During the ‘Made by Google Event,’ Google officially unveiled the Pixel 2, featuring several exciting changes. Notably, this wearable will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip, complemented by a Cortex M33 co-processor. The addition of this co-processor is particularly noteworthy, as it is designed to efficiently handle less demanding tasks, such as managing the always-on display (AOD). The Pixel 2 also boasts an increased battery capacity of 306 mAh, a slight improvement over the first Pixel watch’s 294 mAh capacity. This, combined with more efficient processors, is expected to extend the time between charges. While the official Pixel Watch 2 specs indicate a 24-hour battery life, this is with the AOD enabled.
Another notable enhancement is improved durability. In addition to the Gorilla Glass crystal covering the face, the watch now boasts an IP68 rating, signifying its ability to withstand dust and immersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. Moreover, the new Pixel features a casing made entirely of recycled aluminum, resulting in a slightly lighter wearable. Alongside a thinner domed glass cover on the face, these design changes contribute to a sleeker overall appearance.
In the competitive landscape of smartwatches with diverse tracking capabilities, the Pixel 2 faces off against Apple’s latest Watch Series 9 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. While hardware specs are just one aspect of choosing the right smartwatch, they are informative when considering factors like battery life and screen size. Therefore, while the following table provides a hardware comparison, it’s essential to base your purchasing decision on a broader assessment of your needs and preferences.
Google Pixel 2 | Apple Watch Series 9 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 | |
Pricing (MSRP) | $349 for Bluetooth/Wi-Fi
$399 for 4G LTE model |
41mm Aluminum: $399 45mm Aluminum: $429 41mm Stainless steel: $699 45mm Stainless steel: $749 |
40mm: $299.99 44mm: $329.99 |
Dimensions | 41mm: 12.3mm height | 41mm: 1.61 x 1.38 x 0.42 inches 45mm: 1.77 x 1.50 x 0.42 inches |
40mm: 1.53 x 1.59 x 0.35 inches 44mm: 1.69 x 1.75 x 0.35 inches |
Weight (approx.) | 41mm: 1.09 ounces (without the band) | 41mm Aluminum: 1.13 ounces 45mm Aluminum: 1.37 ounces 41mm Stainless steel: 1.49 ounces 45mm Stainless steel: 1.82 ounces |
40mm: 1.02 ounces 44mm: 1.16 ounces |
Case material | Aluminum | Aluminum or Stainless steel | Aluminum (Stainless steel on Galaxy Watch 6 Classic) |
Display Size | 41mm: 1.2 inches | 41mm: 1.69 inches 45mm: 1.9 inches |
40mm: 1.31 inches 44mm: 1.47 inches |
Display resolution / pixel density | 320 ppi | 41mm: 430 x 352, 326 ppi 45mm: 484 x 396, 326 ppi |
40mm: 432 x 432, 330 ppi 44mm: 480 x 480, 327 ppi |
Display Type | AMOLED display with DCI-P3 color Custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
LTPO OLED Aluminum: Ion-X glass Stainless steel: Sapphire crystal glass |
Super AMOLED Sapphire crystal glass |
Display brightness | Up to 1,000 nits | Up to 2,000 nits | Up to 2,000 nits |
Chipset | Qualcomm SW5100 Cortex M33 co-processor |
Apple S9 (dual-core) | Exynos W930 (dual-core, 5 nm) |
Storage | 32 GB eMMC flash72 GB SDRAM | 64GB | 16GB |
Battery life (claimed) | 24 hours with always-on display 306 mAh |
Up to 18 hours / up to 36 hours in Low Power Mode | Up to 40 hours with always-on display (AOD) off / up to 30 hours with AOD on 40mm: 300mAh 44mm: 425mAh |
Wireless charging | No | Yes, via proprietary standard | Yes, via WPC-based chargers 10W |
Water resistance | IP68, 5 ATM | Up to 50 meters, IP6X dust resistance | IP68, 5 ATM |
GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo |
Health features | Multi-path heart rate sensor, red and infrared sensors for oxygen saturation (SpO2), ECG app, skin conductance (cEDA) for stress tracking, skin temperature sensor, sleep tracking, irregular heart rhythm notifications | Optical heart rate sensor, blood oxygen measurements, temperature sensor, ECG app, sleep tracking, irregular heart rhythm notifications | Optical heart rate sensor, blood oxygen measurements, temperature sensor, ECG app, sleep tracking, irregular heart rhythm notifications, bioelectrical impedance analysis sensor |
Wi-Fi | 802.11 b/g/n | 802.11 b/g/n | 802.11 a/b/g/n |
Bluetooth | v5.0 | v5.3 | v5.3 |
NFC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
OS | Wear OS 4 | watchOS 10 | Wear OS 4, One UI 5 Watch |
Case colors | Matte Black, Polished Silver, Champagne Gold | Aluminum: Pink, Starlight, Midnight, Silver, Product Red Stainless steel: Gold, Silver, Graphite |
Graphite, Gold |
Other features | Always-on display, 4G LTE, altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, fall detection, emergency SOS, 6 months of Fitbit Premium included | Always-on display, ultra-wideband chip, fall detection, crash detection, emergency SOS, optional 4G LTE (standard with stainless steel model), altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope | Always-on display, fall detection, emergency SOS, optional 4G LTE, altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope |