Apple Watch Series 5 review
The Apple Watch Series 5 is so far ahead of anything that
professes to be a peer, there’s only one reason not to buy one: You want
multi-day battery life. Otherwise, you’re not going to find a smartwatch with a
better screen, more advanced sensors, nicer design, or stronger app support.
I’ve tested smartwatches from just about every
manufacturer—Samsung, Fitbit, Fossil, LG, Huawei, Mobvoi, Withings, etc.—and
nothing really comes close to the polish and performance Apple has delivered.
Apple haters will scoff at that notion, but the truth of the matter is, if
Apple offered an iPhone-free version of the Series 5 watch, it would instantly
become the best selling Android wearable. Nothing under the Wear OS umbrella
even comes close, and even Samsung’s Tizen-based watches pale in comparison to
the seamless, frictionless experience the Apple Watch brings. If anything, it’s
so good it’s becoming old hat at this point, and its deficiencies are becoming
more glaring.
Always On makes all the difference
While the new Apple Watch looks identical to the model it
replaces, there is some new tech inside. Apple has added a compass to power the
new app, as well as twice as much storage for music and apps:
ECG
Optical heart (2nd gen)
GPS/GNSS
Barometric Altimeter
50M water resistance
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
Compass
Capacity 32GB
While the compass and extra storage is nice (Series 4 is
16GB), the only advancement over the Series 4 watch worth talking about is the
always-on display. The Apple Watch’s blank screen when resting has been its
biggest shortcoming since its debut in 2015, but—and I can’t believe I’m
writing this—it was actually worth the four-year wait.
Depending on the face you choose, the always-on display acts
differently, sometimes dimming, sometimes inverting, and sometimes leaving only
the vital ambient bits. Like the faces themselves, Apple has carefully
considered how each always-on screen looks and functions, giving each ambient
face a unique style. And the carefully calibrated OLED display means you can
read it in direct sunlight at any brightness level.
Battery life is still an issue
While other smartwatches issue warnings that using the
always-on display will negatively impact battery life—for example, the Fitbit
Versa 2 will last for three days with the always-on display active versus five
days with it off—the Apple promises that the Series 5 watch gets the same 18 to
20 hours of battery life that the previous five generations of watches got with
or without the always-on display.
But nowhere is the Apple Watch’s battery life more
aggravating than while sleeping. Apple doesn’t offer native sleep tracking on
the Apple Watch, a feature I assume is coming with Series 6. Much like the
always-on display, Apple isn’t going to deliver half-baked sleep tracking, nor
is it going to help third-party developers deliver a good experience.
Have App Store, will travel
If sleep tracking isn’t important, however, the Apple Watch
Series 5 is basically the perfect smartwatch. Along with the fall detection and
ECG sensor that came with the Series 4 watch, WatchOS 6 introduces several new
apps and watch faces that add to the excellent library that’s already in place.
Even small features such as International emergency
calling—where your watch will recognize where you are and automatically call
local emergency services if you’re traveling—are leaps and bounds ahead of
what’s offered on other smartwatches.
Finally getting a calculator is nice, but Apple’s watch apps
are at their best when they’re doing things you won’t need as often. Noise and
Compass, as well as Series 4’s ECG, all drive home just how advanced the Apple
Watch is, not to mention the thousands of apps that are available to download
right on your wrist.
Bottom line
There’s no question that the Apple Watch Series 5 is the
absolute best smartwatch money can buy. It has an incredible screen, excellent
app support, and the strongest set of sensors and features you’ll find
anywhere. It’s expensive for sure, but when you consider Tag Heuer sells a
$1,700 Wear OS watch without LTE, the price doesn’t seem quite so outlandish.
That might be the best Series 5 feature of all. Apple has
made it easier than ever to pick the watch you want by letting you combine any
body and band. You’re no longer limited to the pre-selected combinations. When
you buy one, you’ll get two boxes, one with the watch body and another with the
band. Presumably that’s how all Apple Watches will be sold going forward, and
it makes a lot of sense. From day one, Apple has positioned its Watch as the
ultimate fashion accessory for iPhone users.
Abigail Smith is an inventive person who has been doing intensive research in particular topics and writing blogs and articles on Printer Customer Support and many other related topics. He is a very knowledgeable person with lots of experience. If you’re not running A/V protection right now and you want more than what Windows Defender offers, this is a great buy.
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