Save Money with RingConn Gen 2: A Comprehensive Review of the Budget-Friendly Smart Ring | Digital Trends

RingConn Gen 2

MSRP $299.00

“The RingConn Gen 2 is a comfortable, light, well-designed smart ring at a fantastic price.”

Pros

Thin, slim, and light

Sleep apnea monitoring

At least six days battery life

Convenient travel charger included

No subscription

Cons

No automatic activity tracking

Limited workout tracking

App lacks informative analytics

Smart rings are an exciting new generation of wearable health trackers, and the RingConn Gen 2 is one of my most anticipated to wear after loving the way it looked when I first took it out of the box.

However, there have been a few disappointing smart ring releases recently, and the Samsung Galaxy Ring hasn’t quite lived up to expectations yet. Now that the RingConn Gen 2 is on my finger, have I been happy to keep it there or keen to take it off?

RingConn Gen 2: specs

RingConn Gen 2: design

When I received the RingConn Gen 2, I was so impressed with how it looked and felt that I wrote a whole separate story about it. It then took a while for me to put on the smart ring to test it, and when I synced it to my phone for the first time, I wondered if my initial positivity would continue. The good news is that the RingConn Gen 2 is so light and comfortable that I have forgotten I’m wearing it.

My size 11 smart ring weighs just 2 grams, is 2mm thick at its thinnest point, and is 6.8mm wide. It’s considerably more compact than the first RingConn Smart Ring, but it retains its unusual “squircle” shape and is far less pronounced. The ring is made of titanium with a physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating. It’s waterproof to 100 meters and has an IP68 dust and water resistance rating.

I’ve worn it for two weeks, and while I haven’t been rock climbing or anything like that, the matte black finish is still unmarked. There are two dome-like nubbins on the epoxy resin underside of the ring for the sensors, but I have not noticed them, and I’ve not felt any need to take the RingConn Gen 2 off because it was uncomfortable. It’s worth mentioning that I wear a size 11 Oura Ring as well, and the size 11 RingConn Gen 2 is ever-so-slightly larger. As such, I recommend getting a sizing kit before finalizing your order, even if you think you know your ring size.

There’s a choice of colors available starting with the matte black version seen in our photos. Other options include a Future Silver model or a Royal Gold finish, plus RingConn sells its own silicone ring protector. I’ve tried different protectors, and they work well if you’re concerned about the finish when lifting weights or doing other activities that may scratch the surface of your ring.

You won’t want it to get scratched either, as it’s very good-looking. I love the polished and chamfered edges, the overall sliminess, and how it doesn’t look much like a smart ring. It’s all very normal-looking and -feeling, and it’s one of the RingConn Gen 2’s overriding strengths.

RingConn Gen 2: What does it do?

The RingConn Gen 2 primarily tracks sleep and basic activity, plus you can manually track indoor and outdoor runs, outdoor walks, and outdoor cycling workouts. It also monitors stress, heart rate, and — for the first time with a smart ring — sleep apnea. This feature is currently undergoing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, but it is not mentioned as approved on RingConn’s website at the time of writing.

It connects to an app on your phone that’s available for Android and iOS, and is packed full of information and detail. Unlike several other smart rings, the RingConn Gen 2 does not require a subscription, so the initial price for the hardware is all you pay. I’ll go into more detail about the key features next, but it’s really important to understand what you’re getting with the RingConn Gen 2 — and smart rings in general — before buying.

If you want to actively track in-depth, varied workouts, use GPS without your phone, receive notifications, or make mobile payments, a smart ring won’t fulfill your needs. Instead, you will be far better off with a smartwatch. A smart ring is best for tracking sleep and general activity, and because it’s so unobtrusive on your finger, it’s easy to wear 24 hours a day.

RingConn Gen 2: sleep apnea monitoring

Sleep apnea monitoring is one of the headline features on the RingConn Gen 2 and what separates it from not just the RingConn Smart Ring, but also many other wearables. Sleep apnea monitoring in the RingConn app needs manual activation. It prompts you to sleep while wearing the smart ring for three nights, during which time it looks for breathing abnormalities and will provide an Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) score at the end, along with information on your sleep apnea risk.

It’s impossible for me to say whether it’s accurate or even if it works, but after my three-night test, the RingConn Gen 2 did not find any abnormalities, and my AHI score was low. I have never been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and other wearable devices I’ve used that also promise to detect signs of sleep apnea have never warned me of issues. In my case, the RingConn Gen 2 backed up what I already knew, and I assume it’s working as it should.

Once the initial three-night assessment has been completed and no indication of sleep apnea has been found, the feature effectively turns itself off, and the smart ring relies on blood oxygen and oxygen desaturation data for monitoring. You have to manually activate the three-night assessment if you want an up-to-date assessment.

Sleep apnea often goes undetected and can lead to serious health problems, therefore monitoring yourself for signs of it using a wearable device is a good idea, especially if you’re concerned about it. The RingConn Gen 2 isn’t your only option, though. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra provide sleep apnea monitoring, though Samsung’s tech is region-dependent. For reference, I’ve been using the RingConn Gen 2’s sleep apnea monitoring in the U.K. The Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple Watch Series 10 have also gained sleep apnea monitoring through a software update.

RingConn Gen 2: sleep tracking

There is a strong case for buying the RingConn Gen 2 smart ring over the competition. I love the lightweight, stylish, unusual design and how little it looks like a piece of technology. Plus, it is reasonably priced compared to other smart rings and does not need a subscription. The app is fast and provides masses of data, while the sleep apnea monitoring feature could prove invaluable to some people.

It’s a shame the app does not collate and present data in a more informative and helpful way, meaning you have to do a lot of the work to get the most from it. There’s no automatic activity recognition and very basic manual exercise tracking, making it more suitable for sleep tracking than as a smartwatch alternative. The battery life is good, but it has not lived up to RingConn’s claims.

It’s cheaper than the Galaxy Ring, works with both iOS and Android, has a similar design, and costs less — all this makes it a very good alternative. I’ve worn it alongside the third-generation Oura Ring, and while the data differs, it has never done so drastically. It costs less and does not have a subscription.

After a string of somewhat disappointing smart ring releases over the past months, it’s great to say that the RingConn Gen 2 is a very good purchase. I look forward to seeing how it fares against the incoming Oura Ring 4.