A subscription is required for Oceanic+. Available on the App Store. Always follow diving protocols and dive with a companion and have a secondary device. Knowing how many zzz’s you caught would give better context to your heart rhythm info, and allow for better fitness motivation at the right times – Apple is clearly hell-bent on making the best health and fitness watch out there, but it’s still got a way to go before it’s got all the necessary elements in place. Battery, music and podcasts

However, while there aren’t any strong fitness upgrades with the Watch 5 (well, none at all, actually) it’s still a great watch for those who are into exercising. To really make use of this feature, though, you need to activate the LTE data capabilities inside the phone (if you buy the more expensive Watch 5 variant), and this will cost more per month. Apple talked up the new low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) technology used in the Apple Watch 5 as the reason it could make the device run for longer – when actually it’s the same tech used in last year’s OLED display from the Apple Watch 4. You’re getting the same curved aluminum frame (in the base Watch model) around the outside, a square display, and the Digital Crown – a button you can twiddle or press to scroll through menus or access other functions – on the side. People come in all shapes and sizes, though, and so do tastes. Some women will want the bigger Apple Watch, and some men, the smaller one. Some people with small wrists will want the bigger watch and vice versa.

Apple Watch SE has a water resistance rating of 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010. This means that it may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. Apple Watch SE should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing, or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow depth. Water resistance is not a permanent condition and can diminish over time. For additional information see support.apple.com/en-us/HT205000. Where before we could make it to the evening, around 9-10pm, with 50% left, here we’d more often have around 5% less than that, with 40-45% in the tank. This new feature added to the Watch comes directly from the health app, where women can set up notifications on when their period is likely to start, or monitor fertility windows.

It’s also hard to sync things to your Watch – you need to have it on charge and have your phone nearby, and even then there feels like an element of hoping about the situation. The ECG app and irregular rhythm notification require the latest version of watchOS and iOS, and are not intended for use by people under 22 years old. The ECG app is available on Apple Watch Series 4 or later (not including Apple Watch SE). The irregular rhythm notification is not designed for people who have been previously diagnosed with AFib. All that said, with the launch of the Apple Watch 6, the company has discontinued the Watch 5 - that said, you can still get it from third-party retailers, theoretically for the prices above, though we'd expect to see it getting discounted soon.

The new always-on display impresses, but not much else

It’s hard to say anything new at all about the design of the Apple Watch 5 because it’s so similar to how the range has looked since its inception (the larger screen launched last year notwithstanding). You can swim, do high-intensity interval training, cycle and even practice yoga with the Watch 5 to fill up those all-important rings that monitor your daily active performance. However, this is all true of the slightly-smaller Watch 3, which is cheaper and still being sold by Apple. Apple Watch Series 1 has a water resistance rating of IPX7 under IEC standard 60529. Apple Watch Series 1 is splash and water resistant, but submerging it is not recommended. You can even log sexual activity to help you monitor possible fertility – while the main benefit is the information displayed in a larger way on the iPhone health app, it’s a nice addition to the watch to help make sure you can log the key information easily.

Charge times are from 0–80% and 0–100% using the included Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charging USB‑C Cable. Testing conducted by Apple in August 2022 using pre‑production Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS) and Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS + Cellular), each paired with an iPhone; all devices tested with pre‑release software, Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charging USB‑C Cable (Model A2515) and Apple 20W USB‑C Power Adapter (Model A2305). Charge time varies with region, settings and environmental factors; actual results will vary.We found that it still excelled in some areas, and it's another hugely competent device for your wrist, but the Apple Watch 5 still feels like an underwhelming upgrade, and we’d point you towards the now reasonably-priced Watch 3 as a great alternative. Apple Watch 5 release date and price Charge times are from 0–80% and 0–100% using the included Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charging USB-C Cable. Testing conducted by Apple in August 2023 using preproduction Apple Watch Ultra 2 (GPS + Cellular) paired with an iPhone; all devices tested with prerelease software, Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charging USB-C Cable (Model A2515), and Apple 20W USB-C Power Adapter (Model A2305). Charge time varies with region, settings, and environmental factors; actual results will vary.