Apple Watch Series 5 review: Apple's smartwatch just got a whole lot better at its most important job

The Apple Watch Series 5 also has a compass, which is a subtle addition that makes using the watch for navigation all the more useful. The compass shows which direction you're facing so that you can tell whether you're walking the right way, which can be helpful for those who get easily turned around, or may be visiting a new city for the first time.

Runners and cyclists will also appreciate the fact that the Apple Watch Series 5 can now display your current elevation by gathering data from the watch's GPS, its barometric altimeter, Wi-Fi, and topographical map data. Previously, the Apple Watch could measure your elevation gain, but the new model will display the elevation at your current location.

Taken together, the new features make the Apple Watch all the more appealing to runners — likely a key target audience for Apple's smartwatch.

But many of the watch's new fitness tracking features will be available on older models too since they're available via watchOS 6, Apple's latest operating system for the watch. That includes the ability to measure activity trends over time, monitor health, and track menstrual cycles. That software update will be available for Apple Watch models Series 1 through 5, so you don't need to buy a pricey new watch to make use of them.

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Even with its always-on display, the Apple Watch Series 5 can last a little more than a day on a single charge. During my time with the watch so far, I didn't find the battery life to be much different than that of the Series 4 or Series 3, both of which I've worn for months before testing the Series 5.

If you're already used to charging the watch overnight, you can expect to do the same with the Series 5. That being said, battery life will always vary depending on factors such as how many notifications you get and the types of apps you use on your watch.

Battery life is one area where Fitbit far surpasses Apple. Fitbit's Versa 2 can last for around four or five days on a single charge without its always-on display and two days with it always-on feature turned on, which is far longer than the Apple Watch's battery life.

While it's true that the Apple Watch Series 5's always-on display makes it much more useful, its core functionality isn't much different than the Series 4, or even the Series 3.

All three watches support the same apps, the same variety of workouts, come in cellular and non-cellular options, and have roughly the same battery life. The Series 5 also includes features that were introduced last year on the Series 4, such as the ability to take an electrocardiogram (ECG) reading and detect hard falls.

The Apple Watch Series 5 is probably the right choice for those who are buying an Apple Watch for the first time, or for current owners that are upgrading from an older model like the Series 2 or Series 3 — particularly if you're interested in the ECG feature and other new additions that came in the Series 4. But if you already have the Series 4 or are satisfied with your Series 3, you can probably skip this year's upgrade.

Fitbit's Versa 2 is also a compelling option for those on a tighter budget that aren't committed to Apple's ecosystem. The Versa 2 offers significantly longer battery life, now comes with Amazon's Alexa, and is noticeably cheaper at $200. Plus, it can track your sleep unlike the Apple Watch, which requires third-party apps to do so.

But Apple's advantage as the operator behind one of the world's most popular mobile phone operating systems certainly gives it an advantage, as the Apple Watch supports a broader variety of apps than Fitbit. Apple's watch software also feels much more refined and richer than Fitbit's, which seems basic in comparison.

All told, the Apple Watch Series 5 brings a much-needed feature to Apple's smartwatch — its always on display. That makes it even better at its most important job of telling the time.