Google Pixel Watch 2 Review: The Upgrade I’ve Been Waiting For

The original Pixel Watch was a strong start. But using the Pixel Watch 2 for almost a week has convinced me that it’s everything the first one should’ve been. For the most part, at least.

The first Pixel Watch felt like a Fitbit watch wrapped in a more elegant package. However, it was missing staple health features like irregular heart rhythm notifications and automatic workout detection, as well as Fitbit’s stress tracking tools. The Pixel Watch 2 addresses these shortcomings while providing faster charging, impressively accurate heart rate readings and smoother scrolling, making it feel like a more fully realized version of Google’s original vision for the Pixel Watch. 

As a result, the $350 (£349, AU$549) Pixel Watch 2 remains a top choice for non-iPhone owners looking for an alternative to the Apple Watch. It’s one of the best looking smartwatches on the market, and it provides a better balance of health tracking and phone companion features than Fitbit’s Sense and Versa watches. (Those watches lack an LTE option, safety features like emergency SOS and the Google Assistant, for example.) 

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Working out with the Pixel Watch 2

Google says the Pixel Watch 2 can measure heart rate more accurately thanks to a new algorithm and a multipath sensor, meaning it has more points of contact to pick up signals compared with the first Pixel Watch. I compared the Pixel Watch 2 with a chest strap heart rate monitor, which is considered to be the gold standard for measuring heart rate outside of a clinical setting, and was pleasantly surprised with the results. 

The Pixel Watch 2 usually caught up to my Polar H10 strap after just a couple of seconds during a vigorous HIIT workout, and even matched the chest strap precisely to the beat during some rest intervals. The same held true when I was walking briskly on a treadmill. 

Fitbit is no stranger to stress tracking; the original 2020 Fitbit Sense was the first model to come with sensors meant to look for signs of stress. But the feature is arriving on the Pixel Watch 2 as tech companies are looking to mental health as being the next major area of exploration when it comes to health tracking. The Apple Watch’s Mindfulness app, for example, allows you to log your mood straight from your wrist. Wearables that claim to track metrics like stress and fatigue levels were also a trend at CES 2023 in January. 

Despite this push, I haven’t found Fitbit’s stress management tools to be all that useful yet. I understand the value of reflecting on your current state of mind, and I’m sure some people will use these tools to keep track of their mood and stress levels. But for me, Fitbit’s body response notifications didn’t make much of a difference, and they sometimes came at random times. While I did receive a body response alert while sitting in the dentist’s chair (I mean, who doesn’t get a little uneasy at the dentist?), I also got one as I was relaxing while listening to music on my way to work. 

I find some of Fitbit’s other tools to be much more useful, like the Sleep Score and Daily Readiness Score, both of which distill into a simple rating the myriad signals your watch gathers throughout the day and night. The Daily Readiness Score, as its name implies, recommends whether you should take a rest day or go for a hard workout, while the Sleep Score assesses the quality of your slumber.

However, you need Fitbit Premium, which costs $10 per month or $80 per year, to access all of Fitbit’s health insights. The Daily Readiness Score requires Fitbit Premium, as does gaining more details about the factors that impact your sleep and stress scores, personalized sleep analysis profiles and wellness reports. You’ll also only get previews of workouts, mindfulness sessions and recipes unless you subscribe to Premium. 

Fitbit isn’t the only company leaning on a subscription model; Oura and Whoop similarly charge to make the most of their products. Samsung and Apple, however, don’t paywall certain health statistics, though Apple does charge for its Fitness Plus app, which includes virtual workout programs. (The Apple Watch also lacks a “readiness score” or “sleep score” equivalent.)

Pixel Watch 2 safety features

The Pixel Watch 2 looks and feels a lot like its predecessor, and that’s a good thing. With its curved glass display and soft, pebblelike shape, the Pixel Watch may be the best-looking Android smartwatch on the market. It’s been my smartwatch of choice over the past year when switching to Android, and that’ll continue to be true moving forward with the Pixel Watch 2. The Pixel Watch 2 has an aluminum build instead of the first version’s stainless steel body, but I don’t mind this change, since the curved glass is really what makes the Pixel Watch’s design stand out. 

However, since the screen size and shape haven’t changed, that also means those familiar black bezels are still present on the Pixel Watch 2. They aren’t noticeable on most watch faces, but you can see them on certain colorful apps and backgrounds. When these borders are visible, it makes the Pixel Watch 2’s screen feel smaller than it actually is. 

Like last year’s Pixel Watch, the new version is available in one 41-millimeter size option. While I prefer petite watches, since I have a small wrist, I imagine some users might prefer a larger screen. My colleague Stephen Shankland, who’s also been using the Pixel Watch 2, said metrics can be hard to see while mountain biking, which makes for a compelling argument that a larger size would be appreciated. 

The Pixel Watch 2 has a new quad-core processor that replaces the dual-core chip in the first model. As a result, apps load slightly faster on the Pixel Watch 2 compared with the original. Still, there were some times when I experienced a slight pause when pushing the crown to move from the clock face to the app list. Thankfully this wasn’t noticeable enough to hinder my overall experience using the watch.

But the more important difference is the new crown, which feels significantly smoother than last year’s version. Though the original Pixel Watch’s crown felt a little stiff and had some resistance to it, the new one scrolls with ease. 

Pixel Watch 2 overall thoughts

The Pixel Watch 2 feels like the watch I wanted last year. It doesn’t get everything right, but it fills in most of the gaps that Google missed with its first smartwatch. Its sleek design, wide variety of workout choices and faster charging make it a strong choice for Android fans looking for an Apple Watch alternative.

That said, you’ll have to subscribe to Fitbit Premium to get the most out of the Pixel Watch 2, though Google does provide much more functionality in its free tier than you’ll get with some other wellness gadgets, like the Oura Ring Gen 3. Still, if you don’t like the idea of a subscription service and happen to own a Samsung phone, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 may be a better option. 

You’ll get many of the same features found in the Pixel Watch, like fall detection, personalized heart rate zones, running tools and automatic workout detection. Sleep coaching and personalized profiles are also available without a subscription. But Samsung is also restrictive in its own way, since irregular heart rhythm notifications and ECG monitoring are available only if you have a Galaxy phone. 

Overall, the Pixel Watch 2 feels like a much-needed step forward for Google’s already impressive smartwatch. Now that the Pixel Watch 2 has caught up to other smartwatches in key ways, I’m looking forward to seeing how Google pushes things further next year with the Pixel Watch 3. 

Get a Closer Look at Google’s Pixel Watch 2

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Article source: https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/google-pixel-watch-2-review-the-upgrade-ive-been-waiting-for/#ftag=CADe34d7bf