Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: which Samsung watch is best?

This story is part of our Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 coverage

If you want Samsung’s top smartwatch in 2023, you now have two choices: the new Galaxy Watch 6 Classic or last year’s Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. They both have very different designs, but share some similarities in terms of technology, materials, and software.

Which one should you choose? We’re here to help make the decision easier.

Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: specs

Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: design

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is closely related to the Galaxy Watch 5, with two buttons on the case and integrated lugs, but is immediately recognizable due to the large bezel that extends clear of the screen and provides it with some protection in the event of knocking it against something. Samsung originally pitched the Watch 5 Pro as an outdoor adventure watch, so this approach makes sense.

It’s made from titanium and has sapphire crystal over the screen, comes with a rubber strap, and is available in either Gray Titanium or Black Titanium finishes. At 45mm, the case makes a statement on your wrist, as does its 10.5mm thickness and 46-gram weight without the strap. It’s not the best-looking design and is more functional than pretty, unlike the sleek and stylish Galaxy Watch 5, but it’s certainly not ugly.

The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is an absolute beauty. It has a more watch-like design compared to the Galaxy Watch 6, and it is made of stainless steel with a sapphire crystal over the screen. Crucially, it comes in two different case sizes: 47mm and 43mm. This gives you more options if you don’t like big watches or feel they don’t suit you. The big new feature is a rotating bezel to help navigate through the watch’s menus and screens, and it’s intuitive and fun to use. What’s more, thanks to a cool coin edge and a tachymeter readout, it looks great too.

It comes with a hybrid eco-leather strap that is comfortable and stylish, while the watch itself is available in black or silver finishes. The silver with a white leather strap looks superb and is our pick of the two. The 47mm model is even larger and heavier than the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, and even though the 43mm version’s case isn’t as big, it’s still thicker and heavier than the Watch 5 Pro, much of which is down to the use of stainless steel rather than titanium.

Regardless of which one you eventually choose, you’ll get a watch with a 5ATM/IP86 water- and dust-resistance rating that has passed the MIL-STD-810H toughness standards. The Watch 5 Pro’s titanium may provide a little more protection from scratches, but stainless steel should be more resistant to chips and dents if you do go on adventures with it. The combination of the rotating bezel, a choice of case sizes, the watch-like design, and the fact that it matches the Watch 5 Pro’s durability means the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic wins the design category. It really looks superb on your wrist.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic

Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: screen

The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic comes in two sizes, and each has a slightly different screen size. The 47mm model has a 1.5-inch Super AMOLED screen with a 480 x 480 pixel resolution, while the 43mm model has a 1.3-inch Super AMOLED with a 432 x 432 resolution. Each has the capability to show an always-on ambient watch face.

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro also has a Super AMOLED screen, but it splits the two Watch 6 Classic models with its size, as it measures 1.4 inches. The resolution is also in-between the two new smartwatches at 450 x 450 pixels, and it can also show an always-on screen. As mentioned above, the screen on both models is covered in sapphire crystal for protection and that lovely sheen that comes with it.

While there are differences between them, you’re unlikely to find one screen is better than the other here, with the only real change being the size. Because the resolution is high, sharpness won’t be affected. Perhaps the most noticeable difference will be the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic’s slimmer bezel — it’s 30% slimmer than the Galaxy Watch 5 — and the 15% thinner rotating bezel compared to the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic.

The Watch 5 Pro’s design means the big bezel is part of its tough identity and definitely helps protect it, so it may depend on what you intend to do with the smartwatch as to which one suits you best. On a technical level, there’s little to split them, so this is a draw.

Winner: Draw

Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: processor and software

The new Galaxy Watch 6 Classic has Google’s latest Wear OS 4 operating system on board, while the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has Wear OS 3, and although there aren’t many new features, it’s always best to choose the latest version of the software. We expect the Watch 5 Pro will receive an update to Wear OS 4 in the future, though.

Both smartwatches have Samsung’s One UI 5 Watch interface, and it’s one of the easiest to use — especially with the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic’s rotating bezel. It can be more fiddly on the Watch 5 Pro’s touchscreen, but it’s mostly very well laid out and logical. Plus, it’s very colorful. Whichever you choose, it’s a very similar on-watch experience. Both also use Samsung’s own Galaxy Wearable app to connect to your phone.

The new Galaxy Watch 6 Classic has the Samsung Exynos W930 1.4Ghz dual-core processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage space, a big update over the 1.18Ghz Samsung Exynos W920 chip with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage space in the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic’s newer operating system and rotating bezel, which together adds convenience and longevity — along with more power and RAM — means it’s the easy winner in this section.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic

Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: battery and charging

Once again, there are differences in battery capacity depending on which Galaxy Watch 6 Classic you buy. The 47mm model has a 425mAh battery, and the 43mm has a 300mAh battery, but Samsung quotes the same 40 hours of use time with the always-on screen off (or 30 hours with it on) for both smartwatches.

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has a 590mAh battery inside, and Samsung quotes a use time of up to 80 hours. In our testing, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro’s battery lasted around three days before needing a recharge, and that’s with all the health features activated and the always-on screen shining brightly too.

It’s unlikely the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic will get close to this based on the smaller battery capacity and Samsung’s own estimates, even when using the smartwatch with the always-on screen off. We expect the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro to remain the battery superstar in Samsung’s wearable range.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro

Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: fitness and health tracking

When Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, it made a big deal about the Route workout feature, which allowed custom GPX route files to be shown on the watch, and the Track Back feature that helps guide you to your starting point in case you got lost. Otherwise, the 3-in-1 Samsung BioActive sensor was the same as the one on the Galaxy Watch 5.

It appears to be the same BioActive sensor on the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, and it can measure everything from your body composition to your blood pressure (depending on the region, as it’s not enabled everywhere) and take an electrocardiogram (ECG) too. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro does the same, but the Watch 6 Classic has skin temperature measurements enabled immediately. It also has a new heart rate alert feature to warn of an extended elevated heart rate, a new menstrual cycle prediction algorithm that also uses skin temperature measurement, and a fall detection mode with automatic emergency calls, SMS, and GPS location.

The skin temperature sensor has helped improve sleep tracking on the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic too, and it includes sleep stages, snore recording, an updated Sleep Score, and a sleep coaching program. On the fitness side, Samsung has introduced a Custom Workout mode where you can input your own selection of exercises to build a one-off workout specific to you. Some of the differences between the two smartwatches are software-based, which means they may arrive through updates in the future. But at the moment, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic offers more functionality than the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, in addition to the excellent, shared standard package of health and fitness tools.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic

Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: price and availability

When it was released, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro cost $450 for the Wi-Fi model or $499 for the LTE version. It can frequently be found for less in 2023, and Samsung often has generous discounts or offers on its devices. The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is $399 for the 43mm Wi-Fi model or $429 for the 47mm version. The price for the LTE version has not been announced at the time of writing, but expect to add between $50 and $100 for the ability to make and receive calls and use data without your phone with you.

This means you can get a newer smartwatch for less than the model launched last year, and although it’s still an expensive device, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is a better value.

Galaxy Watch 6 Classic vs. Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: which one should you buy?

We judged both smartwatches over six categories. One was a draw, but the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic won four categories, leaving just one win for the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

Considering this, and the fact it’s cheaper than the Watch 5 Pro, the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is our easy winner — and our recommendation for anyone looking for a top-spec Samsung smartwatch to pair their Android phone this year. Both are solid options on their own, but the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is an easy choice between the two.

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