Samsung - Galaxy Watch 5

I had a GW5 and switched to a PW1 a while back. The pixel watch is just better in every way. Especially the UX design. The PW1 battery was worse but still got me through the day and the newer ones should be a lot better.

A used Samsung galaxy 5 watch. Does the job.

I still have the GW 5 and it's been incredibly laggy and slow the past year. I've only had it for about 2 years now and I'm not the type to jump to the newest thing immidiately. I'd feel bad replacing it so soon. But if I were, would the 8 classic be a good choice? Or should I look at the 7 instead?

I have the watch 5. I don't recommend it. I mean, the HR rate monitoring is ok, but the battery life is poor. You have to charge every 20ish hours.

i've used the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and now the Watch 7. Both have been pretty accurate. i don't like Samsung Health's display of swim stats (it's just long list of 25's with no indication of when i rested), so i use [swim.com](http://swim.com) instead of the native app. [Swim.com](http://Swim.com) does not track kickboard laps at all and drilling and/or sculling, for reasons that should be self-evident, is hit or miss. You can, however, go into "Drill mode" in the middle of a swim and manually tell it how many kicking/drilling laps you will do.

i've used the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and now the Watch 7 and been happy with both. i don't like how the Samsung Health app reports a swim as a series of 25s with no indication of when i rested, so i use the swim.com app. i have read that Samsung will not stand behind the warranty for water damage, but i, and many others, take that risk and i've had no problems thus far.

i use a Samsung Galaxy watch. Had the 5, just upgraded to the 7. Samsung Health will track swimming, and even now tracks kickboard/drill laps, but i don't really like how it presents the stats as just a long string of 25s (altho, i had to use it the other day because of the upgrade and i forgot i had to set up/log in to [swim.com](http://swim.com) on my new watch, and i see that they do now show were i've rested, but it's still just a long list of 25s). It also dropped/missed 10 lengths last time i used it. So i use the app swim.com. i find it very reliable and also, when it does miss a lap, or mistake strokes, it is editable afterward.

I just recently switched from a Galaxy Watch 5 to a Forerunner 965. Samsung does a bit better with the smart functions but at sport tracking and general use of the watch Garmin is so much better. Plus only charging the watch once a week is really nice. And their range of watches is much bigger and really has to offer something for everyone in every price category.

Its very dependent on your budget, what phone you have, battery life you want, and actual features you want it to have. If you have a samsung phone, you can get either a Galaxy Watch (high on features, but only 2 day battery) or a Galaxy fit (very limited features but 7 day battery life) If you have an iPhone, obviously the Apple Watch works best, but battery life is abysmal. If youre ok with a 3rd party watch that has its own app to sync, the Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro is pretty hard to beat. 10-15 day battery life. Has built in GPS, dive computer, and looks sleek as hell.

Personally, Ive been using my Galaxy Watch 5 for Strava for about 10 months now and it hasn't had any hiccups. Only once did the "strava sync" toggle turn itself off, but it was after I reinstalled Samsung Health so its expected.

I currently have a Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and used the Active 2 before. Before Samsung I used Fitbit. I found the algorithms for the health information is probably different. I'm very interested in the Pixel Watch 4. Some of the features I'm not interested in, but also interested in the health features of the PW4. I'm frustrated with Samsung for some features not being available unless you have a Samsung phone (which I don't). And it sounds that the restrictions on a PW if you don't have a Pixel phone is not health features, which makes it more appealing to me.

Thank you. It helps a lot and confirms that it will be a good move to a Pixel watch. I was never able to use some health features from my Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 because I don't have a Samsung phone. It always bothered me why it should be necessary for someone to have to buy other products from a particular brand just to be able to use the functions of said product.

I'm very interested in the PW4. Currently using a Samsung W5. One of my frustrations is that I'm limited in using some of the features because I'm not using the Samsung phones. Is there any limitations in the use of some features on the current PW3 and do you know if there will be with the PW4?

Since you've already got an S21, a Galaxy Watch 5 can be bought from Back Market for $75. Strava has a Wear OS app so you can just run Strava on your watch to have HR record.

If you want Wear OS, get the Watch 4 or 5. https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Galaxy-44mm-Smartwatch-GPS/dp/B0BWNZMCR5?crid=UC53KETJ3WNE&sprefix=galaxy+watch+5%2Caps%2C239&sr=8-1 The watch 5 is pretty cheap and the watch 4 is like $50 on Amazon which is great for a wear OS watch.

If you don't want Wear OS, get the Fit

Difference between the SoC on GW6 and earlier and the GW7 and later is massive. I went from a 5 to a 7 and it's a game changer. Buttery smooth like an Apple Watch for the first time.

I'm like you, I like a traditional watch but Hubby loves his Samsung Watch 5 and wanted me to try one as well last year. Because I'm cheap, I hoped I could find a knock off instead. I tried one after another for around $30 - $60... I ended up getting a 'renewed' Samsung Watch 5 for $110. They're even cheaper now, and there are renewed Watch 4s, 5s, and even 6s, for $59 - $105 right now). It's been a great watch. However, the charging thing is a bit of a PITA for me. I used to wear a traditional watch 24/7 and I sometimes forget to charge the Watch 5, or I sometimes forget to grab it from its charger. All that to say, if you're considering getting a smart watch, I recommend looking at 'renewed' known brand name watches.

It's why I'll be switching to a Garmin. Still have a GW5, but the lack of physical bezels/navigation on the watches and poor health tracking leaves so much to be desired. What's even crazier is that I have an S25, a GW5, and Buds FE and the ecosystem is just mehhhh. It's definitely not competing with Apple on ecosystem cohesion so id rather just get the Garmin app and watch and run that for a few years.

GW5 LTE to PW 3 WiFi. My wife and I both switched. The Galaxy Watch never would keep a good connection to her heart rate due to her tattoos. The Pixel Watch rarely ever loses connection to it. We could not wear the Galaxy Watch during sleep as within a couple of days we would have a sore on our wrists. I wore the PW every night for 6 weeks before a sore appeared and that was my own fault for not cleaning it well enough after cutting the grass (dirt and sweat seem to be what did it). I swapped arms for a few days and then swapped arms back and make sure to clean it well with an alcohol wipe whenever I do yardwork in my watch. Step counting is off when I am cutting the grass where the GW was always pretty good with it. Not a big deal though as overall it counts a similar amount of calories which is more important to me. Counting steps when I am walking is pretty much the same on either. My workouts are primarily weights and walking. I actually like the way the Pixel Watch tracks those better than the Galaxy Watch. I am getting used to how Cardio Load and some of the other measures work, but I think I like them. The breathing rate, Blood Oxygen, Resting Heart Rate, Heart Rate Variability, and Skin Temp Variation are nice although I do not know how medically accurate they are. I will say that sync is not as instantaneous as the GW5 was. Sometimes it takes a bit to transfer data to the phone. I am not sure if there is a way to help that or not. Customization is lacking in things like ordering apps or changing sounds, but that is minor. One thing I absolutely miss is the hourly chime. I had not realized how much I counted on it for things.

samsung watch works for me. i have a watch5. it does what I need it to do. a newer version would be just as nice I'm sure.

You’re absolutely right to look past the glossy marketing and ask for real-life feedback, because fall detection is one of those features you really want to know is going to work when it matters. I’ve set up a few different smartwatches with fall detection for older family members, and also wear one myself when hiking solo, so I can definitely give some boots-on-the-ground perspective. The Apple Watch (Series 4 and up) still sets the gold standard when it comes to fall detection. I’ve seen it trigger a few times, once for my mom when she tripped on her porch, and another time when I slipped on icy steps. In both cases, it gave a haptic alert, started the countdown, and if no action was taken, it followed through and sent the emergency call as expected. It also pinged the emergency contacts with location info. That peace of mind is hard to beat. The main catch: you need an iPhone to pair it, and the cost isn’t cheap, especially if you’re getting the cellular model so it can operate independently. For Android users, Samsung Galaxy Watch (especially the Watch 5 and 6) is one of the stronger alternatives. It does have fall detection and can send alerts to emergency contacts, but the setup isn’t quite as intuitive, and the sensitivity seems to vary more than with Apple. My uncle had one and it worked okay, but we had to fine-tune the settings so it didn’t false alarm when he dropped to tie his shoes too fast. That said, the newer Galaxy models have improved that a lot and are generally pretty sleek and comfortable for daily wear. Garmin makes some models with incident detection too, especially for active users. If your concern is fall detection during exercise like cycling, running, or hiking, it’s great. But it’s less ideal for general daily wear or older adults, since the interface isn’t the most senior-friendly and the detection is more tied to activity than general falls. If you're looking for something lightweight, reliable, and not wildly expensive, Samsung is a solid middle ground. But if your priority is emergency handling that just works, Apple Watch still leads the pack. Just make sure the person wearing it understands how the alerts work and how to cancel them if they go off by mistake. That small bit of prep can make a huge difference.

I had a samsung galaxy watch and my bestie had an apple watch. We both switched to garmin. I have the forerunner 165, and she has the vivoactive. One of best features of the garmin watches is battery life - one charge lasts about a week with daily workout tracking

Same! Galaxy has a peloton app on it, activated automatically. Highly recommend.

I wore my galaxy watch for 3 years climbing with no protection on it and while it got some scratches, it never really got anything on the screen and nothing cracked, it's a pretty durable piece of hardware. The only time it really got in the way of climbing was on the occasional very large sloper where you get an arm on the hold and on crack climbs. I don't wear it anymore because I no longer enjoy smart watches in general, but it was a pretty solid piece of tech in terms of durability.

NRC does not require Apple products. Works just fine with my Samsung Galaxy Watch.

I wear a galaxy watch and it's protected by my glove.

I have Samsung as well. A 4+ yr old galaxy watch and the app on my lg phone lol

People have been claiming that Google was going to end fitbut over 2 years ago. It's still fine. I tried a galaxy watch, but you have to charge it every day, just like the apple watch. My fitbit goes for days. I just charge it every other day while I shower. I've never run out of battery.

There's nothing wrong with climbing with a watch on. I do it almost exclusively with my Galaxy watch that I like and tracks pretty much everything you mention. Throw a wristband over it to keep it from getting scratched up and you're good to go. Just make sure to loosen it a notch before your session to allow for muscle contractions.

I have a Galaxy watch now, but it's crap as a fitness tracker. When I want accurate data, I wear my old Garmin. I think it's a Forerunner 235? That may not be in production anymore, but any of the entry-level Garmins would work.

You lost me at #1. I've had the last 4 galaxy watches and the pixel 3 watch blows them all away.... By far.

Built in speaker and microphone is compelling I won't lie.

That's fair. I've used my Galaxy Watch to answer calls before though so I'll choose this model for that feature.

Just a tidbit, a test with just 1 person as the source is never going to be a "scientific" test. My personal testing had both mess up the health tracking but the step count was better on galaxy.

Yup. I've never scratched a watch in my life but my Pixel Watch 2 scratched all the time, even rubbing against my sheets when I slept. Luckily I was able to get it replaced later on under warranty but ever since I've used screen protectors to prevent scratching. I've owned three generations of Galaxy Watch and never scratched a single one so it's definitely not me but the Pixel Watch itself.

Galaxy watches don't play nice with Strava. I used a Galaxy watch previously & liked it, except that I lost data several times & it would stop talking to Strava and I'd have to reset it. I'm not the only one. I eventually gave up and got a Garmin.

just joined from galaxy watch, and MAN I feel the exact same 😭

It's like Apples to Oranges. Galaxy Watch has better watch faces and more customization but the apple watch has more third party apps and the heart rate tracking was always better for me on the Apple Watch. Also Samsung health gives you far more insights than apple health app

I trashed one Galaxy Watch by wearing it in a dry sauna for 20 minutes and then immediately swimming laps in a cold pool. Since then, I don't chance it with my new watch. It's sits safely in a locker with my phone and ear buds, while I'm in the sauna.

I've used them all, not sure I agree that the aw is better, galaxy has some really important (for me) things that aw doesn't. Also, I like round for watches, the aw is basically a tiny iPad! If you are really into watches though, Garmin is miles ahead of both. Expensive but worth it, if you're an enthusiast.

Bad exp ko sa Galaxy watch mabagal and madali malowbat after a year. Limited na din support sa iOS. :(

Galaxy Watch probably has the most of what a WearOS watch can offer but a fair bit of features are Samsung exclusive. Pixel Watches I believe offer mostly the same with a little less bells and whistles than a galaxy watch but with better health features with fitbit integration that isn't locked to pixels. Also looks more fashionable IMO. Blends with my outfits when using a stylish watch band. Just looks like a watch instead of a smart watch. One plus I don't know too much about other than it has actual battery life that lasts days. I feel like it would be the defacto best one but I haven't heard many people speak on it.

Don't get Samsung Galaxy watch if you want to connect with H365. I just got it recently. The step sync with H365 is always less by atleast ~1000 steps. Doesn't sync sleep hrs and MVPA at all. I'm losing the points because of this. I tried to change some settings from online reviews and also tried reconnecting with app/watch etc. Still same. Checked with both Samsung and H365 customer service. Both useless and don't have a solution for this. Both sides blaming the other for this issue. I can't return the watch because the 14 day return period is over. I don't like it but still using because no choice. My previous apple watch and Garmin was great. Everything sync perfectly.

Yeah, especially because it supports the qwerty KB - probably the one thing I'll miss coming from my galaxy watch

I'm in the two watch gang, Galaxy Watch on the right as a tracker and my watch du jour on the left.

Bought my mother (83 yo) a FR265 to monitor her heart rate while cycling and to use the live track feature in case she has an accident while out riding. Garmin decided to put live track behind a subscription, so there's no way I'd recommend it anymore. Samsung galaxy watch has some useful health tracking data, but battery isn't as good as Garmin's. When they do, I'm off Garmin.

Samsung Galaxy watch and arccos

For the first part, no, galaxy watches are kind of shit for health and fitness tracking tbh. They gave the sensing hardware, but their algorithms and health app are crap.

I use my samsung Galaxy Watch together with my iphone, I can use music controls, get notifications and keeps track of my steps, how lazy i have been and even how much sleep i get.. Yes i am a lazy person :p

I just went into the app store and installed the samsung galaxy watch (Gear S) (i dont have the gear s but in the app u can choose the right wearable) I just hate the square apple watches cuz square, galaxy watch gives me the feeling i am wearing a watch

Aside from navigation, a dedicated bike computer will give all information you need on your handlebar. Like what the OP asked, real cyclists need to see the information when they need to as looking at your wrist while biking isn't ideal. Also, my experience with using my Galaxy watch which biking isn't that great as it drains the battery really quickly.

You will be back to Garmin lol. I've tried apple watch ultra, Samsung Galaxy watches and ultra, and pixel watch 3. Nothing compares to the metrics Garmin provides. Plus the battery life is incredible. Don't have to think about charging at all. Everything is built into Garmin. You don't have to pay for other apps to get similar functionality. I'm a golfer and it's so nice to have the golf features built into the watch versus having to pay extra for them. Morning report is amazing. Body battery. Now evening report too. Plus the watch is very reliable. I can't go back. I love my Fenix 8 too much. And the flashlight is chefs kiss.

I love pixel watch faces, but for full features, I would choose galaxy watch

I used my Samsung Galaxy watch with it all the time and it's fine.

I never realized I should be worried about my watch battery dying on longer runs. I have a Galaxy watch and have to charge it twice as often as my partner with their apple watch. However, I use a lot of my smartwatch features, I wonder if eventually be worth it to just have 2 watches. I hate having to use battery saving on my watch, it makes it frustrating to use.

I have a Garmin vivoactive 5 and mostly love it. I use to have a Samsung Galaxy watch. Pros: Long battery life. 7+ days without GPS turned on. The outdoor rowing app is super nice and I love being able to see the output of my row after I get off the water. I'm not going to lie - this is the whole reason behind this new watch purchase. Lighter than the Samsung. Cons: Can't actually create individual text responses. HR monitor isn't as accurate as a chest monitor (I compared it once) but still better than my Samsung. I'm not an iPhone user so I can't offer a comparison. But I have no regrets with my Garmin watch purchase. Edited - added another Pro.

How's there Samsung handle replying to text messages? I had a galaxy watch years ago and that could be hit or miss. My pw3 was hit or miss last year but seems like updates fixed it and it's reliable

Love my Galaxy watch. I would say consider what phone you're going to pair it with, if it's a Samsung considered Galaxy if it's a pixel consider pixel watch Etc

I've owned a samsung galaxy watch and currently rock a garmin vivoactive. The garmin's battery is 10x better. The UI isn't as good, though - but that's small potatoes.

I did. And 2 days later went back to galaxy watch lol

My galaxy watch got really bad during the end of its life. Couldn't rely on any of its data and battery only lasted 2 days max. My charge6 is less than a year old, so I'm planning on letting this one ride for a couple to a few years and see how the chips fall

Considering that it tracks steps/heart rate, I dont think it can really provide any useful information when doing curls or benching or etc. Do other watches provide any unique metrics there?

Ahh, I usually only track cardio with the watch. It looks like you can actually add custom workouts on the Samsung Health app. It can track specified data like Sets/Rest or calories burned. You can select free weights/machine etc Looks like you can also create routines. Shit, I might use this

But you can track a row machine on the galaxy watch...

Currently, Galaxy Watches and Pixel Watches

Samsung nerfs its watches if you don't use them with Galaxy phones? I didn't know that.

You can obviously use swimming activity outdoors but it's more designed to be used indoors where you can set the length of the pool you're in. Galaxy watches eg. Have "Outdoor swimming" exercise which tracks your GPS and calculates rates based on that