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By Kate Kozuch published 10 August 22

Here’s how Samsung’s two new smartwatches compare

The difference between the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is important to know if you’re interested in buying one of Samsung’s new smartwatches. Though both models could become two of the best smartwatches of the year, there are some key specs that might make one better for you than the other.

Starting at $279, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is considered the company’s smartwatch flagship. It offers a handful of key upgrades over the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, so it could very well be the best Samsung watch for most people.

But the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is an all-new model looking to cut into Garmin’s market with an 80-hour battery life, ultra-durable design and outdoor sports-specific features. These perks come at price — the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro starts at $449. As that’s the case, you’ll want to know how the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro stack-up. 

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 price starts at $279 for the 40mm Bluetooth model. The 40mm LTE model starts at $329. The price goes up to $299 and $349 for the 44mm configurations for Bluetooth and LTE, respectively.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro costs $449 for Bluetooth and $499 for LTE. It comes in a singular 45mm size. 

Both watches are available for pre-order now and will be officially available as of August 26.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro designs are different enough that you can tell the two smartwatches apart, though the designs are not nearly as distinct as the the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 vs. Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Samsung ditched the physical rotating bezel for this year's watches (the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic will still be sold for those who like the mechanism.) 

Both watches feature round faces and two side buttons, but the chassis on the on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro creates an elevated edge around the display. This is presumably to better protect the screen during more rugged activities. But the sapphire crystal glass display is also 60% more scratch-resistant than previous Galaxy Watch devices, so that should help with durability.

The Galaxy Watch 5 comes in four colors: Graphite, Silver, Sapphire (44mm only) and Pink Gold (40mm only). The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro comes in two colors: Black Titanium and Grey Titanium. Both watches support interchangeable bands you can curate you to your style.

Some new features for this year's Galaxy Watch lineup are found in both devices, while others are exclusive to the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

Both smartwatches are Wear OS 3 smartwatches layered by select elements of Samsung's bygone Tizen platform. Both have the 3-in-1 BioActive health sensor with heart rating and SpO2 monitoring, as well as body composition analysis via BIA (bioelectrical impedance analysis.) And both have a new skin-temperature reader.

As fitness trackers, both watches keep tabs on your activity and support dozens of workout types. But the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro takes features for outdoor tracking to next level. It has GPX, which makes it possible to share geographic information with others and keep a reliable track of your routes. A dedicated return feature will also show you how to track back your journey, if you get lost along the way. 

Expect to find non-activity smartwatch stuff on the Galaxy Watch 5 lineup, too. The watches can mirroring notifications, supporting mobile payments, keeping alarms and, for LTE models, making calls.

The Galaxy Watch 5 has a 15% bigger battery than the Galaxy Watch 4, with up to 50 hours of battery life. That’s about 10 more hours than before. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is rated for up to 80 hours, or double that the the Galaxy Watch 4.

In testing, we usually find that features like always-on display (AOD) and a few hours of GPS use or fitness tracking bring the battery life down. But specifically for the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, we'll hope to see real improvements in testing, because the last thing you want on your adventure is for your watch to lose juice.

For average users, there aren't many differences to see between the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. The case shapes are distinct, but probably not worth paying $170 more for most people. That's why the regular Galaxy Watch 5 is the watch that's probably right for you. 

That said, if you dabble in outdoor activities like hiking or biking, and are looking for a Samsung smartwatch that can keep up with your adventures with better battery life, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro could be a worthwhile option. 

Kate Kozuch is an editor at Tom’s Guide covering smartwatches, TVs and everything smart-home related. Kate also appears on Fox News to talk tech trends and runs the Tom's Guide TikTok account (opens in new tab) , which you should be following. When she’s not filming tech videos, you can find her on an exercise bike, mastering the NYT Crossword or channeling her inner celebrity chef. 

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