If you saw the Pixel Watch go on sale last year and think to yourself, “I’m not so sure about buying a first-generation smartwatch,” the Pixel Watch 2 is for you.
Available now, the $350 Pixel Watch 2 improves in a lot of the areas where there were problems, including performance and battery life. While on the outside it looks like the same old watch from 2022, Google has introduced quite a year-over-year upgrade for its in-house wearable.
It’s sort of like the Apple Watch Series 2 from 2016, which significantly improved a lot of the problems that plagued the original Apple Watch. But like those watches, the Pixel Watch 2 isn’t seeing a design shake-up or a cheaper price, for better or for worse.
Is the Pixel Watch 2 worth picking up? Let’s find out.
If you skipped out on last year's Pixel Watch and want a clean, versatile Android wearable that doubles as a FitBit, the Pixel Watch 2 is for you.
What we liked about it
A familiar, premium design
The Pixel Watch 2 doesn’t look much different from the original Pixel Watch, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s one of the prettiest wearables on the market, and for Google to keep that design for another generation is perfectly fine by me.
It’s not without some changes, however. The crown on the side sits a bit more flush with the rest of the watch, while the side button has been slightly moved. It’s still pretty hard to reach, but it’s easier to click once you do.
The watch is also now made of 100% recycled aluminum, as opposed to stainless steel. This makes the newer model marginally lighter than the previous one, but you likely won’t notice it in real-world use. I put the Pixel Watch and Watch 2 on one after the other and couldn’t tell the difference in weight.
Beyond that, it’s the same old Pixel Watch we’ve met before. It still looks like a gentle river stone with its perfect curves and gentle tapers, while the band mechanism remains relatively easy to use. It’s also still rated for 5 ATM water resistance, which means you won’t have to worry about swimming with it whatsoever.
There’s a 1.2-inch AMOLED display on the front covered in Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It can reach up to 1,000 nits of brightness, which I found to be adequate except in direct sunlight. It also comes with an always-on mode so you can quickly glance at the time on your wrist.
You’ve got three case colors to pick from: Polished Silver, Matte Black or Champagne Gold. I got the latter to review since I wanted to see how it looked in person, and it’s a nice gentle gold that can accent almost any outfit. My preference still sways in the direction of Polished Silver, but the gold is very nice to look at nonetheless.
Compared to the competition, the Pixel Watch 2 is far more charming and elegant. It’s much better-looking than Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6, and its subdued demeanor feels more natural than wearing an Apple Watch Series 9. Design remains a primary reason to buy a Pixel Watch, which is important given how personal choosing a watch can be.
Performance gets a big boost
The most noticeable difference between the Pixel Watch 2 and the original model is the performance. The first Pixel Watch wasn’t necessarily slow, but compared to watches like the almighty Apple Watch, it was noticeably choppier. With the Pixel Watch 2, Google swapped the sluggish Samsung chip for one made by Qualcomm, and the difference is night and day.
Wear OS absolutely flies on the new model. Apps are much quicker to open, Tiles load their information a lot faster, and the Google Play Store is actually navigable. This chipset makes a huge difference in terms of the quality of the Pixel Watch 2’s experience, which is a big deal for Google as it tries to get these watches on as many wrists as possible.
Health tracking gets an upgrade with even more Fitbit goodness
Another big upgrade on the Pixel Watch 2 is the new multi-path heart rate sensor, which gives you Fitbit’s most accurate heart rate tracking to date (remember how the Pixel Watch is basically a Fitbit because Google bought them out a few years ago?). It’s equipped with multiple LEDs and photodiodes (aka photo-sensors) to more accurately measure your pulse throughout the day. It also has the ability to switch between single- and multi-party modes automatically, depending on the type of workout you’re doing. The sensor readings are then fed into a new heart rate algorithm that Fitbit says is 40% more accurate during more intense workouts.
What does all this mean? More accurate heart rate data, calories burned, heart rate zone progress, and more, all from that one sensor. I tracked a few workouts using the Pixel Watch 2 to put the sensor through its paces, and it produced similar results to what I’d get from my Apple Watch. There were fewer areas of progress in my workout data that I felt were underrepresented by poor heart rate readings, and the calorie count was generally up a bit compared to how many calories the previous Pixel Watch would tell me I burned.
The new sensor also gives you more accurate Active Zone Minutes, a Fitbit feature that lets you know how many minutes you spent during your workouts burning calories in a particular cardio zone. You’ll also get more accurate sleep data thanks to the sensor, which I found to be true: the Pixel Watch 2 did a better job at detecting when I was awake during the night and how much time I spent in REM sleep.
You also get two new training features thanks to the sensor: Heart Zone Training and Pace Training. These are designed to help you achieve the heart rate and pace you want while performing certain workouts. You can manually set the metrics you wish to achieve when recording a workout, and the Pixel Watch 2 will alert you when you’ve reached your desired range and let you know what to do to improve. They’re features geared towards those who do a lot more cardio than I do, so I didn’t test them much beyond seeing if they worked as intended (they do).
The Pixel Watch 2 also gets automatic workout detection, a feature broadly available across wearables nowadays. I started doing a treadmill exercise (one of seven that can be tracked automatically) and the watch pinged me and asked if I wanted to track a treadmill workout. Afterward, it gave me the option to stop the workout, all without me having to manually toggle the workout to begin and end.
Of course, the improved heart rate sensing isn’t the only new technical capability of the Pixel Watch 2. Google also includes a new continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA) sensor that’s designed to help measure levels of stress throughout the day. Combined with a skin temperature sensor, the cEDA relies on an advanced algorithm to detect when you might be stressed out during the day and give you tips on how to calm yourself through breathing and mindfulness exercises. You can also manually log your mood during the day so you can track how you’ve been feeling.
The feature, called Body Responses, has been a staple on Fitbits for years, and it’s cool to see it come to the Pixel Watch. Stress and mood tracking is also a bit rare in the premium smartwatch world, so if it’s a feature you value, you’ll want to consider the Pixel Watch 2.
The skin temperature sensor can also be used for tracking your temperature while you sleep, giving you insights into how your body reacts to certain diets or tendencies at night. I’ve found that sleep tracking data is simply invaluable whenever you mix in skin temperature readings since it’s such a valuable data point to have, and I’m glad to see Google incorporate it here.
All of your data lives inside a redesigned Fitbit app that adopts Google’s design language and is much faster and cleaner to use. You’ll still get access to all the Fitbit goodness fans of the brand are used to like Daily Readiness scores, Sleep Profiles, deep metrics into their health and guides on how to perform certain workouts. Plus, the app makes it easier to manually log workouts, keep track of your diet and understand your health data with simplified charts. And with every Pixel Watch 2 purchase, you get six months of Fitbit Premium for free, which is a really nice perk.
I’d also like to mention that the Pixel Watch 2 still comes with a blood oxygen monitor, multipurpose electrical sensors that let you record EKGs, a compass, an altimeter and a GPS for tracking workouts outdoors. Speaking of which, there are 40 different workout options to choose from, which give you a lot of versatility in terms of tracking your everyday activities.
The Pixel Watch 2 remains one of the best smartwatches to buy if you care about your health, and with the new sensors and deeper Fitbit integration, it’s only gotten better.
Longer battery life and faster charging
The Pixel Watch 2 can now last as long as its competition on a full charge. Google includes a slightly larger battery in its newest wearable and, when coupled with the more efficient Qualcomm processor and optimizations in Wear OS 4, the watch is able to easily cruise through a full day on a single charge.
That’s not something you could say about the original Pixel Watch, which was one of the main reasons many people didn’t buy it. But now, like the Apple Watch Series 9 or Galaxy Watch 6, the Pixel Watch 2 will last a full day with mixed use. For me, that was tracking my sleep at night (I’d usually wake up with 85-90% battery), tracking a couple of workouts in the morning (which usually only drained 5-8% each), using some apps in the afternoon, and managing notifications. It can even last this long while the always-on display is enabled, which makes it all the more better.
Google tweaked the charging situation on the Pixel Watch 2; instead of a wireless charging puck, the new model uses a magnetic puck with pogo pins. This means you’ll be forced to line the watch up a certain way before it begins to charge, but it also means it’ll juice up faster: It can go from zero to 50% in 30 minutes and to 100% in just over an hour. That’s not too shabby.
Google’s new apps and safety features take Wear OS to the next level
Wear OS 4 is the software you’ll find on the Pixel Watch 2, and it resembles Wear OS 3.5 from the original model significantly. You get a clock face as your starting position, various Tiles to the left and right with information like your daily activity and your calendar, notifications at the bottom and quick settings at the top. It’s a very simple system to navigate, and anyone who’s never used a Wear OS watch before will be able to catch on quickly.
Google throws a few new features into the mix like some updated watch faces, smarter notifications with quick actions and more information at a glance, new accessibility settings like bold text and better text-to-speech, and a simpler process for transferring your Pixel Watch to a new phone. (Your watch can now also sync with your phone’s do not disturb settings, which was missing on the previous model.)
There are also new apps launching for Wear OS 4 including Gmail and Calendar, as well as significant upgrades to existing apps like YouTube Music and Google Maps. All together, these new elements add up to a more well-rounded smartwatch experience, further playing into Google’s idea of ambient computing — in which things automatically work how you need them to without much manual input.
There are also new safety features so you can have peace of mind on the go. The biggest new feature is Safety Check, which lets you set a timer for when you expect to arrive somewhere and have your watch send you an alert asking if you arrived safely. If you don’t respond to the prompt, your location information will be automatically shared with up to 15 emergency contacts. It’s good for those late-night Uber rides where you want to ensure your friends and family know where you are.
Obviously, you need some type of internet connection for this to work, which means you’ll need to have your phone on you all the time. If you pick up an LTE Pixel Watch, you can either connect it to your data plan or subscribe to Fitbit Premium and use Safety Signal, a backup data connection that’s available in case of emergencies. It’s similar to Apple’s safety features on the Apple Watch where it relies on satellites to establish a connection, which means it should work almost anywhere you are in the world.
It’s also easier to share your Medical Info with first responders on the Pixel Watch 2. You can share it with them while on an emergency call, or set it to display when your watch is locked.
And of course, you still get previously introduced safety features like fall detection, Emergency SOS, Find My Phone support and more.
What we didn’t like about it
It’s still too small and delicate for some users
If you thought the original Pixel Watch was too small for your wrist, the Pixel Watch 2 won’t change your mind. It still ships in a single 41mm case size which, to be honest, is a good balance between small and large, but there are plenty of folks (including myself) who prefer a sports watch to wear a little bigger so they can see more information on the screen at a glance.
The Pixel Watch 2 is also still pretty delicate. Google isn’t trying to provide a Garmin alternative or anything, but if you’ll be partaking in any intense workouts or dealing with lots of heavy equipment, you may want to look into grabbing a protective case for it. The display glass melts down the sides of the watch, and one good bump into something hard may wind up cracking it.
The bezels are way too thick
I know this won’t bother everyone, but it bothers me.
This is a 2023 flagship smartwatch from Google. The company just shipped new Pixel 8 phones with some of the thinnest bezels on any smartphone. They know how to design screens without bezels. And yet on the Pixel Watch 2, the company decided to keep the same obnoxiously thick bezels as the original model. Wear OS still tries to hide them using black backgrounds and gradient fades around the border of the screen, but it still makes the watch feel cramped and even smaller than it actually is.
Hopefully, the Pixel Watch 3 brings some improvements to the screen design. Until then, I’ll be begging Google for an answer on why they think bezels this thick look good.
Google Fit fans will feel slighted
The Pixel Watch 2 goes all in on Fitbit integration, which is fine if you’re new to the world of Android-powered wearables or are a fan of the Fitbit experience. But there are many people who prefer Google Fit, Google’s own health and fitness tracking experience that comes with its own app and third-party integrations.
If you find yourself using Google Fit to keep tabs on your well-being, you’re not gonna like using a Pixel Watch. Granted, you can technically use Fit with your watch to track workouts, log your health and more, but it’s not the default experience, and that comes with caveats. It takes longer to configure the Fit app, plus you sometimes need to export data from the Fitbit app if you want it to appear in Fit and you’ll need to configure your watch with the Fitbit app anyway during setup.
It’s a bit strange the Pixel Watch doesn’t integrate naturally with the Google Fit app, but the most determined among us will find ways to make it work. Just keep in mind that it won’t be a pretty process, and you’ll likely run into headaches along the way.
Bottom line
The Pixel Watch 2 is a solid upgrade over the original Pixel Watch, and it’s the one to get if you were hesitant to buy last year’s model due to battery or performance concerns. With beefier health tracking, faster performance, a beautiful design and long battery life, the Pixel Watch 2 is one of the best smartwatches we’ve tested all year.
Of course, it still has some downsides, like the lack of a larger size, thick display bezels and a delicate form factor. All of those problems are solved by Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6, which is also powered by Wear OS 4 (albeit with One UI on top of it). If you’d prefer to have a watch that’s a bit more durable and is available in more sizes, you may want to consider it.
But if you can live with the design constraints of the Pixel Watch 2, I think you’ll be happier. The software is cleaner, the performance is just as good and there are plenty of ways to track your health. If you’re looking for the Apple Watch of the Android world, this is it.