Apple Watch 4 vs Apple Watch 5

The Battle of the Apple Watch Series 4 vs Series 5

Thinking of buying a new Apple Watch but don’t know which version to choose? We take a look at the differences between the Series 4 and 5 to help you choose.

Gone are the days when you purchased a watch to simply tell you the time. We expect a lot more out of watches these days and Apple is a brand that doesn’t disappoint. But with a new version of the Apple Watch released every year or so, it’s important to make sure that the latest model offers extra benefits.

If you are in the market for your first Apple Watch or you already own a Series 4 and want to know whether it’s worth upgrading to a Series 5 it’s important to understand what has changed and what has stayed the same.

What is an Apple Watch?

The Apple Watch takes a lot of the technology from an iPhone and puts it on your wrist. The watch can make calls, send and receive texts, read emails, stream music and more – the convenience of having these function on your wrist soon means you won’t be able to live without one!

History of Apple Watches

The first Apple Watch was released in 2015 and quickly took the market by storm. Every year at the Apple conference, people eagerly await news on what the new products will be, and Apple Watch has been no exception for the past four years.

Just when you think a watch couldn’t possibly do anything more, a new Series is released with the potential to redefine what we think a watch is.

So, if you already have an Apple Watch 4 should you be trading it in for the Apple Watch 5? If you are looking to buy your first Apple Watch which should you go for?

Apple Watch 4

Apple Watch Series 4 was a bit of a game-changer. With a new shape, it featured a larger screen and thinner case. It was still instantly recognisable as an Apple Watch but sleeker.

Under the hood there was much more going on. The processor was up to twice as fast as its predecessor and an electrical heart monitor was added in addition to the optical heart monitor, making health monitoring more accurate. A fall detection feature was also added to give wearers peace of mind and the digital crown became a little more digital by the addition of haptic feedback. Improvements were made to the gyroscope and the watch was available in a wider range of colours.

Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS, 44mm) - Space Gray Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band

Apple Watch 5

The series 4 was a great improvement on the series 3 – does the series 5 offer a similar step change? See the differences between the two.

One of the best features on Series 5 is the always-on retina display. This means that users no longer need to tap the screen or shake their wrist to see the time. It may seem like a small addition but it makes a huge difference to be able to look at your watch and see the time, all of the time. If you’re thinking that must drain the battery life then – according to Apple – you’d be wrong, as the battery life is the same as the Series 4.

Other significant additions are the electrical heart sensor with ECG app and a compass that allows you to pinpoint the direction you are facing so you can navigate even more effectively.

The cellular version comes complete with international emergency calling and emergency SOS so when you are out and about using your compass, if you run into difficulty then your Apple Watch has got you covered.

Another fairly major improvement is that the capacity has been increased to 32gb from 16gb, which makes a big difference if you like to store music or songs, or just enjoy using lots of apps on your watch.

Though the size and design of the watch and the display are much the same as the Series 4, however, the Series 5 comes in both titanium and ceramic finishes as well.

Apple Watch Series 5 (GPS, 44mm) - Gold Aluminum Case with Pink Sport Band

Which Apple Watch Wins?

To be honest, it’s a tough call. With the announcement of the release of Apple Watch Series 5 came the announcement that the Apple Watch Series 4 would be discontinued. So, whilst you can’t buy a brand new Series 4 from Apple, you can still buy them elsewhere and you are likely to pick up a good deal.

If you already have an Apple Watch Series 4 and are thinking about whether to upgrade then it really comes down to whether you would use the new features. Being able to monitor your heart, have a constant compass with you and safety features such as the emergency call will be selling points to some people and unnecessary to others.

The watch is no faster or different in design to the Series 4 but other little internal tweaks and the always-on feature may be enough to convince you to upgrade!

If you’re not sure which Apple watch is best for you then we have created an easy comparison of all Apple offerings from the first generation to the Series 6 and SE. Check it out here.

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Last Updated on April 13, 2021

Emma Morris( Editor and Social Media Manager )

Emma brings over a decade of freelance copy and content writing experience and is our Editor, Social Media Manager, and regular contributor. Specializing in long-form content such as blogs, articles, lead magnets, and white papers, Emma also provides businesses with email marketing, website copy, and landing pages.