Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro Review: Toughest & Most Capable Android Smartwatch
September 26, 2022Sensors: Samsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Heart Rate + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor
OS/Software: Wear OS Powered by Samsung (wear OS 3.5)
Memory: 16GB RAM
Chipset: Exynos W920, Dual-core 1.18GHz
Display: 45.4mm, 1.4” super AMOLED, 450p resolution. Always on display.
Body: 45.4mm
Battery: 590mAh, Wireless charging
Weight: 46.5g
Rate: 9/10
Price: RM1,899
Samsung’s Watch5 Pro is an amalgamation of the Watch4 and Watch4 classics. It has a beefy 45mm, case like the former but incorporates the contours to the latter. The outer portion of the watch face curves upward to form a ring. This not only adds to the overall detail but helps protect the recessed watch display from direct contact when bumped or scraped.
The watch can be set up and paired to your Android smartphone via Samsung’s wearable app. It allows you to customize the watch faces, app drawer, add new features, change tiles and alter several other preferences. It’s basically the only app you’ll interact with outside of Samsung health to keep the watch functioning as you’d like it to be.
What’s It Like?
Several new watch faces have been added for the Watch5 series but you still have access to the entire library of content that was made available to the Watch4 series. But if you still aren’t content with the collection, visit the play store to download a plethora of third-party options.
Instead of a rotating bezel, the Pro has the same touch sensitive surface that’s on the Watch4 and Watch5. It covers the entire circumference of the display. Running your finger around the outer edge of the screen allows you to cycle through the relevant tiles such as heart rate, exercise selection, body composition, target steps and several others.
You can add or remove tiles that make up the “rotating” collection. The experience feels a little more controllable with the Pro compared to the Watch4. The latter needed slow and precise movements to stop on a chosen tile, but the latter is a little more forgiving in that regard. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a “hit or miss” at times, but it’s a little more predictable now.
In terms of screen size, the Pro has a 1.4-inch, 450×450 Super AMOLED unit. It gets decently bright when viewed in direct sunlight. When left on auto brightness, the software does a good job of ensuring legibility, regardless of the ambient lighting around you. This means that it won’t be too glaring in the dark either.
Samsung gives you the option of changing what the Watch’s two physical buttons do. You can set the top one to open the most recent app or choose a specific function like opening Google Assistant. The bottom button can be set to return to the previous menu or open the most recent app.
The UI hasn’t changed, it’s still the same, somewhat user-friendly look that was first introduced on last gen Samsung smartwatches. Swiping up from the home screen, gets you to your quick panel for access to various watch functions, swiping left takes you to the notifications section, swipe right for access to tiles and swipe up from the bottom of the screen for the app drawer.
Mercifully, the Pro has a sapphire crystal glass covering the display. Unlike mineral or hardened glass, it’s far more resilient against scratches that plague most modern smartwatches. It’s the same stuff used by mainstream watchmakers like Seiko, Tissot and Longines. As an avid watch collector, I can attest to the toughness of this material.
This is why I haven’t bothered to apply a screen protector on the Watch5 Pro. I’m quite confident that the combination of a recessed display and sapphire glass coating will be enough to withstand moderate abuse over the lifespan of this watch.
By contrast, over the past year, I’ve made sure that my Watch4 has had a screen protector on the display and a silicone case that covered the entire watch body. For the Watch5 Pro, the presence of sapphire crystal negates the need for a protective film and since the outer case is made from titanium, there’s no need to tack silicone to it either.
It’s incredibly liberating to take the Watch5 Pro out of the box and immediately start using it. And instead of taking special care not to graze it against a table or other hard surfaces, I can treat it as I would a regular digital watch. Though not nearly as tough as a G-Shock, it offers a similar “go anywhere do anything” feel due to the extra protection.
The Performance
Powered by an Exynos W920 dual core 1.18Ghz processor and 1.5GB of RAM, the Pro does everything you ask of it without much fuss. There are some hints of lag when moving across different functions, but that could be due to an animation delay rather than a processing issue. That said, you won’t encounter usability issues here, regardless of which app or feature is used.
Sensor hardware consists of a 3-in-1 bioactive system that can measure optical heart rate, electrical heart signal and bioelectrical impedance analysis. Samsung is proud of this “all in one” package because it’s able to do quite a bit despite being so compact. Besides this, there’s the new temperature sensor, accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic and light sensor.
Sadly, the temperature sensor/functions aren’t really that helpful for now. It supposedly helps bolster wellness by monitoring data like sleep patterns and the like. Unfortunately, it can’t do much probably due to regulatory hurdles. As such, there’s no app or tile that you can use to measure your body temperature as you would do with your heart rate.
Blood pressure monitoring is not available either, which is kind of a disappointment. All these metrics provide invaluable data that could help improve form, gauge overall wellness and alert you to something that’s amiss. But this isn’t Samsung’s fault. Most countries and regions have their own regulatory framework.
You would need to comply by providing adequate data and documentation. That can be incredibly tedious work requiring teams of regulatory affairs people and countless hours of pushing submissions through. This is probably why the company chooses to focus on larger regions such as the USA, Canada as well as certain parts of Europe and Asia.
What’s New?
That said, I’m happy to report that the highly touted “track back” feature and importing of GPX route data is available to all of us. Though it’s not immediately clear how to enable these functions, eventually, we managed to find them. Track back is essentially about following the “breadcrumbs” back to your journey’s starting point.
The watch is able to accurately track your whereabouts while on a particular exercise routine (chosen from a list of exercise routines within the tile). It could prove extremely useful if you’re on a hike or jogging through an unfamiliar part of a park or neighborhood. To access this, you have to already be engaged in a particular workout, which includes walking.
In the workout menu swipe left to access settings, then scroll to “Track Back”. It’s accurate to a degree but in reality, you should expect it to give you a “close enough” way back to your starting point. I’m not taking anything away from this helpful feature, it’s just that in general, you shouldn’t expect pinpoint accuracy from a smartwatch.
Importing GPX data can be done via the respective tile. It can be selected after adding the dedicated tile to your list. All you have to do is tap the said tile on your Watch5 Pro. Then you’ll be prompted to unlock your phone and import route data via the app. Once imported, you can select the route and incorporate it into your training regimen.
Thankfully, Samsung has given this watch a 590mAh battery. It’s far larger than what was available on the Watch4 and Watch4 Classic. On a typical day with the always-on display turned off, you can expect to use about 20% charge. With it turned on, that jumps to about 40%.
It should consume a lot more, if you’re using the track back or route navigation features. Though I haven’t experienced it myself, depending on how much you’re using the screen, expect significantly high-power consumption. With moderate use, I was getting a comfortable 2.5 days’ worth of use out of a single charge.
This is incredible service life for a Wear OS-based smartwatch. This, coupled with the improved charging rate, make it a very useful watch for any occasion. Expect to leave the watch on the charger for slightly under two hours if you are charging it from nearly empty, though I’d advise against depleting it to such a level.
Since the watch is rated at IP68, it should hold up well against sweat, dirt, dust and sand. It can also be submerged into a body of water at a fairly shallow depth for about 30 minutes without damaging the internals. But with that said, the Pro isn’t meant to be used for diving or anything remotely close to that type of activity.
But in all my time with this watch, I’m happy to report that it is a sturdy, smart chronometer that can handle moderate abuse. The feel of the titanium case and its weight, offers a sense of quality and toughness that was absent from the Watch4 range. As much as I loved my Watch4, it felt like I had to constantly guard it from knocks and scrapes.
D-Buckle & Colors
Samsung merged the convenience of a bracelet clasp system with the versatility of a silicone strap. The end result is the D-buckle strap. A simple magnetic clasp is clamped on to one side of the silicone strap and on the other end, the receiving metallic side is held on via spring bar. To achieve a good fit, there will be some trial and error involved.
You need to advance the clasp high enough to allow it to match the circumference of your wrist. I had to adjust it a fair deal before getting it right. But once done, you’ll never need to worry about fitment again. Just slide the watch on to your wrist and snap the clasp into place. It will fit perfectly, every time.
The advantage it has over a traditional bracelet is that you don’t have to worry about the clunky feeling of it moving around your wrist. The strap can be washed as often as you’d like and you don’t have to worry about rust issues. It’s a really great strap.
Admittedly, the D-buckle does get in the way of common wireless chargers. If you use something like Samsung’s Duo charger for both watch and phone, this can be a problem. However, this is a non-issue if you choose to use the included magnetic charger made for the Watch5 Pro.
Should You Buy One?
If you are looking for an Android based smartwatch, then this is the watch to have. It’s a really good device that plays nicely with just about any Android phone (better results with Samsung smartphone) because it provides notifications, fall detection, calendar reminders, speakerphone functionality as well as track back and turn by turn navigation services.
It also offers a multitude of health sensors that are able to track your overall wellness which includes body composition, heart rate, menstrual cycle and overall fitness progress. This data becomes immensely useful when used with the Samsung health app.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro is the best Wear OS smartwatch to date. If you want a sturdy, capable device that doesn’t scratch easily, this is the watch for you. It isn’t a G-Shock but it’s far tougher than anything south of a Garmin fitness tracker.
