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Google officially announced the Pixel Watch 2 today alongside its two new flagship Pixel smartphones, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro which both run on Android 14 out of the box. The Pixel Watch is 2 is both similar and different from the original Pixel Watch but in all the right ways. It sees upgrades “inside and out” for a highly improved user experience. All while sticking to the same water drop design for the watch case that people loved about last year’s model.
That isn’t to say things are wildly different. Google has definitely made some improvements. Like adding a faster and more powerful processor inside. It’s also added updated sensors, and is now using 100% recycled aluminum for the watch case. All respectable upgrades for a watch that was already pretty good. With that said, this post will serve as a guide to tell you everything you need to know about the new Pixel Watch 2. If you’re considering the upgrade, or if this will be your first smartwatch (or just your first Pixel Watch), you’ll find all the important details below.
Google Pixel Watch 2 specs
The Pixel Watch 2 features a 1.2-inch display with a 384 x 384 resolution and 320 ppi. Additionally, the display has a peak brightness of 1,000 nits. So it’ll get super bright in direct sunlight. It’s also protected by Custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and has an IP68 water resistance rating. It comes with 32GB of internal storage and 2GB of RAM. So there’s plenty of space for apps and plenty of memory to run them.
For the chipset Google is using the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 5100 with a Cortex M33 co-processor. It runs on Wear OS 4 and it comes in both Bluetooth/Wi-Fi and LTE models. There’s a bevy of sensors inside including a compass, altimeter, red and infrared sensors for blood oxygen monitoring, electrical sensors for use with the ECG app, a multi-path optical heart rate sensor, a 3-axis accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, an Electrical sensor to measure skin conductance (cEDA) for body response tracking, a skin temperature sensor, a barometer, and a magnetometer.
Inside there’s a 306mAh battery which is capable of lasting 24 hours on a single charge with the always-on-display enabled. And it can charge up to 100% in about 80 minutes. The watch size is 41mm and weighs just 31g so it’s pretty lightweight. Additionally it has multiple different types of GPS including GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, and Quasi-Zenith Satellite.
The watch also has a built-in speaker and a built-in microphone. For interaction, you can navigate the UI and select things using the touchscreen display, the digital crown, and the side button.
How much does the Pixel Watch 2 cost?
The Pixel Watch 2 will have two costs because it comes in two different flavors. The Bluetooth/WiFi model, and the LTE model. The differences here are obviously the way the watch connects. If you go with the LTE model, you can link the watch to your carrier. Then use any data-related features without your phone needing to be connected to the watch. In fact you don’t even need your phone on you. It can also connect via Bluetooth and WiFi. Then there’s the Bluetooth and WiFi-only model which will need to be connected to your phone or a WiFi network for data features.
The Pixel Watch 2 Bluetooth/WiFi will cost you $349, and the LTE model will cost you $399.
Where can I buy the Pixel Watch 2?
The Pixel Watch 2 will be available at all the usual retailers including Best Buy, Amazon, and of course directly from Google via the Google Store. You can also pick it up at carriers like Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T in the LTE version.
– Best Buy
– Amazon
– Verizon
– T-Mobile
– AT&T
Are there any pre-order offers available?
There aren’t any specific to the Pixel Watch 2. But there are some offers available for people who also buy a Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro. Most notably that you can get a free Pixel Watch 2 if you buy one of the new phones. You can read more about that here.
What carriers does the watch work with?
If you go with the LTE model of the Pixel Watch 2, it’s compatible with seven different carriers in the US. This includes the AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Google Fi, Cellcom, CSpire, and US Cellular. You can find out more about additional carrier compatibility for networks outside the US here.
Worth noting is that for the big three carriers in the US, it is possible the watch will work on any of their MVNO carriers. However, Google’s support page does not mention them at all. So if you use an MVNO from AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile, you’ll want to check with the carrier to see if the LTE Pixel Watch 2 is supported on it before buying the LTE model. Or simply switch carriers.
What countries is the watch available in directly from Google?
Google’s Pixel Watch 2 will be available in a variety of regions around the globe, and will be usable in those same regions. The officially supported regions include the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, and Taiwan. You may be able to find the Pixel Watch 2 in other regions through resellers. But these won’t be officially supported regions.
What colors does the Pixel Watch 2 come in?
The Pixel Watch 2 will come in three case colors. Polished Silver, Matte Black, and Champagne Gold. Each of those cases comes with a specific band color as well. The Matte Black case for instance comes with an Obsidian band. While the Polished Silver can come with bands in the Bay or Porcelain colors. And the Champagne Gold will come with a Hazel band.
Can I choose a different band color?
Yes and no. When you buy the watch, you get the band that was paired with it and you have no option to swap it out. However, the Pixel Watch 2 uses the same attachment mechanism as the older Pixel Watch from 2022. So you can use any band from that watch with the new one. And you can always opt to buy additional bands in other colors for the Pixel Watch 2. Say you picked up the Polished Silver watch but want the Hazel band. You can pick up the Hazel band on its own as a separate purchase and have it added to your order.
What upgrades does the Pixel Watch 2 have over the original?
There’s a handful of improvements that can potentially make this worth upgrading to. All of that will of course depend on what you value in a smartwatch and what kinds of features you’re looking for.
Battery life
To kick things off, the most important upgrade we’d say is the battery life. It’s still 24 hours on a single charge which is not new from last year’s Pixel Watch. But what is new is that you can now get that 24 hours with the always-on display enabled. Whereas with the original Pixel Watch the aod had to be turned off to get the 24-hour battery life. If you never really use aod then this upgrade probably doesn’t mean much to you. But if you like the aod feature, this is a big improvement.
Because the aod makes it much easier to interact with the watch’s features and notifications. The main issue is that it drains battery quicker. Google set a goal to improve that and it has.
A new, more powerful processor
Beyond the battery the watch also now comes with a more power efficient and more powerful processor. Specifically, the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 5100 with a Cortex M33 co-processor. Google says this helps the watch run buttery smooth and it helps the watch last longer before needing a recharge. Wear OS 4 also helps with the performance and battery life.
The multi-path sensor for more accurate tracking
Additionally the watch now uses a new multi-path sensor for more accurate heart rate tracking. Google says this works by using multiple points of skin contact to provide a more accurate heart rate reading. And compared to the Pixel Watch, it’s about a 40% improvement with regards to accuracy. Google also now added a skin temperature sensor, and an electrodermal activity sensor. Both of which were present in the Sense 2. These will help to monitor stress levels.
Say hello to automatic workout tracking
This was a big feature that the original Pixel Watch was missing. And for many this was a huge pain point because it’s a pretty common feature that you can find on many other smartwatches available in the same price range. Even some that are much less expensive have offered it. With the Pixel Watch 2, Google has added this in so the watch can now pick up on what types of exercise you’re doing. If you start running for instance, the watch will automatically track that you’re running and begin that workout. It can stop workouts too. Although this will only be compatible with seven different workout types. Others would need to be started manually.
Google says it supports running, outdoor cycling, and HIIT workouts to name a few.
There’s a wealth of new safety features
Google has added in some new safety features to help ensure users feel safer when out and about during adventures or general everyday outings. For starters, the all-new Safety Check feature lets you set a timer that will alert emergency contacts if it expires. So if you don’t check in then people are notified with your location. There’s also a new emergency sharing feature. This works kind of the same way as the Safety Check. Only you’re manually sharing your location with emergency contacts instead of the sharing happening when a timer expires.
Additionally, the watch can now store medical information that first-responders can check if you’re ever in an emergency. This can be accessed by simply holding down the digital crown. Google even sells a new Medical ID Tag accessory that wraps around the band of the watch to alert first-responders that pressing the digital crown will bring up this information.
More sustainable design
Google is still using the water drop design but the watch case is now made of 100% recycled aluminum. So there’s an increased level of sustainability in the manufacturing of the watch.
What sorts of bands are available for the Pixel Watch 2?
You have loads of options here. Because Google is releasing some new bands for the Pixel Watch 2 that you can pick up. This includes new colors of the Active Band that launched alongside the original Pixel Watch. But all the older Pixel Watch bands also work with the Pixel Watch 2. So you now have even more choices.
New band options include the Active Sport band (this is a lot like the Active band but it has little holes throughout the band to help with ventilation), the Metal Slim band, and the Metal Mesh band. There’s also new colors of the Active band, the Stretch band, the Two-Tone Leather band, and the Woven band to match the colors of this year’s phones.
Should you buy the Pixel Watch 2?
It really all depends on a few factors. Without a doubt we’d say if you don’t already have a smartwatch, this is a good option and should be considered as one of your top choices. If you’re using a Pixel phone, this is another good reason to use the Pixel Watch 2. It’ll work with just about any Android phone type but it will work best with the Pixel phones.
Another reason why you should buy the watch is because it comes with some great features. The new multi-path sensor is notably one of the better ones. Because you won’t really find this on any other devices, save for the Fitbit Charge 6. And it provides better heart rate tracking. Then again we wouldn’t suggest this watch if you prefer Samsung’s One UI Watch interface. Or if you like bigger watches. Google’s Pixel Watch 2 is only 41mm. Which is a bit small if you’re used to something like the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro or Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.
In the end only you can decide if you should buy it. But there are enough good reasons to consider it, and some not to. It’s likely to be a great smartwatch though. And if you do choose to go with it we don’t think you’ll be disappointed.