- Samsung / Pocket-lint
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
Our top choice$380 $450 Save $70The top of the line Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro offers great battery life, build quality and a rich feature list. From a features and performance standpoint, this is the best WearOS watch we've seen on the market for some time. In fact, it could be the best ever.
Pros- Great battery life
- Fantastic and durable design
- Strong feature set
Cons- A little expensive
- Only works with Android phones
- Samsung / Pocket-lint
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
A superb alternative$180 $280 Save $100The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 makes a couple of tweaks to the design of the Watch 4 to give better protection, while offering a bigger battery and a couple of new features. It delivers a comprehensive offering and is a top choice for Android users.
Pros- Great display
- Decent battery
- Loads of functions
Cons- Design is a little safe
- Doesn't work with iPhone
In 2022, Samsung lifted the lid on the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro, launching them alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4. The Galaxy Watch 5 replaces Galaxy Watch 4, while the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro was a new model altogether focusing on outdoor sports and battery life.
How do the two models compare though, and which is the right one for you? We've put their specs up against each other so you can get an idea of what the differences are, and whether or not the more expensive Pro model is worth the price. You can also read our Galaxy Watch 5 review and our Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review for our impressions on the two smartwatches.
Price, availability and specs
As you might expect, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is the cheaper of the two smartwatches. The base model of the Watch 5 - which offers Bluetooth connectivity and a 40mm casing - $229 in the US, making it considerably cheaper than it was at launch. The base model of Galaxy Watch 5 Pro currently costs $379 in the US, again - cheaper than it was at launch - but more expensive than the regular one. Given the added features and more premium build materials offered by the Pro model though, it's about what you would expect.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 comes in two size options of 40mm and 44mm, as well as three colour options of Graphite, Silver and Pink Gold. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is only offered in a larger casing of 45mm and it comes in two colour options of Gray Titanium and Black Titanium. You can see how their main specs compare in the spec table below, though we have gone into more detail on their differences further down this feature.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Operating System Wear OS 3, Samsung One UI Watch 4.5 Wear OS 3, Samsung One UI Watch 4.5 Onboard GPS Built-in GPS, compass Built-in GPS, Compass Lens Material Sapphire 'Enhanced' Crystal Glass Sapphire Crystal Glass Case Material Titanium Aluminium Sizes 45mm 40mm, 44mm Colors Black, Grey Graphite, Silver, Pink Gold (40mm), Sapphire (44mm) Display 1.36-inch, 450 x 450 pixels 1.19-inch, 396 x 396 pixels (40mm) / 1.36-inch, 450 x 450 pixels (44mm) CPU Exynos W920 Exynos W920 Battery 590mAh 284mAh (40mm) / 410mAh (44mm) Connectivity Bluetooth, LTE Bluetooth, LTE Durability IP68, MIL-STD-810H, 5ATM IP68, MIL-STD-810H, 5ATM Health sensors Heart rate monitoring, ECG, blood pressure, blood oxygen, body composition, skin temperature, barometer, gyroscope Heart rate monitoring, ECG, blood pressure, blood oxygen, body composition, skin temperature, barometer, gyroscope
Watch 5 vs Watch 5 Pro design
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 offers a slightly sportier design than the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which is chunkier overall. Unlike the Watch 4 Classic, there's no rotating bezel anywhere to be seen on the Watch 5 Pro however, though both the Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro have a digital bezel and two function buttons.
The Watch 5 comes in two sizes as we breifly mentioned, with case options of 40mm and 44mm. You'll also find several colour finishes for the aluminium case as well. Graphite and Silver is an option in both sizes, while Pink Gold is only available on the 40mm model and Sapphire in the 44mm option. There are also several wristband colours to choose from, with Bora Purple exclusive to the 40mm model and Sapphire on the 44mm model.
The Watch 5 Pro is only available in one size: 45mm. It's therefore the largest of the two, and is thicker than the regular model. It's available in Grey and Black, but the case material is titanium - making it lighter and more durable than the standard model.
All models are 5ATM waterproof to ensure they can survive the elements, and be used to track water-based activities. They are also IP68 water and dust resistant and MIL-STD-810H.
Watch 5 vs Watch 5 Pro display
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 40mm model comes with a 1.19-inch display with a 396 x 396 pixel resolution that delivers a pixel density of 330ppi. The Watch 5 44mm model and Watch 5 Pro both come with a 1.36-inch display with a 450 x 450 pixel resolution, resulting in a 330ppi too.
All are Super AMOLED displays and all models have Sapphire Crystal Glass lenses over the top, but the Pro model comes with 'enhanced' crystal, to make it stronger and more durable. It's said the Pro model is 2x tougher than the Watch 4 series, while the Watch 5 models are 1.6x tougher.
Watch 5 vs Watch 5 Pro features
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro both run an updated version of Wear OS 3 with Samsung's One UI over the top and so they offer a very similar user interface and experience.
They offer many of the same features, like heart rate monitoring, sleep monitoring with REM stages, fall detection, multiple sports modes, ECG, blood pressure, blood oxygen, and body composition. All these features were offered on the Watch 4 models
There are improved features on the 2022 models too though. All - for instance - have an updated sleep tracking user interface to give you a clearer, more in-depth look at your sleep patterns, as well as guidance on how to improve it.
The Pro has its own set of dedicated features as well, aimed specifically at those who enjoy outdoor activities like trail/fell running and hiking. You'll be able to use the watch to navigate to points on a map, and use a 'Track Back' feature to find your way back to your starting point if you get lost.
As well as that, once you've finished an intense cardio activity, the watch will track your recovery heart rate to see how well you recover and give you guidance on how much hydration to take on as soon as you're finished.
Watch 5 vs Watch 5 Pro battery and sensors
In terms of hardware and specs, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro are both available as Bluetooth only and LTE models.
The Watch 5 Pro offers the larger battery capacity; the Watch 5 40mm model has a 284mAh battery which is a slight jump up from the Watch 4 that has a 247mAh battery. The 44mm model has a 410mAh battery.
The Watch 5 Pro on the other hand, has a much larger 590mAh, which is quite a big difference to the Watch 5 model. It means you'll get a three or four days worth of battery life from a full charge rather than just one or two. Both models use the same Exynos W920 hardware.
Both models have a blood oxygen sensor, electrical and optical heart rate sensors, body composition analysis, skin temperature sensor and the usuals, like a barometer, gyroscope, built-in GPS and compass.
Conclusion: Should you buy the Galaxy Watch 5 or Watch 5 Pro?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro might be the more expensive model here, but it will also be an excellent option for a lot of people. Even if you're not an outdoor sports enthusiast, the larger battery means you don't have to charge it virtually every night, and the more premium and durable materials resist scratches and dings more successfully too. It's one of our favourite WearOS devices.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
The top of the line Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro offers great battery life, build quality and a rich feature list. From a features and performance standpoint, this is the best WearOS watch we've seen on the market for some time. In fact, it could be the best ever.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 offers a lot for the money though, and being built on Google's most up-to-date software with Samsung's health tracking onboard means you'll get plenty of functionality for that outlay if your budget doesn't stretch to the Pro model.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 makes a couple of tweaks to the design of the Watch 4 to give better protection, while offering a bigger battery and a couple of new features. It delivers a comprehensive offering and remains one of the top choices of wearables for pairing with an Android phone.