Apple Watch Series 5 review: The best smartwatch gets even better

Note: This article was first published on 24 September 2019.

Hello, Apple Watch Series 5

To be honest, I didn’t know if we were going to be getting a new Apple Watch this year. Rumours about a new Apple Watch were scarce before the event and I didn’t think there was much Apple could do to improve last year’s Apple Watch Series 4. Shows you just how much I know. As it turns out, Apple did announce a new Apple Watch this year. It’s called ― surprise, surprise ― Apple Watch Series 5 and it has several small updates that affect the product in profound ways.

What’s the same?

Before I talk about what's new, I should talk about what's unchanged. Last year’s Apple Watch Series 4 saw a dramatic change in case design. 38mm became 40mm and the 42mm became 44mm. It got wider but it also became substantially thinner and that made it wear a lot better. The new Series 4 case meant it slid under shirt cuffs and sleeves more easily. The overall dimensions are much more refined and this year’s Series 5 watches retain the same case shape and dimensions. It also means that your straps will work with this year’s watches. Also, water resistance remains the same at 50 metres so you can take the Apple Watch Series 5 swimming with no issues.

Display size and resolution are also unchanged. And the new S5 processor is said to be identical to the S4 processor except that it has additional some additional sensors and more storage — up from 16GB to 32GB. The increase in storage space means you can store more songs on the watch and listen to them through your wireless headphones. It also means you can install more apps.

Also unchanged are the key features from the Apple Watch Series 4 such as ECG and fall detection. The new Apple Watch Series 5 can detect hard falls thanks to more sensitive sensors and users will be able to take ECG readings using the ECG app. Fortunately, this has already been approved by the HSA (Health Sciences Authority) so you can take ECGs with the Apple Watch Series 5 right out of the box.

Read more about the ECG function on the Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 5 here.

What’s new?

The big news is that it finally has an Always-On Retina display. It has taken Apple over four years but it has finally given the Apple Watch a display that never turns off. For some people, this is a big deal because it means you don’t have to do that exaggerated raise your wrist to your face action to tell the time. It doesn’t sound like much but it’s exceptionally handy if you are in a situation like a long boring meeting with important people or if you are doing something particularly challenging like the Taraksvasana yoga pose (yeah, go look it up).

This is achieved using an LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) OLED display. Wait a minute, wasn’t Series 4 using an LTPO display too? Yes it was, but it lacks a few crucial ingredients. Series 5 pairs the LTPO display with a new ultra low power display controller, new power management integrated circuit, and ambient light sensor. As a result of this, the Series 5’s display can adjust its refresh rate from as high as 60Hz to as low as just 1Hz.

When the display goes to sleep, it doesn’t just show a generic watch face. It actually shows a dimmed version of your selected watch face. The second hand also goes away so that it reduces the need to update the display. Some of your complications (like Date and Activity) will still show but some others that require constant updating (like the new Noise and Compass app) will go to sleep.

There’s also an option in the Settings to mask sensitive complications so that information like your calendar appointments, heart rate, mail and messages won’t be displayed. That said, it’s worth noting that notifications are never displayed when the display is in sleep mode. You can also turn this display off entirely in rest mode like older Apple Watches if you want.

One reason it took Apple so long to give us a smartwatch with an always-on display is because Apple says that it could finally implement it in such a way that it doesn’t hurt battery life. It’s hard to test this but I found my Series 5 watch to have about 40% of battery life left after about 11 hours of use, which is slightly less than what my Series 4 watch used to have, which is about 55%. This could be because of the additional complications that I have such as Noise and Compass (more on these later). At any rate, the Apple Watch Series 5 still requires a nightly charge.

The other notable new feature is the built-in compass. For most people, the new compass is a nice to have feature and can be helpful when you are trying to navigate unfamiliar places, but it’s an invaluable tool for hikers and maybe also cyclists and runners.

The compass app not only shows your heading, it also shows your incline, elevation, latitude and longitude. Thanks to the compass, the Maps app will now also show the direction you are facing, just like what you’d see on your iPhone.

Those thinking of getting the cellular version of the new Series 5 watches will also be happy to know that there is wider support for international emergency calling. You can use your cellular Series 5 watch to call emergency services in over 150 countries even if you don’t have a cellular plan for your watch. This could be a potential lifesaver because who knows what may happen when you are travelling.

Apple Watch Edition makes a comeback too. This collection was curiously missing from last year’s lineup but it is back now. There are three distinct models here, two in titanium and one in striking white ceramic. The titanium model is available in two finishes: natural titanium and space black. The Apple Watch Edition watches also get an exclusive "Edition" colour — which is best described as a shade of taupe — for their watch faces.

Actually calling it "natural" is a bit of a misnomer because it has obviously been finished and treated. It has a horizontal brushed finish and Apple says it has been given a special custom-engineered surface treatment to resist patina. This is the model that I have been testing and it seems to resist fingerprints and scratches very well. I have been banging it around for the past week and it still looks fairly pristine. It also has this gunmetal hue that is interesting to look at since it slightly changes its shade depending on how light hits it.

The space black titanium also has a brushed finish and is definitely more eye-catching than the natural titanium model. Curiously, I don’t find the titanium models to be significantly lighter than the stainless steel ones. In case you were wondering, of all the case materials, aluminium is the lightest, followed by titanium, ceramic, and stainless steel.

And that’s basically it. These are really the only things that are new and exclusive to the Apple Watch Series 5. The rest of them are enabled by Apple’s new watchOS 6, which I should probably talk about now.

watchOS 6

watchOS 6 was announced at WWDC 2019 and brings about numerous updates for Apple Watch owners. The big news is that watchOS will finally be getting its own App Store which can be accessed directly on the watch. I tried downloading a couple of apps on my watch and it went without a hitch.

Also new to watchOS 6 are two new health apps: the Noise and Cycle Tracking app. The Noise app uses the watch’s built-in microphone to listen in to your environment and warns you if your environment’s ambient noise gets too loud. If you didn’t know, prolong exposure to loud noises can cause irreversible damage to your hearing. Also, the app doesn't record or save any of its recording to measure sound levels.

Cycle Tracking is a new app focused on women’s menstrual cycles. It’s quite odd that Apple took this long to introduce this, given that it doesn’t have any specific or special hardware requirements. At any rate, menstrual cycles can give insights into a woman’s overall health and the app can help highlight any irregularities. It can also help notify women when their fertile window is about to begin, which can be handy if for users trying to conceive (or not).

Still, this app shouldn't be considered a replacement for a proper doctor's consultation or contraceptives. Readers trying to conceive should consult a doctor first before acting on any of the information in the app. Likewise, fertility predictions in the app should not be considered a form of birth control or a substitute for contraceptives.

watchOS 6 also has a bunch of new watch faces. The most noteworthy one, in my opinion, is California, which pays homage to a unique if somewhat obscure type of dial found on select vintage Rolex and Panerai watches where the dial uses a mix of Roman and Arabic numerals as the hour markers. The exceptional quality of Apple Watch’s hardware is no accident and I have always said that Apple pays close attention to the world of traditional watchmaking and this is the clearest proof yet.

There will be new native apps in watchOS 6 too. The new Voice Memos app will let you record voice memos directly using your Apple Watch. The Apple Watch will also be getting its own Calculator app too and it has a built-in tip calculator (hold on the % key to activate) which is especially handy if you are eating out in the U.S. It also makes you wonder why doesn’t the iPad have a native calculator app but that’s a rant for another day.

What versions are available?

Broadly speaking, there are two main versions: with cellular connectivity and without. The non-cellular models, known as the GPS models, only come in aluminium cases of which there are three finishes: space gray, silver, and gold. These are the most basic models and prices start at S$599 for the 40mm case and S$649 for the 44mm case.

If you want cellular connectivity, you have aluminium and stainless steel options. In other words, all stainless steel models are cellular-capable. Again, the aluminium models come in space gray, silver, and gold, while the stainless steel models come in raw polished stainless steel, space black, and gold. Prices are naturally higher, the aluminium model with cellular connectivity starts S$749 while the stainless steel models starts at S$999.

And if you are feeling like a baller, there’s the return of the flagship Apple Watch Edition — all Apple Watch Edition watches are cellular too. To be clear, these watches are functionally identical to the rest except that they have more exotic case materials. As I said earlier, there’s now two titanium models and a ceramic model in this lineup. The titanium ones start at S$1,159 and the ceramic model starts at S$1,899.

Admittedly, the Apple Watch Series 5 is quite pricey but at least prices haven't been increased from last year.

Which model should I get?

The first thing you need to decide is if you want cellular connectivity. Cellular connectivity is nice but it does add quite a lot to the cost and don’t forget you’ll need a monthly add-on plan to go along with it. Currently, only Singtel and StarHub have plans for the Apple Watch that you can opt for if you are an existing customer. The Apple Watch needs to be on the same carrier as your iPhone as they will both share the same number. You can read more about the benefits of cellular connectivity in my review of the Apple Watch Series 3 here. But in short, I think it’s most beneficial for readers who exercise and do not want to take their phones along with them.

Now, if you do decide you want cellular connectivity, there’s a couple of case materials and finishes to choose from. Aluminium is the most affordable and eco-friendly (because they are 100% recycled). If you want something a little more interesting, there’s stainless steel. These watches have polished cases that are a little more flashy but also more prone to scratches. For those who want the flashiest Apple Watch, the white ceramic Apple Watch Edition is arguably the most eye-catching.

Then there’s the Nike and Hermès models. Now the Apple Watch Nike (Series 5) is essentially an aluminium Apple Watch Series 5 with exclusive Nike watch faces and a Nike Sport Band or Sport Loop. They are really bright and fun watches.

Likewise, the Apple Watch Hermès (Series 5) models are really just stainless steel Apple Watch Series 5 with exclusive Hermès watch faces and Hermès leather watch bands. Since this is an Hermès product, it’s going to cost you, but, having handled them, I must admit that the Hermès watch faces are attractive (they resemble Hermès’ Cape Cod watches) and the straps that they come with are of exceedingly high quality.

To end, it’s worth mentioning again that regardless of which model you get, the capability of the watches and the functionality is all the same. The more expensive Apple Watch Edition models aren’t more powerful than the regular stainless steel watches. Decide if you want cellular connectivity or not and then pick the model that fits your style and budget.

Say hi to Apple Watch Studio

New this year is Apple Watch Studio, which is a personalisation service that allows customers to pick their ideal Apple Watch Series 5 and match it with just about any strap that they desire. This overcomes a common complaint that users had which is that they had to get a watch with a strap that they maybe did not like or already have.

The Apple Watch Studio personalisation service is available online and at the Apple Store in Orchard and Changi Jewel too if you want to see and try out the watches and straps in person.

What happens to Apple Watch Series 4?

Well, that has been discontinued obviously to make way for Apple Watch Series 5. The old Apple Watch Series 3 from 2017 is still on sale and it’s available in GPS and cellular models. It might be old but it’s still an immensely capable smartwatch. It’s slower and the design, in comparison to the Apple Watch Series 4 and 5, is clumsy, but it’s now available from just S$299 for the GPS-only model and S$449 for the cellular model. These prices make them very attractive propositions especially if you just want a highly capable watch to take exercising. The Apple Watch Series 3 can track and monitor the same types of workouts as the Apple Watch Series 5.

The best gets better

Even though this year’s Apple Watch didn’t get substantial updates, it’s still the best smartwatch you can buy by a wide margin. You could say it's pricey but then nothing comes close to the Apple Watch’s overall refinement, performance, and all-round capability and ability to help its user live a more salubrious lifestyle. Name me another smartwatch that does ECG, has a built-in compass, tracks your activity, lets you pay for things, has cellular connectivity that lets you stream music, and is built like a luxury watch. There is none.

But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Android users will be miffed that the Apple Watch is still only compatible with the iPhone. And even though most long-time Apple Watch owners are used to charging their watches daily, I know I’m not alone in saying that most of us would have wished for a longer battery life. But this is a trade-off between existing technology and wearability so I’m not going to harp on it too much.

Design is subjective but it’s hard to argue that a square/rectangle display is the most ideal for display text. Besides, the Apple Watch is so ubiquitous and recognisable now that people can identify it from across the room. All things considered, in its current form and bearing in mind the limitations of existing technology, the Apple Watch is damn near perfect.

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