The differences between the Google Pixel Watch vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 could determine what’s the best smartwatch for Android this year.
On one hand, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is among the best smartwatches overall and is the first device to run Google’s unified Wear OS software. On the other, the Google Pixel Watch is poised to become the ultimate accessory for Pixel smartphone users. Google announced the Pixel Watch during Google I/O 2022.
But since the Pixel Watch won't arrive until the fall, we can’t say whether one smartwatch is better than the other. But based on what we know so far, we can speculate on how the Pixel Watch vs. Galaxy Watch 4 might compare in terms of price, appearance, battery life and more.
Google Pixel Watch vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Price
What we know about the Pixel Watch rumored price comes from a few different points of intel. Twitter user Yogesh Brar claims the Pixel Watch will cost between $300 and $400. A previous rumor suggested a $400 Pixel Watch price tag. An alleged leak says the Google smartwatch will come in two sizes and at least four watch band options, too. Unclear if that includes LTE versions.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 starts at $249 for the 40mm Bluetooth model and $299 for the 40mm LTE model. The Galaxy Watch 4 Classic model with elevated materials starts at $349.99 for the 42mm Bluetooth model and $399 for the 42mm LTE model. That said, since the smartwatch is already several months old, you can often find it on sale.
Google Pixel Watch vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Design
The Google Pixel Watch design has a rounded face with what looks like a digital crown on the right side, and a pair of buttons as well. The color displayed during I/O is silver, though no clue as to other colors and size options. Many smartwatches on the market come in two sizes, so maybe Google will follow suit.
As such, the Pixel Watch looks set to be a rather clean and minimalist smartwatch, somewhat in keeping with the design of other Pixel devices. Interchangeable bands, meanwhile, would offer wearers a bit of customization.
The Galaxy Watch 4 actually has two design options. First, the sporty-looking Galaxy Watch 4 as the company’s flagship and a follow-up to the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2. Second, the ‘Classic’ version that carries on the luxurious characteristics of last year’s Samsung Galaxy Watch 3.
As the name may suggest, the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic model looks more like a traditional watch, offering a good balance of fashion and function. It even features a physical rotating bezel you can use to navigate menus. If you’d like to read more about the differences between the two models, check out our Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 vs. Galaxy Watch 4 Classic guide.
Google Pixel Watch vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Features
We don’t know much about what the Pixel Watch will do, beyond that it'll run Wear OS and offer apps like Google Assistant, Google Maps and the new Google Wallet with IDs announced with Android 13. The Pixel Watch will also borrow from Google's Fitbit acquisition to include workout tracking, sleep tracking and stress tracking. Though the inside is still a mystery, adopting advanced health sensors such as ECG or EDA will make the watch more attractive too.
In a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 workout test, we liked the watch's activity tracking tools. But sleep tracking and stress tracking performed so-so — Samsung Health simply doesn't have the same sophistication as Fitbit.
When it comes to similarities, both watches will surely be running Google’s Wear OS (or simply, Wear) software, the same way the best Samsung phones and Pixel phones both run Android. We’ve not seen other Wear OS eligible smartwatches upgrade to the latest version yet. Could Google be waiting until it has its own hardware?
Google Pixel Watch vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Battery life
According to 9to5Google, sources say the Pixel Watch’s battery capacity will be 300 mAh. It’s not clear whether this capacity will be consistent across the rumored multiple models of the Pixel Watch, but if we had to guess, the Pixel Watch battery life with regular use will max out at about two days. That’s the same as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4, which again, is presumably running the same software.
It’s also possible the battery life could rival the stamina of any of the best Fitbit watches, which typically last between 5 and 7 days. But features like an always-on display, cellular connectivity and GPS use will likely limit how long the Pixel Watch can last.
Google Pixel Watch vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 4: Outlook
Until the Pixel Watch is on the market and we can test it, we can’t say whether it’ll keep up with (or out-perform) the Galaxy Watch. Samsung has several years of selling smartwatches under its belt, placing high stakes on the Pixel Watch launch.
Still, Pixel smartphone users have been awaiting a dedicated smartwatch, or a smartwatch that’s optimized for their handset. Pixel phone users can use any of the best Samsung watches, but they leave some features to be desired.
Read next: Check out our lowdown of the 3 reasons to buy and 3 reasons to skip the Google Pixel Watch.
