I wish I had invested in a wearable health tracker earlier, but most of them are aesthetically unpleasing.
The glowing interfaces and fabric designs like the Whoop band often look too juvenile for my taste. However, in recent months, both RingConn and Oura have introduced sleeker designs that resemble standard jewelry, allowing you to discreetly monitor your health without broadcasting it to everyone around you.
So, despite my reservations — particularly the apprehension about sharing my health data with a company — I decided to purchase my first daily health tracker: the RingConn 3. About ten days later, I took advantage of the two-week return policy and returned it.
I chose the RingConn over the Oura Ring due to its lower price of $349 compared to Oura’s $399. While the difference is minor, Oura also charges a monthly fee of $6 for access to features, which feels overly commercialized to me.
Upon receiving the rose gold RingConn 3, I was pleasantly surprised; it looked quite attractive! Although it has a thickness of 2.3 mm, similar to the Oura Ring, it was comfortable enough for daily wear.
It easily passed for regular jewelry, especially when paired with other rings. The initial order process includes receiving a sizing kit, which is beneficial; I was glad I didn’t just order my usual size as I needed a larger one for comfort.
The build quality of the RingConn 3 felt robust. Despite some online comments about quick scratches, the brushed metal finish seemed resilient. I didn’t keep it long enough to test the advertised 14-day battery life, but I didn’t experience any charging issues during my time with it.
Although the ring is water-resistant — allowing for swimming — I preferred to put it in its charging case when showering.
Aesthetically, the screen-free design was appealing to me, as it allowed me to wear it without constantly checking it; I’d look at the data once a day and reflect on it later. I’m not the only one with this preference: spending on fitness trackers in the U.S. has surged by 88% annually, largely due to interest in screenless wearables like the Oura and Whoop.
However, I found the health tracking features of the RingConn 3 lacking.
Initially, I enjoyed observing my heart rate and stress levels throughout the day. My stress appeared stable, spiking notably when I did laundry (which is an accurate reflection of my feelings).
The insights on my sleep were intriguing but mainly confirmed what I already knew: I sleep poorly when I drink and better when I have consistent bedtimes.
Unfortunately, I discovered that the RingConn 3 required significant manual input. It only registers workouts if I’m physically moving across space, so activities like gym workouts or Pilates went undetected. Yet, it recognizes a two-minute stroll across my apartment as exercise — something I doubt raises my heart rate significantly.
I was initially hopeful about the headache detection feature, which claims to alert users of impending headaches by monitoring heart rate variability. As someone prone to migraines, getting a warning would have been invaluable, making the ring worth its price tag.
However, a week into using the RingConn, I experienced one of the worst migraine attacks I’ve ever had, lasting an entire weekend and forcing me to sell tickets to a concert I was excited about.
Throughout all of this, the ring insisted that I was in “top form.” Realizing that the headache detection didn’t work for me diminished my desire to wear the RingConn daily. Ultimately, I decided to return it while I still could.
