On paper, the Galaxy Watch 5 is unquestionably an advance over some aspects of the previous Galaxy Watch models. But does that imply that a few new modifications make a comprehensive upgrade worthwhile? We’ll break down each enhancement to help you decide whether to upgrade from a Galaxy Watch 4 or earlier to the Galaxy Watch 5 or 5 Pro.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE GALAXY WATCH 5 AND 5 PRO? The Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro, which were unveiled at Galaxy Unpacked 2022, make a few significant improvements over its Wear OS 3 predecessor. We’ve had an opportunity to put these watches through their paces since their release and have a good sense of the upgrades that have been made. What we discovered has generated a strong argument in favor of upgrading to the Watch 5 series.
Some of the features shared by the Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro include a brand-new sapphire crystal display, an enhanced BioActive Sensor from Samsung, and an Exynos W920 CPU with 1.5 GB RAM.
Additionally, the Galaxy Watch 5 44mm model comes with a 410 mAh battery whereas the 40mm model has a 284 mAh one. Both of these represent significant improvements over the model from the previous year, offering the user a few more hours in the day. On the other side, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has a massive 590 Mah battery, which has an incredibly long battery life. Battery life is roughly 80 hours according to Samsung, and our own testing doesn’t indicate much of a difference. In reality, that’s three days’ worth of uninterrupted power.
The physical design is the only thing that sets these two apart besides the battery. The titanium case on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro makes it somewhat thicker and designed to withstand some of the worst abuse. The Armor Aluminum housing that holds the 40mm and 44mm Galaxy Watch 5 devices will keep them safe but isn’t quite as durable as titanium. While the Pro is only available in grey and black, that shell is available in a variety of stunning colors.
These timepieces are substantially identical when the battery and external appearance are removed. The same CPU, RAM, and display are concealed under each of their unique casings.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO THE GALAXY WATCH 4? Even though the Galaxy Watch 4 is a year old, the line is still going strong. It provides a better bundle than some of the recent releases that are available. Wear OS 3, which is the same OS used on the Galaxy Watch 5, first shipped with the Galaxy Watch 4 series.
The Galaxy Watch 4 has a lot going for it in terms of hardware. The now one-year-old BioActive Sensor from Samsung was added into the watch line. The then-new sensor did an excellent job of gathering crucial fitness data in a compact size. Sadly, that little container contained a little battery.
The Watch 4 had a 247 mAh battery in the 40mm case and a 361 mAh battery in the 44mm case. The arrangement was the same for both the small and large Watch 4 Classic models. Although Samsung estimated a battery life of about 40 hours overall, it seemed more like 24 hours at most.
Apart from the battery, the Galaxy Watch 4 had many of the features that we today consider important in a wearable. This consists of a 1.5 GB RAM chip, 16GB of storage, and an Exynos W920 CPU.
DOES THE UPGRADE VALUE IT? The similarities between the two Galaxy Watch models are really obvious, especially on paper. These two sets of wearables are nearly identical watches in all respects. Once again, they are similar in terms of SoC and RAM, and they both run Wear OS 3.
When contrasting the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, the differences actually start to pile up. When considering whether or not to purchase a brand-new Galax Watch 5 Pro, consider the size, battery capacity differential, and general build.
STAR WATCH 4 It can be a seductive precedent if you have a Galaxy Watch 4, especially in light of the scant upgrades. Samsung’s BioActive Sensor, which is updated in the Galaxy Watch 5, is better able to precisely monitor vital signs including heart rate and blood oxygen levels. But sadly, the fundamental blood pressure monitoring and ECG monitoring features are not available to anyone without a Samsung Galaxy mobile in the US. Only Galaxy devices are able to use these functionalities.
Although we didn’t think the Galaxy Watch 4’s health tracking was in any way subpar, there were definitely several things we thought might be done better. Though it’s difficult to determine in reality whether these enhancements have increased tracking accuracy, the new BioActive Sensor is meant to deliver that improvement and give us a better look at health indicators.
Battery life is another upgrade. According to the specifications, the Galaxy Watch 5 should have a battery life of about 10 hours longer than the Galaxy Watch 4. Theoretically, this ought to be sufficient to see you through a day and a night so you can monitor both your day activity and your sleep. Looking at the big picture, it appears that the increase in battery life is actually only marginal.
Yes, a day’s worth of battery life is sufficient for sleep tracking. Unfortunately, the device still requires charging immediately after waking up, trapping you in an uncomfortable loop of having to charge the watch before night or while getting ready for the day. In either case, those few more hours might not be sufficient to significantly alter the way you wear the watch, and they won’t extend its useful life by a day.
Of course, that ignores the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which offers superior battery life to the Watch 5 models with a 40mm and 44mm case. It is abundantly obvious after using the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro for some time that the battery differences in actual usage are night and day.
The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro significantly improves upon the Galaxy Watch 4, which could only get you by for a day at most. You don’t need to bring the charger if you charge the Watch 5 Pro before leaving on a weekend getaway. Compared to the Galaxy Watch 5 and the Watch 4 series, I lose roughly 30–35% of my battery each day, which is absurd.
The new sapphire crystal display of the Galaxy Watch 5 provides an additional benefit. Compared to the Gorilla Glass used in the Galaxy Watch 4, sapphire crystal is significantly more scratch-resistant. Due to its potential for being more durable than its predecessor, this might be one of the major upgrades to the Watch 5.
We mentioned in our review of the Watch 5 how it faced off against Ben Schoon’s car and prevailed. Although it provides a little bit more piece of mind, the Aluminum Armor and sapphire display contribute to the Watch 5’s exceptional durability, which the Watch 4 didn’t have any issues with.
On the other hand, the Watch 5 Pro flaunts a titanium body. Due to its porous makeup, titanium is renowned for having a strength comparable to stainless steel but weighing much less. This offers a sturdy, lightweight exterior that boosts your confidence a little bit when worn.
The exposed chamfer and sandblasted titanium give it an absolutely fantastic appearance in terms of appearance. Even without the rotating bezel, in our opinion, the Watch 5 Pro looks considerably better than the Watch4 Classic ever did. The Watch 5’s recipe hasn’t been altered. Despite having a timeless appearance, those design elements remain.
Before Galaxy Watch 3 It’s simpler to choose the Galaxy Watch 3, which is an older watch. With significantly stronger sensors, a Super AMOLED display protected by sapphire crystal, and a substantial increase in battery life, the Galaxy Watch 5 outperforms the Watch 3 in all important ways. Upgrades to the Watch 5 or Watch 5 Pro are considerably easier to recommend given the enormous $190 trade-in value Samsung is offering for the Galaxy Watch 3 during the pre-order process.
Any improvement made before that will be even better. Task handling on the Watch 5 and Exynos W920 is excellent. Not to add that Wear OS 3 is pre-installed on the Watch 4 and Watch 5. By itself, the most recent Wear OS is an improvement.
VALUES FOR COST AND TRADE-IN Cost is what it all comes down to. Even with the enhanced sapphire crystal display, the Galaxy Watch 5 ‘s ultimate price, which starts at $279, surprised us all. Beginning around $249 in 2021, the price of the Galaxy Watch 4 increased when LTE variants and the Classic edition with a rotating bezel were taken into account.
You will need to fork over at least $449 for the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and even more for the LTE variant. Although it has a better material shell and a large battery for prolonged use, that is a somewhat high jump.
You’re in a strong position to upgrade if you already possess a Galaxy Watch 4, Classic or otherwise, given that Samsung has some attractive trade-in values for the Galaxy Watch 5. For for about $209, you could turn in a Galaxy Watch 4 Classic for a Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. That is a $240 Samsung trade-in credit. A Galaxy Watch 4 owner can receive a $180 discount, bringing the cost of a Watch 5 Pro down to $269.
If you decide to upgrade to an Galaxy Watch 5 instead of the Watch 5 Pro, these values remain the same. The Watch 4 will still cost $180, and the Watch 4 Classic will cost $240. The fact that Samsung will give you a $190 credit for the Galaxy Watch 3, a two-year-old smartwatch, makes the offer even stranger.
SUMMARY It could be advisable to either wait it out or get a Galaxy Watch 4 at a lower price now that they are no longer in production if you are content with your Galaxy Watch 4 or are looking to purchase a Samsung wearable. Although the Galaxy Watch 4 is a good device with some battery issues, the Galaxy Watch 5 might not be the solution for significantly longer battery life. The Watch 5 is essentially a Watch 4 clone in all other respects, with the exception of some significant advances to health tracking and minor battery improvements.
The decision to upgrade to the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a little more straightforward. On top of everything else the regular model has to offer, the Watch 5 Pro has incredible battery life improvements. Where the boundary between the Watch 4 and Watch 5 appears to be fuzzy, the Watch 5 Pro is a significant upgrade. Although the price increase is nothing to scoff at, you are getting a much more advanced watch in terms of features and physical construction.
The Pro will cost less if you trade in a Watch 4 or Watch 3, making it an even better bargain right now.
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