They’ve finally made the Oura Ring smaller and lighter

Wherever I go, whatever I do, people point at my finger and ask, “Is that an Oura Ring?” Lots of people find they like the design, and they tell me why they’re thinking about switching to a smart ring from a smartwatch. But the people who scrunch up their noses? They usually say something along the lines of, “Hm. Maybe when it’s lighter or smaller.” Good news. The newly announced $399 Oura Ring 5 is both. It’s 40 percent smaller than the Oura Ring 4 , measuring 6.09mm wide (down from 7.9mm) and 2.29mm thick (down from 2.88mm). Depending on the size, it weighs from 2 to 2.69g. You’d think it might be hard to notice much a difference between the Oura Ring 4 and 5 — two very small wearables. But slipping the Oura Ring 5 off a ring stand and into my palm? It’s immediately noticeable. On my finger, it’s slimmer, too. The design doesn’t look that different, though Oura told me in a press briefing that it was reengineered to include stronger LEDs and optimized battery life that can last for six to nine days. (Alas, petite-fingered friends: Larger rings always have longer battery life.) The ring itself is titanium and IP68 weather resistant, and the coating is reportedly less scratch-prone than previous models. (Though I will be the judge of that in testing. I will never forget how deeply I was burned by the rose gold Oura Ring Gen 3.) The optional charging case now also holds five full charges and works with wireless chargers. …