Google Pixel Watch 4 review: Pebble perfection

Smartwatches are effectively and really half of our every day tech ecosystem, and time flies if you’ll excuse the pun, as a result of Google is already on its fourth era of Pixel Watch. 

It took Google some time to get into the sport, regardless of making software program for wearables for such a very long time beforehand, however the Pixel Watch rapidly established itself as the most effective alternate options to the Apple Watch. 

The Pixel Watch 4 may look extraordinarily just like the final mannequin, however that’s no unhealthy factor and Google has made varied enhancements and upgrades that are exhausting to see at a look. 

With the Galaxy Watch 8 collection from Samsung proving one thing of a disappointment, the Pixel Watch 4 may be the very best Put on OS smartwatch of the yr. I’ve been utilizing it for almost three weeks to seek out out. 

Design & Construct 

• A acquainted Pixel Watch look 
• New Moonstone color 
• Now repairable 

The Pixel Watch 4 appears to be like very comparable to the Pixel Watch 3 and, actually, all the best way again to the unique. As tech reviewers, we frequently name for design overhauls however on this case, I don’t assume one is required but. 

Apple’s sq. design has by no means been to my style and only a few spherical smartwatches completely suited me both. That was, till the Pixel Watch got here alongside. Google’s glass-pebble-like design was beautiful again then and it nonetheless is now. 

Final yr, Google fastened a main drawback and launched a bigger measurement. That’s the case once more this yr, so you possibly can go for 41- or 45mm fashions and I’m testing the bigger one right here within the new Moonstone colourway, which I assume appears to be like sensible but delicate, with unisex enchantment.

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This, like among the different colors, can presumably be matched with the Pixel 10 telephones in the event you decide the correct mannequin. It’s not simple although, as Moonstone is simply accessible in 45mm and Champagne Gold is simply accessible in 41mm. 

In any other case, your decisions are between Matte Black and Polished Silver. 

As soon as once more, the Pixel Watch 4 is extraordinarily snug to put on on a regular basis. The sleek form and light-weight aluminium physique (solely 37g for the bigger measurement) are a match made in heaven. 

As normal, you could have the digital crown on the facet to entry your apps and scroll and, though I by no means appear to make use of it, a button above it to see your just lately used apps. 

There are two extra design parts to cowl earlier than we transfer on, and the primary one proves to be higher than anticipated in individual. 

Google has moved the charging pin connectors to the facet to make use of with a brand new dock (extra on that later). These have been seemingly purposely stored out of pictures of the watch. This led many, together with me, to fret that they’d look quite ugly – however fortuitously they don’t. 

In the event you put on the watch in your left wrist, you’ll barely ever see them.

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The opposite design factor is invisible as such, as a result of though the gadget appears to be like primarily the similar as earlier than, Google has redesigned it to be repairable. 

That was a well-liked request from followers and now the Pixel Watch 4 display and battery can each get replaced if wanted. That’s nice information if in case you have an accident or wish to put a brand new battery in to increase the lifetime of the gadget, plus you would even absorb on your self. 

Now held along with screws quite than glue, it’s potential to restore the Pixel Watch 4 at dwelling. It ought to even retain its IP68 mud and water resistance. 

Ifixit even gave it a repairability rating of 9/10, calling it: “Probably the most repairable smartwatch available on the market.” 

Hopefully, you don’t want this performance any time quickly, however it’s price noting that the Pixel Watch 4 doesn’t have a sapphire glass cowl like some rivals however Gorilla Glass 5 as an alternative. 

This implies it’s not as scratch-resistant, but it surely ought to be higher in a drop or some sort of affect. The identical glass has been used on earlier generations and we’ve not had any issues with watches which have been used for a yr or extra. 

Display & Audio 

• New Actua 360 show 
• First-of-its-kind domed view 
• Stable speaker with a catch 

The Pixel Watch 4 hides its upgrades very effectively as a result of you wouldn’t realize it had a brand new display underneath the glass entrance. Google calls the Actua 360 AMOLED display the ‘first-of-its-kind’ and contains a domed show. 

It’s genuinely very totally different from others and its predecessors. A lot in order that it truly took me a number of days to get used to. It presents a slight fish-eye kind view, somewhat such as you get from glass beer pumps in bars, with the intention to see what is obtainable from the facet. 

It’s not that dramatic, however expertise is nice, plus it leads to a bigger ‘lively space’ than earlier than. 

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Elsewhere, the specs are largely the similar, together with the decision and dynamic refresh fee of 1-60Hz. There is a brand new peak brightness of 3000 nits, which matches many ‘Extremely’ degree smartwatches. 

It’s been fairly boring climate whereas I’ve been testing the Pixel Watch 4, however I had no points throughout one very sunny day spent within the backyard carrying it.

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The speaker on the left facet of the Pixel Watch 4 is respectable and is completely ok to listen to Gemini responding to you. You may also make use of it to have a telephone name if you want. 

What it can’t do is play audio from apps resembling Spotify, which is hardly a significant omission however may come in useful generally. 

Efficiency & Software program 

• New Snapdragon chip 
• Put on OS 6 with Gemini 
• Materials 3 Expressive UI 

The Pixel Watch 4 has a mixture of a brand new processor and new working system. Put on OS 6, Google’s newest smartwatch software program, is operating on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 Gen 2. 

I had some glitchy efficiency points within the first week, however these have been quashed with a firmware replace. Usually, the smartwatch runs very easily for navigating and scrolling via menus and many others. 

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There are events when issues aren’t snappy. Loading some apps, together with Spotify, and summoning Gemini can take a second or two, which may really feel like an age, however it’s sometimes on the primary attempt. In the event you’re connecting to a reside feed of a Nest digicam, you’ll additionally must be affected person.

Like Pixel telephones, this has probably the most vanilla model of Put on OS 6 (Samsung, for instance, places One UI 8 Watch excessive) and the Pixel Watch 4 comes with Google’s Materials 3 Expressive design language. 

It really works rather well on the smartwatch, with optimised shapes, animations, colors that pop and extra. It feels extra trendy than infantile, which is how a few of it comes throughout on telephones in my view. There are a dozen watch faces pre-installed, however it’s straightforward to get extra.

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As soon as once more, Tiles on both facet of the watch face (primarily widgets) provide you with fast entry to info and options, and may be customised to what you want probably the most. 

A brand new haptic suggestions engine enhances the expertise additional, which is crisp and responsive from scrolling to notifications. 

Gemini replaces Google Assistant on the Pixel Watch 4 (the AI bot is being rolled out on each gadget you possibly can consider) and you’ll even set it to activate with raise-to-wake in the event you like. 

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I’ve discovered myself utilizing it much more on the watch than my telephone, however it’s usually exhausting to know what its limitations are. It could actually reply questions, after all, however regardless of a welcome information when it put in saying it may do issues like “let you know about your coronary heart fee”, this command is just a shortcut to my real-time bpm. 

There are additionally AI options resembling Sensible Replies, which goals to supply up personalised recommendations in the best way you write. The instance on the Google Retailer is a alternative of a few coffees when somebody has requested what espresso you’d like. 

Fortuitously for me, this works with WhatsApp the place I do all my messaging, but it surely doesn’t seem to know me very effectively. As for the espresso query, it gave me three other ways to ask for a black espresso, which is about the one espresso I don’t drink. In a gaggle chat, it solely advised “hahaha”.

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So, it’s simply guessing what espresso I like? Not ideally suited, and Google says that onboard processing means “the AI doesn’t study out of your responses or enhance responses as you proceed to make use of it”. 

Fortuitously, the opposite reply strategies – even the tiny on-screen keyboard – work very effectively.  

It’s additionally price noting that you just want a Pixel telephone for Sensible Replies to work (9 or later, in accordance with this assist web page or 8 Professional or later, in accordance with the official retailer). 

Though I’ve not wanted them, there are numerous security options accessible too (Pixel telephone or not), together with fall detection, lack of pulse detection, examine in, crash detection and emergency SOS. Simply be aware that the LTE fashions are required for satellite tv for pc connectivity.

Well being & Health Monitoring 

• No new sensors 
• Stable core monitoring 
• Fitbit Premium prices further 
• Upgraded dual-band GPS 

Google hasn’t upgraded the monitoring sensors from the Pixel Watch 3, however it does the whole lot you’d anticipate from a flagship smartwatch. 

Steps, energy, flooring and such like are all accounted for (and you’ll see them across the fringe of the bigger 45mm display on the default watch face). There’s additionally coronary heart fee, blood oxygen, pores and skin temperature and varied bits of train info all inside the Fitbit app (which is getting a giant redesign very quickly). 

The Pixel Watch 4 provide you with a holistic view of your exercise and you’ll delve into totally different areas on the watch and on the Fitbit app in your telephone, too. In my testing, it’s all correct, together with sleep monitoring, which supplies you a rating and a breakdown of your evening.

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You will have Fitbit Premium, which prices £7.99/$9.99 monthly or £79.99/$79.99 per yr to get “superior insights, personalised suggestions and energising exercises” and this consists of the most effective options, the Readiness rating, which takes all info under consideration to provide you an concept of how a lot you need to tackle that day. 

The Pixel Watch 4 does include 6 months of Fitbit Premium free, so you possibly can a minimum of give it a superb attempt earlier than deciding whether or not it’s price paying for. You gained’t want it for Morning Temporary, which supplies you an summary of issues together with your sleep, climate and what’s in your calendar. 

Through Fitbit, Google does an awesome job of presenting all the data and serving to you obtain your targets. 

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If you’re extra of a health fanatic (not like me), you possibly can pay extra consideration to issues just like the Cardio Load metric and the Fitbit telephone app has a wealth of exercise movies and a operating coach (although the AI private well being coach is restricted to the US, so I’ve not been in a position to attempt that). 

Positive, you possibly can go along with a Garmin or comparable if health is especially necessary to you, however I’d say the Pixel Watch 4 does a superb job for a extra mainstream smartwatch. 

For train monitoring, there are 52 sports activities accessible and it may auto-track a lot of these. Different watches can do many extra, usually approach over 100, and the choice is somewhat unusual contemplating boxing is AWOL however pickleball (no matter that’s) is true there. 

Chris Martin / Foundry

For walks and runs and many others, you now have dual-band GPS for extra correct monitoring, and I discovered it acquired a sign in only a few seconds. I don’t reside in a dense forest the place the tech has extra affect, but it surely tracked my walks across the neighbourhood with very excessive accuracy. 

I’m nonetheless not satisfied by the physique responses function (and comparable issues on rival watches), which goals to maintain monitor of how you’re feeling. Nonetheless, this nonetheless appears rudimentary and seems to detect a raised coronary heart fee, which might be from virtually something. 

You’ll get a notification and the choice to log your temper, which might be completely satisfied or careworn, for instance. Once I may bear in mind what I used to be doing on the time acknowledged, it was usually one thing mundane like getting my daughter prepared to go away the home and the restricted choice of ‘emotions’ meant I may hardly ever choose how I actually felt. 

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Even after I may, there’s nothing groundbreaking right here, with the watch largely saying ‘maintain onto that feeling’ if it’s a superb one. For me, all that is extra of a faff than it’s price and, paradoxically, worrying. 

I haven’t examined it for apparent causes, however after being launched on the Pixel Watch 3, the gadget can monitor your menstrual cycle with doubtlessly helpful data like cycle standing and predictions. 

Battery Life & Charging 

• Barely greater batteries 
• As much as 30/40 hours battery 
• New charging dock 

Google has managed to suit the Pixel Watch 4 with a barely greater battery, for each sizes, and which means you possibly can rise up to 30 or 40 hours (41- and 45mm respectively) of use with the show all the time on. 

This extends to 48 or 72 hours with Battery Saver on, however you gained’t wish to use the watch in that mode until you need to. 

The battery life you’ll get will depend on what you want a smartwatch for. I’ve been testing the 45mm mannequin and I can get two days and nights from a single cost, generally extra, however that is with a lighter degree of use. 

These monitoring intensive exercises with GPS on daily basis and utilizing the display in vivid daylight, together with different battery-draining options, might want to cost extra frequently. 

Nonetheless, once you do, it’s very quick and Google’s new Fast Cost Dock is a a lot neater resolution than the earlier chargers.

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The dock is small and will do with being heavier to remain flat (cable administration is essential right here), however I a lot choose it to the earlier model (and most rival options). The display will let you know if the opposite finish of the cable isn’t plugged in or the contacts aren’t fairly aligned and, when it’s charging, info together with how lengthy is left and the time. 

I anticipated the display to remain on on a regular basis whereas charging, however this has to be enabled within the developer settings. It could actually generally wrestle with the orientation of the show when docked, however not too usually. 

Charging is extremely fast (25% quicker than the Pixel Watch 3), even for the 45mm with a much bigger battery, with my assessments exceeding even Google’s claims. From fully lifeless, I noticed it attain 50% in quarter-hour and 89% in 30.

Chris Martin / Foundry

As talked about within the design part, a key function of the Pixel Watch 4 is that the battery is replaceable and you could even really feel assured sufficient to do it your self at dwelling. This might be essential within the gadget lasting many extra years earlier than you want to improve. 

Value & Availability 

Regardless of the varied upgrades, the Pixel Watch 4 is available in on the similar worth as its predecessor, which means you possibly can decide one up from £349/$349.99.  

In fact, that may get you the smaller 41mm measurement within the WiFi/Bluetooth mannequin, so including LTE connectivity or selecting the bigger 45mm will value you extra.

Right here’s the complete Pixel Watch 4 pricing:

• Pixel Watch 4 (41mm Wi-Fi) – £349/$349/€399
• Pixel Watch 4 (41mm LTE) – £449/$449/€499
• Pixel Watch 4 (45mm Wi-Fi) – £399/$399/€449
• Pixel Watch 4 (45mm LTE) – £499/$499/€549

You should buy it from Google in addition to retailers resembling Amazon, Argos, Currys, Very, John Lewis, and Finest Purchase for these within the US 

The worth sits between the Apple Watch Sequence 11 (£369/$399) and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (£319/$349.99), so it’s very reasonable. As talked about, you may must pay for Fitbit Premium to get probably the most out of it. 

Verify our record of the very best smartwatches to see our present high 10 suggestions.

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Must you purchase the Google Pixel Watch 4? 

For my cash, the Pixel Watch 4 is the very best Put on OS watch on the market, with only some small points to complain about. 

It’s the very best wanting watch (although you could disagree) and Google has accomplished an awesome job of creating it repairable so you possibly can change the display or battery – presumably your self, at dwelling. 

Efficiency is easy for probably the most half, the domed display is a delight, the interface appears to be like and works nice, the brand new Fast Cost Dock is a boon and well being, health and smartwatch options are plentiful. 

There’s nonetheless a bit of labor to be accomplished with Gemini and Sensible Replies are restrictive, plus you will get a longer-lasting smartwatch for much less cash within the OnePlus Watch 3. 

Nonetheless, the Pixel Watch 4 is a superb all-rounder and straightforward to advocate if you’re in search of a flagship smartwatch that does nearly the whole lot effectively. 

Specs

• Put on OS 6
• 41 or 45mm
• Actua 360 show, AMOLED, 1-60Hz, 3000 nits peak
• Snapdragon W5 Gen 2
• 2GB RAM
• 32GB storage
• Coronary heart fee monitor
• SpO2
• ECG
• Pores and skin temperature
• Microphone
• Speaker
• Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 6.0
• Satellite tv for pc SOS (LTE fashions)
• Extremely Wideband
• Twin-band GPS
• eSIM
• NFC
• 325/455mAh battery
• Fast Cost Dock
• Gorilla Glass 5
• IP68/5ATM
• 31/37g