Move Over Galaxy: The Pixel Watch 5 Might Be My New Favorite Android Smartwatch

Google has officially unveiled the Pixel Watch 5 (alongside the Pixel 11 and Pixel Tag ), giving the company a chance to finally break Samsung's hold over the premium Android smartwatch market. I've enjoyed previous Pixel Watch models, but they've consistently felt a step behind Samsung's Galaxy Watch lineup. The Pixel Watch 5 could change that—and potentially outclass the Galaxy Watch 9 .

At first glance, the Pixel Watch 5 looks nearly identical to its predecessor, but that's hardly a complaint. The Pixel Watch 4 was one of the best-looking smartwatches around, and Google has wisely stuck with its refined design. The new model comes with a nearly $50 price increase, for which you get a faster processor, improved GPS accuracy, and a host of new AI-powered features.

Among the biggest additions is more proactive Gemini assistance, designed to help you get things done without requiring as much input. Google is also introducing Health Guardian, a new suite of health-monitoring tools designed to track metrics such as blood pressure and insulin resistance.

The Pixel Watch 5 is available for preorder now and arrives in stores on August 20. Here are my first impressions and the features that have me most excited.

Pricing: A $50 Hike to Match Apple

Like its predecessor, the Google Pixel Watch 5 comes in 41mm and 45mm variants, but the prices of both have increased. The 41mm Pixel Watch 5 starts at $399 and the 45mm at $429, putting them on par with the 42mm and 46mm Apple Watch Series 11 , respectively. That's up from $349.99 for the 41mm Pixel Watch 4 and $399.99 for last year's 45mm model. As with the previous generation, LTE connectivity costs an extra $100.

The latest models come in a variety of color options: Fog (white), Obsidian (black), or Olive (green) for both sizes, with the smaller one also available in Canyon (pink). Google is also offering a Stephen Curry Special Edition with a custom watch face, an exclusive band, and LTE connectivity for $579.99. This version matches the orange-and-tan color scheme of the Special Edition Stephen Curry Band for the Fitbit Air , Google's $99 fitness tracker .

Samsung also increased the price of its watch this year, but it still undercuts the Pixel Watch 5. The Galaxy Watch 9 starts at $379.99 for the smaller 40mm size or $409.99 for the 44mm model, up from $349.99 and $379.99 for the Galaxy Watch 8 .

Under the Hood: Faster Silicon, Dual-Precision GPS

Google promises increased speed and computing power on the Pixel Watch 5 compared with the Pixel Watch 4, thanks to a new processor. Specifically, the Pixel Watch 5 has a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated with a Cortex-M55 coprocessor, which it says delivers a 12x boost in CPU speeds.

Otherwise, the Pixel Watch 5 has a refined GPS, which Google says is twice as accurate as the previous generation when tracking your location in tough environments like big cities with tall buildings. This GPS can compensate for reflections off buildings to more precisely pinpoint your position between them, resulting in improved route maps.

The Pixel Watch 5 also has a slightly larger battery than its predecessor, increasing from 455mAh to 465mAh in the larger model and from 325mAh to 332mAh in the smaller size. Battery life estimates are the same as last generation, though: The bigger watch is expected to last 40 hours with the always-on display enabled, and the smaller version is listed at 30 hours, so the extra capacity is likely needed to power the new processor and features.

In this way, the Pixel Watch 5 is following the lead of the Galaxy Watch 9, which also has a new processor and upgraded battery capacity, but no improvement in battery life compared with the Galaxy Watch 8.

The Pixel Watch 5 keeps the same curved display as its predecessor. The domed Actua 360 screen still looks striking, and reaches up to 3,000 nits of adaptive brightness.

Software: Contextual Gemini Assistance That Anticipates Your Next Move

Aside from the improved chip and GPS, the Pixel Watch 5 is launching alongside a number of new software features, though many of these will roll out to the older Pixel Watch 4 as well via updates. While that narrows the reasons to upgrade, it also provides some peace of mind that your Pixel Watch won't become obsolete just a year after its release.

Google's generative AI assistant Gemini is already available on the Pixel Watch 4, allowing you to ask questions, send texts, and interact with apps like Calendar, Clock, Health, and Reminder with your voice. With Wear OS 7 , Gemini Intelligence enables the assistant to be more proactive. It can automatically pull up your flight details when you're heading to the airport, for example, or proactively show how many stops you have left on your bus route. These glanceable suggestions can also surface a phone number or confirmation number if you're texting a friend about a related topic. Additionally, Gemini will be able to perform basic functions even when the watch is offline , such as managing timers and alarms or starting a workout.

As for fitness features, the Pixel Watch 5 will offer more detailed guidance on strength and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). You can build your own routines or get suggestions based on the equipment you have access to and the muscle groups you want to target. The watch will provide step-by-step guidance as you work. Before bed, you can set a smart alarm for the morning so your watch wakes you up within a set window when it senses you stirring.

Health Guardian: AI-Powered Blood Pressure and Metabolic Tracking

The Pixel Watch 5 aims to provide preventive wellness information with a new set of features collectively called Health Guardian. Some existing features live under this umbrella, including Loss of Pulse detection . The Health Guardian also encompasses a trio of new monitored attributes: Blood Pressure Trends, Breathing Emergency Detection, and Insulin Resistance Trends.

Blood Pressure Trends collects data by passively measuring your pulse and movement throughout the day and while you sleep. On the first of each month, you'll receive a notification indicating whether your estimated blood pressure is high or low, along with lifestyle tips if it's high. While you can't check your blood pressure on demand like on Samsung's smartwatches, you don't have to calibrate the feature with a separate cuff , and the monthly feedback should provide a more consistent source of information than Apple's hypertension notifications , which only alert you when the watch senses something is wrong.

Breathing Emergency Detection should function like Google's existing Loss of Pulse detection. The watch will monitor for a persistent drop in oxygen saturation, and can contact emergency services on your behalf if it senses an urgent issue. It won't detect issues caused by preexisting respiratory conditions like asthma, and is instead meant to detect a more sudden problem caused by issues like choking, a drug overdose, or pneumonia. The feature has not yet been cleared by the FDA.

The Insulin Resistance Trends feature uses the watch's existing sensors to passively monitor metabolic health. Specifically, it monitors your heart rhythm, daily movement, and sleep quality, and uses AI to assess how well your body absorbs and uses energy. After a month of calibration, your watch will be able to tell you whether your body is working harder than normal to manage your blood sugar, and it can provide corresponding advice related to your lifestyle, nutrition, and sleep. Google never actually mentions the word diabetes in its description of the feature, aside from a disclaimer at the end stating that Insulin Resistance Trends is not meant as a diagnostic or prescreening tool for diabetes.

Outlook: The New Android Watch to Beat?

Despite some familiar hardware, the Google Pixel Watch 5 is shaping up to be a very promising Android watch and major competition for the Galaxy Watch 9. I'll be putting it to the test to see if it lives up to its potential, so check back soon for my full review.

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