Why a Smart Ring With a Screen is More Trouble Than It’s Worth

I’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy Ring daily, along with a few other brands that have launched this year. Not once did I wish my ring could show me the time. I’m used to wearing a smartwatch, lifting my arm, and checking the time with a quick flick of the wrist. Expecting a ring to replace that job never crossed my mind.

Now, there’s a new smart ring from a company called Rogbid. They’re not well-known, but they seem to specialize in cheaper versions of smartwatches. Their latest product, the SR08 Ultra, is claimed to be the first smart ring with a display.

It’s priced at $190, but you can currently get it for $90. The tiny OLED touch screen covers most of the top part of the ring, according to the pictures.

This display lets you swipe through information like the time, steps taken, heart rate, blood oxygen, and sleep stats. The ring even includes workout modes for activities like running, hiking, and cycling. Rogbid promises its app can help track your training progress, similar to a smartwatch.

The SR08 Ultra is also advertised as ‘deeply’ waterproof, rated at 5ATM. While it says it can track swimming laps, I doubt it will provide detailed analytics. Even the Galaxy Ring, which costs more, doesn’t do a great job at that. It’s hard to believe a budget ring would be much better.

The specs seem basic, and I don’t recognize most of the listed components. It uses a DIALog DA 14585 chip, which isn’t familiar, and the battery lasts 3-5 days. That’s shorter than more popular brands like Samsung and Oura Ring, which can last up to six days.

The shorter battery life probably comes from having to power the display. Honestly, it doesn’t seem worth it just to see the time on a tiny screen.

The best part of wearing a smart ring is how low-key it is. It gives you loads of useful data without getting in the way. Smartwatches, on the other hand, can be annoying because their screens pull your attention all the time.

A smart ring lets you focus on what you want and only check the app when you’re ready to see the data.