The Google Pixel Watch 2 has arrived, and while it may not appear drastically different from its predecessor, the upgrades under the hood make it a compelling option. Last year, I reviewed the first ever Pixel Watch and found it to be… okay. It fell short of its potential as the best Android smartwatch. This time, Google has focused on refining the experience rather than reinventing the wheel, resulting in a much-improved device.
The new Pixel Watch 2 starts at $549 for the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi model and $649 for the 4G LTE model, marking a $100 increase over the first watch. Despite its similarities to its older sibling, the Pixel Watch 2 brings new internals that enhance its functionality, performance, and battery life. But has Google done enough to justify the price hike?
Design and Build
As I already stated, the Pixel Watch 2 appears almost identical to the original. The familiar circular design and sleek profile remain, but Google has made some subtle yet impactful changes. The watch now features a lighter aluminum body, replacing the stainless steel of the first model. This change not only reduces the weight by 10% but also enhances comfort for all-day wear.
The 41mm case is still quite small in my opinion, and the fact that Google didn’t offer a larger 45mm variant this year is a shame. However, rumors suggest that the Pixel Watch 3 will address this oversight. Nevertheless, the watch is comfortable enough that I often forget I’m even wearing it.
You also get a choice of three finishes: Polished Silver, Matte Black, and Champagne Gold. Every colorway comes with the same black, curved dome face, primarily designed to hide the still massive bezels. If you didn’t like this with the first watch, unfortunately, it’s still here. I’d much rather have a flatter display if it meant more screen real estate, but you can’t deny that the domed look of the Watch 2 makes it stand out from the crowd.
The cover glass is now thinner yet just as durable. Even though I was consistently anxious about cracking it against a door frame or something, I never had any issues with scratching or abrasions. Still, I am more conscious of how I move my arms when wearing the Pixel Watch 2. It may be made with Gorilla Glass 5, but that curve just screams, “I’m gonna crack at any excuse.”
I should point out that if you crack or smash this display, uhm, you might as well fork out for a brand new watch. Google has no repair program for these watches which is a huge concern, especially for those who have active, outdoor lifestyles.
The display itself is a 1.2-inch AMOLED, and it’s bright and vibrant, with a 320ppi, meaning text and icons are extremely sharp and easy to make out. The display can also boost to 1000 nits while outdoors. I never really had an issue seeing the watch face outdoors, even in the bright Queensland sun.
New this year is that the always-on display mode is now enabled by default, which is a welcome addition. Obviously, if battery life is a concern, it’s best to turn this off and use the raise-to-wake feature instead. Also appreciated is the maturation of the selection of watch faces. The first Pixel Watch had a limited number, but I was pleasantly surprised by the wealth of faces now available.
The digital crown has been slightly redesigned for better usability, though I’m not a fan of the haptics. On the Apple Watch, rotating the crown results in satisfying haptic feedback localized to the crown. However, on the Watch 2, the haptics are in the watch itself, leaving the crown feeling rather loose. That said, the motion of the crown is smooth, and you can also press it in for further functions. There’s also a function button above the crown that lets you access Google Assistant or view your recent apps with a tap.
As usual, the Watch 2 uses Google’s proprietary watch band connector, which I still find really finicky to use. It takes me ages to get them off and about the same time to get them on. I’d hate to be changing bands frequently. That said, it works well enough, and Google has a good variety of silicon, woven, leather, and metal bands, though still far behind Apple’s collection.
The back of the watch has also changed to accommodate some new sensors and a new 4-pin, fast-charging puck that can only connect to the watch in one specific way. That’s a change from the smooth puck from last year, which didn’t care how you plopped the phone onto it. I do like how this new puck is more secure, so when it’s connected, you aren’t worried about coming back to find that the watch didn’t charge because it wasn’t seated correctly.
Performance and Software
Under the hood, the Pixel Watch 2 boasts a new Qualcomm 5100 quad-core processor with 2GB SDRAM and 32GB of eMMC flash storage for your apps and media. This setup, running on the latest version of Google’s Wear OS 4.0, results in a smoother and more responsive experience.
Apps load faster, and navigating through the interface feels snappier. The new processor also contributes to improved battery life, with the watch comfortably lasting a full day on a single charge — often well into a second day depending on usage, especially with fitness and GPS tracking.
I appreciate the simplicity and fluidity of Wear OS 4.0, which now supports many useful apps, including Gmail, Google Calendar, and even WhatsApp. Navigating the Watch 2 is a breeze, whether you use the crown or touch navigation — the latter being my preference. Swiping down on the screen reveals the settings menu, while swiping up brings up all your notifications.
Swiping left brings you to Tiles, which are quick pages for specific functions like fitness, step counters, timers, calendar, or weather. You can choose from a variety and arrange them to your preference using the Watch App for Android. Swiping right brings up your last used Tile. I found these Tiles practical and useful in my everyday use.
There’s also a good amount of integration if you have a Google Pixel 8 phone. Once connected, you can easily unlock your phone or watch with the other device. You can also control the camera, something I find handy as a budding content creator who uses my phone to record videos of myself. Is it at the level of iPhone/Apple Watch seamlessness? No, but Google is on the right track, and I’m keen to see how this improves with the next Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel 9 phones.
Battery life has always been a critical aspect of smartwatches, especially with the previous Pixel Watch that could barely make it through 18-20 hours of light use. Thankfully, the Pixel Watch 2 doesn’t disappoint. Despite the always-on display, the watch manages to maintain a 24-hour battery life.
Now, to be fair, about 8 hours of that is during sleep when you aren’t using the watch for much other than sleep tracking. That’s also improved, with the watch sipping just about 10% battery compared to the crazy 20% of the previous model. Gone are the days of the watch dying on me while sleeping.
Additionally, the new charging mechanism allows for faster charging, making it easier to top up the battery quickly. Using a 30W charger, the Pixel Watch 2 will get to 50% battery in just 30 minutes and 80% in 43 minutes. By my calculations, most people will only need to plop the watch on the charger when they wake up, go through their usual morning routine, and find the watch ready to go for the whole day.
I’m very happy with the battery life improvements overall. However, that’s because I don’t use the Watch 2 with LTE, I don’t do extensive fitness tracking, and I rarely use it for navigation. So my usage might differ from what was intended. That said, it’s definitely an all-day watch, and if you don’t need to use it for sleep tracking, there’s no issue with leaving it on the charger along with your phone.
Health and Fitness Features
Google has doubled down on health and fitness with the Pixel Watch 2. The new multi-path heart rate sensor provides more accurate readings, and the watch now includes auto-recognition for workouts. After about 10 minutes of activity, the Watch will recognize if you are walking or running and ask if you want to start recording. This feature was missing on the previous model, so it’s a welcome addition.
The Watch 2 comes equipped with a wealth of sensors to monitor your heart rate, oxygen saturation, body responses, and women’s period cycles. Notably, it has the uncanny ability to monitor your body’s responses to stress and periodically alert you if it detects something unusual. You are then prompted to log your mood or practice some guided mindfulness.
In my experience, this feature has been hit and miss. The Watch 2 sometimes alerted me when I was just focused on writing an article or sitting on the couch enjoying Netflix. I can’t recall a time when I was genuinely anxious or stressed and the watch correctly identified it. Still, this could be a great feature for some users.
There’s a much better and tighter integration with Fitbit now that Google owns it, and Pixel Watch owners get six months of Fitbit Premium with their purchase. However, I still think it’s a bit daft and even slightly predatory that you have to pay for a premium subscription for a service that is central to the Pixel Watch experience.
A new feature that would be great for my kids as well as for anyone who likes going off the beaten track is the Personal Safety Check. This includes a collection of features like Safety Check, Fall Detection, and Medical Details. Whether you fall and get injured while mountain climbing or just need assurance when your teenage daughter is out with friends, there’s something useful for everyone.
Honestly, there’s a wealth of health and wellness features in the Pixel Watch 2 that are both compelling and useful. I’m fortunate to enjoy good health and wellness, so most of these don’t apply to me. I’m also not serious enough about my workouts to need all the tracking features available. I just like to do some light workouts, stretches, and walks to keep in shape. So aside from step tracking, most other features go unused by me.
Conclusion
The Google Pixel Watch 2 may not be a revolutionary upgrade, but it is a significant refinement of an already solid smartwatch. With its lighter design, improved performance, and enhanced health features, it stands out as one of the best Wear OS watches available. Google has addressed most of the issues I had with the first watch.
I’m still not completely sold though. The lack of size options and the absurd bezels still take up too much precious space. Other manufacturers like Samsung and Garmin offer bigger, more rugged, and varied watch options, appealing to a broader range of buyers. While I appreciate the aesthetic of the Pixel Watch, I would prefer a flatter, less anxiety-inducing design.
However, the Pixel Watch 2 is at least $50-100 cheaper than Samsung’s equivalent, making it a compelling option for any Android user, especially a Pixel Phone user. While I haven’t had the opportunity to review Samsung’s Galaxy Watches, the Pixel Watch 2’s price and features make it well worth considering.
Google Australia kindly provided the Pixel Watch 2 to PowerUp for the purpose of this review
