Google’s Pixel Watch is the Android smartwatch we’ve been ready for a lengthy time. It’s gentle, slim, and simple to put on, and its pebble-like development matches every part. Some folks may complain its 41mm dimension is somewhat too small for Google to not provide a number of sizes like different smartwatch makers, however frankly, I feel the Pixel Watch is an ideal dimension.

Unfortunately, that’s concerning the extent of my pleasure for the Pixel Watch. Everything else makes the smartwatch really feel like a demo unit—like an Android gadget operating the beta. The factor about betas is that whereas it’s enjoyable to run them and declare to be first to the desk, they’re additionally a lesson in why you may select to attend for the kinks to get labored out.

The Pixel Watch definitely has kinks, although they’re not all dealbreakers. If you’re an Android consumer and that is your first time contemplating a smartwatch, and Samsung isn’t doing it for you, it’s a terrific place to start out. But I wouldn’t bounce simply but for those who’ve already determined you want what you’re sporting.

Round like a stone

The Pixel Watch is a superb design as a result of it’s easy. In phrases of aesthetics, it’s the round equal of the Apple Watch’s sq.. It even makes use of a domed display impact. Unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4/5, there isn’t any aluminum border to consider on the Pixel Watch. But there’s a protruding crown. It’s as clean to make use of because the Apple Watch’s, although it stands out simply as a lot. Thankfully, it didn’t hassle me whereas sleeping with it.

The Pixel Watch is obtainable in a single dimension and 4 completely different finishes, together with a dusty rose gold I want I might have checked out. It is pre-fitted with a watchband known as the lively band. You can select a metallic hyperlink band or mesh strap if you wish to spend $200 and $130, respectively. Other Google-made bands value anyplace from $50-$80. On high of the bottom value of the Pixel Watch—$350 for Wi-Fi Only and $400 for LTE—that’s fairly a bit to spend money on a smartwatch that can have a lifespan of about three years.

Annoyingly, the Pixel Watch’s bands are proprietary, which is what I don’t like concerning the Apple Watch. I choose the Samsung Galaxy Watch as a result of I should buy low-cost watch bands off Amazon and swap them out and in. At least the Pixel Watch’s clasping mechanism is good and durable, although it requires a little bit of a studying curve to determine. So did the Apple Watch. Both are much less hectic to make use of than the standardized approach that Samsung handles watchbands, however I’d relatively cope with that and purchase what I would like. Hopefully, the Pixel Watch will promote models, and there will probably be extra third-party Pixel Watch band choices.

I’ve already complained concerning the bezel after realizing it’s a bit greater than that on the Galaxy Watch 4/5. It’s minimal, however it’s there. I particularly discover it when making an attempt out the WatchMaker watch face app. And whereas the smartwatch is water-resistant as much as 5 ATM, it appears to have some questionable sturdiness. I’m nonetheless mouth agape over The Verge’s cracked show on their assessment unit.

Wear OS with a dial

Pixel Watch runs the most recent Wear OS 3.5, which you’ll discover on the Galaxy Watch, albeit with Samsung’s flavoring. There is a little bit of a distinction in interface between the 2. The Pixel Watch makes use of the acquainted swipe to the left to shuffle by means of Tiles, configurable on the watch or the Wear OS app in your telephone. But it begins to vary whenever you’re in search of notifications or the app drawer: on the Pixel Watch, swiping up will get you to your notifications, whereas urgent the dial brings up the record of apps. On Samsung Watches, you swipe to the left for notifications and up on the principle display to disclose the grid of apps. Since I’ve been on a Samsung watch all this time, the Pixel Watch tripped me up the primary few days. It’s simply one other reminder of how barely various things will be between Google and Samsung {hardware}.

Aesthetically, the Material You stylings of the Pixel Watch match impeccably with a Pixel smartphone. But I choose the watchOS-wannabe app drawer of Samsung’s flavoring than the right here’s-a-list-of-apps tackle the Pixel Watch. There have been additionally some situations when too many notifications would gather within the shade, and the 1.9-inch show would seem filled with data.

The Pixel Watch does have some skills the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4/5 doesn’t. For one, good dwelling controls by means of Google Home, which I’d choose to make use of on the Galaxy Watch 4. (Samsung would really like you to make use of SmartThings or arrange a routine by means of Bixby, however I don’t have time to handle this.) The Pixel Watch can be embedded with Google Assistant, whereas on Samsung, it’s important to swap over to it because the default. I by no means have it operating within the background to hear for me since I’ve good audio system in all places, so I didn’t check the battery life with Assistant idling within the background.

Funny sufficient, the Pixel Watch runs on a Samsung-made Exynos 9110. It’s about 4 years previous—Samsung final used it within the first-generation Galaxy Watch earlier than it adopted Wear OS—however it’s been tweaked with Google’s AI smarts. There can be 2GB of reminiscence within the watch—greater than the Galaxy Watch 5, even, and 32GB of storage for apps, music, and photographs.

Some lacking options

The Pixel Watch has all of the requisite sensors for primary life monitoring: an accelerometer, compass, gyroscope, altimeter, EKG sensor, ambient gentle sensor, and a steady coronary heart charge sensor that Google says it labored with “experts” to make one of the best. I discovered the center charge sensor on par with the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 5, which I switched between as I examined the Pixel Watch. I observed it picked up on my most worrying moments of the day, simply because the Galaxy Watch 4 does.

The Pixel Watch can be lacking some important options out there with different smartwatches. It doesn’t have a temperature sensor, just like the Apple Watch, or crash detection, although that’s out there by means of a linked Pixel smartphone. It additionally doesn’t have fall detection till later this 12 months. And whereas it does have SpO2 monitoring, it’s presently dormant.

You can long-press the crown on the Pixel Watch in an emergency or push it quickly 5 occasions to name for assist, however it’s all contingent on whether or not you select the mobile mannequin or have your smartphone close by. I hope this doesn’t flip right into a scenario the place folks complain within the boards about by chance dialing for assist.

How a lot do you want Fitbit?

How do you are feeling about utilizing Fitbit? I’ve talked about it earlier than, however I’ve been married to Samsung Health since I began as a Galaxy Watch consumer a number of years in the past. I caught with Samsung not out of allegiance however as a result of it was the best path to take with out interrupting my routine.

It took me some time to refamiliarize myself with Fitbit, because it’s been 5 years since I touched the app. It nonetheless doesn’t encourage me to go away Samsung Health. I just like the aggregation of stats and the beautiful graphs that Fitbit places collectively after you’ve spent a while with it. It additionally provides a restoration rating for people who’re simply beginning, and it’s good to have your app remind you to relaxation since society gained’t. The exercise and meditation programming is a bit more strong than what Samsung Health provides, although it’s important to pay $10/month for Fitbit Premium to entry that content material. But I can simply export all the identical knowledge to Strava and Google Fit.

Fitbit is somewhat higher at noticing the minor elements of your day that contribute to total wellness. It’s nice at monitoring stairs, which the Galaxy Watch 4/5 has faltered on for me. It additionally provides an in depth morning-after sleep evaluation, although I used to be bummed the Pixel Watch wasn’t monitoring my naps the best way the Galaxy Watch does. But Fitbit isn’t as stringent about the way it tracks exercises. I’m not at my fittest proper now—I’m nonetheless coping with residual post-COVID signs. But even on my afternoon walks, the Galaxy Watch pauses monitoring once I’m resting or taking a Pokemon Go break, whereas the Pixel Watch retains it going as if it have been a part of this system. It additionally didn’t choose up on me selecting up my daughter’s toys, garments, and mess, and I recognize that the Galaxy Watch offers me exercise credit score once I’m getting my coronary heart charge up making an attempt to place the home again collectively.

The common consensus is that the Pixel Watch isn’t for hardcore health fanatics or coaching athletes. It’s for informal customers, which is how the unique Fitbit step counter was billed. Google is fortunate it might fold Fitbit’s expertise into its smartwatch ecosystem, however it looks like it purchased its option to parity. I’ll be curious to see if the corporate expands on Fitbit’s base for its smartwatches just like the Apple Watch Ultra or Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro.

The battery is okay, however not one of the best

I haven’t had an opportunity to do any mountaineering or adventuring with the Pixel Watch, so I haven’t examined its battery on the path. But I discovered the battery life to be acceptable for my day-to-day use. I don’t normally sleep with a smartwatch, so it’s all the time on the charger on the finish of the day. It’s price noting that my assessment unit is an LTE mannequin, and mobile connectivity is usually extra taxing on the battery. I additionally don’t use the always-on show.

If you do occur to go away your charger at dwelling, the Pixel Watch can handle to carry on in a single day. I slept with 30 p.c on the watch after placing it into evening mode for sleep monitoring. In the morning, I had about 16 p.c left on the battery, and it took about 5 hours for it to peter out ultimately. There is a power-saving mode on the watch you possibly can interact for those who want somewhat further enhance, which is able to flip off the display and all connections.

What’s the decision?

I’ve some Android-using associates who pre-ordered the Pixel Watch sight unseen. There’s clearly been anticipation for Google to convey one thing of its personal to pair with its phenomenal Pixel smartphone lineup. Most of these buddies weren’t on Samsung watches earlier than this or have been already within the Fitbit ecosystem, ready for one thing else to return alongside. If you’re a kind of folks, the Pixel Watch is price a strive for those who can abdomen that $350 beginning worth.

I’m already squarely in Samsung’s health ecosystem, and since they’ve been at it somewhat longer, I’m inclined to remain on this platform regardless of the Googley bits I’m lacking out on. Adding Health Connect to the Android working system will make it simpler for all these completely different health and wellness ecosystems to talk, making decisions like this somewhat simpler down the road. At the very least, there’s now a plain Google-made watch to select from if nothing else out there’s calling your title. Hopefully, Google sticks with this one for a while to return.