As the office’s resident Samsung girlie™, I was actually sceptical when I first heard about the Galaxy Ring. Another wearable? For sleep? I have my Galaxy Watch, that’s enough… right?
Reader, I wore it. And I liked it, mostly.
Let’s get this out of the way up front: It’s not hot. This ring isn’t cute, it’s not subtle for us femmes. To be blunt, it looks like Iron Man’s toe ring.
But - and this is important - huge points for making a size that fits my chunky lady fingers. It’s great that the unisex ring means it’s inclusive for those of us usually left behind. Sizes go from five to 15, and you can get a free sizing kit to try on different fits before buying. Samsung recommends wearing it on your non-dominant index finger for the best data, which is what I did. It felt good on the finger and if I closed my eyes, I didn’t mind how it looked.
So. On to the performance.
Here’s something I don’t usually lead with when I’m trying to impress people: I have a long, complicated history of disordered sleep. We’re talking nightmares, overheating, oxygen deprivation, delayed sleep phases, two full hospital sleep studies. So I don’t say this lightly: I need good sleep data, and I need it gathered in a way that doesn’t wake me up.
That’s where the Galaxy Ring absolutely shines. It’s small, lightweight, and doesn’t buzz or vibrate. It just sits quietly, collecting a surprisingly large amount of information: Sleep stages, heart rate, skin temperature, blood oxygen, snoring (couldn’t be me), even your stress levels.
You get a full sleep breakdown in the Samsung Health app every morning, which I found really interesting and easy to interpret. Plus, there's an “energy score” to help you figure out how to handle the day ahead. (Mine told me more than once that I am not, in fact, invincible, and that perimenopause is spicy.)
You collect badges along the way, and after a week, it starts offering coaching based on your sleep type.
The ring lasts about seven days on one charge, and comes in a little clear case with a glowing LED to show you how juiced up it is. I liked the case a lot, and kept the ring in it to charge during the day.
The ring is water-resistant too, so if you're hydrating, sweating or anything else (mind out of the gutter thanks) in bed, your new tech will be safe.
You can also use it to take photos by pinching your fingers together (yes, really), or snooze your alarm with a gesture. I used it for selfies and yes, thank you, good stuff.
But does it help you get a better sleep?
The ring didn’t fix my sleep, but it made me more aware of all the things that happen when I think I’ve passed out for the night.
It made me more curious and intentional. A little less “collapse into bed and pray for the sweet release of sleep,” and more “maybe I’ll try that meditation the app suggested and not spiral into a vortex of generalised anxiety and bedtime procrastination.”
Some might find the AI a little blunt, but I’m a strong, resilient woman, so it only made me cry once - when it hit me with, “The time you spent being active yesterday was a bit short. If you don't move enough, you don't burn as much calories.This can lead to weight gain, so get up”
I wasn’t ready to be negged by a ring, but okay.
It was really interesting to see when I was overheating or freezing (hello 4am!) because most of the time I didn’t catch that my temperature was fluctuating that much.
Gamifying sleep can be a good way for some brains to create healthy habits, and getting a little badge to say I’d had a good sleep tickled the happy place for me. The whole Samsung Health app is great, actually... Apart from the occasional bullying.
When comparing it against other sleep tracking devices I use, it gave me information I could trust without interrupting my actual sleep to give it to me, and that’s a big deal. It pretty much matched what my hospital-grade machinery told me, and it was easier and more comfortable to sleep with than the watch.
So, would I recommend it?
If you’re someone who wants to understand your sleep better, especially if you’re like me and have a history of sleep issues (and you don’t already have the Galaxy Watch) it’s a game-changing little device. And that’s just sleep - I didn’t even scratch the surface of what it can do if you’re into exercise.
At $699, it’s not at all cheap. This isn’t a whim purchase. But I get it; For something that will help you feel more in tune with your body, more rested in the morning, and less like you’re guessing your way through exhaustion? I think it’s worth it.
Cate was loaned a Samsung Galaxy Ring for this review.
