Watch seems to be plagued with problems resolving GPS fix when not tethered to a phone. I went out for a run, without my phone and it took the watch close to 10 minutes to get a GPS Fix. This severely limits the functionality of the "Outdoor/Fitness" aspect of the watch.
Having hard time to find an accurate reading for "pace" on my watch. I think it is related to GPS. And the GPS takes like 800meter before it connects(I have both LTE and locations on) if I am lucky.
Is there a work around?
I thought if I could load it a "Run" as gpx file but it just works for hiking and biking.
Just a noob to Samsung coming from Garmin/tomtom/fitbit.
(I just think its ridiculous for 550 USD can not do that. Why can't the watch wait till it finds GPS connections before it starts? )
I've had practically every version of Samsung watches and every release its the same thing - terrible fitness tracking! The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is no exception. GPS often takes forever to acquire a signal and when it does, it's never accurate with pace or distance.
The heart rate monitor is no better, which is disappointing since it's supposed to be an improved sensor this year. My heart rate is consistently showing much higher than it should be. My last walk tracked my average heart rate at 112bpm! That's crazy high for me! I compared it side by side to my Apple Watch that showed my average at 72bpm. Same issue during my weight training and running.
I really don't think Samsung cares to deliver a product that is a great fitness tracker. If they did, it wouldn't be the same issue year after year. So many other issues with this watch besides the fitness tracking and it's so frustrating that I have to return another Galaxy Watch this year.
To anyone reading this and considering buying this watch for fitness - stay away and get a Garmin!
I've had the same issues with gps signals. Some days I can't get a signal and I waste my time standing outside waiting for the gps icon to stop blinking. What a rip off. Also, twice in the middle of a five mile run, the software glitched and every two or three seconds a new lap was reported. So I lost the second half of my run. The software is up to date so that's not the problem. This is an example of lack of effort on Samsung's side. Don't waste your money.
Same issue with lte version of 5 pro. Twice I've run with the 5 pro on one wrist and my watch 3 on the other and gone on a verified 3.1 mile run. Both times the 5 logged and extra .5 miles. Looking at the map view, the 5 shows a badly zig-zag pattern along the route whereas the gw 3 shows a much cleaner route. Last time out I verified a gps lock with 17 satellites before starting via the wear gps fix app. The gps on this thing is hot garbage.
I keep checking here to see if this problem has been resolved. Apparently not, as of Nov 8 2022. I purchased a Watch 5 44MM on day 1 and it went back to the store within a week. I am a runner and I need good info on course, distance, and heart rate. It fails miserably at all three. And, for those who will offer excuses, I do not start workouts "automatically"; I wait until there is a gps signal lock and my heart rate is consistent in the display. Once these are true, I begin my run. My seven-plus-year-old TomTom Spark is 100 times more accurate than this watch, which is really sad. Smartwatch? I'd give it a 9. Fitness watch? ZERO.
I'm using a Watch4 so slightly off topic but I've had the exact same problem, standing in the cold waiting for a GPS fix and in the end resorting to carrying my old Garmin Forerunner as a back up. That said, the Watch4 software update yesterday seems to have made a big improvement. I'm now getting the GPS fix in under 30 seconds. Fingers crossed Samsung have spotted the problem and are resolving it.
For me, getting a GPS fix was not a problem. Usually happened within ten seconds or so. I even waited longer to make sure it was truly locked. Mine just gave very poor tracking on what should have been very easy routes. This would throw off your pace by up to three minutes per mile plus or minus. Hope you have a better experience with this update!
I do strongly suggest downloading and installing the app "Wear GPS Fix" from the watch app store.. It seems to do something that the native watch software cannot...
