Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Galaxy Watch 6: What's the difference?

Samsung’s latest smartwatches are officially the Galaxy Watch 6 series, unveiled at the Samsung Unpacked event on July 26. The devices feature a lot that shoppers will find familiar, plus some expected upgrades. For starters, the lineup repeats the company’s two-prong approach, offering a base model and a Classic model for an elevated Samsung smartwatch. If you’re interested in the standard Galaxy Watch 6 model, first find out if the newest generation is worth an upgrade compared to last year’s offerings. We break down the Galaxy Watch 6 vs Galaxy Watch 5 to see what’s new.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Galaxy Watch 6: Specs

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Galaxy Watch 6: Design

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 6 appear largely the same, especially at a glance. In fact, Samsung’s sporty base models have retained a consistent design for the past few years. Like the Galaxy Watch 5, the 6 is still available in two aluminum case sizes, 44mm and 40mm, each paired with a silicone sport band. Both models also feature flat displays, oversized lugs, and a single button.

However, a closer look shows the newest generation boasts the largest displays yet on a Galaxy Watch series. Both case sizes were boosted, with the 44mm model’s display measuring in at 1.5 inches and the 40mm model close behind at 1.3 inches. The devices even ship with brand new native watch faces for making the most of the added real estate. Naturally, both displays received a bump in resolution as well.

Despite their larger Super AMOLED displays, the Galaxy Watch 6 cases are slightly thinner and lighter. Samsung accomplished this by decreasing the bezels to enlarge the screens rather than increasing the case size.

Flipping the watch over, the Galaxy Watch 6 features a new button mechanism for swapping bands. This makes the process of switching up your look even easier. Fortunately, if you decide to upgrade, the watch is still compatible with the same bands as the Galaxy Watch 5.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Galaxy Watch 6: Features

There are no new sensors on the Galaxy Watch 6, nor did we get a sweeping redesign or a packed list of internal upgrades. On paper, a Galaxy Watch 6 vs 5 comparison suggests iterative improvement. Since the Galaxy Watch 6 and 6 Classic offer nearly identical experiences besides the Classic model’s rotating bezel, all three watches should offer fairly similar experiences. Even the headlining update, Wear OS 4, is available to both series.

In 2022, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 launched with Wear OS 3 and Samsung One UI Watch 4.5. The Galaxy Watch 6 landed with Wear OS 4 (and was the first smartwatch to do so!) and One UI Watch 5. Naturally, these updates rolled back to the older model as well.

On the health front, Samsung improved heart rate tracking and users can now detect irregular heart rhythms. This heart rate accuracy is also utilized in activity tracking, where users can view heart rate zones based on their intensity. This isn’t the only improvement Samsung made to fitness tracking, as the watches also add a Track Run workout mode and a few other improvements. Both watches also offer additional health tracking tools to Samsung phone users, such as blood pressuring monitoring.

Overnight, the Galaxy Watch 6 collects additional sleep-tracking data and offers improved sleep coaching. For those who menstruate, both generations feature a temperature sensor that offers more accurate and useful data for cycle tracking. This was originally introduced on the Galaxy Watch 5 lineup and we’re glad to see Samsung keep the sensor on board. Now, starting with the Galaxy Watch 6 series, Samsung also introduced a new Thermo Check app. This app allows users to easily measure the temperature of their environment, from swimming pools to reheated meals. The app was first available on the Galaxy Watch 6 series, though it later expanded to Galaxy Watch 5 series devices as well.

There are also a number of smartwatch features users can now access thanks to Wear OS 4. With compatible phones like the Galaxy Z Flip 5, both generations offer enhanced control of the camera on your paired smartphone from your watch. For faster checkouts, the devices add the Samsung Wallet app, which combines Samsung Pay with Samsung Pass so users can make payments, save tickets, or show IDs right from their wrists. There are also several improvements to popular apps such as MyFitnessPal, Peloton, Gmail, and more.

As mentioned, Galaxy Watch 6 features a slightly larger battery than its predecessors. According to Samsung, this increased capacity, performance improvements, and a new processor should leave users with longer battery life between chargers. The Watch 6 also has an improved processor and an extra .5GB of RAM — check out all the specs in the table above.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Galaxy Watch 6: Price and colors

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 series launched starting at $279 for a 40mm Bluetooth model. For a 44mm device, users paid $329. Samsung added $50 to both price tags to add LTE to either size. A year later, these watches can be found deeply discounted. This is expected as a new generation rolls out to tempt shoppers.

This year’s Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 devices launched at a slightly higher price point. Again, we’re not surprised as this small bump reflects similar shifts in the wearables market as a whole. A 40mm Bluetooth Galaxy Watch 6 starts at $299. The larger 44mm model starts at $329.

As for colorways, the larger Galaxy Watch 6 is available in either Graphite or Silver. The smaller model is available in Graphite or Gold. By contrast, the Galaxy Watch 5 launched in Silver, Graphite, Sapphire (44mm model only), and Pink Gold (40mm model only). This isn’t a significant difference as neither generation offers much choice. However, if the Barbie movie has you itching for a pink device, you may want to shop for last year’s lineup.

Of course, either model can easily add a splash of color with a new watch band. Alongside the Galaxy Watch 6, Samsung released a new fabric band to offer a more comfortable fit for sleep tracking. The company also redesigned its band mechanism to introduce a new one-click system for swapping bands.

If you’re wondering how the new watches compare to the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, the latter is still available albeit for $50 more than the Classic.

Galaxy Watch 5 vs Galaxy Watch 6: Which should you buy?

As is often the case when comparing two similar devices, the decision mostly boils down to budget. If you don’t need the latest tech, the Galaxy Watch 5 is a fantastic smartwatch you can likely find on sale.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Watch 6 may deliver better battery life and a more convenient user experience. Unless you desperately want a rotating bezel (and can afford to pay for it), the Galaxy Watch 6 is the best value of the latest lineup. It’s roughly $100 less than the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic but offers a very feature set.

However, if you already own the Galaxy Watch 5 and are considering upgrading to the latest Galaxy Watch 6, we’d say save your money for now. The Watch 5 is not outdated yet, and the upgrades offered by its successor aren’t massive.

Which base model Samsung Galaxy Watch catches your interest? Will you be upgrading? Let us know in the poll below.