Revisiting a product, sometimes months down the line after I initially reviewed it, can be really enjoyable. I found I still liked the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro when I wore it for weeks again. And I realized that the Amazon Fire Max 11 is still a fantastic purchase a year after I first tried it out. So, when a revised Circular Ring Slim came along after a few months, I was very keen to get it back on my finger.
You see, the first Circular Ring Slim has one of the lowest scores I’ve ever given to a product in a review, and I really wanted to change it for the better. Unfortunately, I gave the Ring Slim a second chance, and it rewarded me with just as much disappointment as — plus a little bit more than — the first time around.
Does it look any different?
The only visual clue that signals you’re looking at the updated Circular Ring Slim is the logo on the ring’s surface. It has gone from being the very obvious white logo to one that matches the color of the ring, so it’s much less noticeable. It’s a sensible change and really the best thing about the new Ring Slim.
Circular says it has improved the scratch-resistant coating on the ring, but having worn the new model for only about three weeks, I can’t see any improvement. The underside of the ring has already had the finish worn away around the edge, and also picked up a few surface scratches in the same area too. During the time I’ve worn the ring, I have not gripped dumbbells, climbed rock faces, or done anything that I would expect to scratch the ring. It doesn’t bode well for the future.
Otherwise, the Ring Slim appears to be identical to the previous version, although I will say the finish of the ring’s inner section does appear to be of higher quality than before. It’s very light, and while I do find the flat underside keeps the ring correctly orientated on your finger, it’s not the most comfortable design. Hardware-wise, the only positive thing I can muster to say about the revised model is the logo isn’t as noticeable.
What about the app?
I had various app issues when I reviewed the Circular Ring Slim. I’m happy to report that, this time, the app has been reliable and I have not had any connection issues either. I’ve even successfully switched between phones, and because the app keeps data stored in the cloud, very little setup was required.
It’s a good start, but most of what I didn’t like about the app remains. It still takes far too long to sync data from the ring, upload it to the cloud, process it, and then update the graphs in the app. The wait stretches into many minutes, and even then the data doesn’t get “crunched” immediately — forcing you to check again later to see your scores. The Oura Ring does it all in a matter of seconds. The two-week “getting to know you” period is irritatingly long and, worse, it doesn’t seem to make for a better, more personal experience once it concludes.
Here’s an example. The app sent more notifications to my phone this time, and all exposedthat it had no clue about my routine. Most days I awoke to find a notification telling me it was my ideal window to eat, a message sent at around 6 a.m.. How it figured this out, I have no idea, as I never got up at that time and never went to bed before midnight. Even if it’s correct, I am not getting up at that time to eat breakfast, so the “advice” is useless. The Ring Slim often miscalculated my sleep, too, differing by hours from the Oura Ring and my own awareness of my sleep times.
None of this made me trust the Ring Slim, and if this is the level of advice and insight it will give long term, there’s no encouragement to wear it. It’s not a wear-and-forget smart ring either, as the battery only lasts three days at the most, and the charger is still the same badly designed one as before.
Subscription and price confusion
Perhaps the most irksome thing about the Circular Ring is the lack of transparency around its subscription-free nature. It says in various places on Circular’s website that the ring and app have no subscription at all and will always be free. Except in the app, it’s clear that features like medication reminders will have a cost attached in the future, and even Circular admits a subscription is being considered. Yet, after repeated questions on the subject, the company hasn’t provided firm details or altered any of its messaging.
The situation simply isn’t clear at all, and this is terrible for consumers. It’s something I brought up in my original review and discussed in a subsequent interview with the team, but gained little clarification about the situation at the time. Ahead of writing this article, I contacted the company again and asked for answers about the subscription and the mysterious “coins” system in the app. It means the company has had four months to work these important things out. This is the response:
“Circular currently operates a buy-once model, where customers get full access to its current features within the app. All basic measurements will always be free to the user; however, the company is considering a premium model for advanced features it will launch in the future, as well as the two recently announced features — advanced analysis and medication reminders — that are in today’s app.
There is no timeline or pricing available at present as it is still under consideration, however, any changes will be communicated well in advance should they move ahead with this model. It is important to note that the majority of the health monitoring and tracking elements in today’s app (with the exception of the two mentioned above) will always be free with the purchase of a ring. No customers will be forced into a premium subscription, and Circular Coins can be redeemed for premium services should they be brought in.”
The Medication Reminder feature that will have a cost attached sometime in the future is available in the app to use for free now, and it’s quite good as it uses the Ring Slim’s vibration motor to remind you. I found it helpful as it’s impossible to miss the vibration alert. It’s really the best thing I tried in the app, and to know it’s only free until the company decides it won’t be, and for an unknown amount of money, makes me quite angry.
Circular is not being transparent about its pricing, what data it intends to charge for in the future, what the in-app currency will pay for, or how far it will go — despite having months to decide. There’s no additional cost for the Circular Ring Slim today, but that could change at any time, and the cost will be a complete surprise.
Circular should make it clear to potential buyers today what it intends to charge for a subscription when it will come into place, and what features won’t be included if you don’t pay. It’s essential, and without this information, you’d be silly to buy it over another smart ring with transparent pricing, subscription package required or not.
Bad before, still bad today
Don’t be fooled into thinking the “updated” Circular Ring Slim makes it a better product or that the company has fixed the many problems with the app, the hardware, and the pricing structure. I’ve worn the Circular Ring Slim, both the first and the new version, for many weeks and really can’t tell the difference.
But the worst part of all this is the baffling inability to clarify the ongoing cost of ownership. Sure, the Oura Ring has a subscription, but you know how much it is, what it includes, and what you get if you don’t pay right from the very start. There’s no ambiguity and no silly in-app currency to think about. The Samsung Galaxy Ring does not have a subscription, and Samsung has been very clear that it does not intend to introduce one for the ring as it is today.
The Circular Ring Slim, whether it has a white logo or a dark one, is still a 3/10 product, and you really shouldn’t buy it. Not only because the company isn’t being open with you about the costs involved long-term, but because there are now two other smart rings you can buy that are far better in absolutely every appreciable way.
