I tried a $170 Oura Ring alternative with no subscription - here's my buying advice

• The Renpho Lynx smart ring is a bare-bones wellness tracker for $170.
• It does a fine job at recording basic health data, and has no subscription.
• It lacks any sort of advanced health tracking features.

With the rise in popularity of the Oura Ring, I've seen lots of ZDNET readers express interest in finding a more affordable alternative. I don't blame them; while the Oura Ring is a leading smart ring, it costs $350 and tops it off with a $70 annual subscription for full access to Oura's data capture. That's no small change. 

Also: I've worn an Oura Ring for years, and this free data tool showed me results my app never has

So when an affordable smart ring slides across my review desk, I'm eager to try it out for myself. The Renpho Lynx smart ring is a $170 ...