- Are you thinking of buying the Apple Watch 5? Here are some of the Apple Watch 5 pros and cons for you to consider before buying one.
The Apple Watch Series 5 was unveiled at an Apple event on September 10. And some of the most noteworthy features include an always-on display and a compass.
Here are some of the Apple Watch Series 5 pros and cons that you should know about.
Pro: Always-On Feature
This is the first time Apple added an always-on feature to its wearable device. This way you don’t have to push down the crown to see the time. I believe this is one of the most underrated features since it makes looking at the time much more convenient.
Plus the always-on feature also dimly shows the other data (complications) that are on the Home screen of the Apple Watch 5 such as the weather and battery percentage.
There is an ambient light sensor so that it automatically picks the dimming level. And if you want to save battery life, you can turn off the always-on feature under Settings > Display > Brightness.
Pro: Built-In Compass
The newly added compass in the Apple Watch 5 comes in handy under certain contexts. For example, the compass can come in handy while you are hiking or kayaking. And Apple launched an API for the Compass so developers can add compass-related features to their apps. In the Maps app for Apple Watch Series 5, Apple added a compass.
Pro: New Watch App Store
Apple launched watchOS 6 in conjunction with the Apple Watch Series 5. This makes it more convenient to install apps that are native to the Apple Watch. In the past, you would have to install apps for the Apple Watch via iPhone or iPad. And the new Watch App Store makes it easier for developers to build apps that are built specifically for Apple Watch.
Apple also launched an app called Noise. This app alerts you when the decibels rise to levels that impact your hearing. This tends to happen when you are too close to a speaker at a concert or a wedding reception.
And Apple also released a new Cycle Tracking app. This makes it easier to log information about menstrual cycles.
Pro: All The Bells And Whistles
The Apple Watch 5 has the same best features as the previous devices like the ECG app for detecting heartbeat rhythms and the fall detection feature. And the activity app helps you achieve fitness goals.
Con: Higher Price
The Apple Watch 5 is priced at $399 for the 40-millimeter model with GPS, but the premium price is what is expected from a high-quality Apple product. And it is $100 more for the cellular-enabled version.
The 44-millimeter version is $429 and $520 with LTE. And the stainless steel variant is $699 and the new titanium model is $799. For those of you on a bigger budget, the white ceramic special edition is $1,299.
It’s worth mentioning that the starting price Apple listed for the Apple Watch Series 5 is the same that was listed for the Apple Watch Series 4. So at least the price did not jump up.
Con: Battery Life Is So-So
The battery life of the Apple Watch 5 is about 18 hours. So you will still have to charge your Apple Watch 5 every night. Less advanced wearable devices made by Fitbit and Garmin that track your steps could last up to a week until it needs to be charged again.
Apple Watch Series 5 Specifications
Size: 44mm case version has a 977 sq mm display area and 40mm case version has a 759 sq mm display area
Display: Always-On
Thickness: 10.7mm
Sensors: Electrical heart sensor (ECG), second-generation optical heart sensor, compass, fall detection
Processor: 64-bit dual-core S5 processor
Crown: Digital Crown with haptic feedback
Finishes:
Aluminum: Silver, Space Gray, Gold
Stainless Steel: Stainless Steel, Space Black, Gold
Titanium: Titanium, Space Black
Ceramic: White
Features: GPS/GNSS, Compass, barometric altimeter, water-resistant (50 meters), Emergency SOS, accelerometer (up to 32 g-forces), gyroscope, ambient light sensor, speaker (50% louder), microphone, Apple Pay, GymKit, 32GB capacity, GPS
Display: 44mm (368×448 resolution and 977 sq mm display area) or 40mm (324×394 resolution and 759 sq mm display area), LTPO OLED Always-On Retina display with Force Touch
Chip: S5 with 64-bit dual-core processor, W3 Apple wireless chip
Connectivity: LTE and UMTS5 for GPS + Cellular models, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz, Bluetooth 5.0
Power: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery, Magnetic charging cable, USB power adapter
Pulse 2.0 Score: 4.5/5
Apple already raised the bar with the Apple Watch Series 4 by adding the ECG app. While the compass app and the always-on display are very useful features, I believe that the Apple Watch Series 4 had more groundbreaking features when it was announced. Nonetheless, I would still recommend buying an Apple Watch Series 5.
If you do not want to spend as much and want to still have the benefit of most of the Apple Watch features, then you should get the Apple Watch Series 4. I believe there is not much difference between the Apple Watch Series 4 and the Apple Watch Series 5. But there are big differences between the Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple Watch Series 4.
The Apple Watch Series 5 gets 4.5 out of 5 stars for these reasons.
Want to buy the Apple Watch Series 5? You can buy the GPS (non-cellular) one here:
or the cellular version here:
Pulse 2.0 may receive a commission from our affiliate partners on orders made through this article
