I didn’t think I needed a smartwatch when I first tried the Pebble over a decade ago. I didn’t think I needed any more tech on my wrist until I picked up Motorola’s Moto 360. When I first switched to iPhone, I was certain I wasn’t going to invest in an Apple Watch because… well, what for…
| Pros | Cons |
| Nicely designed Accurate tracking Incredible battery life | Can get uncomfortable during workouts Quick to scratch |
…Now? I don’t wake up and pick up my phone. I wake up and put on my watch. Smartwatches have even given me a small appreciation for more traditional wristwatches. The problem, of course, is having to choose between skipping health data for the day to wear a throwback Casio or ‘double-watching’—and lord knows you don’t want to be that person.
Which is why smart rings caught my attention. See… we got there eventually.
The RingConn Gen 2 smart ring promises to take a sizeable chunk of the health-tracking workload and condense smartwatch functionality into a slim and sleek little ring. It offers heart-rate monitoring, sleep management tools including sleep apnea detection, and most importantly, solid battery life.
Can it replace my daily smartwatch? That really is the question, isn’t it?
Design and Build Quality
I think they’ve done a really good job keeping the design simple and effective. The ring is minimal and sleek, fits well, and doesn’t stand out too much. At the same time, it uses some pretty nice-feeling materials. The charging case in particular feels premium, with a satisfying matte finish.
The ring itself doesn’t necessarily feel like high-end jewelry. I have to assume the goal here is to keep it light, especially considering the sensors that are packed inside. It leans slightly plastic to the touch, but not so much that I found it off putting. Aesthetically, it holds up just fine.
The fit? I’ve been pretty happy overall. There are small bumps on the inside of the ring on either side of the sensor that gently press against your finger. That took a bit of getting used to, I’m only used to wearing my wedding ring but after a day or two I mostly forgot they were even there.
Before I got the final unit they even sent over a sizing kit. If you already know your ring size, great, but the kit had dummy plastic rings in every size so I could try them all and get the perfect fit. That made a huge difference and is available through Ringconn’s website ahead of placing your order.
The sensor area underneath is a little thicker than rings I’m used to, and I did have to take it off when gripping things really firmly. Not a big issue when lifting boxes or carrying shopping bags, but it did frustrate me during workouts. Anything that required a strong grip, deadlifts, heavy dumbbells etc. became uncomfortable. I don’t have a personal trainer to check my form, but I’ve done enough weight training to know that grip has never been a problem for me before. Yet while reviewing this ring, I couldn’t comfortably track weight training. I could still track cardio and runs just fine, but not being able to log strength workouts accurately was disappointing. After all, I want to track my workouts with this.
Material Quality and Durability
When talking about materials and comfort, we’ve also got to talk durability. If you’ve worn smartwatches or even regular watches, you’ll know the occasional wrist-swing into a doorframe or corner of a table is inevitable.
As nice as the RingConn Gen 2 looks, it picked up a few scratches and bumps during my review period. If that bothers you, be warned.
Features and Functionality
The RingConn Gen 2 packs in quite a few features. It connects via Bluetooth, during my review, I used it with an iPhone 16 Pro Max, and charges using a dedicated case. It offers up to 12 days of battery life and is IP68 water-resistant.
It tracks things like:
- Heart rate
- Sleep (including sleep apnea detection)
- Step count
- Calories burned
- Distance walked
- Manual workout logging
- And yes—it works with Android too.
The RingConn app is where everything comes together. I found it easy to sync with Apple Health, which made comparing its data side-by-side with my Apple Watch a breeze but they have a decent little app here in their own right.
The app categorizes your wellness into four key areas:
- Sleep
- Vital signs
- Activity
- Relaxation
It’s a familiar framework, but one I found mostly useful. That said, I do take issue with the vagueness of the relaxation and stress tracking. I know stress. And I know when I’m under it. But the app occasionally told me I was totally relaxed on days when I was objectively falling apart. Maybe I am an icon of calm and peaceful serenity—but I doubt it somehow.
It’s a good example of where quantified health data has limits. Everyone experiences stress differently, and a ring trying to deduce that from heart rate variability alone seems like shaky ground.
Still, overall? I can’t deny they’ve done a great job matching solid hardware with a competent app experience. I could see myself switching over from my smartwatch, at least part-time. And yes, there’s an AI-powered health system baked in, but it seems more like a checkbox than a game-changer—just something to keep RingConn competitive in a buzzword-heavy market. Time will tell.
Performance
Let’s talk accuracy. I compared the RingConn’s data to both an Apple Watch and a Xiaomi fitness band. Across metrics like heart rate and steps, it performed consistently and reliably, with only minor differences—likely due to placement and sensor design.
For a device this small, the fact that it keeps up with larger wearables is impressive.
I did run into some connectivity quirks. Occasionally, I’d notice mid-morning that the ring had disconnected, often due to taking it off to charge. While sleep data still showed up reliably, I didn’t love that I had to manually reconnect it some mornings.
There is an LED on the underside that lights up when there’s a connection issue, but it’s not always helpful. At 2 a.m., having a red or green LED blast you in the face while trying to sleep? Not ideal. It only happened a couple of times, but it’s worth mentioning. I imagine that with continued use, I’d fall into a rhythm of checking connectivity without thinking about it.
Battery Life and Charging
This is where the RingConn Gen 2 really shines. The battery life is phenomenal—up to 12 days on a single charge.
In an age where my iPhone, Apple Watch, and gaming handheld all need daily charging, the fact that this little ring can go a week and a half (or more) without a top-up is a dream. I never even got a low battery warning during testing. No screen, no power-hungry processor—just smart energy efficiency.
This should be the standard for health tech in 2025.
Subscription… What Subscriptions?
One last thing: there’s no subscription. That’s rare.
Many smart rings (and even some watches) hide essential features behind monthly or annual fees. RingConn doesn’t. Buy the ring, download the app, and you’re set. Even the AI features are included.
What a quaint idea.
Conclusion
Final thoughts on the RingConn Gen 2? It’s a really good product.
The hardware is solid, the design is clean, and while durability and gym comfort could be improved, those issues feel relatively minor. What RingConn has created is exactly what people like me—and others who aren’t even into wearable tech—have been asking for: a simple, affordable, screenless ring that tracks health data effectively without notifications, distractions, or a constant demand for attention.
It offers excellent battery life, solid tracking accuracy, and does it all without nickel-and-diming users with a subscription.
For anyone looking to monitor their health in a sleek, minimal, and unobtrusive way, the RingConn Gen 2 is a fantastic choice.
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