Wearables like health trackers and smartwatches have been round for nicely over a decade, so it shocked me to be taught that Google didn’t throw its (tech-heavy) hat into the ring till 2022. That’s when it collaborated with Fitbit to launch the Google Pixel Watch, a handy guide a rough, trendy machine that earned SELF-Licensed standing after I attempted it out.
Now, it’s again with its sophomore providing: the Google Pixel Watch 2 ($350, amazon.com), which guarantees to take health-focused metrics even additional whereas enhancing a few of its snags (most noticeably, a not-so-great battery life). I received the chance to check this feature, too—right here’s the way it stacks up towards the OG.
How I examined
I primarily based my evaluate of the Google Pixel Watch 2 on standards advisable by SELF’s panel of specialists, which incorporates elements like ease of use, accuracy, battery life, water resistance, and particular options. I wore the look ahead to almost a month, and took it off solely to cost—that means, I showered, slept, and exercised with it on. I attempted it throughout a bunch of various exercises, together with outside runs and walks, power coaching classes, and indoor biking. For comparability’s sake, I additionally wore it with the Garmin Venu 3 on my different wrist throughout a few of my exercises.
Ease of use
I examined the Google Pixel Watch 2 with my Google Pixel 7 cellphone, which made for a fairly easy setup. (Sorry Apple customers, this watch gained’t give you the results you want, because it’s Android-only.)
First impressions
Like its predecessor, the Pixel Watch 2 is a rattling engaging machine. I attempted it in matte black with an identical band, and it seemed so modern and classy. It has a decrease profile than quite a lot of different smartwatches—after I wore it with my Venu 3, the Garmin would often snag on a sleeve after I was placing on my coat, however the Pixel Watch by no means did. Google decreased this model’s weight by 10%, so it felt tremendous mild, too. The watch got here with a silicone sport band, which is waterproof, sweat-resistant, and has a nifty closure (the tip tucks away so it by no means got here unfastened for me).
The Pixel Watch 2 operates with the combo of a touchscreen, one haptic button, and one scrolling crown button. There’s a little bit of a studying curve right here; totally different actions do various things. A brief press of the haptic button takes you thru a list of your most lately used apps, whereas a protracted press summons your voice-activated digital assistant. A single press of the crown takes you to all your apps, and a double-press sends you to your digital pockets.
And when you’re not right into a studying curve? Lean in your digital assistant as an alternative, which I did greater than I’d care to confess. Merely press the button and provides it verbal instructions—“begin a run,” “set a timer,” “textual content Rob”—and increase: no want to recollect any sort of buttons.
The app
The Pixel Watch 2 requires two apps, a separation that I want might merge right into a extra seamless expertise. The Watch app is residence for the workings of your machine: preferences, show, notifications, security and emergency contacts, and different apps, plus the power to decide on and reorder which tiles seem in your wrist. To have a look at your well being or exercise metrics, you’ll want to move over to the Fitbit app. That’s the place you’ll discover on a regular basis information like steps, exercise minutes, and flooring climbed, in addition to health-specific information, like coronary heart fee, stress stage, and sleep readings.
The watch face
You have got dozens of decisions to your watch face. Google appears to favor the understated; I selected the one which shows probably the most metrics—time, day, date, together with battery stage, steps, energy, and coronary heart fee—which was nonetheless a bit lower than I had with different manufacturers.