Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 & Watch 5 Pro: All you need to know

Samsung has forged a path for itself as makers of some of the most capable and desirable smartwatches on the market, and that trend is set to continue with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro, announced at Samsung’s August 2022 Unpacked event alongside the Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.

While the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro introduces an entirely new design that ditches the fan-favourite rotating bezel. A controversial choice? Maybe.

Here’s all there is to know about the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro, including release date and pricing information and everything you should expect from the 2022 wearables.

When were the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro released?

Samsung revealed the Galaxy Watch 5 alongside the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro at its Unpacked event on 10 August 2022.

Both smartwatches went up for pre-order immediately following the event, and went on sale on 26 August 2022.

How much do the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro cost?

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 comes in at a slightly higher price than its predecessor, with a $/£20-40 increase depending on the model you opt for, but generally, it’s in line with its predecessor.

As with previous iterations, the exact price will depend on multiple factors including case sizing, connectivity and the combination of case and watch strap you opt for.

Here’s how much the Galaxy Watch 5 will cost at launch:

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (40mm, Bluetooth): $279.99 / £269 / €299 / ₹28,000
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (40mm, LTE): $329.99 / £319 / €349 / ₹33,000
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (44mm, Bluetooth): $309.99 / £289 / €299 / ₹31,000
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 (44mm, LTE): $359.99 / £339 / €349 / ₹36,000

Though it’s slightly more expensive than its predecessor, likely due to the sharp rise in inflation, the pricing is still in the premium smartwatch sweet spot, in line with the likes of the Apple Watch Series 7 while offering much more advanced tracking, longer battery life and more.

That’s not quite the case with the premium Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, which starts at $449.99/£429/€429£429. Though, with a more premium, durable design than the standard watch and exercise-focused features that’d give trackers from Garmin a run for their money, there’s still a lot to like.

Here’s how much the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will set you back:

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro (45mm, Bluetooth): $449.99 / £429 / €429 / ₹45,000
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro (45mm, LTE): $499.99 / £479 / €519 / ₹50,000

For comparison, here’s a price breakdown of last year’s Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 collection:

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 40mm (Bluetooth only) – £249 / €269 / $249
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 44mm (Bluetooth only) – £269 / €299 / $279
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 40mm (4G) – £289 / €319 / $299
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 44mm (4G) – £309 / €349 / $329

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 42mm  (Bluetooth only) – £349 / €369 / US$349
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 46mm  (Bluetooth only) – £369 / €399 / US$379
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 42mm (4G) – £389 / €419 / US$399.99
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic 46mm (4G)– £409 / €449 / US$429.99

If you’re tempted to pick up either of the new wearables, you can buy it from the Samsung website right now. We cover where to buy the Galaxy Watch 5 in more detail separately for those that are interested.

What’s new with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5?

On the surface, the Galaxy Watch 5 might not look that different to its predecessor – and that’s because, in many respects, it isn’t.

The Galaxy Watch 5 comes in 40mm and 44mm variations with a variety of strap and case combinations, though with new refreshed options this time around to better suit your style. It sports the same modern look, complete with Samsung’s soft-touch silicone watch straps and two side-mounted buttons to the right of the display.

Though it might not look like it, the display has had an upgrade. It’s still the same size and resolution as its predecessor, but thanks to upgraded sapphire crystal glass, it’s 60% more durable this time around. That should help protect it not only from shattering but scratches too, though by how much is yet to be seen.

Samsung’s 3-in-1 bioactive sensor has made a return, bundling an Optical Heart Rate Sensor, an Electrical Heart Sensor and a Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis sensor in a single package on the rear of the smartwatch, though it’s slightly larger this time around to better track your vitals throughout the day.

You’ll also find a new body temperature sensor that Samsung claims is accurate even when the surrounding environment may be much hotter or colder than your body, although there aren’t any applications – Samsung-developed or otherwise – that take advantage of it right now.

There’s also an improvement to overall battery life. The Galaxy Watch 5 has a 13% larger battery than its predecessor for slightly improved battery life, along with improved fast charging speeds that’ll provide 8 hours of use from 8 minutes on a charger and a 45% charge in just 30 minutes. It’s not quite as advanced as the Watch 5 Pro – which we’ll get to in a minute – but it should comfortably provide around two days of average use.

Like last year’s model, the Galaxy Watch 5 sports Google’s updated WearOS, with a sprinkling of legacy Tizen features that older Galaxy Watch users will enjoy. Despite the fact that last year’s Watch 4 was the first to sport the upgraded software, it’s still one of vanishingly few smartwatches to take advantage of Google’s polished watch OS.

You’ve got Samsung’s advanced health, fitness and exercise tracking to look forward to, including body composition analysis with the ability to set targets for muscle mass, skeletal muscle and more – though that’s all available on last year’s Galaxy Watch 4. It’s a similar story with sleep tracking too; it’s still impressively advanced compared to the likes of the Apple Watch Series 7, complete with sleep status, blood oxygen monitoring, the ability to track snoring and insights/coaching to improve your quality of sleep, but it’s not unique to the Watch 5.

If you’re on the hunt for something a little more powerful, the brand new Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro may be more to your tastes.

What’s new with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro?

Last year’s Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is out, and the 45mm Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is here in its place sans its famous rotating bezel.

Yes, you read that, it looks like Samsung is finally putting the rotating bezel to rest with the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. In its place is a raised bezel with a sunken display within, and while it might seem odd at first, there’s logic to the design. Not only does it protect the display from impact as you’re walking, but you can run your finger around the bezel to perform the same app-switching functionality as the rotating bezel.

So, while it might not be as satisfying to use, the functionality is near-identical.

The good news is that Samsung is keeping the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic on sale for a little longer, allowing those who simply can’t do without the rotating bezel to pick it up.

Lack of bezel aside, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro offers several key upgrades compared to the already-capable Galaxy Watch 5. With a focus on outdoor sport and exercise, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is ready to take a knock and keep on going. It sports an upgraded titanium body that’s 2x tougher than its aluminium counterpart, and the new sapphire crystal display is 90% stronger and more scratch resistant than its predecessor.

Combined with the largest battery in a Samsung wearable yet at 590mAh, the company claims the Watch 5 Pro should last up to 80 hours (just over three days) with standard use, and 20 hours of GPS tracking – more than enough for even a marathon.

Along with the in-depth health, fitness and sleep tracking also available on the standard Galaxy Watch 5, the Pro model goes a step further – particularly when it comes to outdoor sports like running, hiking and mountaineering.

Utilising the built-in GPS, the Watch 5 Pro can provide turn-by-turn navigation via display, audio and vibrations, along with a return-to-home prompt that’ll guide you back to where you began your exercise. There’s even a way to import custom running routes for the truly dedicated runners and ramblers out there.

So, while it’s technically called the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, it’s essentially a rugged, durable version of the Galaxy Watch 5 designed for outdoor sport.