Apple Watch Series 5 Review | A smartwatch close to perfection

The only product I’ve ever given a perfect review score to is the Apple Watch. The 2018 Series 4 Apple Watch, to be exact, as it was not just Apple’s best product of the year, but also the best smartwatch you could buy. For 2019, Apple has subtly updated the Watch to the Series 5, bringing with it a handful of new features yet still retaining the same design. It’s barely worth being called the Series 5, as it’s more like a Series 4S.

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Does this mean it’s no longer the best smartwatch you can buy? Don’t be silly. It’s still miles ahead of the competition. Does it still deserve a perfect score? Interestingly, no it doesn’t. Not because it’s worse, but because it doesn’t significantly improve on the brilliance of the Series 4.

Same iconic design

The Apple Watch Series 5 is visually unchanged compared to the Series 4. It comes in either a 44mm case size or a slightly smaller 40mm for those who have slimmer wrists. The case is still a svelte 10.7mm, and the 44mm model — which I’m wearing in the pictures — weighs only 36 grams. It’s barely noticeable on your wrist, never gets caught under a shirt cuff, and the curvy case is wonderfully ergonomic.

Sounds like it’s designed by someone who knows watches right? Yes, it was, and it really shows. The days of the getting upset over the Apple Watch not being round should have long gone. It has become a piece of iconic timepiece design, and Apple’s refinements for the Series 4, where the visible area of the screen was increased without enlarging the body, have made it properly attractive. I’m not saying I wouldn’t like to see a circular Apple Watch (I’d love to see how it approached one), but I definitely don’t think we need one. This design has become a classic.

Then there’s the build quality and the presentation. It comes in an elongated box that’s an occasion to open, with the case wrapped in a tiny, soft, protective bag. The strap is separate, and if you get the Sport Band version, it even has medium and long size options in the box. The case is delicate but durable, and even the aluminum model, which is the cheapest, feels exceptionally high quality. The matte finish space grey case, paired here with the white Sport Band, is simple, stylish, and wonderfully made. It’s as premium as mobile products get.

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