Introduction

As a tech enthusiast, I was excited to get my hands on the latest Pixel Watch 5 from Google. While it’s a solid smartwatch, I was disappointed to find that it’s missing some features at launch. In this review, I’ll cover the pros and cons of the Pixel Watch 5 and provide an in-depth look at its features, design, and performance.

Design and Hardware

The Pixel Watch 5 has a sleek and modern design, with a peachy canyon shade that matches the Pixel 11 Pro. However, I was concerned to find some discoloration on the band already, which might be due to a new black purse I’ve been using. Google sells replacement or additional bands from $50 to $200, in case you want a spare.

The watch is light and mostly unobtrusive, making it easy to forget you have it on when you’re out and about. However, the domed glass case and display make it more vulnerable to damage compared to the competition. Nevertheless, the Pixel Watch 5 remains the only mainstream smartwatch with a replaceable screen and battery, which adds to its appeal.

The watch has a Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated processor, which is essentially the same chip as the Watch 4’s Snapdragon W5 Gen 2, but with more memory and increased clock speeds. Both devices have the same IP68 rating for dust and water resistance.

WearOS and Gemini Updates

In the process of reviewing the Pixel Watch 5, I had to update the Android software on my phone, the Pixel Watch app, the Google Health app, and the system restart on both phone and watch. I also had to update at least eight apps on the watch itself, including Health, ECG, Gemini, Messages, Pixel Watch Manager, Wear OS, and Wear Media.

These updates brought a few improvements to the Pixel Watch’s interface, including redesigned complications, new At a Glance pop-ups, expanded one-handed gestures, and a refreshed appearance for Gemini on your wrist. Additionally, there’s a new watch face generator that takes your prompts and turns them into wacky clocks.

However, the watch face generator mechanism is a bit simplistic, and only impacts the style of the clock font. The rest of the stuff on the face, like complication size and placement, are all fairly rigid. You can customize the four arcs around the clock by choosing which complications to use and picking the color palette you prefer.

There are two new watch faces for the Pixel Watch 5 – Weave and Chronograph – which are both attractive enough. The new Multicolor option for complications makes things feel more vibrant. While Google has a wide variety of watch face styles to choose from, Apple’s watch faces, especially the ones with dynamic clock sizes, simply look better.

Features and Performance

One of the most frustrating things about reviewing any new device before it’s available to the public is ensuring we have the right software and features. The testing process is all the more tricky with smartwatches, where you frequently have to wear them for at least a week before certain features kick in.

For now, I’m reviewing the Pixel Watch 5 as it is. I will continue to use and test it in the following weeks and, when the new functions land, I will update this review with my impressions. While I don’t expect that any of these new features will affect the initial score I’m giving the Watch 5, I will adjust that number accordingly and note the change if they do.

The Pixel Watch 5 has a fast-charging battery that remains supreme, and the on-device Gemini is overdue but welcome and speedy. The watch also features customizable, tap-friendly navigation, and helpful gestures for one-handed use.

However, there are a few areas where the Pixel Watch 5 falls short. Watch faces could be more sophisticated, and there are a lot of settings to wade through for some new features. Additionally, the Pixel Watch 5 can get as bright as up to 3,000 nits, but the screen dimmed in battery-saving mode can be difficult to read.