Oura 4 vs. Oura 3: Is It Worth Upgrading?

In this article, we'll take a look at the first week with the new Oura Ring Generation 4, specifically focusing on:

• ⚖️ Hardware comparison of both generations,
• 📱 the new app design,
• 📏 whether both generations measure data the same way,
• 🔋 whether the GEN4 battery lasts the promised 8 days,
• 🆙 and we'll try to summarize for whom upgrading from Generation 3 to Generation 4 makes sense.

💍 GEN 3 & 💍 GEN 4

Let's simplify it: the Oura 4 comes with an all-titanium body and a ring with the same dimensions. The internal "bubbles" of the ring have been reduced, which theoretically provides more space for the finger, leading many users, including myself, to go down a size when upgrading.

I would also highlight the following facts:

• The width of the ring remains the same.

• The Oura Gen 4 is heavier due to its all-titanium body.

• The thickness of the thickest part of the ring (measured at the "bubble" in Gen 3) is smaller in Gen 4.

• The Oura 4 has lost the Heritage variant, which many considered attractive and unique.
• The Gen 4 can be seen as more comfortable due to its seamless interior and the absence of bubbles. This doesn't mean I found the Gen 3 ring uncomfortable.
• The Gen 4 charger is more impressive in terms of craftsmanship and design.

• Visually, I’m not really a fan of the two-tone look, with a silver interior and a black exterior. Valid for all color styles.

📱 Oura App Redesign

Oura introduced a redesign and a streamlined navigation menu at the bottom of the app. As with any change, it has stirred mixed feelings among some users.

However, I believe this was the right move. The Oura app is continuously evolving, with new features, tabs, and cards being added. Periodically, a review and reorganization are necessary—and that's exactly what has happened here.

As part of this reorganization, a new header was introduced in the new default 'Today' tab. This header primarily displays the scores of key metrics.

By tapping, you can access the familiar detailed view, which now includes a "floating" menu at the bottom. This menu allows you to switch between the details of the key metrics seamlessly. So far, I consider icons of this menu too small.

I find the new 'Vitals' tab somewhat redundant, as it essentially presents the already mentioned key metrics in a different graphical format.

On the other hand, it does provide more detailed insights.

In contrast, I find the addition of the new 'My Health' tab to be a good move, as it takes a broader perspective on the health data.

📏 More Accurate Measurements with Gen 4?

The Oura Gen 3 has consistently proven to be a very reliable tracker, even when compared to reference devices (e.g., chest straps). I have reported on this, for example, here:

7 Smart Rings - Unique Comparison

Seven rings and two hands. A unique comparison of smart rings. Cycling, sleep, daily insights and more!

LordOfTheSmartRingsLORDoftheSMARTRINGS

It would be surprising, then, if the Oura Gen 4 measured "differently" from the Gen 3. See one week of comparison in major raw metrics:

The very small differences that can be seen in the graphs can be considered as "finger-level" error—meaning I don't have two identical fingers that would provide perfectly consistent conditions.

🙈 Will the gap disappear and be gone?

Oura claims that the GEN 4, thanks to more accurate measurements and improved algorithms, eliminates "gaps," such as missing heart rate data.

But during my testing, this “gone-ness” wasn’t quite confirmed.

Considering that both Oura rings measure raw data very similarly, it’s not surprising that the analysis of sleep stages and the hypnogram also look identical.

🌡️ Thermometer

Surprisingly, Oura doesn’t talk much about the new-generation temperature sensor. It’s supposed to be digital now. The paper specifications of the Gen 3 mention an NTC temperature sensor, which measures temperature by changing resistance. In theory, this means that the Oura Gen 4 could be more accurate in this category. However, this is hard to verify.

I did notice some differences in temperature readings—but it's possible that the reason is simply an insufficiently established baseline for the GEN 4 (due to the short usage period).

During the testing period, I experienced some cold symptoms. I could easily give the Gen 4 credit, as it recorded a higher temperature. But that’s purely speculative.

🔋 Battery

What I’m currently disappointed with is the battery life. I charged it to 100% on Tuesday evening, and by Sunday, the ring was already asking for a recharge.

That means 5 days, which I consider a significant difference from the marketed "up to 8 days."

Perhaps Oura mentions somewhere in the fine print that achieving this value requires turning off SpO2 tracking and enabling airplane mode... Or maybe this is a value that could be reached in the future (with more charging cycles, firmware updates—who knows?).

For comparison, my one-year-old Oura 3 lasted practically the same period.

Mechanical Issues?

I don't want to cause any panic, but I came across a video of a disintegrating Oura 4 that caught my attention:

Oura, of course, claims that this is an isolated issue and will replace the ring for the user. More details here. My ring, so far, is holding up like a rock (titanium).

🤔 In Conclusion

Unless Oura has some hidden 🎴ace up its sleeve that will be revealed through a future update, I am somewhat disappointed with the Oura Gen 4. It feels like they needed to release a new generation.

Of course, I don’t want to downplay the development efforts. I'm sure they faced challenges to overcome, but I don’t think that upgrading to Gen 4 makes sense for most users. I still can't quite accept that, after 6 years and 3 generations, Oura hasn't managed to make more noticeable progress in miniaturization.

Reasons to Upgrade from Gen 3 to Gen 4 Might Include:

• If you simply want the latest-best (or marketed as the best) that Oura has ever released.
• If you have issues with the material of the Gen 3 (e.g., if contact with epoxy resin causes problems).
• If you’re a woman and want ovulation prediction in the app. Gen 3 does not seem to support this.
• If you need the change to extra small or extra large sizes.
• If you want to get rid of the “bulkier” Heritage variant.