Whoop 5.0/MG gets an unusual new firmware accuracy boost.
More: Whoop 5.0 Review
Whoop’s August firmware update from earlier in the month includes a few run-of-the-mill tweaks. However, an unusual change to sensor accuracy stands out: “Improve data accuracy under high pressure.“
I’ve never seen an accuracy update described in those terms before, and the improvement could apply to these scenarios. ere are some thoughts on what this might be:
- Accuracy improvements when underwater or when there is high atmospheric pressure – unlikely, Whoop doesn’t have a barometric sensor.
- Accuracy increases made when the wearer has high blood pressure—unlikely, as Whoop doesn’t directly measure blood pressure, it just estimates it as a long-term trend.
- Accuracy increases when greater strap pressure is applied – the most plausible option.
Coincidentally, I wrote about some new Garmin patents in June and July 2025. These patents considered novel ways to increase the accuracy of wrist-based optical sensors, specifically including factors like strap pressure.
Whoop may have added similar, but different, methods to improve accuracy, perhaps covering one or more of these approaches:
- Adjusting how the light sensors are read: The firmware might change how the sensor interprets signals when the strap is attached tightly. This is unlikely, as Whoop does not have the means to detect strap pressure in real time.
- Filtering out noise from pressure: The firmware could detect when the strap is compressing the skin and remove or correct the distortions this causes in the measurements. Again, as with the previous bullet point, I’m unsure how Whoop could do that.
- Using different parts of the sensor more smartly: If the sensor has multiple light sources or channels, the firmware might rely on the ones that work better under tight contact. Same problem.
- Algorithm adjustments based on signal quality: The firmware detects when the optical signal is unusual or unstable for a prolonged period. Such a prolonged period could be due to tight wear, and Whoop could trigger pressure-related algorithm branches, assess whether the results are more reasonable, and, if so, apply them. I think it’s this one.
Whoop Accuracy – Now Validated Against the gold Standard kinda
Remember, Whoop processes signals in the cloud and likely has more computing power to perform these unusual calculations. It doesn’t have to do it in real time like Garmin and all its other competitors.
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