All You Need To Know Samsung Galaxy Watch Series 5

In contrast to prior years, when Samsung offered two Galaxy Watch models—one with a conventional dial and one with a physical rotating bezel—in 2018, the company only offered one model, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, and eliminated the dial altogether.

Samsung’s advertising of the Watch 5 Pro as being superior to the regular Watch 5 for use in extreme environments is, to put it mildly, over the top. The sapphire glass display, titanium watch case, and bigger battery capacity give it the potential to withstand slightly more punishment.

All You Need To Know Samsung Galaxy Watch Series 5

You can import GPX files for biking and trekking, and the software will automatically map your return routes if you forget to do it yourself—two capabilities that round out the “Pro” label. Check out this comprehensive guide for information on using the updated Route tile and GPX files.

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the longest-lasting flagship smartwatch and will satisfy most casual athletes, but it will not replace your Garmin, Coros, or Polar GPS sports watch for serious outdoor activities and the need for weekly charging.

During the past three weeks, I’ve worn the Black Titanium Galaxy Watch 5 Pro while hiking, running, fishing, and sleeping, and I feel like I have a good grasp on what Samsung is aiming for with the new watch. It’s the company’s newest smartwatch, and the first to go Pro, but it still has a few issues that can be addressed in future software upgrades.

Specifications

Google Maps, Google Assistant, Google Pay, Messaging, Keep Notes, and more are all included in the Watch 5 Pro thanks to Google’s Wear OS, which is powered by Samsung.

Also included are Samsung’s own payment and messaging services, as well as health and voice assistant apps like Bixby and Samsung Pay. This wristwatch is, after all, a Samsung Galaxy.

Hardware:

This year’s Galaxy Watch lineup is missing a rotating bezel, but the Watch 5 Pro stands out from the crowd with its unusual design and sapphire glass screen. Instead of turning a physical bezel, you may simulate that action by swiping your finger up and down along the concave transition between the glass and the edge of the housing.

Although the entire rotating bezel mechanism is now software-enabled, I like the design of the finger guide over the flat glass of other Galaxy Watch models. Since there is just one Watch 5 Pro size, it may not be suitable for individuals with smaller wrists. It’s bulkier than last year’s Galaxy Watch 4 Classic due to the larger battery, but it’s easier to wear thanks to its reduced weight.

But don’t be too put off by the new design; the Watch 5 Pro isn’t quite as large as some of the Garmin and Coros watches I wear every day. Samsung also claims that the wider and more protruding base of the watch makes it possible for the wrist sensors to more accurately read and track your health thanks to the increased size.

The 1.4-inch Super AMOLED screen is stunning, boasting sharp letters, vibrant colours, and a responsive touchscreen. Rugged, outdoor smartwatches are susceptible to input delays and latency. Not with the 5 Pro; I’ve had zero issues with the responsiveness of taps and swipes, and I love the variety of built-in watch faces.

This year, choose from a titanium case in either black or grey. More vibrant hues are only available on the standard Watch 5. The microphone is incongruously located on the right side of the watch, between the navigation buttons, and the speaker is on the top, where the bands kind of obscure it.

Compared to the standard band I got with my Watch 4 Classic last year, the new D-Buckle Sport band that came included with the Watch 5 Pro is a significant upgrade. It’s a flexible silicone band with an adjustable latch that you slide open, tighten to the right size, and then lock again.

Is the new buckle safe to use? Neither my workouts nor my regular routines have caused the band to break. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has two physical buttons—a Home button and a Back button—on the right side. Pressing the Home button once returns the watch to its factory settings.

I have mine set to launch Google Wallet and Google Assistant when I double-press and long-press the Home key, but you may use whatever you like. Thanks to Google’s inclusion and support, the Samsung Galaxy Watch is now a worthwhile product for Android fans.

Nevertheless, not everything is optimised for use with Google products. There is presently no way to alter the press-and-hold action of the Back key from Samsung Pay to Google Pay or any other application. Perhaps, Samsung will provide a software update that will also allow users to change the behaviour of this button.

In order to measure your heart rate, bioelectrical impedance for blood pressure (outside the US), irregular heartbeat (ECG), blood oxygen levels, and more, you can flip the watch over and access the Samsung BioActive sensor. The skin temperature sensor is located on the unit’s left side on the rear; however, this feature has not yet been enabled.

Wear OS by Google, Powered by Samsung

Turning on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro brings up the standard Samsung wearable interface. Tizen OS features such as watch faces, the tile UI, Samsung apps, Bixby, and more are all included. There’s no mistaking that the 5 Pro is still a Galaxy Watch, and the addition of Google Wear OS only improves its use.

You can understand why the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro with Wear OS is such a big deal for Samsung and Google when you open the app drawer. Google Wallet, Google Maps, Google Assistant, Google Fit, Gboard (yep, a keyboard for your watch), and more are now installed on my current Galaxy Watch that weren’t on my previous versions.

Wear OS allows me to use the Watch 5 Pro with some of my favourite apps from my phone, tablet, and computer. That said, not everything about using software, and especially the Google Play Store, is ideal. Many times when I looked for apps on my phone that were compatible with my watch, I was shown results that weren’t even relevant.

This was due to the fact that anytime I conducted a search, the Google Play Store bypassed its watch-filtered algorithm and presented me with all results in the marketplace, including mobile and tablet apps. At various points, I had my dreams dashed for a Starbucks or Telegram app.

If you’re wondering which Wear OS apps are compatible with your Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, you can check out the list right on your wrist by visiting the Play Store. Using the Play Store on my watch, which also supports voice-to-text searches, I was able to locate several additional applications.

Modifying Your Samsung Watch to Your Liking

Galaxy Wearable and Samsung Health are two essential Samsung apps for controlling the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. You should connect with the two services, which are helpful and cost nothing, to get the most out of your smartwatch.

Wearable Galaxy:

Information about your Galaxy Watch, including as its name, battery life, watch face and settings links, and more, is displayed. You may customise the Watch 5 Pro’s watch faces via the app, including the metrics that appear on the home screen and the watch’s colour scheme. The Pro analogue watch face offers additional customization options, including a compass index.

Samsung Medical:

To make the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro’s data more aesthetically pleasing, Samsung created the Samsung Health app for use on smartphones. On this page, you’ll find summaries and links to more in-depth reports on activities like walking, exercising, sleeping, stressing, and monitoring your heart rate.

In areas where it is available, selecting ECG or blood pressure will launch the Samsung Health Monitor app, a third-party service that compiles your metrics into understandable reports for your doctor.

Samsung Health provides tools for engaging in healthy competition with friends, tracking your progress towards weekly goals, and sharing your successes. Samsung Health also includes a fitness section where you can access third-party fitness apps.

Samsung Health appears to be a good option for those looking for a free service, despite the limited number of programmes and the fact that many of them are aimed at newcomers.

Tracking Using GPX Format is the Only True “Pro” Function.

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro’s lone “Pro” software feature is its ability to read hiking and riding GPX files. Tracks, routes, and waypoints are all examples of geographical data that can be stored in a file format known as GPX, or GPS Exchange Format File.

The Watch 5 Pro seems to put too much emphasis on this feature when neither trail running nor mountain biking are supported. A GPX file of the route you intend to walk or bike is the first thing you’ll need. Online research will reveal that GPX file creation necessitates a paid subscription to a third-party provider.

If you save enough routes, you might be able to utilise it even when you don’t have internet access. But, my GPS sports watches are substantially more useful for hiking because they feature preloaded topographic maps and a significantly longer battery life.

The future emphasis that Samsung places on GPX reading is unclear. I certainly hope so, as the Watch 5 Pro’s feature is a terrific first step, even if it is weak compared to the sports watch industry.

In Summary:

Black Titanium and Gray Titanium versions of the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro may be purchased right now for $449.99. I took advantage of Samsung’s alluring trade-in offerings and exchanged my Galaxy Watch 4 Classic for an LTE Watch 5 Pro, saving me $140.

I’ve found that the Watch 5 Pro is the ideal complement to my Samsung Z Fold 4. Having access to all of my favourite Google apps on my Samsung watch has made it possible for me to hold numerous calls while out and about.

The Watch 5 Pro lasts for two full days, including a night of sleep tracking, and continues to work into the third day. This already outperforms the Apple Watch 7 and 8, and we plan to compare it to the Apple Watch Ultra very soon.

The vivid Super AMOLED display makes it easy for my aged eyes to interact with the watch, and the D-Buckle band looks excellent, keeps firmly in place, and is quite comfortable. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is the greatest smartwatch overall and the best wearable for Android phone users.

Even though it’s construction ingredients are often only found in $1,000+ GPS sports watches, it still costs $450. Samsung may have flubbed the “Pro” branding, but the watch is excellent, and the firm promises much more in the form of upgrades in the future. Users using the Android operating system need no longer feel inferior to Apple Watch and iPhone owners.

Is the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro worth the Money?

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro’s advantages include its light titanium body, sapphire glass AMOLED screen, sufficient battery life for most users, and compatibility with Google Wear OS 3 apps.

The manual GPX process, the inability to measure skin temperature, and the absence of a blood pressure monitor are all drawbacks of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro in the United States.