Samsung Galaxy Ring preorder: It feels like it could be a must-have wearable for activity-tracking geeks like me

The Titanium Black Samsung Galaxy Ring on the finger of a person who is holding a skateboard.

(Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung Galaxy Ring: $399 @ Samsung

Overview: Unveiled Wednesday, July 10, 2024, the Samsung Galaxy Ring is an activity tracker that connects to the Samsung Health app via your phone or watch.

Sizing: Samsung will send potential buyers a free sizing kit, giving them two weeks to lock in their order. The ring comes in nine ring sizes.

Color: Samsung's first generation smart ring comes in three colors: Titanium Gold, Titanium Silver, and Titanium Black.

Battery: The ring can go between six and seven days between charges: seven days for rings sizes 12 and 13 and six days for smaller sizes because of the slightly smaller battery. The battery for the ring takes about 80 minutes to charge.

Water resistance: It might be best to keep this ring out of the water for extended periods. The Galaxy Ring can go as deep as 100 meters for up to 10 minutes in terms of water pressure. Regarding water resistance, the ring can last up to 30 minutes in six feet of water.

Energy insights software: The Galaxy Ring also enables "Energy Score insights" from Samsung, but you must have a compatible Samsung Galaxy AI phone and the Samsung Health app.

The Samsung Galaxy Ring made its official debut on Wednesday at the Samsung Unpacked event in Paris. This unveiling follows months of hype and speculation about what the tech wearable would offer.

After digging into the specs, one thing is clear: This smart ring — here's the preorder link — has all the makings of a must-have device for activity-tracking enthusiasts.

Topdown view of Samsung Galaxy Ring in case — The Galaxy Ring in its "charging cradle." (Image credit: Laptop Mag/Sean Riley)

The Galaxy Ring tracks heavy breathing and snoring while asleep, and if you've used a sleep-tracking app before, the interface in the Samsung Health app is familiar. But if you, like me, are always looking for an advantage when it comes to tracking and measuring sleep quality, a ring may feel like a better tool than a watch for charting your Z's.

The Samsung Galasxy Ring sizing kit: A black box with nine plastic rings in it, each with a number on them to illustrate the ring size. — The Samsung Galaxy Ring sizing kit (Image credit: Samsung)

While the ring will be released on July 24, it's now available for preorder following Samsung Unpacked, giving us our first chance at experiencing a smart ring made by one of the world's biggest tech companies.

While an executive at Oura, makers of the popular Oura ring, told Laptop Mag earlier this year that the company wasn't concerned with the forthcoming Galaxy Ring, Samsung's entrance into the market has dramatically changed the market itself.

The reason the Galaxy Ring looks to upend the current smart ring market is because it connects to the near-ubiquitous Samsung phones and watches in pockets and on wrists around the world. The latest additions to this lineup — the new Z Fold 6 and Z Flip6 phones and the sporty Galaxy Watch Ultra — were also revealed on Wednesday.

Samsung Galaxy Ring in gold color scheme against gold gradient background — (Image credit: Samsung)

It tracks rest, heart rate, sleep quality, physical activity, and more. Then, it turns those data points into suggestions with Wellness Tips.

Samsung also claims the ring filters out body movement for a more precise pulse reading. It also automatically starts tracking workouts when you begin running or walking.

The interior side of the ring, called a band or shank, has three sensors: an accelerometer that automatically tracks walking or running, an infrared temperature sensor (helpful for tracking how your body temperature changes during sleep), and a bioactive sensor that monitors your heartbeat.