Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 : GPS Accuracy Is Very Good.
So I have just recently tested the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 for it’s GPS Accuracy. The end result was exactly how I predicted it. GPS Accuracy is indeed very good. Just looking over the specs, the new generation watch still has the same location sensors as it’s predecessor which is A-GPS, BeiDou (Chinese Satellites) , Galileo (European Satellites), GLONASS (Russian Satellites).
In this article I will go over my test results. Its the same method as I always have done it which is easy, hard and very Hard GPS tracking difficulty and I think you will be surprised with the results.
A summary of the results of the GPS test
- Very fast connection to satellites, Not so Quick in Remote Area’s
- GPS battery consumption rate is 12% per hour in power saver mode
- Easy Test : 100% alignment, result is a pass
- Hard Test : 100% alignment, result is a pass
- Very Hard Test : 100% alignment, result is a pass
Very fast connection to Satellites, Not so Quick in Remote Area’s
When ever you activate any GPS activity such as running, hiking or cycling, you are immediately connected to the satellites when you are in a urban area. You push start and boom your connected instantly, which is so handy because some watch’s can take a while to connect, and can get frustrating.
The instant connection is due to the built in A-GPS navigation system. A-GPS which stands for assisted GPS, works the same way as a GPS system but the only difference is that A-GPS can connect through other resources such as cell phone towers and servers. Which is why connecting to satellites are very quick.
I also did a test in a very remote area where where the nearest comms resource is miles away, the GPS connection took a little longer. This also depends on where you are located in the world and what’s available to you. I live in New Zealand so I can only connect to A-GPS, Galileo and GLONASS.
GPS Battery Consumption Rate is 12% Per Hour
I think this part of the article is probably the most important. Conserving battery life is a must when you are using the Galaxy Watch 5, considering GPS tracking is one of the biggest battery drainers in a smart watch.
For a person who does a lot of GPS tracking activity, it’s important that you know this. That way you can do a quick calculation in your head to see if you have enough battery life to track your workout. Based on my typical daily usage I do at least 60-70 minutes of GPS tracking when running or walking in a day, which is close to 43% battery consumption for the whole day. On a Saturday or Sunday I would do 210-220 minutes of GPS tracking when I go out for a mountain hike, which is close to 68% battery consumption for the whole day.
In terms of the GPS battery consumption rate at 12% per hour, it’s actually very good. The Galaxy Watch 5 has the same consumption rate as the Huawei GT 3 or any of the Garmin Forerunner series (depending on what power saving mode you set). The Galaxy Watch 5 doesn’t quite manage the battery consumption of the other battery drainers.
I suspect its the continuous heart rate tracking through out the day, so just keep this in mind when you go out and plan your GPS tracking workout. If you owned the Galaxy Watch 4, then you already know this and Im afraid it hasn’t changed.
First Test : Easy Level – 100% Alignment
In this test, the Galaxy Watch 5 should pass with easily. In the easy test I have chosen a path that does not have too many tall objects like trees or power lines as they can skew the accuracy of the GPS tracking. After reviewing the result, as expected it was 100% alignment. I was surprised tat how it tracked my exact track, but like I say it was an easy test.
Second Test : Hard Level – 100% Alignment
In this second test what I like to do is walk into a township area. In our small little town we have very tall buildings that will skew the tracking. Also I will be walking under a awnings so I wont see much of the sky above me. That should provide a challenge but to my surprise the Galaxy Watch 5 passed. I have highlighted the area where I was walking under a awning, and it still tracked quite nicely. I was moving around to manoeuvre around the large crowds and I was surprised the Galaxy Watch 5 picked that up too. Very good result in the end.
Last Test : Very Hard Level – 100% Alignment
In the last test I have planned my route through a dense forest. Our local mountain track has a lot of tall trees and rock debris that might challenge the Galaxy Watch 5. As a avid hiker I was really hoping that the result would be just as good as the Galaxy Watch 4. After reviewing the track I was very happy with the result. The result also aligns with the Huawei GT 3 I tested a while ago
Conclusion
So is the Galaxy Watch 5 accurate in GPS tracking? well after the 3 tests that I have done, its fairly accurate. I was surprised on how well it tracked my path, just seemed a little eerily scary that big brother is watching above you. This is a great result for anyone that does a lot of GPS tracking exercises. At least you can take confidence that when riding through a city, or you are running through a forest area, your GPS tracking should be fairly accurate.
Thank you so much for ready and I hope you find this article useful
