Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro Review: Smartwatch + Fitness Watch = A Good Mix

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro Initial Review Stepping Up

The $450 Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a disgrace. Not only does it have all the bells and whistles of a smartwatch, it also adds some of the extra sporty features an athlete could want, and in a similar vein to other watches for almost half the price, like the $900 Garmin Epix 2 .

It also has a sturdier design and a larger battery than the regular Galaxy Watch 5. Don't expect this to be a true outdoor watch that you can use for multi-day adventures, as the battery life isn't as strong as the competition. .

Both the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro are Samsung's second generation Galaxy Watches running Wear OS 3. Until we see the new Pixel Watch and its long-promised range of watches on the new platform, here are the best Android watches. . you can get

But the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro only comes with a 45mm case, which might be too big for smaller wrists. Note that even though it's an Android watch, some of Samsung's key health features require a Samsung phone.

Solid design with a comfortable fit on the wrist

The Watch 5 Pro is more durable than the regular Galaxy Watch 5. It has raised bezels around the screen, titanium construction, and a sturdier sapphire crystal on the screen. With an IP68 rating, it is dustproof and waterproof. Though I've accidentally bumped into it or tried to scratch it, I've taken it on dusty bike rides, scrubbed it in beach sand, and lifted time-wasting weights. It still looks brand new, but time will tell how it holds up in harsher environments like construction sites.

It's only available in 45mm, making it difficult for those with smaller wrists to wear, as opposed to the regular 40mm and 44mm versions of the watch. I used to wear a bigger watch. The Garmin Epix 2 comes to mind with its thick 47mm bezels. But for people with smaller wrists than mine, it might be too big at 76 grams (2.6 ounces) with the internal magnetic clip and maybe too heavy. I was disappointed that the watch's heavy design would severely limit its appeal. But the 1.4-inch AMOLED display is bright, sharp, and shows Wear OS (and Samsung One UI) at its best.

Instead of a physical bezel, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has a touch bezel that you can use to navigate menus along with the touchscreen and side buttons. Because of the raised bezel, the Watch 5 Pro is easier to use compared to the regular Watch 5. You can almost bend your finger as you "twist" the circle. Still not quite as accurate as the physical bezel, which clicks, especially if you have wet or sweaty hands, which seems inevitable if you're really using this watch for athletic performance.

I can understand why Samsung chose to ditch the physical rotating bezel, considering this watch is another moving part that can become damaged or jammed if you use it in harsh environments. But I still miss this option and I think Samsung could make another compromise. For example, I can imagine using the inner edge of the raised lip as a scroll frame.

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro uses the same processor as last year's Galaxy Watch 4, replacing the new Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chip. Performance is fast for the most part and the watch loads apps quickly, although waking up is a little slow compared to the regular Galaxy Watch 5. There's an LTE version that costs $499, although I haven't tested that model.

The regular Galaxy Watch 5 shares the same Wear OS platform and user interface, along with Samsung services like Samsung Health using Google apps. For more information on the apps and features, check out my full Galaxy Watch 5 review.

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro supports back and sport modes

Both versions of the Galaxy Watch 5 can track more than 90 types of exercise and automatically recognize specific exercises such as running, swimming and elliptical trainers after 10 minutes of activity. But the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has another feature. Do they guarantee the "Pro" designation of this watch? Possible

The first is back. It works by hiking and biking in nature, helping you return to your starting point along the same route. Slide your finger over the dial, search for a track, and the watch displays an on-screen map with your current location, directions, and turn distance. The route you took to reach your current location turns blue and green as you start backing away. It's easy to use when your watch beeps or beeps when it's your turn. It brought me home just as much as it did when I tried a path I had never followed. Future software updates may bring some types of outdoor GPS workouts like running and walking, which is a useful feature.

You can also import routes into your watch and get turn-by-turn navigation. It currently only works with bike tours, but importing GPX files is a breeze. I exported my previous trip from Strava and uploaded it from the Samsung Health app to the Watch 5 Pro in seconds. As a follow up, the map (using Google Maps) looks great on screen and is easy to navigate. You can also export your current track from the Samsung Health app.

The Samsung Health app only suggests two cycling and walking routes just in case you don't have a route of your own, but they're in both New York and London so aren't very useful if you don't have one. live in one of these cities. But I don't mind that because the map interface is cleaner and easier to read than other sports watches I've used thanks to Google Maps. This watch offers turn-by-turn navigation that guides you through the route with audio, vibration and on-screen alerts.

Some of the route and map features on this watch are nothing new in the world of running watches, even half price watches. But it doesn't look like Samsung is trying to make this watch a replacement or direct competitor to Garmin's high-end watches. If you're a serious athlete, you'll want the deeper analytics and features that the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro can offer with its premier workout app.

In addition, the always-on screen is quite dark in direct sunlight. In some situations I have to close my eyes to see elapsed time or pace, stop and tap the screen to wake up and check my stats. Luckily, I didn't have any problems with the view indoors or in the shade.

The accuracy of the sensor is very good for training, but the temperature is not given

I tested the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro's optical heart rate sensor on a chest strap to see how it performed with different cardio workouts.

For outdoor cycling with bumpy roads and the added variable that you don't have a lot of arm movement, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro does a great job staying close to chest readings. During the nearly 2-hour training session, there were only two small breaks where the control sensors diverged slightly, as you can see in the graph below. For a smoother cardio ride like a regular walk, this watch is also good for fitting a heart rate monitor. Unlike other fitness watches, you cannot pair an external heart rate monitor with the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

GPS accuracy is excellent on both models of the Galaxy Watch 5. In San Francisco, I had no trouble blocking a signal within 5 seconds, both in and out of range of the phone.

It's this infrared sensor that sets the Watch 5 series apart from last year's models. But it's not live yet and we don't have an ETA as to when it will be activated via a software update. Samsung says it's used at night while sleeping. Competitors like Fitbit and Oura use their devices' infrared sensors to track your skin temperature while you sleep. This will provide an indication of whether you may have a fever or your menstrual cycle.

This isn't the first time a wearable has hit the market without basic features or active sensors. Fitbit's Charge 5 launched without its basic daily fitness session, and before that, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 was unlocked about a month after the ECG launch when it received FDA approval. I'm disappointed that we still don't have many additional details on how Samsung or a third-party developer might use this temperature sensor as it's a major new feature on both Galaxy Watches. I'm hoping that at least when it's running it will show the overnight sleep temperature trend like the other wearables I mentioned.

Most other health features and sensors remain unchanged from the Galaxy Watch 4. You also get a bioimpedance sensor to measure body composition, as well as a blood oxygen sensor and an EKG. However, to use the ECG and blood pressure sensor (only available in certain countries), you need to pair it with a Samsung Galaxy phone.

I've had mixed results with the blood oxygen sensor, which was slightly lower than pulse oximeters and other wearables, especially at night. I've also occasionally had the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro report that the lowest blood oxygen levels are between 80 and 87%, which is very low and could indicate lack of sleep. Signs of conditions such as sleep apnea. No other device has ever given me low readings, especially when I tracked my sleep with the Fitbit Charge 5 and Oura on the same night. Blood oxygen sensors are generally not medically approved, so take readings with a grain of caution and always consult your doctor for proper guidance. I contacted Samsung about the mysteriously low reading and will update this review when I hear about it.

The recovery criterion is the missing piece of the puzzle

One of the biggest benefits of wearing a smartwatch in recent years is knowing how the body recovers after a workout or illness. There are limited recovery metrics in Samsung Health and on the watch, including sleep metrics and stress indicators, which don't tell you much on a high, medium, or low scale. What does that mean? This is your business.

You can track sweat loss after running outdoors, as well as your heart rate when setting body composition goals. But again, it's up to you to interpret that data, and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro isn't as easy to understand as its rivals.

Garmin offers a body battery that takes into account fluctuations in heart rate, sleep and activity levels to determine whether you can push for another workout or relax. Fitbit also has a daily fitness score that suggests workouts based on your score. Even if the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro had a recovery timer to track how much time your body needs between workouts, that would be better than nothing.

Biggest battery in the Galaxy Watch, but I want more

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has the largest battery in the 2022 lineup at 590mAh. Samsung says it can last a total of 80 hours with normal use, or 20 hours with GPS. I did a 2 hour trip with airplane mode on to make sure I was only using GPS and the battery was down to 10% even with it always on. This is promising performance and in these conditions the watch will only complete 20 hours of GPS. (I wouldn't travel 20 hours for a continuous leak test.)

With normal usage, phone notifications, always-on display, sleep tracking, continuous heart rate monitoring, and an hour of GPS training, the Watch 5 Pro lasts 2.5 days or more than 58 hours. That's better than last year's Galaxy Watch 4 range, but there's no competitor at the same price point as the Garmin Venu 2 Plus, which can last around a week between charges. Samsung claims up to 80 hours of use under normal conditions, which you can expect if you don't exercise enough outdoors and turn off the always-on display.

Luckily, the regular Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro offer faster charging and can reach a 45% charge in 30 minutes. I tested this with the Watch 5 Pro and it went from normal charge to 42% in half an hour. It takes 2 hours to fully align the watch. But you'll need a 25W USB-C charger to take advantage of those faster charging speeds, and like the Apple Watch, there's no charging brick in the box.

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro can also use reverse wireless charging if you have a Samsung phone, but it's difficult to align the watch with the magnetic clip, so I usually rely on the included charger.

Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. With the designation "Pro" it is almost sufficient in practice

Samsung has a legacy of sports watches including the Gear range. But it looks like the company could take it a step further and make it a true fitness watch with more sports features. Nonetheless, it's a very sturdy smartwatch with a durable construction that's perfect for casual exercisers or those who require tighter clothing.

So it's easy to recommend the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro if you're looking for an Android watch that leans more towards a true smartwatch with some sports features than a fitness watch. I would also prefer this to the regular Galaxy Watch 5 as it has better battery life.