Circular Ring 3 Pro and Slim add NFC payments and on-finger vibration alerts

Circular splits its lineup in two

Smart ring maker Circular has unveiled the Ring 3 series, a two-model follow-up to the Ring 2 that debuted at CES 2025. The line consists of a feature-rich Pro and a lighter, more compact Slim, and both share two headline additions: an integrated NFC chip for contactless payments and a vibration motor that delivers alerts directly on the finger. According to TechCrunch, pricing and pre-order details will be announced in the coming months, with availability expected in early 2027.

Ring 3 Pro

The Pro model carries forward the health tracking that distinguished its predecessor, including FDA-cleared ECG for atrial fibrillation detection, as The Verge notes. TechCrunch reports that it also offers blood pressure trend tracking, glucose tracking, advanced sleep analysis and broader biometric monitoring. Physically, the ring is slimmer than the Ring 2, with The Verge reporting that titanium is now used on both the inner and outer structures for improved durability.

Battery life is rated at up to 12 days, up from seven days on the previous generation. The Verge adds that Circular achieved this despite using a smaller capacity battery, helped by a wireless charging case that can top the ring up five to six times before it needs to be plugged in.

Ring 3 Slim

The Slim is thinner and lighter still, and according to The Verge it swaps the titanium interior for a nonmetallic "biocompatible epoxy" to cut weight and bulk — a detail worth noting because TechCrunch describes both models as titanium steel, so the two reports differ on the Slim's construction.

Feature-wise, the Slim keeps the Pro's photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors for heart rate and blood oxygen readings, alongside sleep tracking, heart rate variability, skin temperature and daily activity tracking. What it drops is the ECG sensor and AFib detection. Battery life is rated at up to 10 days.

Circular CEO Amaury Kosman said in a company announcement shared with TechCrunch that the Slim exists because not every buyer wants a full complement of health sensors — many simply want an attractive, compact ring that covers essential wellness tracking while still offering the convenience of contactless payments.

Haptics and tap-to-pay

The vibration feature, present on both models, can be used for silent wake-up alarms, medication reminders, vital health alerts and guided breathing exercises, according to TechCrunch. The Verge frames the NFC capability similarly: it lets wearers make contactless payments without reaching for a phone or wallet, which is a relatively uncommon feature in the current smart ring field.

Shared hardware

Beyond those additions, both Ring 3 models offer 50-metre water resistance, wireless charging and sizing from 6 to 14. The colour options carried over from the Ring 2: gold, rose gold, silver and black.

Why it matters

The Ring 3 launch lands in a smart ring market that has become noticeably more crowded. As TechCrunch points out, the announcement follows the releases of the Oura Ring 5 and RingConn Gen 3, so differentiation now matters more than baseline tracking, which most competitors already offer.

NFC payments and on-finger haptics are Circular's answer to that pressure. Payments turn the ring into a wallet replacement in a form factor that is easier to carry than a watch, while vibration alerts enable silent alarms and reminders without a screen or speaker — a natural fit for a device worn at night for sleep tracking.

The two-model strategy also mirrors how phone makers segment their lineups: a Pro for users who want clinical-grade features like FDA-cleared ECG, and a Slim for buyers prioritising comfort and design. Much will depend on the still-unannounced pricing, and on how well NFC payments and haptic feedback work in practice when the rings arrive in early 2027.