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How Accurate is Heart Rate on Galaxy Watch 5 Pro?

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro BioActive sensor provides accurate heart rate monitoring for most activities—comparable to chest straps for steady-state exercise.


Expected Accuracy

ConditionAccuracy
Resting±2-5 bpm
Moderate exercise±5-10 bpm
Intense exercise±10-15 bpm

For most users, accuracy is excellent for fitness tracking and health monitoring.


Factors Affecting Accuracy

Watch fit (most important):

  • Must be snug but comfortable
  • 1-2 finger widths above wrist bone
  • Too loose = inaccurate readings

Other factors:

  • Tattoos may interfere with sensor
  • Vigorous arm movement reduces accuracy
  • Extreme cold reduces blood flow
  • Irregular heart rhythm (AFib)

Optimize Heart Rate Accuracy

  1. Wear watch snugly on top of wrist
  2. Position 1-2 finger widths above wrist bone
  3. Use sport band for workouts
  4. Allow 2-3 minutes warmup for calibration
  5. Clean sensor regularly

Continuous vs On-Demand

Continuous monitoring:

  • 24/7 tracking in background
  • Resting heart rate and trends
  • Sleep heart rate
  • High/low HR alerts

On-demand:

  • Manual measurement (15 seconds)
  • More accurate than continuous
  • Good for quick checks

When to Use Chest Strap

Watch is sufficient for:

  • Jogging, running (steady pace)
  • Cycling, hiking, walking
  • General fitness tracking
  • Resting HR and sleep

Chest strap better for:

  • High-intensity intervals (HIIT)
  • Competitive racing
  • Precise zone training
  • Maximum accuracy needs

See Also: ECG Feature|Good for Running