03 Nov
Blog

Apple Watch Series 5 Review: Very Close to Perfection

"The Apple Watch Series 5 is near perfect and the best smartwatch you can wear right now."

  • Stylistic look

  • Comprehensive fitness functions

  • Really helpful health traits

  • Useful always-on display

  • The cellular model can replace your phone for a short time

  • No significant changes compared to Series 4

  • No native sleep tracking

The only product I gave a perfect rating for is the Apple Watch. The Series 4 Apple Watch for 2018, to be precise, as not only was it Apple's best product of the year, but it was also the best smartwatch you could buy. Apple has updated the watch to that Series 5and brings a handful of new features while maintaining the same design.

Does that mean it is no longer excellent? Do not be absurd. It is still miles ahead of the competition.

Same iconic design

The Apple Watch Series 5 is visually unchanged from the Series 4. It is available in either a 44mm case or a slightly smaller 40mm size for those with slimmer wrists. The case is still a slim 10.7mm and the 44mm model I'm wearing in the pictures weighs only 36 grams. It is hardly noticeable on the wrist, never gets stuck under a shirt cuff and the curvy cover is wonderfully ergonomic.

Sounds like it was designed by someone who knows watches right? Yes it was and it really shows. The days of being upset about the Apple Watch not being round are long gone. It has become an iconic watch design, and Apple's improvements to the Series 4, which increased the viewable area of ​​the screen without enlarging the body, made it really attractive. I'm not saying I don't want to see a circular Apple Watch (I'd love to see the company approach one), but I definitely don't think we need one. This design has become a classic.

Then there is the build quality and the presentation. It comes in an elongated box that can be opened. The watch case is wrapped in a tiny, soft protective bag. The strap is separate and if you get the Sport Band version it even has medium and long options in the box. The watch case is delicate but durable, and even the cheapest aluminum model feels exceptionally high quality. The matt, room-gray housing, which was combined with the white sports band above, is simple, stylish and wonderfully finished. It is as high quality as mobile products.

The design of the Apple Watch Series 5 hasn't changed because it's simply not required.

Would you like to opt for the Apple Watch made of stainless steel, titanium or ceramic? Sure, go for it, but there's no noticeable difference in texture or build. Yes, they are more durable and you get extra "Boasters" points, but that's about it. Nobody will know if you don't tell them. So stick with aluminum (it's 100% recycled, so it's better for the environment anyway) and spend the money saved building a collection of alternative tapes instead.

The design of the Apple Watch Series 5 hasn't changed because it's simply not required. The only place you can go from here, if technology allows, is to make the case even slimmer and the bezels smaller. Until then, it's fabulous.

A display that is always available

Here is the big change for the Series 5 compared to the Series 4: It has a display that is always on, meaning it always shows the time. It sounds a bit silly, but this has never been an option on the Apple Watch before. It wasn't a huge issue as the Apple Watch was quick to react when you raised your wrist, but it cures the pain of not being able to glimpse the time. A not-so-subtle increase in the wrist to see the time wasn't always appropriate, after all.

This also applies to fitness tracking: if you want to do push-ups and look at the watch to see your data without stopping, it was previously impossible. Workouts are now shown on the always-on display so you can easily check your progress.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends

The Series 5's always-on display is more than just a skeleton-style environmental mode. Pick the right watch face and it's an almost identical copy of the usual version. Apple had to overcome battery life considerations to make it work.

Speaking of watch faces, there's a selection of new ones out there. While almost all of them are customizable, there are several standout winners. The Californian dial is attractive, but the Numerals Duo’s bold simplicity is my favorite. It's easy to match the color of the numbers with your watch's strap for a really put together look.

WatchOS 6, which is installed on the Series 5 and is also available for previous generations, has some fun novelties to offer. I like the little tap on your wrist to mark the hour. It's a wonderful recall to the hourly "beep beep" sound of a digital clock from my childhood, without the hassle that such a function would cause today.

I've set up every Apple Watch since Series 0 and it worked the first time every time.

The Noise app is an interesting continuation of Apple's commitment to health. It warns you when you are in a noisy environment and how continued exposure to the sound can damage your hearing. The app measures around 74 decibels in a busy pub and issues a warning when the sound level reaches 100 dB. This is one of those features that isn't immediately helpful, but it does add extra awareness of your surroundings.

The Apple Watch and WatchOS 6 work so well together that they put all other portable platforms to shame with great performance and a simple, quick-to-learn user experience. It's fun to use too. I like the haptic feedback that is impressively tactile against your wrist or finger, and using the digital crown to zoom in and out on the app screen still looks great after all this time. It's all so cohesive and smart.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends

It's not without its problems, however. When the watch face sleeps over a displayed notification or app like the new compass, the background will blur and the time will appear in the top right corner. It's not attractive. Waking up the clock and performing your first task takes a little patience as you have to pause for a second before interacting with the screen after tapping the display. This is the only time the software is slow.

These are just small handles, not real problems. Even the setup process is flawless. After scanning the first screen of the watch with your iPhone's camera, the process takes about 10 minutes. It is so easy. There is no messing around during pairing and no graphics are rotated while waiting for updates. I've set up every Apple Watch since Series 0 and it worked the first time every time.

Fitness and health tracking

The Apple Watch is the only fitness and health tracker you'll ever need to wear unless you're focused on a specific sport like marathons or some other form of high-intensity workout that requires specific metrics. It takes care of steps, calories, hourly exercise, relaxation, VO2 max data, hours of standing, and exercise tracking for everything including swimming and cycling, as well as other activities like yoga and elliptical training.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends

All of this is available elsewhere, but where Apple stands out is the comprehensive picture it creates of your health over time and the extra tracking that actually saved lives. All of this is one big reason to keep wearing the Apple Watch, and you can't say that about any other smartwatch. The longer you wear it, the more information will be gathered and the more trends will become apparent so that you can change your lifestyle for the better.

There is a new Trends tab in the Activity app on your iPhone (180 days of activity data is required to view these trends) that provides extensive data on your level of activity over time.

The Series 5 Apple Watch didn't add sleep tracking, a long-rumored new feature. Whether this is seen as a disadvantage depends on the importance you put on it. There are apps that monitor sleep using the Apple Watch. However, this and all future official Apple features require you to wear the watch to bed. This means making alternative plans so as not to charge the watch overnight. Is it a major oversight? In my opinion no, but it would be welcome in the future.

The Series 5 Apple Watch didn't add sleep tracking, a long-rumored new feature.

Data is stored and collected in the activity app on your iPhone. When you find that you have slacked off, it will suggest ways you can improve. There are also many daily motivational tools where "closing the rings" (an indication of achieving your activity goals) is addicting and lacking a goal one day is frustrating. It works because it is simple, but the simplicity doesn't mean you will lose interest or miss out on valuable data.

Introduced in WatchOS 5 and the Apple Watch Series 4, Electrocardiogram (EKG) monitoring is available to most owners around the world after an early launch only in the US. It's easy to use, but only meant to be used when you feel an irregularity in your heart rate. It doesn't resemble the heart rate monitor, which is useful for both fitness tracking and medical purposes, and instead falls into the same category as the watch's fall detection mode: you may not know you need it until you do. With it there, you can have peace of mind if you have an irregular heartbeat concern as a notification will be sent when one is detected.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends

The data from the Apple Watch makes the activity and health app on your iPhone easier to use. The information displayed is easy to understand, there is a wealth of statistical and information about your daily activity. Even after just a few days of wearing the watch, you will find out where improvements can be made.

Everything is easy to use, the menus are large and clear, and the apps on the iPhone are both informative and attractive. There is no other fitness tracking system that is so well presented, instantly accessible, properly motivating, and durable.

Battery and performance

Has the screen always on ruined battery life? No. It is possible to get a full day (around 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.) and then half of the following day out of a single load. It takes about an hour to charge and a midday charge would easily take the remainder of the second day of use.

Your own usage will vary, and it is expected that battery life will decrease if you use the calling features of an Apple Watch or if you do extended periods of fitness tracking with GPS and heart rate monitoring. Even then, a day should still be possible. This also applies to the smaller 40 mm Apple Watch, which we also tested.

It goes without saying that you have to charge a smartwatch every day, and there are new features that put additional strain on the battery in the Series 5. However, it is disappointing that the new model failed to extend the battery to two days with regular use. Such an extension of the useful life would also make the addition of sleep monitoring more likely.

Andy Boxall / DigitalTrends

Early examples of the Apple Watch did not have the required level of performance. That has changed, and the only time the Series 5 suffers badly is when it is subjected to significant stress while using apps that require data. It's smooth, fast, and never frustrating, but the S5 chip inside doesn't offer any performance gains and instead focuses on efficiency.

The nice thing is that you can use apps on the watch if you want. When you set it up, iPhone automatically adds the Watch version of the apps already installed on your phone. You don't need to install the iOS version of an app on your iPhone if you don't want to as the App Store is now available on the watch itself thanks to WatchOS 6.

What else can the Apple Watch do? It works with Apple Pay, you can store music on it locally (or use Spotify / Apple Music), pair bluetooth headphones with it, make calls and leave your cellular phone at home, chat with Siri after long press digital Crown, reply to messages and emails, check the weather, use it as a remote shutter release for the camera, and even practice mindfulness with the Breathe feature. It is no exaggeration to call the Apple Watch the most complete, feature-rich, everyday smartwatch you can wear.

Price and availability

The Apple Watch Series 5 is available now in the Apple Online Store, in retail stores and at partner locations. The aluminum body costs $ 400 for the 42mm and $ 430 for the 44mm. Pricing is $ 500 for the GPS + Cellular 42mm model and $ 530 for the 44mm version. The stainless steel Apple Watch starts at $ 700, the titanium model starts at $ 800, the ceramic starts at $ 1,300, and the Hermés version starts at $ 1,250.

Apple offers a one-year warranty against manufacturing defects. AppleCare + also offers a more comprehensive coverage plan, but it'll cost you $ 50 for two years.

Our opinion

The Apple Watch Series 5 is superb. No other smartwatch offers nearly the same level of fitness tracking, comfort, performance, or portability.

Apple Watch Series 4 owners don't really need to upgrade, but those who didn't buy the last Apple Watch should go for this.

Is there a better alternative?

No. You would only consider another smartwatch if you have an Android phone and want a WearOS device for better integration. There is a problem with that, however. WearOS is light years behind WatchOS.

In 2020, Apple released the Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE. The Series 6 should be viewed as the model that needs to be purchased now. However, if you have a Series 5, there isn't a compelling feature update to make an upgrade necessary.

How long it will take?

Three years, if not more. The Apple Watch Series 4 is a year old and strong. If you have an Apple Watch Series 2, it gets the latest software. So there's no reason why the Series 5 shouldn't be happy with your wrist for long.

Should you buy one?

Yes. Absolutely, completely, 100% yes.

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