Before you jump on me, I admit it may sound like an unfair comparison. But I’d urge you to read through entirely to consider it and then make a call. Samsung surprised us three new wearable gadgets: the Galaxy Watch 7, the Galaxy Watch Ultra, and the Galaxy Ring. Well, that’s how Samsung’s finally diving into the slowly bubbling smart ring market. Of course, that led several folks to consider upgrading or getting a smartwatch or try out the new smart ring.
In the US, the Galaxy Watch 7 starts at $299 and goes up to $379, while the Galaxy Ring will cost $399. That puts them in a similar price range, although the Galaxy Watch 7 (base model) is a bit easier on the wallet.
When your objective is to track and monitor your health, it’s natural to get confused between these two – Galaxy Watch 7 or Galaxy Ring? It’s a tough call. I’ll try to make it easy for you. Let’s take a closer at the similar and distinct attributes of both the products.
Table of Contents
Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Galaxy Watch 7: Specifications
| Samsung Galaxy Ring | Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | Sleek, minimalist smart ring | Traditional smartwatch with a circular display |
| Display | No display, relies on paired smartphone | 1.3″ (40mm) and 1.5″ (44mm) Super AMOLED Display |
| Processor | Not specified | Exynos W1000 |
| RAM | 8MB | 2GB |
| Storage | Not specified | 32GB |
| Features | Health tracking (heart rate, sleep, skin temperature during sleep, other activity) | Health tracking, notifications, apps, NFC payments, voice assistants, apps, and more. |
| Sensors | BioActive sensor, Accelerometer, and Infrared temperature sensor | BioActive sensor (including BIA), Dual-GPS, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Barometer, Ambient Light sensor, and Infrared temperature sensor |
| Battery | Sizes 5-7: 17mAh, up to 6 days Sizes 8-11: 18mAh, up to 6 days Sizes 12-13: 22.5mAh, up to 7 days Charging case: 361mAh, up to 20 full charges | 40mm: 300mAh 44mm: 425mAh Can last up to 40 hours |
| Dimensions | 7.0 mm x 2.6 mm (ring) 48.9 x 48.9 x 24.51mm (charging case) | 40mm: 40.4 x 40.4 x 9.7mm 44mm: 44.4 x 44.4 x 9.7mm |
| Weight | 2.3 gram (smallest size 5) 3 gram (largest size 13) | 28.8 gram (40mm) 33.8 gram (44mm) |
| Durability | Grade 5 Titanium Alloy IP68 + 10ATM Waterproof | IP68 + 5ATM Water-resistance |
| Price | $399 | $299 – $379 |
| Availability | Available for pre-order in the US and South Korea | Widely available |
Samsung Galaxy Ring vs. Galaxy Watch 7: Form Factor, Design
The form factor is where the biggest differences lie: Galaxy Watch 7 is a traditional smartwatch with a circular display and physical buttons. On the other hand, the Galaxy Ring is a small, titanium-built ring designed for your finger.
The Galaxy Ring is more comfortable and discreet. It doesn’t distract because you can’t do anything on the ring physically. It simply stays on your finger and tracks your health. But, you’ll have to use your phone to check your health data regularly. While the Galaxy Ring doesn’t have a vibration motor, its flashing green and red LED lights help you locate it if misplaced.
The Galaxy Watch 7, like any other smartwatch, rests on your wrist. It has a display to interact for checking notifications and other details on your wrist. Yet another screen can be distracting. While it’s not exactly a featherweight gadget, lugging in around might become uncomfortable intially.
The Galaxy Watch 7 comes in two sizes: 40mm and 44mm. You can customize when you couple the different color options (beige, silver and green) with several aftermarket straps.
The Galaxy Ring comes in nine different sizes based on US standard (ranging from 5 to 13) and three Titanium finishes: Gold, Silver, and Black. If you pre-order it from Samsung, the company sends you a sizing kit to help find a right fit. While any finger works, Samsung recommends wearing it on your index finger for better accuracy with the health-related data.
Remember: If you love those automatic or mechanical analog watches, you can still wear them alongside the Galaxy Ring. While the Galaxy Watch is a great option for everyday wear, and you can always switch to a “non-smart” watch when you want. But, you’ll miss out on tracking your health data for that day.
Galaxy Ring vs. Galaxy Watch 7: Features Galore
The Galaxy Ring is focused solely on health tracking. It can track your heart rate, steps, sleep, and other activities. Sleep data includes how long it takes you to fall asleep, sleep stages, your skin temperature while sleeping, heart and respiratory rates, movement during sleep, and sleep consistency.
Samsung has also integrated Galaxy AI into its smart ring. It utilizes AI for menstrual cycle tracking, sleep analysis, and personalized insights based on your health data. These insights could include suggestions for improving sleep quality, optimizing workouts, and managing stress.
Apart from health features, the Galaxy Ring offers double-pinch gestures as an added bonus. You can use it to remotely control the camera shutter on Samsung phones or trigger other actions.
In comparison, the Galaxy Watch 7 offers nearly everything the Galaxy Ring does, including heart rate, step, sleep, and automatic activity tracking. It gets extra health tracking capabilities like ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, blood pressure tracking, and body composition analysis – features not available on the ring.
The Watch 7 also includes GPS for navigating Google Maps and accurately tracking outdoor activities. You can interact with all of your data in real time directly on the watch. Beyond that, it provides notifications, app access, NFC payments, Google Assistant or Bixby support, and hundreds of customizable watch faces.
Wear OS means you could also do something as unusual as watching YouTube videos on the watch. Basically, you get a mini smartphone on your wrist. Forget your phone at home, pair your Bluetooth earbuds with the watch and head out for a jog, especially if you opt for the LTE version, which also lets you make and receive calls without your phone.
Galaxy Ring vs. Galaxy Watch 7: Checking Your Data
As mentioned, the Galaxy Ring doesn’t have a display. You’ll need to check the Samsung Health app on the paired smartphone for health-related data and other notifications. On the other hand, the Galaxy Watch 7 has a physical screen for easy access to information. You can start workouts and check your stats directly on the watch.
The Galaxy Watch also has built-in speakers and a vibration motor which the ring lacks. These provide feedback during workouts, notify you of alerts on your phone, and help you locate the watch if it’s lost.
Galaxy Ring vs. Galaxy Watch 7: Battery Life
The Galaxy Ring’s battery life varies depending on the size you choose, as different sizes accommodate different battery capacities.
Sizes 5 to 11 offer up to six days of use, while the larger sizes 12 and 13 can last up to seven days on a single charge. You can charge the ring using its charging case, which can provide up to 20 full charges on the go (similar to your TWS earbuds case).
On the other hand, the Galaxy Watch 7’s battery life lasts about two days depending on usage, mainly impacted by features like screen usage, always-on display, active workout tracking, and GPS. Therefore, the Galaxy Ring wins this category since it requires only one charge per week.
Who Should Choose What?
- Reasons to buy Galaxy Watch 7 over Galaxy Ring: Full-fledged smartwatch experience, better health tracking features, customization options, plus it’s cheaper of the two.
- Reasons to buy Galaxy Ring over Galaxy Watch 7: Discreet and lightweight for a comfortable all-day wear, less distracting than a bulkier smartwatch, and a much longer battery life.
Samsung’s Galaxy Ring is a bold new entry into the wearable technology market, poised to make smart rings a mainstream accessory. It offers many features similar to or better than those found in existing Oura and Ultrahuman smart rings, all without requiring a monthly or annual subscription.
However, when comparing it to a traditional smartwatch like the Galaxy Watch 7, the question isn’t about which is superior. The choice comes down to your preferences: a ring focused on essential health tracking or a smartwatch that does it all, serving as a wrist-worn smart assistant that can even replace your phone at times.
The Galaxy Ring is an apt choice for those who’d happy with essential health tracking in a comfortable, everyday-wear form factor. Similarly, Galaxy Watch is the right choice for many who already enjoy enjoy smartwatches (and would be wearing one anyway) and want more features, such as outdoor workouts with GPS tracking, Google Maps navigation on their wrist, or leaving their phone at home when going for a walk or jog. And if you’re an Android user who’s into adventure sports or activities like trekking, there’s no better alternative than the Galaxy Watch Ultra.
