Samsung Galaxy Ring Review: Samsung’s First Smart Ring Is a Winner but Has Room for Improvement

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is one of those wearables that has generated a lot of buzz, and I’ve been looking forward to trying it. From the first leaks to Xataka On’s first look and the official launch, Samsung’s ring has created a lot of excitement. It’s the South Korean company’s first step into a new product segment, which is always interesting.

Smart rings are the latest wearables in the consumer wellness segment. Oura is the leading company, but it’s no longer the only one developing these devices. Ultrahuman, Amazfit, and many other brands have introduced their own versions. Now, it’s time to talk about the Galaxy Ring, a device I tested thoroughly. Here’s my experience.

Samsung Galaxy Ring Specs

How to Choose the Right Size for You

The Galaxy Ring journey begins with choosing your ring size. Which finger should you choose? The general recommendation is to wear it on the index finger for two reasons: First, it gives you more freedom of movement, and second, if you have a Galaxy Watch, you can perform some actions and gestures with the ring. That’s the theory.

You can wear it on any finger except the thumb and pinky. For this review, I wore it on the middle finger of my right hand.

How do you know what size you are? The sizes aren’t the same as traditional ring sizes. Samsung offers users a free sizing kit with nine options, so you can try them all on and see which one fits best. Ideally, the ring should fit snugly but have a little room to move. You should be able to rotate it, but not freely.

Choosing the right size is essential. If a ring is too small, it’s uncomfortable. If it’s too big, be prepared for it to slip off during intense activity, and you might even go home without it. As a personal recommendation, wear the ring from the sizing kit for a day or two to see if it feels comfortable. Sleep with it, wear it daily, and train with it. If you experience no issues, congratulations, you’ve found your size.

In my case, I have a size seven Ultrahuman Ring Air and a size nine Galaxy Ring. Companies will eventually need to unify smart ring sizes because having different options for the same type of wearable doesn’t make sense, but that’s a debate for another day.

Design: It’s… a Ring

The Galaxy Ring is larger than a traditional ring. It reminds me of men’s rings, which tend to be thicker and bulkier. This is something to consider when choosing this wearable, as it might look slightly oversized on a small finger.

This isn’t just the case with the Galaxy Ring but with almost all smart rings.

The Galaxy Ring is made of grade 5 titanium and is available in black, silver (as shown in the photos), and gold (seen in first-look previews). It’s seven millimeters thick, and its weight depends on the size. The smallest (size 5) weighs 0.08 ounces, and the largest (size 13) weighs 0.11 ounces. The difference isn’t noticeable in everyday use.

As for the design, I want to point out two things. First, it has a slightly concave surface, so the center area is a bit lower than the edges. This is excellent news, as a ring is subject to bumps, scratches, and other daily wear. The concave surface helps minimize visible damage.

Second, there’s a significant mark on the bottom that indicates the position of the sensors. This mark should always be on the underside of the finger. The raised area will help you locate it easily with your thumb or other hand.

The small bumps (the sensors) inside the wearable also help keep it in your finger. They increase surface friction and prevent the ring from moving too much. All the sensors (PPG, skin temperature) and the battery are perfectly sealed from the outside. The ring has an IP68 certification and 10 ATM water resistance. I showered with it during my tests, and there were no issues at all.

The downside is the lack of repairability. The Galaxy Ring isn’t repairable, so it has an expiration date. If the battery deteriorates beyond an acceptable level and the battery life decreases, your only option is to buy another ring.

Other than that, it’s a comfortable, attractive, and durable wearable. That’s about the best compliment you can give a device you don’t interact with daily.

Case: Hats Off

One thing I loved about the Galaxy Ring is its case. Unlike other rings, which charge when the user places them on a base with a column, the Galaxy Ring has its own case that serves three functions: charging, protecting, and providing information—in addition to carrying it, of course.

The case is transparent, allowing you to see the wearable. When you place it on the column, an LED confirms that you’ve positioned it correctly—there’s no other way, as the ring only fits in one position. The LED also displays the battery status (just press the button).

An important note: The charging case isn’t one size fits all. Each ring size has its own case, and each case has a column of a specific thickness. If you accidentally break the case, you can’t just buy any replacement—you need one that matches your ring size.

The lid is slightly magnetized and makes a delightful “cloc” when you close it—music to the ears. On the back is the USB Type-C port for charging the case and the ring (because, yes, the case is like a headphone case with a battery to charge the wearable on the go). It can also charge wirelessly if you have a dock.

The execution of the case is outstanding, period. If I had to mention a downside, I’d say it’s too big for a ring. Despite its size, it’s still smaller than most headphone cases.

Experience: As If You’re Wearing Nothing

At this point, you may be thinking, “So, what exactly does the ring do?” Let’s take it one step at a time. First, the Galaxy Ring is only compatible with Android smartphones. If you have an iPhone, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Second, it works better with Samsung devices, for obvious reasons. Third, it really shines when paired with a Samsung Galaxy Watch.

Some features are exclusive to Samsung smartphones but aren’t available on all Samsung devices. One is the pinch-to-take-a-picture function, which only works on phones with One UI 6.1.1 or higher (in other words, the Z Fold 6 and Flip 6). Another feature is the ability to turn off the alarm. However, I couldn’t test either of these functions because the Galaxy S24 Ultra I used for this review has One UI 6.1, so these features didn’t work.

As for the Galaxy Watch, the idea is that the ring and the watch interact. You can delegate certain functions to one or the other to improve accuracy and battery management. For example, if you wear both a smartwatch and a ring, you can have the watch monitor your heart rate and the ring track your sleep. If the watch runs out of battery, the ring takes over and plays a more active role. For this review, I didn’t use the Galaxy Ring with a Galaxy Watch to evaluate what the ring offers as a standalone wearable.

The ring offers heart rate, sleep, and stress monitoring (via heart rate variability), blood oxygen levels, and automatic detection for steps, walking, and running. That’s it. It doesn’t vibrate or alert you to notifications—nothing. It’s important to note that the accelerometer handles the step-related tracking (there’s no GPS), so you can expect some variability in the count.

I had mixed feelings about the metrics. On one hand, the heart rate measurement is decent—not the most accurate, but OK, although there’s a slight upward bias. I’d treat the data as a general guideline and avoid using it for sports sessions, especially if I’m looking for the highest possible accuracy.

Samsung needs to improve the blood oxygen measurement. The ring only measures blood oxygen levels during sleep, and the results aren’t very accurate. Plus, the report generated by the app provides little detail. In some cases, the SpO2 range varied from 79% to 99%. Normal levels are between 95% and 99%—anything below that can indicate chronic lung disease or sleep apnea, which isn’t my case. This is undoubtedly one of the key areas where the ring needs improvement.

I found the sleep tracker particularly noteworthy. These wearables are designed to be worn during sleep, whereas smartwatches can feel bulky and heavy at night. The ring, however, goes completely unnoticed, and Samsung has done a commendable job here.

That said, it’s important to take the SpO2 and heart rate metrics with a grain of salt. The sleep tracker, on the other hand, is accurate, detailed, and intelligent. Galaxy AI analyzes patterns and offers recommendations the more you use the ring. Incidentally, it will tell you what animal you are. Another nice feature is that if your Samsung smartphone is nearby and charging while you sleep, it will detect snoring.

The ring summarizes all the data it records into an Energy Score—a rating out of 100 that indicates your overall health. If you slept well, exercised the day before, and avoided alcohol or caffeine during rest times, the score will be higher.

Battery: Seven Days of Autonomy

I’ll conclude the review with a discussion about the battery. As I mentioned earlier, I used the Galaxy Ring on its own during my testing, without a Galaxy Watch. This is important to note, as delegating tasks to the watch can extend the ring’s battery life. However, that wasn’t the case here.

The ring provided seven days of autonomy. I wore it all day and night, and the battery lasted exactly one week. A larger model may last a bit longer, while a smaller one might last slightly less. Overall, it’s not bad at all.

As mentioned earlier, the case for this wearable also charges the ring. It takes about an hour and a half to fully charge the ring. Once the case is fully charged, you can recharge the ring for another hour and a half. In short, battery life isn’t an issue.

I’ll take this opportunity to reiterate: The case is sensational. Samsung came up with a great idea, and the execution is flawless. I wouldn’t be surprised if this type of case shows up in future competitors’ products.

Samsung Galaxy Ring: Xataka’s Opinion

The Galaxy Ring is an exciting first step, but there’s room for improvement. I can’t find a single weakness in its design, construction, or ergonomics. It’s a comfortable ring that feels good, can be worn all day without issue, and goes completely unnoticed as a passive device.

The problem lies in the metrics. The Galaxy Ring doesn’t excel at measuring heart rate, and more importantly, its blood oxygen readings need significant improvement. There’s plenty of room for growth in that area. However, in terms of sleep tracking, this wearable is paving the way for future models—there’s no doubt about it.

As a first-generation wearable, the Galaxy Ring has managed to impress. That said, it’s not a product I would fully trust just yet, especially if I were seeking the most accurate health metrics. The ring costs $399, which is more than a smartwatch, and for now, smartwatches offer better health tracking.

The approach is promising, and the performance is commendable. However, the Galaxy Ring isn’t a replacement for a smartwatch—not yet. The form factor is excellent, and Samsung’s miniaturization effort is remarkable. It’s the way forward, but it’s just the beginning.

Images | Xataka On

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This wearable has been loaned for testing by Samsung. You can check how we test new products at Xataka On and our Corporate Relations Policy.