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What's New in Samsung Galaxy Watch 5?

The Galaxy Watch 5 brings meaningful refinements over the Galaxy Watch 4, focusing on durability, battery life, and health tracking with the addition of a temperature sensor.


Sapphire Crystal Display

The most significant durability upgrade over the Watch 4.

  • Material: Synthetic sapphire (hardness 9 on Mohs scale)
  • Scratch resistance: Won't scratch from keys, coins, sand, or concrete
  • Upgrade from: Gorilla Glass DX+ on Watch 4 (hardness 6-7)
  • Impact: Long-term display clarity, premium feel

This is the first standard Galaxy Watch with sapphire crystal, a material typically found in luxury watches.


Skin Temperature Sensor

A completely new health capability not available on Watch 4.

  • Technology: Infrared temperature sensor in the BioActive sensor array
  • Function: Tracks wrist skin temperature during sleep
  • Uses: Sleep quality analysis, recovery monitoring, cycle tracking correlation
  • Limitation: Wellness feature only, not for fever detection

The temperature sensor provides more detailed sleep insights and helps identify patterns affecting rest quality.


13% Larger Battery

Both size variants received significant battery upgrades.

ModelWatch 4Watch 5Improvement
40mm250mAh284mAh+13%
44mm361mAh410mAh+13%

Real-world impact: Approximately 4-6 additional hours of use, making 2-day battery life more reliable.


Bluetooth 5.2 Connectivity

Upgraded from Bluetooth 5.0 in the Watch 4.

  • Range: Up to 40 meters (vs ~30m with 5.0)
  • Stability: Fewer disconnections from phone
  • Power efficiency: Better battery life
  • Data transfer: Faster syncing

Improved BioActive Sensor

Refinements to the existing health monitoring hardware.

  • Better accuracy across heart rate, ECG, and SpO2 readings
  • Faster measurement times
  • More reliable skin contact detection
  • Integrated temperature sensor capability

Other Improvements

Additional refinements round out the upgrade.

  • Faster charging: 0-100% in ~80 minutes (vs ~90 minutes on Watch 4)
  • One UI Watch 4.5: Launched with newer software version
  • Enhanced sleep coaching: Temperature-informed sleep insights

What Stayed the Same

These specifications are unchanged from Watch 4.

  • Exynos W920 processor (5nm)
  • 1.5GB RAM, 16GB storage
  • Display sizes and resolutions
  • Water resistance (5ATM + IP68)
  • GPS, Wi-Fi, NFC
  • Case dimensions

What Was Removed

MST payments (magnetic stripe emulation) were removed in Watch 4 and remain absent. The Watch 5 supports NFC-only Samsung Pay.


Who Should Upgrade from Watch 4?

Worth upgrading if:

  • Your Watch 4 display is scratched
  • Battery life doesn't meet your needs
  • You want temperature-based sleep insights

Not necessary if:

  • Your Watch 4 is in good condition
  • Current battery life is acceptable
  • You don't use detailed sleep tracking

The Watch 5 is a refinement rather than a revolution—a polished evolution addressing Watch 4's weaknesses.


See Also: Galaxy Watch 5 vs Galaxy Watch 4|Does Galaxy Watch 5 Have Temperature Sensor