Save for the elegant design, which has aged well, the rest of my Pixel Watch 1 experience was mediocre across the board – poor battery life, which could barely get you through a full day; lag when scrolling, and even some bizarre design choices like the magnetic charger, which is so weak that it’d fall off by the time you manage to place the watch on the table.And sure, the bar couldn’t have been set any lower, but Google fixed it! It might sound strange coming from an iPhone user but I’ve been using the Pixel Watch 2 for over a month now, and I wouldn’t mind if this was… the Apple Watch. Because it’s round, which is the correct watch shape. Come on. But it’s not just the roundness…
The biggest upgrade compared to the original Pixel Watch is (undoubtedly) in battery life. The 2nd gen gets me through two full days of (normal) use without any hiccups. That being said, right now, my exercise regime boils down to a couple hours of walking, so bear that in mind. Even so, the Pixel Watch 2 can track my sleep for two full nights (in Sleep mode), and still make it through two full days of use. The Pixel Watch 1 used to last half as long, if not less.
If you ever wanted a Pixel Watch, now is the best time to get one, because it’s finally good: A new chip and a new charger make all the difference for the Pixel Watch 2
The new SoC in the Pixel Watch 2 makes on the difference in my experience.
But don’t be fooled, the longer battery life isn’t due to a larger cell. Instead, it’s the SoC that makes all the difference, and that’s because Google switched from Samsung’s sluggish old Exynos 9110 (10nm) chip to the far more recent Snapdragon Wear 5100 (4nm).
While when it comes to smartphones I’m mostly used to saying “the new chip is great but it doesn’t really make the phone feel any faster”, this couldn’t be farther from the truth in the case of the Pixel Watch 2.
The Pixel Watch 2 became much less annoying to charge compared to the Watch 1 too as the worst charger I’ve ever come across has been upgraded with additional and stronger magnets. It now sticks to the Pixel Watch 2 properly without falling off on its own. Who could’ve known this was possible?! That being said, I must point out that Google has gone for a much cheaper-feeling, plasticky charger with the Pixel Watch 2 compared to the old one, but I couldn’t care less. I’m glad it sticks now.
And last but not least when it comes to the meaningful upgrades I’ve discovered after a month with the Pixel Watch 2, although not perfect, the sleep tracking also seems to be more reliable now. I can’t tell you if it’s more “accurate” but it does seem more intuitive when it comes to knowing when I wake up and fall back asleep to then add up the total sleeping time (although you need to refresh the FitBit tile manually several times to see the upgraded result).
While the Pixel Watch 1 totally missed tracking my sleep a couple of times while I was using it, this hasn’t happened (yet) with the Pixel Watch 2, which is nice.
The Pixel Watch 2 looks so good, other smartwatch maker are now copying Google (but there’s one problem)
The Vivo Watch 3 is a better looking Pixel Watch 2.
The Pixel Watch 2’s design is certainly capable of dividing a room but I happen to dig how simple it looks and how comfortable it is to wear. It’s inoffensive, yet different enough to make me feel less “basic” compared to an Apple Watch user, for instance.
Speaking of the Apple Watch, it’s probably a good time to clear the air: The reason I don’t have an Apple Watch even though the iPhone is my primary phone is exactly the excellent Pixel Watch 2, which came bundled with my Pixel 8 Pro. That being said, even if I was to switch to Apple’s wrist clock one day, I’d still miss the circular form-factor. Because… Duh.
- Despite the fact the display on the Pixel Watch doesn’t go all the way to the edges (not even close), the overflowing glass is super elegant – perhaps too elegant for those who prefer a more rugged design
- Unlike me, the gold paint job on my Pixel Watch 2 looks moderately classy with the Hazel band it ships with – it also looks good when paired with black/dark green straps; I actually had the black variant of the Watch 1 but I’m glad I picked gold this time as it doesn’t look pompous at all – perhaps because the glass overflows and hides most of the aluminum
If you like dressing up your Apple/Galaxy Watch in new straps on the regular, you’ll hate the Pixel Watch 2
Reddit user @rafsdaman has figured out a way to make his Pixel Watch look gold all-around with a gold watch face and a Ringke Gold Bezel – unfortunately, only available for the Pixel Watch 1.
But there’s un problemo with the design of the Pixel Watch 2, which can be easily explained with how young Google’s timepiece is, and that’s accessories. Or rather, the lack of accessories available online.Third-party Pixel Watch 2 bands and straps are hard to come by, which is a real shame since they are the only way to dress up your smartwatch. I looked on Amazon, eBay and even Temu but the choice was still very limited, showing why it certainly doesn’t hurt your watch to be as ubiquitous as the Apple Watch.
Now, could this be because they’ve been around much longer? Sure. But if you look at the accessories available for the Galaxy and Pixel phones, you start to see a trend that makes Google appear to be ignored by accessory makers.
In that case, I’ll have to ask Google to start making more straps for the Pixel Watch 2. Right now, the choice on Google’s website boils down to nine straps, and I’m pretty sure the Apple Watch straps available online are closer to 9 trillion. But don’t quote me on that.
Google’s “2nd gen” rule: Pixel Watch 2 proves Google always gets it right from the second try but can we… stop doing that?
The Pixel Watch 2 is what the Pixel Watch 1 should’ve been. Stop Google Playing with us, Google!
I can make a burnt omelette with egg shells in it, and then make a normal omelette with a healthy knob of butter and a sprinkle of chives. I bet the second one will make the first one seem like a fine dining experience… But why not make a great, Gordon Ramsay-approved omelette from the get-go, Google? I’m NOT Gordon Ramsay in this metaphor (but I could be).
- The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro were full of bugs, but then Pixel 7 came around, and it seemed pretty reliable compared to Pixel 6 series
- The Pixel Watch 2 is almost everything the Pixel Watch 1 should’ve been, which makes me think the original was never even supposed to go on sale to begin with
- I can almost certainly guarantee Google’s “2nd gen rule” will be true for the Pixel Fold 2 (too), since what I see now isn’t what I’d call a “polished foldable experience” – at least in terms of hardware
- The Pixel Tablet is another Google pilot study, which might turn into a higher-end device if deemed successful enough – the biggest giveaway there is that Google didn’t commit to the Pixel Tablet’s special stand, which was “all the hype” but doesn’t even have Bluetooth
The Pixel Watch 2 is awesome compared to the Pixel Watch 1 but Google must try even harder with the Pixel Watch 3
Nobody would be mad if the Pixel Watch 3 looks exactly like the Vivo Watch 3, which kinda looks like the Pixel Watch 2.
The Pixel Watch 2 isn’t perfect by any means. The most annoying bug/issue I’ve encountered (ironically, after finishing this story) is Wi-Fi problems, where after I go to bed and get up in the morning, it wouldn’t be able to connect to Wi-Fi. This morning, I thought I had set a timer to make some creamy boiled eggs but (apparently) the watch wasn’t connected to the internet, so the timer was never set. I’m not eating hard boiled eggs again, Google! That’s two egg references in one story. I better win something.
That being said, my job is to have a critical view on the smartphone market, but even if I didn’t, I can tell you that Google needs to try (even) harder if it wants to keep users happy…
Pixe Watch 3 early wishlist:
- Two Pixel 3 watches, two sizes
- Larger display, slimmer bezels
- Even longer battery life, which can make it through three full days with sleep tracking (and Sleep mode on)
Speaking of the “Sleep mode”, this new addition to the Watch 2 isn’t available on the Watch 1, which is borderline criminal. That aside, the more annoying part is that the only way to keep “Sleep mode” on is to enable it on my Pixel 8 Pro, which then “talks” to the Pixel Watch, and the two start syncing, spooning, and falling asleep together. The watch and the phone can’t use Sleep mode independently, and I’m pretty sure that’s the definition of a toxic Google relationship.
- The speaker on the Pixel Watch 2 is pretty hideous; realistically speaking, I only use it when talking to Google Assistant but I’m sure some of you like taking calls right from their watch (while driving, for example), which makes this speaker quality unacceptable (for any smartwatch)
- The band swapping mechanism on the Pixel Watch 2 remains annoying – let’s figure out a more clever way to swap bands, which might make people actually want to do it?
Ultimately, if my Pixel Watch 1 experience was 5/10 and I only wore it because I wanted to track health metrics, the Pixel Watch 2 would be a solid 7/10. Of course, depending on what’s important to you, the 7 could become a 6, or even a 9.
What rating would you give the Pixel Watch 2?
