When a new smartwatch launches, you know I’m first in line to shop, and the Google Pixel Watch is one that I keep returning to. Now, I’m going to tell you why.
Google’s Pixel Watches have always had a circular design, but the latest Pixel Watch 5 is one that doesn’t just look great but truly surprised me with what’s under the hood.
Pros:
- Sleek, lightweight design with a bright AMOLED display
- Extensive health and fitness tracking features
- AI-powered health coaching and personalized recommendations
- Fast charging and reliable all-day battery life
- Compatible with Samsung Galaxy and other Android phones
Cons:
- Google Health Premium features require a paid subscription after the trial
- Not compatible with iPhones
- Few major hardware upgrades over the Pixel Watch 4
- More expensive than its predecessor
The Google Pixel Watch 5 combines a sleek, lightweight design with advanced health and fitness tracking features, including AI-powered coaching and personalized insights. With all-day battery life, a bright AMOLED display and compatibility with most Android phones, it’s a great option for anyone looking to upgrade their smartwatch.
Weight: 31g (41mm), 36.7g (45mm) | Display: Always-on AMOLED LTPO | Battery life: Up to 30 hours (41mm), 40 hours (45mm) | Water resistance: 5 ATM, IP68 | Connectivity: Bluetooth 6.0, Wi-Fi, GPS, optional LTE | Compatibility: Android 12 or newer
Design
The Pixel Watch 5 has an aluminum build and a tactile dial on the side, paired with a water-resistant rubber band that can make it through sweaty gym workouts or showers.
The watch has an IP68 water- and dust-resistant design, so you barely have to worry about taking it off. The screen is made from Corning Gorilla Glass 5, and it’s scratch-resistant and extremely durable, tackling long days without breaking, snagging or suffering even a single scratch.
Other than that, you have an always-on AMOLED display that looks beautiful even on bright days, and a dial big enough to look at your latest stats.
Health features
You’re buying a smartwatch not just for its design but for its health features, and the Google Pixel Watch 5 excels here.
It syncs with your phone’s Google Health app, which now brings Fitbit’s health and fitness tracking under one platform. You’ll get three months of Google Health Premium included, which offers AI health coaching and guidance, as well as:
- Personalized fitness plans
- Detailed sleep insights
- Workout and mindfulness library
Of course, you don’t need a Google Health Premium subscription to use your watch’s baseline sleep monitoring (including your morning sleep score), readiness score, cycle tracking or activity and fitness tracking. The subscription is just an added perk that’s fun to play with.
I highly recommend keeping it going, though, especially if you have a particular fitness or weight loss goal in mind. You can chat with your AI coach, asking questions about your readiness score and how to improve it. I liked that it kept me on track and motivated for workouts.
Other Premium health features include a workout and mindfulness library, access to personalized fitness insights and other AI features to help you train harder.
I personally like the readiness score and the ability to monitor my heart rate baselines, as well as my sleep scores.
You’re able to control how many notifications you receive, and Google Health makes it easy to turn off any notifications you don’t care about. Personally, I hate receiving high heart rate health notifications because those always ping for me when I’m flying (I’m a nervous flyer), so it’s nice that I can toggle them off.
There’s also automatic workout tracking and heart rate zone monitoring for whenever you’re working out.
Battery life
Battery life is one of the biggest things I appreciate about the new Pixel Watch 5. It takes about 45 minutes to get a full charge on the 41mm model and about 60 minutes on the 45mm version, and the battery lasts all day, even with an always-on display.
In fact, Google promises up to 30 hours of battery life on the smaller watch and up to 40 hours on the larger one.
When the battery starts to get low, your watch automatically goes into Battery Saver mode as well.
Pixel Watch 5 vs. Pixel Watch 4
If you’re wondering whether it’s worth upgrading from the Pixel Watch 4 to the Pixel Watch 5, there are a few differences to note.
For starters, both watches have the same circular design, always-on AMOLED display and water-resistant build. The Pixel Watch 5, however, comes with a faster processor, an upgraded GPS system and 64GB of storage compared to the Pixel Watch 4’s 32GB.
Google has also introduced more AI-powered features, additional watch faces and new band options.
Battery life, however, hasn’t changed much. Both watches offer up to 30 hours on the 41mm version and 40 hours on the 45mm version, and the charging times are virtually identical.
If you already own the Pixel Watch 4, I don’t necessarily think you need to upgrade just yet. But if you’re coming from an older model or buying your first Google smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 5 has plenty to offer.
Pixel Watch 5 vs. competitors
Of course, Google isn’t the only brand making smartwatches.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch9 is one of its biggest competitors, offering a similarly sleek design, extensive health tracking and AI-powered features. Samsung also has its own health ecosystem, making it a solid choice for Galaxy phone users.
Then there’s the Apple Watch Series 12, which offers advanced heart rate monitoring, fitness tracking, sleep tracking and a readiness score. However, unlike Google’s watch, Apple’s smartwatch requires an iPhone.
If you’re already using an Android phone and want something that combines Google Health, Gemini and a sleek design, the Pixel Watch 5 is certainly worth considering.
Is it worth it? Final verdict
For its sleek design, extended battery life and advanced health features, the Pixel Watch 5 is a great Google smartwatch, especially if you have a Google phone.
Of course, you’ll need a compatible Android phone to use this device, whether that’s a Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy or another Android smartphone. But given its design and functionality, you’ll quickly see why it’s worth grabbing one.
This article was written by Nishka Dhawan, Commerce Reporter for the New York Post. Nishka reports on the latest tech launches, innovations and trends to separate the best new products from the “AI slop.” Taking the latest technology for a spin, Nishka tests home appliances and tech products that actually improve your life, from vacuums to headphones to gaming gadgets and more – all while finding the best deals and lowest prices. Before joining The Post in 2026, her work appeared in Rolling Stone, ABC, NBC Select, Reviewed and Digital Trends.
