Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro are finally official, with several notable changes. During today's Galaxy Unpacked event, where the company debuted its latest folding phones and some new earbuds, we also got a new Galaxy Watch 5 and a bigger, better, more robust Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
Samsung revealed the Galaxy Watch 5 lineup during its August 2022 Unpacked event. The smartwatches were accompanied by Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.
The new Galaxy Watch 5 line reuses much of the same great experience we loved in our Galaxy Watch 4 review, but some crucial upgrades are worth discussing. While we're still running on the same 5nm Samsung Exynos W920 Dual-Core 1.18GHz processor with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, along with the Wear OS 3.5 (powered by Samsung's One UI,) now we're getting a "Pro" model.
This year Samsung renewed its focus on health and fitness, added tough sapphire glass protection to the displays, and packed bigger batteries for multi-day enjoyment.
You'll still enjoy all the fantastic health readings, advanced sleep-tracking, and more, thanks to the BioActive sensor, and the Pro model has a massive battery, making it perfect for active users. Here's what you need to know.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
We're not getting an "Active" or "Classic" model this year. Instead, there's a regular watch and a Pro variant. First up is Samsung's regular Galaxy Watch 5, which has a familiar yet refined design.
The Galaxy Watch 5 comes in 40 and 44mm sizes, along with several different colors and band options. The first noticeable change is the lack of a rotating bezel, something Galaxy Watch fans loved. The front is clean and elegant, with the software being the focus.
Samsung is still using its 3-in-1 BioActive Sensor, which uses a single chip to monitor blood pressure, detect irregular heartbeats, measure blood oxygen, and calculate body composition.
"We're dedicated to giving our Galaxy Watch community the tools, data, and resources needed to not only understand their overall health and wellness better, but to coach them on their journey," said Dr. TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile Experience Business at Samsung Electronics. "With Samsung's groundbreaking BioActive Sensor, we're empowering users with the most complete picture of their health-related insights yet."
Plus, this year, a new temperature sensor uses Infrared to get better health and wellness readings. Aside from the missing bezel, the biggest visual change is that the Galaxy Watch 5 has a larger surface area to contact your wrist.
The 40mm and 44mm screen is covered in a new Sapphire Crystal display, which should offer a huge upgrade in terms of durability over previous generations. Plus, Samsung added a bigger battery in all three models, too. The new Galaxy Watch 5 should last up to 13% longer than the Watch 4, thanks to a 410 mAh battery in the bigger watch and a 284 mAh battery in the 40mm.
Samsung also says these new watches recharge 30% faster than the outgoing generation and can provide a full eight hours of sleep tracking after just eight minutes on the charger.
The Large 44mm option is available in Graphite, Sapphire, and Silver, and the Small 40mm model comes in Graphite, Pink Gold, and Silver, featuring a Bora Purple strap.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
The Galaxy Watch 5 features a new temperature sensor and durable Sapphire Crystal glass. A larger battery ensures all-day use, while new fast charging offers eight hours of sleep tracking after just eight minutes of charging.
Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
After missing out on an "active" model last year, Samsung is back with an all-new Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. This watch enjoys all the same goodness as the regular model; only it comes with a rugged titanium frame and a 45mm screen. Samsung says it's ready for those that enjoy the outdoors, hiking, cycling, and beyond.
First, the tough titanium casing will better protect the display thanks to a protruding bezel design, but it's a little taller than the Watch 5. As expected, the Pro model gets the same Sapphire crystal display, which should stand up to life's daily abuse.
Being the "Pro" model, Samsung added GPX support for outdoor routes, and owners can also download hiking and biking trails directly to the watch. A first for the Galaxy Watch line.
So, what else makes this a "Pro" watch? Well, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro comes with a new D-buckle sport band that's sleek and rugged while also packing an insanely massive 590 mAh battery. For those keeping track, that's 60% bigger than the Watch 4, meaning the 5 Pro should easily last upwards of 3+ days on a charge, even with the always-on display.
The new and improved Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is available in Black Titanium or Gray Titanium colors, starting at $449.99. Then, there's an LTE model for $500.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
The sporty Galaxy Watch 5 Pro features a 45mm screen with durable Sapphire Crystal glass and a titanium casing.It adds GPS support with voice navigation and a battery that lasts over three days.
Galaxy Watch 5 Release Date & Price
The Galaxy Watch 5 is available for pre-order starting today, August 10th, with the release date set for August 26th. The smaller Watch 5 starts at $279.99 for the Bluetooth version and $329.99 for the LTE version. Then, as mentioned above, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will run you $449.
Those who pre-order before August 25th will get a free Samsung Wireless Charger Duo, a trade-in discount, and a $50 Samsung credit for accessories or additional watch bands. Additionally, there's a Galaxy Watch 5 Golf Edition with some smart golf caddy apps pre-installed, exclusive watch faces, and a two-tone band. The Golf edition comes in all three sizes.
Pre-order yours today, then design your own watch model, size, color, and straps, and choose from over 1,000 combinations with the Galaxy Watch 5 Samsung Bespoke design studio. Grab yours from the links below.