Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: Price, Release Date, Specs, and News. Galaxy watch 5 lte

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: Price, Release Date, Specs, and News

Tim Fisher has more than 30 years’ of professional technology experience. He’s been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.

In This Article

A new smartwatch from Samsung arrived in 2022. Below is everything you need to know about the Galaxy Watch 5, including when it launched, how much it costs, what it looks like, and its features and improvements over the previous version.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Release Date

Samsung is like most tech companies with annual product line updates: they’re typically consistent up to the month each year.

The Galaxy Watch 5 was verified on August 10, 2022, at the Samsung Unpacked event. You’ve been able to purchase the Galaxy Watch 5 on Samsung’s website since August 26. It launched along with the Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 phones.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Price

There are discounts if you have a trade-in, otherwise, these were the at launch:

Galaxy Watch 5

Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

For comparison, two versions of the Galaxy Watch 4 were available in two sizes. It launched at 249.99 for the smallest wearable, with other options priced up to 200 more for the largest Classic edition with LTE.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Features

One early idea was that this would be the first Galaxy Watch with a rollable display. You read that right: a screen you can roll out to make it larger!

How do we know this? Beyond seeming like a natural addition to Samsung’s other extendable-display devices, there are patents to back it up, which even describe a camera in the center. It wasn’t ready for this year’s watch, and we won’t know for sure until we uncover some reliable leaks if it’ll ever be real. For now, this news (details below) is just for fun, so stay tuned for updates.

What did come to the 2022 Galaxy Watch are things typical for any next-gen wearable, like better battery life, improved physical design, and new straps. It would also be nice to see wider compatibility—opening the phone up for full use with non-Samsung devices would undoubtedly be appreciated by iPhone and other Android users.

Only the Pro variant has route workout, but all versions include sleep tracking. This lets you plan your bedtime and can detect snoring and understand and track sleep stages (e.g., light sleep or REM).

The BioActive sensor in the watch controls three health sensors: Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis sensor for things like body fat percentage and skeletal muscle weight, Electrical Heart sensor for real-time ECG tracking to check for irregular rhythm, and Optical Heart Rate sensor to track cardiovascular health and detect unusual heart rates.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Specs and Hardware

There are three variants: 40mm, 44mm, and 45mm versions, with the latter/larger adopting the “Pro” name. The two smaller versions come in Silver, Gray, Gold, and Blue, depending on the one you get; the Watch 5 Pro comes in Gray Titanium and Black Titanium.

The face uses Samsung’s first sapphire crystal glass display (versus Corning Gorilla Glass in the Watch 4). The 40mm and 44mm watches are made of Armor Aluminum, while titanium is used for the Watch 5 Pro.

Here are the rated capacities of each version: 573mAh for Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, 398 mAh for the larger watch, and 276 mAh for the smaller version. According to Samsung, it takes about half an hour to charge from dead to 45 percent, due to the bigger battery and fast charging. For the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, you can expect up to 80 hours of use (20 hours with GPS enabled) on a single charge.

We mentioned a rollable display above. Obviously, this isn’t ready for the Galaxy Watch just yet, but if it ever does happen, the screen could be extendable up to 40 percent. But we don’t know its size in the compact/standard position.

LetsGoDigital’s analysis of the patent shows you’ll be able to manage the roll effect by pressing the crown on the side of the watch or by swiping on the screen. Also apparent from the patent illustrations is a camera that will presumably let you take photos and videos directly from the watch and possibly allow for face unlock for increased security.

Samsung filed that patent in late 2021, so it’s definitely for a future device, like the Galaxy Watch 6 or something the company is just beginning to dream up. This same is true for this patent LetsGoDigital details of another rollable design, supporting rotation, and a larger overall display. Essentially, it looks like a phone for your wrist.

When fully extended, the screen is twice as large as in the most compact position. Where 12 icons can be displayed as standard, this is 24 in the expanded position. this can be deduced from the patent illustrations.

See this PDF of the patent for all the images. LetsGoDigital admits this patent details a watch unlikely to be released in 2022, let alone anytime in the next few years.

Remember, it’s common for companies to have patents for products that never see the light of day or won’t come out for years after the approval date.

The Latest News About the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

You can get more Smart and connected news from Lifewire. Here are some early rumors and other stories about the Galaxy Watch 5:

Brilliant features – but that one-day battery life is back

TechRadar Verdict

Demure, stylish, and very Smart – everything, from the Galaxy Watch 5’s third-party app support to its fitness features, impresses. The main drawback is the one-day battery life, so if you’re not okay with a nightly charge, look to the Pro – or a less Smart alternative.

Pros

  • Comprehensive app support
  • Powerful fitness features
  • Durable and lightweight

Cons

Why you can trust TechRadar

We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: two-minute review

If you’ve used a Galaxy Watch 4 in the past, operations on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 will feel very familiar. Because of the similarities between the 4 and the 5, those upgrading from the Galaxy Watch 3 or older will enjoy the differences, with the 5 really feeling like a shiny and new toy. The jump won’t feel as big for Watch 4 users.

Launching alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Z Fold 4, and the new Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, the Galaxy Watch 5 is a powerful smartwatch that runs Google’s Wear OS. That means plenty of apps out of the box, and good – albeit not Apple Watch-beating – smartphone integration.

Just like the Watch 4, the Watch 5 comes in two sizes and a host of colors. We tested the smaller, 40mm option. You can also pick up the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which promises better battery life and a more durable build.

When you unbox the Watch 5, you’ll notice its neutral and subtle styling. The robust metal frame is paired with a sapphire glass fascia that’s hardier than ever – definitely tough enough for day-to-day life in our time with it.

Interaction with the watch, and Wear OS in general, was intuitive enough. The 40mm option might be too small for clumsy fingers, but we didn’t struggle with it, especially once we got used to the buttons and touch commands.

One gripe we have with the Watch 5 is the lack of data synchronization between Samsung’s fitness features and Google Fit, despite plenty of overlap between the two services. It would’ve been nice if exercise records including step counts could be easily shared between the two. That said, once you decide on the tracking service you want to use, options are abundant, with the MapMyRun and Strava apps downloadable through the Google Play Store, in addition to other tools like MyFitnessPal and Lifesum.

Still, the Watch 5 has a lot to offer, including the most accurate sleep tracking we’ve used on a smartwatch, outperforming the Withings ScanWatch Horizon. The Galaxy Watch 5 also offers accurate heart rate monitoring, in comparison to data acquired via a chest strap, and a generally impressive GPS on runs. So this is definitely a powerful wearable, despite its compact size.

The thing that holds Samsung’s latest wearable back from perfection, at least in its 40mm version, is a paltry battery life. If you can handle a daily charge and want a small, subtle digital timepiece with Smart app support, the Galaxy Watch 5 could be for you. For anyone who wants all the Watch 5’s features and superior battery life, though, the new Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the option to go for.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: price and availability

  • Available in two sizes – 40mm and 44mm
  • Starts at £269 / 279.99 / AU499
  • Also available with LTE (via eSIM)

Both the Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro are available to buy right now, with retailers including most of your usual suspects and Samsung’s online store.

Pricing has increased across the board for Samsung’s Watch line since last year’s Watch 4, and as with last year’s launch, the Galaxy Watch 5 arrives in two sizes, each available in both Bluetooth-only and Bluetooth plus LTE cellular configurations.

The smaller, 40mm Watch 5 starts at £269 / 279.99 / AU499, and if you want to pick up the LTE version, it’ll bump up the price to £319 / 329.99 / AU599. For anyone who fancies the larger 44mm Watch 5, it costs £289 / 299 / AU549 in its base configuration, and £339 / 349 / AU649 with LTE.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: design

  • Lightweight at 28.7g (40mm) / 33.5G (44mm)
  • Each size’s watch body is available in three colors
  • A range of strap options available

The Galaxy Watch 5 brings back the distinct, contemporary stylings we were introduced to with last year’s Watch 4. If you’re coming from a Galaxy Watch 3 or Watch 4 Classic, though, everything’s very different. There’s no rotating bezel in sight – instead, you interact with an invisible digital bezel around the screen.

If you’re new to the Galaxy Watch line, the core watch screen is one side of a polished metal disc, while on the reverse is the heart rate monitor and other health sensors. A brushed aluminum frame contrasts against the polished disc nicely, holding it in place, while also playing host to the two buttons on the right side, and the arms that connect the watch body to its bands.

The smaller 40mm model comes in Graphite (black), Pink Gold, or Silver, while the larger 44mm version swaps out Pink Gold for Sapphire (a muted mid-tone blue). With Samsung’s Bespoke service, available on Samsung.com, the range of color options goes far beyond those four options.

Bespoke is a service that lets you mix and match straps with the watch body, and it spans more than just wearables, with the Galaxy Z Flip 4 letting buyers customize their foldable. On the Watch 5, once you’ve picked your case color, you can choose from a range of bands – there are 11 Sports Band colors (the Sports is the default Band that ships with the Watch 5), two D-Buckle Sports Bands (the default Band type that ships with the 5 Pro), a Global Goals Band, a Hybrid Leather Band, Ridged and Extreme Sports Bands, and finally, a Milanese Band.

The Watch 5’s silicone Band material is also hairy-wrist-friendly, and has a perpetual matte texture that keeps it from tugging on the skin too. For someone not used to wearing a smartwatch, the Watch 5 is a soft landing when it comes to comfort. It isn’t too big, and the default Sports Strap keeps it in place.

Despite offering bigger batteries in this year’s lineup (making both sizes about 3 grams heavier), the footprint of the Watch 5 hasn’t grown at all, compared to the Watch 4. Side by side, though, the sensors on the Watch’s undercarriage do poke out a little more than on last year’s model. This isn’t just to accommodate the bigger batteries – Samsung says this results in more accurate tracking.

Interacting with the watch is intuitive enough – it’s a story of swipes, taps, and button presses. The right-hand buttons have reassuring click feedback, and the screen is responsive to the touch, as is the digital bezel.

Samsung’s Watch 5 also benefits from IP68-certified ingress protection against dust and water, swim-proofing up to 5 ATM, and MIL-STD-810H approval, meaning it’s tested to withstand challenging conditions – including hard knocks and drops, temperature extremes, and more.

In our time with the watch, we dinged the screen against a metal table frame, and despite being convinced it was a goner when we felt it thud, the Watch 5 came off totally unscathed.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: display

  • 40mm Watch 5 features 1.19-inch display
  • 44mm Watch 5 features 1.39-inch display
  • High-quality, bright, sharp and responsive

Both Watch 5 sizes have circular Super AMOLED screens, with the 40mm model’s screen measuring 1.19-inch and the 44mm model’s screen sporting a larger 1.39-inches.

Slightly sharper than the Apple Watch 7 at 330ppi, it’s interesting to see Samsung steer clear of square and rectangular alternative designs, despite most of its competition – Amazfit with the GTS series, Huawei with its Watch Fit, and Fitbit going that route.

The Watch 5’s display quality is very good. It gets bright, at up to 1,000 nits, so is easy to see outdoors, and Samsung’s fun watch faces look lively and punchy. In fact, the whole interface consistently overlays rich, vibrant-colored elements over inky, deep blacks that disappear into the bezel, making for an engaging UI.

The big upgrade to the Watch 5’s display isn’t in its tech, but materials, though. It uses a far tougher sapphire crystal that’s 60% stronger than the cover glass found on the Watch 4, according to Samsung, and as we mentioned, after a few knocks, it proved itself to be hardy enough for us.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: software and performance

  • Runs Wear OS 3 with Samsung One UI Watch
  • Powerful features and strong app support
  • Optimized for Samsung but works with most Android smartphones

Running Wear OS 3, both Google and Samsung are still finding their feet in the wider smartwatch space. The operating system is richer when it comes to apps and features than those of the semi-smartwatch competition like the Huawei GT 3, but you don’t quite get the polish Apple’s watchOS brings to the table.

Samsung’s interface is called One UI Watch, and interaction with it is very familiar if you’re coming from another smartwatch. Swipe to the left-hand screen to see notifications, and keep swiping through the screens to the right of the watch face to cycle through your tiles. These are rich widgets of sorts, each giving you a peek into an app or feature, or a shortcut to the full experience.

You can quickly toggle elements by swiping from the top of the watch, and a swipe up pulls your apps tray into view – just like on an Android smartphone. If you want to change your watch face, that can be done by long-pressing it, or through the smartphone app.

As for the smartphone app(s), to get the Watch 5 synchronized with your phone, you’ll need to download the Galaxy Wearable app. Yep – while it runs Google’s Wear OS, the Watch 5 won’t work with the Wear OS app.

Once you install Galaxy Wearable from the Play Store (if you’re using a non-Samsung smartphone), you can pair and customize your Watch 5’s Smart features. You’re not done, though. First, you need to download an altogether different app, Samsung Health, to take advantage of any of its health tools, and then you’ll need the Watch 5 Plugin before you can really start using your wearable.

If you don’t have the watch paired with a Samsung phone, there are a few compromises out of the gate. The camera app is missing from the Watch 5, so you can’t use your timepiece as a viewfinder and remote shutter for your smartphone. You also can’t install Health Monitor – (yes, another app) that’s needed for ECG and blood pressure measuring – so these measuring tools are out of bounds. If none of that concerns you, though, then everything else on the Watch 5 seems to work well on non-Samsung Android phones, though there’s no iOS support.

A Google heart in a Samsung body, the duality of Google’s Wear OS and Samsung’s interface extends far and wide. First, let’s talk about voice assistants. The Watch 5 features Bixby, Samsung’s own assistant by default, which works well once you’re signed into your Samsung account. You can switch it out, however, to Google Assistant if you so choose after a deep dive into the settings, so a long press of the top button fires up the big G.

Samsung Pay is also installed by default, but if you’re more of a Google Wallet user, then you can switch to that instead. While we love how Samsung has opened up its Watch family to choice, there’s no getting around the fact that the whole experience just feels way more fragmented than Apple’s watchOS, and when you scratch the surface, more confusing too.

As for pre-installed apps, Samsung loads up Galaxy Buds, Outlook, Global Goals, and more out of the gate. You can uninstall these, but the first two in particular are overkill.

One feature we do love is the phone call functionality of the Watch 5. Unlike some other smartwatches, you can initiate calls from the Watch 5 too, calling anyone in your phonebook hands-free (but not wrist-free). Volume was loud, and our voice was heard clearly too – though the feature won’t work well if you’ve recently submerged the Watch.

Additionally, SmartThings integration also pairs your sleep cycle with your connected Smart home, meaning lights can be set to dim or switch off, and other IoT devices will refrain from making noise when the Watch 5 detects that you’re going to sleep.

Samsung’s smartwatches are seldom criticized for lackluster performance, but last year’s Watch 4 nevertheless introduced a notably more powerful chipset in the company’s own 5nm Exynos W920. This made an already good-value-smartwatch even better, future-proofing performance and delivering better power efficiency.

The Galaxy Watch 5 runs on the same W920 silicon paired with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage (for apps and media). Performance is solid: we experienced zero slowdown, app crashes, or glitches, both across pre-installed and third-party apps.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: fitness features

  • Tracks over 100 workouts
  • ECG, heart rate, and body fat measuring tools
  • Improved sleep tracking and guidance

You might be thinking that Wear OS means the Watch 5 syncs with Google Fit, and it does, but not by default. Out of the box, this is a Samsung Health gadget (and Samsung Health doesn’t sync with Google Fit). You can, however, install Google Fit and switch out your defaults, but you’ll be saying goodbye to the integrated metric monitoring Samsung’s Watch makes a big deal of – specifically, sleep and body composition.

Starting with sleep, Samsung Health’s new sleep tracking system includes more in-depth guidance and promises to deliver better insights into your slumber, going so far as to automatically serve up a month-long sleep plan.

While we weren’t able to generate anything too meaningful with the seven nights of sleep data we fed the app, we did get tips every night on our phone, and we found out that our sleep animal is a lion. While some of the sleep tips given felt obvious and generic, others were more meaningful – dissuading us from excessive napping, for example. The Samsung Health app also gamified sleep, and rewarded us with badges for consistent bedtimes.

We found the sleep tracking accuracy to be excellent, outperforming that of the Withings ScanWatch HR, which tended to be too generous with our sleep scores. What made sleep tracking difficult was the fact that by nighttime, our Watch 5’s battery was already very low on heavy-use days, even with a morning charge. This forced us to charge it up in a rush just so it would make it through a sleep, so we could track it for this review. We had the same issue with the Apple Watch, though not Huawei, Garmin or Withings watches.

At the heart of the Watch 5’s health tracking is its BioActive Sensor, which is actually an array of multiple sensors. This is responsible for sleep tracking, heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring, and ECG and body composition analysis, which measures everything from water retention and body fat percentage to bone density.

Exercise tracking on the Watch 5 is consistently good, with the automatic exercise detection firing up reliably after 10 minutes of walking, and manual workouts delivering heart rate measurements that matched our chest strap relatively closely.

The GPS was also accurate, though the metric that was most at odds with our other tools was the bodyfat measurement. This isn’t surprising – different mechanisms for measuring bodyfat generally generate different results. That said, if you just use the Watch 5, it sets a reliable starting point, even if it isn’t as accurate as a caliper or full body measure.

While there’s no Apple Fitness Plus style service from Samsung, which means the watch can’t feed into a polished TV workout and display on-screen heart rate, third-party solutions like FIIT are available and work well.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: battery

  • Higher capacity battery than Watch 4 series
  • 40mm Watch 5 lasts one full day with 30m exercise
  • New USB-C charging faster and more convenient

With only a small 13% increase in capacity over the Watch 4, while the Watch 5 should offer better battery life than its predecessor, expecting more than a day from it is optimistic.

As far as numbers go, the 40mm model has a 284mAh battery, while the larger 44mm option clocks in at 410mAh; we only tested the former. If you don’t use any exercise tracking and fire up the power-saving feature, you might eke out a couple of days from the watch, but you really have to make an effort. If, like us, you use your watch as a pedometer and track around 30-60 minutes of exercise a day, you’ll need a charge every 24 hours.

What Samsung has markedly improved is the charging process for the Watch 5, thanks to a new USB-C-ended charger. On top of charging the Watch 30% faster, the new USB-C charger works when plugged into most USB-C phones. So even if you don’t have a Samsung phone with Wireless Power Share, your smartphone can still top up your Galaxy Watch 5.

Scorecard

DesignDisplaySoftware and performanceFitness featuresBatteryValue
Neutral at its core with highly customizable flourishes through Samsung’s Bespoke service plus premium, hardy build quality. 4.5/5
Bright, easy to see, responsive and vibrant – while the 40mm size may be too small for some, Samsung offers options and all sport quality displays. 4.5/5
While the Watch 5 performs well, if you don’t use a Samsung smartphone, your experience is dialed back. notably, the crossover between Samsung and Google’s fitness features, and lack of syncing between Samsung Health and Google Fit are frustrating. 3.5/5
Loads of fitness features, accurate tracking and a new temperature sensor make the Watch 5 one of the best smartwatches for casual exercisers. 4.5/5
Specifically with regard to the 40mm version, if you don’t work out, you might scrape through two days; but if you do, expect no more than a day of battery life from the Watch 5. If you’re coming from a long-lasting smartwatch like the Huawei Watch GT series, it’s a serious adjustment. 2/5
The Galaxy Watch 5 is a powerful smartwatch that packs loads of features, which help to justify its price. 4/5

Buy it if.

You like clean and simple style You’ve heard of the little black dress? This is the little black watch – it goes with everything thanks to its neutral, clean, elegant style.

You want apps and use Android The Apple Watch of the Android world, the Samsung Galaxy Watch runs Wear OS, so has superior app support to alternatives like the Huawei GT and Amazfit GTR series.

You’re a casual exerciser who means business The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 isn’t a sports watch in the typical sense – this won’t survive a triathlon before its battery conks out. That said, it has powerful fitness-tracking features, so for anyone who’s more 10k and gym every other day, it could fit the bill perfectly.

Don’t buy it if.

You aren’t prepared to charge your watch nightly There’s no getting around it: just like the Apple Watch, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch is Smart, powerful, and has really mediocre battery life for a watch. If you’re okay charging every day, that’s great. If you’re not, look to the much less Smart Huawei Watch GT 3 or Withings ScanWatch Horizon.

You don’t have a Samsung phone and suffer from FOMO To get the most from the Galaxy Watch 5, you need a Samsung phone. That way, your watch can double up as a camera viewfinder, take your ECG reading, and more. Non-Samsung Android users don’t get those features, and iPhones simply won’t pair with the Watch 5.

You like rotating crowns and bezels Everything about the Galaxy Watch 5’s interaction is digital other than its buttons, so if you’re coming from a Watch 3 or Watch 4 classic, and are hoping for a rotating bezel, or an Apple Watch-style crown, you’re out of luck.

Also consider

Huawei Watch GT 3 Dialed back smarts meet dialed up battery life – the GT 3 can last a full two weeks on a single charge. So if you just want your timepiece to tell the time and track your workouts, this could be the Galaxy Watch 5 alternative for you. Check out our Huawei Watch GT 3 review

Withings ScanWatch Horizon With its more premium, almost Omega Seamaster-styling, and long-lasting battery life, while the Withings ScanWatch Horizon isn’t as Smart as the Galaxy Watch 5, it’ll last a whole lot longer. Check out our Withings ScanWatch Horizon review

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro All the features of the Watch 5 (and a few extra), with more unique styling and a larger battery, the Watch 5 Pro will give you a few days on a single charge, and features a more premium clasp strap. Check out our Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Review

I’m PCMag’s expert on fitness and Smart home technology, and I’ve written more than 6,000 articles and reviews in the 10-plus years I’ve been here. I unbox, set up, test, and review a wide range of consumer tech products from my home in Florida, often with the help of my pitbull Bradley. I’m also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade.

The Bottom Line

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 improves on a winning formula with a more durable design and longer battery life than its predecessors, making it the best Android-compatible smartwatch on the market.

PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Pros

  • Competitive price
  • Sleek design
  • Bright, durable display
  • Good app selection
  • Slight battery life improvement over previous generation
  • Digital bezel for quick scrolling

Cons

  • Temperature data unavailable at launch
  • Lacks outdoor-specific features of Pro model
  • Questionable SpO2 measurements
  • No heart rate variability or respiration data

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Specs

Samsung isn’t reinventing the wheel with its latest flagship smartwatch, but it doesn’t have to. The Galaxy Watch 4 was our favorite Android-compatible smartwatch from 2021, and the Galaxy Watch 5 (starting at 279.99) builds on that with a bigger battery, a more durable display, and an infrared sensor that’s capable of measuring your body temperature (though at the time of this writing, there’s no way to see your temperature data). Aesthetically, the Galaxy Watch 5 looks just like last year’s model, with the same appealing design, gorgeous display, and functional digital bezel for fast navigation. It still runs Wear OS, too, which gives you access to all the standard Google apps. Google’s own Pixel Watch promises to shake up the smartwatch landscape this fall, but for now the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is the best Apple Watch alternative for most Android users, earning it our Editors’ Choice award.

Assessing Samsung’s 2022 Smartwatch Lineup

As it did in 2021, Samsung has two new smartwatches for 2022: The Galaxy Watch 5 and the more rugged, outdoor-focused Watch 5 Pro. Similar to how the Apple Watch works only with iPhones, the Galaxy Watch 5 series is exclusive to Android phones. Samsung’s latest smartwatches run One UI Watch 4.5 (Opens in a new window) (which is based on Google’s Wear OS 3.5) and require devices running Android 8.0 (or newer) with more than 1.5GB RAM. Although you can pair the Watch 5 with non-Samsung Android phones, some features, including electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements, work only with Samsung handsets, according to a spokesperson for the company.

The Galaxy Watch 5 sports the same simple, minimalist design as last year’s Watch 4. It features a 40mm (small) or 44mm (large) aluminum case. The Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model starts at 279.99 for the 40mm version, while the LTE version begins at 329.99. Both sizes are available with graphite (black) or silver case options. The larger and smaller models are also available in exclusive colors, sapphire (blue) and pink-gold, respectively.

Samsung sent me the 40mm Bluetooth/Wi-Fi Watch 5 in silver, along with the Bora Purple Sport Band. All other case colors feature a matching strap, but you can customize your watch Band color and style using the Bespoke Studio tool on Samsung’s website. Note that the Watch 5 colors match Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip 4 for those fashionistas who want to coordinate their smartwatch and smartphone.

Apple Watch SE (2022)

Google Pixel Watch

Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic

The rugged Watch 5 Pro, meanwhile, features a 45mm watch face, a more durable titanium case in either black or gray, and a matching D-Buckle Sport Band. It starts at 449.99 for the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model or 499.99 for the LTE version. Unfortunately, the Pro model doesn’t come in a smaller size.

Galaxy Watch 5 LTE vs Bluetooth

Fans of Samsung’s smartwatches might be bummed that both the Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro lack a physical rotating bezel for quick scrolling, a feature available on many older Samsung smartwatches, including last year’s Watch 4 Classic. I don’t really mind this omission, however. Like the standard Watch 4, both Watch 5 models feature a functional digital bezel built into the screen that doesn’t physically turn, but still allows you to navigate by simply running your finger along the outer edge of the display. In testing, the Watch 5’s digital bezel worked well and let me quickly scroll through menus on the watch.

That said, the Watch 4 Classic, which features a 42mm or 46mm stainless steel case, remains on sale for those who want the rotating bezel.

Galaxy Watch 5: Durable, Better Battery Life

The Galaxy Watch 5 features an exceptionally bright and beautiful AMOLED display with an always-on option. The screen on the model I tested measures 1.2 inches across and sports a 396-by-396-pixel resolution, while the larger model has a 1.4-inch panel with a 450-by-450-pixel resolution.

With the screen brightness set about three-quarters of the way to max, colors pop and even the smallest text is easy to read. The small model offers plenty of screen real estate and doesn’t feel overly big on my petite wrist.

The Watch 5 is the first Samsung wearable with a sapphire crystal glass protecting the display, which the company says is 60% harder and 1.6 times stronger than the Watch 4’s outer layer. This change in material makes the new model less susceptible to scratches. The Pro version features an even stronger sapphire crystal display than the standard model and promises twice the durability of the Watch 4. I didn’t purposefully try to damage the Watch 5 to verify Samsung’s durability claims, but I accidentally dropped it once on hard flooring, and it survived unscathed.

The watch retains its predecessor’s 5ATM and IP68 ratings, meaning it’s waterproof to a depth of 164 feet for 10 minutes, plus can withstand dust, dirt, and sand. It also meets the MIL-STD-810H standard, so it should survive extreme temperatures and other environmental stressors such as vibration and shock.

The Watch 5 (left) is thicker than the Apple Watch Series 7 (right) by a hair (Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)

Samsung says both versions of the standard Watch 5 measure 9.8mm (0.38 inches) thick, but that seems to exclude the health sensor that slightly protrudes from the back. When I put the Watch 5 and the Apple Watch Series 7 (which officially measures 0.42 inches thick) beside each other, to my eyes Samsung‘s watch seems to be a hair thicker.

The Watch 5 weighs just an ounce (1.1 ounces for the larger size). It feels light and comfortable on my wrist and I don’t find it a bother to wear to bed either, which is good because the watch offers ample sleep-tracking features. The Sport Band feels soft and secure; there should be minimal risk of the clasp accidentally coming loose or the strap accidentally separating from the watch.

samsung, galaxy, watch, price, release

As for the internal hardware, the Watch 5 features the same processor, memory, and storage specs as the Watch 4 (an Exynos W920 chip with 1.5GB RAM and 16GB storage), but offers a battery life bump. The small and large Watch 5 models have 284mAh and 410mAh batteries, respectively, up from 247mAh and 361mAh on the Watch 4.

Samsung says the Watch 5 lasts up to 50 hours on a charge, or 10 hours more than its predecessor. In my testing, the Watch 5 lasted about 30 hours with the always-on display feature enabled, which calculates to just six hours longer than the Watch 4. The Apple Watch Series 7, which features a 309mAh battery, similarly lasted 29 hours in my testing with the always-on display enabled.

I haven’t been able to replicate Samsung’s 50-hour battery claim on my Watch 5 review unit. Disabling the always-on display bumped the battery life to 36 hours, which included two full nights of sleep tracking. If you plan to keep the always-on display enabled, you probably need to charge it every day, like last year’s model.

Battery life is one area where the Watch 5 Pro model offers an advantage. It features a comparatively massive 590mAh battery that Samsung says should last 80 hours on a charge (or 20 hours if you enable the GPS). I don’t have the Pro model yet, so I can’t verify that claim. Samsung didn’t provide battery life guidance for the LTE/cellular model, which we did not have for testing.

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The Watch 5 also promises 30% faster charging than last year’s model. In my testing, fully charging the Watch 5 takes around 75 minutes, similar to the Apple Watch Series 7.

Samsung says that snapping the Watch 5 onto its charger for just eight minutes before bed should give it enough battery life to track your sleep for eight hours. This capability was obviously inspired by Apple, which advertises the same battery performance for the Series 7.

Unboxing and Getting to Know the Galaxy Watch 5

In testing, I had no problem setting up the Watch 5 via the Galaxy Wearable app on a Galaxy S21 FE smartphone. In the box with the Watch 5, you get a quick start guide and a puck-style USB-C charger. You need to provide a power adapter.

Happily, the watch arrives partially charged. A minute or so after attaching it to the charger, I glanced at the watch face and it was already at 81%. From there, it took just four minutes to reach 100%.

To set it up, you need to download the Galaxy Wearable app (available for Android only) if you don’t already have it on your phone. When I opened the app on the Galaxy S21 FE, it automatically started scanning for devices to add and quickly found the Watch 5. Next, it displayed a number on the watch’s screen and in the app. The app asked me to confirm that the numbers were the same. After I did, the app began downloading the Galaxy Watch 5 Manager tool.

In a series of pop-ups, the Galaxy Watch 5 Manager asks for permission to access your contacts, calendar, phone call logs, and your photos and media. It also asks for permission to make and manage phone calls, as well as send and view SMS messages. Next, you must agree to Google’s terms of service and sign into your Google account.

At this point in the setup process you select which apps you want to install on the watch. I included all the apps on my phone, as well as the recommended third-party watch apps such as Calm, KakaoTalk, Shazam, and Strava.

Just like any feature-rich smartwatch, you have to spend some time exploring the Watch 5 to figure out where everything is and what it does. But if you’re familiar with the Watch 4, the new model is organized the same way.

From the watch face, you swipe left to access app tiles (up to 10, including daily activity, workout tracking, body composition, sleep, weather, calendar, heart rate, and stress), swipe right for notifications, swipe down for the quick panel menu (to enable Bedtime mode and the always-on display, connect Bluetooth headphones, and more), and swipe up for all your apps (which you can reorder however you like).

To go back, swipe right or press the physical back key (the lower button). To go to your most recently used app, double press the home key (the upper button). In Settings, you can customize the function of the home and back keys.

Lots of Apps

Like its predecessor, the Watch 5 features popular Google-developed apps including Google Assistant, Maps, Messages, and the Play Store, alongside Samsung’s Bixby, Buds Controller, Samsung Pay, and more.

In addition to the aforementioned, these apps were preinstalled or added to my Watch 5 during setup: AccuWeather, Alarm, Cardiogram, C25K (Couch to 5K running program), Calculator, Calendar, Camera Controller, Compass, Contacts, Easy Voice Recorder, Energy, Find My Phone, Fitbod, Gallery, Golf Pad, Hole19, Kamoot, Media Controller, Messages, Music, MyFitnessPal, Outlook, Phone, Reminder, Samsung Global Goals (Opens in a new window). Samsung Health (Opens in a new window) (to view your metrics), Samsung Health Monitor (to take an electrocardiogram), Settings, Sleep Cycle, Spotify, Stocard, Stopwatch, Timer, Voice Recorder, Weather, and World Clock.

The Galaxy Wearable phone app lets you manage the content in the Music and Gallery apps on the Watch 5, and can optionally auto sync tracks and images. You can also use the watch to accept and make calls from your connected phone.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro review: The best Android watch gets a modest update

The Samsung SmartThings app is available on the Watch 5, but I had to manually download it from the Play Store. The SmartThings watch app lets you access and control any compatible Smart home devices and scenes you set as favorites on your phone.

The Watch 5 doesn’t feature a preinstalled handwashing countdown timer like the Apple Watch, but you can download the similar Samsung Hand Wash app via the Google Play Store. I think the Apple Watch handwashing countdown timer is one of the more useful recent smartwatch features, so I’m glad Samsung’s equivalent also works well.

In the Google Play Store on the Watch 5, you can find many other Google standbys, including Gboard (the Google Keyboard), Camera (a camera app for Google devices), Fit, Keep, and Wallet. Other popular apps available for download on the Watch 5 via the Play Store include Adidas Running, iHeart: Music, Lifesum, Map My Fitness, Ski Tracks, Swim.com, and Todoist. Rest assured, there are many watch face apps, just in case you don’t like Samsung’s default options.

When it comes to third-party app support, Wear OS still trails Apple’s watchOS and is missing notable titles including Amazon Music, Messenger, Pandora, and Telegram.

New and Improved Wellness Sensors

On the health front, the Watch 5 measures and tracks your active time, blood oxygen saturation, calories burned, exercise, heart rate, stress level, sleep, steps, and even your snoring. It also lets you record your food and water intake, measure and track your body composition (including body fat percentage), and take an ECG.

As mentioned, the biggest upgrade on the Watch 5 is the addition of an infrared temperature sensor for skin temperature tracking. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing skin temperature measurements weren’t yet available, so I couldn’t test this feature. Samsung hasn’t offered any indication for when temperature data will be available, but says it’s working with developers to create features that take advantage of the technology.

Several other wearable devices—including the Fitbit Charge 5, Oura Ring Generation 3, and Whoop 4.0—already track skin temperature variations, a metric that indicates whether you’re running hotter or colder compared with your baseline. Apple’s Series 7 doesn’t offer this feature, but rumors suggest that Cupertino’s next-generation wearable, expected this fall, will feature a body temperature sensor.

Samsung also reshaped the curvature of the back glass on the Watch 5 series. The increased surface area of the BioActive Sensor means more direct contact with your wrist. This change enables more accurate body composition, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), and electrocardiogram measurements, according to the company.

After wearing the Watch 5 to bed along with an Oura Gen 3 Smart ring, the Galaxy Watch said I had a minimum blood oxygen saturation of 86%, which seems low. In comparison, the Oura reported my average SpO2 at 98% that same night. As the FDA warns (Opens in a new window). many factors can affect the accuracy of pulse oximeter devices that measure SpO2, including skin pigmentation and body temperature. In general, healthy individuals should have an SpO2 level between 95% and 100%.

I don’t always find the Watch 5’s SpO2 readings particularly accurate, so you should take them with a grain of salt. In the few days I’ve been wearing it, the Watch 5 has measured my SpO2 as low as 77%. Other devices like the Oura and Apple Watch rarely report my SpO2 below 95%. I reached out to Samsung to ascertain if perhaps my review unit isn’t performing as intended for SpO2 measurements, and will update this section when I hear back.

The Watch 5 monitors your stress level, though it doesn’t report your actual heart rate variability (HRV). It offers a stress-relieving, guided breathing tool, but the Watch 5 doesn’t track your respiration rate either. Both of these metrics are available on Apple’s Series 7, the Oura Gen 3, and many other wearables.

When worn to bed, the Watch 5 tracks your sleep and, after a few nights, offers personalized sleep coaching. If you pair the device with a compatible smartphone, the Watch 5 can track snoring, a sleeping metric Samsung introduced last year that is not currently available on the Apple Watch.

After tracking my rest one night, the watch said I slept 6 hours, 50 minutes and gave me a sleep score of 65 out of 100. The Oura said I slept for 5 hours, 55 minutes and gave me a sleep score of 70. I also checked the Nest Hub Smart display, which contactlessly tracks your sleep from the nightstand, and its measurement (6 hours, 42 minutes) more closely aligns with that of the Galaxy Watch.

After sleeping in one weekend morning, the Watch 5 offered a notification about the importance of consistency, plus gave me the option to see more information and helpful tips on my phone. On the phone, it brought up an article from the National Sleep Foundation saying that sleeping in or staying up late on weekends can lead to a feeling known as “social jet lag,” with effects similar to the traditional jet lag you get when traveling between time zones. I rebelliously stayed up late watching Netflix the next night, and in the morning, the Watch 5 again shamed me, pointing out that I’ve been falling asleep much later than my target bedtime.

Tracking Workouts With the Galaxy Watch 5

For fitness tracking, the Watch 5 offers more than 90 activity options, including basics like cycling, rowing, running, and swimming; specific exercises such as bench press, deadlifts, lateral raises, and squats; sports like baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, and golf; and even specialized activities like aqua aerobics, hang gliding, kayaking, snowshoeing, and water skiing.

It’s a fairly comprehensive list, but I wish the Watch 5 offered a few of the more general fitness-tracking options available on the Apple Watch, including core training, high-intensity interval training, and traditional strength training. If the Watch 5 doesn’t offer a tracking mode for an activity you plan to do, you can always use the “other workout” option.

The Watch 5 can automatically detect (Opens in a new window) and begin tracking certain types of workouts, including walking, running, elliptical, rowing, swimming, and dynamic high-movement activities. A few minutes after you start one of these activities, the watch will alert you that it’s tracking the workout. When you stop, the watch will automatically stop tracking, too. In testing, the Watch 5’s automatic workout detection feature reliably tracked all of the walks I took with my dog Bradley, including accurate GPS of the route we followed (I had to manually enable the GPS).

To test its accuracy, I followed a 30-minute strength workout on the Forme fitness mirror, which I’m testing for an upcoming review, while wearing the Watch 5 on one wrist and Apple’s Series 7 on the other. For that session, the Watch 5 said I had an average and max heart rate of 142bpm and 170bpm, respectively, plus burned 305 total calories. Interestingly, Apple’s Series 7 said I had a higher heart rate (152bpm average, 188bpm max), but burned fewer calories (220 total). Variations in fitness data from one product to the next are expected, so it’s a good idea to stick with one device to track your changes over time.

Following a workout, the Watch 5 offers beautiful graphs that show your heart rate throughout the session and other metrics like speed, depending on your activity.

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The Watch 5 Pro offers a few outdoor-specific workout features not available on the standard model, including Route Workout, Turn-by-Turn Directions, and Track Back. With Route Workout, you can import GPX-format hiking or cycling routes from the Samsung Health app to the watch. When following GPX-format routes, Turn-by Turn directions guide you with vibrations, voice alerts, and a color-coded map on the watch. The Track Back feature reverses your route and directs you back to your starting point. This could be helpful should you become lost.

Note that the Watch 5 doesn’t integrate with Fitbit, a feature that will be available on the upcoming Pixel Watch. We expect Google’s wearable to be the first Wear OS device that supports Fitbit’s Active Zone Minutes metric.

The Best Smartwatch for Android Users

Samsung’s wearables will face stiff competition from the upcoming Pixel Watch this fall, but for now, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is the top option for Android users. It retains the bright display and attractive design of its predecessor, plus it has superior battery life and durability. It also includes a temperature sensor, though we’re still waiting for software support on that front. These updates aren’t necessarily significant enough to warrant an upgrade from last year’s model, but if you’re in the market for a new Android-compatible smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is our Editors’ Choice winner. Outdoor adventurers might prefer the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which offers a more durable titanium case, an even stronger sapphire crystal glass display, longer battery life, and a few outdoor-specific navigation features. We plan on testing it, so check back for our review soon.

Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Review. If only it weren’t for the battery

Run for the outlets. The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 is the latest development in Samsung’s smartwatch portfolio. In contrast to the bulky Galaxy Watch5 Pro, this more svelte model has a case diameter of just 40 millimeters (~1.6 in). But what compromises must be made for that smaller form factor?

Benedikt Winkel. Daniel Schmidt. ✓ Brian Burriston (translated by Henrique Valim), Published 10/11/2022

With the Galaxy Watch5 Pro, Samsung is building a new high-end model in the Watch series, although the normal Watch5 is still available in two different sizes: the smallest of these Watch5 form factors has a case diameter of 40 millimeters (~1.6 in), while the big one is 44 millimeters (~1.7 in). Both are also optionally available in an LTE wireless version. Three colors are available for the case: silver and black are available for both sizes, while the small one can also be ordered in “Pink Gold” and the large one in “Sapphire”. In the Samsung online shop, you can also choose between 14 different straps with different clasp mechanisms. Our test unit is the 40 millimeter version with a black case, black sports strap and no LTE connection.

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Case and features – Galaxy Watch5 with aluminum body

Unlike the Watch5 Pro, the case of the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 is made of aluminum. The sides are brushed (and therefore matte), while the surfaces on the sides to which the straps are attached are glossy. There are two buttons on the right side with a microphone in the middle. A second microphone is located on the front of the case, above the ribbon connector. Samsung has placed the speaker on the left side of the case.

The 1.19-inch display is protected by sapphire crystal, but the case. unlike the Watch5 Pro. does not offer any additional shielding by protruding slightly above the screen. Samsung has also put in a digital bezel on the normal Watch5, more specifically an area with sensors between the display and the edge of the housing. The Sport Band is made of fluorocarbon rubber and is 20 millimeters (~0.8 in) wide. The straps are identical to those of the Watch4 and are thus interchangeable. Thanks to small levers on the spring rods, this change can also be made without any tools. Our test device weighs 50 grams (1.8 oz) with the strap, with the case alone weighing 28 grams (1 oz).

Setup and operation. not possible with iOS devices

To set up the Samsung Galaxy Watch5, you will need to install the Galaxy Wear app on your smartphone. An Android smartphone with at least Android 8 is required, while connection with iOS devices is not possible. Because the Wear app is intended to be used by all Samsung wearables, it needs a plug-in once the watch is recognized. After that, setting up the smartwatch is very simple: after permissions for notifications, location, etc. have been granted, various settings can be changed on the watch via the app. After setup, various changes and adjustments to the settings can also be accessed directly on the smartwatch itself.

Even after setup is finished, the Wear app needs to be used in order to customize the watch. Clock faces can be changed or the order and content of the tiles can be adjusted there. The settings for the screen, sounds, apps and notifications can also be changed here, while other services such as Samsung Pay can be set up and other apps downloaded from the Play Store as well. The Wear app isn’t where the exercise settings and your exercise data overview live, though; for that, you need to switch to the Samsung Health app.

The watch is operated through the 1.19-inch touchscreen, as well as using two buttons and a digital bezel. However, the bezel does not rotate; instead, there is a sensor installed in the area between the display and the edge of the case. Running a finger over this ring scrolls through the watch’s menus.

The function of the buttons can be customized in the Wear app. Aside from single presses, double and long presses are recognized by the software as well. In the factory settings, a simple press on the top button always leads back to the home screen. A long press opens the Bixby voice assistant while a double press opens the last used app. Pressing the bottom button takes you one step back in every menu or app by default.

From the home screen, a swipe from top to bottom leads to some settings, called the QuickPanel. Similar to Android smartphones, here you have quick access to the brightness, the always-on display, Bluetooth and WLAN connections, the energy saving mode, the flashlight function and various modes such as airplane mode, cinema mode, do not disturb mode or bedtime mode. The arrangement of the keys can be customized.

A swipe from left to right leads to the notifications. A notification is displayed for each tile, and clicking on the message opens more details. An orange dot on the home screen indicates unread messages. Swiping from bottom to top opens the app menu with all installed applications. The arrangement of the programs can be adjusted on the watch as well as in the smartphone app. A swipe from the right leads to tiles that represent key information, and the arrangement and content of these tiles can be changed both on the watch and in the app. In the factory settings, the Watch5 gives an overview of daily activity, the workout menu, body composition, sleep values, the weather, the calendar, blood pressure, ECG, pulse and stress level. Pressing on each tile opens a submenu with more details.

Telephony and notifications. lots of ways to respond to messages with the Watch5

The Galaxy Watch5 is excellent at dealing with both phone calls and notifications. If a paired smartphone is within Bluetooth range, incoming calls are displayed on the smartwatch and can also be answered directly there, thanks to the built-in microphones and speakers. The voice quality is good, with the speaker being loud enough in quieter surroundings and not making any annoying noises.

The Galaxy Watch5 is just as effective when it comes to notifications. In the Wear app you can choose which apps can send notifications to the watch; the clock also displays long messages such as emails in full, emojis and images are also displayed. You can also send answers directly with the watch, with various message options to choose from. Samsung gives a few standard short replies to choose from, but the wearer can also dictate answers that are converted to text, draw letters on the screen, or display a full QWERTY keyboard. Operation works very well on the 1.19-inch display, but we were more impressed by the larger display of the Watch5 Pro.

Voice assistant. Samsung’s Bixby or Google Assistant

The Galaxy Watch5 supports voice assistants; since Samsung has installed both microphones and a speaker, voice output and inputs are both possible. Samsung’s own assistant, Bixby, is installed on the watch by default, but Google Assistant can also be downloaded via the Play Store. Both assistants can be used simultaneously on the smartwatch.