A year apart in release but close in spirit, the Apple Watch Series 6 and Series 5 present a quiet question that recurs throughout the history of technology: when does incremental progress become meaningful enough to justify the cost of the new? Apple's September 2020 introduction of the Series 6 at $399 added blood oxygen monitoring, a faster chip, and a brighter resting display to a design nearly identical to its predecessor — leaving consumers to weigh genuine health utility against the enduring competence of what already exists. In this moment, the Series 5 does not fail; it simply ages, a
Apple Watch Series 6 vs. Series 5: Blood Oxygen Monitoring Drives Upgrade Case
Blood oxygen monitoring is the clearest differentiator
Mark
So the Series 6 is the new model, but the Series 5 is still being sold. What's actually different?
Mimi
Blood oxygen monitoring is the headline. The Series 6 can measure how much oxygen your blood is carrying, which the Series 5 cannot do. Beyond that, the processor is 20 percent faster, the display is 2.5 times brighter outdoors, and it charges quicker.
Luke
Twenty percent faster at what, though? Apple says apps launch 20 percent faster, but does anyone actually notice that in real life?
Mimi
Fair point. For most people, no. The Series 5's processor was already fast. Apple even put the same S5 chip in the cheaper Watch SE.
Mark
So if I don't care about blood oxygen, is there any reason to buy the Series 6?
Mimi
The brighter display matters if you check your watch in sunlight without raising your wrist. The U1 chip might unlock features down the road. And if you want Blue or red, those are Series 6 only.
Luke
But the U1 doesn't actually do anything yet, right? It's theoretical future-proofing.
Mimi
Correct. As of launch, it's mostly a hedge. Apple has only used it for directional AirDrop so far.
Mark
What about health features? Are they really that different?
Mimi
Both have ECG, heart rate monitoring, irregular rhythm detection, fall detection. The Series 6 adds blood oxygen. If cardiac monitoring is your main concern, the Series 5 is nearly complete.
Luke
So the Series 5 is the better value if you don't specifically want blood oxygen?
Mimi
Yes, if price matters and you don't need that one feature. But the Series 5 is already over a year old, so it won't get software updates as long as the Series 6 will.
Mark
How long are we talking?
Mimi
Apple doesn't publish exact timelines, but newer models typically get support longer. If you plan to keep the watch for three or four years, that's worth considering.
Luke
And there's also the Watch SE at $279, which splits the difference?
Mimi
Right. It has the S5 processor and the always-on altimeter from Series 6, but no ECG or blood oxygen. It's for people who want the basics cheaper.
Il Polso
- The arrival of blood oxygen monitoring in the Series 6 creates a clear dividing line — for health-conscious buyers, the Series 5's absence of SpO2 tracking is no small omission.
- Despite the new chip, brighter display, and U1 ultra-wideband technology, the Series 6's advantages over the Series 5 are narrow enough that most users may never feel the difference in daily life.
- The Series 5, discontinued by Apple but still circulating through third-party retailers, holds its ground as a capable device — ECG, fall detection, always-on display, and 18-hour battery life intact.
- Apple complicated the decision further by launching the Watch SE at $279, offering a third path that undercuts both models and forces buyers to reckon with what they truly need.
- The trajectory is clear: the Series 5 will age out of Apple's software support cycle, making the Series 6 the more durable investment for anyone planning to hold their device for years.
A year apart in release but close in spirit, the Apple Watch Series 6 and Series 5 present a quiet question that recurs throughout the history of technology: when does incremental progress become meaningful enough to justify the cost of the new? Apple's September 2020 introduction of the Series 6 at $399 added blood oxygen monitoring, a faster chip, and a brighter resting display to a design nearly identical to its predecessor — leaving consumers to weigh genuine health utility against the enduring competence of what already exists. In this moment, the Series 5 does not fail; it simply ages, and the choice between them is less about capability than about how one values the future against the present.
When Apple introduced the Series 6 in September 2020, it did so against the backdrop of a Series 5 that had aged gracefully. Both watches share the same design language, the same always-on OLED display, the same 18-hour battery life, and a nearly identical suite of health features. At $399, the Series 6 asked buyers to decide whether its additions were worth the premium over a predecessor still available through third-party retailers.
The most consequential new feature is blood oxygen monitoring. Using an array of green, red, and infrared LEDs on the rear, the Series 6 measures SpO2 — the oxygen saturation of the blood — both on demand and periodically during sleep, syncing all data to the Health app. The Series 5 has no equivalent sensor, and for anyone serious about health tracking, this gap is the clearest reason to choose the newer model.
Where the two watches converge is in cardiac monitoring. Both carry electrical and optical heart sensors, both perform electrocardiograms in 30 seconds, and both offer irregular rhythm alerts, high and low heart rate notifications, fall detection, and emergency SOS. In this domain, the Series 5 is nearly complete — the Series 6 simply layers blood oxygen on top of an already strong foundation.
The S6 chip is 20 percent faster than the S5 by Apple's own measure, but both are 64-bit dual-core processors, and the performance difference will be invisible to most users. The U1 ultra-wideband chip in the Series 6 gestures toward future capabilities — precise location, next-generation car keys — but had few active use cases at launch. The brighter always-on display and faster charging (under 90 minutes versus 150) are real improvements, though modest ones for typical daily use.
For Series 5 owners, the upgrade calculus is simple: unless blood oxygen monitoring is a genuine priority, there is little urgency. For new buyers or those coming from older hardware, the Series 6 is the logical choice — longer software support, more features, and a clearer future. The Watch SE at $279 adds a third option for those unwilling to spend $399, narrowing the field further and sharpening the question of what any given buyer actually needs from a watch on their wrist.
Apple released the Apple Watch Series 6 in September 2020, one year after introducing the Series 5. On paper, the gap between them looks modest—both have the same design, the same always-on LTPO OLED display at maximum brightness, the same 18-hour battery life, and nearly identical health monitoring capabilities. Yet Apple priced the Series 6 at $399, asking customers to decide whether the new features justify the cost, or whether the older Series 5, still available through third-party retailers despite being discontinued by Apple, remains a sensible choice.
The most significant addition to the Series 6 is blood oxygen monitoring. The watch measures SpO2—the percentage of oxygen carried by red blood cells from the lungs throughout the body—using an array of green, red, and infrared LEDs on the rear that detect light reflected from blood. A custom algorithm calculates oxygen saturation between 70 and 100 percent. Users can take on-demand measurements through a dedicated app, and the watch also logs periodic background readings during sleep. All data syncs to the Health app, allowing users to track trends over time. The Series 5 lacks this sensor entirely, making it the clearest differentiator between the two models. For anyone prioritizing health tracking, this feature alone may tip the scales toward the newer watch.
Both watches share robust cardiac monitoring. Each has an electrical heart sensor built into the Digital Crown and an optical heart sensor on the rear. Both can perform electrocardiograms—users touch the crown and receive a heart rhythm classification within 30 seconds, detecting normal patterns or signs of atrial fibrillation. Both offer high and low heart rate notifications, irregular rhythm alerts, and noise monitoring. Both support emergency SOS and fall detection. In this domain, the Series 5 is nearly feature-complete; the Series 6 simply adds blood oxygen on top of what was already there.
The processor upgrade is real but incremental. The Series 6 uses the S6 chip, based on the A13 Bionic from the iPhone 11, and Apple claims it launches apps 20 percent faster than the S5 processor in the Series 5. Yet both are 64-bit dual-core chips, and Apple maintains that the S5 still "delivers incredibly fast performance." The company was confident enough in the S5 to include it in the cheaper Apple Watch SE, released at the same time. For most users, the performance difference will be imperceptible in daily use.
The Series 6 also includes a U1 ultra-wideband chip, a technology Apple has been rolling out across its product line. The U1 enables precise short-range wireless location and is intended to support features like next-generation digital car keys. However, as of the Series 6's launch, the chip had few active use cases—Apple had only deployed it for a directional AirDrop feature in iOS 13. The U1 is a hedge on the future: if you plan to keep your watch for years, it may unlock capabilities that don't yet exist. But it's not a reason to upgrade today.
The display brightness difference is tangible but narrow. The Series 6's always-on display reaches 2.5 times brighter outdoors when your wrist is lowered, compared to the Series 5. Both max out at 1,000 nits, so the improvement is in the baseline brightness during everyday glances. If you frequently check your watch in bright sunlight without raising your wrist, the Series 6 wins. Otherwise, the Series 5's display remains clear and readable.
Charging and battery endurance show similar patterns. The Series 6 charges fully in under 90 minutes; the Series 5 takes under 150 minutes. The Series 6 also claims improved battery life during certain workouts like indoor and outdoor runs. Yet both maintain the same "all-day" 18-hour battery life under standard use. Unless you're charging your watch multiple times a day or running frequently, the difference is marginal.
Design and color options reveal where Apple is pushing the Series 6. Both watches come in 40mm and 44mm sizes and share the same case materials—aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium. But the Series 6 adds Blue and (PRODUCT)RED aluminum finishes that the Series 5 never offered. The Series 5, meanwhile, includes a ceramic white option that the Series 6 dropped. If you want the new colors, you must buy the Series 6. If you prefer white ceramic or are satisfied with existing hues, the Series 5 suffices.
For existing Series 5 owners, upgrading to the Series 6 makes sense only if blood oxygen monitoring is a genuine priority or if you replace your watch annually. For anyone with a Series 4 or older, or anyone new to Apple Watch, the Series 6 is the logical choice—it's the current flagship and will receive software support longer. The Series 5 remains viable for budget-conscious buyers, but it's already over a year old and will eventually fall out of Apple's update cycle. Apple also released the Watch SE at $279, which pairs the S5 processor with some Series 6 features like the always-on altimeter, offering a third path for those unwilling to spend $399.
Citazioni salienti
The S5 processor still delivers incredibly fast performance and is up to two times faster than the Apple Watch Series 3— Apple
The U1 on Apple Watch will enable short-range wireless location to support new experiences, such as next-generation digital car keys— Apple
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