Quick Links
In 2021, Samsung finallyreleased a smartwatchwith Google’s Wear OS.
The company is back with a sequel, theGalaxy Watch 5.
There was a lot of excitement about last year’s watch.
Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek
Now, Samsung looks to refine the experience.
However, it was not a typical Wear OS smartwatch.
Samsung has its own One UI skin and features on top.
Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek
The Galaxy Watch 5 continues this approach.
There are two different models this year—the Galaxy Watch 5 andWatch 5 Pro.
This review is for the 40mm Galaxy Watch 5.
Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek
Samsung stuck with the same design this year, but that’s a good thing.
The design works for many situations with a simple band swap.
I have both watches and the Watch 5 is visibly thicker.
Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek
However, I will say it doesn’t feel thicker.
The contours on the back help with that.
I’m not a fan of chunky watches and the Watch 5 doesn’t fit that mold.
Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek
I mentioned bands earlier, and Samsung has once again stuck with standard lugs.
you could use any regular watch band that fits the Watch 5 model you have.
No proprietary straps here.
The bigger story, though, is the new sapphire display.
Sapphire is significantly stronger than the previously used Gorilla Glass displays.
Theoretically, the sapphire display should stay scratch-free forever—though it can still get cracked.
Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek
Sticking with durability, the Watch 5 has an IP68water and dust resistance rating, and is MIL-STD-810H compliant.
The water resistance goes up to 50m, making it a perfect swimming companion.
This is a watch that can handle your day-to-day.
Joe Fedewa / How-To Geek
Under that display is an Exynos W920 processor and 1.5GB of RAM.
Samsung watches run Wear OS very well.
I haven’t run into any lag or bugginess.
Samsung
Overall, this is an attractive watch that can easily fit right in with your personal style.
It has a very durable display, buttons that feel good, and solid performance.
This is one of the biggest features when it comes to smartwatches.
A bigger, thicker version of the standard Galaxy Watch 5 with better battery life and titanium design.
The Galaxy Watch 5 has a slightly bigger battery than last year’s Watch 4.
Whether or not that makes a difference to you depends on your usage.
People who use their watch for sleep tracking may notice more improvements than others.
As someone who charges every night, I’ve never run into the “low battery” warning.
I could easily use the “Always-On Display” feature and still make it through the day.
The days where battery life struggles a bit more are when I’m tracking activities.
In general, I give the battery life a passing grade.
Samsung has also finally switched the charger to USB-C, which makes for faster charging and easier traveling.
Software
The Galaxy Watch 5 runs Wear OS 3.5 with Samsung’s One UI 4.5 enhancements.
It’s a nice blend of functionality.
The software experience is very good.
Everything is only a couple of swipes away.
I never feel like I’m using the watch too long to accomplish something.
The biggest problem with Samsung watches before the company switched to Wear OS was lack of apps.
That’s no longer an issue.
you might now download apps and watch faces directly from the good ‘ol Google Play Store.
Google Assistant can be set as the default assistant app and be mapped to long-pressing the home button.
Wear OS with One UI is essentially exactly what it sounds like.
It’s Google, it’s Samsung, and they mostly work well together.
The combination of hardware and software makes the Watch 5 a worthy workout companion.
Samsung’s Health appis much more comprehensive than Google Fit.
The thicker design is thanks to an improved sensor, which Samsung says makes better contact with your skin.
Speaking of that new sensor, it includes the ability to measure temperature.
However, it’s not terribly useful.
There’s no way to take a temperature reading on demand.
It’s apparently being used for sleep tracking and may be put to more use in the future.
Personally, fitness is one of the areas that I care about the most for smartwatches.
For my money, Samsung stands only behind Apple when it comes toconsumer-friendly fitness smartwatches.
What About the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro?
So what’s the difference?
As briefly mentioned, there are a couple of things to note.
Size is another big difference.
It’s a big watch, coming in at 46mm in diameter and 10.5mm thick.
The body is made of titanium as well.
Basically, the Pro version is a bigger, beefier version of the standard Watch 5.
All of that comes at a price—$450 to be exact.
A bigger, thicker version of the standard Galaxy Watch 5 with better battery life and titanium design.
Should You Buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5?
It’s time to answer the big question—is theSamsung Galaxy Watch 5worth buying?
As always, that depends on where you’re coming from and the phone you use.
The Galaxy Watch 5 is easily the closest competitor to theApple Watch.
Samsung has done an impressive job at rivaling Apple’s great fitness features.
It’s not quite on the same level, but it’s very close.
If you want the Apple Watch equivalent on Android, the Watch 5 is your play.
You won’t notice a ton of improvements compared to the Watch 4.
However, Tizen-based Samsung watch owners will notice a big difference.
Google apps and a much better app ecosystem can’t be overstated.
Plus, you’re not giving up the Samsung features you know.
However, this is a super solid, polished, and refined smartwatch.
It perfectly blends the line between fitness companion and high-class watch.
