Ultrahuman Ring Air Review: Lord of the smart rings

You're missing a point, as was I — till I used the Ultrahuman Ring Air.

My only experience with a smart ring before this was the Dhyana Wellness Ring. That wearable, while not bad, did not exactly blow my mind. It does what it says, but its heavy focus on mindfulness, meditation, et al, put me off. What the Ring Air does, conversely, is actually provide you actional, valuable, easy-to-understand insights while also guiding you through the day so that you can be the best version of yourself.

Yes, you still have to whip out the phone, open the app and look at the data, but don't we all do that anyway? Why should one extra app that could prove useful turn you away?

Let's get the basics out of the way first.

The Ring Air, made of titanium, comes in three finishes — Aster Black (glossy black), Matte Grey, Bionic Gold, and Space Silver. Ultrahuman sent me a sizing kit in advance and once I picked my size, they sent me the Aster Black variant.

In the box, you get a charging dock, a cable, and the usual paperwork. Once you charge your ring to full, pair it with your smartphone — iOS or Android — is when the magic begins.

The Ring Air needs at least 15 days of data to start giving you insights and suggestions, so once I wore it for 15 days, I began to see some truly useful, actionable insights, especially when it came to my sleeping patterns, heart rate, and skin temperature.

The Ultrahuman Ring Air addresses two common issues encountered with sleep and fitness trackers. It's comfortable enough for continuous wear, including during sleep tracking, setting it apart from most smartwatches and fitness trackers that could be uncomfortable to wear at night. Additionally, it doesn't just provide raw data; it offers practical advice and insights, distinguishing it from other trackers that tend to offer data without guidance.

In terms of design, the Ring Air is relatively bulky, with a masculine aesthetic, measuring around 2.5 mm in thickness. It's noticeable enough to attract inquiries from curious onlookers but is smooth and comfortable to wear. The heart rate sensor's green light may be occasionally visible in the dark, but overall, it's one of the most discreet wearables I've used. It's also waterproof, with an IPX8 rating, making it suitable for showering or swimming.

The app offers three main scores — your movement index, sleep index, and recovery score. The first two pertain to fitness and sleep, while the recovery score guides you on how strenuous your activities should be for the day.

For movement, the Ring Air tracks steps, logs exercises, and estimates cardiovascular fitness and blood oxygen levels (unfortunately, these last two are not available in the Android app yet). It encourages you to move throughout the day and reminds you to avoid extended periods of inactivity, valuing consistent movement over sporadic intense workouts.

However, the workout tracking, which is still in beta, has been unreliable. You must manually initiate it, and the available activity options are limited. Furthermore, the Ring Air often inaccurately recorded my heart rate, frequently registering it lower than the actual rate. As a work in progress, I hope these issues are addressed in future updates. Outside of workouts, the heart rate accuracy seems more reliable and consistent with other trackers.

The Ultrahuman Ring Air excels in sleep tracking. It provides an accurate breakdown of sleep into different stages (awake, REM, light, and deep), tracks heart rate variability (HRV), and monitors skin temperature. Additionally, you can log how you feel upon waking, whether tired, ready for action, or somewhere in between.

The Ring Air provides recommendations based on your circadian rhythm and the time of day. These suggestions include getting morning sunlight, delaying stimulants until adenosine clears, and avoiding coffee later in the day. It also uses changes in heart rate as an indicator of recovery, informing you about potential reasons for slower heart rate drop, such as consuming meals too close to bedtime or alcohol consumption. While the advice can sometimes be overly technical, it offers helpful nudges throughout the day.

The app may initially appear complex, but it offers explanations for each tracked metric and its importance, making it easier to understand. Colour-coded indicators, with green signifying data within the target range and red highlighting potential issues, aid user comprehension.

Ultrahuman also compiles a weekly report that identifies trends, showcasing areas of improvement and those requiring more attention. Stat enthusiasts will appreciate this feature, though it may be overwhelming for those who prefer a simpler overview. The app also includes sections for meditations, workouts, and sleep stories, featuring a considerable amount of content with high production values.

Unlike most fitness trackers that allow you to set or adjust goals, this option is missing from the Ultrahuman Ring Air. Not being able to customise daily step targets can be disheartening, especially if the default goal is unrealistic for your lifestyle. Hopefully, future updates will address this limitation.

Overall, I'm impressed with the Ultrahuman Ring Air. It's a stylish device for health monitoring, and the reminders it provides are genuinely helpful. The Ultrahuman team continues to enhance its functionality at a steady pace.

The battery life is commendable, with Ultrahuman suggesting up to six days of use, though in reality, four days is a more realistic expectation. The app prompts you to charge the ring when the battery drops to around 20%.

The Ultrahuman Ring Air offers a unique and promising experience for health and sleep tracking, with room for improvement in the fitness tracking department. Its comfortable and unobtrusive design, combined with a wealth of insights and recommendations, makes it an attractive option for those looking to monitor their well-being through a stylish piece of jewellery.