In every category, two candidates constantly go head to head in hopes of obtaining the throne. No one’s complaining though, since the whole world loves a good rivalry to lean on.
While there are various history-enriched feuds I can think of, none of them top the rivalry between Braun Series 9, and the Panasonic Arc5.
In addition to being the face of their respective franchises, both Braun Series 9 and Panasonic Arc 5 partake in a slug fest to win the title of being the best electric shaver.
And if you’re one of the many enthusiasts eager to learn about the result, allow this guide of mine to calm your nerves, based on the showdown between Panasonic Arc 5 and Braun
Series 9!
Braun Series 9 vs Panasonic Arc 5: Tale of the Tape
Before I follow through with my companions for comparison, I believe that it would only be right to keep you in the loop from the start.
Although I’m not offering a summary that will cut your engagement time down by multiple minutes, I feel that a mere display of the specifications that the Arc 5 and the Braun Series 9 can help tremendously in this regard.
From blade type to dimensions, here’s a thorough tale of the tape of both electric razors for a surface-level understanding.
[table id=854 responsive=scroll]
Braun Series 9- 9370CC vs. Panasonic Arc 5- ES-LV65 -S: Examining The Key Features
Due to being at the top of the food chain in their field, both Braun Series 9 and Panasonic Arc 5 are, at the end of the day, win-win scenarios.
Fused with the best materials from head to toe, it’s extremely easy to feel conflicted when picking between the two. Trust me – I would know!
Nonetheless, once you look closer for inspection, it’s kind of easier to establish a better comprehension of the two. But if you can’t do it yourself, allow my breakdown to be of some assistance!
Shaving Elements
Starting off with the shaving elements, the Braun Series 9 carries a 4-in-1 blade system, while the Panasonic Arc 5 breaks records with its super durable, 5-way shaving elements.
Judging solely by the cassette, the OptFoils of the Braun Series 9 are definitely a bit more spacious from a physical standpoint.
Image: 
In contrast, the Finishing foils are just as elongated, but a bit more compact, being better at grabbing shorter pieces from sharper angles.
The Hyper Lift & Cut foil on the cassette of the Series 9 feels like the long lost twin of the Lift Tech foil, not only because they look similar, but also because they serve the same purpose .
While the Panasonic Arc 5 makes space for a pair of Quick Comb blades to increase its efficiency, the Braun Series 9 takes it easy with another middle trimmer to eliminate longer lengths, along with a metal bar to prevent direct skin-to-blade contact.
Flexibility In Pivoting Head
Making more room for movement is the Panasonic Arc 5’s 16-D Multi-flex shaving head, which will definitely feel exaggerated once you go through my performance review. Despite the bluff, however, I still think it offers more flexibility than electric razors in its field.
The 10-D Flex Head of the Braun Series 9 doesn’t only sound convincing, but is also true. While it only moves upwards and downwards, moving in angular ways is no biggie for the shaving head. Just look at the photos of both if you don’t believe me!
Sensor Technology
When it comes to protecting beginner shavers from cuts and razor burns, and helping sensitive skin from inflammation, both Braun Series 9 and Panasonic Arc 5 are as useful as it gets.
While both are assigned to assess the beard density before adjusting the movement of the device, SyncroSonic Technology and the Shave Sensor feature of the Arc 5 are extremely different from one another.
Nonetheless, they’re still wired with the same properties, while committing to the same responsibilities; enabling an injury-free shaving session.
Cutting Actions Per Minute
Instead of counting the motor power, I often take into account the cutting actions per minute of electric shavers, since that’s what truly defines the speed of the system.
That being said, in this race, the Arc 5 runs laps around the Braun Series 9, with its foils covering an aggregate CPM of 70,000.
In comparison, Braun Series 9 is still valid, supported by a net CPM of 40,000.
Design and Ergonomics
While both are light in contrast to some that regard themselves a heavy-duty shaver for black men, the Arc 5 has a slightly favorable build if you’re into lean structures.
In contrast, the Braun Series 9 is a bit bulky, but makes up for its deceiving appearance by providing a billed weight which is similar to a feather.
Running on minimal aesthetics, the Braun Series 9 is held by a small LCD bar for its battery, while only making space for the power button, a head-locking feature, and the pop-up trimmer underneath the shaving elements.
The Arc 5 appears to move in the same lane, making space for solely the necessities, which would be the power switch, a rotary knob for the travel-lock feature, and spacing for the pop-up trimmer.
Overall, I’d vouch for both if I were to recommend these to elderly men seeking a shaving companion.
Battery Life
One thing about both these shavers that completely baffled me is their battery life, as despite carrying Li-Ion batteries, the Arc 5 offers a runtime of 45 minutes. Conversely, the Braun Series 9 provides juice for only an hour; an element that I’ve ranted about in the second half of this guide.
Charging Station
Though the Panasonic Arc 5 does provide an all-in-one cleaning center like the Braun Series 9’s Smart Clean Center, I missed out on it due to signing up for one of the S models.
In short, the label “S” stands for solo, and implies that my purchase was made without the charging station. It also means that, to charge the device, I have to resort to the age-old habit of using a charger.
On another note, the Braun Series 9 and its 9370CC model not only provides an allrounder of a cleaning station, but also a charger just in case the former needs some maintenance.
Test Results: Braun Series 9 vs. Panasonic Arc 5
The first half is where I talked about the structure of both electric razors, while exploring the purpose of each specification and compartment belonging to the Panasonic Arc 5 and Braun Series 9.
And though my initial perception of both shavers was on the same wavelength due to their above-mediocre price tags, pitting them against one another opened my eyes enough to side with the real winner.
Without further ado, here’s all that I discovered about the Panasonic Arc 5 and Braun Series 9 after using them regularly over the past couple of months, along with a full performance review for the ultimate winner!
Shaving Closeness
As covered earlier, both Braun Series 9 and Panasonic Arc 5 have 5-way shaving elements to protect and serve with caution and efficiency.
When it comes to being a close shaver, however, the winner in my eyes is definitely the Arc 5.
Don’t get me wrong; I love how productive the Braun Series 9 is with its Optfoils, which come into play after the trimmers of the cassette system mow down the longer strands. The CPM of the 9370CC is also impressive at 10,000, but requires more swipes than its opponent.
This is because, not only are the foils of the Arc 5 sharper, but the cutting action per minute is also over 16,000, outnumbering the Braun Series 9 in an unfathomable way.
What also makes the Arc 5 the better candidate when it comes to close-shaves is the fact that it has 5 dedicated shaving elements on the foil system, which is miles above the 4-way shaving components and one protective guard of Braun Series 9.
The additional shaving element not only allows the Arc 5 to collect more hair, but also results in better skin-close shaves on my face.
Skin Comforting Abilities
The Braun Series 9 loses out on what is a close battle against the Arc 5 in creating closer shaves.
It’s on the flipside in terms of comfort, bolting past its foil shaving companion before crossing the finish line.
The wider foils on its blade system definitely pave the way for the Braun Series 9 to secure the win in this regard, while the Skin Guard secures assists to establish a sense of comfort.
SyncroSonic technology might be slower than the Sensor technology of Panasonic Arc 5, but it’s definitely more precise in reading the beard density of mine, making Braun Series 9 the better shaver for sensitive skin.
The Panasonic Arc 5 isn’t too bad, either, but loses out due to its speed setting, and its relatively laid-back sensor, resulting in a bit of discomfort than the former.
Moving in more directions than the Braun Series 9 does look great in theory for the Panasonic Arc 5. But in reality, the pivoting head feels more stiff in contrast to the water-like movement that the 10-D flex head of Braun creates, making it the better substitute for a neck shaver.
Impact Of Craftsmanship
The ergonomics of both really played a pivotal role in this performance review.
This is because, when push comes to shove, apart from the blade system, the usability of the craftsmanship and design is everything.
Luckily, both Panasonic Arc 5 and Braun Series 9 passed with flying colors, despite being backed by different elements to secure a passing grade.
With the Arc 5, I found tons of help in its LCD display, especially due to the time it makes to display the battery status in numbers.
It also has a travel-lock feature, which preserves power, enhancing its longevity in the future.
I’d pick the Braun Series 9 over the Arc 5 when it comes to craftsmanship still, primarily due to its chrome paint job.
The Braun Series 9 just feels more premium and visually sound, not only because of its color, but also because of the rubberized grip at the back.
While it makes very little space for its LCD display, the minimal nature of the battery status is exactly what I like on my electric shaver!
Navigational Potential
The navigational freedom found in both Braun Series 9 and Panasonic Arc 5 is also beyond imagination for me, with both tools being extremely light.
My palms and fingers really like the comfort of the Arc 5 better due to its slender handle, as well as the overall weight of the device, which amounts to 6.9 ounces.
I have no complaints regarding Braun Series 9, either, since it’s still extremely light, even with the bulky design. In addition, the rubberized back side tends to reward me with tons of grip control, which my clammy palms find a lot of trust in.
Endurance
Though electric shavers like the FX02 make the duo of Braun Series 9 and Panasonic Arc 5 look a bit out of place and out of breath, both still comprise a fair amount of endurance to reach shaving completion.
Do they both have enough juice in their system to accommodate multiple shaves for me? Of course.
However, even for Panasonic’s standards, the battery life of 45-minute is really underwhelming, and needs some growth. I can’t even accept its quick charging abilities as a form of consolation.
Braun isn’t any better in this category either, since reaching a 60-minute mark even after tons of upgrades over the years still makes the Series 9 and its Li-Ion battery unimpressive, especially when compared to corded shavers.
Wet/Dry Shaving Potential
With both possessing waterproof housing and lean user-friendly handles, the Braun Series 9 and Panasonic Arc 5 feel like a breeze to use, irrespective of the shaving method you’ve sided with.
The overpowered motor and superior foil system of the Panasonic Arc 5 covers more ground and removes more hair at a shorter time frame than its rival, while Braun Series 9 feels more skin-friendly and gentle due to having a more responsive sensor and wider foils to capture the hair.
In terms of navigation, both feel amazing. The matte based handle of the Arc 5 always wraps around my fingers seamlessly, while the much bulkier Braun Series 9 comforts my palm with its rubberized backside.
Convenience During Travel
From an aesthetic standpoint, I really prefer the leather-based pouch of the Panasonic Arc 5, which carries just the right size to cater to the dimensions of the electric razor. While great on the outside, the thin foaming of the pouch is risky to rely on, particularly if you’re trying to avoid fall damage.
The travel lock of the Arc 5 is helpful in preventing accidental power-ups for sure, but feels irrelevant and ineffective when discussing the weak security measures taken by the travel pouch.
While I can’t say that the Braun Series 9’s travel pouch holds up well against that of the Arc 5 from a visual standpoint, the flooring of the velcro is definitely thicker, hence more reliable when it’s time to hop on an airplane.
As long as you can live without the cleaning station, the Braun Series 9 should be more reasonable to travel with. However, overall, both can accompany you if you want a sizable travel shaver!
Aftercare & Maintenance
As far as maintenance goes, I’d say both have promising facilitators. Therefore, the winner really depends on your preferences.
For instance, I quite prefer the Smart Care Center of Braun, which cleans and renews the system on its own. All I have to do is lock the device in the station, and press the power button to let the replenishment begin.
The former isn’t always nice, however, especially when I have to spend on replacement cartridges for the cleaning station. In short, give yourself the green signal if you have the budget.
That being said, if you’d like to play it smart, as well as save a huge chunk from your budget, go forward with the Panasonic Arc 5.
While you can always add a cleaning station to your cart to change the experience, having the solo model isn’t as bad as you think. The Arc 5 ES-LV65 -S model can be cleaned using a brush, some soap, and a thorough rinse.
Frequently Asked Question
Before closing out my guide, here are some questions that will definitely help you if you haven’t yet made your pick between Panasonic Arc 5 and Braun Series 9; the two greatest figures in the history of electric shaving.
Q: Which electric shaver between the Panasonic Arc 5 and Braun Series 9 is better at close-shaving?
Ans: Accumulating 5 foil shavers made for total nonstop action, with each foil possessing 16000 cutting actions per minute, the Panasonic Arc 5 wins the close-shaving contest with its eyes closed.
In contrast, due to having 4 different components for shaving and covering 10,000 cutting actions per minute on each shaving assistant, the Braun Series 9 significantly falls behind in this regard.
Q: Should I pick Braun Series 9 for sensitive skin?
Ans: On the other hand, for sensitive skin, the Skin Guard, a bar crammed in between the foils and trimmers of Braun Series 9, makes it a no-brainer to rely on this travel-ready electric shaver on sensitive skin.
SyncroSonic technology is also better than Panasonic Arc 5’s shaving sensor at assessing beard density and adjusting speed settings, further proving my two cents on this matter.
Q: Which shaver is more durable between the Arc 5 and Series 9?
Ans: In my humble opinion, both shavers are great candidates, carrying blades with longevity, which often need replacement every 18 months.
When it comes to build quality, however, the Braun Series 9 feels a bit more shock and fall-resistant with its bulky build.
Upon making a purchase, Braun also offers a 2 year warranty, being more open to offering a new device to make up for faulty hardware.
Final Takeaway: The Braun Series 9 Is Unbeatable
Though time waits for no one, it’s also true that diamonds last forever.
Likewise, while it will eventually be overcome by a successor, the Braun Series 9 is truly timeless.
Its efficient sensor technology, attention to detail when catering to sensitive skin, ergonomic design and defense-first foil system makes it the equivalent to the king of the hill in electric shavers, even over the Panasonic Arc 5, which feels a bit better for hairless results!
