Smart rings are in the middle of a renaissance. That’s great because we finally have way more options than just an Oura Ring. The downside is most of Oura’s would-be rivals are launching their first, maybe second-gen smart rings. Meaning, if you want an Oura Ring alternative, there’s a good chance you’ll have to put up with quirks and a distinct lack of polish. The $199.99 Amazfit Helio smart ring is no exception.
Technology
Amazfit Helio Smart Ring review: bargain bin bust
Amazfit isn’t a household name but is well-known among wearable bargain hunters. It’s a compelling brand because its gadgets get you a lot of bang for your buck. That’s the case with the Helio ring, the brand’s first foray into smart rings. It’s primarily a sleep tracker, but it comes with an AI chatbot called Zepp Flow, an AI coaching feature, and it has an electrodermal activity (EDA) sensor for monitoring stress, a blood oxygen sensor, a temperature sensor, and period tracking. It also syncs with popular third-party fitness apps like Adidas Running, Strava, and Komoot, as well as Apple Health and Google Fit. Like the Samsung Galaxy Ring, it works with Amazfit’s other smartwatches so you can double up on data sources — or switch between the two depending on the activity or remaining battery life.
$170
The Good
- No subscription
- Works with Amazfit smartwatches
- Decent sleep and recovery tracking
- Comfortable
The Bad
- Charging case would be better than a dock
- Limited sizes available
- Inconvenient sizing method
- Battery life is unimpressive
That’s a lot packed into a smart ring, and since launching, Zepp permanently cut the price by $100 and offered free lifetime subscriptions to its Aura and Fitness services. On paper, this has the makings of a stellar deal. In reality, there’s always a catch.
In the Helio ring’s case, it’s battery life and limited sizing.
Right now, the best smart rings get you around 4-7 days on a single charge, depending on the size. (Bigger rings, bigger batteries.) The Helio ring is rated for roughly four days on a single charge, but I never managed that. At best, I got around three. That’s not great, Bob. Especially when this is meant to primarily track sleep. I wore it concurrently with the Oura Ring 4 and had to charge it two to three times as often. I also didn’t notice any discernable battery benefits when worn with two separate Amazfit watches. At least with the Galaxy Ring, using it with the Galaxy Watch meant much better battery life because Samsung optimizes which sensors are being used across both devices.
Adding to my battery woes, I don’t love that the ring relies on a dock. My cats delight in knocking these puck-like chargers around when they get the night-time zoomies. I much prefer charging cases, like the ones used by the Galaxy Ring, RingConn, and the Evie Ring.
The other thing about wearables is they have to be, well, wearable. While Oura and Samsung have expanded their size ranges and offer multiple finishes, Amazfit only offers the Helio smart ring in one color and three sizes: 8, 10, and 12. That’s swell if that’s your size — it’s quite lightweight and comfortable, and it hasn’t gotten scratched up like some of my other smart rings. The slim size selection of leaves out many people with smaller hands, particularly women. I happen to fit the size 8, but for some of my friends, this isn’t something they can wear.
Another annoyance: there’s no sizing kit. Getting the right size matters with smart rings, both for accuracy and comfort. Fingers swell and shrink with temperature changes, and while sizing kits can be tedious, they’re useful in the sense you can thoroughly vet which size will work best for 24/7 wear. With the Helio ring, you have to use either a string or a piece of tape to measure the circumference of your finger and then choose based on that measurement. Just, no.
But if you can get past all that, the sleep and health tracking is alright, though it’s best for a big-picture look at your overall trends. For instance, one night during my Christmas holidays, I slept for a glorious 9 hours, 47 minutes per my Oura Ring 4 and 10 hours, 34 minutes per my Eight Sleep bed. The Helio ring logged that as 11 hours and 23 minutes. It’s true I spent around 12 hours that evening doing my best impression of an inert log, but I also spent two hours doomscrolling, consumed by the Blake Lively / Justin Baldoni drama on TikTok. I wouldn’t call that one night accurate, but it correctly logged that I was irregular with my sleep schedule and well-rested that entire week. Other metrics, like blood oxygen, HRV, and stress, were broadly on par with my Oura Ring and Eight Sleep bed.
It’s not a great fitness tracker, though. The activities you can choose from are limited, you’ll need your phone on your for GPS, and it doesn’t automatically track activities either. And, if like me, you occasionally forget to end an exercise, there’s no way to edit the data after the fact. I hope this is something that gets added over time.
The Zepp app is also a mixed bag. The app’s been redesigned since I tested the excellent GTR 4, and I like the cleaner look and straightforward interface. My main beef is it’s difficult to view long-term historical data, which was highly annoying when reviewing metrics for this review. Still, Zepp Flow is one of the better implementations for an AI chatbot I’ve seen in a fitness tracking app. You’ll see weekly insights pop up, and a handful of prompts where you can dig in further with the chatbot. The AI insights are, how shall we say, Captain Obvious levels of basic common sense, but at least it’s speedy, straightforward to use, and easily ignored if that’s not your thing. It’s neat you can get sleep sounds and guided breathing for free via the Zepp Aura tab, but I didn’t use it much. I’ve found I fall asleep best to true crime podcasts. Chances are, you’ve also got a decent idea of what works for you and the Aura stuff isn’t going to trump that unless you’re looking for something new.
I don’t dislike the Helio smart ring. But aside from the price, it’s not a particularly compelling option unless you already have an Amazfit watch. At least then, all your data syncs to the same app. And even then, your Amazfit watch will probably outlast the ring and then what are we really doing here? Maybe a second-gen version or future software will address issues like battery life and bring more sizes. But until then, it’s hard to call this a true bargain.
Agree to Continue: Amazfit Helio Smart Ring
Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate.
To use the Amazfit Helio Smart Ring, you must pair it with an iPhone or Android smartphone. That includes the phone’s Terms of Service, privacy policy, and any other permissions you grant. If you choose to enable Zepp’s Aura or Fitness services, you’re also agreeing to those privacy policies and services. The same goes if you enable third-party integrations.
By setting up the Helio Smart Ring, you’re agreeing to:
Final Tally: Three mandatory agreements, and several optional permissions and agreements.
Amazon has announced a new version of its fully autonomous warehouse robot, Proteus, that will can interact using language instead of code. The expanded capabilities come as part of a growing pivot toward automation as the e-commerce giant replaces its human workers with robots.
Amazon says the AI-powered upgrade means its human employees can assign the robot tasks in the same way they’d communicate with colleagues. Previously, workers would need to use specialized software to direct the floor-level, tortoise-like systems, which are designed for heavy lifting and moving large carts throughout Amazon’s warehouses. “You tell it what needs to be done. It figures out the priority, the route, the timing,” says Scott Dresser, vice president of Amazon Robotics.
The next generation of Proteus will also work across a much larger area than the ones currently in use, which Amazon says only operate in dock areas. “The new system can work anywhere items need to be moved,” the company says. This includes transporting containers as they arrive on site, moving them between workstations, and assisting employees across fulfillment centers and delivery sites.
The new system is currently being piloted in Amazon’s labs, but the company says it has plans to deploy it in Europe during the first half of 2027.
Proteus is part of Amazon’s broader robotics roadmap. It says it has plans to expand its touch-sensitive robot, called Vulcan, and a collaborative tote-handling system first piloted in Barcelona, to more sites across Europe in the coming year.
Amazon says it is “creating new jobs alongside these technologies” and claims to have hired hundreds of thousands of employees globally since introducing robotics into its operations. The company insists its robots are designed to support workers and streamline operations, rather than replace hundreds of thousands of workers with robots.
Technology
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You hear the phrase “dark web monitoring,” and it can feel unsettling. If a company is scanning shady corners of the internet for your information, are they exposing you even more?
That question comes up often. In fact, Joyce from Florida wrote in with a concern many people share:
“When companies scan the dark web for your data, doesn’t that put you at risk? Your information is now out there. Please explain what that really means.” Joyce, Fanning Springs, Fla.
Joyce, great question. A lot of people assume these services are pushing your data somewhere new. That isn’t what is happening. The short answer is simple. No, dark web monitoring does not put your information at risk. Let’s walk through what is really going on.
WHAT REALLY HAPPENS ON THE DARK WEB, AND HOW TO STAY SAFE
Dark web monitoring checks breach dumps, hacker forums and leaked databases for personal information that may already be exposed. (Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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What is dark web monitoring and how does it work
These services are not uploading your data anywhere. They are not spreading your information.
Instead, they are:
- Monitoring known data breach dumps, hacker forums and leaked databases
- Searching for matches to your information, like your email or phone number
- Alerting you if your data is already found there
Here is the key point to understand. Your information is already out there before they ever find it.
Does dark web monitoring expose your data? A simple way to think about it
The simple answer is no. Think of it like checking if your stolen credit card is being used. No one is putting your card out there.
A monitoring service watches for signs that your data is already in use, so you can shut it down quickly.
10 SIGNS YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS BEING SOLD ONLINE
How dark web monitoring works without exposing your information
Reputable services use secure methods to check for your data. They are designed to protect your information during the process.
These include:
- Hashed searches, where your data turns into unreadable code before checking
- Secure databases and APIs that compare data without exposing it
- Monitoring existing breach datasets instead of live personal accounts
They are not:
- Logging into your accounts
- Posting your information
- Interacting with criminals on your behalf
That distinction matters. They are observers, not participants.
Dark web monitoring can help users respond quickly by changing passwords, freezing credit or locking down affected accounts. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
When dark web monitoring could put your data at risk
While the concept itself is safe, the provider you choose matters. There can be a risk if:
- You use an unknown or untrusted service
- A company asks for sensitive documents without a clear reason
- The service itself has weak security and gets breached
That is why it is important to stick with well-known providers that have a strong track record.
BE AWARE OF EXTORTION SCAM EMAILS CLAIMING YOUR DATA IS STOLEN
Why dark web monitoring is actually helpful
Without monitoring, you might never know your data was exposed. That means:
- Your email and password could be circulating for months
- Someone could open accounts in your name
- Your information could be resold again and again
With monitoring, you get an early warning. That gives you time to change passwords, lock accounts and stop fraud before it spreads. In many cases, that early alert is the difference between a close call and a major financial hit.
Ways to stay safe from data breaches and identity theft
Even with monitoring, you should take simple steps to protect yourself.
1) Limit how much data is out there
Use a data removal service to reduce your exposure over time. A data removal service works to remove your personal data from data broker sites. That reduces how much of your information is circulating online in the first place. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com
2) Stick with trusted services
Choose an identity theft protection service with strong security practices and clear privacy policies. They monitor your personal information and alert you quickly if it appears in breaches or suspicious activity. They also include identity theft protection tools in one place. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com
Data breach alerts can warn users when emails, phone numbers or passwords are found in leaked databases. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
3) Watch for alerts and act quickly
If you get a breach alert, change your password right away. Avoid reusing passwords across accounts. A password manager can help. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com
THE ONE THING SCAMMERS CHECK BEFORE TARGETING YOU ONLINE
4) Turn on two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of protection, even if your password is compromised.
5) Freeze your credit if needed
A credit freeze can stop criminals from opening new accounts in your name without your approval.
6) Monitor your financial accounts regularly
Check your bank and credit card statements often to catch suspicious activity early.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Dark web monitoring does not expose your data. It checks whether your data has already been exposed. Think of it as a radar system. It scans for danger so you can respond before things get worse. In a world where data breaches are common, that kind of early warning can make all the difference.
If your personal data was already out there right now, would you want to know or stay in the dark? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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