Device comparisons
WHOOP 4.0 vs 5.0: PPG Sensor Upgrade and Recovery Changes
WHOOP 5.0 and WHOOP MG launched in May 2025. WHOOP says they are 7% smaller than 4.0, sample sensors 26 times per second and last 14+ days per charge, versus five days for WHOOP 4.0. MG adds a medical-grade ECG via the clasp, and WHOOP's top membership adds Blood Pressure Insights. No independent study has compared 4.0 and 5.0 accuracy.
Devices
WHOOP 4.0 Onyx SuperKnit band: product photograph from WHOOP’s listing. The photograph is a WHOOP 4.0 Onyx SuperKnit band, standing in for WHOOP 5.0 / MG. A 5.0 product still was not available.
At a glance
This page does not list head-to-head accuracy numbers, so the scoreboard shows hardware differences only.
| Specification | WHOOP 4.0 | WHOOP 5.0 / MG |
|---|---|---|
| Optical sensorDiffers | 5 LEDs (3 green, 1 red, 1 IR), 4 photodiodes | — |
| Battery LifeDiffers | Five days | 14+ days |
| ECGDiffers | No | WHOOP MG only |
| Sensor samplingDiffers | — | 26 times per second (WHOOP) |
| Blood pressureDiffers | — | Blood Pressure Insights (estimates) |
Primary rows only. The study tables further down list more results from the accuracy database.
Hardware specs
| Specification | WHOOP 4.0 | WHOOP 5.0 / MG |
|---|---|---|
| Optical sensorDiffers | 5 LEDs (3 green, 1 red, 1 IR), 4 photodiodes | — |
| Battery LifeDiffers | Five days | 14+ days |
| ECGDiffers | No | WHOOP MG only |
| Sensor samplingDiffers | — | 26 times per second (WHOOP) |
| Blood pressureDiffers | — | Blood Pressure Insights (estimates) |
Hardware only. Study results are not repeated in this table. Differs marks values that are not the same. An em dash means this page did not publish that figure.
Specs verified on October 17, 2026: WHOOP: Introducing WHOOP 4.0, WHOOP: WHOOP 5.0 and WHOOP MG launch, Bellenger et al. 2021, Sensors (WHOOP HR and HRV vs ECG).
Pros and cons
WHOOP 4.0
Pros
- 5 LEDs (3 green, 1 red, 1 IR) and 4 photodiodes
- Heart-rate bias ≤0.39% vs ECG in Bellenger 2021 (earlier WHOOP hardware)
- Works with WHOOP Body garments
Cons
- Five-day battery
- No ECG
WHOOP 5.0 / MG
Pros
- 14+ days battery (WHOOP)
- Sensors sample 26 times per second; 7% smaller
- MG: medical-grade ECG with AFib screening
Cons
- ECG only on WHOOP MG
- No independent accuracy validation of 5.0 published that we could verify
What published studies show
One table per metric. These rows come from the accuracy database and are not repeated as a second card list. From the wearable accuracy database (v1.0.0).
No independent validation of WHOOP 5.0 / MG. We found no published study that tested WHOOP 5.0 / MG against a clinical reference.
Heart rate during exercise1 study
| Device tested | Result | Reference | Sample | Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHOOP 4.0 (upper arm) | Strongest agreement (with Verity Sense) in graded treadmillStudy finding (no single number) | ECG chest strap (Polar H7/ | n = 28, Rest, warm-up, burpees, Bruce treadmill | Moghaddam et al. (2025)Funding not reported |
Overnight heart rate1 study
| Device tested | Result | Reference | Sample | Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHOOP 4.0 | 3.00%Mean absolute percentage error | ECG | n = 13, Home, during sleep, 536 nights | Dial et al. (2025)Independent |
| WHOOP 4.0 | 0.91Lin's concordance correlation | ECG | n = 13, Home, during sleep, 536 nights | Dial et al. (2025)Independent |
HRV (RMSSD)1 study
| Device tested | Result | Reference | Sample | Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHOOP 4.0 | 8.17%Mean absolute percentage error | ECG | n = 13, Home, during sleep, 536 nights | Dial et al. (2025)Independent |
| WHOOP 4.0 | 0.94Lin's concordance correlation | ECG | n = 13, Home, during sleep, 536 nights | Dial et al. (2025)Independent |
Sleep stages (4-stage)1 study
| Device tested | Result | Reference | Sample | Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHOOP 4.0 | κ = 0.37Cohen's kappa | Polysomnography (PSG) | n = 40, Sleep laboratory, 1 night | Schyvens et al. (2025)Funding not reported |
Sleep vs wake (2-stage)1 study
| Device tested | Result | Reference | Sample | Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHOOP 4.0 | > 90% (all devices)Sensitivity | Polysomnography (PSG) | n = 62, Sleep laboratory, 1 night | Schyvens et al. (2025)Funding not reported |
Verdict
WHOOP 5.0 roughly triples battery life and MG adds ECG. Whether 5.0 measures heart rate or HRV more accurately than 4.0 is unproven: WHOOP has not published, and we have not found, an independent 4.0-vs-5.0 validation.
Frequently asked questions
Is WHOOP 5.0 PPG significantly more accurate than 4.0?
Unknown. WHOOP says 5.0 samples 26 times per second, but no independent head-to-head validation of 4.0 vs 5.0 has been published that we could verify.
What does WHOOP MG add?
A medical-grade ECG taken by touching the clasp, which WHOOP says screens for signs of atrial fibrillation. WHOOP 5.0 without MG does not include it.
How much longer does WHOOP 5.0 battery last?
WHOOP quotes 14+ days for 5.0 and MG versus five days for 4.0.