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Why the Samsung Galaxy Ring, 2024's biggest (and smallest) wearable, is our Health & Fitness Device of the Year

matt.evans@futurenet.com (Matt Evans) — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:00:00 +0000

Someone had to buckle first. While tech companies around the world have been making the best smartwatches with consistent performance improvements under the hood with each generation, aesthetically, nobody’s really taken any risks. Every year, the best Apple Watch, Pixel Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch etc. looks the same as the one before it, and although the performance improvements are great, wearables fans have been crying out for a radical change in design direction.

Enter the Samsung Galaxy Ring, which managed to take Samsung’s existing health technology infrastructure, both hardware and software, and miniaturize it to fit into a whole new form factor. Up until now, the best smart rings were the province of start-ups like Oura and Ultrahuman, with the highest-profile offering being the Oura Ring. But Samsung was the first major tech company to take a risk and release a smart ring, winning our TechRadar Choice Awards 2024 gong for Health & Fitness Product of the Year.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch line already gave Samsung a terrific start when it came to sleep tracking, activity monitoring and sensors to keep an eye on heart rate, skin temperature, blood oxygen and more. The algorithms and sleep profiles (or “chronotypes” to use the scientific term) came with actionable advice to help improve your sleep, and while this can be banal, everyday tips you can find anywhere (try setting and sticking to a bedtime, try turning off screens before sleep, yadda yadda) chronotypes allow for genuinely personal insight into your habits.

(Image credit: Future)

Combined with Samsung’s automatic activity tracking, logging by itself when you’re out for a walk or run, the Galaxy Watch infrastructure was perfect for a smaller wearable: all Samsung had to do was squeeze those into a ring, and make sure the ring could sync up with the already-existing Samsung Health app via Bluetooth.

Without a screen, the Samsung Galaxy Ring is a set-and-forget passive tracker, like all smart rings so far, so the battery doesn’t have a lot to do in terms of power output or interaction: just enough to keep the sensors and Bluetooth connection running. Without much power output from a relatively small 18 - 23.5mAh battery, this allows the ring to last up for a week, which is perfect for sleep tracking.

The end result was a rousing success by all metrics. I really enjoyed wearing it, and I gave it 4.5 stars in my Samsung Galaxy Ring review. I said “Samsung's first-generation Galaxy Ring is this year's wearable to get, if you can stomach the high price point”. However, even that comment has aged well: it’s also subscription-free, unlike Oura, so even though it’s a premium product (costing a hefty $400 / £400 / AU$699 for such a tiny device), it’s a winner from a value point of view.

It’s ideal for health data nerds, athletes interested in recovery, and Android users looking for a top-of-the-range activity tracker. It also became a sales hit, and we have no doubts that a Galaxy Ring 2 is already in the works. It’s a landmark moment in wearable technology history, and our health and fitness product of the year for 2024.

APCA 2020: Gold Award

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:18:00 +0000

Gold Award

The Gold Award is given to the company deemed to be the very best of 2019. To stand out in a field of such spirited competition, in the ever-evolving cauldron of PC tech, requires a team that has focus, talent, fresh thinking and the ability to deliver. Winning is the mark of a team that has it all.

Taking home the Gold is an honour its winner can be especially proud of – and that’s because it is you that decided this one. Voting ran across TechRadar and PC Gamer in February 2020. We hope you had your say!

(Image credit: Asus)

Winner: Asus

Offering consistent quality, range and innovation across a huge variety of categories, Asus wants to be number one at everything it does. Its untiring efforts lead to great choice for consumers and help drive the industry forward.

APCA 2020: Excellence Award

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:17:30 +0000

Excellence Award

For the person, product or technology that advanced the PC more than any other in 2019.

(Image credit: AMD)

Winner: AMD Zen 2 chiplet architecture

Set the foundation for an unprecedented disruption in CPU pricing and performance – the effects of which will be seen for many years – and is the most significant and impactful evolution in PC CPU design since the first dual-core desktop processor in 2005, pushing single processors to 64 cores and beyond.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Consumer Reseller

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:17:00 +0000

Best consumer reseller

(Image credit: JB Hi-Fi)

Winner: JB Hi-Fi

Offers an enormous range and variety of tech products and PC gear, covering professional, home and gaming.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Enthusiast Reseller

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:16:30 +0000

Best enthusiast reseller

(Image credit: PC Case Gear)

Winner: PC Case Gear

A wide range of well-balanced aesthetically pleasing systems combined with a fast website with the latest in hardware always available.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Router

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:16:00 +0000

Best router

(Image credit: TP-Link)

Winner: TP-Link Archer AX11000

Supreme AX11000 performance that exceeded our expectations. If you absolutely must have the best, then this is it.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Gaming Headphones

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:15:00 +0000

Best gaming headphones

(Image credit: Audeze)

Winner: Audeze Mobius

Quite simply the best set of gaming headphones we've found in a long time, with a truly unique and powerful soundscape thanks to planar speaker tech and head-movement-based 3D positional sound.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Productivity Mouse

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:14:30 +0000

Best productivity mouse

(Image credit: Logitech)

Winner: Logitech MX Vertical

The MX Vertical combines an innovative ergonomic design along with Logitech's usual high quality.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Gaming Mouse

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:14:00 +0000

Best gaming mouse

(Image credit: Razer)

Winner: Razer Viper Ultimate

With a symmetrical design to suit both lefties and righties, if you're looking to pick up a premium wireless gaming mouse the Razer Viper Ultimate is the top choice.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Productivity Keyboard

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:13:30 +0000

Best productivity keyboard

(Image credit: Logitech)

Winner: Logitech MX Keys

Pairs with multiple devices and can control them all without fuss, and it's lovely to type on.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Gaming Keyboard

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:13:00 +0000

Best gaming keyboard

(Image credit: HyperX)

Winner: HyperX Alloy Origins

A stripped down gaming keyboard that dedicates itself to performance without wasting any space.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Productivity Monitor

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:12:00 +0000

Best productivity monitor

(Image credit: Dell)

Winner: Dell UltraSharp U3219Q

A bright and vibrant 4K, 3,840 x 2,160-pixel display with outstanding connectivity that is perfect all for workplace applications, from design work to video editing to spreadsheeting and data modelling.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Gaming Monitor

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:11:30 +0000

Best gaming monitor

(Image credit: Dell)

Winner: Dell S3220DGF

The Dell S3220DGF is an ideal jumbo monitor for users needing a practical work and high-performance gaming screen. With 165Hz, FreeSync 2 HDR and excellent colour, it’s well-suited for just about anything.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Cooling Product

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:11:00 +0000

Best cooling product

(Image credit: Corsair)

Winner: Corsair Hydro Series H100i RGB Platinum 240 Special Edition in White

Corsair delivers system builders the option of a great-performing liquid cooler with manageable noise levels.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best PC Case

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:10:30 +0000

Best PC case

(Image credit: Nzxt)

Winner: Nzxt H710i

Nzxt’s case has a layout that’s second to none. You’ll pay a premium for it, but it's worth the price.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Memory Maker

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:10:00 +0000

Best memory maker

(Image credit: Team)

Winner: Team T-Force

Team's T-Force memory consistently proved to be the best value sticks throughout all of 2019.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Desktop PC Builder

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:09:30 +0000

Best desktop PC builder

(Image credit: Aftershock PC)

Winner: Aftershock PC

The Singaporean PC maker may be a newcomer to Australia, but it's delivering stunning pro-modder-level craftsmanship and build quality at prices everyone can afford.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Gaming Laptop

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:09:00 +0000

Best gaming laptop

(Image credit: MSI)

Winner: MSI GS75 Stealth

The GS75 Stealth from MSI combined a powerful component set with a big screen, sleek form factor, generous battery, RAID 0 SSDs and a competitive price-point to take out this years best gaming laptop.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Premium Laptop or 2-in-1

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:08:30 +0000

Best premium laptop or 2-in-1

(Image credit: Apple)

Winner: Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (2019)

The new MacBook Pro 16's bigger screen, more immersive speakers, magic keyboard and superior thermal management system make it a stand out performer in 2019.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Value Laptop or 2-in-1

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:08:00 +0000

Best value laptop or 2-in-1

(Image credit: Acer)

Winner: Acer Aspire 5 A515

The Acer Aspire 5 strikes a delicate balance between features and finances offering a solid CPU and a long battery life at a competitive price point.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Home or SOHO NAS

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:07:00 +0000

Best home or SOHO NAS

(Image credit: Synology)

Winner: Synology DiskStation DS1019+

Synology's latest iteration of the DiskStation Manager (DSM) operating system keeps its devices at the top of the market, and the DS1019+ combines five bays and 8GB of RAM at an affordable price, making it a great buy.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best External Storage Maker

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:06:30 +0000

Best external storage maker

(Image credit: Western Digital)

Winner: Western Digital

The uniquely fast and versatile flagship WD_Black P50 (a USB-C external SSD with a PCIe backbone) is a fantastic, innovative device and the most exciting external storage product of 2019... and it served as a clear demonstration of Western Digital's ongoing committed to developing external storage that pushes the envelope.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Internal Storage Maker

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:06:00 +0000

Best internal storage maker

(Image credit: Adata)

Winner: Adata

Back in the Australian (and global) market in a big way, with premium performance products at budget prices.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Performance CPU

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:05:30 +0000

Best performance CPU

(Image credit: AMD)

Winner: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X

The Ryzen 9 3900X offers sensational performance across all workloads to go along with low power consumption and temperatures.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Value CPU

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:05:00 +0000

Best value CPU

(Image credit: AMD)

Winner: AMD Ryzen 5 3600

The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 redefines the mainstream CPU market bringing high performance computing within the reach of everyone.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Performance Video Card - Nvidia

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:04:30 +0000

Best performance video card - Nvidia

(Image credit: MSI)

Winner: MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Super Gaming X Trio

Cheaper than many other variants of the RTX 2080, this MSI card usually outpaces them - and is quieter and has more overclocking headroom.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Performance Video Card - AMD

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:04:00 +0000

Best performance video card - AMD

(Image credit: Asus)

Winner: Asus Radeon RX 5700 XT ROG Strix OC

Coming in about $50 cheaper than many other brand's offerings, Asus's RX 5700 XT has a better cooler than most of its more-expensive counterparts, and the custom PCB design and VRM topology help this card beat the rest that rely on reference designs.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Budget Video Card - Nvidia

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:03:00 +0000

Best budget video card - Nvidia

(Image credit: Gigabyte)

Winner: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 Super Gaming OC

Both faster and cheaper than a stock GTX 1660 Ti, Gigabyte's given this card a solid OC that makes it faster than many more-expensive competitor models.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Budget Video Card - AMD

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:02:30 +0000

Best budget video card - AMD

(Image credit: MSI)

Winner: MSI Radeon RX 5500 XT Mech OC 4GB

Superb build quality combined with cool and quiet running and competitive value make the MSI RX 5500 XT the pick of AMD’s budget bunch.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Premium Motherboard - Intel

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:02:00 +0000

Best Premium Motherboard - Intel

(Image credit: Asus)

Winner: Asus Maximus XI Formula

The Asus ROG Maximus XI Formula is perfectly suited to being the stunning centrepiece of an overclocked RGB watercooled build.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Premium Motherboard - AMD

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:01:30 +0000

Best Premium Motherboard - AMD

(Image credit: Gigabyte)

Winner: Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master

The Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master offers a very well balanced blend of features and design choices combined with a real feel of refinement.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Budget Motherboard - Intel

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:01:00 +0000

Best budget motherboard - Intel

(Image credit: Asus)

Winner: Asus ROG Strix B365-F

The ROG Strix B365-F is a high-end motherboard without the high end price.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Budget Motherboard - AMD

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:00:30 +0000

Best Budget Motherboard - AMD

(Image credit: Asrock)

Winner: Asrock X570 Phantom Gaming 4

The Asrock X570 Phantom Gaming 4 offers a feature list that would be at home on a board costing $100+ more.

All finalists

APCA 2020: Best Motherboard Maker

Australian PC Awards — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:00:22 +0000

Best Motherboard Maker

(Image credit: Asus)

Winner: Asus

Asus motherboards repeatedly impress with their reliability, refinement and continual innovation.

All finalists

Winner: Gold Award

Australian PC Awards — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 12:04:18 +0000

The APCA 2019 Gold Award is presented to the company that most impressed our voters in 2018 for its gear, its people... and just general magnificence!

Winner: Gold Award for Best Company

(Image credit: Future Publishing Australia)