After many years of countless stories, leaks, and rumors, Google finally unveiled the much anticipated Pixel Watch. It’s the first smartwatch from the company, and it has reportedly been in the works since at least 2018. Technology enthusiasts – myself included – have been anxiously waiting for Google to unveil a smartwatch that could one day rival the excellent Apple Watch. That day was October 6, when Google finally took the wraps off its first-generation smartwatch.

Looking at the specs sheet, you might be disappointed, especially when you compare it against smartwatches such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, or the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. The Pixel Watch is clearly targeting general users, people with an active lifestyle, and those who want to become more active, or simply want to track their workouts, sleep, and other activities.

We also have an excellent list of the best smartwatches in 2022

In this article, we’ll compare the Google Pixel Watch against the high-end, Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. It’s worth noting that the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is aimed at those who want the best battery life using a Wear OS smartwatch, and those who want the best experience using a Samsung Galaxy handset. With that out of the way, let’s compare the best smartwatch for Android users, and one of the most anticipated smartwatches in history.

Technical Specifications

Design

The design of the two smartwatches couldn’t be more different. The Google Pixel Watch is taking a more stylish, straightforward approach, while the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro goes for a stylish, but more rugged and premium design. The Watch 5 Pro is targeting those who live a more active lifestyle and those who want a large watch face, while the Pixel Watch wants everyone to fall for the curves.

Both smartwatches look beautiful, and the true contender for the Pixel Watch is the standard Galaxy Watch 5, which has a similar price tag, and a similar approach to design, and form factor.

When it comes to bands, the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro have a 20mm quick-release band mechanism. For as long as you have a compatible and 20mm watch band, it should be compatible with the Galaxy Watch 5/Pro smartwatches. This means that most straps will be compatible with the smartwatches, and the market is filled with many high-quality bands that users can choose from.

On the other hand, the Google Pixel Watch supports a proprietary mechanism, which means that, for now, users can only get bands from selected partners, and from Google itself. The good thing is that these bands are already available at Google, and users who pre-ordered their smartwatches will be able to order a brand new band. We hope to see more manufacturers support and create compatible straps for the smartwatch.

Display

The Google Pixel Watch sports a 1.2-inch AMOLED display. It has 1,000 nits of peak brightness, and it also comes with a built-in Always-on Display feature. The glass is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, and it should easily survive everyday abuse from general users. That being said, we can always recommend you a case and a protective cover to protect your smartwatch, which is especially useful if you do activities, or work, where it could come in contact with hard objects.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro sports a 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display. It, too, has a 1,000-nit peak brightness rating, making it excellent for use in bright, and direct sunlight. The viewing angles on both smartwatches are excellent, and the colors will be more than enjoyable for tracking workouts, and controlling the smartwatches. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro also comes with a built-in Always-on Display feature, and it’s protected by a Sapphire Glass panel – which should prevent scratches, dents, from everyday objects.

Processor, RAM and Storage

Perhaps, one of the most disappointing specifications of the Google Pixel Watch is its chipset. It’s powered by the Samsung Exynos 9110 SoC, which could also be found in the first Samsung Galaxy Watch smartwatch, released all the way back in 2018. Google will have a tough job convincing people that it’s still up to the current standards, but we’ll have to test it out ourselves before we can provide an honest judgment or any feedback on the performance.

Aside from the old chipset, the Pixel Watch comes with 2GB of SDRAM and 32GB of eMMC flash storage. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has 1.5GB of memory, and only 16GB of storage. While having a more up-to-date chipset means that the watch can perform more efficiently, and conserve the battery better, the higher memory and more storage provide users with more options. The additional space will allow users to install more apps, watch faces, and store more songs on their smartwatches.

Despite the Pixel Watch having more storage and memory, it’s clear that the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro will almost certainly perform better, as it offers some of the latest technologies that can be found in recent modern smartwatches. That being said, the original Galaxy Watch, powered by the same chip as the Pixel Watch has kept up well, and it’s still a perfect smartwatch today. We look forward to putting the Pixel Watch through our usual tests to see how well it fairies the new challenges it faces today.

Battery

The Google Pixel Watch has a 294 mAh battery, which Google claims can last up to 24 hours. Google doesn’t state whether this includes the use of GPS and 4G. The smartwatch also supports fast charging, which can go from 0-50% in just 30 minutes, which is great to see.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro sports a battery nearly twice the size of the Pixel Watch. The Watch 5 Pro is equipped with a 590 mAh battery, and Samsung claims it can last up to 80 hours on a single charge. That’s three days with normal, general use. Active users have reported the battery life to last up to two days on a single charge, making it one of the best-rated smartwatches for Android users.

Which one should you buy?

It’s clear that the Pixel Watch is aimed at those who want to lose weight, live an active lifestyle, those who want to manage their notifications and calls better, and those who want a stylish smartwatch on their wrist. For those users, it’s one of the best and most compelling devices. The watch looks elegant, stylish, and modern and promises all the features that most users would want in smartwatches.

On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is still excellent for everyday users, but it’s also one of the best smartwatches for power users and those who need a more durable and rugged smartwatch. It’s also excellent as it has a slightly larger display, a newer chip, and a strap design that’s compatible with most bands on the market.

Both smartwatches are ideal for casual users, but the Pixel Watch and the Galaxy Watch 5 might be better options for those looking for everyday, stylish smartwatches. If you believe that you need bigger battery, a more rugged look, and a larger display, then the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro gets an easy recommendation.