout tracking, so you can start a workout in the app and see live metrics during the workout instead of just looking at the data after the workout. Nighttime Breathing provides a 30-day rolling view of your sleep breathing patterns, alerting you to any disturbances and indicating when it may be beneficial to consult a professional.
The cycle tracking algorithm was also updated. It now predicts the next period after just one night of data, improves ovulation detection accuracy by 45 percent for regular cycles and improves cycle prediction overall by 28 percent.
PRICING: WHAT YOU’RE ACTUALLY PAYING FOR
The Ring 5 base model costs $399 and comes in silver or black. Premium finishes (gold, stealth, brushed silver, deep rose) $499 Oura Membership required for all purchases $5.99/month or $69.99/year. If you are not a member, you can only view three scores per day and you won’t see any metrics. Membership is virtually mandatory.
In a base finish, a Ring 5 with annual membership costs about $608 over three years. That’s a lot more than most fitness trackers but in line with the high-end of the smartwatch market. The difference is form factor and depth of sleep tracking, and Oura does both better than any wrist worn competitor on the market today.
SHOULD YOU UPGRADE TO RING 4?
If you’re on a GLP-1 medication: Upgrade now. No other ring encapsulates this experience. If you’re interested in monitoring the cardiovascular system during sleep, the blood pressure signals feature has real value that Ring 4 can’t provide in a software update.
The Ring 4 is a great device. If you’re happy with that and the current feature set though, the $399 price tag is a harder pill to swallow unless the size reduction is personally important to you. The 40 percent smaller form factor is really noticeable and some Ring 4 users found the previous size conspicuous in professional or social settings.
Ring 5 is the best smart ring for first time buyers in 2026. Oura was the first to enter the category in 2015 and Ring 5 remains the benchmark against which all other smart rings, including the Samsung Galaxy Ring and Ultrahuman Ring Pro, are measured.
If tracking your health data is part of bigger lifestyle goals, the science-validated approach to longevity habits in 2026 offers useful context for what metrics matter most and why consistent monitoring leads to better long-term health decisions.
FAQS (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)
- OURA RING 5: IS IT WORTH BUYING IN 2026?
Yes for most people interested in serious health monitoring. It’s a real upgrade over Ring 4, with 40 percent smaller size, blood pressure signals, GLP-1 integration and live activity tracking. If you’re a first-time buyer, this is the most powerful smart ring you can find. If you are a current Ring 4 owner on a GLP-1 medication, or are interested in doing overnight blood pressure monitoring, upgrade. - HOW ACCURATE IS THE OURA RING 5 FOR MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE?
Blood Pressure Signals is not a clinical blood pressure monitor. It identifies overnight patterns that daytime readings can miss, such as those associated with rising blood pressure and the non-dipping cardiovascular pattern. It is a wellness tracking feature and not a medical device and should not substitute clinical blood pressure measurements. - WHAT IS THE BATTERY LIFE OF THE OURA RING 5?
Six to nine days per charge. The new portable charging case can store enough charge for up to a month, making long trips much more convenient than with previous generations of Oura.
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