Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: What’s changed, and why it’s not a replacement

Samsung is rolling out the red carpet for the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, a brand new iteration of the Galaxy Watch series that sports a returning rotating bezel, though it isn’t really a direct replacement for the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

What’s new with the Watch 6 Classic?

We’ve detailed what the Galaxy Watch 6 series brings to the table in recent announcement posts, but we will also break down the specifics of what makes the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic different in this quick guide.

First off, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is made from Stainless Steel, similar to the Watch 4 Classic of 2021. That chassis has a little bit of heft to it and gives off a feeling of quality, which is exactly what the Watch 6 Classic is going for.

That classic style guide also lends itself to a returning rotating bezel, which works look just as good as it did on the previous Classic model. That bezel is also built under what we think is a new mechanism that utilizes a 3D Magnetic Hall sensor – the same sort of positioning sensor used in industrial robotics.

The display is a similar Super AMOLED panel we’ve seen before, but the resolution comes in at a higher 423 x 423 and 480 x 480 for the 43mm and 47mm models, respectively. The size is pushed to 1.3-inches and 1.5-inches, as well.

To protect that panel from dings and pressure is a layer of Saphire Crystal, which lends itself to scratches and cut resistance rather than shock resistance from a fall or throw. The material has proven to be an excellent choice for the last couple of years, and it’s nice to see Samsung sticking with the pricier option.

The Watch 4 Classic had decent battery life, but nothing compared to the 40-hour average we’re expecting on the Watch 6 Classic. The internal 300mAh and 435mAh batteries for each model are said to give off that much time with AOD off. With it on, you’re sacrificing about 10 hours of use. While 30-40 hours is nothing major, it’s a comfortable day and night cycle. Paired with a fast charger, the Watch 6 Classic can gain 8 hours of use time in 8 minutes of charging, which is respectable.

Flip the Watch 6 Classic over and you have much of the usual stuff secured underneath. That includes Samsung’s BioActive sensors for heart rate and bioelectrical analysis, as well as a temperature sensor that’s set to get a lot more useful.

The Watch 5 Pro is not outdated

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro was a massive improvement over the generation previous to it. It introduced the Sapphire Crystal display we’ve become used to and brought Samsung’s current BioActive sensor suite and thermometer. But a lot of what the Watch 6 Classic offers doesn’t differ much from the Watch 5 Pro.

In fact, in writing this I was reminded how much of a minuscule jump was made from the Watch 4 Classic to the Watch 5 Pro other than the battery and chassis material change. It really seems that the same pattern is being adhered to, with the Watch 6 Classic only making small changes.

In reality, the Watch 6 Classic and Watch 5 Pro are different devices beyond a generational gap. They accomplish different things, and that’s why I wouldn’t classify the newest model as a “replacement” for the Watch 5 Pro.

Here are the details.

The Watch 5 Pro has an insane battery life, and that’s the differentiator here. At 80 hours, max, you’re looking at a realistic 2-3 days’ worth of usage, including the nights in between. That’s much more than you’re getting with the Watch 6 Classic, but that’s completely fine because the Watch 6 Classic isn’t entirely meant to be a fitness workhorse.

Look at the rotating bezel. As pretty as it is, it’s susceptible to dust and wear over time. It also gives the Watch 6 Classic a timeless look, which goes well with formal or casual dress any day of the week. The Watch 5 Pro, however, looks rugged as anything and the Aluminum Armor casing gives it a powerful appearance.

Each device has the same IP68 rating, 5ATM depth standard, and will even get the same Wear OS version in a short amount of time. Wear OS 4 is loaded onto the Watch 6 at launch, while the OS is soon to come to both the Watch 4 and Watch 5 series.

The only performance gap would be between the Watch 5 Pro’s Exynos W920 chip and the Watch 6 Classic’s W930, though experience tells us that what really matters is how well Samsung does on build efficiency. Essentially, that means the chances of a negligible gap in performance between the two are high.

Should you upgrade?

If you’re like me, you’re going to appreciate the design of the Watch 6 Classic more. The Watch 5 Pro has been nothing but good to me, and the battery life is absolutely killer, but the design language the Classic series takes on speaks to me much more. If Samsung were to release a Watch 6 Pro with no design change, I could confidently say there’d be no need to upgrade, but the company didn’t do that.

Of course, the Watch 6 Classic is not the design for everyone and the performance of the Watch 5 Pro is premium to a tee. It has much of the same health suite available and on the software side, everything we see with the Watch 6 Classic will make its way to the Watch 5 Pro – to our understanding. There’s a reason the Watch 5 Pro cost more at launch ($449), considering different materials and a bigger battery were used.

The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is going to cost you around $399 for the smaller 43mm Bluetooth version, while the larger 47mm version will run $429. With a trade-in, you’re getting up to $200 from a Galaxy Watch 5 Pro if you pre-order.

The Watch 6 Classic is set to be a fantastic watch, but the Watch 5 Pro will be right there beside it as an equal, but different, device.

Buy Galaxy Watch 6

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• Watch 6 Classic