OuravsGarmin
Oura Ring 5 vs Garmin Forerunner 965: comparison
Oura Ring 5 vs Garmin Forerunner 965 using the data from our reviews: score, who each one is for, and their strengths and weaknesses.
Summary of both reviews
| Oura Ring 5 | Garmin Forerunner 965 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 83/100 | 84/100 |
| Who it is for | Anyone who wants to track sleep and recovery with a ring you barely notice, does not use Samsung as their ecosystem and accepts paying a monthly fee for the app. | Runners and triathletes who want a watch with multi-band GPS, maps and HRV and readiness metrics for training, and who prefer weeks of battery to phone features. |
| Skip it if | You do barbell strength training or need reliable heart rate during workouts, or you do not want to pay a fee to see your own data. | You want a watch with voice calls, ECG or the brightest display in the range, or you would rather use a ring or band for sleep with nothing bulky on your wrist. |
| Check price | Check price on Amazon | Check price on Amazon |
Each score comes from its full review, with its sources and criteria. The two scores are only comparable within the same type of product.
Oura Ring 5
Pros
- • More discreet than the Ring 4: 6.09 mm wide, 2.28 mm thick and from 2 g according to Oura, versus the Ring 4’s 7.9 mm and about 2.88 mm; several reviews agree it is less noticeable.
- • Official battery life of 6 to 9 days; in the attributed review tests, between roughly a week and a little over seven days in a size 11.
- • IP68 water resistance down to 100 m and six finishes, all titanium.
Cons
- • No published independent validation of the Ring 5: the accuracy improvements (12% more accuracy in overnight HRV, according to Oura) are the company’s own figures with no methodology.
- • The full app requires a membership: without it you only see three scores, the battery and little else, and the fee cannot be paused.
- • Fewer sizes than the Ring 4 (6 to 13, versus 4 to 15) and different sizing: the Ring 4 kit does not work.
Garmin Forerunner 965
Pros
- • Battery of up to 23 days in watch mode and up to 31 hours of GPS, according to Garmin's manual, although the figure drops with multi-band GPS and the always-on display.
- • Multi-band GPS with SatIQ, which switches modes to save battery; in DC Rainmaker’s test the running and cycling tracks came out clean.
- • Overnight HRV and a daily training readiness score with no mandatory fee: existing Garmin Connect features remain free, according to Garmin.
Cons
- • It is the previous model: the Forerunner 970 adds a brighter sapphire display, flashlight, speaker and microphone, and ECG.
- • No ECG sensor, and in specialist tests the optical HR failed in very short intervals.
- • With the always-on display, battery life falls well below the advertised 23 days, and Garmin also offers an optional subscription (Connect+) that covers new features.
Oura Ring 5
Oura Ring 5: what it measures, what changes from the Ring 4, how long the battery lasts, what validation it has and what the subscription costs to keep.
Garmin Forerunner 965
What the Garmin Forerunner 965 measures, how long its battery really lasts, what remains free in Garmin Connect and whether it beats the Forerunner 970.