Many people would love a round Apple Watch. But that is not going to happen any soon. In response to that, Google built its Pixel Watch. Like many first-gen products, the Google Pixel Watch cannot become the best Android Smartwatch across its first iteration. It is tangible proof that Google cares about smartwatches again.
Design & Dimensions of Google Pixel Watch
You can say that the Pixel Watch looks like a round Apple Watch, which is not a bad thing at all. This Google watch does stand out in the massive diversity of Android Smartwatches. There’s nothing that looks & feels quite like this perfectly rounded Ingot. It’s Gorilla Glass 5 Crystal and stainless steel case curving meet with almost perfect symmetry.
A big crown completes this round design. There is a physical button between the crown and the band mount. The back of the watch contains heart rate monitoring and fitness tracking sensors. The bands for the pixel watch are also unique. It is offered in 41mm size only.
Tiny Screen, Big Borders
Pixel got a bright and beautiful screen. But it has those big bezels around it. The company does its best to hide them by using dark watch faces and black backgrounds, but that isn’t enough. Use the custom watch face or a third-party app, and you will notice it. That bezel is pretty blatant.This display feels tiny when compared with the Apple Watch Ultra screen.
The form factor of the watch is pretty compact, so using this big border makes the display feel even more cramped. You can ignore those if you are only using stock apps. Always on display is also available and turned off by default. If you like watches with small displays, you will love the pixel watch.
Performance of the Pixel Smartwatch
Smartwatches carried the burden of being functional tools and beautiful objects. The pixel watch walks through that particular challenge. It provides a solid connection with Android Smartphones with timely notifications and excellent fitness tracking. Google has optimized the wear OS for the Pixel Watch, and you will get no trouble using the watch, especially with the Google Pixel 7 Pro.
Google watch is special because it comes with the baked-in Google Assistant. You can invoke that by pressing the button or saying the key phrase. It comes in handy when you do not want to navigate using the smaller screen. The assistant will always respond quickly and accurately.
Fitness tuned by Fitbit inside the Pixel Watch
Google bought Fitbit, and both companies developed the Pixel Watch with each other’s coordination. You need the official Fitbit app to set up the smartwatch. The company introduced several improvements in workout and activity tracking. The watch monitors heart rate every minute, which is more frequent than any other smartwatch.
Pixel Watch tracks your fitness and exercises accurately. It helps you in achieving your fitness goals. The watch comes with six months of Fitbit premium which can be inviting for fitness fans.
Pixel Watch and Wear OS 3.5
Using the pixel watch is a smooth experience. That is true of the whole software experience. It can be due to the hefty 2GB of RAM and all the time Google spent optimizing the wear OS 3.5 for the Pixel Smartwatch. You can jump between opened apps instantly using the dedicated button. Wear OS is the best companion for the Google watch.
After using it, you will find that pixel is a sprightly responsive and all-around reliable watch. You will never know that it is running three-year-old hardware under the hood. We know that Google is a company that always focuses on software more than hardware. But there is still plenty of room for improvement.
Battery Timing & Fast Charging
Battery life plays an important role in the buying decision of any smartwatch. Pixel watches have a smaller battery inside that smaller chassis. So, the battery life is not great due to that tiny battery. We are in an era where Android Smartwatches can last several days on a single charge. But, the pixel watch barely passes the whole day.
Always on Display (AOD) is a feature on almost every smartwatch. If you enable that,the pixel watch will die before the end of the day. It is a below-average battery life for a smartwatch. That might be due to aggressive fitness tracking and heart rate monitoring.
Battery life aside, this thing charges very fast with the charging puck, which comes in the box. The charger has a weak magnetic connection. It seems that the watch can accidentally disconnect from the charger. Most Android smartphones have wireless power shareability. Sadly, you cannot top up the Google watch using that technology.
Needed refinements
This first iteration of Google’s Android Smartwatch is good but needs many improvements. The speaker is tiny and produces low-quality sound. The same is the scenario for microphones. If you’re a fan of smartwatch calling, then it should not be on your choice list.
Google Pixel Watch Price
The Google Pixel Watch ranges from $349 to 399 USD. There are many other options from Samsung and other manufacturers at the same price. The Galaxy Watch is a less expensive smartwatch that works seamlessly with Samsung Devices and has enhanced battery life.
You can get an Apple Watch that is more reliable and accurate than the Google watch at a similar price if you are in the Apple ecosystem. Apple Watch has the best feature set for a smartwatch, and it is the best-selling smartwatch for that reason.
Verdict
You do not hear the word ecosystem very often outside Apple products. Google is willing to change that with its products offering perks exclusive to pixel users only. Pixel smartphone, watch, and the new pixel buds make a perfect ecosystem. If you want to be part of Google’s ecosystem, then the Pixel watch should be the smartwatch of choice for you.
