RingConn Gen 2: Two minute review

Smart rings have been picking up steam in the wearables space since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Ring, which helped to put this burgeoning tech trend on the map. However, hone in on the price – or the ongoing subscription fees – and it’s easy to be put off. That’s where a more affordable option such as the RingConn Gen 2 smart ring comes in.

At $299 (around £250 / AU$485) it isn't "cheap" in real terms, but next to the competition the RingConn Gen 2 is an appealing option – especially when you consider it delivers solid health metric tracking in a sleek and stylish package.

It tracks your sleep, heart rate, activity, and stress, to determine your overall wellness score – plus it can gamify keeping healthy further with badges awarded for good habits. You’ll find it falls down somewhat when it comes to fitness tracking, because it doesn’t start this tracking automatically, so you can forget to log your workouts. In addition, it only tracks running, cycling, and walking right now. So if you’re someone looking for tech to help you achieve your sporting goals, this ring is unlikely to be for you.

The band itself – which comes in sizes 6 to 14, in black, gold or silver – looks just like any other regular ring, and it’s durable with a top-class IP68 dust-proof and waterproof rating plus a design that even after a few weeks of regular use didn't appear to become scratched.

The RingConn Gen 2 also offers a supremely long battery life, remaining charged for up to 12 days. With the charging case you can get an additional 150 days out of it before you need to search out a plug socket again.

This long battery life helps ensure the RingConn Gen 2 won’t run out of power overnight for several nights in a row, which is of importance for its new sleep apnea monitoring feature. It isn't yet FDA-approved, but it does apparently boast a 90.7% accuracy rating, and can help to either warn you of potential health issues or provide some peace of mind – although it isn't a replacement for a medical professional.

Overall, then, the RingConn Gen 2 is a solid option for people who want to try a smart ring but don’t want to over-commit, and while it's a little pricier than its predecessor, the upgrades go some way to justify its higher price.

RingConn Gen 2: Specs

RingConn Gen 2: Price and Availability

The RingConn Gen 2 is available for purchase online through the company's website for $299 or around £250 / AU$485. RingConn does ship to the UK and Australia, although the price online is only given in dollars.

One major cost advantage of the RingConn Gen 2 and its predecessor – beyond their already relatively budget-friendly price – is that RingConn doesn’t charge you a monthly fee to access its full set of features. On the flipside the RingConn’s tracking isn’t quite as in depth as you’ll find from pricier options on our list of the best smart rings.

It’s a slight disappointment that the Gen 2 model is pricier than its $279 predecessor, although given how frequently the previous model was on sale, we expect this new RingConn smart ring will be discounted regularly, too. In particular, keep an eye out for sales events such as Black Friday to see if you can pick it up for a lower price.

RingConn Gen 2: Design

• Thin yet durable design
• Comes in three colors
• Supports sizes from 6 to 14

The RingConn Gen 2 doesn't reinvent the wheel, so to speak, when it comes to smart ring design. It's a classic band shape that's available in sizes from 6 to 14. Based on your size, it weighs between 2g and 3g, and has a width of 6.8mm, and a thickness of 2mm. In essence, you won't be able to tell the difference between this ring and any other band unless someone catches it glowing when the sensors are monitoring your health metrics.

It's available in three colors; I’m a fan of the matte black finish, but jewelry traditionalists might prefer the silver or gold options. Whichever band you choose, the RingConn Gen 2 arrives with an IP68 dust-proof and waterproof rating, so it can survive being worn to the beach, or when you’re washing the dishes.

I can’t speak for the durability of the other bands, but even following several weeks of constant use, my matte black RingConn Gen 2 is showing no visible signs of wear and tear – the band is scuff-free and about as pristine as the day I received it in the mail.

Just a few point to note for those of you who haven’t used a smart ring before. Before buying a RingConn smart ring, I’d recommend requesting a free sizing kit – you do this when you order your ring by selecting the “Don’t know my size” option. I'd request the kit even if you regularly wear a ring or have a smart ring from a different brand, since the RingConn sizes might not be an exact match to what you’re wearing because of the bumps on the inside edge from the placement of sensors.

Wear the dummy rings constantly for a couple of days; your ring size fluctuates through the day, so the "perfect fit" at the time you happen test could end up being too big or too small overall. The ideal size will fit snuggly: it shouldn’t slide off, but neither should it be a struggle to remove. This will mean the ring sits in the correct position throughout the day, rather than moving out of its proper orientation – something that can lead to inaccurate readings. Place your order once you’re certain of the size you need.

In addition, if like me you're not a regular ring wearer, you’ll need to get into the habit of not losing your band when you take it off. I recommend putting the ring in its case if you do take it off, or leaving it in a specific spot each time.

• Design score: 4/5

RingConn Gen 2: Features

• New sleep apnea tracking
• Monitors health vitals, sleep, stress and activity
• Limited fitness tracking

Using the smart ring and accompanying RingConn app, you can monitor five key stats: Sleep, Activity, Stress, Heart Rate and SpO2 levels. Using these metrics, the RingConn app provides you with an overall Wellness Balance score, and tips on how to improve your rating. I’ve taken it easy these past few days, so right now for me it’s recommending I try some moderate or high-intensity workouts to relieve some stress and up my activity rating.

Beyond a simple score for each metric you can click into the Sleep, Stress, Vital Signs and Activity sub-menus to view more in-depth stats such as a graph of your sleep cycle, your heart rate throughout the day, and a record of the calories the ring estimates you’ve burned.

If stats alone aren’t enough to keep you motivated, the app awards badges for achieving optimal health targets for a little added gamification.

In addition to the main stats, there’s also a fifth menu for the RingConn Gen 2’s brand new Sleep Apnea tracking, which is reportedly 90.7% reliable according to RingConn’s studies (although it's yet to be FDA approved). After initiating a comprehensive assessment over three nights of sleep, the app will either end regular monitoring if you don’t appear to have an issue, or will recommend that you speak to a medical professional if it believes you might have sleep apnea.

While the RingConn Gen 2 isn't suitable for in-depth monitoring or treatment of the condition, the sleep apnea feature can help to put your mind at ease if you’re concerned about your sleep health (although a doctor is the best person to speak to if you’re worried about sleep apnea).

However, it's with fitness tracking that the RingConn Gen 2 falls down. It doesn't have the capability to automatically detect when you start exercising; you have to manually start tracking from within the app – with it currently only supporting running, cycling and walking. As such, I often didn't remember to activate fitness tracking, meaning much of my activity went unrecorded.

• Features score: 3.5/5

RingConn Gen 2: Performance

• 12-day battery life
• In-depth sleep stats
• Fitness tracking is easy to forget to activate

Throughout the day, the RingConn Gen 2 automatically collects your health metrics – at five- or thirty-minute intervals based on your preferences – and stores them on the device until it can sync with the RingConn app. Note, however, that you can manually request a scan using the RingConn app.

I did find it had some occasional syncing issues during testing, although on these occasions I was simply left waiting for a few more seconds for the app to update with the latest info. Overall, it was a seamless experience.

The app itself is fairly intuitive, and while there is a fair amount going on, the homescreen struck the right balance between busy and informative. Conversely, the sub-menus that deliver more in-depth analysis of your stats were a little more cluttered, although the ability to edit those busier menus and rearrange the blocks meant I was able to move the stats I cared most about to the top to help simplify my health data monitoring.

When it comes to accuracy, the RingConn Gen 2 appears to do a great job, with its results matching up closely with the scores achieved through my Fitbit.

The smart ring’s fitness tracking it isn't too bad, but as mentioned, it's held back by limited sports options and the fact it doesn’t activate automatically. If you do switch it on for your walk, run, or bike ride, the app will deliver an in-depth breakdown in the activity menu that shows how far you travelled (complete with a map of your route), the number of calories you burned, and a graph of your heart rate, color-coded to different heart rate zones such as Warm-Up, Fat Burning, and Aerobic. In terms of the latter, it will even break down precisely how long you spent in each zone as you'll see with other fitness trackers.

The one area that the RingConn Gen 2 is truly superb is battery life, with its 12-day offering trumping even top-end rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy Ring with its seven-day battery life. During tests, the RingConn Gen 2 delivered on its promise, and when it did eventually start to run low, the ring’s charging case – which can store an additional 150 days worth of charge – was able to top it up fairly speedily.

Now, I simply charge the ring whenever I take a shower, to keep it hovering steadily around the upper end of its battery life. In the app I can see the percentage and estimated usage time it has remaining by tapping on the ring icon in the top-right corner.

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the RingConn Gen 2

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if…

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How I tested the RingConn Gen 2

To test the RingConn Gen 2 I wore it pretty much all day, every day for a few weeks. It tracked me while I worked from home, when I did workouts, when I went out for walks, and while I slept. This meant I was able to see how well the ring performed in my regular daily routine as a health monitoring tool.

For a few days of testing the RingConn Gen 2, I wore my trusty Fitbit tracker alongside to compare the results of both devices and gauge accuracy. The results weren’t always an exact match, but for the stats that both devices were monitoring, they did align fairly closely.

Read more about how we test.

• First reviewed October 2024

Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid: One minute review

The Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid is vying for a position as one of the best hybrid watches options out there, yet without actively doing so. In fact, it's more about style and sophistication, with the smart features there as an added bonus.

Known for working with Ferrari and Alfa Romeo for decades, the Pininfarina brand is synonymous with style. However, this instance is a simple licensing of the name by Globics, the company behind the watch, so while this might not have been designed by Pininfarina it certainly looks like it was. It follows the company's first foray into the hybrid watch world with the well-received Solaris: aside from looks, the two are very similar internally as well.

Outwardly, this is a premium analog watch – but thanks to that small AMOLED display, plethora of smart sensors and smartphone connectivity, it can do so much more. To be clear, this is a step towards a smartwatch with notification functionality, but isn't meant to replace a dedicated smartwatch like a Garmin or an Apple Watch. So it will keep you connected and cover some health tracking metrics, but it's not typically built for sports users.

Expect a long battery life with plenty of smartphone controls, like music and camera shutters able to be operated on-watch. It will track your sleep – whether you want to wear it at night will be another matter.

You can track sports, but with no GPS onboard, the utility is certainly limited. Yet with the tough design and waterproof build, this is a watch that can go beyond its formal looks and keep up with you as you sweat it out too. So is this the best hybrid watch for you – or do you need a more dedicated option like the Garmin Instinct Crossover?

Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid specs

Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid: Price and Availability

• $379 / £379 / AU$732
• Cheaper than premium smartwatches
• Relatively affordable with the screen smarts
  

The Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid is available to buy now starting at $379 / £379 / AU$732.

That makes this a relatively expensive notifications-based watch, or a very affordable premium analog watch, depending on how you look at it. Since it straddles both of those classifications, the price isn't out of the realms of possibility: it's cheaper than the Instinct Crossover and a little more expensive than the Withings Scanwatch 2. You get a premium-looking and feeling analog watch without losing out on smartphone connectivity and all that goes with that.

There are other straps you can go for with multiple color options at the outset. Or change straps by buying more as after-market options to suit your needs.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid: Design

• Useful dial controls
• Clear AMOLED display
• Premium casing and crystal finishes

Right from the outset the Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid feels premium. It arrived in a big fancy box with calligraphy writing on the outside that immediately had me excited for what was inside. Sure enough, the watch itself stayed true to that with a reassuringly weighty feel and a high-end, genuine Italian leather strap.

I could tell it was decent quality from feel: this is made using 316L Stainless Steel for the case while the glass uses a sapphire crystal finish with an anti-smudging layer to keep fingerprints off. This leaves you feeling comfortable in the knowledge that this is going to be resistant to scratches and damage, to maintain that quality look for longer. The two-year warranty and 5ATM waterproofing along with that also helped set me at ease.

The outer case features three chunky buttons, the central of which is a crown dial that can be rotated to scroll through menus and pushed in to select. All that makes for a great look but also an easy-to-use feel as you work through the menus, or quick select sports tracking using just a few button presses.

The model tested features a black face and strap but you can also pick from Azure Horizon that has a blue finish on the face and strap, Midnight Rose which has rose gold accents on black, or Sand Dune with a light brown strap and white face. All feature the same 44mm case and premium leather strap finish.

On the rear is a heart rate monitor that's also kitted out to measure oxygen levels so you can get detailed SpO2 data. The watch also tracks movements to give you step counts and sleep tracking, although there is no GPS onboard - you'll need to be connected to the app to use the phone's GPS for accurate tracking.

• Design score: 4/5

Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid: Features

• Detailed HR tracking data
• At-a-glance notifications
• Remote control options

The main smart features of the Pininfarina are a suite of health tracking tools, remote camera / music controls and on-wrist notifications. The tracking comes from the combination of the movement and HR trackers combined with that AMOLED display located at the top of the watch face. That means you can twist and tap the crown dial a few times and have your heart rate measured live, or check your O2 levels on the small AMOLED screen as and when you need.

The screen is also used for onboard weather reports and WhatsApp notifications. There is the option to use the watch to control the phone's music to skip tracks or control volume, or to use the watch as a remote to take photos on the cameraphone from a distance.

You can use the watch to give you reminders if you're too sedentary and need to be told when to move, like most of the best fitness trackers. It'll also work as a compass, letting you find your way with its digital readout.

Thanks to haptic feedback, all those features can be interacted with clearly and (crucially) without the need for invasive audio or flashing screens, using vibration alerts to get your attention instead. Any of these can be disabled in-app, so you have as few or as many alerts as you want, removing distracting email notifications but enabling health-based alerts, for example.

While the watch doesn't have built-in GPS, it can piggyback off your phone so you can track a run or ride with accuracy using the data all pulled into the app, which can be sent to Strava or similar services. The battery life is decent, helped by that lack of GPS, so you can rely on a good few weeks of use at a minimum before you need to think about recharging.

• Features score: 3.5/5

Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid: Performance

• Decent battery life
• Awkward display
• Limited sports uses

The idea of a hybrid watch and the reality proved to be quite different. On the plus side, I barely thought about battery life as this went for a good two weeks before that even got close to being a sub-20% issue. And recharging only took a few hours so that did offer a peace of mind that some sports watches can't attest to. That said, many Garmins now manage to achieve similar results even with moderate GPS use.

As an analog watch, it's lovely to look at thanks to that chronograph face and it's easy to read at a glance. Add in the display and you have access to heart rate, weather information and more. However, the reality is that the display is hidden if the hands are pointing up and covering that screen. The designers have addressed this, as the hands move out of the way once you start scrolling the menu. However, if you have a WhatsApp notification and want to glance at it, you can't if the hands are in the way. So I found the reality was that one of the most sought-after features – at-a-glance notifications – was largely useless at certain times of day as I either couldn't fully read the message on the small screen behind a watch hand, or I missed it and there was no way to have it display again easily.

The app did offer a lot more data, but even that was limited to that day's data – or after some menu diving, you could get yesterday's. There are options to see more overarching trends so the data is all there, it's just not as easy as some apps are at letting you get to what you need easily.

The lack of GPS was also an issue for anyone using this for sport. I found that using it as a timer and heart rate monitor at the gym was fine – although even then heart rate wasn't displayed front-and-center at all times. Wearing it in the gym also felt like being overdressed and I was constantly concerned about catching and scratching it. Then if you want to go for a run or ride without your phone, it's just a timer and HR monitor. If I wanted to carry my phone then I'd have that to track me anyway, so this is very specifically for those who want to have their phone with them and to use this for wrist-based heart rate data as well.

• Performance score: 2.5/5

Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid: Scorecard

Pininfarina Sintesi Hybrid: Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

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