Samsung held its annual Unpacked event on August 10 where we got our first look at many new devices in the company’s lineup, including two new foldable phones in the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Galaxy Fold 4 as well as the new Galaxy Buds 2 Pro premium wireless headphones. We also saw two new smartwatches for the first time: the mainstream Galaxy Watch 5 and the all-new rugged Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. There’s a lot in every watch to talk about, so let’s dive into it.
How to pre-order the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro
The Galaxy Watch 5 will start at $279.99 for regular Bluetooth versions and $329.99 for one with LTE. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will be more expensive, at a price of $449.99 for Bluetooth and $499.99 for LTE. Both are up for pre-order today, August 10, and go on sale August 25.
As always, Samsung is running special promotions through its online store to celebrate. Those who pre-order one of the new watches will be able to receive a Wireless Charger Duo, savings of up to $125 with a Galaxy Watch trade-in, and $50 Samsung credit. If you order from Best Buy, you will get a $40 gift card with 5 watch or one $60 gift card with a Watch 5 Pro.
Samsung is also announcing that it will be selling a special Golf edition that can help give instructions and recommendations to golfers on the course. It will come with custom watch faces, a lifetime subscription to the Smart Caddy app and a unique two-tone strap. It will cost a bit more than the regular Watch 5, starting at $329.99 for Bluetooth models. It is available exclusively through samsung.com.
On the surface, the Galaxy Watch 5 isn’t much different from the Galaxy Watch 4. It offers a very similar aluminum design that comes in the same 40mm and 44mm sizes. There are new colors this time around – the 40mm gets Graphite, Rose Gold and Silver, while the 44mm model comes in Graphite, Sapphire and Silver. Both sizes come with 1.2-inch and 1.4-inch Super AMOLED displays with 396 x 396 and 450 x 450 resolutions respectively.
It’s identical to what the Galaxy Watch 4 offered, but what the new version improves on outdoor displays. Samsung uses its new Sapphire Crystal glass, which is 60% harder than before, helping to further prevent cracks and scratches. It’s also worth pointing out that Samsung is now branding the aluminum body as “Armor Aluminum”, which is the same material you’ll see on the new Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 phones.
The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is Samsung’s toughest watch yet, with a titanium body and an even tougher sapphire crystal display. The bezel is raised around the screen to add extra protection, and it comes with a selection of sturdier bands. It offers the same 1.4-inch Super AMOLED screen as the 44mm Watch 5, but it’s only available in that size, with a much beefier form factor that’s thicker and heavier than standard watches. . The Watch 5 Pro felt noticeably heavier than the standard Watch 5 in our short time, but not to the point where it was uncomfortable to wear.
Additionally, all three variants of the Watch 5 come with 5ATM and IP68 certifications (meaning they can withstand a quick swim or shower) as well as military-grade drop protection.
The Galaxy Watch 5 series uses the same 3-in-1 bioactive sensor that debuted on the Watch 4, which combines optical heart rate, electrical heart signal, and bioelectrical impedance analysis sensors into a single unit. . This powers all the normal fitness features you’d expect, like heart rate tracking, body composition monitoring, electrocardiogram (ECG) support and blood oxygen levels. Samsung says the Watch 5 is now able to get more accurate readings from these sensors when on your wrist. Plus, the company has added a new temperature sensor that uses infrared technology so you can stay on top of your well-being.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro adds a new fitness feature: GPX compatibility. GPX is a file format that can track routes, waypoints, and more by saving data captured by a GPS. With the Watch 5 Pro, Samsung uses technology to track route workouts, perfect for when you’re on a hike or bike ride and want to remember the path you’ve taken. Your watch will also provide turn-by-turn directions to help you get back.
When it’s time to recover from a workout, Samsung says the new Galaxy Watch 5 series offers an enhanced suite of tools like personalized water intake recommendations based on sweat loss. and post-cardio heart rates. Sleep tracking is also better on the Watch 5, thanks to new Sleep Scores that monitor your downtime stages and provide information on snoring, blood oxygen levels and more. New sleep coaching features are also integrated to guide you on the way to better sleep.
The Galaxy Watch 5 series comes with larger batteries across the board. According to Samsung, the 40mm and 44mm Watch 5 models have 284mAh and 410mAh cells respectively, which are 13% larger than the Watch Series 4. That’s pretty reassuring to hear – the Watch Series 4 doesn’t didn’t really do well in the battery department, so any improvements are welcome.
On the other hand, those who want the best battery life might want to look at the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. Samsung says the watch comes with a 590mAh cell, 60% larger than what was available in the Watch 4. That may translate to several days of use on a full charge, but we’ll have to test that of course. to find out if it’s true.
The software that ships on the Watch Series 5 is Wear OS 3.5 with Samsung’s One UI Watch on top. According to the company, the updated interface will support a “fuller” typing experience, easier ways to make phone calls, and a new suite of accessibility features. It’s not a major update like Wear OS 3 was for the Watch 4 last year, but at least there’s something new.
What doesn’t change are the specs under the hood. The Watch Series 5 comes with the same Exynos W920 dual-core processor as last year along with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage. Bluetooth 5.2, LTE and the same Wi-Fi standards are also back, so don’t expect any major connectivity upgrades.
The Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro Look like solid upgrades over last year’s Galaxy Watch line, but at least on paper there doesn’t seem to be much to justify a year-over-year upgrade for many people. However, the Watch 5 Pro might appeal to those who want a smartwatch that’s tougher than regular watches and lasts longer on a charge.
We’ll have a review of the new Galaxy Watch 5 smartwatches soon, so stay tuned.