Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic brings again the signature rotating bezel of the primary few generations of Samsung watches. In different respects, it has the same design to the Watch 5 Pro and shares many of the identical software program, although it lacks its signature epic battery life and GPX routes. With the bigger dimension choice, you get an epic 1.5-inch show, providing you with loads of swipe room.
ForUpgraded performanceTwo dimension optionsReturn of the rotating bezelLower worthAgainstHalf the battery lifeHeavier and thickerNo Routes
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
Samsung markets the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro in the direction of “adventurers” with downloadable mapping instruments and for much longer battery life than what most way of life watches provide. That mentioned, it is a era again from the Watch 6 Classic, so it does have a number of downgrades. The capacitive contact bezel may be polarizing, however it retains the Pro barely lighter than the Classic.
ForSignificantly longer battery lifeTitanium casingExclusive GPX supportSlightly lighter designAgainstNo rotating bezelDowngraded efficiencyOne fewer software program replace
When asserting the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic, Samsung made certain to specify that the “Galaxy Watch 5 Pro remains a great option” for “adventure seekers.” Even although it looks as if Samsung changed the Watch 5 Pro with the 6 Classic, it nonetheless desires some shoppers to purchase the Pro as an alternative of the Classic.Keeping that in thoughts, it is honest to query whether or not the older Watch 5 Pro continues to be price shopping for in comparison with the newer mannequin. Or, reversing the query, ought to Watch 5 Pro house owners take into account upgrading to the 6 Classic, given its upsides and disadvantages?As the one that reviewed the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro and is at the moment testing the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic for overview, I used to be stunned to see how little of a distinction there may be between the 2 watches in key areas. With the identical software program and equally heavy designs, there is not that a lot distinction in utilizing them… apart from the rotating bezel and the distinction in battery life.Let’s dive into this Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Watch 5 Pro breakdown and assist you to determine which to decide on — or if one other watch is a greater choice.Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Watch 5 Pro: What’s the identical?Why you’ll be able to belief Android Central
Our professional reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services and products so you’ll be able to select the very best for you. Find out extra about how we check.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Before breaking down all the pieces totally different between these two watches, let’s concentrate on the Watch 6 Classic and Watch 5 Pro similarities. Storage: Both watches have 16GB of storage, giving you an identical quantity of area for apps, music, watch faces, and extra. Other smartwatches just like the Pixel Watch offer you 32GB by default, so it is unlucky that two expensive fashions like these do not hit that normal.Charging: Each watch makes use of wi-fi WPC charging with a proprietary Samsung puck. They cost with a 10W pace that helps them refill their capability quicker than typical smartwatches. Of course, as a result of the Watch 6 Classic has a smaller capability, it’s going to nonetheless recharge quicker. Health sensors: Samsung gathers extra well being knowledge from you than most, due to its BioActive Sensor that gathers your coronary heart fee, coronary heart rhythm, physique composition, and (in some territories) blood strain. Most just lately, the Watch 5 and 5 Pro added a temperature sensor for menstrual monitoring. The Galaxy Watch 6 shares all these however has no new sensor knowledge — although it has one timed well being unique we’ll focus on later.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Connectivity: Either watch provides you Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 5GHz, and the principle world navigation satellite tv for pc methods (GNSS), together with LTE, in the event you pay for the mobile model. You do improve to Bluetooth 5.3 over the Watch 5 Pro’s 5.2, making it extra energy-efficient to connect with your telephone and swap between low- and high-energy actions, however the connection power is principally the identical. Protection: Samsung guarantees military-grade safety towards falls for each watches. 5ATM resistance makes each watches able to sinking to 50 meters of depth for 10 minutes, whereas IP68 safety lets it sit in shallow water for 30 minutes whereas dealing with numerous particulates. Both have Sapphire Crystal scratch safety, and each watches’ shows sit decrease than the bezel — one thing the flat Galaxy Watch 6 would not provide — making the shows much less prone to get scratched even earlier than the Sapphire glass comes into play. Boring colours: Samsung likes its “Pro” units to solely use “serious” colours, and that applies to the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, too. Both are available Black, whereas their second choice is both Gray (5 Pro) or Silver (6 Classic). The latter choice is barely extra putting, whereas the Gray Watch 5 Pro has a extra matte look.Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy 5 Pro: Performance and batterySwipe to scroll horizontallyCategorySamsung Galaxy Watch 6 ClassicSamsung Galaxy Watch 5 ProDisplay1.3-inch (432×432), 1.5-inch (480×480) Super AMOLED1.4-inch (450×450)ProcessorSamsung Exynos W930 (1.4GHz)Samsung Exynos W920 (1.18GHz)RAM2GB1.5GBStorage16GB16GBBattery300mAh / 425mAh590mAhWireless chargingYesYesSensorsSamsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Heart Rate + Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light Sensor, 3D Hall sensorSamsung BioActive Sensor (Optical Heart Rate + Electrical Heart Signal + Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis), Temperature Sensor, Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Light SensorConnectivityLTE (optionally available), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz, NFC, GPS/ GLONASS/ GALILEO/ BeidouLTE (optionally available), Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 2.4/5GHz, NFC, GPS/ GLONASS/ GALILEO/ BeidouDurability5ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810H5ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810HMaterialsStainless Steel, Sapphire Crystal GlassTitanium, Sapphire Crystal GlassDimensions42.5 x 42.5 x 10.9 mm; 46.5 x 46.5 x 10.9 mm45.4 x 45.4 x 10.5mmWeight (w/out strap)52g / 59g46.5gColorsBlack, SilverBlack, GrayOne key distinction between the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and 5 Pro is in its processing energy. The final era used the Samsung Exynos W920, whereas the Watch 6 sequence jumped to the Exynos W930 chip. Both chips have dual-core designs with two Arm Cortex-A55 and a Mali-G68 GPU, making them practically an identical. The key distinction is that the Exynos W930 hits a CPU pace of 1.4GHz as an alternative of 1.18GHz, an 18% enhance. It’s additionally paired with 2GB of RAM as an alternative of 1.5GB, which Samsung says allows you to “switch between apps up to 25% faster.” In our Galaxy Watch 6 hands-on, our tester famous that he could not inform a lot distinction between the 2 in pace, however appreciated that sure actions had been “instantaneous” on the newer mannequin. In my case, I nonetheless discover the Watch 5 Pro to be among the many speediest Android watches on the market, and I have not had sufficient time with the Watch 6 Classic to essentially say if this 25% quantity is correct. What actually speeds issues up is the rotating bezel, which lets me choose issues extra precisely and has fewer failed or false swipes. Otherwise, I’d say the additional RAM and better clock pace future-proof the Watch 6 Classic. It’s extra ready to deal with any memory-intensive duties or apps that Wear OS 5 or 6 have in retailer, which the slower Watch 5 Pro would possibly wrestle with. It’s good to have, however not important for Wear OS 4 or for comfortable Galaxy Watch 5 customers.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Where the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro stands sturdy is in its battery life. It has a considerably bigger battery capability, coupled with a slower however extra environment friendly CPU, and that makes it final twice so long as the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (in response to Samsung). Again, I must spend extra time with the Watch 6 Classic to see if it holds as much as the 40-hour estimate constantly. But I do know for a undeniable fact that the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro can hit its 80-hour estimate with informal use, whereas dipping down nearer to 40 hours or decrease while you begin utilizing GPS, AOD, music streaming, and so forth. With the Watch 6 Classic, you get a decently massive battery capability, however it’s going straight into the newly-enlarged shows and quicker Exynos chip. With heavy-duty use, you need to be ready for every day charging. Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Design(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)When I reviewed the Watch 5 Pro, I known as it a bit too heavy to put on comfortably all day, to not point out thick sufficient to catch on doorways and make sleep monitoring a bit awkward. I assumed that the Watch 6 Classic, with its smaller battery, would step again a bit on this space.Boy, was I unsuitable on that entrance! Ignoring the strap, the 1.3-inch Galaxy Watch 6 Classic weighs 5.5g (0.19oz) greater than the 1.4-inch Watch 5 Pro; the 1.5-inch Classic weighs 12.5g (0.44oz) extra. Samsung gave me the 1.5-inch Classic, and in actual life, the distinction in weight is not drastic however is noticeable. Perhaps it is because of the distinction in supplies: Titanium is usually thought of lighter than stainless-steel.Both Classic fashions are 0.4mm thicker, too; given the Watch 5 Pro is about 15mm thick — ignore Samsung’s incorrect official measurement — that makes the 6 Classic among the many thickest Android watches on the market. (Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)I can solely decide the ultra-heavy 47mm Watch 6 Classic, as a result of that is what Samsung selected to ship me. If you select the 43mm mannequin, you are dropping 0.1 inch of show area in comparison with the Pro, whereas including a mere 5 grams and 0.4mm thickness. In trade for a rotating bezel, that is not a nasty trade-off, particularly because it prices $50 much less at this dimension.So far, I discover the bezel extremely satisfying to make use of. You hear and really feel an audible click on each time you flip it a sure distance, so you know the way far to twist it earlier than you attain the fitting app or menu. The solely actual draw back to it’s that the press is decently loud, so in the event you’re attempting to make use of it in a quiet setting, individuals close by will discover. As for the Watch 5 Pro, its contact bezel simply is not that dependable as a result of it is more durable to evaluate how far to swipe your finger to get the proper consequence. Instead of your fingers being set across the bezel to show it, they hover over the show, blocking your view of it. And in the event you’re in the course of a exercise with sweaty fingers, it is particularly laborious to make use of. Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Software(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)The Galaxy Watch 6 sequence provides improved sleep monitoring knowledge, higher computerized backups so you’ll be able to Smart Switch watches to new telephones extra simply, personalised coronary heart fee zones, passive irregular coronary heart rhythm detection, and a revamped Samsung Wallet app.While that is all very thrilling, all of those are One UI 5 Watch options based mostly on Wear OS 4, which means the Galaxy Watch 5 and 4 sequence will obtain them, too. As far as we’re conscious, the most recent watches have no “exclusives” for the time being, not till years down the highway when the Watch 5 runs out of software program help.Ironically, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro does have an unique trick: the Routes tile for downloading and following GPX maps offline. I checked the Watch 6 Classic and confirmed that it solely has Google Maps for navigation, not less than for now. As for the Watch 5 Pro, you at the moment have to seek out and obtain GPX maps your self, then add them to the watch; worse, you’ll be able to solely use them for Hiking or Cycling actions. Once the One UI 5 Watch replace goes reside on the Watch 5 Pro, you will get the entire Watch 6’s new software program methods, plus a brand new GPX File Database so you’ll be able to “search and access recommended routes” straight. Even higher, now you can use these offline maps for Running or Walking actions, too. I have not examined this but, however it ought to make utilizing GPX maps way more accessible. Still, it is a fairly area of interest function that most individuals do not want.Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: Which must you purchase / Should you improve?Right now, you’ll be able to commerce within the Watch 5 Pro for $250 off the Watch 6 Classic, dropping the value all the way down to $150–$180, relying on the dimensions. That could change as soon as the pre-order interval ends, however the essential level is that some Watch 5 Pro house owners will wish to improve for extra pro-quality pace and bezel-based controls.The Watch 6 Classic is heavier, however anybody who likes the Watch 5 Pro clearly has good tolerance for heavy watches and might settle for a number of additional grams. The more durable factor for Pro customers to lose is the 80-hour battery life; if you cannot give that (or GPX maps) up, you completely shouldn’t improve, irrespective of how tempting the bezel is.Otherwise, in the event you’re selecting between these two watches outright, my private advice is to decide on the Watch 6 Classic merely for the bodily bezel. If you do not want one and care extra about consolation, you could wish to select the smaller Galaxy Watch 6 as an alternative of the 5 Pro, which is able to prevent cash and provide the identical pace because the Classic.We will not replace our listing of the very best Android smartwatches till I end my Watch 6 Classic overview, however based mostly on my preliminary impressions, it is destined to hitch the Watch 5 Pro there. But which is “best” for you specifically actually depends upon whether or not you prioritize the on a regular basis ease of the Watch 6 Classic’s bezel controls or the longevity of the Watch 5 Pro’s battery.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic
Choose the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic for its modern rotating bezel, new Exynos chip, and cheaper price. Don’t select it for the absolute best battery life or in the event you hate heavy, thick watches.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro
Choose (or hold) the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro for its unique offline mapping instruments, a barely lighter design, and an epic battery life. Don’t select it in the event you discover contact controls irritating or (once more) in the event you hate heavy, thick watches.