The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 might finally make good on fast-charging promises
Samsung’s bigAugust 10th Unpacked eventis drawing closer and closer. The event will not only feature Samsung’s next foldables, theGalaxy Z Fold 4and theZ Flip 4, but we’re also getting all new entries in its smartwatch lineup, all but confirmed to be theGalaxy Watch 5series. The new Wear OS-powered entries will come with several new improvements and features over theGalaxy Watch 4, which we loved when we reviewed it. And while we’ll know everything about it next week, details are still slowly dripping out as we near the date. Now we know that it’ll also come with faster charging in tow.
As leaked by tipster SnoopyTech (via9to5Google), the Galaxy Watch 5 might come with a new, improved wireless magnetic charger. It would bring speeds up to 10W, twice as fast as the current 5W charger that comes with the Galaxy Watch 4. While 10W doesn’t sound like a lot — we’re used to seeing speeds over 30W/45W in the smartphone world, after all — it’s plenty for a smartwatch, given the (comparatively) tiny battery these devices come with.
In fact, it might be good enough for charging up to 45% in roughly 30 minutes. It’s likely actual charging times will vary in different real-world scenarios, but it’s at least twice as fast as the current charging times for the Galaxy Watch 4, which, at least on paper, sounds promising.
Not only that, but the new charger also has a USB-C adapter instead of USB-A. It’s an important change, since watches only come with a cable, and nowadays pretty much no wall adapter is coming with USB-A ports. This small tweak allows you to use the same wall adapter you bought for your phone — previously, you were forced to buy a separate USB-A adapter or use an older one lying around in your house.
We also have info on pricing.If leaks are true, it’s possible to expect the base Watch 5 40mm to cost CA$349 ($271), while the 44mm could cost CA$389 ($300). The Pro, coming at 45mm, will be notably more expensive at CA$559 ($435). Currency conversions like this one here from Canadian dollars to US dollars don’t always give us the perfect picture, though, so take these with a grain of salt.
We’ll know more about this new smartwatch lineup after the big Unpacked event, so stay tuned.
Broader branding hints at wider paid-tier ambitions
The note-taking app I should have used all along
M3 Expressive now refreshes the chat screen
Breaking language barriers, one feed at a time
Keep privacy a priority with the best VPNs
Storage upgrades have never been so important
