4 min readI WAS IN sixth grade the first time I heard Bright Eyes and the songwriting of Conor Oberst. As a budding folk aficionado (and, if I’m being honest, a whiny know-it-all), his music immediately clicked with me. From Bright Eyes to his solo work to the Mystic Valley Band to Better Oblivion Community Center, I followed every new project for the same reason: Oberst had earned my trust. Even when the sound changed, the quality rarely did. That's become my relationship with Panasonic's Arc5 line.
The original Arc5 was one of the first electric razors I tested as grooming editor at Men's Health, and it didn't take long for me to name it the best electric razor for sensitive skin. Then came the Arc5 Palm-Sized, a travel-friendly spin on the formula that quickly became a travel grooming essential—earning a permanent spot in my Dopp kit—and eventually winning a 2025 Men’s Health Grooming Award.
Pros
- Close, comfortable shave
- Flexible 20-direction head
- Excellent on neck hair
- No razor burn
Cons
- Proprietary charging cable
| Blade Type | Foil |
| Corded or Cordless | Cordless |
| Battery Life | 45 minutes |
| Case Included? | Yes |
So when Panasonic announced the Arc5 Pro, I was intrigued before I even picked it up. The brand had earned that benefit of the doubt. After one shave, the new model seemed poised to continue the streak. But great first impressions only go so far, so I spent more than a month putting the Arc5 Pro through its paces. Here's how it fared.
Design and Features
The new Arc5 Pro features a five-blade foil shaving head, similar to previous models. While the brand says this iteration includes newly engineered foils in a diagonal pattern that increase cutting efficiency, they look about the same to the naked eye. This isn’t a bad thing, to be clear, as the OG Arc5 has some of the smoothest, quickest-cutting blades you’ll find in an electric razor. And just like the versions before it, the Pro offers 70,000 cross cuts per minute, powered by a 14,000 CPM motor.
It runs for about 45 minutes from a single charge, which is also in line with previous installments. Now, what separates it from the older versions is its new flexible head design. This is the real innovation of the Arc5 Pro. Unlike the Palm-Sized Arc5, which has no head movement, or the OG, which has minimal movement, the Pro has a limber shaver head that offers up to 20 directions of movement. It bends and pivots side to side and up and down, so it stays in contact with your skin as you move it around your face.
That means instead of you having to constantly adjust the shaver angle, the shaver adjusts itself to the shape of your face. If you prefer to use a steadier razor, or only want to use the flexible head when attacking the contours of your face, there’s an easy-to-use lock on the back of the device to turn it off and on.
Effectiveness
The Arc5 Pro offers much of the same power and efficiency as the original Arc5, and that’s a good thing. Just like when I use that tool, I rarely have to go over one area more than once, and it’s yet to give me any razor burn, irritation, or ingrown hair. I’m sporting a beard at the moment, so much of my shaving is targeting the cheeks and neck, which is also where the latest Arc5 excels.
Thanks to its new, flexible head, I found it much easier to shave my neck (which is always the most difficult area for me) without needing to overapply pressure or go over the same area three or four times. I also appreciate the small shaver cover that comes with the Pro. It easily clips on and off the device, protecting my blades when they’re not in use.
My only complaint about the Pro is that it features a unique charging plug, similar to the original. This is far from a deal breaker, as most electric razors (except Manscaped, and I’ll always love them for that) do this, even the Braun Series 9 Pro+, our best overall.
But my favorite thing about the Palm-Sized Arc5—aside from its genuinely hard-to-believe compactness—is that it charges via USB-C, so I don’t need to lug around or store another charger. It would have been great if the Pro had followed the Palm-Sized lead here, but that’s merely a nitpick. Overall, this device shaved faster and more efficiently than the Palm-Sized Arc5, and it handled tricky areas like the jawline, chin, and neck with much more ease than the OG.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy the Panasonic Arc5 Pro?
The Arc5 Pro doesn’t reinvent Panasonic’s winning formula; it refines it. You get the same powerful performance that made the original Arc5 a favorite, paired with a new flexible head that makes shaving difficult areas noticeably easier. After more than a month of testing, it delivered consistently close, irritation-free results and proved to be the most capable, comfortable Arc5 Panasonic has made yet.
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Sean Zucker is the Grooming and Reviews Editor at Men's Health. He brings over half a decade of experience covering health, wellness, and lifestyle. When Sean's not writing about hair products, you can find him running for exercise, or toward the nearest food truck.
