This Oura Ring Rival Offers Similar Tracking Features At Half The Price (no Subscription Required)

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The RingConn Gen 2 Air is simply a $200 smart ring, 1 of nan first subscription-free and affordable smart rings I've tested.
• The artillery life tin past up to 8 aliases 9 days of use, and nan slumber information postulation rivals Oura.
• The AI wellness partner characteristic is lackluster, and fixed nan affordable quality of a wellness wearable, it's basal to position nan brand's privateness policy.

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Smart rings are rising successful popularity, but nan large names -- nan Ouras, Samsungs, and Ultrahumans -- tin tally $300 to $400. That's not counting nan subscription fee, which immoderate customers salary for afloat entree to each nan information that nan smart ringing aggregates. With each these murmurs of an impending recession causing pennies to beryllium pinched and wallets to beryllium watched, who has nan money for a $400 smart ringing correct now? 

Also: How we trial smart rings astatine ZDNET successful 2025

I hadn't yet tested a high-quality and affordable smart ringing from a notable brand, but nan newest smart ringing from RingConn, nan RingConn Gen 2 Air, could alteration that. It's nan first ringing I've tested that retails for a value arsenic debased arsenic $160, without immoderate waste aliases typical deal. 

I've worn RingConn's smart ringing for weeks to spot really nan brand's fund ringing fares arsenic a slumber and activity tracker. Keep reference to study really it compares to nan RingConn Gen 2, which costs $100 more, and nan Oura Ring 4, which costs double. 

The smart ringing looks and feels almost precisely nan aforesaid arsenic nan RingConn Gen 2, pinch nan main quality being nan charging lawsuit and artillery size. The Gen 2's charging lawsuit has capable powerfulness to boost nan smart ringing for complete 150 days, and nan ringing has a artillery life of up to 12 days. 

The Gen 2 Air, connected nan different hand, does not travel pinch a charging lawsuit equipped pinch other juice, and it advertises a 10-day artillery life (though, successful my testing, I sewage astir 8 days). Even though nan Gen 2 Air's artillery is little than nan Gen 2, some RingConn rings lucifer aliases outcompete nan artillery life of nan Oura Ring, nan Ultrahuman Ring Air, and nan Samsung Galaxy Ring. 

Also: The Oura Ring is nan Department of Defense's not-so-secret weapon

The Gen 2 Air is made of stainless steel, a much affordable worldly compared to nan Gen 2's aerospace-grade titanium. Regardless of nan material, nan Gen 2 Air is comfortable to deterioration and feels unnoticeable astir my finger. It comes successful a metallic and golden finish, and disposable sizes scope from six to 14.

Both rings are connected to nan aforesaid app experience, truthful whether you're utilizing nan $300 ringing aliases nan $200 ring, you'll get your information and insights presented to you successful precisely nan aforesaid manner. Much for illustration nan Gen 2, nan Gen 2 Air tracks sleep, stress, vitals, and activity. It takes each those factors and regular scores to present a Wellness Balance score. 

The Wellness Balance is displayed for illustration a petal connected a four-petal flower, and each biometric is classed retired of 100. At nan commencement of nan day, nan activity petal is nonexistent, but nan activity people increases arsenic I workout aliases walk. At nan extremity of nan day, I tin position my aggregate Wellness Balance, and this people provides a holistic image of my health. 

As I said successful my spotlight of nan RingConn Gen 2, nan downside to this Wellness Balance is nan absence of a readiness aliases betterment people that different wearables person calculated and provided to users astatine nan commencement of their time to understand really their assemblage bounced backmost from activity and really overmuch activity aliases remainder they should return connected for nan day. This betterment people provides insights into a user's wide wellness and resilience, and it's adjuvant for those who are pursuing a training regimen to cognize really to dainty their bodies each day.

Also: The Apple Watch Series 11 is 1 characteristic distant from making maine ditch my Oura Ring

I tested nan RingConn Gen 2 Air manus successful manus pinch my Oura Ring 4, and some devices gathered reasonably akin wellness metrics. One night, Oura gave maine an 87 Sleep Score, and RingConn gave maine an 86. Oura said my resting bosom complaint overnight was 48 thumps per minute, while RingConn said 49 thumps per minute. Oura said my mean bosom complaint was 55 thumps per minute, and RingConn said it was 52. While not identical, these numbers are close. 

Activity information is simply a different story. One day, Oura said I walked 7,454 steps, while RingConn said I walked 5,706. This was connected a moderately progressive time erstwhile I took a 25-minute walk. On an intensely progressive day, erstwhile I went to nan gym for 2 hours and was retired and about, Oura calculated that I walked 16,291 steps, and RingConn calculated that I walked 15,454 steps.

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

RingConn advertises an "AI wellness partner" arsenic a usability of its app experience. Every day, nan AI partner tells you information, for illustration really you slept aliases whether you deed your measurement count, and past asks questions based connected your behaviors. These summaries aren't disposable connected nan main page wherever sleep, activity, and accent information are displayed -- they're only disposable connected nan AI tab. But dissimilar different AI assistants, you can't type retired a personalized reply to these questions.

Instead, you prime from nan choices of responses. It didn't consciousness for illustration AI to maine because it wasn't arsenic personalized, and nan responses you could take were simple; rather, it felt for illustration a multiple-choice wellness summary. This is simply a classical lawsuit of a marque slapping AI onto a characteristic that isn't really AI. 

What I for illustration astir RingConn smart rings is that they will show you precisely erstwhile nan ringing will dice and notify nan personification to complaint it up of time. This is simply a adjuvant feature, I dream different smart ringing brands adopt. 

Also: Oura Ring 3 vs Oura Ring 4: Opt for nan older, discounted smart ringing aliases nan newest?

One interest astir a smart ringing this affordable is whether nan marque is keeping nan user's information safe and protected. Health information is valuable, and successful nan incorrect hands, it tin beryllium sent to advertisers aliases wellness security agencies. Smart ringing brands salary a batch of money to support specified information safe, which is why they costs arsenic overmuch arsenic they do. 

A RingConn typical did not instantly reply my questions astir why nan smart ringing tin beryllium truthful cheap, if personification information is unafraid and protected, aliases if it is being compromised for nan liking of a lower-cost smart ring. I did, however, reappraisal RingConn's privacy policy which relays what personification information is collected, used, and stored. I urge looking complete a wellness wearable's privateness argumentation earlier purchasing a ring, truthful you understand really a institution keeps your accusation safe and secure. 

ZDNET's buying advice 

So, should you bargain this $200 smart ring? If you're looking for an replacement to immoderate of nan large names that won't costs you arsenic overmuch but will cod astir nan aforesaid level of wellness data, I'd propose nan RingConn Gen 2 Air.

Also: The champion smart rings: Expert tested and reviewed

With competitory artillery life, information show that matches its $300 sibling, and information postulation that gets adjacent to nan Oura Ring 4, nan RingConn Gen 2 Air is 1 of nan first $200 smart rings I've tested that I tin confidently urge for nan budget-friendly and smart ring-curious shopper. 

How it compares

Update log:

• This article was first published connected March 20, 2025, and was updated connected October 7, 2025, pinch a thorough truth cheque and mentions of nan caller Prime Day pricing. A specifications floor plan comparing nan RingConn Gen 2 Air and Oura Ring 4 has besides been added to explain their strengths and weaknesses.