Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro First Run Review: A Smartwatch That Runs

Introduction

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is Samsung’s most outdoors-focused smartwatch to date, and on paper the pitch for runners is appealing: a titanium case, route navigation, and a bigger battery than the standard Galaxy Watch 5. It is priced from £429 or $449 for the Bluetooth-only model, with LTE versions at £479 and $419 respectively.

It is important to frame this correctly from the start. This is a smartwatch that can track runs, not a dedicated running watch. It runs the latest version of Google’s Wear OS with Samsung’s UI on top, it is Android-only, and the core running experience does not feel dramatically different from the Galaxy Watch 4. Whether the Pro’s extras justify the higher price depends heavily on how you plan to use them.

Design and Build

The Watch 5 Pro comes in a single 45mm case size, which is larger than either Galaxy Watch 5 model, though it uses the same size display as the bigger Watch 5. That display is a 1.4-inch, 450 x 450 resolution Super AMOLED touchscreen, and Samsung continues to make some of the best smartwatch screens around.

Compared with the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic it effectively replaces, the design is more minimalist. The rotating bezel is gone, which makes sense given that it was a better fit for Samsung’s older Tizen OS than for Wear OS. What Samsung has added instead is practical: a titanium case, enhanced sapphire crystal, and a bezel that slightly protrudes over the screen for extra display protection. Two physical buttons handle navigation, and the always-on display mode is available if you can live with the battery cost.

The included strap is a D-buckle design, and that is the one design element that earns criticism. It is fiddly to get a good fit and, even when secured properly, the end of the strap can poke out awkwardly. It is secure once set, and swapping straps is easy, with plenty of official and third-party options available. Day to day, the watch is comfortable and feels well built, even if the design itself is not groundbreaking.

Running Features

For run tracking, the Watch 5 Pro offers dedicated outdoor and treadmill running modes, plus a running coach designed to help increase your speed. Two data screens show duration, distance, pace, calories, average cadence, and average pace, and you can view heart rate alongside the same advanced running metrics found on the Galaxy Watch 4. You can now also create interval workouts from the run settings menu before starting a session.

Built-in GPS is on board, and the optical heart rate sensor has a larger surface area that Samsung says improves accuracy. In short testing, the core running experience felt very similar to the Galaxy Watch 4, which was never the best smartwatch for running. On a first run, distance tracked closely against a Garmin Epix 2 on an out-and-back route, but when the route was lengthened slightly on the return, the distance tracking showed more disparity. That pattern matches past Samsung watches, where differences against dedicated running watches tend to show up more on longer runs.

Route Navigation: GPX Routes and Turn-by-Turn Directions

This is the feature that sets the Watch 5 Pro apart from the standard Galaxy Watch 5, and it is exclusive to the Pro, apparently because the larger battery can handle the extra drain. You can upload GPX route files, follow maps, get turn-by-turn navigation, and use a Track Back feature to reverse a route.

The workflow requires some patience. Routes are designed primarily for hikers and cyclists, with data focused on elevation gain, and there is no dedicated running navigation mode. You create a GPX file from a route-building tool or an existing tracked activity, import it via the Samsung Health companion app, and it syncs to the watch. In testing, a route built in Google Maps and converted through a GPX converter synced over without much trouble.

Once started, the watch first establishes your location and then displays a detailed map you can scroll and pinch-zoom with the touchscreen. It vibrates ahead of turns and counts down the distance in meters to each left, right, or straight-on instruction. In real use it worked well: it flagged when the route was deviated from, completed the planned route, and the map detail is genuinely good for a smartwatch, even if dedicated outdoor watches offer more. It is odd that navigation is not integrated into run modes, but it functions as promised. Just expect a noticeable battery hit while using it.

Heart Rate Monitoring

Samsung says the enlarged optical sensor improves accuracy, but early results are mixed. Compared against a Polar chest strap paired with a Garmin Epix 2 across two short runs, the average and max heart rate readings did not quite add up, even on a steady-paced effort.

This matches previous experience with Samsung Galaxy watches, including the Galaxy Watch 4. It is not a dealbreaker, but if heart rate accuracy is a priority, a chest strap remains the safer bet. More testing over longer distances is needed before a final verdict.

Battery Life

Samsung does not state battery life on its website, but the guidance is 80 hours in smartwatch mode and 20 hours with GPS. In everyday use, three to four days feels realistic, which is an improvement over previous Samsung watches.

Tracking changes the picture considerably. With the always-on display off, battery drop-off during a run was noticeably lower than with it on, and adding mapping and navigation drains the battery further. If you plan to use the Watch 5 Pro’s headline navigation features regularly, keep a charger close.

Buying Advice

Context matters here. The Watch 5 Pro is best suited to Android users who want a genuinely good smartwatch and can track runs with it, rather than runners who want a dedicated training device. The smart experience is arguably the best available on an Android-compatible watch, and the design, build quality, and day-to-day battery are strong.

If navigation matters to you, dedicated outdoor watches around this price point, such as the Polar Grit X Pro or a Garmin Epix 6 if you shop around, offer more robust and run-focused navigation, and the Huawei Watch GT Runner and even the cheaper Huawei Watch Fit 2 also handle route following well while working with both iOS and Android. The Watch 5 Pro remains Android-only, and Huawei’s watches felt more reliable for tracking and offered a nicer running experience overall in our use.

Conclusion

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a well-built, attractive smartwatch with useful route navigation and better everyday battery life, but it is not a major running upgrade over the Galaxy Watch 4. Mapping works, though it is designed for hiking and cycling rather than running, heart rate accuracy still lags a chest strap, and tracking features take a real bite out of the battery. If you want a smartwatch that runs, it is a solid choice. If you are primarily a runner, dedicated running and outdoor watches still do the job better.