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What is the point of the Galaxy Ring?

By Victor Hristov

Published: Jul 10, 2024, 1:24 PM

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Samsung Editorials

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As I was digesting Samsung's big Unpacked day, I kept coming back to this unique and brand new device in the Galaxy ecosystem: the Galaxy Ring.

You probably already know what the Ring is, but here is what it boils down to: it's a health, sleep and (barely a) workout tracker with a week-long battery life. And no screen.

For some unknown reason, Samsung has priced it at a whopping $400, but tells users not to be too upset because at least there is no monthly subscription attached to it. Of course, all of this silently references the Oura ring, the big name in that space that used to be quite solitary and rival-less until now. The Oura ring prices start at $300 and can reach over $500, and then you also need to shell out $6 monthly to actually access all the data and charts. Which surely makes the Galaxy Ring seem kind of like a better deal. But then I try to go back to why anyone would need a ring and...

I honestly just don't get it!

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I don't get the ring form factor, I don't get its pricing, and I don't get its appeal, but let me explain.

The ring appears like a clearly worse product than every smartwatch on the market.

First, it has no screen, which automatically makes it infinitely less useful than a smartwatch.

Secondly, because of obvious space concerns, a smartwatch has more health sensors and features.

Also read:

Samsung Galaxy Ring review: A comfortable fit for everyday fitness and health

So you have a product like the new Galaxy Watch 7, Samsung's most advanced smartwatch (save for the extremely big Watch 7 Ultra). The Galaxy Watch 7 which is infinitely more useful than a ring costs... $300, or a full Benjamin less than the Galaxy Ring.

And guess what? The Galaxy Watch also does not have a subscription fee, and it never has! It has never been a selling point, it has been the default expectation.

So let me summarize: the Galaxy Ring has less sensors, no screen, not even a vibration motor or an LED light of any sort to send out notifications.

Samsung says the Galaxy Ring brings big innovation, but I don't see it tracking more features than a Galaxy Watch

Brilliant! How in the world is this thing worth more than a Galaxy Watch?!

And I haven't even talked about workout tracking. Need to track a run? Good luck seeing your pace or distance on a screen-less Galaxy Ring. At least it has automatic workout detection. Last time I used a Galaxy Watch, it detected a swim workout while I was in a dance class, by the way, but hey, maybe Samsung has suddenly figured it all out with the ring.

So, at the end of the day, the ring form factor is one of the galactic mysteries I cannot quite comprehend. Even if I could explain it by ways of higher costs of manufacturing miniature gadgets like the ring, well, it still just does not make practical sense.

It looks stylish, I'll give you that, but also infinitely less useful than any smartwatch

The only thing the ring form factor has going for it is being discreet. But that is it! So I ask again: why would anyone want that rather than a much more functional smartwatch?! And if battery life is your argument, well then you have all the Garmins in the world that last way longer than the six to seven day battery life of the Galaxy Ring.

Oh, and did I mention the Galaxy Ring does not work with an iPhone? Why, you wonder? I will have to once again refer you to the mystery that is this Galaxy.

But finally I hope you, dear reader, could help me out and give me some of your arguments in favor of smart rings, so I could one day too become a ring convert or at least understand the appeal. Hit me with your best shot in the comment section below!

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Victor, a seasoned mobile technology expert, has spent over a decade at PhoneArena, exploring the depths of mobile photography and reviewing hundreds of smartphones across Android and iOS ecosystems. His passion for technology, coupled with his extensive knowledge of smartphone cameras and battery life, has positioned him as a leading voice in the mobile tech industry.