One of the worst smart rings we reviewed in 2024 is getting a successor

In the world of wearables, it seems that smart rings have reached peak popularity in the last couple of years. Though the Oura Ring is still the gold standard, that’s not stopping competitors like Circular, which just announced its next-generation Circular Ring 2 at CES 2025.

In 2024, our own Andy Boxall reviewed the original Circular Ring Slim, as well as a revised version that came out several months later. However, he wasn’t very impressed with the Circular Ring Slim, as it had several flaws and only got a 1.5/5 rating. Circular clearly had its work cut out for it, and thankfully, the Circular Ring 2 sounds like an improvement.

The Circular Ring 2 will feature new health technology that is blended with refined luxury, according to Circular. The biggest new feature is the ECG capability with an AFib detection algorithm, which has been cleared by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).

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With this capability in a smart ring, the Circular Ring 2 should offer much better real-time insights into your overall heart health. There will also be other enhanced sensors to help you get a better view of your overall health and well-being, but ECG is the main focus.

Circular also has a new and improved aesthetic. The design is more refined and now made from premium titanium, so it should be much more durable than its predecessor, which was made of aluminum and scratched easily. And while the original Circular Ring Slim only came in a matte black, the Circular Ring 2 has four finishes: gold, silver, black, and rose gold.

One of the hassles of smart rings is figuring out what size you need, as they don’t fit like traditional rings due to the sensors within the inner band. The process usually requires getting a sizing kit first, trying it on for at least 24 hours, and then figuring out your needed size. Circular is changing that process with a new digital ring sizing feature, allowing users to figure out their ring size with just their smartphone. This is a first in the smart ring industry.

When we reviewed the original Circular Ring Slim, the charger was one of the big misses. It was like a USB thumb drive that stuck into a power adapter, and the ring went on the stick with magnetic contacts that weren’t very strong. The Circular Ring 2 has a new wireless charging dock that is much simpler to use and should provide a better charging experience, but we don’t have any details besides that. Battery life for the new Circular Ring 2 should also last around eight days instead of five.

The Circular app uses a new AI assistant called Kira AI, and it has also undergone a makeover to be better designed and more functional.

The Circular Ring 2 is undergoing a crowdfunding campaign in January. Once that is completed, it should go on sale in either February or March 2025, and it will cost $380.

We’ll admit that the Circular Ring 2 sounds promising over its predecessor, but we won’t know for sure until we get our hands on one. Stay tuned.