Google Pixel Watch vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: The best Android smartwatch
Google has introduced the eagerly awaited Pixel Watch after years of various reports, leaks, and speculation. It is the company's first wristwatch and has apparently been in development since at least 2018. Technology fans like myself have been eagerly awaiting Google to introduce a wristwatch that may someday compete with the superb Samsung Galaxy Watch. On October 6, the multinational technology company unveiled its first-generation wristwatch for the first time.
You could be let down by the specs list, especially when you contrast it with other smartwatches like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 or the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. The Pixel Watch is obviously designed for general users, those who lead active lifestyles, or others who just want to track their workout, sleep, and other day-to-day activities.
How do the Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch 5 stack up
The Google Pixel Watch doesn't provide especially innovative smart or fitness features, but it's crucial to consider your needs before making a purchase. Do you primarily need a smart wrist companion that can run a lot of applications and has extra functionality, or something that will improve your workouts? The Google Pixel Watch isn't the finest smartwatch in any category, but realistically, it should satisfy both sets of consumers.
Design
You shouldn't be able to mix up the two watches even by appearance. The only similarity between the two could be that they are both rounded, but that's pretty much it. The face of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 has a fully flat display, with two buttons located on the right side of the case. The sapphire crystal that covers the screen makes it very robust and scratch-resistant.
The Pixel Watch, on the other hand, has a Gorilla Glass 5 surface that is specially manufactured by Corning and has extremely sharp curves all the way around to produce a smooth rounded edge around the casing. It only has two buttons: one in the center, which also functions as a spinning crown, and one above it that may be clicked.
The fact that Samsung provides the Galaxy Watch 5 in two distinct sizes does give it a slight advantage. Samsung produces watches for people with larger and smaller wrists thanks to the 44mm and 40mm models. With only 41mm in diameter, the Pixel Watch may seem a tad too small for people who are used to huge timepieces.
Other than that, both watches have waterproofing that is comparable, providing resistance down to 50 meters/5ATM. Additionally, Samsung boasts a military-grade shock/impact-resistant rating and an IP68 water resistance certification. Cases are built from different materials and come in a variety of colors.
The Google Watch comes in three colors: Champagne Gold, Matte Black, and Polished Silver and is made of 80% recyclable stainless steel. The Samsung watch is made of aluminum and is available in both sizes in Graphite (dark gray) and Silver. The bigger model is also offered in a blue Sapphire finish, while the smaller model is also in Pink Gold.
Battery
Google boasts that the Pixel Watch can last up to 24 hours on a single charge, while Samsung believes the Galaxy Watch 5 can last an astounding 50 hours. I’ll have to wait to see how the Pixel Watch performs in the real world, but I can already admit that the Galaxy Watch 5 doesn't even come close to lasting the 50 hours that Samsung claims.
It is reasonable to assume that both watches require charging at least once every 24 hours. Thankfully, they both have quick charging capabilities that are comparable; the Galaxy Watch 5 reaches at least 45% in 30 minutes while the Pixel Watch can charge from zero to 50% in around the same period. If you don't wear your watch to bed, these higher charging speeds won't really matter, but they're helpful if you want to use the sleep-monitoring functions that both smartwatches have to offer.
Software
Both the Pixel Watch and the Galaxy Watch 5 are compatible with Wear OS 3.5, the latest version of Google's wearable operating system. The Samsung One UI Watch 4.5, which enables additional customization and user interface capabilities that will be more familiar to people who own Samsung smartphones, is then layered on top of that.
In addition to the variations in terms of One UI, both smartwatches provide wearable versions of Google Maps, Google Wallet, Google Assistant, YouTube Music, and Messages. The Galaxy Watch 5 naturally also has Samsung Pay and Samsung Health. They should be able to run the same apps because they both have Wear OS 3.5. Be advised, though, that the Wear OS app environment is still mostly devoid of options.
Tracking
All typical health sensors are present in the Pixel Watch, including an optical heart rate sensor and an "electrical multipurpose sensor." There aren't any ground-breaking or intriguing features in the sensor hardware, which is pretty much standard for every contemporary smartwatch.
The Pixel Watch is, if anything, a little underwhelming. Although it theoretically has a blood oxygen sensor inside it, which is not functional yet, with no declared ETA.
Samsung's improved BioActive Sensor, which combines a bio-electrical impedance (BIA) electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) heart rate sensor, is included in the Galaxy Watch 5. The ECG app is available on both the Pixel Watch and the Galaxy Watch 5 to assist in detecting symptoms of atrial fibrillation.
The 2019 Google acquisition of Fitbit gives the Pixel Watch what is arguably its biggest and most important advantage, thus transforming it into a more sophisticated Fitbit smartwatch. Although the smartwatch is new, it has a well-known set of health and fitness functions that Google's developers have continued to enhance.
Google, for instance, mentions that its machine learning teams collaborated with Fitbit's expertise to build a novel strategy that offers even more precise heart rate tracking. To help you get the most out of your workouts and sleep tracking capabilities, this data also feeds into metrics like Active Zone Minutes and Daily Readiness.
Anyone who has used a Fitbit gadget should be familiar with the health and fitness functions. The Fitbit Premium membership, which the Pixel Watch is compatible with, is also offered by Google to new customers for free for the first six months.
Final Verdict
Although Google did a great job with the Pixel Watch, it is still very much a first-generation gadget. It has had a difficult time competing against Samsung's considerably more developed Galaxy Watch platform.
For starters, the Galaxy Watch 5 has more sophisticated health sensors, and while some of those don't yet have all of its potential, at least the technology is available. Furthermore, Google only offers a basic Fitbit service that locks all of its greatest features behind a subscription barrier, whereas Samsung offers comprehensive health and fitness monitoring and coaching capabilities at no additional cost.
However, Google deserves praise for a job well done, and it will be interesting to see where it goes with the next iteration of the Pixel Watch. But for now, I believe it's a wearable that will only appeal to a small number of niche audiences: users of Google's Pixel phones, those who are deeply ingrained in the Fitbit ecosystem, or people who just like good design and esthetics. On that note, the Galaxy Watch 5 is the smartwatch I recommend for everyone else.
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Dinesh Renthlei