You want to buy Samsung’s top 2023 smartwatch, but which is it? The Galaxy Watch 6 Classic or the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro? We’ve got the answer right here.
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: specsGalaxy 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 most significant 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 included straps use Samsung’s new one-click quick removal system, where you can push a metal button on the underside to release the pins. This will make it easier to change out your strap on the fly, but it’s not specifically a feature of the Watch 6 Classic; rather, the attachment system is built into the strap itself. These newer straps will also attach to — and can be just as easily removed from — any other Galaxy Watch model, including the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.
The 47mm Galaxy Watch 6 Classic 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.
