Review: Google Pixel Watch 5

We tech journalists are a rather whiny lot. Every autumn, when the tech giants roll out their latest creations, the columns are filled with deep sighs over how “little has happened since last year.” We complain about minimal iterative updates and constantly call for massive revolutions. But hand on heart: who, besides the nerdiest enthusiasts and us reviewers, actually replaces their expensive smartwatch every year?

When the Google Pixel Watch 5 now lands on the test bench, we find ourselves in exactly this philosophical dilemma. Should we judge it in complete isolation, for what it actually is right now, or must we scrutinize it solely based on how much (or little) it has evolved since Pixel Watch 4? Let’s strap it to the wrist and find out.

Design and build quality

Aesthetically, Google continues on its established round path. The 45mm version of the Pixel Watch 5 is a stunningly beautiful piece. What we truly love about Google’s design is that it is so incredibly sleek; it doesn’t scream “look at my heart rate monitor!” like many of the more masculine and rugged watches from competitors. It looks like a watch, plain and simple.

The included strap is extremely comfortable against the skin. You can wear the watch around the clock, during both sweaty gym sessions and deep sleep, without it chafing or building up moisture in an annoying way. It is a discreet and comfortable companion.

Display and performance (under the hood)

The display is, as we have come to expect from Google’s watches by now, brilliant. It is large enough to fit all necessary information without feeling like an iPad on the wrist. The integration with Android, and specifically Pixel phones, is completely seamless. Setting up the watch takes a few minutes, and then the devices communicate with each other with delightful frictionless ease.

A welcome hardware boost is that the storage space has been significantly increased. Now there is plenty of room to download heavy Spotify playlists for those runs when you really want to leave your phone at home. Under the hood sits a new chip designed to give even more power to the watch’s on-device AI. Here, however, we must be brutally honest: the machinery runs fantastically well, the on-device AI is quick to sort notifications and respond to voice commands, but for an average user, there is no noticeable upgrade at all if you are coming directly from the Pixel Watch 4. The previous generation was already fast enough.

Health and fitness

It is when we step into the health and fitness segment that the watch truly shows its worth. Google’s acquisition of Fitbit has finally begun to bear perfect fruit. The health app is excellent, clear, and motivating. Furthermore, a membership for the built-in AI coach is included, which actually provides genuine, tailored insights into how you should train and recover based on your unique data, rather than just generic graphs.

In this generation, Google has tucked in smart new health features to track things like blood pressure, even deeper sleep cycles, and expanded emergency functions for accidents. These are brilliant tools for keeping track of your body. But (and it’s a rather large but), Google has already announced that the majority of these software innovations will also trickle down to the Pixel Watch 4 via a future update. This once again dampens the urge to buy for those who own last year’s model. At the time of testing, several of these new features had not yet been rolled out to our test watch, making it difficult to comment on them.

A nagging feeling

Battery life with the always-on display and continuous tracking ticks along as expected; you can make it through two days, sometimes a little more. But during our test period, a specific feeling emerged: the watch no longer feels like an absolute flagship. While Apple, Samsung, and Garmin are sprinting ahead at a furious pace with titanium cases, extreme battery life, and groundbreaking sensors, it feels a bit like Google is jogging alongside, content with being “good enough.” It is a dependable watch, but the pace of innovation among competitors is definitely higher.

Conclusion

So, back to our opening question. How do you judge a gadget that is, in many ways, a copy of last year’s model?

If we put the Google Pixel Watch 5 in context against the Pixel Watch 4, the matter is crystal clear: you absolutely should not upgrade. The new hardware changes are too minor, and the software is coming to your old watch anyway.

But if we review the watch in a vacuum, as a standalone product for someone who either never owned a smartwatch or is currently walking around with a three- or four-year-old model? Then this is a really, really good choice. It is a stylish, fast, and intelligent fitness partner that doesn’t put too much strain on either your wrist or your wallet. Sometimes technology doesn’t need to revolutionize our world every autumn; sometimes it’s enough for it to just mature and become reliably and consistently good.

Google sent a test unit for this review. The provider of the material has no editorial influence on our tests.