AW5 vs Other AW Optical Heart Rate Sensor

[rcarter3636]

I bought the AW5 about a week ago. Traded in AW3 but still have AW4. I was skeptical at first due to some reports of the optical heart rate sensor not being on par with AW4 during workouts. I’m at ease now with about 10 hours testing both against each other and a chest strap with workouts. All workouts were within 3 bps average with most spot on with each other. My AW3 was very close to the AW4 before I traded it in for the 5. A lag of a few seconds was the only difference.
I would like to know how your AW5 compares to your other AW’s during workouts.

 

[nickdalzell1]

It seems the same but unlike my Series 3, my Series 5 refuses to auto-detect workouts anymore. I always have to start them via either Siri or the Workout app. Also, for some reason the readout during workout changes colors. For the longest time, the numerals for the time, mileage, calories were the same color as the little running man icon up top. Then it changed to all white except red numerals for the heart rate. Now, it occasionally uses pink bold numbers for miles, or pink thin font for pace. I have no idea what those colors represent, ranges, healthy paces maybe? nothing in the iBooks manuals say a thing about it.

Sometimes my 5 gets behind--like my exercise ring closes up 34 minutes when it should be closing at 30 during the workout. Sometimes it's reversed. The ring closes when I've only been working out for 26 minutes.

 

[Significant1]

I also think it is fixed now. Dcrainmaker and desfit made a round up of this year's releases of pulse watches on YouTube and dcrainmaker said it seemed fixed now, though Apple never officially recognized the problem or got back to him. Desfit considered making a follow up test to verify.

 

[matrix07]

my Series 5 refuses to auto-detect workouts anymore.

That’s suck. When I drove back home from my running this morning my AW5 notified me that I seemed to stop running and would I like to end the workout? Of course I’m gladly abide. 🙂

 

[rcarter3636]

I also think it is fixed now. Dcrainmaker and desfit made a round up of this year's releases of pulse watches on YouTube and dcrainmaker said it seemed fixed now, though Apple never officially recognized the problem or got back to him. Desfit considered making a follow up test to verify.

I really like their reviews and pay attention what they say.
I do wish they would had done more reviews after wOS5 was released. I believe this update the one that unlocked the heart rate sensor for what it is today.
Before that update, I struggled getting a consistent heart rate with tennis, basketball or weightlifting. Since that update even my old AW2 was very reliable.

 

[nickdalzell1]

That’s suck. When I drove back home from my running this morning my AW5 notified me that I seemed to stop running and would I like to end the workout? Of course I’m gladly abide. 🙂

The 'auto pause' feature broke long before I lost auto-workout detection. I have always ended it manually.