The Qalo Qrnt is a low-cost smart ring that offers many of the same features as more expensive devices. This review explores its strengths, weaknesses, and whether it's the right choice for you.
Two fingers over from my wedding ring finger lies a band that seems to suggest betrothal to my AI boyfriend, but is actually a smart ring . Smart rings, for the uninitiated, are health and fitness metric trackers that slide onto your finger; they collect much of the same data as Fitbit, which debuted their first product in 2015, has had a near-monopoly on the smart ring market. But that may be starting to change—the latter portion of 2024 alone saw Samsung launch the Galaxy ring.
Despite an increasing number of options, however, smart rings have continued to be a rich-person game. The Ultrahuman Ring Air sells for $349, for example, and the Oura Ring 4 costs $349 to $499 outright, depending on the color and finish, plus an additional $5.99 per month after that for the app. The FDA-cleared Qalo Qrnt, however, comes in at a more palatable $99. After putting the health-tracking gadget to the test, I can attest that it doesn’t compromise accuracy or comfort in favor of the low cost. Ahead, my full breakdown of the Qalo Qrnt.The Qrnt, at its most distilled, is a low(er) cost smart ring. Marketed as an everyday smart ring for everybody, it’s a wearable designed for users of all current fitness and wellness levels. The inside of the Qrnt is lined with a series of raised sensors that are designed to gather metrics on heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), oxygen saturation (SpO2), skin temperature, and active calories. These sensors also detect and record data on sleep quality and quantity, steps walked, movement and exercise performed, and stress levels. However, there is no screen or “watch” face on the Qrnt. To actually see the gathered data, you have to download the free Qalo app, make an account, and sync your ring via Bluetooth. From there, your health stats are only a click or swipe away. The Qalo app furthers the company’s goal of making health and fitness data accessible to the average bear. Mainly, it does this by helping users understand what certain metrics mean for their lives rather than overwhelming them with it. As soon as you open the app, for example, you’ll see your Q-score, the brand’s proprietary health score that combines sleep, movements, and heart rate variability data from the previous day(s) to give you a snapshot of where you stand. The intent of the Q-score, according to certified personal trainer Ashley Neese, is to help users understand their overall health trends and make informed decisions about their lifestyle.Any data nerds (like me) who want additional insights need only to keep scrolling. Further down, the app lists off the quick-and-dirty on total sleep, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, heart rate, stress (based on heart rate variability), skin temp, SpO2, active calories, steps taken, and distance walked. For even more info, users can tap the metric they are curious about to see charts of this metric over time and more detailed blurbs about what fluctuations mean.I’ve worn an Oura ring since 2022 and upgraded to the Oura 4 when it came out at the end of 2024, which signals my loyalty and love of the product. As a wellness journalist, CrossFit coach, and human chasing continued fitness, however, I’m always trying new fitness gadgets in hopes of finding something that will either support my fitness endeavors or those of my readers and athletes. So, when I learned Qalo was launching a smart ring, I immediately called one in for testing. After two months of wearing both the Oura 4 and Qrnt—one on my right index finger, one on my left—my final verdict is this: The Qrnt is the better option for anyone who’s on a budget, new to wearables, or otherwise feels overwhelmed by the inordinate amount of data available with other smart devices. However, the Oura 4 is currently the better investment for serious athletes and those interested in using their ring as a natural birth control method (because QRNT is not compatible with the Natural Cycles app as the Oura is).The Oura 4 and Qalo Qrnt monitor much of the same data: heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), oxygen saturation (SpO2), skin temperature, sleep quality and quantity, steps walked, detected movement and exercise performed, and stress levels. That’s more than enough for understanding their body’s internal happenings better—plus how to use it to (hopefully) make better choices throughout the day in the name of improved health and well-being. The Oura, however, collects data on a few things that the Qrnt does not, including menstrual cycle and VO2 max insights. (FYI:For me personally, this makes the Oura a better fit. The cycle data helps me make informed decisions about when to have or avoid unprotected vaginal intercourse, while the VO2 max data helps affirm that my current training program really is working. However, for individuals with other cycle-tracking tools and fitness goals different from mine—such as those who are brand new to exercise—this may not be necessary (and may even be overkill).I purchased the brushed silver Oura 4 and the Qrnt is currently only available in matte silver. So, from the outside, the two products look almost identical. (The Oura 4 is a smidge shinier). The inside of the two rings, however, is different.
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