The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Goggle Pixel Watch are both high-end watches that try to compete with the Apple Watch for Android phones. Both have the latest version of Wear OS, a round display, and many of the same health sensors and workout tracking features.
Price and size could be the deciding factors in your first choice. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 starts at $280 (£269, AU$499) for the 40mm version and $309 for the 44mm version, while the Pixel Watch only comes in one 41mm size and costs $350 (£339, AU$549). If you spend a little more money, either $330 for the Galaxy Watch or $400 for the Pixel Watch, you can get the LTE or cellular version so you can get calls or send messages when you’re not near your phone.
Depending on what kind of Android phone you have could also affect your choice. For example, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch has some features that you can only use if you also have a Samsung phone, which we’ll talk about later.
Pricing and availability
The 40mm Bluetooth-only model of the Galaxy Watch 5 starts at $279, while the LTE model costs $329. The LTE and Bluetooth versions of the 44mm phone cost $299 and $349, respectively. Check out the best Galaxy Watch’s website to save a lot of money. The Pixel Watch only comes in one size, which is 41mm, and costs $349 for the Bluetooth-only version and $399 for the LTE version.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Goggle Pixel Watch Comparison Table
| Google Pixel Watch | Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 40.64 x 40.64 x 12.2mm | 40.4 x 39.3 x 9.8mm |
| weight | 32g | 28.7g |
| RAM | 2GB | 1.5GB |
| Storage | 32GB | 16GB |
| Battery | 294mAh | 284mAh |
| OS | Wear OS 3.5 | One UI Watch 4.5 based on Wear OS 3.5 |
| Colors | Matte Black, Polished Silver, Champagne Gold | Silver, Graphite, Pink Gold, Bora Purple, and Sapphire |
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Goggle Pixel Watch Design and display
The Pixel Watch stands out from the crowd of round smartwatches because of how it looks. It has a curved glass dome that hides the thick bezels very well. It only comes in one size, 41mm, but you can choose from Matte Black, Polished Silver, or Champagne Gold for the color. The speaker grille is on the left side. The crown and a button are on the right side. Google says that putting on and taking off the watch band is like putting on and taking off a camera lens.
Even though the Pixel Watch doesn’t have any third-party band options, Google has a wide range of its own bands. The Galaxy Watch 5 looks mostly the same as the Galaxy Watch 4, but there are a few small changes that make the design better. The most noticeable change is that the bottom of the watch is now more curved, which makes it fit better on your wrist. This not only makes the watch fit and feel better, but it also makes the information from the BioActive sensor more accurate.
Also, the cover glass is now made of Sapphire crystal glass, which is 60% less likely to get scratched than the old glass. Overall, the Galaxy Watch 5 is more durable and comfortable than the Galaxy Watch 4 because of these small design changes. The Galaxy Watch 5 comes in the colours Graphite, Silver, Sapphire, Bora Purple, and Pink Gold.
Both the Galaxy Watch 5 and the Pixel Watch have AMOLED screens with a resolution of 450 x 450. However, the Galaxy Watch 5’s 44mm model has a slightly bigger 1.4-inch screen than the Pixel Watch’s 1.2-inch screen. Both watches can get as bright as 1,000 nits, which makes them easy to read even in bright sunlight.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Goggle Pixel Watch Features
Both the Google Pixel Watch and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 are Wear OS watches, but they are very different in how they work. The Pixel Watch has almost every Google app built in, but the Galaxy Watch 5 only has Google Maps, Gmail, and Google Assistant.
But because Samsung customises Android OS for its phones, Wear OS by Samsung gives users a unique experience. It comes with a number of Samsung programmes, but the main one for fitness tracking is Samsung Health. Fitbit is used for all fitness tracking on the Google Pixel Watch.
The Galaxy Watch 5 has some interesting sensors, like a system for measuring body composition called bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and a skin temperature sensor that is new this year. The Pixel Watch only has sensors for heart rate and blood oxygen level.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Goggle Pixel Watch Fitness and tracking
Fitbit is not quite what it should be when it comes to the Pixel Watch. As it stands, it’s a nice but confusing addition that feels like it was tacked on. You can keep track of multiple workouts, and it’s a big step up from the basic Google Fit suite. The Fitbit app on your phone stores data, but historical data and more detailed metrics are locked behind a $9.99 per month Fitbit Premium subscription.
Samsung made a few small changes to the Galaxy Watch 5’s BioActive Sensor compared to its predecessor. Now that the sensor is bigger, it should be able to make better contact with your skin and give you more accurate readings and fitness data. To get to this information, go to the Samsung Health app, which looks and works like the Fitbit app. It does have free historical information, though.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 vs Goggle Pixel Watch Battery life
The battery in the Galaxy Watch 5 is 15% bigger than the one in the Galaxy Watch 4. This means that it can last up to 50 hours on a single charge. That’s about 10 hours longer than before and about two days. Samsung says that the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro for outdoor sports has a battery life of 80 hours, so it can keep up with adventures that need GPS.
The Google Pixel Watch is said to have a battery life of 24 hours. But when we tested it, we could barely make it that long because GPS uses 20% of the battery per hour. Even so, the watch did last for 24 hours on days when we didn’t work out or use activity tracking.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pros and Cons
Pros
- Competitive price
- Slim, lightweight design
- Not quite as locked in to Samsung’s ecosystem
- Stronger, scratch-resistant screen
Cons
- Sweaty workouts hamper touch response
- Battery life could be better
Goggle Pixel Watch Pros and Cons
Pros
- Nice design
- Fitbit integration
- Always-on display
- Onboard GPS
Cons
- Bezel is a missed opportunity
- Learning curve for switching bands
- Lackluster battery life
Which one should you consider?
With Fitbit on board, more storage, and a really nice, rounded design made from a high-quality material, the Pixel Watch is an obvious choice for anyone who uses Android. Especially since this is the first time Google has ever made its own watch.
But from a pure functionality standpoint, the Samsung has a lot going for it, especially when it comes to battery life. Not only is it less expensive, but it also comes in two sizes and has a stronger glass covering the screen.
FAQs
Are pixels better than Galaxy?
All of these complaints lead us to think that Pixel phones are not as reliable as Samsung phones, at least not yet. The Pixel will be a better deal, but the Samsung is still a safer choice and is less likely to give you problems in the future.
Will Pixel Watch have ECG?
Google Pixel Watch can keep track of your heart rate all day to help with health and activity metrics like resting heart rate, Active Zone Minutes, and more. Find out how to keep track of your heart rate. If you get the Fitbit ECG app1 from the Google Play Store and put it on your Google Pixel Watch, it can tell your heart rate.
