Pixel Watch Hands On: Google’s First Smartwatch Shows Promise

Google software has been on countless smartwatches at this point, first in the form of Android Wear and more recently as Wear OS. The Pixel Watch, though, is the first smartwatch hardware designed by Google, making it substantially more interesting than so many of those similar third-party watches on the market. Announced alongside the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, I got a chance to check out the Pixel Watch at Google’s launch event in Brooklyn.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

However you want to look at it, the Pixel Watch is a fresh entry in A market crowded with everything from low-cost fitness trackers that also show your incoming phone calls, to the $799 Apple Watch Ultra that does basically everything your iPhone can, including international roaming so you can get cellular service no matter where you are in the world. The Pixel Watch lands squarely in the middle of the market at $349 for the GPS model and $399 for the cellular model.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

Let’s start with the basics. The Pixel Watch is round, which some people greatly prefer to Apple’s squarish approach. It’s a small circle, but a slightly thick one. The Gorilla Glass covering the display has a distinct domed shape to it. I’m a fan.

The watch measures 41mm and the chassis is made from stainless steel. It comes in Champagne Gold, Matte Black, or Polished Silver. All three finishes have their own appeal, though I prefer the look of the Polished Silver.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

The circular display looks really nice. It’s an AMOLED panel with 320 pixels per inch. It looks clean and free of pixelated edges, and that’s what’s important. Brightness also seems good. The watch was easy to read in the event space, though I didn’t get a chance to look at it outside under the sun.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

A round Digital Crown graces the right side of the watch. It’s large enough to be easily found, and the rotating action felt good after a few test spins. There aren’t any other buttons or controls. The Crown spins the user interface up and down with speed.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

A number of watch straps are available, including metal, leather, silicone, and woven nylon. The metal bands come in several different styles, as do the leather and nylon options. I put my hands on all the options and they each have their own appeal. I didn’t care for the feel of the silicone, though the leather was very nice.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

Oddly, Google is going with a fairly old Exynos 9110 processor for the Pixel Watch. This four-year-old chip is paired with several other custom components to accomplish Google’s battery life and performance goals. Despite its age, the Watch’s user interface appears to run fluidly and smoothly. We’ll see how the performance bears out over time with testing.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

The sensor module is packed onto the bottom of the watch, where it does things like check your heart rate, temperature, and more. The module is mostly glass and has a smooth, rounded shape to it. It felt comfortable against my skin, but I only wore the watch for a short period.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

With plenty of colors and straps to choose from, the Pixel Watch is highly customizable, so it shouldn’t be hard to find one that fits your sense of style. What Google really needs to do is convince people that the watch’s health and fitness features are worth the upgrade from less expensive fitness trackers, as well as similarly priced smartwatches like the Apple Watch and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.

The Pixel Watch is available for preorder now and comes out on October 13. We’ll be putting it to the test, so make sure to check back soon for our full review.