Introduction:
Oura’s smart rings are renowned for sleep tracking and holistic health insights. The Gen 3 (launched 2021) set a high bar with its advanced sensors and app features, while the Gen 4 (launched Oct 2024) builds on that foundation with improved accuracy and design tweaks. Below, we compare Oura Ring Gen 4 vs Gen 3 across key aspects – from sleep tracking accuracy to design, battery life, and pricing – to determine if upgrading is worthwhile for someone focused on sleep tracking (but who also uses the other features).
Comparison Overview Table
| Aspect | Oura Ring Gen 3 | Oura Ring Gen 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep Tracking | – Tracks sleep stages (Light, Deep, REM) and scores sleep quality. – Accuracy: Already among the most accurate consumer sleep trackers (outperforming Apple Watch by ~5% in sleep-stage accuracy) (Oura Ring: Most Accurate Consumer Sleep Tracker Tested in Four-Stage Sleep Classification). – Provides insights like Sleep Score, sleep stages breakdown, and suggestions for improvement. | – Improved accuracy with new Smart Sensing algorithm that adapts to your finger for continuous data (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). – ~15% more accurate detection of breathing disturbances during sleep ([Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here |
| Heart Rate Tracking | – 24/7 heart rate monitoring (added to Gen3 via updates) and nighttime heart-rate variability (HRV) for recovery. – Uses green LED sensors (and red IR at night) to measure pulse; can have occasional data gaps if the ring shifts or hands are moving fast. – Workout HR: Supports exercise heart-rate tracking, though some inconsistencies if finger placement isn’t optimal. | – More consistent 24/7 HR tracking thanks to Smart Sensing. Oura reports 7% fewer daytime HR gaps and 31% fewer nighttime gaps with Gen 4 ([Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here |
| Activity Tracking | – Tracks daily steps, calories, and activity level via accelerometer. – Provides an Activity Score and alerts to meet daily goals. – Workouts: You can tag activities in the app or use Workout HR mode to log exercises, but recognition is manual. | – Automatic activity detection for 40+ exercise types introduced with Gen 4 ([New Oura Ring 4 Features Slimmer Sensors and Improved Accuracy |
| Temperature Sensing | – NTC (thermistor) sensor tracking nightly skin temperature trends (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). – Shows deviations from your baseline each night, useful for spotting illness or predicting menstrual cycles. – Enabled features like period prediction and illness alerts in Gen 3. | – Upgraded digital temperature sensor for continuous temperature variation monitoring (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). – Still tracks overnight skin temperature, but with improved precision. – Powers refined women’s health features – e.g. Gen 4’s app can predict fertile windows for cycle tracking ([New Oura Ring 4 Features Slimmer Sensors and Improved Accuracy |
| Readiness & Other Metrics | – Readiness Score: Daily holistic score (0–100) that combines sleep, activity balance, HRV, RHR, and temp trends to gauge recovery. – Scores & Insights: Sleep Score, Activity Score, and basic stress/balance insights (e.g. tags for meditation, “Restorative Time” tracking). – SpO₂ (blood oxygen) tracking at night, with graph of oxygen variation and Breathing Regularity insight (helpful for apnea indications). | – Readiness Score: Calculated similarly to Gen 3 (no major formula change), but inputs are more accurate due to better sensors – potentially making the score more reflective of your true recovery. – New insights: Introduction of a daily Stress metric/score with enhanced stress tracking in the app ([New Oura Ring 4 Features Slimmer Sensors and Improved Accuracy |
| Design & Comfort | – Two styles: Heritage (flat top design) and Horizon (completely round). – Exterior made of titanium; interior has an epoxy resin layer with raised sensor bumps (~1.3 mm) that press against the skin (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). – Size & Weight: Available in ring sizes 6–13. Width ~7.9 mm; thickness ~2.7 mm (Heritage) or 2.9 mm (Horizon); weight ~4–6 g depending on size. – Comfort: Lightweight and generally comfortable, though the internal bumps are noticeable and you must align them toward the palm for best readings (Oura Ring Generation 3 – Oura Help). | – Single unified style (similar to the round Horizon shape). – All-titanium build (inside & out) with no resin layer (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). Sensors are recessed (~0.3 mm tiny bumps) (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help), making the inner surface much smoother. – Size & Weight: Expanded size range (4–15) (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help) to fit smaller/larger fingers. Same 7.9 mm width; thickness ~2.88 mm (slightly slim). Weight ~3.3–5.2 g – a bit lighter than Gen 3. – Comfort: Improved. The flush sensors and slimmer inner profile make it “feel smoother against the skin” (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). Most users barely notice the bumps, and rotation is less of an issue (Gen 4’s sensing adapts even if the ring spins) ([Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here |
| Battery Life | – Rated up to 7 days on a full charge (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). Actual use tends to be ~4–5 days with all features (24/7 HR, SpO₂) enabled (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). – Charging: ~20–80 minutes to recharge (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). Uses a circular charging base (black) with USB-C to USB-A cable (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). – Many users charge ~twice a week. | – Rated up to 8 days per charge (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). Real-world about 5–6 days with typical use (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience) – a modest improvement over Gen 3. – Similar 20–80 min charging time. Comes with a new square-shaped charger (gray) and USB-C to USB-C cable (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). – The new charger feels more premium and is harder to misplace (more solid design) (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience), but charging frequency is still roughly once a week or so. |
| Pricing & Value | – Hardware Price: Launched at $299 (Heritage style) and $349 (Horizon) for most finishes (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). Some premium colors cost more (up to ~$399). – Subscription: Requires Oura Membership for full feature access – first 6 months were free for early Gen3 buyers (Oura Ring Generation 3 – Review 2021 – PCMag Middle East) (later reduced to 1 month for new users (what is the monthly fee? – Q&A – Best Buy)). Ongoing cost $5.99/month (or $69/year) after trial. – Value: Gen 3 was a significant investment, but offered top-notch sleep and health tracking. Without membership, its functionality is very limited (only basic scores) (Does this ring work without paying for a monthly – Q&A – Best Buy). | – Hardware Price: Starts at $349 for all colors (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). (Gen 3 is now discontinued new, though remaining stock or used rings might be ~$249 on sale.) – Subscription: Same $5.99/mo membership model. 1 month free included with Gen 4 purchase ([Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here |
Table: Side-by-side comparison of Oura Ring Gen 3 and Gen 4 specifications and features.
Sleep Tracking Comparison
Both Gen 3 and Gen 4 excel at sleep tracking, but Gen 4 brings improvements in accuracy and consistency. Gen 3 was already considered one of the most accurate consumer sleep trackers – a study found it 5% more accurate than Apple Watch and 10% more than Fitbit in classifying sleep stages (Oura Ring: Most Accurate Consumer Sleep Tracker Tested in Four-Stage Sleep Classification). It tracks your time in Light, Deep, and REM sleep, sleep timing, and overall Sleep Score each night, providing insights into sleep quality and guidance on optimal bedtime.
Gen 4 retains all these sleep tracking features and the same sleep-stage breakdown, but uses a new Smart Sensing technology to gather data more reliably. Smart Sensing dynamically chooses the best sensor signal from the ring’s multiple LEDs/photodiodes to adapt to your finger position and physiology (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). In practice, this means fewer data dropouts and more accurate readings overnight. For example, an Oura-conducted sleep clinic study showed Gen 4 delivered a 15% more accurate Breathing Disturbance Index (a measure related to sleep apnea and breathing irregularity) compared to Gen 3 (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire). It also improved blood oxygen (SpO₂) measurement accuracy by about 30% (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire), which helps in reliably detecting oxygen dips or irregular breathing during sleep.
For the user, these upgrades translate to more confidence in your sleep data. Gen 4 is better at correctly identifying sleep stages and capturing interruptions. If you had nights with Gen 3 where the ring missed some data because it shifted on your finger, Gen 4 is less likely to have those gaps. However, the core sleep analysis features are similar – you’ll still get a Sleep Score each morning, detailed graphs of your time in each sleep stage, latency, and efficiency. The improvement is that Gen 4’s sleep scores and graphs will be built on more precise data. In short, Gen 3 was already strong in sleep tracking, but Gen 4 makes it more accurate and “up-close” in measuring your sleep patterns (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). There are no entirely new sleep metrics introduced on Gen 4, but the existing metrics (like REM sleep identification or wake detection) are refined. This is especially beneficial if you’re very serious about sleep tracking or have subtle sleep issues – Gen 4’s added precision can help capture those details better than Gen 3.
Overall Features (Heart Rate, Activity, Temperature, Readiness, etc.)
Oura Rings are multipurpose wellness trackers. Gen 3 and Gen 4 share most of the same feature set, but Gen 4 enhances some and adds a few new ones via software updates that launched alongside it. Here’s a breakdown:
- Heart Rate Tracking: Both generations continuously measure your heart rate 24/7 and resting heart rate (RHR) at night. They also track heart rate variability (HRV) during sleep, which feeds into your Readiness score. The Gen 3 occasionally suffered from minor gaps or less accurate readings if the ring wasn’t optimally positioned or during workouts. Gen 4 addresses this with Smart Sensing – it actively switches between green and infrared LEDs to find the best signal, significantly reducing gaps in heart-rate data (31% fewer missing points at night) (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire). As a result, Gen 4 provides a more continuous heart-rate graph over the day and night. During exercise, users have noticed Gen 4 is more reliable for capturing rapid heart rate changes; it’s “more consistent in detecting heart rate during workouts” (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience), whereas Gen 3 might occasionally lose the signal during intense movement. Both rings can show your live heart rate in the app and record workout heart rate (via the app’s exercise mode), but Gen 4’s improved sensor fidelity means your peaks and recovery data will be closer to what a chest strap or dedicated sport watch might record.
- Activity Tracking: Both Gen 3 and Gen 4 use an accelerometer to count steps, estimate calories burned, and measure general activity. Each provides an Activity Score daily, based on your activity versus goals, inactivity time, and prior recovery. The big change with Gen 4 is the introduction of automatic activity detection. With Gen 3, if you wanted your workout captured (say a run or yoga session), you typically needed to manually start an activity session in the Oura app or add it after the fact. Gen 4’s system can now recognize and log 40+ types of activities automatically (New Oura Ring 4 Features Slimmer Sensors and Improved Accuracy | MacRumors Forums) – for example, it might detect a walk, run, or cycling session on its own and count it toward your activity goals. This was rolled out with the Gen 4 launch and is largely a software feature (so Gen 3 users might get some of this functionality via the updated app as well), but the accuracy is likely better on Gen 4 due to its refined sensor data. Aside from auto-detection, overall activity features (step counts, distance estimations, goal progress, and inactivity alerts) remain similar between the two generations.
- Temperature Sensing: Oura uses skin temperature trends to give insights into your body’s status (e.g., early illness warnings or menstrual cycle changes). Gen 3’s ring has an NTC temperature sensor that logs your nightly skin temperature deviation from your baseline. Gen 4 upgraded this to a higher-fidelity digital temperature sensor (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). In practice, both will tell you each morning if your temperature was higher or lower than your norm (for instance, “+1.2°F above normal”), which can indicate fever or strain. Both generations leverage this data for women’s health: Gen 3 introduced period prediction by detecting the slight temperature drop before menstruation; Gen 4 takes it further by enabling a “Fertile Window” prediction feature in the app (New Oura Ring 4 Features Slimmer Sensors and Improved Accuracy | MacRumors Forums). That implies Gen 4 can detect ovulation-related temperature shifts with more confidence. If you’re focused on metrics like recovery or cycle tracking, Gen 4 provides more granular temperature readings, but the end-user experience is similar (a graph of your temp changes and alerts if something is off).
- Readiness Score: The hallmark Oura metric – Readiness – is present in both Gen 3 and Gen 4. It’s a composite score that looks at your recent sleep quality, activity balance, RHR, HRV, and temperature stability to gauge how ready your body is to perform or if you should rest. There is no algorithm change in Gen 4’s Readiness calculation announced, meaning a Gen 3 and Gen 4 should give comparable Readiness scores given the same data. However, Gen 4’s advantage is that all the inputs (resting heart rate trends, HRV consistency, etc.) are measured more accurately, so one could say the Readiness score on Gen 4 is based on “cleaner” data. This might make it slightly more sensitive to small changes in your recovery status. For example, if a short wake-up or brief elevated heart rate at night went undetected by Gen 3 but is caught by Gen 4, the readiness calculation can reflect that. In summary, both rings will guide you similarly in terms of recovery – Gen 4 just does so with improved data confidence.
- New Additions (Gen 4 vs Gen 3): Along with Gen 4’s release, Oura rolled out some new app features. A notable one is Stress monitoring – the Oura app can now provide a daily stress score or “Stress level” indicator using heart-rate patterns and HRV. This feature is available to Gen 3 users as well (via the updated app), but any quick fluctuations in heart rate or skin temperature that signal stress might be caught better by Gen 4’s sensors. Another addition is the aforementioned automatic workout detection (for 40+ activities) which reduces manual logging (New Oura Ring 4 Features Slimmer Sensors and Improved Accuracy | MacRumors Forums). Also, the menstrual cycle tracking has been enhanced to include ovulation predictions (fertility window) on top of period forecasting (New Oura Ring 4 Features Slimmer Sensors and Improved Accuracy | MacRumors Forums) – again, something all users with membership get, but powered by temperature data that Gen 4 might record more continuously. Aside from these, both generations offer guided meditations, wellness content, and the same suite of metrics (Respiratory Rate during sleep, Blood Oxygen graphs, etc.). Importantly, blood oxygen (SpO₂) sensing is present in both Gen 3 and Gen 4 (it was added to Gen 3 in 2022). Gen 4 doesn’t introduce a new metric here, but as noted, it improves the accuracy by 30% (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire), which is beneficial if you’re monitoring for things like sleep apnea signs.
In summary, Gen 3 and Gen 4 have comparable features and health metrics tracked. Gen 4’s new contributions are more about refinement and convenience (better sensor accuracy, auto activity detection, stress tracking) rather than brand-new capabilities that Gen 3 entirely lacked.
Design & Comfort Differences
Design: The Oura Ring is meant to be a ring you wear 24/7, so design and comfort are crucial. Gen 3 and Gen 4 look very similar externally, especially if you compare Gen 3’s Horizon style (the completely round version) to Gen 4’s single style. Both are sleek, unadorned rings with no screen – they look like a simple piece of jewelry. The Gen 3 offered two designs: the Heritage (which had a flat top edge and a point at the top) and the Horizon (perfectly round, no point) (Oura Ring Generation 3 – Oura Help). Gen 4 comes in just one design, which is basically a refined Horizon – no flat edges, just a smooth round ring. So if you liked the flat-top look of the Gen 3 Heritage, note that Gen 4 doesn’t have an equivalent; all Gen 4 rings have a uniform round shape.
Materials: Both generations use titanium for the outer shell of the ring, which makes them strong but light. The difference is on the inside: Gen 3’s interior had a plastic epoxy resin layer (housing the electronics) that formed noticeable bumps where the sensors contact your skin (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). Gen 4 improved on this by making the entire ring out of titanium (inside and out) with the sensors recessed much deeper into the ring (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). The sensor protrusions inside Gen 4 are only about 0.3 mm high, versus ~1.3 mm bumps in Gen 3 (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). In practice, this means Gen 4 is smoother against your finger – the raised nodes are barely felt. Users and reviewers immediately noticed that the Gen 4 “has just two slight bumps, making it feel smoother against the skin… most people probably wouldn’t even notice them” (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). By contrast, with Gen 3 you can feel the three bump ridges when you take the ring on/off, and you had to make sure to position them on the palm side for comfort and accuracy (Oura Ring Generation 3 – Oura Help). Gen 4’s design essentially integrates the sensors so well that you don’t really need to fuss with alignment – plus the Smart Sensing can adapt if the ring rotates a bit on your finger (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire).
Size & Fit: Oura expanded the size range with Gen 4. Gen 3 rings came in US ring sizes 6 through 13. Gen 4 offers sizes 4 through 15 (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). This accommodates people with very small fingers (size 4 is quite petite) or larger fingers better. The width of the ring (about 7.9 mm) is the same for both generations, which is roughly the width of a typical wedding band. The thickness (how tall it sits off your finger) is around 2.7–2.9 mm for Gen 3 depending on style (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help), and ~2.88 mm for Gen 4 (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help) – virtually the same profile. So visually, on your hand they’re nearly identical in bulk. One small difference is weight: Gen 4 managed to shed a bit of weight, partly due to removing the heavy resin interior. Depending on ring size, Gen 3 weighs ~4–6 grams, whereas Gen 4 is ~3.3–5.2 grams. A gram or two isn’t drastic (both are very light; for reference, a typical metal wedding ring might be 5+ grams), but those with the largest ring size will notice Gen 4 is maybe 15–20% lighter than the Gen 3 of the same size.
Comfort: Thanks to the changes above, Gen 4 is generally more comfortable for all-day and night wear. Gen 3 was already comfortable for most users, but some people experienced slight skin imprints or discomfort from the sensor bumps, especially if the ring was tight or if worn palm-side up by accident. Gen 4’s flush interior and rounded edges reduce that issue. Also, by using titanium all around, Gen 4 may be less prone to any skin irritation – a few Gen 3 users reported allergic reactions or delamination with the epoxy inner coating over time, which shouldn’t be a problem with Gen 4’s all-metal interior. Both Gen 3 and Gen 4 are water resistant to 100m (good for showers, swimming, even snorkeling – just not scuba diving) (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help), and both are durable for everyday use (titanium resists scratches fairly well). Style-wise, both come in multiple finishes (colors): Silver, Black, Gold, and variations like Stealth or Rose Gold. Gen 3 had some finishes tied to specific styles (e.g. Brushed Titanium for Horizon, Rose Gold only in Horizon) (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). Gen 4 offers all its colors in the one style, including some new ones like Brushed Silver and Stealth (matte black) (New Oura Ring 4 Features Slimmer Sensors and Improved Accuracy | MacRumors Forums).
Overall, Gen 4’s design is an evolution – it looks very similar on the outside, but the inside is sleeker and the fit is more refined. If comfort or fit was an issue with Gen 3 for you, Gen 4 likely resolves that. If you had no complaints wearing Gen 3, you’ll find Gen 4 just as good, if not better, in comfort.
Battery Life & Charging
Both Oura generations have good battery life for a wearable, but don’t expect a huge leap in Gen 4 – it’s a slight improvement. Oura Gen 3 is rated for up to 7 days on a single charge (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help), while Gen 4 is rated up to 8 days (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). In reality, actual battery life depends on how many features you have running. With Gen 3, if you enabled continuous heart rate, overnight blood oxygen sensing, and took advantage of all features, many users got around 4–5 days before needing to charge (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). In similar use, Gen 4 tends to last around 5–6 days (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). So you might gain roughly one extra day between charges with Gen 4 – a welcome improvement but not a dramatic change.
The slight boost comes from more efficient sensor usage: Gen 4’s Smart Sensing not only improves accuracy but also optimizes power by not firing all LEDs all the time (it picks the most effective signal path) (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire) (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire). Also, Gen 4’s battery is presumably a bit larger or better optimized since the ring’s volume is similar.
Charging is quick for both. Oura says ~20 to 80 minutes for a full charge depending on the starting level (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). In practice, about an hour on the charger will take you from low to 100%. Neither Gen 3 nor Gen 4 require nightly charging – you can typically just top up every few days. Many users develop a routine like charging the ring while showering or during a short daily routine, since you can get a decent charge in just 15–30 minutes (e.g., a 15-minute charge might give you a couple of days of use).
One difference is the charging dock design. Gen 3 uses a round puck-like charger (black plastic) that connects via a USB cable (USB-C on the dock end, USB-A on the power end) (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). Gen 4 comes with a new square-shaped charger in a gray color, and it uses a USB-C to USB-C cable (so it plugs into modern USB-C chargers without an adapter) (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). Functionally, both are simple drop-in inductive chargers – you just set the ring on top and it charges. The Gen 4 charger has a more premium feel and a heavier weight, so it sits more securely on a desk. It’s also a bit larger and, as one reviewer noted, “a lot harder to misplace” than the tiny Gen 3 puck (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). Charging speed between the two is about the same; Oura didn’t advertise any fast-charging difference.
In summary, Gen 4 extends battery life by roughly 20% (one extra day give or take) over Gen 3 and has a nicer charger design. Both still need a recharge roughly once a week (more if you heavily use features). If you prioritize battery life, the difference isn’t huge – but any improvement means more flexibility on when to charge.
Accuracy & Sensors
Under the hood, Oura Gen 4 made notable sensor and algorithm upgrades to boost accuracy across the board. Both Gen 3 and Gen 4 have a similar array of sensors: an optical heart-rate sensor (PPG) with green and red/IR LEDs, a temperature sensor, and a 3D accelerometer. The Gen 4 doesn’t add a brand-new sensor type, but it significantly changes how the sensors are used and how data is captured:
- Smart Sensing Technology: This is the flagship improvement of Gen 4. Instead of a fixed sensor configuration like Gen 3, Gen 4 uses 18 different sensing paths through your finger (versus 8 in Gen 3) (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). In simpler terms, Gen 4 has multiple LED emitters and detectors and can dynamically choose which combination yields the best signal at a given moment. For example, if your ring has rotated or your hands are cold, one LED (say infrared) might pick up your pulse better than the green – Gen 4 will detect that and use the optimal signal. Gen 3, by contrast, had a more static approach (it used its sensors in a fixed way, which worked well most of the time but could drop out in suboptimal conditions) (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help). The result is Gen 4 captures more continuous, high-quality data without gaps. As mentioned earlier, lab tests showed significantly fewer missing heart rate data points in Gen 4 (31% fewer at night) (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire), and a dramatic 120% improvement in signal quality for SpO₂ measurements (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire). That high signal quality is what translates to the ~30% gain in blood oxygen accuracy and better detection of things like breathing disturbances during sleep.
- Sensor Placement and Quality: Gen 4’s sensors being flush not only help comfort, but also maintain contact more consistently. In Gen 3, if the ring shifted, a raised sensor could lose firm contact with the skin momentarily. Gen 4’s recessed sensors maintain a broader contact patch. Oura also describes Gen 4’s sensors as “research-grade” (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring Gen3 – Oura Help) – while it’s a bit of marketing, it suggests tighter tolerances or calibration. The infrared (IR) LEDs in Gen 4 are used more extensively. IR light can penetrate tissue differently and is often less affected by ambient light; by alternating between green and IR for heart rate, Gen 4 can adapt to different skin tones and conditions (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire), providing accurate readings for a more diverse user base. Gen 3 did include IR LEDs as well, but Gen 4’s algorithm leverages them in a smarter way.
- Data Reliability: For someone using the ring’s data for health insights, Gen 4’s improvements mean you can trust the data a bit more. If Gen 3 showed a sudden drop in heart rate or a missing chunk in the heart rate graph, you might wonder if it was a sensor error or real – Gen 4 minimizes those ambiguities. The nighttime HR and HRV data on Gen 4 are more robust, which is important for sleep analysis and readiness scoring. Similarly, temperature readings are likely less noisy. Oura explicitly notes Gen 4 accounts for “ring rotation…and differences in finger anatomy, shape, BMI, and skin tone” (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire) to keep data accurate in real life conditions, not just ideal lab settings. This indicates a broader reliability where Gen 3 might occasionally falter (for example, people with larger fingers or thicker skin might have had slightly less accurate readings on Gen 3 – Gen 4 aims to fix that).
In short, Gen 4 is the more “scientific-grade” tracker, reducing error margins on all its metrics. Gen 3 is by no means inaccurate (it’s proven to be top-tier among wearables (Oura Ring: Most Accurate Consumer Sleep Tracker Tested in Four-Stage Sleep Classification)), but Gen 4 pushes the accuracy even further. For someone heavily focused on precise health metrics – whether it’s exact sleep staging, HRV trends, or consistency in heart-rate logging – Gen 4 provides greater peace of mind that the numbers you see are reflecting reality. Gen 3 gives you the big picture well; Gen 4 fine-tunes the details.
Pricing & Value
When considering an upgrade, cost and value are major factors. Oura Ring Gen 3 originally retailed for $299 (for the Heritage shape in silver/black finishes) and $349 for the Horizon shape or certain finishes (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). Oura Ring Gen 4 is priced at $349 for all standard finishes at launch (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). So if we compare the same style, Gen 4 costs about the same as what a Gen 3 Horizon did. However, if you got the Gen 3 Heritage for $299, then Gen 4 is roughly $50 more expensive for the base model. In addition, some special edition colors on Gen 3 (like Stealth or Gold) were priced higher (~$399); Gen 4’s $349 covers most colors, which actually makes the gold/stealth Gen 4 a bit cheaper than Gen 3’s equivalent was.
As of now, Oura has discontinued Gen 3 sales on their site (Gen 4 fully replaces it), but Gen 3 rings can still be found from retailers or second-hand. We’ve seen Gen 3 discounted to around $249 during sales (Amazon Cyber Monday deals drop the Oura Ring Gen 3 to a record …), which is a compelling price if budget is a concern. Keep in mind that whether you choose Gen 3 or Gen 4, to really use the ring you’ll need the Oura Membership subscription. Both Gen 3 and Gen 4 require a $5.99 per month membership (or $69.99/year) to unlock the full suite of insights and historical data. Initially, Gen 3 came with 6 months free (Oura Ring Generation 3 – Review 2021 – PCMag Middle East), but Oura later reduced the trial — now new users get 1 month free with purchase (this applies to Gen 4, and to Gen 3 units sold in 2023 onwards) (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire). So in terms of subscription, there’s no cost advantage to either generation; you’ll be paying the same ongoing fee to use features like detailed scores, trends, and new content. Without membership, both rings are severely limited (you’d only see basic daily scores and battery level) (Does this ring work without paying for a monthly – Q&A – Best Buy).
The question of value comes down to how much you benefit from Gen 4’s improvements. For a new buyer with no ring at all, the Gen 4 clearly offers the most refined experience Oura has – and since the price difference is negligible (Gen 3 isn’t officially sold new anymore, and even if found, might be ~$100 cheaper at most on sale), going with Gen 4 makes sense if it’s within your budget. You get the better accuracy, better comfort, and the latest support. For an existing Gen 3 owner, upgrading means paying $349 again for hardware. That’s a significant cost for incremental improvements. Gen 3 already tracks sleep excellently and shares 95% of the features with Gen 4 (especially since most new app features also work on Gen 3). Gen 4’s advantages – smoother design, slightly better battery, and more reliable data – might feel subtle in day-to-day use if you’re not a power user. There’s no difference in the app membership cost; you’d simply continue your subscription on the new ring. One could argue that if your Gen 3 is working well for you and you’re mainly focused on sleep tracking (where Gen 3 is already very strong), the Gen 4 may not fundamentally change your experience; your Sleep and Readiness scores might just be a bit more precise.
On the other hand, consider some scenarios: If you often do high-intensity workouts and found Gen 3’s heart rate tracking during those sessions lacking, Gen 4 could add value with more dependable HR readings (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). If you had comfort issues with Gen 3 (sensor bumps, or it didn’t fit quite right), Gen 4’s design might be worth the upgrade alone. Also, by virtue of being newer, Gen 4 will likely get longer support and could receive future features that Gen 3 might not (Oura could introduce Gen 4-exclusive features that rely on its advanced sensor platform). So part of the value consideration is future-proofing: Gen 4 will be the focus of Oura’s improvements for the next few years.
In raw terms, Gen 4 is about a 10–20% improvement in various aspects for roughly a 0–17% increase in price (depending on what you paid for Gen 3). If those improvements align with what you care about, the value is there; if not, Gen 3 remains a capable device for less money.
Software & Subscription
Both Gen 3 and Gen 4 use the same Oura smartphone app and cloud service, so the software experience is nearly identical between them. In fact, Oura rolled out a major app redesign alongside Gen 4’s launch, which introduced a new 3-tab interface (“Today”, “Vitals”, “My Health”) (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). This redesign is available to all Oura users – Gen 3 owners got it as well (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience). That means navigating your data and the presentation of metrics is the same on Gen 3 and Gen 4. The Today tab shows your daily Sleep, Readiness, Activity scores; Vitals lets you dig into heart rate, respiration, body temp, etc.; My Health focuses on long-term trends and things like your Cardio Age and Stress Resilience. All these app features work with both generations, as long as you have an active membership.
Speaking of membership, as noted, Oura moved to a subscription model starting with Gen 3. Gen 4 continues this model – there is no way to get all the advanced insights without paying the monthly fee. The membership unlocks all the detailed reports (sleep stage graphs, HRV trends, etc.), personalized insights, and future feature updates. The cost ($5.99/month) is the same regardless of ring, and the content available is the same. The only minor difference was the free trial period (early Gen 3 buyers got 6 months; Gen 4 buyers get 1 month free) (Oura Ring 4, Powered by Smart Sensing, Is Here | Business Wire), but in the long run that’s not a huge factor. It’s worth noting that Oura’s membership does add considerable value over time – they continuously add new features to the app (for example, the new stress tracking, or period prediction, or guided sessions) at no extra charge beyond the subscription. Both Gen 3 and Gen 4 users benefit from these updates as long as their membership is active.
If you let the subscription lapse, both rings revert to a very limited functionality: you’ll still get the three basic scores (Readiness, Sleep, Activity for the current day) and can see your battery status, but you lose detailed insights and historical trends (Does this ring work without paying for a monthly – Q&A – Best Buy). That’s a strong incentive to keep the membership, especially if you’re serious enough about health tracking to consider these rings. Therefore, from a software perspective, there’s no generational gap – Oura has ensured Gen 3 owners aren’t left with a worse app, aside from slight data quality differences. There have been no reports of Gen 4-only app features yet; all major additions (like automatic activity detection, new metrics) have been rolled into the overall Oura platform and thus available to Gen 3 as well. However, it’s possible that certain future features might require Gen 4’s hardware to work optimally (for example, if Oura were to introduce real-time stress alerts or more granular daytime readings, Gen 4’s better continuous monitoring might be needed). But as of now, both Gen 3 and Gen 4 offer the same software capabilities given an active subscription.
One thing to mention: since Gen 4 is newer, it likely will receive firmware updates for longer. Gen 3 will still get support for a while, but as years go on, Gen 4 might be required for the absolute latest integrations. Oura’s subscription model means they want to keep adding value to keep subscribers, so they’ll use the available hardware to do so.
Conclusion: Is Upgrading to Gen 4 Worth It?
For someone focused on sleep tracking (and also using Oura’s other features), the Oura Ring Gen 4 offers measurable improvements but not a completely new experience. Gen 3 already provides excellent sleep analysis, comprehensive recovery insights, and solid day-to-day tracking. Gen 4 refines this with better accuracy – which for a sleep enthusiast means your sleep stages, disturbances, and biometrics are captured more faithfully. If you suspect your Gen 3 sometimes mis-classified your sleep or missed a disturbance, Gen 4 will likely do better. It’s essentially more reliable, ensuring that if something was borderline (e.g., a short REM episode or a brief elevated heart rate at 5 AM), Gen 4 has a higher chance of catching it.
Beyond sleep, Gen 4’s benefits in heart rate tracking, activity auto-detection, and comfort are nice quality-of-life upgrades. You’ll see more complete heart rate graphs, and you might enjoy not having to manually log exercise. The improved design makes it easier to forget you’re even wearing a sensor. These are meaningful if you use those features daily.
If you already own a Gen 3 and are happy with it, upgrading to Gen 4 is an investment that yields incremental gains. For a casual user, Gen 3’s data is already actionable and accurate enough that you might not notice the Gen 4’s finer precision without looking closely. However, if you’re an advanced user or you have specific use cases – like you really care about pinpoint sleep data, you exercise often and want better heart rate capture, or you had any comfort issues – then Gen 4 can be worth it. It makes the best-in-class sleep tracker even better, and any improvement in a device you wear 24/7 can have a big cumulative benefit. Also consider longevity: Gen 4 will be supported further into the future.
For new buyers choosing between the two, the Gen 4 is the clear recommendation if budget allows, since it’s the model Oura is moving forward with (and the price difference is not huge when Gen 3 isn’t heavily discounted). You get the latest hardware and no FOMO on features.
Recommendation: If sleep tracking is your top priority and your Gen 3 is meeting your needs (e.g., you’re already getting great insight into your sleep and recovery), you don’t need to rush to Gen 4 – Gen 3 remains a very capable device. But if you crave the most accurate data and a more polished experience, and especially if you use Oura’s other features like exercise tracking or stress monitoring, the Gen 4 is a worthy upgrade. It justifies its cost by smoothing out the rough edges of Gen 3: you get slightly longer battery life, a more comfortable fit, and data you can trust even more. In summary, Oura Ring Gen 4 is an evolution rather than a revolution – for serious Oura users and data geeks, that evolution is worth it, while more casual users might stick with Gen 3 until they’re ready for the next step.
Ultimately, either ring will serve a health-conscious user well, but Gen 4 is the one that can give you the best possible insight into your sleep and wellness that Oura has to offer today. (Oura Ring 4 vs. Oura Ring 3: My Upgrade Experience) (New Oura Ring 4 Features Slimmer Sensors and Improved Accuracy | MacRumors Forums)
