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You are here: Home / Apple Watch / Apple Watch 5 vs 6: Should You Upgrade to the Newest Version?
Apple Watch 5 vs 6 Hero

Apple Watch 5 vs 6: Should You Upgrade to the Newest Version?

By Andrew Myrick 3 comments Last updated September 22, 2020

Early in September, Apple kicked off its first of two late-2020 announcements with the company’s Time Flies event. The online-only stream lasted about two hours, but by the end of it, there were quite a few changes to Apple’s 2020 and 2021 product lineup.

Contents

    • 0.1 Related Reading
  • 1 Apple Watch 5 vs 6: Do you need to upgrade?
  • 2 Spec Comparison
  • 3 Breakdown
    • 3.1 What are the similarities between Apple Watch 5 vs 6?
    • 3.2 How is Series 6 different?
    • 3.3 Antennas and sensors
  • 4 Apple Watch 5 vs 6: Final Verdict
    • 4.1 Why you should upgrade:
    • 4.2 Why you shouldn’t:
    • 4.3 Related Posts:

Related Reading

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  • Does My Apple Watch Support watchOS 7?
  • Time Flies Recap: Everything Apple Announced in September 2020
  • How to Change Activity Goals on Your iPhone and Apple Watch
  • How to Find Your Size With the Apple Watch Braided Solo Loop Band

In addition to the updated iPad and redesigned iPad Air, we also learned more about the Apple Watch Series 6 and Watch SE. On paper, there may not be very many differences between these new options and the older ones, but if you already own one, how does the Apple Watch 5 vs 6 compare?

Apple Watch 5 vs 6: Do you need to upgrade?

One of the biggest questions, whenever a new device comes out, is whether you should upgrade. The same question can be posed for the Apple Watch 5 vs 6, as Apple has pushed a few new features to this new smartwatch that should be considered. But before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s take a look at how these stack up spec-wise.

Spec Comparison

Apple Watch Series 6 Apple Watch Series 5
Sizes 40mm / 44mm 40mm / 44mm
Display 368 x 448 pixels 368 x 448 pixels
Case Materials Aluminum / Stainless Steel / Titanium Aluminum / Stainless Steel / Titanium
Processor Apple S6 Apple S5
Battery Life Up to 18 hours Up to 18 hours
Heart Sensor Blood Oxygen Sensor w/ ECG ECG
Water Resistance Up to 50m Up to 50m
Other Sensors
  • GPS
  • Compass
  • Barometric Altimeter
  • Gyroscope
  • Ambient Light
  • GPS
  • Compass
  • Barometric Altimeter
  • Gyroscope
  • Ambient Light

Breakdown

If you were to place the Space Gray Series 5 next to the same color as the Series 6, you may not notice any differences at all. But the real story comes from what Apple has done “under the hood” which differentiates these two flagship smartwatches. So let’s dive deeper to determine which is the right option for you.

What are the similarities between Apple Watch 5 vs 6?

Quick tips to reduce the battery drain on your Apple Watch Series 5

Both Apple Watches are available in either 40mm or 44mm sizes, with the same Retina OLED display. As you would expect, there are both Wi-Fi and LTE versions available for both the Watch 5 and Watch 6, so you can add one of these to your existing phone plan. Battery life is rated at 18 hours, which should last you through the day and night, before needing to top off the next morning.

As for materials, Apple brings back the Aluminum, Stainless Steel, and Titanium for the material options. And while the Solo Loops were unveiled, these will work with your Series 5 if you already have one, or pick one up now that they are on sale. 

Since a big focus of the Apple Watch is to help keep track of your health, both the Series 5 and Series 6 have many of the same sensors. The ECG sensor returns with the Series 6, along with the notifications for your heart rate and if an irregular heartbeat is detected. Fall Detection is also available on both of these wearables, which is surprisingly accurate, even if you “fall down” on purpose.

Finally, the Water Resistance rating comes in at 50m for both of these, so you can still feel comfortable taking your new Series 6 for a swim. The water ejection tool is available in the event that water ends up getting inside the speakers.

How is Series 6 different?

Apple Watch Series 6

With a product as important to Apple has the Apple Watch, it would be inconceivable to think that this wouldn’t be much more than an iterative release. The Series 6 features the new Apple S6 chipset, which the company claims to be about 20% faster than the S5 chip in the Series 5 and Watch SE.

Although the display and case sizes are the same, and both the Series 5 and 6 sport an Always-On Display, the Series 6 has a trick up its sleeve. This display is 2.5x brighter when the AoD is active, making it easier to glance at your wrist and tell the time while you’re outside. We’ll have to see how this plays out in the battery life game, but Apple provided a bit of a surprise in that department.

While the Series 5 vs 6 are both rated for 18-hours of battery life, a recent teardown by iFixit revealed that the Series 6’s battery is just slightly larger (1.17 Wh vs 1.129 Wh). This is likely how Apple was able to keep the same battery life as the Series 5, while increasing the brightness for the Always-on Display. There’s another benefit to the Series 6, as a full-charge from 0% to 100% will take just 1.5-hours, whereas the Series 5 recharges in about two hours.

Antennas and sensors

How to find your size with the Apple Watch Braided Solo Loop band Hero

Moving onto the antennas, the first big difference is the addition of a 5GHz antenna in Series 6. This will provide faster download speeds when connected to your home network, and can be really helpful down the road when new software updates are released.

The U1 & Ultra-Wideband antennas have also been added to the Apple Watch Series 6. These are designed to work with the recently-launched Apple CarKey, along with the AirTags once those are officially launched. Being able to tap your wrist on the car to unlock the door is some next-level stuff, and it will be interesting to see how the integration with AirTags will be.

For those more concerned with the health benefits will enjoy the new Blood Oxygen monitoring (SpO2) with the Series 6. Take 15 seconds, place your hand on a desk or table, and see where your SpO2 levels are at. The Series 6 will also take periodic readings throughout the day, and let you know if you should reach out to your doctor. And while the Series 5 has an altimeter built-in, it only takes periodic readings, whereas the Series 6 sports an always-on Barometric Altimeter.

Finally, the last difference is minor (or it might be a big deal to you), but there are two new color options available — Blue and (PRODUCT)RED. These ship with similarly-colored bands, but can also be shipped with any of the current watchbands offered by Apple. That includes those sweet-looking new Braided Solo Loops, which are a first from Apple.

Apple Watch 5 vs 6: Final Verdict

So you’ve made it this far and are still on the fence about upgrading the Watch 5 vs 6. Well, it’s a pretty cut and dry upgrade from a few different standpoints, but here’s a quick breakdown.

Why you should upgrade:

  • If you want the latest and greatest from Apple
  • Blood Oxygen (SpO2) monitoring
  • The (PRODUCT)RED and Blue color options
  • Access to the U1 / Ultra-Wideband antennas
  • Faster Wi-Fi speeds
  • Faster charging speeds
  • Brighter Always-on Display

Why you shouldn’t:

  • Battery life is the same
  • New watch bands work with older Apple Watch models
  • Don’t want to spend the same money on an incremental upgrade
  • Have no plans to get a car with U1 capabilities or AirTags

As someone who loves having the latest and greatest products from Apple, the Series 6 was an easy upgrade. Apple does offer trade-in programs to help offset some of the cost, or you could go through a site like Swappa to get a few more dollars. The only pain point is the fact that the Series 6 has the same battery life as its predecessor. We would have liked to see an Apple Watch with at least 20 hours of battery, but I’m still holding out for 24-hours of battery life.

Andrew Myrick

Andrew is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US.

He has written for a variety of sites over the years, including iMore, Android Central, Phandroid, and a few others. Now, he spends his days working for an HVAC company, while moonlighting as a freelance writer at night.

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Reader Interactions

Write a Comment Cancel reply

Show 3 Comments

  1. Roshanak Rose Kesani says

    October 4, 2020 at 9:08 AM

    Mr. Andrew, hiagain,
    I have no idea as what to do!

    Reply
  2. Roshanak Rose Kesani says

    October 4, 2020 at 9:03 AM

    Hello!
    I need to be advised,I have iOS 6S+, & believe my icloud is not updated or it is expired, due to the fact
    that, I have had to travel to Iran & here I cannot update many apps.
    kindly advise me!
    Thanks

    Reply
  3. André Lavigne says

    September 24, 2020 at 12:30 PM

    UGH!!! Just picked up the new Apple Watch 6 (Silver Stainless. 44mm) and it has the same annoying screen brightness (or rather *dim*ness) issue that made me return the 5 and stick with my 4!

    In dark environments the ambient light sensor is too aggressive and makes the screen too dark. In a side-by-side with the 4 it is *noticeably* dimmer! The 4 is perfect but for the 5/6, this is problematic for people such as me who wear glasses need that extra brightness to be able to read it if you’re outside in the dusk, or in a dark environment like watching TV with the lights off or sitting in a movie theater because it ramps down too low.

    The screen is more than capable of the brightness too because again, just like with the 5, in daylight, it really is bright. You can see this yourself! Just shine your iPhone’s flashlight at your watch face and you’ll see it turn practically blinding.

    This was clearly a choice by Apple to implement because again, the hardware can easily handle it, and considering they never addressed it last round, I’m not optimistic this is even on their radar to address.

    Also, since I’ve been asked this a few times, yes, the brightness in settings is turned all the way up, and yes, I am comparing the ‘active’ brighness (i.e. you’re tapping on and interacting with the screen), not the ‘always-on’ brightness which is more of a ‘stand-by’ mode.

    I even tried disabling the ‘always on’ screen to make it mimic the 4 exactly. Same result. The 4 is brighter. The 5 and 6 are too dim!!

    I know why they did this… to eeek out as much battery life as possible. But that’s just it… let *me* decide if I want to sacrifice battery life for brightness. I have never ran out of battery and usually end the day with around ~40% so I would happily give some of that up for more brightness because without it, I can’t *read* half the text, even with my glasses on!

    Come on Apple… you’re supposed to be great around accessibility. You dropped the ball here… twice! Give us a firmware setting to make it not be so aggressive in dimming it!

    If it wasn’t for the pulse-oximeter in it, this may have been sent right back just like the 5. I’m gonna give it a few days and see how annoyed I am with it before I decide.

    Anyone else seeing this too? Again, against a 5 it’s identical. Against a 4 it’s blatantly obvious. It’s not a subtle difference.

    Reply

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