As a fitness editor, I’ve tried almost every health monitor and wearable out there. From the Whoop to the Apple Watch, I love a fitness tracker and I’ve tested them all. They all have their benefits and some are more impressive than others, but there’s one device I always land on as a favourite – the Oura ring.
I’ve been wearing the Oura gen 3 for a few years now and so far, it’s never let me down. I use it to track my sleep, my energy levels, my menstrual cycle and my recovery and this tiny device has helped me take my health and wellbeing to new heights.
The only drawback with the Oura ring is that for some, this smart ring can be expensive. But with Black Friday sales already in full swing, that’s no longer an issue. The Oura ring gen 3 is now the most affordable it’s ever been, with a huge discount for Black Friday 2024.
The Oura ring 4 was voted the best smart ring on the market by tech writer Alex Lee and despite Samsung recently launching its Galaxy ring, Oura remains a firm favourite for fans of wearables, myself included. I love how the gold finish matches the rest of my jewellery and how lightweight, well-fitting and easy to wear it is.
The ring uses sensors inside the band to track variables that feedback information on your sleep quality, heart rate and a raft of other health markers. For the full lowdown on its capabilities, read the full review here. But to benefit from the discount and learn why I think you should invest, keep scrolling.
Follow live: The Best Black Friday deals and shopping tips
If you’re shopping for a tracker that simply measures fitness levels, there are plenty to choose from, but what makes the Oura ring special is that it offers much more. Not only is it small, lightweight and easy to wear, it offers a range of insights that other trackers don’t.
My favourite features are the daily tags you can add to your activity log and the cycle calendar – which helps track your mood, sleep and energy levels and predict the coming phases of your cycle.
I’ve also found that I’ve been able to improve my sleep quality using the Oura ring – the sensors track your heart rate variability to track how long you spend in each phase of light, deep and REM sleep and by checking this and adapting the environment in my bedroom, taking my supplements at different times and going to bed earlier, I’ve been able to improve my overall sleep scores and rest better thanks to the ring.
While the ring and subscription to the app aren’t exactly cheap, this has been one of the most worthwhile investments I’ve made for my health. With £100 off for Black Friday, taking it down to its lowest-ever price, now is the best time to buy one.
Oura ring 3 vs Oura ring 4
The deal on the third-generation Oura ring is impressively low and this is likely because Oura recently launched the ring 4. So, should you buy the newer model over the less expensive ring 3 that’s on sale right now? Well, this all depends on what you’re looking for in a smart ring.
Both the Oura ring 3 and 4 are titanium-based, but the inside of the newer version is now wrapped in the high-grade metal instead of the plastic used on the gen 3. The Oura ring 4 is also lighter, at 3.3-5.2g (depending on size), compared with 4-6g. While both versions of the ring promise to deliver similar metrics and insights, the ring 4 features an improved sensor platform that sits flusher with the ring, and it has an improved battery life, which is up to eight days, compared with the ring 3’s seven days.
In his review of the latest Oura ring, tech expert Alex said: “The main benefit that the Oura ring 4 provides, compared with the gen 3, is improved durability, comfort and accuracy. This isn’t a generational upgrade over the Oura ring 3, merely strengthening its position as the best smart ring out there for sleep tracking and recovery.”
Read more: The Myprotein Black Friday sale is already live – these are my favourite deals as a fitness writer