Knowledgeable’s Score
Execs
- Extremely sturdy construct
- Multi-day battery life
- Impressively in-depth monitoring
- Options for mountaineering and biking
Cons
- Observe again and navigation aren’t suitable with working and strolling
- Large, cumbersome design
- No rotating bezel
Our Verdict
The Galaxy Watch 5 Professional is a sturdy smartwatch that may tackle the nice outside, with a 90% stronger show, lengthy battery life and distinctive outdoor-focused options. Nonetheless, it’s cumbersome, sure health options are locked to these with a Samsung telephone and it’s far more costly than the usual Watch 5, so make certain you’ll take advantage of the extra options on provide.
Finest Costs As we speak: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Professional
$449.99
Free
Introduced alongside the Galaxy Watch 5 and Samsung’s newest foldables, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Professional represents probably the most superior Samsung smartwatch so far. Sporting a premium design just like that of conventional wristwatches, the Professional smartwatch provides spectacular sturdiness with a titanium case and a show 90% stronger than the previous-gen wearable and distinctive options tailor-made to outside train.
Whereas it’s Professional in identify, that is basically a rugged Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 that delivers a largely no-compromise smartwatch expertise for the nice outside.
Design & construct
- Premium design with spectacular sturdiness
- 45mm casing means it may be fairly cumbersome on the wrist
- Samsung D-band is nice after preliminary setup
The Galaxy Watch 5 Professional will be the non secular successor to final yr’s Galaxy Watch 4 Basic, however there are many variations between the 2 – together with one large change that present followers of the sequence might mourn.
The Watch 5 Professional does away with the rotating bezel, a staple of the Galaxy Watch assortment since its early days. Instead, you’re left with a software-based touchscreen bezel activated by working your finger across the raised internal edges of the watch.
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Whereas the performance is similar as ever, the expertise isn’t fairly as fluid, particularly as my finger now partially covers the show when swiping across the edge. I a lot choose the rotating bezel that I might alter from the skin of the show space, at all times giving me a full view of what’s on the display.
One saving grace is that Samsung is planning to maintain the Galaxy Watch 4 Basic on sale for a bit longer for people who merely can’t do with out the rotating bezel.
It’s not all dangerous information although; an surprising upside of the raised bezel is a better-protected show, defending the display from knocks and scrapes as I am going about my day by day life.
Shifting past the bezel controversy, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Professional has a markedly extra toned-down, premium look than its fashion-focused sibling. That begins with an upgraded casing, utilising titanium rather than Samsung’s Armor Aluminium, together with a bigger 1.4in AMOLED show and a raised metallic edge that provides it a notable thickness.
Actually, it measures in at barely over 15mm thick – thicker than the claimed 10.5mm from Samsung – when combining the casing and the suite of sensors on the underside, and I’ve discovered it to be fairly noticeable on the wrist.
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That’s compounded by the very fact it’s solely out there in a single 45mm case, which even for my pretty giant wrists felt a bit cumbersome at instances, and a spot between the strap and my wrist as a result of angle that the lugs join makes it all of the extra noticeable. Merely put, when you’ve acquired skinny wrists, you’ll in all probability discover the Watch 5 Professional too hefty for day by day use.
Sturdiness has been a selected focus for Samsung with the Watch 5 vary and the Professional mannequin particularly. The AMOLED show of the Professional mannequin is protected by a sapphire crystal glass lens that Samsung claims is 90% extra sturdy than the Galaxy Watch 4, an improve even in comparison with the 60% enchancment from the usual Galaxy Watch 5.
Whereas I didn’t exit of my option to injury the show of my overview pattern, Samsung did present a hands-on demo that allow me take a look at the scratch resistance of the show, and it was spectacular to say the least.
That’s backed up by the upgraded titanium casing on the Professional mannequin, which ought to be capable of take a knock or two, and an official MIL-STD-810G sturdiness score. With water-focused train monitoring on provide, it ought to come as no shock that it provides each IP68 water resistance and 5ATM stress resistance too.
Rather than the usual silicone strap you’ll discover on the Galaxy Watch 5, the Professional mannequin sports activities Samsung’s new D-buckle band. It aids the premium look of the watch general whereas offering a extra comfortable, safe match. It’s additionally a lot simpler to placed on than most rivals, utilising magnets and a clasp system.
The preliminary setup will be fiddly and time-consuming as it’s important to thread the strap in, lock it into place after which put it on the wrist to see how snug it’s, but it surely’s solely one thing you’ll have to do as soon as.
As soon as correctly comfortable in your wrist, it’s as straightforward as snapping the magnetic clasp into place – a way more refined and chic expertise than counting buttons on a strap, and extra carefully matching its conventional, analogue brethren.
The Galaxy Watch 5 Professional can also be suitable with customary 20mm watch straps for people who need extra selection, however I believe most can be proud of Samsung’s new premium strap system.
Like most ‘Professional’ wearables, the Galaxy Watch 5 Professional is relatively restricted relating to color choices, out there in Black Titanium or Grey Titanium with an identical D-buckle. Appears to be like such as you’ll must depend on that brilliant, vivid 455ppi AMOLED show to inject some much-needed color onto your wrist.
Well being & health monitoring
- BioActive sensor gives in-depth health monitoring
- Some options unique to Samsung telephone customers
- Flip-by-turn navigation and monitor again are nice for mountaineering
Design isn’t the one differentiator between the Galaxy Watch 5 and its Professional sibling; the Watch 5 Professional additionally has a selected deal with outside train, together with working, biking and mountaineering. That sturdy design makes extra sense now, proper?
As with the Galaxy Watch 4 vary, the Professional wearable sports activities Samsung’s BioActive sensor – a bevvy of sensors that may measure pretty customary metrics like coronary heart fee, blood oxygen, stress and sleep monitoring alongside extra superior metrics like physique composition, electrical coronary heart sign and blood stress.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
It actually does present distinctive perception, significantly relating to physique composition measurements which may present correct metrics on water weight, skeletal muscle and physique fats ranges. It’s not medical-grade like most consumer-focused electronics, but it surely gives a helpful option to monitor health progress over time.
Lewis Painter / Foundry
The sensor is larger this time round, which Samsung claims gives a larger space of contact for the sensor and thus extra correct outcomes, and that does line up with my expertise with the watch. There aren’t any knowledge oddities in both my normal health monitoring or workout-specific workouts, matching the likes of the Apple Watch Sequence 7 in most features.
Earlier than I get any additional, it’s price declaring that not all well being and health monitoring capabilities can be found to everybody. Each the ECG and blood stress performance are tied to Samsung telephones as you want the Samsung-only Wholesome Monitor app to make use of them.
The latter isn’t a selected difficulty for many as blood stress monitoring isn’t at present out there within the US, and it nonetheless requires calibration from a blood stress cuff each 28 days in areas the place it’s lively, so it’s removed from a stress-free approach of monitoring blood stress.
Nonetheless, the very fact two key options stay unavailable to these with no Samsung smartphone will sting.
As with earlier Samsung wearables, the Galaxy Watch 5 Professional will monitor your day-to-day health with lively calorie burn, steps taken and hours of motion, together with helpful prompts to maintain you lively.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Sleep monitoring is especially spectacular too, with customized sleep teaching packages out there after sporting the watch to mattress for 7 consecutive nights that goal to enhance the size and high quality of your sleep. It appears correct relating to monitoring the assorted levels of sleep, although that is significantly laborious to verify with out the usage of head-mounted sensors.
Lewis Painter / Foundry
That’s all customary stuff for Samsung wearables, however one new characteristic unique to the Galaxy Watch 5 Professional is the power to import GPX information, permitting you to create and import customized routes for train. It’ll then use turn-by-turn navigation to direct you throughout your train – it’ll come by means of your headphones when you’re listening to music on a paired telephone – and an on-screen map to point out your present progress.
It’s little question an amazing addition for people who prefer to discover when exercising, however at launch, it’s unique to mountaineering and biking, not working, strolling or some other outside sport – and as a jogger, that’s a bit disappointing.
There’s additionally Observe Again, one other helpful characteristic that’ll file your stroll or hike utilizing GPS and information you again to your beginning location if required. It’s not of a lot use to me taking a stroll in my native space, however for people who prefer to hike within the nice outside, it may be a helpful addition.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Whereas as regards to GPS, the train monitoring is impressively correct. Even on built-up metropolis streets lined with bushes, the Watch 5 Professional established a GPS sign inside a number of seconds and precisely tracked my whole jog.
Wanting again on the breakdown of the exercise on the Samsung Well being app offered not solely in-depth metrics on the run that athletes will little question make use of, however a GPS heatmap that appeared to observe my path precisely, giving me peace of thoughts that my complete distance and tempo measurements had been correct.
Options & software program
- Runs Put on OS 3 with Samsung OneUI tweaks
- Top-of-the-line wearable experiences round
- No actual distinction to Galaxy Watch 4 providing
The Galaxy Watch 5 Professional joins its predecessors within the unique Put on OS 3 membership, with solely a choose few non-Samsung wearables upgrading to Google’s newest wearable OS.
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Utilising the perfect of Put on OS 3 and Samsung’s intuitive UI tweaks, the software program expertise is spectacular; apps load immediately, the assorted menus and gestures are aware of the contact, and the in depth Google Play Retailer library at your fingertips provides the perfect collection of apps not made by Apple.
The collection of apps gives a larger general expertise, with wearable counterparts for widespread apps like Spotify and Google Pockets that may genuinely be useful in day-to-day life.
It additionally allows you to swap out Samsung-designed apps for Google counterparts when you so select – a selected perk contemplating Samsung doesn’t formally help knowledge synchronisation with Google Match providers, and Samsung Pay nonetheless doesn’t provide the identical large help for banks as Google Pockets.
Although Galaxy Watch 4 homeowners needed to put up with Samsung’s Bixby digital assistant at launch, the corporate built-in Google Assistant help again in Might, and the Watch 5 Professional comes with the selection of Bixby or Google Assistant out of the field – however the Samsung Pay button shortcut nonetheless can’t get replaced by its Google Pockets counterpart.
As with health monitoring, solely Samsung Galaxy smartphone customers will get the complete good thing about the Watch 5 Professional, with options like the power to regulate Samsung SmartThings units, remotely activate the digital camera shutter and use Samsung’s enjoyable AR emoji watch faces not out there to non-Samsung customers.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Nonetheless, key features like downloading standalone apps, actionable notifications, making calls on the wrist, digital fee help and onboard music storage can be found with any related Android smartphone – you’ll simply have to obtain further apps like Samsung Accent Service to get issues shifting.
Basically, Put on OS 3 with Samsung’s varied UI tweaks provides one of the vital succesful Android wearable experiences available on the market. Nonetheless, that was all simply as true with the Galaxy Watch 4.
Actually, with each fashions sporting the identical Exynos W920 chipset, there isn’t any distinction in day-to-day efficiency both. There are new watchfaces and issues to showcase, however general, there isn’t a whole lot of change right here in comparison with the Galaxy Watch 4 vary.
Battery life
- Largest battery in a Samsung wearable but
- Can comfortably final two days on a cost, 3 at a push
- Sooner charging gives 45% in half-hour
With the most important battery of any Galaxy Watch so far at 590mAh, I had large hopes for the Galaxy Watch 5 Professional’s longevity – particularly with claims from Samsung that it may well reportedly last as long as 80 hours, or simply over three days, on a single cost, and as much as 20 hours utilizing GPS.
Samsung’s prediction is essentially on the cash, however not if you wish to allow non-compulsory options like all-day coronary heart fee and Sp02 monitoring, the always-on show and stress monitoring. The extra you determine to run within the background, the extra of successful there may be to battery life.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
So, whereas the Galaxy Watch 5 Professional can final days on finish with a single cost, you’ll must sacrifice knowledge to take action. That looks like an odd transfer when one in all its strongest factors is amassing and collating all of your well being knowledge.
After a little bit of experimentation, I discovered a configuration that allowed for all-day coronary heart fee and Sp02 monitoring, but it surely got here on the expense of an always-on show and stress monitoring, options I felt I might reside with out.
With these power-hungry options disabled, I might comfortably squeeze round two and a half days out of the Watch 5 Professional earlier than it’d want a top-up, and that’s significantly better than the 276mAh battery of the 40mm Galaxy Watch 5. It’s price noting that prolonged use of the GPS throughout exercises could have a knock-on impact on general battery life although.
When it does want a top-up, the magnetic contact charger can ship as much as 8 hours of use from simply 8 minutes of charging and 45% in half-hour, although I discovered a full cost will nonetheless take near 90 minutes. That’s an enchancment on the two-hour mark of its predecessor, but it surely’s nonetheless pretty customary in 2022.
Value & availability
With a Professional moniker, it ought to come as no shock that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Professional is a pricy wearable, with a price ticket of $449/£429 For the Bluetooth model and $499/£479 for an LTE-connected variant placing it comfortably in Apple Watch territory – although in comparison with some outdoor-focused wearables from corporations like Garmin, it’s nonetheless attractively priced.
It’s $170/£210 greater than the usual 40mm Galaxy Watch 5 although, so when you aren’t too targeted on the improved sturdiness and outside exercise-specific options, you possibly can save your self a tidy sum.
If you happen to’re tempted, you should buy the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Professional now through Samsung and retailers like Finest Purchase within the US and Amazon within the UK.
We cowl the place to purchase the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vary in additional element individually for these , and to see the way it compares to the competitors, check out our collection of the perfect smartwatches.
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Verdict
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Professional is probably the most superior wearable in Samsung’s assortment, providing the identical mixture of in-depth well being and health monitoring metrics together with physique composition as its customary sibling together with outside exercise-focused options like monitor again and turn-by-turn navigation, a bigger show and far improved multi-day battery life.
There’s additionally the spectacular sturdiness to think about, with a show 90% stronger than the Galaxy Watch 4 sequence, the power to outlive a dunk within the sea and a titanium case that may take a knock or two. It’s actually extra sturdy than the fashionable Galaxy Watch 5, although this does additionally imply that it’s bigger and bulkier, with a single 45mm casing possibility that regarded large even on my pretty giant wrists.
The catch is that it’s lots costlier than the usual Galaxy Watch 5, and a giant enhance on even the premium last-gen Watch 4 Basic, which makes it laborious to suggest for everybody. However, when you’re an avid bike owner or hiker that’ll get probably the most out of the additional performance on provide, the Galaxy Watch 5 might be the right premium wearable.