Ultrahuman Ring PRO vs Ring AIR: only one of these is for sale in America

The answer is legal, not technical

Most comparisons on this site come down to fees, battery or evidence. This one comes down to a patent case, so it is worth stating the sequence plainly.

Oura filed a patent complaint at the US International Trade Commission over smart ring hardware design. In August 2025 the ITC issued exclusion and cease-and-desist orders against Ultrahuman, which stopped it importing and selling its rings in the United States. Ultrahuman's response was not an appeal but a redesign: the Ring PRO, built around a titanium unibody architecture intended to sit outside the patent claim. US Customs and Border Protection ruling H354023, dated March 6, 2026, cleared that redesigned ring for import (CBP ruling H354023), and Ultrahuman opened US pre-orders the same month (Ultrahuman press release, Athletech News).

The clearance applies to the redesign, not to the old ring. When we checked Ultrahuman's US store in September 2026, the only ring offered to a US shopper was the Ring PRO (Ultrahuman US). The AIR is still sold on Ultrahuman's global store — and that page carries a warning most buyers skim past: the stock there is “compliant with Indian laws and regulations,” it is your responsibility “to verify, with your local regulatory or competent authorities, whether the Ultrahuman Ring AIR you intend to order or have ordered can be legally imported and used in your country of residence,” and you owe any import fees (Ultrahuman global FAQ).

Side by side

Both rings' own published figures, each cell linked to the page it came from.

The battery gap

This is the headline upgrade and it is a big one. Ultrahuman rates the Ring AIR at “4 to 6 days on a full charge” from a 24 mAh cell, with about 180 minutes needed to fill it from empty. The Ring PRO claims up to 15 days — Ultrahuman breaks that down as roughly 12 days in “Turbo Mode” and more than 15 in “Chill Mode” — and up to 45 days total with the PRO Charging Case included in the box.

Two caveats belong next to those numbers. First, every one of them is the maker's claim, measured “under specific conditions,” in Ultrahuman's own words. Second, the AIR's FAQ is candid about what happens later: about 500 charge cycles, then “a gradual reduction in battery life” after one to two years, with battery replacements not covered beyond the warranty period. Ultrahuman is the only ring maker we found that publishes a cycle figure at all, which we credit it for in our battery lifespan guide. We did not find a matching cycle figure for the PRO.

For context on the third column: RingConn claims 10-12 days for the Gen 2 and ships a case it rates at up to 150 days of top-ups, which is a different kind of answer to the same problem. Our battery life guide reads every claim on the market with its fine print attached.

Size, weight and fit

The AIR is the smaller object: 2.4 to 3.6 grams depending on size, and 2.45 to 2.8 mm thick. Ultrahuman marketed that thinness hard, and if you have worn one you know it genuinely disappears. The PRO carries more battery, so it is not the featherweight the AIR was.

The useful news for anyone upgrading: both rings use the same sizing. Ultrahuman's PRO page says plainly, “If you already know your Ultrahuman Ring AIR size, your Ring PRO will fit just the same,” and both run sizes 5 to 14 with a free sizing kit and no half sizes. Both also warn that Ultrahuman sizes “may differ slightly from standard US ring sizes” — the usual warning from every brand, and the reason our sizing guide tells you to use the kit even if you think you know your size. Sizes do not transfer between brands either: sizing compared shows how far apart they are.

What carried over unchanged

• No subscription. Both rings: “no recurring subscription fees for accessing your data.” Both sell optional paid PowerPlugs and optional UltrahumanX coverage instead, which is a model we are much happier with than a compulsory membership — see Ultrahuman's subscription policy.
• A 100 m water rating. The AIR's FAQ names swimming, showering and scuba diving, while advising against staying submerged for more than 30 minutes at a stretch. The PRO is rated 100 m / 328 ft. Our waterproofing guide reads what those ratings actually permit.
• Titanium, and the same size range. The AIR used titanium with a tungsten carbide carbon coating; the PRO moved to a titanium unibody, which is the part that mattered legally. Both cover sizes 5-14 with a free kit.
• The same app and the same metrics. Heart rate, HRV, temperature, SpO2, sleep stages, movement and recovery. The AIR needed a one-time calibration period of up to seven days, and a hard reset restarts it.

What the evidence says (and does not)

If you already own a Ring AIR

You are not affected by the import question — an exclusion order stops new imports, it does not reach into your hand. Ultrahuman has said it continues to support existing rings, and the AIR's FAQ terms still describe its warranty and battery policy.

Three practical notes:

• Your size carries over. Ultrahuman says a PRO in your AIR size will fit the same, so an upgrade does not mean re-sizing.
• Expect the battery to fade. About 500 cycles, then gradual decline after one to two years, and replacements are not covered beyond the warranty period. Our battery swelling guide covers what to watch for and when to stop wearing it.
• Upgrading is not urgent unless battery is your complaint. The PRO's case is genuinely the biggest change. The sensors and the app are not a different experience.

Who should buy what

• US buyer who wants an Ultrahuman ring: the Ring PRO, from Ultrahuman's US store, and check the ship date before you order.
• US buyer who wants a no-fee ring this week: the RingConn Gen 2. Our no-fee ranking explains why it leads.
• Existing AIR owner: keep it until the battery annoys you, then move to the PRO in the same size.
• Anyone buying on published evidence: neither Ultrahuman ring. Read Oura vs Ultrahuman for the trade you would be making.