Apple Watch Series 5 review: Finally, always on

With the always-on, each watch face has an “active” version of the display, when it’s fully illuminated, and an ambient one, when it’s slightly dimmed. Exactly how much each watch face changes varies. More minimalist watch faces, like the new numerals face, simply get dimmer, while ones that have a second hand, like the infograph face, dim and lose the second hand.

For me, the best thing about always-on is you no longer need to make an exaggerated wrist flip just to check the time. When I’m sitting at my desk, I can glance down or subtly turn my wrist without having to physically raise my arm. Yes, this also makes it easier to discreetly check the time while you’re sitting in a meeting, but it’s not really about just being too lazy to lift your arm or saving face so you don’t seem rude. It actually makes the Apple Watch more useful.

I’ve tested dozens of smartwatches and activity trackers over years, and it’s always bothered me that the Apple Watch — one of the best and most expensive smartwatches you can buy — cannot always tell you the time, which is after all the most basic function of any watch. 

The benefits are even more clear when you’re using an app that can take advantage of the always-on display, which unfortunately is limited to Apple’s own Workout app for now. If you’re running on the treadmill, or lifting weights at the gym, you can always see where you’re at without having to twist your arm around. I really hope Apple makes this available to third-party developers at some point, because it’s really a shame other exercise apps can’t do the same, though concerns about battery life likely played a role in this decision.