Oh hey, this is a tech review blog now, apparently. Haha. If you want the down-low on the Series 5 Apple Watch*, you came to the right place. This is that post, written by me, about my experience so far with my Apple Watch Series 5. I’m not a great reviewer like these guys, but I have had it a while now. I’ve used it every day since, so I’m going to talk, and whether I think it was worth almost $700, I paid for it.
Nike special edition, I blame myself.
In my post about being more active while working from home, I mentioned that I would get a watch of some description. I planned to use it to monitor my daily steps and general activity and such. Things like the Sleep and Breathe apps interested me. You have to know where you are to know where your going is a bit of a motto of mine. This was about having the data I wanted to make decisions about my health.
I shared a video unboxing it, featuring splendid camera skills from Kel, on IGTV if you want to see all the packaging goodness. It also runs you through the basics of what comes in the box and my fancy pants Nike version, a Trypophobics worst nightmare. But I’m into it. What do you think? Is it your style of the band or not, really?
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Since then, it’s been pretty easy to get used to wearing it. Though, as someone who hasn’t worn a watch in maybe 5 or more years, it was a bit weird at the start. One of the great things is that you can set up the Apple Watch for whichever arm you prefer; settings wise and as far as attaching the band. You could even change the settings to allow you to wear the watch face on the inside of your wrist, which is something I did when I worked in hospitality for years. Weirdo, I know.
The General Stuff – Apps and Settings
Once I got used to wearing it, next was all the apps and working out how they work and which ones I wanted to use. Learning the shortcuts to access everything took me WAY longer and WAY more youTube videos to master, but now I know what I’m doing. It’s great. I highly recommend searching for your series of watch or brands if you’re not using Apple and get a walkthrough on how to use it. I learned a lot, and I know you will too.
The main app I use, which I’m sure is often the case, is the Movement app. Closing the movement and stand rings daily was a massive change for me. Not that rigging the “stand” counter by shaking my arm was super helpful, but hey, movement is movement. Right? Haha. When I first started wearing the Series 5 Apple Watch*, checking my ‘rings’ became a habit fast. In the coming months, I want to focus on the exercise ring. Mostly because I’m hoping the pool will be open again soon, and I’ll be back at aqua classes before I know it.
And make sure, whatever watch you choose (or have), you spend some time customising the watch face. This keeps me entertained for waaaaaay longer than I care to admit. I like to use a watch face with shortcuts to the Movement app, the UV/Weather (Queensland kid) and Playing Now (Music). I don’t get a lot of notifications through my watch (I’ll talk about that a little below), so if I’m looking at it, it’s usually to check my rings, the weather or changes the song when I can’t find where I’ve put my phone down.
Some surprising things
One thing I started liking but ended up turning off was the Breathe app. As a reminder, you can set the regularity to stop and breathe for a minute throughout your day. It sounded like something I’d be into at the start, but really, I wasn’t. It used to buzz me at the most annoying times (it had a gift for it), and I found focusing on taking some deep breaths actually made me feel a little overwhelmed. Maybe it was just my state of mind at the time, but for now, it’s been benched.
I love the Apple Watch because it can act as a remote for your phone’s camera. I’ve found that this comes in handy as someone who tends to take many photos of herself. With a preview on the screen and a 3-second timer to give you time to drop your arm, it’s a winner—something I didn’t expect to get hooked on but have. And I have to mention it because it was always something we struggled with, but family photos using the phone are SO much easier. Not that I’ve had a lot of chances to test it out, given the lockdown situation, but that’s the best.
Would I recommend the Series 5 Apple Watch?
For me, having the Series 5 was just a case of getting the current version on the market. I wasn’t replacing a watch or upgrading. Instead, I read through some reviews online before making my purchase, wanting to know if it was worth spending the money to get the newest version. From what I can tell, there’s not a lot of significant changes from 4 to 5. But from 2 or 3 to 5, there are LOTS.
In the past, I bought an older version of the iPad because there were no real changes, and the same went for the iPhone, around the iPhone 8. At those times, it was about getting the maximum value for my money. I knew I could get 90% of the features of the new one at a reduced price. So, I did. Now that cost is a little less of a factor. I think that if you’re buying new, you might as well get the most recent model. In the end, I decided the series 5 was for me. And when I saw it came in a Nike branded version, something a little different and a brand I’m into, I had to go with that one.
One thing though, why did no one mention the almost daily charging thing?
I don’t know what the previous battery life was like for the Apple Watch, but this one still requires charging, ALOT. I blame the Always-On screen. When I first got the watch, I didn’t realise that it was a new feature. I just assumed it was part of the earlier versions too. Always on, but in a sort of slow refresh sleep mode, it made sense. That said, if you’re using always-on, expect to charge your watch daily. You can stretch to two or maybe three days without it, depending on your notification and check-ins.
Would I recommend it?
Sure! Like I said above, I don’t use many notifications for texts and other things like that. I would find that way too intrusive and would never stay on task. But as far as having something with all those features (if I’d wanted them) and all the health monitoring, data creating ones, I’m keen. Could you buy the series 4 and be totally fine with it? Absolutely. If that was your question, I think that either would serve you well. But if you are interested in the Series 5 Apple Watch*, go for it.
*contains Amazon affiliate link
Hi! I’m Melissa Walker Horn. Around here, they call me Suger. I’m the Chief Blogger and doer of all the things here at Suger Coat It. Blogging since 1901; I love a casual ootd, taking photos, and writing about things that irk or inspire me. I love wine and cheese, long days at the beach and spending time with my family. I make stuff for the internet over at Chalkboard Digital. You know, living the sweet life.
