I Like This $30 Charging Case Better Than the $99 One Oura Sells.
After more than five years of wearing smart rings, I’ve become convinced I deserve one small luxury when traveling with them: a charging case. Even at home, a charging case is more convenient than a regular charger. Before my recent vacation, I bought myself a $30 charging case, which I like even better than the $99 Oura one.
Why charging cases are important for smart rings
Charging cases are convenient for several reasons. The main one is the feeling of instability when an expensive ring sits on a small stand connected to a long USB cable. I’m almost certain to trip over the cable at some point, causing the ring to fall to the floor.
But with the charging case, the ring not only stays more secure, but it also eliminates the need for a cable. (The charging case has its own battery that needs to be charged with a cable, but only once a month or so.) I also like that I can put the ring in the charging case and then tuck the case away in my pocket. Once the ring is charged, it’s right there with me—no need to go home and get it from my desk or nightstand.
Some smart ring manufacturers include a charging case in the box or offer it as an optional extra. For me, this is a big plus when considering the price-performance ratio. The RingConn 2nd and 3rd generations come with cases with a capacious battery; the Ultrahuman Ring Pro also has a nice, large case. The Samsung Galaxy Ring has a small, clear case, as does the Luna Ring . Oura rings don’t come with a case as standard, but the charging case can be purchased separately for the 4th and 5th generations.
Oura sent me a charging case when it first launched, but it only fit the Oura Ring 4, not the 5 model I currently wear. I typically go on short trips without a charger (since the Ring’s battery lasts about a week) and take the charging dock with me on longer trips. But when I was packing for a recent vacation, I decided to solve this problem once and for all—I decided to try one of the third-party chargers I keep seeing online—one that fits any charging dock. I bought this Tensea charging case .
How I used the Tensea case on a recent trip
I chose this charging case for several reasons. First, it fits various Oura docking stations, and it’s likely compatible with other brands as well. As a bonus, it has a digital display that shows the exact charge level and a transparent lid, allowing you to quickly see whether the ring is inside and whether the charging indicator on the docking station is lit.
These are the features I’d like to see in Oura’s proprietary charging case. Instead, it has just a single LED that changes color depending on the charge level, but sometimes it indicates the ring’s status, and sometimes it indicates the case itself. The Tensea case also has a significantly larger battery than Oura’s. At 7.4 watt-hours, it’s about three times larger than Oura’s 2.5 watt-hour case. Oura claims its case can charge the ring five times, so the Tensea should provide about 15 charges. I used it once, and the battery level dropped to only 96%. It should last me a long time.
However, this type of case isn’t a complete replacement—it requires the addition of a regular charging dock. The one I bought is designed for Oura rings and is sized to accommodate the charging dock that came with your Oura Ring 3, 4, or 5. Simply lift the flip-up USB-C port on the case, plug in the dock, and then flip the dock down to insert it into the case.
This design should work with any USB-C charging dock that fits in the case, so I tried it with the Ultrahuman Ring Air. I’d say it works with the Ultrahuman, but it just doesn’t fit . The ring charged, but I couldn’t close the case to put it in my pocket. However, if I just leave it on my hotel nightstand, it’ll do the job without a cable. (This convinces me that it’s a universal accessory that can be used with many different rings—we’ll see if it works with others I test.)
In any case, the Tensea served its purpose, sitting in my backpack waiting to be used. I only needed it the day I got home, but then I quickly found it in my bag and started charging the ring without having to fumble for a cable or outlet. I’ll definitely use this case on future trips, and I also like it as a wireless charger on my nightstand at home.