Skip to main content

Oura goes back to basics with its classy new Horizon smart ring design

This is the Oura Ring Horizon, a new version of Oura’s excellent smart ring, this time with a subtle design and a brand-new color to go with it.

The Horizon joins the existing Heritage design, which is characterized by the slightly flattened section that breaks up the simple ring shape, but does give it a more masculine appeal. The Horizon is far more simple, adopting an entirely unfussy, and very traditional circular shape instead.

Top-down view of the Oura Ring Horizon.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

It’s not without quirky appeal, though; on the underside of the ring is a tiny notch that exposes textured titanium under the polished exterior. Its location is not by accident, as it’s set below the ring’s many sensors so you can easily feel if they are correctly positioned. On the Heritage model, the flattened section works in the same way, but it’s placed on the opposite side of the sensors.

Recommended Videos

Oura has introduced the Horizon in the existing silver, black, stealth, and gold finishes, but has added a rose gold option to the lineup. I’ve been wearing the silver version for the last few days, with the Horizon replacing my usual polished black Heritage model. Although it doesn’t feel any different, I’d say it’s a hair wider than the Heritage, and the sides have a slightly more pronounced curve. In silver, it makes a statement on your finger, with the polished titanium really catching the light.

Oura Ring Horizon in Rose Gold color.
Oura Ring Horizon in Rose Gold Image used with permission by copyright holder

Outside of the shape, the Horizon has the same features as the third-generation Heritage, which also remains in the lineup. This means it monitors your heart rate during the day and night, your blood oxygen levels, and your body temperature, too. The Oura Ring can be used to track your heart rate during indoor and outdoor workouts, although the choices are limited to walking, running, or cycling at the moment. Sleep tracking is the Oura Ring’s forte, and it returns deep insights into your sleep patterns the longer you wear it.

The Oura Ring also has a period prediction feature and works with the Natural Cycles app, it has wellness and meditation sessions in the app, Strava integration, a choice to use steps or calories as a daily goal (or even ignore calories entirely), and the chance to stop tracking to promote rest and recuperation. Although it has been promised for a while, Oura’s improved sleep staging algorithm still hasn’t arrived, but is apparently still on the calendar for 2022.

It’s estimated the Oura Ring’s battery lasts for seven days between charges, but if you use the blood oxygen monitoring and track workouts, this is hard to achieve. Instead, expect around five days if you take full advantage of the Oura Ring’s features. A charging plinth comes with the ring, and a great way to avoid the battery running down unexpectedly is to place it on charge when you’re in the shower. Do that every other day and it will never require a “full” charge.

The Oura Ring Horizon is available to buy now, and it starts at $349 for the silver and black version — but expect to pay more for the stealth, gold, or new rose gold finish. Each ring comes with six months of free access to Oura’s app and tracking features, but after that period, you’ll have to pay $6 per month to continue accessing the data and insights.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
I tracked my sleep with a smart display, ring, and watch. This is my favorite
The Oura Ring app on an iPhone 16 Pro Max, showing the Sleep screen.

Since I had a heart attack four years ago, I’ve been on a journey to understand my health. A crucial part of my recovery and focus has been my sleep, and it'smade even more important by the fact that my heart attack took place in the middle of the night while I was fast asleep. Thankfully, I woke up, but our sleep can tell us a lot about our underlying health.

Virtually every wearable now offers some form of sleep tracking, but like most things in technology, not all devices are created equal. Beyond just data, there’s also the question of which is most comfortable to track your sleep, which device gives you the most reliable data, and ultimately, how you can ensure you track your sleep wherever you are.

Read more
I wore an Oura Ring for all of 2024. Here’s why I love it and why I’m concerned
The side of the Oura Ring 4.

I’ve worn one wearable more than any other this year, and it speaks to not only its convenience but also its brilliance. It’s the Oura Ring, and I started off 2024 with the third-generation version on my finger, but I will close it with the Oura Ring 4.

While I’m going to generally sing its praises, I’m also going to share why I’m a little concerned about it, too.
How much have I worn the Oura Ring?

Read more
Your Oura Ring’s 2024 Year in Review is now live. Here’s how to find it
The Oura Ring 4 alongside the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max.

As the year winds down, it’s time for every service to release its yearly recap for users. And while 2024 certainly was an interesting year for wearable tech with smart rings, the Oura Ring is still the best one on the market. And yes, Oura Ring users can now get their own Year in Review reports in the app and see how well they’re doing compared to others all over the globe through anonymous global community data.

Oura Ring’s yearly recap shows you your highlights throughout the year, including personal trends and health habits. The Year in Review report will give you personalized insights through a recap of your data from Sleep, Stress, Activity, and more from 2024. And since the data from Oura users around the world is pooled together anonymously, you can also see how you’re faring compared to the global Oura community.

Read more