It’s 2025, and the smart ring ecosystem is growing rapidly with plenty of great options. I’ve been wearing the Ultrahuman Ring Air since mid-2024, and despite testing the best Wear OS smartwatches, including the Google Pixel Watch 3, I believe smart rings are the way to go, at least for me. Here are a few reasons why I swapped my smartwatch for a smart ring and why I’m not going back.
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7 Smartwatches don’t feel fashionable anymore
Subtlety is key, and smartwatches have lost it
One of the main issues with tech products, especially wearables, is that they look cool at first but eventually lose their fashion appeal. The same has happened with smartwatches. They were stylish in the beginning, but they’re no longer fashionable. People on their wedding invites now request attendees not to wear smartwatches to the ceremony.
The advantage of a smart ring is that it allows you to wear other accessories, like traditional watches or bracelets, while still enjoying the benefits of a health tracker. I love wearing a Seiko watch daily, but I also want to track my sleep and steps, which a traditional watch can’t do. Wearing the Ultrahuman Ring Air daily has solved this problem perfectly.
6 Smart rings offer a sleek, discreet look
They’re lightweight, comfortable, and effortless
Unlike smartwatches, which are bulky and take up significant wrist space, especially Ultra models like the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra, smart rings are compact and discreet. They sit comfortably on your finger all day without being intrusive or causing wrist fatigue.
Many smart rings, such as the Samsung Galaxy Ring and Ultrahuman Ring Air, come in designs that resemble regular rings. Options with gold finishes, for example, look almost identical to traditional jewelry. Additionally, smart rings are lightweight, making them easier to wear all day. They track your health 24/7 without requiring manual input and can handle most tasks without being removed.
5 Smart rings track my daily activity better
Health tracking without any extra effort
One big advantage of a smart ring is its ability to track your health all day without being intrusive. You can wear it comfortably throughout the day, and it monitors essential health metrics like sleep, steps, heart rate, and blood oxygen 24/7 without requiring any input. This makes a world of difference for someone like me who can’t wear smartwatches for long periods due to fatigue or often forgets them on the charging pad.
The ring’s discreet design ensures I can wear it constantly, making health tracking an effortless part of my routine. While some argue that smartwatches offer better health tracking due to their larger size and more sensors, smart rings have caught up. Having a device that tracks my health unobtrusively 24/7 outweighs the benefit of slightly more accurate data for a few more hours.
4 Tracking my sleep is so much simpler now
Sleep tracking feels effortless with smart rings
Smartwatches aren’t ideal for sleep. They’re bulky and uncomfortable to wear overnight. Smart rings, on the other hand, are barely noticeable and add minimal weight to your hand, making them easier to sleep with. The best part is that you don’t miss out on sleep-tracking metrics. Most smart rings monitor sleep cycles and duration easily, and new smart rings, such as RingConn, can detect conditions like sleep apnea.
Moreover, many modern smart rings, such as the Amazfit Helio Ring and Samsung Galaxy Ring, offer AI-powered sleep coaching to help you improve your sleep quality based on the data they collect. If you’re concerned about accuracy, I found sleep tracking on smart rings comparable to smartwatches.
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3 Longer battery life is a total game-changer
It’s refreshing to forget about charging daily
One reason I dislike smartwatches is the need to charge them (mostly) daily. Smart rings are on the other end of the spectrum when it comes to battery life. Most smart rings provide a decent battery backup, even up to a week, on a single charge, which is impressive considering their smaller form factor and better than what most Wear OS smartwatches offer.
For someone like me, who often forgets to charge their devices and then leaves them on the dock for ages, having a health-tracking wearable with a long battery life is incredibly helpful, especially given its small, portable form factor.
2 No ecosystem hassles with smart rings
They work seamlessly with my Android and iPhone
As someone who tests many devices, I often switch to iPhones. Most smart rings, except the Samsung Galaxy Ring, support Android and iOS. This means you can pair them with the device of your choice without worrying about compatibility.
The same can’t be said for many smartwatches, which are typically tied to specific ecosystems. If you switch from Android to iOS or vice versa, you’ll likely need a new smartwatch compatible with that ecosystem. Smart rings, however, don’t have this limitation.
1 Smart rings help me avoid distractions
Fewer notifications, more peace of mind
One of the main reasons I prefer smart rings over smartwatches is that smart rings keep you less connected. While one of the main USPs of smartwatches is their ability to deliver notifications and calls and act as a mini-smartphone on your wrist, this constant stream of updates can be overwhelming. Mirroring your digital life on your wrist can create more distraction than convenience.
Smart rings, on the other hand, offer the breathing space that seems essential these days. They track important health metrics without constantly dragging you back into the digital world. This pause from constant connectivity is important. It helps me stay focused on the present while still benefiting from the technology I need.
Smart rings keep things simple, and that’s exactly what I needed
Smart rings have come a long way in a short span of time. While there were only a handful of players in the beginning, the smart ring ecosystem continues to improve every year. We now have smart rings capable of taking ECG readings from your finger, and some feature small displays.
While there’s room for improvement, as a smart ring enthusiast, I’m excited to see how this industry evolves. I hope these tiny health trackers become as mainstream as smartwatches in the years to come.
