Pixel Watch Vs Galaxy Watch 5/5 Pro: Is Google Too Late?
Google is known for many things but Wear OS. The search engine giant had originally planned to reveal its first smartwatch alongside the original Pixel/XL but later dropped the idea midway and asked LG to continue the project. That’s how we got the LG Watch, and the rest is history.
Six years later, Google has finally launched its much-awaited Pixel watch, but how does it fare with other contenders like the Galaxy Watch 5/5 Pro from Samsung? Is Google too late to the party? Let’s find out.
Google Pixel Watch Vs Galaxy Watch 5/5 Pro
Both the Pixel Watch and the Watch 5 or 5 Pro complement their manufacturers. If we asked you to guess everything about the design and build of both the watches with respect to the manufacturer, your design ideas and imaginations would mostly be correct. Here are all the specifications of the Pixel and Samsung wearables.
| Specification | Pixel Watch | Galaxy Watch 5 | Galaxy Watch 5 Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 1.6-inch AMOLED display (320ppi) | 1.4-inch super AMOLED (321ppi) | 1.4-inch super AMOLED (321ppi) |
| Battery | 300mAh | 410mAh | 590mAh |
| Processor | Exynos 9110 clocked at 1.1GHz | Exynos W920 clocked at 1.18GHz | Exynos W920 clocked at 1.18GHz |
| Storage | 16/32GB 2GB RAM | 16GB internal and 1.5GB RAM | 16GB internal and 1.5GB RAM |
| Display protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Sapphire crystal | Sapphire crystal |
| Operating System | Stock Wear OS 3.5 out of the box | Wear OS 3.5 based on One UI Watch | Wear OS 3.5 based on One UI Watch |
| Variants | 41mm Wi-Fi only and Wi-Fi + LTE | 40mm and 44mm; Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi+LTE | 46mm; Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi+LTE |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Sensors | Heart rate, ECG, Temperature sensor, NFC. | Heart rate, ECG, Temperature sensor, NFC. | Heart rate, ECG, Temperature sensor, NFC. |
| Price | $349 | $309 | $449 |
Pixel Watch vs Galaxy Watch 5/5Pro: You know the answer
Here are the differences between the Galaxy Watch 5 and the Pixel Watch. In the end, let’s look at which one would be the right pick for you.
The battery on Pixel Watch will suffer
Let’s start with what I think is going to be a major con of the Pixel Watch, the processor. The Exynos 9110 used in the Pixel is the same processor as the first Galaxy Watch. On top of being old, it’s not the most efficient, thanks to its 10nm fabrication process compared to 5nm in the Exynos W920. But that’s not even the worst part. The battery on the Pixel is a 300mAh unit which is rated to last for a day. However, the inefficient processor will create problems for battery life unless Google decides to massively underclock it, which probably won’t happen.
The Watch 5 lasts for two days, whereas the 5 Pro could last for 3-4 days. Heck, after one of the recent updates to the Galaxy Watch 4, it manages to last for more than a day. Hence, based on the battery claims by Google, it doesn’t look promising.
It’s 2022, Google!
The Pixel Watch comes with a 1.6-inch AMOLED display with 320ppi and 1000 nits of peak brightness, whereas both the Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro come with a 1.4-inch super AMOLED display and similar pixel density. The display wouldn’t be a differentiating factor clearly, but the bezels will be.
Now, before you ready your pitchforks, the bezels are fine for a first-generation device, and the AMOLED does a decent job at hiding them; however, they’re huge compared to Galaxy Watch 5/5 Pro’s bezels and will upset lots of people.
The Original Wear OS makes a comeback
The last time we saw the original Wear OS 3.0 was in Google I/O 2021 when Google revealed the same. Fast forward a year, and we’re finally going to see the stock Wear OS UI in action. That said, Samsung’s One UI Watch on top of Wear OS 3.5 has also been excellent so far. The right decision depends on the ecosystem you’re into or want to choose.
Pixel Watch Vs Watch 5/5 Pro: Performance
The Exynos W920 in Watch 5/5 Pro is powered by two Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 1.18GHz, whereas the Exynos 9110 has two Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.1GHz. The Cortex-A55 is the successor to the A53 and brings over 18% improved performance and 15% improved efficiency. Overall, the Watch 5/5 Pro will perform better than the Pixel Watch.
Galaxy Watch 5 Vs Pixel Watch: Pricing
The Pixel Watch is priced at $349, whereas the Galaxy Watch 5 comes at $309, and the 5 Pro sells at $499. Now, the Pixel Watch is nowhere in the league of the Watch 5 Pro so let’s keep the latter to the side. The lower price tag combined with better battery life and performance makes the Galaxy Watch 5 a clear winner.
However, Google has spewed magic in its software optimization before (Pixel 4a being a great example); hence there is a chance that the Pixel Watch might keep up with the Galaxy Watch 5 in performance numbers. However, the old inefficient chipset and smaller battery force us to think otherwise. If you absolutely want to step into Google’s new ecosystem and are okay with charging your Watch frequently, buy the Pixel Watch. For everything else, get the Galaxy Watch 5.
