Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 : Is it Worth Upgrading or Buying?
The Galaxy Watch 5 has just been released by Samsung, and many people are wondering whether it is worth upgrading to or buying. This is a question that I am also asking myself, as I currently own the Galaxy Watch 4. The Galaxy Watch 4 was a great device, and I have no complaints about it. However, the Galaxy Watch 5 does offer some new features that may be appealing to me. In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of the Galaxy Watch 5, so that you can decide for yourself if it is worth upgrading or buying!
My First Impression Of The Galaxy Watch 5
Well it’s a very stunning watch. The decision to have a standard and pro version of galaxy watch’s was a nice touch. There have been so much chatter amongst tech enthusiast on what the watch was going to offer. To be fair everyone got it right.
User Experience For The Galaxy Watch 5 Will Be Far Better
I have owned the previous generations of the galaxy watch series. My first galaxy watch was the 3rd generation model. I found this watch to be very useful and I was very happy with it. Then when the 4th generation model was about to be released, it was a no brainer for me to go ahead and purchase a Galaxy Watch 4.
Only because of the merger between Samsung and Google who will unite and form a combined ecosystem where both technologies can co exist under one system as we all now know as WearOS. If you owned the previous generation watch, it was a matter of time before it becomes un supported. Which is why I upgraded to the Galaxy Watch 4 immediately.
However my Galaxy Watch 4 experience from day one, wasn’t the greatest. Only because of the WearOS operating system was only just finding it’s feet so to speak. However over the month’s so many operating system upgrades have been released. With each update, my user experience with the Galaxy Watch 4 got better and better.
Especially all of the latest updates released in 2022. The ecosystem that Google and Samsung were trying to create is starting to come to fruition. Not to mention gives many tech fans a glimpse of what the 5 generation watch can offer.
Is It Worth Upgrading To A Galaxy Watch 5?
To be fair, if I am going to answer this question Im going to be straight up. And this is what I am going to be sharing with you.
If I was going to compare my Galaxy Watch 4 to the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, I could sum up the difference’s in a few bullet points
- Increased battery life
- Faster charging
- High end scratch resistant watch
- Skin temperature sensor
- New journey tracking feature
I mean that’s it really in a very short summary. Any future updates that will come through will no doubt be available for the Galaxy Watch 4. Which is another reason why I wont upgrade to the Galaxy Watch 5. It just doesn’t make sense because you can have the same thing, without spending the money upgrading.
It doe’s make me wonder if Samsung’s flagship watch has reached it’s peak? It kind of feels like it from my point of view. I mean I summarised the updates in 5 bullet points, so you do have to wonder if it’s really worth it.
Also does my Galaxy Watch 4 still meets my health and fitness goals? And so now when I ask myself the following questions
- Does my watch still track my fitness goals? yes
- Is the battery life still good? yes
- Does my watch still track my work outs well? yes kind of.
- Does my watch still tracks hiking work outs? yes.
- Is the water resistance on my watch still good? yes
Because I have answered yes to all of my own questions, Im more than likely wont upgrade to the Galaxy Watch 5. Also the operating system is at a point now that is little more stable than the Galaxy Watch 4 when it was first released.
From now on, I would probably approach it like how I upgrade my Samsung phone. I tend to upgrade on every 3rd next generation phone. I still own a Samsung Galaxy S10 plus, which still does the job. However this year I will be keen to get that upgraded.
The question you should be asking yourselves is, are you happy with your current Galaxy Watch? And if you are then I wouldn’t bother upgrading. If however you find that your watch isn’t doing everything that you want it to do. Then maybe the Galaxy Watch Pro is worth considering as an upgrade option.
Is The Galaxy Watch 5 Worth Buying?
Im going to answer this question a little differently because I have already previously stated I wont be upgrading. However I will answer the question based on a first time user. If you never owned a Galaxy Watch before, I would say it is worth buying. As I stated earlier the operating system now is a lot better so should be a very nice user experience.
The Galaxy Watch 5 is a wearable device that is purpose built for tracking your Holistic health. Or you could get the Galaxy Watch 4. at a cheaper rate since the new model is now out. Im very happy with my Galaxy Watch 4, so that could be a option for you to.
However if I am going to be honest, if you were in the market to buy a Galaxy Watch, I would recommend the Galaxy Watch 4. It seems weird that I recommend the lesser generation model rather than the latest but in my honest opinion you will get far better value for money. Let me list them.
- You can buy the Galaxy Watch 4 at a cheaper rate, since the Galaxy Watch 5 is now out.
- Operating systems are the same
- Get all upcoming updates that will be compatible for the Galaxy Watch 5 and 4
I think in regards to updates, there will come a point where the Galaxy Watch 4 wont be compatible. I hope you can understand the logic I am presenting to you. As a Galaxy Watch 4 owner I just dont see the need to upgrade.
Final Conclusion
So, is the Galaxy Watch worth upgrading to? If you’re a die-hard Samsung fan and want the latest and greatest device, then absolutely. However, if you’re like me and already have a perfectly good smart watch that meets your needs, then there’s no need to upgrade just yet.
If there was one thing that may sway my decision to upgrade, it will be on the GPS battery life. Im a avid hiker, and I like to get out in the outdoors on the weekends. GPS tracking with continuous heart rate tracking in work out modes is a massive battery drainer, and I often find myself having to recharge my watch during the week. Depending on the duration of your hike, you will need to charge your watch to 100% before you begin.
I would say that the increase in battery life is to accommodate the new journey back feature, which is a must have feature for any recreational activities.
The Galaxy Watch has come a long way since the Samsung and Google merger. Both tech giants have made large strides in creating a ecosystem where both systems can co exist as one. It’s a lot better now than what it was 12 months ago. Then again I can only speak from my own experience, which is the focus of this article.
I hope you found this article useful and thank you for reading.
