Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review (2023) a rugged smartwatch

a bulky, but eye-catching device

In contrast to past years, when we saw a normal model and one with a physical spinning bezel, Samsung released two variations of the Galaxy Watch 5 last year, but did away with the physical dial and unveiled a new “Pro” model. The marketing for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a little over the top, with Samsung contributing its fair part to the conversation about how much better the Watch 5 Pro is for outdoor activities than the regular Watch 5 model.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Description

Physically, it is made of tougher sapphire glass, has a titanium watch frame, and a significantly bigger battery, all of which may help it resist some more abuse. The “Pro” designation is completed by a few software capabilities, such as the ability to import GPX files for biking and hiking as well as the ability to have your return routes automatically drawn out in case you forget to do it yourself. See this thorough walk-through for all the information on how to use the new Route tile and GPX files.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • New hiking and navigation features
  • Reliable heart rate monitoring
  • Solid GPS accuracy
  • Rich software and app support

Cons

  • Features already common in other devices
  • Battery falls short compared to most fitness watches
  • Big and chunky

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Specifications

Dimensions45mm: 45.4 x 45.4 x 10.5mm
weight46.5g
Display1.4-inch AMOLED display
RAM1.5GB
Internal storage16GB
OSWear OS powered by Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Design

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review

Let’s start by stating the obvious: while many Galaxy Watch owners adore this function, you won’t find one here. Samsung’s beloved tactile bezel, which was last seen navigating Wear OS 3 functions on the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, is absent from the entire Galaxy Watch 5 line, including the Pro model.

Instead, the South Korean juggernaut offers us yet another software-based touchscreen bezel, which is unluckily not very good. Even in ideal circumstances, getting the sensitivity just right is difficult, and when perspiration or sunscreen are involved, it becomes practically impossible.

I took it on some really challenging journeys in the hot sun to test its limits given the Pro model’s addition of so many hiking functions. SPF thus took centre stage during this evaluation period. Sadly, oily palms made it difficult to use the touchscreen. Touch navigation is also not recommended for exercising after significant sweating.

Overall, it was difficult to resist wishing there were a few more buttons, especially while testing a device that aims to challenge Garmin’s dominance (namely, anywhere with limited pavement and excessive mosquitos). The lack of options is a genuine nuisance, but if you’ve only ever used Galaxy Watch models with touch bezels, you might already be accustomed to all these peculiarities.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Setup and Software

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review

Although the Galaxy Watch 5 is a WearOS watch, its software still has a strong Tizen-era Samsung vibe about it. In fact, you must use Samsung’s Galaxy Wearable to configure the watch rather than Google’s WearOS app. The watch’s user interface is generally good; having access to Google Maps, Assistant, and the Play Store is a tremendous plus; but, I have a significant complaint.

The watch prompted me to download an additional app on my phone in order to access numerous fundamental capabilities, such doing an ECG (electrocardiogram). Even worse, rather than Google Play, the software had to be downloaded through Samsung’s app store.

By the way, this is not rare for Samsung smartphones. You must first install Good Lock before you can benefit from some basic Galaxy Fold UI modification. After that, you must install a number of plug-ins for the programme. Why Samsung can’t create a single app that accomplishes all of the advertised functions is beyond me. You wouldn’t have to set up a special app on your Apple Watch simply to check your ECG.

Workout and health tracking

After testing watches from brands like Garmin, Fitbit, Polar, Coros, and Amazfit, switching to a Wear OS device abruptly required some mental readjusting on my part. I’ve grown accustomed to operating systems that just support fitness applications, so it was a shock to enter the Android environment with its abundance of options, apps, and clutter. This is just different, not horrible.

You can avoid the intermediary and avoid having to export your data from one app to another by using one of the many top-notch running apps available for Wear OS, like Strava, Nike Run Club, Adidas Running, and Map My Run. Thus, I concentrated my testing on Samsung Health functions to determine exactly what makes this watch suitable for “professional.”

In order to do that, I put it up against the Garmin Forerunner 255, a fantastic running watch that unquestionably fits that category. Samsung offers a variety of fitness modes, from traditional sports (like running, cycling, and swimming) to more specialized activities (like jumping jacks, planking, and arm curls), all of which have adorable animations and particular Settings that allow you to establish objectives before a session.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Battery life

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review

The Watch 5 Pro has a battery that is 60% larger than the Watch 4’s, at 590mAh, as opposed to the Watch 5’s maximum battery of 410mAh for the 44mm version. That translates to roughly 80 hours between charges for the watch, which is nearly twice as long as the Watch 5.

We’re just not sure if that outstanding figure will hold up if you’re fully utilising the always-on-display and expanded power of its GPS and activity monitoring tools. With mild to moderate GPS usage and nearly constant automatic tracking, our Watch 5 Pro unit lasted about 72 hours. The watch recognised my walks and runs and regularly sent me Whatsapp messages. I charged it on Tuesday, and by Friday morning the battery had depleted to 10%.

Price and Availability

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review

Priced at $449 for the WiFi model and $499 for the WiFi + 4G LTE option, the Samsung Watch 5 Pro is currently on sale. If you place an order through Samsung.com, you can choose from a number of trade-in alternatives and financing options to bring the cost down to $209.

Final Words

The Galaxy Watch 4 series has constantly been rated as one of the top smartwatches on the market. In fact, we usually thought that it was the best choice for anyone who wasn’t already well entrenched in the Apple ecosystem. The Galaxy Watch 5 series skillfully carries on that tradition. While it doesn’t offer significant improvements, the wheel isn’t completely destroyed.

Except if you preferred the physical bezel, in which case Samsung essentially removed the control. Except the eliminated bezel, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro — the company’s revamped, top-of-the-line wearable preserves everything we already liked. Also, it enhances battery life, accessibility, and toughness (to an extent).

FAQs

Can Galaxy Watch 5 Pro make calls?

The Samsung Watch 5 does more than just track your exercise. Also, it is capable of carrying out a lot of the functions offered by your smartphone, such as getting notifications, responding to messages, and making and receiving phone calls.

Is Galaxy Watch 5 Pro good for running?

There are two significant caveats, the first of which is that GPX on the Watch 5 Pro now only functions for cycling and hiking. It won’t work for route-based physical activities like walking, jogging, mountain biking, and others until or unless Samsung upgrades the watch to accommodate more activities.

Dian Erwin
Dian Erwin
Dian Erwin is a review writer for Bollyinside, covering topics related to computing, such as laptops, tablets, phones, and other hardware. Dian spends much too much of his free time on Twitter, reading speculative fiction novels, playing video games, and reading comic books. He also enjoys reading video game manuals.

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The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a powerful wearable that refines Samsung's smartwatch formula with a stronger build, longer battery life, and additional fitness tracking features, while offering a user-friendly interface and a comprehensive app suite.Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro review (2023) a rugged smartwatch