Google Pixel Watch 5 Review: Hardware Stability vs. Price Concerns

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Google Pixel Watch 5 Review: Hardware Stability vs. Price Concerns
Photo: Wired
tech· A press review of 3 outlets

  1. The Google Pixel Watch 5 has, in many ways, been the hardest Pixel Watch to accurately review. Barely anything has changed in terms of hardware. The sizes are the same, the chips and battery got an itty-bitty boost, and there’s a new pyrite satin case finish. Instead, the big updates are all software-related: This year’s watch gets ambitious new health features that expand on the overhauled Google Health app and its AI coach introduced with the Fitbit Air earlier this year.

    Compare 2 other versions
    ZDNet

    The Pixel Watch 5 feature should help beginners feel more comfortable in the gym by giving them workout recommendations and taking them through their exercises and rest periods. The feature is coming soon to the new watch, though Google hasn't specified a date yet.

    Wired

    The Pixel Watch 5 takes a repairable model we already love and fine-tunes it, with most of the meaningful changes coming to Google’s health and fitness tools. Like the Fitbit Air, it leans further into proactive health insights. Most of our complaints about the Pixel Watch 4 remain, except that Gemini now has (some) offline functionality.

  2. The battery is still going strong Google didn't invest in a major battery upgrade this year, but that's fine. After a week of testing, the smartwatch's battery lasts me around a day and a half of average use. That's still a lot longer than the battery on Google's iOS competition, the Apple Watch Series 11, which has 24 hours of life, and it's on par with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9.

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    Wired

    The Watch 5 features a larger battery than its predecessor, mainly to support new AI capabilities. For that reason, battery life remains similar, with Google estimating up to 40 hours. I get about 36 hours, which is still solid. What continues to impress me the most, though, is the fast charging, which delivers 15 hours of use in just 15 minutes. This is a game-changer when I forget to charge it before heading out for a workout (which is often!). Google still hasn't introduced additional charging options or 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 docks for its Pixel portfolio (the Apple Watch has so many charging accessories), and we’re still patiently waiting.

  3. For a while now, Fitbit and Pixel users have been able to create their own strength-training workouts through the Google Health app, which has hundreds of exercises and pre- and post-workout stretches. With a Google Health Premium subscription, you can even take a photo of your workout equipment and ask Gemini to build you a quick workout routine that suits your strength level and needs.

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    Wired

    More Ways to Track Your Health Fitness tracking gets some of the biggest upgrades. The new Strength Training experience adds a workout builder, audio cues, rest timers, and the ability to track weights and reps. You can create a custom workout in the Google Health app, then have the watch guide you through each exercise and time your rest periods. You can also ask Google’s AI coach to build a workout based on a photo of your equipment.

  4. I haven't gotten to put every new feature through the wringer, so keep an eye out for my full review in the coming weeks, where I test the heart rate sensor's accuracy, that new GPS upgrade, and get an update on my blood pressure and insulin resistance status through the new Health Guardian tab. For now, here are a few first impressions of the Watch 5 after a week of wear.

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    Wired

    The Watch 5 retains several health features from its predecessors, including Loss of Pulse detection, ECG, and skin temperature tracking. It also introduces four Health Guardian tools that have undergone clinical validation and will be available in September: Insulin Resistance Trends, Blood Pressure Trends, Breathing Emergency Detection, and Sleep Breathing Quality Trends.

  5. That leaves me and the Pixel Watch 5 on my wrist in a bit of a reviewer’s pickle. All those features sound smart to me, but I can’t weigh in on whether they’re worth $399.99 — a $50 price hike over last year’s model — until they’re available. Given that half of those new metrics are meant to be viewed monthly, it’ll be a hot minute before I can write about them.

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    ZDNet

    I'm already impressed by the Pixel Watch 5's feature set. However, it's still a clunky device to wear.

  6. I've written about my love for the app Fitbod, which stores all my weight training workouts and progress data in one helpful place. It is one of the few app memberships I pay for, because it's that useful to me. This new strength-training feature on the Pixel Watch 5 could be Fitbod's closest rival, especially since it brings the experience from your phone directly to your Watch 5. That's not a feature I've seen on the Samsung or Apple watches.

From the margins

3 details only one outlet reported

Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.

  1. 01 Wired

    Remains a stunning design. New Health Guardian features with proactive wellness insights. Strength Training experience is useful for gym-goers. Gemini now has offline functionality. Double the storage.

  2. 02 ZDNet

    ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.

  3. 03 The Verge

    The wearable future is stuck in weird, experimental, existential limbo I sat down with Google to discuss its vision for the next generation of wearables. It’s a work in progress.

Assembled from 6 corroborated claims drawn from 3 independent outlets. Every passage above is taken verbatim — Dorothy doesn't paraphrase or summarize.

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Sources (3)

  • zdnet
  • verge
  • wired

Original Articles (5)

Culture Google Pixel Watch 5 Review: More Health, More AI — Wired
Enterprise After one week wearing the Pixel Watch 5, here's what I want most — ZDNet
Enterprise The Pixel Watch 5 could help me lift heavy - and replace my top strength training app — ZDNet
Consumer The wearable future is stuck in weird, experimental, existential limbo — The Verge
Consumer Google’s Pixel Watch 5 is promising — but it isn’t finished — The Verge