The Galaxy Ring was the most exciting thing at Samsung Unpacked on Wednesday. I traveled to Paris for this Ring, wondering if there would be a place for it in my ecosystem of Apple devices. I thought I could couple the Galaxy Ring with the Apple Watch to give me continuous health and (some) fitness tracking.
With its multi-day battery life, the Galaxy Ring would continue to collect data even when I have to recharge my Apple Watch. That data would eventually find its way into the Apple Health app right after passing through the Samsung Health app I’d have to install on my iPhone. At least, that was my hope.
Boy, was I wrong… but I also sort of saw it coming.
Apple kept the Apple Watch exclusive to the iPhone. Even if such an association sounds exciting, you can’t buy a Galaxy Flip 6 and pair it with an Apple Watch. Therefore, I wasn’t surprised when I was told you need an Android phone to get a Galaxy Ring working. It doesn’t have to be a Samsung phone, either.
That said, the Galaxy Ring is now available for preorder, but this won’t be your regular gadget-buying experience. You’ll have to work your way through the sizing process to ensure you get the right Galaxy Ring for your finger.
The sizing kit
When you preorder the Galaxy Ring, you’ll get a sizing kit containing nine plastic rings to help you determine your size. I tried the sizing kit ahead of the Unpacked event, which left me somewhat confused, but that’s only because I had a few minutes to decide which size to try. You’ll have more time at home.
Size 11 was right for my thumb and index finger but not for the others. You see where I’m going with this. When you order your Galaxy Ring, you’ll have to decide which finger(s) you want to wear it on. You might need different sizes for different fingers, so be prepared to spend some time with the sizing kit.
I wouldn’t spend $800 on two rings; that would be overkill. The Galaxy Ring isn’t as feature-rich as a Galaxy Watch, so there’s no reason to consider getting more than one. But you will need a snug fit so that the sensors can stay in contact with your skin and pick up data.
I will also tell you that the Galaxy Watch 7, complete with a faster chip, much better fitness tracking abilities, Galaxy AI functionality, and a brand-new sensor array on the back starts at just $299.99. It might be a better idea than the Galaxy Ring, especially if you’re shopping within a designated budget.
The colors
Speaking of choices, once you decide on the size and finger, you can pick your color. The Galaxy Ring is made of titanium, and you have three color options: Titanium Black, Titanium Silver, and Titanium Gold.
I tried the gold model during a briefing before Wednesday’s event but played a bit with the other colors. I’d choose the silver version for myself.
The Ring itself weighs under 3 grams. It’s very light and comfortable, and I could see myself wearing the device around the clock if only it worked with the iPhone. Sleep tracking is one of the focuses of the Galaxy Ring and the reason to have the wearable on your finger at all times.
Battery life is up to 7 days for the larger sizes or 6 days for the smaller ones. According to Samsung, the case that comes with it provides an additional 10 days of battery life. Pair the Ring with a Galaxy Watch, and the former’s battery life will improve by about 30%.
Price and preorder details
The Galaxy Ring is available for preorder in the US starting July 10th and will ship to your door on July 24th. Just make sure you go through the entire sizing process fast enough to get the wearable shipped to you on the release date.
There’s no real way to save money with the Galaxy Ring. But you should know there aren’t any other hidden costs. All the health apps come free of charge, without a subscription.
Samsung is running a limited promotion for buyers who preorder the Galaxy Z Fold 6, Flip 6, Galaxy Watch Ultra, or Galaxy Buds 3 series. If you purchase a second device at the same time as one of the others, you’ll get a 25% discount.
The alternative is to wait out preorders and give the Galaxy Ring a few months. I wouldn’t be surprised to see good discounts on the wearable in the near future. What I would be surprised to see is Samsung bring the Galaxy Ring to the iPhone. And so, my wait begins for the Apple Ring that’s inevitably coming.
