Paris has many interesting things. It has the Eiffel Tower, which, in summer, seems somewhat higher due to the expansion caused by the heat. It also has the beautiful Notre Dame Cathedral, expected to open its doors soon, and the Louvre Museum, where you can see Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The Parisian museum was also the location for the latest Samsung Unpacked event. During Wednesday’s presentation, we were able to see its new foldable phones and watches, but what attracted the most attention was the Samsung Galaxy Ring, the first smart ring from the company.
At Xataka On, we had the opportunity to try it firsthand, examine it up close, and play with it to bring you some initial impressions. We can discuss its design, feel, and comfort, but during our testing session, we couldn’t connect it to a phone or wear it for an extended period to assess its health monitoring features, especially its sleep monitoring capabilities, which is a key focus for this device.
Having said that, let’s delve into it.
A Ring That Feels Like a… Ring
The Samsung Galaxy Ring in silver color. | Image: Xataka
Writing first impressions about a device like the Galaxy Ring isn’t easy, which speaks volumes about Samsung’s good work. Samsung has designed the Galaxy Ring to be worn when wearing a smartwatch may be uncomfortable, such as during sleep or exercise or when you want to track metrics without constant wrist vibrations.
Samsung has taken a comprehensive approach with this ring. The goal isn’t just to have a “ring app” on your phone or to view monitored parameters through Samsung Health, but also to integrate, complete, and complement all the information collected by the Galaxy Watch (if worn). In short, the idea is for you to forget you’re wearing the device and for its operation to be as seamless as possible. However, we haven’t been able to test the parameter analysis, so we’ll leave that for another time.
Three Samsung Galaxy Rings resting on their charging docks. | Image: Xataka
Regarding the design, the Samsung Galaxy Ring will come in three colors (black, silver, and gold) and nine different sizes. Unlike watches that can be adjusted to fit any wrist with the strap, the ring needs to be the right size. For example, while I wear a size seven when it comes to the Ultrahuman Ring Air, I wear a size nine with the Galaxy Ring. To determine the correct size, a sizing kit similar to the one in the picture below is included with the purchase of the ring. The kit contains rings of different sizes, allowing you to wear them for a day to determine the best fit.
Sizing kit for the Samsung Galaxy Ring. | Image: Xataka
The weight of the ring depends on the size selected. While all the rings have the same thickness (2.6 mm) and width (7 mm), the weight can range from 2.3 to 3 grams. A positive aspect of this variation is that the larger the ring, the longer the battery life, with the larger version having a battery life of up to seven days.
Samsung Galaxy Ring charging case. | Image: Xataka
The charging process involves using the transparent case shown in the pictures. This case functions similarly to other smart rings: The ring is placed in the center column of the case in the right position and left to charge. Samsung has incorporated an LED ring around the ring itself to indicate the charging status and confirm that the ring is indeed charging. Users can press the button above the column to check the charging status.
The case is lightweight, resembling an earbuds case in terms of weight, and although it’s quite large, it doesn’t create a significant bulge in your pocket. It’s likely that you’ll only use it during charging. There aren’t many situations where you’ll want to remove your Galaxy Ring, especially given its discreet design. While removing it for activities like swimming or showering might be tempting, the ring can withstand depths of up to 10 ATM and has IP68 resistance. Nonetheless, it’s commendable that Samsung has included a case that both charges the ring and offers protection.
This is how the LED in the charging case lights up. | Image: Xataka
Regarding the ring, the Galaxy Ring is made of grade 5 titanium and feels amazing to wear. It’s very lightweight and quite comfortable if you choose the right size. The thickness is pretty good, but there’s a slight gap between the fingers when worn. This is to be expected as it’s thicker than a normal ring (i.e. a wedding band) because it contains a battery, sensors, and other components.
One feature that stands out is the slightly concave design of the ring. This is interesting in terms of scratch resistance, as rings are prone to bumps and scratches. The concave surface protects the central part from these scratches. As someone who has tried smart rings before, I can confirm that they scratch relatively easily, so Samsung’s design choice is definitely appreciated.
The concave design on the surface of the Samsung Galaxy Ring. | Image: Xataka
You might be wondering what you can measure with this ring. In short, it can track heart rate, sleep, and workouts. By combining this data, the ring will generate a vitality score and provide personalized advice on how to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Additionally, it’ll alert you if your heart rate goes above or below a certain level, prompt you to move after a period of inactivity, and automatically detect certain workouts. However, we haven’t been able to test its performance yet.
We also haven’t been able to test the feature that allows you to control your mobile device by touching your thumb with your index finger. However, we do know that the ring will be compatible with any smartphone running Android 11 or higher, although some functions may be exclusive to Samsung phones.
An Expensive Price and an August Release
Samsung Galaxy Ring. | Imagen: Xataka
Samsung has confirmed that it’ll launch the Samsung Galaxy Ring on July 24 in the U.S. It’ll also arrive in Germany, France, and the UK, with availability in other European markets yet to be confirmed.
As for the price, Samsung’s new smart ring will cost $399.99.
Image | Xataka
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