Apple Watch Series 5 Review 2022

Apple Watch Series 5 – Availability and Price

Apple Watch Series 5 was released in September 2019 at the same price as the Apple Watch Series 4, which cost $399 / $399.

You received an aluminum body and a 40mm screen for that amount. It’s worth noting, though, that customers who want a 44mm screen will have to shell up an additional $/£429 (£429 / $429).

Although Apple is no longer selling the Series 5, third-party dealers, like Currys, are still selling the cellular 40mm and cellular 44mm models for $299 and $319, respectively.

The 40mm model’s screen is actually larger than the 42mm Apple Watch Series 3’s screen, so it’s not as easy as the smaller one for women and the larger one being ‘for’ men. The sizes are generous. Many guys still like the larger, more proportional fit of the 40mm type, so it’s worth a go. Space Gray, Silver, and Gold are the possible colors for anodized aluminum.

Currently, all versions have 32GB of onboard storage, which is ideal for storing additional music for a long session, or anything that needs to be stored on the Watch (for example, offline maps for your planned hike).

Apple Watch Series 5 Design

Series 5 has the same overall form as Series 4, which is a good thing. Considering the radical overhaul of Series 4, this isn’t a surprise.

The display is practically edge-to-edge, and the rounded edges give it a design that is very similar to contemporary iPhones (without the notch).

The side of the phone still has the Digital Crown, which serves as both a scroll wheel and a Home button. The side button next to it may be used to switch between applications or to dial 911 in an emergency.

Even if its lead has diminished, it is still the best-looking smartwatch on the market. You may select from a wide variety of colors and finishes to match your particular style, and you can also take advantage of seasonal new strap colors from Apple.

A consistent lozenge-like curve on its edge plus the fact that the additional heart-rate sensor width buried behind it makes it seem as if the watch is slimmer than other high-end smartwatches.

Adding titanium finish is the only meaningful design modification. Even though it is heavier than aluminum, it is lighter than steel, and the watch’s weight properly divides those two.

The brushed surface offers a smoother, higher-quality shine than the practically matte appearance of the aluminum Apple Watches, but it is nowhere close to the shininess of the steel versions in terms of aesthetics.

While the brushed titanium finish of the Space Black model is more obvious, the ‘natural’ titanium finish has a deep gray with a little beige tint to it, which is particularly noticeable when the light hits it. In low light, the brushed texture of the Watch finish seems to be the closest to actual metal.

If you’re looking for a completely black watch but do not want the steel Space Black’s reflectiveness, the Space Black is well worth a closer inspection.

In terms of how the titanium will age, we put it next to our stainless steel Series 4 as soon as we received this watch, as a comparison. Some light markings have formed on the steel watch casing after only a few minutes of intermittent touch from being adjacent to its crown.

Unfortunately, even if a bright steel object is dinged up, it will still last for a long time because of the way it gets scratched. This titanium casing can only be tested for durability over the course of a year.

Always-On Screen Feature

In terms of new hardware, the Series 5 has a compass, which we’ll discuss in more detail later. Since the original model, users have been complaining about having to elevate their wrist to view the Apple Watch’s screen. A fix has now been found.

An LPTO screen material, an S5 chip with additional power management capabilities, and an S4 chip are all that’s needed to make this possible.

Combined, they allow the Watch’s screen to refresh at a rate of one per second (compared to the customary 60 times/ second of most displays) and to be powered at all times without draining the battery.

You can obtain the display at full brightness and full speed when you lift your wrist to gaze at the screen. Lowering your wrist slows down the frame rate and dims the watch’s display, turning any brightly colored regions on the dial to dark (because that draws less power).

In any case, the impression is already in place: you may discreetly peek at the clock. You don’t have to take your hand off of your workout equipment to check how long you’ve been working out.

Plus, there was the prospect of giving your watch a unique ‘style,’ which was the part we were most enthusiastic about. Apple Watches are still dominated by that enormous black rectangle even though you may change the look of your watch. Only you will be able to view the face of your choosing. A screen that was constantly on gave you the opportunity to express yourself more freely.

Even so, it doesn’t have the dramatic impact we were looking for. White or navy faces will be transformed black as the light dims, thus this remains in the realm of “you may have whatever color you choose as long as it’s black.”.

Other features of your appearance, such as the complexity you choose and the sort of numerals you use, will be preserved.

Faces that are constructed entirely on color, rather than complexity and other functionalities, will retain a little more of their appearance. Color fades away in the darker option of the ‘Gradient’ watch face, but it isn’t fully gone — simply diminished.

This face, in its default form, is a cartoony and bright digital readout — these digits become highlighted, like neon effects, in the dark mode, but keep your color choice.

This means that your complication’s update frequency is reduced while you’re in dim mode. A few will only update when you raise your wrist, while others may do so at intervals of up to one minute.

When you’re working out, you’ll see the exercise mode in a different light. Basically, it stops displaying the hundredths of a second and continues to count up in seconds. There are greater pauses between updates of the heart-rate meter. Aside from that, it’s all pretty much the same information – which is quite useful.

That said, here’s the part that irritates us the most: if you were just using an app before turning your wrist, all you see is a little digital time display. In bright sunlight, this readout is difficult to make out due to the thin font and tiny size of the numerals. Why isn’t it bigger and more distinct?

For us, this isn’t an issue since we’ve had our Apple Watch configured to return to watch face after 2 minutes of inactivity.

Now Playing is one of the applications that cause the Apple Watch to go into this unpleasant clock mode, when remote controls for the music you’re listening to on your phone show on your Watch by default. Since we’ve always considered it beneficial, we’ve never had any issues with it getting in the way of recognizing problems or anything.

However, since the Now Playing app remains active as long as you have music playing, this crappy little clock essentially takes precedence over your selected watch face in dim mode. So, with a heavy heart, we switched off Now Playing’s auto-activation.

You can still do it manually, but it takes more than one touch to accomplish what used to take just one press to complete. Please consider giving Now Playing some additional attention in dim mode like exercises do.

A few minutes of using the Series 5 will make anything without an always-on display seem like a throwback to the past.

That being said, we don’t think it’s worth upgrading unless you’ve had a lot of cash on hand. While the always-on Watch is a great addition, it is not a necessity or a lifesaver in the same way that the addition of fall detection in Series 4 was.

To sum it up: If you’re unsure about upgrading to a Series 5 and don’t want to fork out the cash, don’t really test a Series 5. Because your existing (absolutely great) Apple Watch will feel much worse as a result.

In a nutshell, the screen’s brightness and resolution remain the same from the Series 4. This indicates that it’s clear and brilliant enough to be seen even in the brightest sunlight. The sense of touch responds.

Toughened glass (for aluminum versions) or sapphire is used to protect the internal components (steel and higher). While owning steel versions for years, we’ve never managed to leave a single scuff on the case. At least once or twice we’ve found ourselves thinking, “Thank goodness we struck the glass rather than the more fragile metal; that was a near call.” That’s a strange one…

However, we’ve seen hard usage leave the glass on aluminum versions looking worse for wear. It makes the steel and Edition versions’ price increases more bearable as an investment.

Series 5 Performance

The S5 processor in the Apple Watch Series 5 replaces the S4 processor in the Series 4 watch.

In spite of this, don’t expect to notice much of a difference in performance from the new processor: the new features are about efficiency, not additional speed.

A low-power controller that is for the always-on screen with some other power-saving measures is being implemented to make up for the increased consumption.

Because the Apple Watch didn’t truly need much more speed, we can live with this. We never had any performance issues with the Series 4 while launching applications or retrieving data inside apps.

This is more than fast enough, even if it would be good to feel like we’re receiving a fresh revolutionary speed increase.

It’s impossible to tell how much of the boost in wireless speed and app data loading we’ve experienced on the Series 5 is due to the new watchOS 6 and how much is due to the hardware. The fact that we are using it with the iPhone 11 Pro, though, maybe the key.

An additional Bluetooth antenna has been added to the new iPhone by Apple in order to increase its range. Although it may be special to me, We’ve seen a big increase in communication between the watch and our phone. Our Watch Series 4 and iPhone XS can’t communicate across the three-foot distance between them since we cycle to work with a waterproof backpack.

It’s still there after trying the Series 5 & iPhone 11 Pro. In my opinion, the iPhone is responsible for much of this development, but because you can see it on the Watch, we believe it’s worth mentioning.

Apple Watch Series 5 – Battery Life

Does the S5 chip’s focus on reducing energy consumption outweigh the additional draw of the screen?

Oddly, the answer is yes and no. Battery life is better than Apple promises, but not more than it was with the Series 4 model.

A full day of usage before sleep is what Apple advertises for the Series 4, which has an 18-hour battery life. Assumes a mid-level use scenario, which includes some working out and GPS use (which burns a lot of battery), but is mostly used for alerts and a little Siri. In line with our personal use, this is a pretty common occurrence.

With Series 4, we were putting the Watch off at night with between 50% and 55% of its battery life remaining. The battery lasted at least two days without recharging even if we weren’t near a charger (though at times it did fall a few hours short).

By the end of the day, Series 5 is somewhere about 35%. Still enough to get us through the day, but we won’t be able to trust leaving the charger overnight much more.

So you can save battery life by turning down the always-on display, and making the Series 5 compatible with all prior Apple Watch models. Having this charger on hand is a great idea if you know you’ll be in an area where charging is difficult or impossible.

As a result, although Apple’s battery life promises are more than satisfied, the always-on display still reduces the overall battery life when compared to the iPhone 5.

The Apple Watch has remained quick to charge, making it convenient to recharge it while you’re taking a shower or doing other activities.

To make matters worse, the Watch is shipped along a USB Type-A cable, which is antiquated in today’s digital world. A single USB Type-C adaptor is all that is needed to charge the iPhone 11 Pros, iPad Pros and MacBooks, making them ideal for traveling.

The second sort of adapter is required since the Watch still has the old-fashioned connection. USB Type-C Watch chargers are available for an additional £29, but we’re not clear why Apple’s high-end iPhones are migrating to USB-C.

WatchOS 6

There are several new features in the new watchOS, which we describe in depth in the sections on health and fitness below. These include features like cycle tracking, noise level alarms, and activity trends.

New watch faces, enhanced Siri capabilities, and a few new applications round out the most useful additions.

Naturally, the watch faces have been our favorite thing to customize. Since last year’s review, we have seen a big improvement in watchOS 6’s face selection… However, we’d still want to see more of this show.

Let’s begin with the superior option. Two key areas of progress have been made by Apple: creating fascinating new faces that seem like they’re taking use of what being digital can accomplish, and making those faces more adaptable for what you want to display.

Motion faces are nothing new, but we do like the new Solar Dial, which depicts the sun’s movement in a circle. We think this is a cool fresh take on the motion face concept.

A smartwatch is the only way to get this level of detail and color saturation, as well as the ability to accommodate four different complexities around the exterior. In the winter, it’s disheartening to watch the sunset before you leave work, but we still believe it’s a fantastic idea.

In order to quickly determine the time, Numerals mono displays an analog face above a massive number grid. Even if we don’t think it’s for me, it’s a unique design that wouldn’t be possible on any other watch.

In addition to this, there are faces like Gradient and California. Both include a wide range of customization options, including the ability to swap between line markers and numbers (including a combination of Arabic and Roman numerals), as well as the option to make it appear as a full-screen circle or as a circle with additional complexities around the edge. It’s amazing how many different appearances this one face can take on.

Using a gradient is easier since it basically covers the watch face with color, and as it moves away from the hands, the hue alters. Once again, you may select from an enormous variety of colors, and it can either fill the face itself, or it could be a circle having complications in the corners.

Progress has been made, although there are still a few hiccups on the road. For dressier situations, We’d wear Meridian’s new face, which resembles a dress watch the most, if it weren’t available exclusively in black or brilliant white. Having such a restricted face right next to the California Swiss Army Knife is odd. It needs several great cream or off-white alternatives.

However, We are still craving more. We’d want to see more watch designs that deviate from the norm in terms of watch components, as well as more outlandish ones. As a blank canvas, We don’t think this watch is being used to its full potential yet.

Even so, we’ve had this complaint since the original Watch was released. We are more happy with the faces available this year, and we believe it’s simpler than ever to find one that meets your tastes, particularly if you like to play with your devices.

For example, you may ask Siri what music is playing and it will give you a response; it can even gather answers to inquiries from the web and offer you links to open websites in a browser directly on your watch screen.

Although Siri’s snippets of online sites may be quite helpful, if you have to view the pages themselves in order to get the solution, this is less so. Well, you know how much garbage there is on the web these days to conceal the genuine content? A little screen is all that is needed now. Yeesh. But, well, it’s a possibility.

If you establish a shortcut to the Voice Memos app from a complication, it may be the most handy of Apple’s new applications. If you think you’ve stumbled onto anything important, don’t hesitate to start taking notes right away. Keeping a record isn’t necessary for everyone, but it might encourage more individuals to do so, and you could like it if it succeeds in doing so.

If you buy your audiobooks through Apple’s Books store, the new Audiobooks app may be quite useful. You can start up exactly where you left off since it’s so easy to sync.

However, accessing the Calculator app from the Watch’s small bubble app list is more of a chore than simply taking out your phone when you need it, and we are enraged that Apple didn’t design it to appear like a traditional Casio calculator watch. As a result, it appears more like the iPhone’s Calculator app.

For the first time, watchOS 6 offers a built-in App Store that lets you download and remove applications, as well as most system programs, making it easier to keep your device clutter-free.

This means that the Watch app for iPhone is no longer able to access the App Store, even if there is still a tab for it. To completely remove the option of browsing on a larger screen with a physical keyboard seems a bit of a pity.

There are also certain enhancements that are not apparent to users, such as the ability for podcast applications to stream audio straight from the internet, which will lead to slicker, better apps.

Apple Watch Series 5 Health Review

Noise detection is the most important new function for health monitoring. When you’re at a noise level that’s louder than 90 decibels, you’ll receive a message alerting you to the fact that you’re in danger of hearing loss if you continue to be exposed to it for an extended period of time.

Do not be alarmed if you get a notice when a motorcycle passes by; it is not meant to be an intrusion on your privacy.

However, if you often see this message while you’re in a location where you can’t avoid it, like your office, you may want to address it.

You have the option of adjusting the alarm threshold, or you can use the noise app to monitor the levels in your immediate vicinity at all times.

Noise app does not capture any sound, according to Apple, it just measures the volume.

Period monitoring is another new health function available on both the iPhone and the Apple Watch. On Watch, it has its own app, while on iPhone, it’s part of the redesigned Health app.

On your iPhone, you’ll need to tell it when was your last period and how long your cycle is on average. It is also possible to keep track of how heavy the flow is on a daily basis, as well as any other important symptoms like spotting or increased acne or exhaustion or a heightened sensitivity to pain in the breasts.

Using the app on the Watch, you can enter this information more quickly and monitor how your cycle is progressing in real-time. Finally, and probably most importantly, you’ll be alerted seven days before the expected start of your next period.

It’s possible to have fertility monitoring inform you when you’re most likely to conceive, so you can, um, act on it.

You won’t receive any medical advice from the Health app, but you will be able to use this data to better understand how your body functions. Your period may cause headaches, but you may not have them on days when you do exercise in the morning (or it is vice versa) — it’s all about cross-referencing.

This product isn’t aimed at us, so we enlisted the help of a woman who goes through her period. Even while she couldn’t comment on whether it holds up over the long haul, she did put it to the test.

At first, she thought it was a waste of time, but as she put it up and started analyzing the data, it dawned on her that there may be certain patterns with specific discomforts and timings (or activities).

Her favorite feature of the applications was the notice about possible start dates since it provides you the opportunity to stock up on goods before they’re needed.

There’s nothing new here, but the fact that it’s part of the Health application and Watch is a plus, and Apple is true as trustworthy a company as you’ll find in 2019 when it comes to personal data.

Additionally, the optical heart rate sensor in the new watchOS 6 now provides alerts about abnormal rhythms in the heart, so an ECG is no longer necessary to identify these rhythms. When it comes to unusual rhythms detected by the Watch, you may always turn to an ECG, which comes pre-installed in both the Series 5 and the Series 4. In order to utilize it, you just launch the app and sit down with your Watch in your hand.

In terms of Series 5, the ability to detect abnormal heartbeats without an ECG is a nice feature, but it’s hardly a game-changer.

The Series 4’s fall detection feature is back in action. If you fall and your Watch receives a notice, it will inquire as to whether or not you’re alright. If you don’t answer, it will notify the authorities and send a message to your designated contact in case of an emergency.

Such a wonderful addition. Naturally, you hope you never have to use it, but this is a true lifesaver.

It’s still possible to summon the emergency services via the Emergency SOS function from the side button, which communicates the position of your phone to the emergency contact and can be initiated with a single button press, so there’s no tinkering necessary.

It’s worth noting, however, that the new Series 5 Watches are equipped with a feature that allows them to contact local emergency services no matter where they were purchased. This feature works even if you don’t have a mobile phone plan enabled.

Apple Watch Series 5 – Outdoor Activity

A compass and altimeter are the only hardware additions to the Series 5 apart from the always-on display. All prior Apple devices were capable of detecting elevation changes (i.e. how high or low you’ve climbed or dropped), but not the absolute elevation (meaning what height you started from).

Watch Series 5 can tell you how much above or below the sea level you are, which is ideal for monitoring yourself on treks and knowing precisely what you’ve accomplished, or for simply being interested.

You need to know this about the compass: it’s really a useful tool. We mean, it’s that serious.

Most mobile phone magnetic compasses have always been unreliable, erring by several degrees in orientation and jerking about even while the phone is still.

That is not the case, it points in the right direction consistently.

If you want to use your Watch as a walking navigation tool, this is an essential function. Apple seems to be taking aim at Garmin with these two new features.

The Fenix line from Garmin has a lot more functions (and far longer battery life), but for the ordinary hiking trip, the Watch simply becomes a serious companion.

We have been testing pre-release and soon after release, so it’s too early for them to incorporate the functionality just yet, but it will be until the specialized applications with walking maps have compass support.

Apple Watch Series 5 Fitness Feature

There are no new fitness-related hardware or software features, nor are there any substantial enhancements in terms of usability.

However, Apple has made significant improvements to both the Activity and Health apps, so even if it cannot take in any new types of fitness data, the data is far more useful now.

For starters, we’ll look at Activity app trends. You may now see how your current performance compares to the average performance of similar times in the past. As a result, you’ll be able to notice on the app that you’ve lately been exercising for 31 minutes every day, exceeding the goals. That’s 40 minutes of exercise every day.

Having this background information is very beneficial since it serves as a reminder that achieving your goals does not immediately imply that everything is back to normal. You can now see whether you’re going downhill in a certain location and adjust it before you get into trouble.

The new Summary section in the Health app is one of our favorite aspects of the redesigned app. You can pick the data the app saves that you are interested in, and all is presented right up front – there is no need to sift through sub-menus. You’re in control.

In order to customize this, the Health app has the ability to pull from a wide range of sources. Weight monitoring from your smart scales and graphs of your active calories expended and your food intake may be helpful if you’re trying to shed some pounds.

Your resting heart rate, sleep patterns, and the frequency with which you practice breathing exercises are all useful tools if you’re concerned about stress.

A bike excursion may be in your future. You may provide data on your VO2 Max, resting energy, cycling distances, and total heart rate from workouts.

This Summary feature is truly a game-changer since it focuses Apple’s health push on you, rather than some abstract notion of healthy living. You can still pursue anything in the Health app via all of its many categories.

If you’re considering purchasing an Apple Watch, you should be aware of these issues even if you don’t plan on getting the Apple Watch 5.