How much are you willing to spend on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5?

Source: Pocketnow

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 series are rumored to launch alongside the new foldable devices, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the Galaxy Z Fold 4, at the next Galaxy Unpacked event in August. The Galaxy Watch 5 series will reportedly consist of two models, the standard Galaxy Watch 5, and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

The new smartwatch series will do away with the “Classic” series, and simplify the naming scheme. A new tweet from Roland Quandt confirms the upcoming sizes, prices, and different models that we can expect to see in a few months. According to leaked information, the Galaxy Watch 5 will be available in 40 and 44mm variants, with Bluetooth and LTE.

The Galaxy Watch 5 in the 40mm size will be available in Pink Gold, Gray and Silver colors, while the 44mm variant will reportedly come in Blue, Gray, and Silver colors. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will be offered in a single 45mm size with Bluetooth and LTE, and it’ll come in Black and Titanium.

Quandt also revealed the alleged prices in Euros, and it might come as a shocking surprise. The upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 will cost at least €30 more than last year's Galaxy Watch 4 series. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will cost even more, and the LTE model is rumored to set you back as much as €540 (~$560).

Higher prices demand higher expectations

Source: Aryan Suren for Pocketnow

The 40mm, Galaxy Watch 4, Bluetooth version cost €270, while the LTE model retailed for €320 when it launched. It wasn’t cheap, but it was competitive compared to the Apple Watch. The €30 and €50 price hikes aren’t unexpected, given the inflation and global events. However, not many people are willing to spend that much on non-Apple devices, and it will be hard to convince users to spend extra.

As a result, users will have much higher expectations regarding the Galaxy Watch 5 series. The next generation of Galaxy smartwatches must have a competing battery life to the Apple Watch, and the health features must be improved for better and more accurate measurements.

For comparison, the Apple Watch Series 6 would last me roughly two to three days on a single charge, and that’s something that I’m expecting to see on new Android alternatives. Offering a minimum of 2-day battery life is crucial and a must-have.

Initially, I planned on purchasing the Bluetooth edition Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, but the new significantly higher prices changed a lot of things. Spending nearly €500 (~$530) on a smartwatch that can barely last a day, let alone two days on a single charge, isn’t something I’m willing to spend my money on. If the leak turns out to be accurate, I can already see Samsung having a tough time selling the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, but it’s worth keeping in mind that it’s rumored to come with a larger battery capacity and support for fast charging.

Fast charging in this day and age is a must, and even if the Galaxy Watch 5 series can top up in just 30 minutes, it won’t be enough to appeal to many users. Fast charging is incredible and very useful, but requiring users to take off the watch every day to top up the device isn’t something many are willing to put up with, myself included.

The new smartwatches must have a minimum of 2-day battery life to be appealing and offer unique features that can directly go head-to-head with the Apple Watch Series 7. That’s not all; we also want to see a better build quality, smoother animations, and better connectivity.

What do you think of the leaked Galaxy Watch 5 series prices? Do you consider getting a Galaxy Watch 5 or Galaxy Watch 5 Pro? Let us know in the comments!