A brand new Pixel Watch is hitting the cabinets proper in time for marathon season. Google unveiled the Pixel Watch 4 at its annual Made By Google occasion in New York earlier this week.
The watch comes filled with a number of upgrades that rival its predecessor, like a revamped Fitbit expertise, updates to Gemini, and a brighter show. Retailing at $350 for the 41mm and $400 for the 45mm, the smartwatch is available for preorder now and ships October 9.
Additionally: Everything announced at Made by Google 2025: Pixel 10 Pro, Fold, Watch 4, and more
The massive query is: How does it fare in opposition to its iOS competitors? I evaluated the Pixel Watch 4 and Apple Watch Sequence 10’s spec sheets, examined out their new options, and took under consideration my preferences reviewing smartwatches to check the 2 tech giants’ wearables.
Get extra in-depth ZDNET tech protection: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers.
Specs
Pixel Watch 4 | Apple Watch Sequence 10 | |
Show | Actua 360 show, Customized Corning 3D Gorilla Glass 5 | OLED LTPO3 |
Weight | 41mm: 31 g; 45mm: 36.7 g | 42mm: 30 g; 46mm: 36.4 g |
Processor | Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chip; Cortex M55 processor | S10 SiP with 64‑bit twin core processor |
| RAM/Storage | 32GB | 64GB |
| Battery | As much as 30 hours with At all times On enabled on 41mm; 40 hours on 45mm | As much as 18 hours |
| Brightness | 3,000 nits | 2,000 nits |
| Sizes | 41mm and 45mm | 42mm and 46mm |
| Worth | Starting at $350 | Beginning at $400 |
You can purchase the Pixel Watch 4 if…
1. You desire a punchier AI expertise
The Pixel Watch 4 is getting a contemporary improve with Gemini infused into a number of elements of the smartwatch. Gemini arrived on earlier Pixel Watches again in July, however the brand new Pixel Watch 4, with a chip constructed for AI processing, presents up extra clever capabilities. The AI on the Pixel Watch is extra forward-facing than Apple’s strategy to AI, which tends to be subtler.
Additionally: I tried Pixel Watch 4 – and these are my 7 favorite upgrades in Google’s new watch
Customers can select from a number of AI-powered sensible replies in Messages for faster responses on the go, and also you now not must say “Hey Google” to activate Gemini — all that is wanted is elevating your watch arm to your mouth to talk.
2. You need an upgraded well being and health monitoring expertise
If you happen to’re occupied with shopping for a smartwatch for fitness-tracking capabilities, Google’s Fitbit revamp that arrives in October is likely to be another excuse to go for the Pixel Watch 4.
Fitbit Premium, a paid membership a part of the Google health-tracking ecosystem, is evolving to not simply observe your exercises and sleep, but in addition turn into a wearer’s private AI well being coach. The well being coach takes under consideration your train targets, sleep, and exercise patterns to create a routine that works for you.
Customers can even ask the well being coach questions or make changes to plans based mostly on their circumstances — for instance, in the event that they pulled a muscle throughout an train and wish to discover decrease depth options for the subsequent exercise.
Additionally: The 5 tech gadgets that got me through marathons and obstacle courses (and how they work)
Fitbit’s sleep staging algorithm will get a refresh with a brand new algorithm centered on capturing exact sleep length and levels throughout a wearer’s evening’s relaxation. That is supplemented by the sleep-tracking and pores and skin temperature sensors on the Pixel Watch 4 that Google says have elevated in accuracy.
The watch suggests desired bedtimes that account on your sleep length historical past and exercise degree. If you happen to accomplished a grueling, high-intensity exercise one afternoon, it would recommend an earlier bedtime to prime you for restoration that evening.
3. You desire a replaceable battery
For the primary time, Google is making its Pixel Watch 4’s serviceable for battery substitute. This can be a nice improvement that may lengthen the life of those smartwatches by a number of years and hopefully tackle problems with e-waste. It additionally might imply that, whenever you purchase the Watch 4, you will not have to purchase one other look ahead to some time.
4. You desire a standalone satellite tv for pc SOS
Out of doors lovers are in for a deal with. Sure Apple Watch fashions, just like the Extremely Watch 2, have satellite tv for pc features for navigation in locations with out mobile connectivity, however the Pixel Watch 4 has a novel satellite tv for pc function of its personal, powered by the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor. In contrast to smartwatches that require a cellphone’s mobile connectivity to provoke satellite tv for pc communication, the Pixel Watch 4 presents standalone satellite tv for pc communications — the primary of its type. The function is on the market on the Pixel Watch 4 LTE.
Additionally: The best satellite phones: Expert tested and reviewed
Which means it does not should be related to a smartphone to be related to satellites, and the function works by connecting its processor to geostationary satellites within the sky for off-grid help. There are rumors that the subsequent Apple Watch will get this performance, however it’s at present unavailable on any Apple Watch.
You can purchase the Apple Watch Sequence 10 if…
1. You desire a extra comfy watch
Apple has its sights set on making its watches slim, gentle, and cozy. I like my Sequence 10 for that very cause — I can put on it as I train, work, and sleep, and it is unobtrusive. The Pixel Watch 4, however, is a chunky gadget. Final yr, Apple introduced that it made the Sequence 10 its thinnest watch ever to be simple to put on whereas sleeping, exercising, or on the go.
If you happen to suppose the discomfort degree of a smartwatch will inhibit steady put on, I would suggest the Apple Watch Sequence 10 over the Google Pixel Watch 4.
2. You need subtler AI performance
It is broadly identified that Apple is cautiously dipping its toes into AI options — and taking its time to take action. The AI options on the Apple Watch are useful however refined.
Additionally: I’m a longtime iPhone user, but Google just sold me on the Pixel 10 with these features
A fantastic instance of that is Apple’s updates to the Sensible Stack, which give useful strategies and app activations based mostly on contextual information and routines. When it notices you are on the gymnasium, it would provoke a power coaching session via the Health app. However these are small, refined strategies.
The identical factor applies to Exercise Buddy, which gently supplies encouragement, stats, and notifications throughout and after a exercise. It is not providing up AI-powered coaching plans or factoring in your every day readiness — at the least not but.
