The Galaxy Watch 5 is designed for those that are looking for a stylish timepiece to compliment their active lifestyles.
It is one of the best Android smartwatches of 2023.
As a successor to the Galaxy Watch 4, the Galaxy Watch 5 improves upon its predecessor where it mattered most.
In this Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 review, we will take a good look at the Galaxy Watch 5 and what makes it tick.
The new model adopts a more mature design compared to the Galaxy Watch 4’s chunky, aggressively styled case.
The hardware has been enhanced in key areas and it now features larger batteries that should get you through more than one day of active use.
In this latest version, Samsung has also added in a new hiker-inspired activity mode and some updated health monitoring features.
There’s also a new, almost “Garmin-like” training mode that tracks time, distance and calories burned.
The Galaxy Watch 5 is designed for sports and outdoor enthusiasts, as well as fitness nutcases.The pricing should make it more affordable for some and on part with the likes of Garmin watches in terms of price tag.
It’s by no means a mass market offering by any means but does provide a unique offering in its segment.
Samsung Galaxy 5 Features
If you’re a fan of the Gear S3, Galaxy Watch 4, or Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, you will find a lot to love in the Galaxy Watch 5. If you’re new to the Galaxy Watch family, here are some of its key features.
Design and display
The Galaxy Watch 5 design has a scratch resistant display with brightness up to 1000 nits making it a perfect choice for outdoor use.
Samsung took its screen size up to 1.4 inches, which has some positive impacts on usability; on the one hand you’ll have a more usable screen that is easier to read at a quick glance, but on the other hand the smaller size means it only takes a few button presses to accomplish tasks that are normally done via a swipe menu.
The Super AMOLED display is crisp and vibrant, with sharp fonts and vivid colors. You’ll find most Android apps support the watch’s display so you can have a full experience, whether you’re using the Galaxy Watch on your wrist or the phone app.
And there are plenty of watch faces to choose from so that you can customize your watch to better fit your needs and tastes.
Performance and software
With a waterproof capability, he Galaxy Watch 5 is the perfect blend of performance and software customization.
The Google Wear OS continues to perform well, with smooth animations and menus that are easy to navigate.
Taps and swipes are great, and there’s no lag, even in apps that can sometimes be a challenge to use with Wear OS on the Galaxy Watch.
The battery life is impressive given its features, and this is thanks to the extra-large 410 mAh battery inside.
The watch continues to track all of your health metrics via the Samsung Health app, including steps taken, calories burned during exercise, heart rate data from your arm, and more.
Skin temperature sensor
The Galaxy Watch 5’s temperature sensor is a great addition, and is just like the one on the Xiaomi Mi Watch S1 Pro (which also has a useful skin temperature feature).
The sensor can use your body’s heat and sweat to detect if you’re overheating, have fever, or are cool to the touch.
It can account for humidity, barometric pressure, and ambient temperature to determine what is going on with your body.
Not only does the information help to manage your health, but you get to know more about your sleeping patterns.
If you find yourself overheating or having trouble sleeping during a certain season, this can help identify what is going on with your body.
And it’s helpful to know if you have a fever or have overworked out by judging your skin temperature.
Fitness tracking
The Galaxy Watch 5 is one of the best choices for fitness. It has a ton of sensors and tools to track your health and fitness that overlap with other wearables.
The Galaxy Watch 5 can help you manage your stress levels, blood pressure tracking and GPS feature to help actualise your daily health and wellness goals.
The Galaxy Watch 5 also comes with automatic exercise detection and GPS tracking that can monitor your speed in real-time.
You’ll find the heart rate monitor useful for tracking your workout intensity and keeping tabs on your health.
Yes, it’s not as accurate as a chest-strap tracker, but for the price it’s on par with the best fitness trackers on the market.
Sleep tracking
With the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 pro, Samsung continues to offer a great experience for tracking your sleep environment. In these new models, you’ll find an improved sensor that has a broader range and more sensitivity, so it can capture more information about your sleep.
This includes detailed data about when you were awake, and how you were in REM sleep for longer periods than before, which is a much better marker of your health.
In addition to the time of day that you slept, Samsung also collects up to eight other readings.
You’ll find your body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate in addition to the usual stuff like how much time you were in various sleep stages.
It’s very good at measuring your sleep habits and will give you a detailed view of your sleeping tendencies.
now that you know the keys features of the Galaxy Watch 5, let’s now move in the next section of my Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 review to make a comparison with its predecessor.
Galaxy Watch 5 vs Watch 4
The Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 4 have a lot of similarities, but they are mostly different.
The big difference between the two is that the Galaxy Watch 5 has a larger display, larger battery, and an improved sensor for sleep tracking. Performance is also slightly better in the new version, as it has optimized software for faster response times and smoother animations.
The Galaxy Watch 4 is still an excellent smartwatch and one of the best smartwatches to buy in 2023. It delivers many of the same features as the Galaxy Watch 5, but for a lower price. If you don’t mind the smaller display and don’t care about the battery life, this is still a great option.
Galaxy Watch 5 vs Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
The most noticeable difference between the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is in the design and battery life.
The Galaxy Watch 5 is a regular smartwatch, while the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is more of a fashion statement.
It has more detailed design, and it also has a longer battery life than the Galaxy Watch 5. The Samsung Watch 5 pro can last up to 80 hours while the Galaxy Watch 5 can last for up to 50 hours.
Performance-wise both versions are almost identical. They have the same sensors, fitness tracking features, fitness apps, and operating system updates.
The only difference between them is in hardware and software features. That’s understandable given that the Galaxy Watch 5 is a less expensive entry level option.
Should you buy Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 or Watch 5 Pro?
If you’re looking for a smartwatch for your daily use, then we recommend choosing the Galaxy Watch 5 over the Watch 5 Pro.
The smaller design and longer battery life are features that you’ll appreciate.
However, if you want a more premium smartwatch, then the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is your best bet.
The Galaxy Watch 5 is a very good smartwatch, but the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro offers more to look forward to.
The larger screen and longer battery life make it worth upgrading to, especially if you’re looking for a smartwatch that’s closer to a fashion statement, rather than a purely functional device.
That being said, I hope you found my Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 review helpful.