Here are the new Galaxy Watch5, Watch5 Pro, and Buds2 Pro! Our first impressions

In addition to the new Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 that we talked about in our preview, Samsung today also launches some new products in its wearable line, specifically we talk about the new ones Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro as well as the new TWS headphones Galaxy Buds2 Pro. As you may have easily guessed, we speak in both cases of an update of existing products, but this does not mean that they are less interesting products, indeed, there are some ideas to be analyzed for both.

A week ago I also had the opportunity to touch them and, above all, wear them for a few minutes, just the time for some quick hot impressions, but enough to get an idea of ​​what the salient features of each of them are. In this quick preview I will tell you how it went and what are the news that most caught my attention.

• GALAXY WATCH5 AND WATCH5 PRO
• GALAXY BUDS2 PRO

GALAXY WATCH5 AND WATCH5 PRO

As always, Samsung divides its family of smartwatch in two variants, one that we could define as “standard” and one instead Pro, dedicated to those users who want the best in every circumstance and from every point of view. But let’s go in order.

Galaxy Watch5 offers a design inspired by a more classic and elegant stylewill be available in two different sizes, 40 and 44 mm with new straps and an aluminum case topped with a high-strength sapphire crystal to protect the dial. Watch5 Pro, on the other hand, adopts a slightly more aggressive and sporty design, characterized by a raised bezel with respect to the dial and specially designed to protect it from shocks. The measure also changes, 45 mm, and the composition of the case which is made of Titanium; to protect the display we have a reinforced sapphire crystal.

Samsung talks about its toughest smartwatch to date, the 60% stronger than the previous model, capable of withstanding important mechanical stresses and accompanying us in every situation. The first impression is to have in the hands of the however products of excellent quality that take up the philosophy behind the design of previous generations, renewing the lines just enough to give a further touch of modernity. I especially liked the fit of these watches. I have tried all versions in all sizes and if I have to find a common denominator it is right the excellent fit. The strap wraps the wrist very well, it is not too heavy and the new quick coupling and release system of the Pro model seemed well built and designed to resist but at the same time be simple and quick to open and close.

DATA SHEET

• material:
  • 5: Armor Aluminum case with Sport Band strap
    • 44mm (Graphite, Sapphire, Silver)
    • 40mm (Graphite, Pink Gold, Silver)
  • 5 Pro: titanium case with D-Buckle Sport Band strap
    • colors. Black Titanium, Gray Titanium
• dimensions:
  • 5:
    • 44mm: 1.4 “450×450 Super AMOLED, 330ppi, Always-On Color Display
    • 40mm: 1.2 “396×396 SU for AMOLED, 330ppi, Always-On Color Display
  • 5 Pro:
    • 45mm: 1.4 “450×450 Super AMOLED, 330ppi, Always-On Color Display
• processor: Exynos W920 Dual core at 1.8GHz
• memory:
  • 1.5GB of RAM
  • 16GB internal
• battery:
  • 5:
    • 44mm: 410mAh
    • 40mm: 284mAh
  • 5 Pro:
    • 45mm: 590mAh
  • charging: fast wireless WPC
• OS: Wear OS 3.5 with One UI Watch 4.5
• sensors: BioActive (optical heart rate, electrocardiac tracing, biolelectric impedance analysis), temperature sensor, accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, geomagnetic, brightness
• connectivity: LTE, WiFi 802.11 a / b / g / n Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, GPS, Galileo, Glonass, Beidou
• resistence: 5ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810H
• compatibility: Android 8+, RAM> 1.5GB
• other: Sleep Score for monitoring sleep, snoring and blood oxygen levels, Body Composition, integration with SmartThings for the management of connected IoT products, fall detection

Another very interesting novelty is the introduction of a new one 3-in-1 biometric sensor. What does it mean? In the internal part of the body, the one that rests on the wrist so to speak, Samsung has integrated an unprecedented sensor that performs the functions of optical heartbeat reader, electrical heart sensor and impedance sensor. Basically with a single sensor you can measure heart rate, blood oxygenation, make an ECG and even evaluate body composition. As always, these are not data with medical value but only information on one’s health. Any imbalances or wrong values ​​must then be verified in the offices and with professional tools.

All sensors work H24 and it is precisely for this reason that one of the innovations introduced is one even deeper and more precise sleep analysis. The Samsung Health application will check the data recorded by the smartwatch, evaluate the quality of sleep and provide advice on how to improve the quality of our rest.

The displays appeared to me as always very beautiful and bright, with adequate definition and excellent color brilliance. I’m not surprised, Samsung has always accustomed us to quality panels even on their wearables and these Watches are no exception. For the same reason I don’t think we will have any problems reading them properly under the sunlight.

In all cases we have one increased battery which will allow to expand autonomy in an important way: there is talk of a 13% higher capacity for Watch5 which should guarantee discreet autonomy. Also improved the charging speed which, with only 8 minutes of connection to the power, allows you to track your sleep for 8 hours.

In terms of interface, user experience and interaction model, it does not change much compared to its predecessors. There One UI Watch reaches version 4.5 and update some apps like SoundCloud and Deezer. The most important news – which concerns however only Watch5 Pro – take advantage of the benefits offered by GPX which is first available on Galaxy Watches. Basically it will be possible to download and follow hiking itineraries directly from your watch, on which a real map of the route will be displayed. Also present the Turn-by-turn navigation and Track Back function which brings us home by guiding us back at the end of the excursion or jog.

In short, we have plenty of meat on the fire and everything will materialize starting today. The Watch 5 can already be pre-ordered and will actually be available in stores starting from 26 August. Prices? It starts at 299 euros for the 40 mm Watch5 in Bluetooth version and 349 euros for the LTE model. Watch5 Pro instead starts from 499 euros in the Bluetooth version and 549 for the LTE one, only in the 45 mm size.

GALAXY BUDS2 PRO

The Galaxy family expands further with the launch of the Galaxy Buds2 Pro, the new top-of-the-range model of Samsung’s true-wireless headphones. Here, too, there are no upheavals or revolutions, if ever we talk about an update that modifies some important aspects of this product. Starting from the dimensions: the new Buds2 Pro maintain a design very similar to the previous ones but reduce footprint by 15%.

What does this difference mean? After wearing them for a few minutes I can tell you that they certainly seemed more stable. By decreasing the portion of the headset that protrudes from the ear, the center of gravity moves more and more towards the inside of the auricle, ensuring better stability and a more comfortable fit.

They are as always very very light, probably among the lightest in circulation, so much so that after a few moments you almost no longer hear them in your ear. The charging case has remained virtually identical and as always can be charged via cable, USB-C, or wirelessly.

DATA SHEET

• dimensions and weight:
  • single earphone: 19.9×21.6×18.7mm for 5.5g
  • charging case: 50.1×50.2×27.7mm for 43.4g
• speaker: 2-way coaxial (Tweeter + Woofer)
• audio: 24bit HiFi (requires One UI 5.0), 360 audio with direct multichannel, ANC, microphone with high SNR (2 external, 1 internal), ambient sound, voice recognition
• battery:
  • earphones: 61mAh
  • charging case: 515mAh
  • Playback autonomy: up to 5 hours (18 hours with charging case) with ANC on, 8/29 hours with ANC off
• connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
• compatibility: Android 8.0+, RAM above 1.5GB
• resistance: IPX7
• colors: Graphite, White, Bora Purple

But the novelties are not only aesthetic. Samsung has indeed equipped these Buds2 Pro with a new 2-way coaxial speaker and a 24-bit HiFi signal transmission system (compatible only with Samsung smartphones) which allows you to carry a much higher number of information than the previous model. All obviously in favor of amore faithful and clear listening experience. At first listen the quality seems absolutely good, but obviously we will talk about it better in the dedicated review. For the moment I can tell you that the first approach is reassuring.

Obviously there is no lack of active noise cancellation which, according to the reported data, should be more effective than that of the previous model, which was perhaps one of the best in its category in this field. To be precise, we are talking about a reduction in the surrounding noise of 3db higher than Galaxy Buds Pro.