It’s time to buy a wearable

In the week I spent with the Samsung Galaxy Ring for this review, I did a complete 180.

I used to believe that fitness trackers, and wearables as a whole, were just this month’s latest trend gimmick. To be clear, it’s not because smartwatches like the WHOOP Band or Oura Rings are popular. bad product. I just didn’t get the point.

But all I needed was an incredibly intuitive suite of analytics, accessible through the Samsung Health companion app, and an understated yet functional design to change my mind.

So what is the story behind the Samsung Galaxy Ring?

Samsung Galaxy Ring was officially launched at the latest Unpacked global event in Paris.

It’s displayed alongside all the AI-powered products like the Galaxy Z Fold and Flip. A challenge to the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Watch7, as well as the more rugged Galaxy Buds. This is the Korean tech giant’s answer to the likes of Oura, Evie, and Ultrahuman.

TM Roh, President of Samsung Mobile, said, “The new additions to our wearable product portfolio integrate Samsung’s cutting-edge technology and innovation, empowering customers to take control of their health. ”.

“We are confident that our 2024 wearables range will continue to change the game for Australian customers as Galaxy AI and Samsung Health drive next-generation benefits,” said Eric Chou, head of mobile at Samsung Australia. ” he said.

Titanium Flex launched domestically on October 16, 2024 in nine sizes and three scratch-resistant finishes (gold, silver, and ever-popular black). Pro tip: Do some research on yourself. just Please use the sizing kit before installing the sizing kit.

Who is the buyer?

Before writing this review, I envisioned myself as a health conscious, wannabe biohacker, and Samsung enthusiast. Considering that I myself am a self-confessed convert, the net has widened considerably.

You might call this a cop-out answer, but Android users willing to track their vitals is an important demonstration. However, I think the list price may be a barrier to trying it out on a whim. More on that later.

What is your day like?

Samsung Galaxy Ring features three different sensors in an elegant design. The accelerometer, heart rate tracker, and skin thermometer work together to provide rich insights into your sleep, stress, oxygen levels, training, heart health, and, if applicable, your menstrual cycle. .

Housed in a wonderfully stylish charging/pairing case with approximately 7 days of charging to supplement the 7-day capacity of the ring itself, the ring boasts slim lines measuring 7mm wide and 2.6mm thick . It’s also durable and water resistant up to 100 meters. I almost forget I’m wearing it.

As someone who had never really cared about health stats other than steps and calories, I saw body composition being important in another article…this was a game changer. There was also a hack that tricked me into investing in my health by almost gamifying it with the Samsung Health app.

Your first 24 hours with the Samsung Galaxy Ring will definitely be the most eye-opening. I knew What is being said at a certain level. Case in point: I don’t think there’s anything more motivating to quit nicotine cold turkey than seeing a graph of your dependence on it (see above).

What’s really great, in my opinion, is the granularity of sleep tracking.

Not only is your sleep time accurate to the minute; It also monitors different sleep stages, blood oxygen levels, skin temperature, heart rate, breathing rate, and snoring to give you an almost complete picture of what’s happening while your eyes are closed.

All of this feeds into an AI-powered “sleep coach” and an algorithm that assigns a sleep score that contributes to your overall energy score.

Other notable details include how to disarm alarms on Samsung smartphones with a double pinch gesture. And the fact that you can switch the division of duties between the Ring and the Samsung Galaxy Watch (i.e. allocating battery-hungry measurements to the latter and keeping the former charged).

Returning to the issue of battery life, the Samsung Galaxy Ring’s fast charging (30 minutes at 40%, 90 minutes at 100%) is also commendable. At most you’ll only need to refill it once a week, probably when you’re getting ready for bed like I was.

The capacity of this case means you can basically travel for two full weeks before you need to plug anything in.

It looks pretty good, but are there any drawbacks?

The biggest dilemma I encountered was not so much a problem with the Samsung Galaxy Ring as it was a problem with myself.

Kickboxing and grappling make up a large part of my fitness routine, and I’ve experienced significant reporting outages during my most active hours. And I think anyone who powerlifts or climbs will face the same obstacles.

As I said earlier, a fairer assessment would be to view this as a problem with martial arts and wearables in general (not just smart rings). Please mark my words. Whoever invents smart gloves/smart lashes ends up printing money.

On the topic of reporting, I was surprised by the health insights, but I couldn’t help but feel skeptical at times. Especially when my “stress” spiked dramatically for no apparent reason and without any outward consequences. Maybe I’m really nervous and this is normal for me. There is probably a problem with calibration.

Another small complaint was the fact that it couldn’t distinguish between increased heart rate due to exercise and supposed “stress”. I believe that if a feature isn’t fully functional, it’s not even worth including.

And finally…you can probably Don’t miss out on AI-powered health tips. They don’t help anyone and slightly undermine the credibility of everything else Ring has accomplished.

What is the competition like?

At $699, the Samsung Galaxy Ring is one of the most expensive wearables in its category.

In fact, the top-of-the-line Oura Horizon in rose gold costs about $549. The cheapest Heritage Silver is $299. However, be aware that Oura charges an ongoing membership fee ($9.99 per month or $109.99 per year) to access your data.

Ultrahuman Ring Air, which doesn’t require a subscription, is also more affordable at $349 for nearly the same features. Do what you want with that information.

Final thoughts.

Admittedly, from a purely financial perspective, the Samsung Galaxy Ring might not have been my first choice. That being said, you certainly get what you pay for. Especially if you’re already part of the Samsung ecosystem and use a smartwatch or phone.

It’s clear that this bad boy is best suited to play the second string of the Samsung Galaxy Watch, but even in a solo effort, this ring was convincing enough to warrant the time.

I’d hesitate to call this a must-have for anyone who takes their health seriously, but it’s a far cry from simply tracking your steps and calories. Don’t think of it as a magic bullet to solve your health problems. Think of it as an equally important flashlight in the dark cavern of tackling your health ambitions.

Samsung Galaxy Ring is now available for purchase. Click the link below for more information.

The author was provided with a Samsung Galaxy for this review.