It was time to renovate the Samsung house, there new foldables and new smart watches arrived. With the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 abandoned, the brand's catalog evolves to be even more complete. Samsung promises greater efficiency, an improved design, high-end materials and healthy level features. I had to check it out.
With each new Samsung watch, the company takes one more step in its task of becoming the majority choice for those looking for a smartwatch for their Android (in the absence of the expected Google Pixel Watch). The Galaxy Watch have always been an excellent choice, since they bring together advanced functions with the exercise and health record. In addition, Samsung has evolved its range in line with Google itself: the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is a good example of this.
Design: elegance and sporty look go hand in hand
Throughout the entire analysis I will repeat the feeling of déjà vu that I had with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5. New iteration of the family and practically zero evolution: I have had the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic since its launch and it is almost identical to the new model that I have been testing for a few weeks. Even in terms of design.
The gap between generations is not too palpable. In none of the aspects. The materials used by Samsung are of excellent quality, the manufacturer combines them wisely. And he obtains a result that does not clash on any wrist.
What do you like sport? The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 looks sporty. Do you need me to combine with a less "sporty" style? No problem, its smooth lines and round dial do not clash even with a suit. And it always allows the change of strap: Samsung maintains compatibility with standard straps (this point continues to raise the overall rating of its watches).
Sapphire crystal for the upper face (no scratches have appeared during my use), aluminum case (resistant and with a quality touch) and polycarbonate inner face with space covered for all health sensors. The buttons are located on the right side of the watch and are also made of metal.
The round sphere maintains a generous frame around it in black (too large for my taste, it dwarfs the screen). This frame is tactile and acts as a rotating bezel: dragging your finger along the edge of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 activates scrolling between the menus. The "scroll" is smooth, well adapted to the gesture and is accompanied by a haptic feedback provided by the vibration motor. This one is linear and behaves well in both strong and subtle vibrations.
The 40mm model Samsung lent me looks a bit small on my wrist and I've had no trouble viewing the content. The screen seems a bit small to me considering the huge size of the round frame (and touch bezel). As for the fastening to the wrist, the strap fits perfectly and without the slightest risk of escape.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 supports standard straps with a width of 20mm
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 can be combined with a complete collection of official straps made of different materials (the one that the watch includes as standard is silicone). Also, there is always the option of using a standard strap; with the huge game that ends up giving this freedom of choice.
Display: readable in all conditions
The Galaxy Watch usually include an excellent Super AMOLED screen signed by the brand itself. It is not an exception in the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, since its panel provides excellent visibility in all conditions. At night, in full sun, during an exercise, there is no problem when consulting the smartwatch.
Round face for a 1.53-inch screen with a resolution of 396 x 396 pixels, these are the key features of the watch I've been wearing on my right wrist for the past few weeks. The screen appears protected by sapphire crystal. And, as I already mentioned in the design section, the panel looks somewhat small when looking at the watch due to the large area occupied by the black tactile bezel.
The screen looks somewhat small before the enormous black halo that surrounds it; and that acts as a touch bezel (can be disabled)
The automatic brightness of the clock usually behaves adequately. It adapts well to changes in lighting, maintains a maximum brightness that allows the screen to be seen even in direct sunlight and does not bother too much in dim light (I would appreciate a slightly lower minimum brightness). Viewing angles are excellent and in keeping with the tactile feedback.
The screen of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 can be activated by turning the wrist (the response is usually precise, always with a delay of a few milliseconds between turning and turning on), it can also be turned on with a touch or using the buttons on the side . It has the function always on or Always On Display (AOD), but it does not seem recommendable to me: the battery drain increases excessively. And it turns off by planting the palm of your hand on it (apart from the sleep timer, customizable in the screen settings).
I hardly have any complaints about the screen included in the Galaxy Watch 5: Samsung knows how to make excellent panels, the one on this watch is a good example. It manages to round off the sensation of category provided by both the design and the materials used.
Performance: fluid and solvent despite the lack of changes
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 maintains the same brain as its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: the Samsung Exynos W920 powers the watch without compromising the system, apps or multitasking. The sensation has been fluid despite some specific slowdowns (such as during startup or when updating apps). I also did not appreciate heating more than in the situations of greatest abuse. Yes it can get excessively hot during charging, I will mention it in the battery section.
The watch appears fast and smooth and does not get hot during use. I did appreciate some occasional "lags"; such as during app updates or when switching watch faces by holding down on the screen
The fact that Samsung does not evolve the processor with the jump between generations does not seem detrimental to the general average of the smartwatch, not in vain the W920 "only" has been on the market for a year and already in 2021 it was working very well (although behind the competition direct, the Apple S of the Watch; more powerful and resolute chips). Even so, Wear OS and One UI Watch are quite heavy, sometimes the hardware seems in trouble. The animations are usually quite fluid.
Accompanying the SoC, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 boasts 1.5 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage (it can save playlists so as not to depend on the phone). I have noticed the stable connection with the mobile through Bluetooth, the WiFi has worked without problems and the watch has warned me of those occasions in which I forgot the phone behind. It is not an immediate warning, but fast enough to avoid greater evils (if you are lucky).
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 has high-level hardware, very complete and perfect for everything that can be asked of a smart watch. Including the microphone and speaker, which allows you to answer calls without using your mobile; in addition to answering all messages or making mobile payments without the need for a phone (Samsung Pay works perfectly, even on non-Samsung mobiles). Due to its versatility, it is among the top positions in the smartwatch field.
SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch 5
- ➤ADVANCED SLEEP COACHING: Manage your overall sleep quality with an advanced sleep tracker that detects and analyzes sleep stages while you rest; Plus, Advanced Sleep Coaching helps you develop better sleep habits by analyzing your sleep patterns*.Supported Application:Fitness Tracker,Blood Pressure Monitor,Multisport Tracker,Time Display,GPS. Connectivity technology:Bluetooth. Wireless comm standard:Bluetooth,802_11_AGNAC
- ➤BODY COMPOSITION ANALYSIS (BIA)**: Galaxy Watch 5 provides body composition data right on your wrist; On your own schedule, you can now get readings on body fat, skeletal muscle, body water, basal metabolic rate and Body Mass Index (BMI)
- ➤IMPROVED SENSOR ACCURACY: Stay up to date on your wellness; Get an accurate heart rate thanks to an improved, curved Samsung BioActive Sensor that gets closer to your skin.
- ➤AUTO WORKOUT TRACKING: Make the most of every adventure with Auto Workout Tracking — from running to rowing to swimming — automatically in just minutes, and manually tracking more than 90 exercises, including complex activities like HIIT.