After getting a glimpse of the Google Pixel Watch earlier this year, we’ve been eager for details about the company’s first smartwatch. Now, we finally know more.
The Wear OS-powered Pixel Watch features a 41mm shiny stainless steel case, a colorful 320ppi AMOLED always-on display with a unique domed glass design, and a fluoroelastomer Active band with a soft-touch coating. Google has not yet revealed the size of the display, but it looks to be surrounded by a fairly thick black bezel. As for pricing, the Pixel Watch starts at $349.99 for Bluetooth/Wi-Fi, or $399.99 for 4G LTE connectivity.
The Pixel Watch will directly compete with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, which starts at a more affordable $279.99. The Galaxy Watch 5 series also runs Wear OS, but with Samsung’s One UI Watch 4.5(Opens in a new window) software.
The Pixel Watch is not exclusive to Pixel phones. Like the Galaxy Watch 5, it works with smartphones running Android 8.0 (or newer). In other words, you can pair it with a Samsung handset, or another Android-powered phone, if you want.
Distinctively Domed
The Pixel Watch’s domed face is its most distinctive feature. “The circular, domed design nods to classic watches with a modern twist,” Google says.
Similar to the Apple Watch, the Pixel Watch features a tactile crown on the right side of the case, which is made from 80% recycled stainless steel. A physical button is situated above the crown.
(Credit: Google)
The Pixel Watch only comes in one size, with a slightly larger case than the 40mm Galaxy Watch 5. Samsung’s lineup offers more variety in terms of sizing, with a larger 44mm Watch 5 and a 45mm Pro model. The Apple Watch Series 8 comes in 41mm and 45mm sizes, and the rugged Apple Watch Ultra features a massive 49mm case.
Google’s wearable measures 12.3 mm (just shy of half-inch) thick and weighs about 1.3 ounces without the band. Its display brightness maxes out at 1,000 nits, like Samsung’s latest wearables and the Apple Watch Series 8. The display is protected by durable Corning Gorilla Glass 5 to prevent scratching.
It comes in three case colors: Matte Black (with a matching Obsidian colored band), Polished Silver (with either a dark gray Charcoal or off-white Chalk band), and Champagne Gold (with a light gray Hazel band). I wish Google paired the champagne gold with the chalk-colored band, but this is a small gripe. It will ship with small and large size bands in the box to accommodate wrists measuring 5.1 to 8.2 inches.
Some of the accessory band options
(Credit: Google)
Google is launching the Pixel Watch alongside a range of compatible accessory straps (sold separately) in different materials and colors, including woven, stretch, two-tone leather, and crafted leather. Metal mesh and metal link bands are slated to arrive next spring.
Battery Life and Specs
The Pixel Watch features a 294mAh battery, which promises 24 hours of power on a charge. Google says a full charge will take about 80 minutes, and 30 minutes on the charger will give it 50% juice.
I can’t verify those claims until I get the device in hand, but for now, let’s examine the real-world battery performance of Samsung’s and Apple’s latest models for the sake of comparison.
(Credit: Google)
The small and large Galaxy Watch 5 models are powered by 284mAh and 410mAh batteries, respectively. In my testing, the small Watch 5 lasted about 30 hours on a charge with the always-on display enabled. Disabling the always-on display bumped the battery life to 36 hours, which included two full nights of sleep tracking.
The small Apple Watch Series 8 features a 282mAh battery, and the large size has a 308mAh cell. In my testing, the large Series 8 lasted 30.5 hours on a charge with normal to heavy use, and as long as 40 hours with light use.
(Credit: Google)
On the inside, the Pixel Watch sports a Exynos 9110 SoC (which is several years old) and a Cortex 33 co-processor. Google says this dual-processor architecture “is optimized to give you accurate heart rate data while still maintaining all-day battery life.”
The Pixel Watch features a 5ATM rating, the same water-resistance spec as the Galaxy Watch 5 series, meaning it’s safe when submerged to a depth of 164 feet for 10 minutes. Google says it’s “designed to be used in shallow water, and should not be used for activities involving water at high velocity or high temperature.”
The Apple Watch Series 8 features a similar WR50 rating, meaning it’s also resistant to 164 feet. The Apple Watch Ultra has a far superior WR100 rating, meaning it can withstand depths of up to 328 feet and is safe for recreational scuba diving and high-speed water sports (such as water skiing).
Basically a Fitbit
Besides its design, the Pixel Watch’s Fitbit integration is its biggest differentiator from the Galaxy Watch 5. When previewing the Pixel Watch at its I/O developer conference this past spring, Google promised “deep” Fitbit integration, and now we have details.
Fitbit, which is now a Google subsidiary, is powering the health and fitness features of the Pixel Watch. Google’s wearable uses Fitbit-developed technology to track your daily activity, heart rate, sleep, workouts, and other health metrics. For fitness tracking, the Pixel Watch features 40 workout modes like Fitbit’s new Sense 2 and Versa 4 smartwatches. It supports Fitbit’s popular heart rate-based Active Zone Minutes metric, and recovery-focused Daily Readiness Score. It also features an ECG app, which will let you check your heart rhythm for signs of atrial fibrillation (AFib) on demand.
Recommended by Our Editors
The Pixel Watch works with the Fitbit app
(Credit: Google)
The Pixel Watch works with the Fitbit app, and comes with six months of Fitbit Premium (normally $9.99 monthly or $79.99 yearly), which gives you access to a library of more than 1,000 workouts and 400 mindfulness sessions, including meditations with Deepak Chopra.
I plan to test the Pixel Watch alongside Fitbit’s top-tier model, the $299.95 Sense 2, so stay tuned for all the details of how they compare and contrast. For now, it’s safe to say that Google’s Wear OS-powered model boasts a wider selection of apps and lifestyle features, while the Sense 2 is more health focused.
All the Google Apps
In terms of apps, the Pixel Watch features all the Google standbys, including Assistant, Gmail, Home, Maps, the Play store, and Wallet. With Google Assistant on your wrist, you’ll be able to send texts, control connected smart home devices, and more with just the sound of your voice.
The watch can also help you stay on top of your schedule and email with notifications from Gmail and Google Calendar. As another nice perk, the Pixel Watch comes with three months of YouTube Music Premium (normally $9.99 monthly).
In the Google Play Store on the Pixel Watch, you can browse and download many other apps, including: Spotify, Strava, Bitmoji, adidas Running, MyFitnessPal, and Calm. As I noted in my Galaxy Watch 5 review, Wear OS still trails Apple’s watchOS in terms of third-party app support, and is missing a few notable titles like Amazon Music, Facebook Messenger, Pandora, and Telegram.
(Credit: Google)
Wear OS offers no shortage of watch face apps to customize your clock. You can also personalize your watch face with a photo of your choice via Google Photos.
On the safety front, the Pixel Watch supports Emergency SOS, so you can alert your emergency contacts or 911 if you need help. It also supports international emergency calling so you can call for help from another country. Later this year, Google plans to roll out fall detection, a feature already available on Samsung’s and Apple’s wearables, that will automatically dial emergency services if you’re unresponsive after a hard fall.
Stay Tuned for More
We’re eager to get our hands on the Pixel Watch, so keep an eye out for our full review in the near future. In the meantime, check out our roundups of the best smartwatches and fitness trackers, and get all the details on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro smartphones Google also unveiled today.
Get Our Best Stories!
Sign up for What’s New Now to get our top stories delivered to your inbox every morning.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
PCMag Newsletters
PCMag Newsletters
Our Best Stories in Your Inbox
Honest, Objective, Lab-Tested Reviews
PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.
How We Test
Editorial Principles
(Opens in a new window)
PCMag supports Group Black and its mission to increase greater diversity in media voices and media ownerships.
© 1996-2022 Ziff Davis, LLC., a Ziff Davis company. All Rights Reserved.
PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant.