Wired review hails Google Pixel Watch 4 as top Android smartwatch
The Google Pixel Watch 4 earns praise as the best smartwatch for Android users, featuring a domed display and enhanced Gemini assistant. Reviewers highlight its repairability and accurate health tracking, though they criticize the default strap and charging inconsistencies. Priced at $349 for the 41-mm model and $399 for the 45-mm version, it offers strong battery life and Wear OS improvements.
Google's Pixel Watch 4 introduces a playful redesign with Wear OS emphasizing bold colors and morphing shapes, paired with a unique domed glass and display that enhances glanceability from angles. The 41-mm and 45-mm cases feature smaller bezels for more screen real estate, and new watch faces like Field provide detailed information without garishness. Comfort is improved with less gap between lugs and wrist, better speakers for clear calls, and a 3,000-nit peak brightness screen readable in sunlight. Powered by the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chipset, it operates smoothly, though initial app updates may stutter.
Battery performance reaches up to 40 hours per Google's claim, with the reviewer achieving 1.5 to two days, extendable by disabling always-on display. Charging jumps to over 50 percent in 15 minutes on the new dock, but Google has altered the charger design for the third time in four generations, rendering older ones incompatible and limiting third-party options. The default Active Band is described as dull, prompting recommendations to swap it separately.
Health features shine with accurate sleep tracking comparable to the Apple Watch Series 10, automatic bedtime mode, and charger alerts. Activity tracking matches competitors in heart rate and distance, using dual-band GPS. Passive detection logs workouts like walks and rowing after 30 minutes, though real-time data requires manual starts. New additions include real-time bike streaming to phones and an upcoming AI coach in the Fitbit app. Retained capabilities encompass Loss of Pulse detection, blood oxygen, skin temperature, ECG, and fall detection, which waits 30 seconds before alarming. Satellite communications are limited to emergencies.
The shift to Gemini assistant over Google Assistant improves query handling and workout commands, with Raise to Talk activating via wrist raise—though it requires internet and has activation inconsistencies. Transfer to new phones can fail initially but succeeds on retries. Overall, the watch's repairability, including easy battery and display swaps, bolsters its appeal at $349.