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Ultrahuman Ring Air Review: The Chic, Subscription-Free Smart Ring I Haven’t Taken Off
I swapped my fitness watch for a $599 smart ring and wore it 24/7 for three months. Here’s what the Ultrahuman Ring AIR taught me about my sleep, my cycle and my step count... and whether it’s worth the money.
Like many of us, I used to be a fitness watch fanatic. I loved having all my health and activity data in one place, but somewhere along the way, I grew tired of wearing a watch. I still wanted all the stats, but not necessarily from a device strapped to my wrist. So, when smart rings started popping up, I was intrigued. They looked like chic jewellery, and I couldn’t quite believe something so small could do the same job as a watch.
I had a few personal reasons for wanting to give one a go, too. I came off hormonal contraception a few years ago and had been tracking my cycle through an app. I was also battling fatigue and wanted to understand my sleep, while aiming to hit 8-10K steps a day. The thought of having all that data in one place was very appealing and would hopefully give me a better understanding of what’s going on with my body.
Three months into my Ultrahuman Ring AIR experience, I’ve barely taken it off.
In This Review:
What is the Ultrahuman Ring AIR and what does it track?
The Ultrahuman Ring AIR is a lightweight smart ring that tracks sleep, recovery, movement, heart health and menstrual cycle phases. It has no screen, so everything shows up in the Ultrahuman app, and it’s said to be about 11 times lighter than a typical smartwatch.
It retails for $599 AUD. There’s no mandatory subscription, so the core data (sleep stages, heart rate, HRV, skin temperature and recovery) is yours to view for free after the one-off purchase. Some extras, like specialist “PowerPlugs” and the cycle flags I’ll get to below, are optional paid add-ons.
Ultrahuman Ring AIR specs: battery life, compatibility and water resistance
- Water resistance: IP68, rated to 100 metres
- Battery life: 4 to 6 days per charge in Turbo mode
- Charging time: about three hours from flat via wireless charger
- Compatibility: iOS and Android via the Ultrahuman app (Bluetooth)
- Sizes: 5 to 14
- Colours: Aster Black, Bionic Gold, Raw Titanium, Matte Grey and Space Silver
How do you set up the Ultrahuman Ring AIR? (Sizing, charging and app)
Before you purchase the ring, a sizing kit arrives first (included as part of the $599 price). It’s worth wearing your chosen size for a day or so to make sure it’s comfortable, as your fingers can change size between day and night.
Once my ring arrived, the setup was refreshingly quick. All I had to do was charge it, download the app and pair the two. I’m the kind of person who dreads setting up anything new (and I’m kind of impatient), so I was very happy to be up and running in no time.
Is the Ultrahuman Ring AIR comfortable to wear all day and night?
I wear my Ultrahuman Ring AIR 24/7 and, honestly, barely notice it. It’s lightweight and sleek, but just chunky enough to feel like a statement piece rather than a gadget. I went with silver, which has worked nicely as an everyday piece of jewellery, and within a few days of wearing it, people were asking, “Is that a tech ring?” and telling me they’d been wanting to try one.
What’s surprised me most is just how comfortable it is. I take off all my jewellery the second I get home because I find it overstimulating, so the fact I wear this around the clock, including to sleep, is probably the best endorsement I can give. I only take it off to charge it, although I do tend to remove it for dishes and showers out of habit. The ring is fully waterproof, but I’m so used to taking my jewellery off in those moments that I do it without thinking.
Battery life has also been a non-issue. I keep the ring in Turbo mode to get the full picture, and I’ve only had a low-battery alert once, after going a while without charging it. As someone who stresses about everything running out of battery, that’s a relief. There’s also a Chill mode that extends battery life by dialling back continuous tracking. If you’re not fussed about having constant, real-time updates throughout the day, Chill mode reduces continuous tracking to extend battery life by up to 35%, while still retaining core metrics, which is very handy!
What does the Ultrahuman Ring AIR actually do? My most-used features
Sleep tracking: what the Ultrahuman Ring AIR tells me about my sleep
The Ultrahuman Ring AIR gives you a sleep score each morning, plus a breakdown of how much restorative sleep you got. I came into this pretty fatigued, and it was the first thing I checked every day. It also flags when I’ve built up sleep debt and, my favourite, tells me when that debt is cleared. It nudges me towards things like an earlier, more consistent bedtime, and links out to studies on how sleep relates to everything from menstrual health to immunity.
Cycle tracking: can the Ultrahuman Ring AIR track your period and ovulation?
It can track your cycle phases and estimate ovulation. The ring uses temperature to confirm ovulation and tells you which phase you’re in and when your fertile window is, which is the free part. Deeper cycle flags, like hormone and PCOS-related symptoms and irregular-cycle conditions, need to be unlocked as a paid add-on.
Step tracking: does the Ultrahuman Ring AIR count steps without your phone?
Yes, it counts steps without your phone nearby, which has been one of my favourite things about it. I can head out for a walk without my phone, enjoy a bit of time away from screens and notifications, and still have my steps counted in the background. It’s a small thing, but it’s been a nice way to get outside and switch off without feeling like I’m missing out on tracking my progress.
Circadian rhythm, caffeine window and breathwork features
I love the golden hour feature, which tells me to head outside for an afternoon walk in the soft light (about 1,700 steps, per the app) to help steady my body clock. It tells me when to take it easy after a bad night’s sleep or when my heart rate is creeping up. The circadian and caffeine-window features suggest when to get sunlight, when to switch off screens and when to stop drinking caffeine. And I’ve been using the breathwork sessions in the app, like box breathing and counted breathing, more than I expected.
A Few Things to Consider Before You Buy
There are a few things worth knowing before you buy. The first and most obvious one is that the ring can pick up scratches over time. I lift heavy weights and use barbells, so mine has developed some light marks, although you’d have to look closely to notice them and the silver finish does a good job of disguising them. It’s not something that bothers me and it’s unavoidable with any smart ring.
There are also some paid extras to be aware of. The cycle flags feature is an add-on, and certain more advanced tools come at an additional cost. Everything I personally wanted to use was available for free, so it hasn’t been an issue for me, but I’d factor it in if you’re buying the ring for a particular feature.
Ultrahuman Ring AIR vs Oura Ring vs Samsung Galaxy Ring: which is better?
For me, the Ultrahuman Ring AIR came out on top because it gave me the health insights I was looking for without adding another ongoing cost. The Oura Ring was its closest competitor, but with the ring itself already being an investment, I wasn’t keen on paying a monthly membership on top. The Samsung Galaxy Ring was less of a contender, as it’s designed for Android rather than iPhone users like me. Ultimately, the Ultrahuman ticked all my boxes, worked with my phone and gave me access to the data I wanted without a subscription.
Is the Ultrahuman Ring AIR worth it in Australia?
I think so. At $599 it’s an investment, but given how much data and insight it gives, and how well built it feels, I think it’s more than fair. The lack of a subscription fee also helps a lot!
Ultrahuman Ring AIR review verdict: would I recommend it?
Yes, I’m a fan. I love waking up and checking my sleep score, and I find myself dipping into the app throughout the day to see how I’m tracking. Three months in and I’m still discovering new features, which makes me feel like I’m getting plenty out of it beyond the initial novelty of having a smart ring.
For me, the biggest draw is having all that health data without needing to wear a fitness watch, and the fact there’s no ongoing subscription fee is another big plus.
Best for: people who want detailed health insights without a watch on their wrist, anyone interested in tracking their cycle, and those who don’t want another subscription.
Maybe skip if: you want a screen to check your stats at a glance, or would rather not have so much health data to think about.
The Ultrahuman Ring AIR was gifted to Sitchu for review.
You can purchase the Ultrahuman Ring Air here.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Ultrahuman Ring AIR
A smart ring is a small wearable that tracks health data like sleep, heart rate, activity and body temperature from your finger and syncs it to an app. It does a lot of what a smartwatch does, without the screen.
It tracks sleep stages, heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), skin temperature, stress, steps and movement, and menstrual cycle phases. It also offers circadian and caffeine-timing guidance.
No. Core features are free with the one-off purchase. Some advanced features, like certain cycle flags and PowerPlugs, are optional paid add-ons.
Four to six days in Turbo mode. Chill mode extends this by scaling back continuous tracking.
It depends. A ring is smaller, lighter and more discreet, and it’s comfortable to sleep in. A watch has a screen, notifications and often more built-in workout tools.
