Pixel Watch 5 Review: Google's Health-Focused Wearable Hits a Sweet Spot
The Pixel Watch 5 retains its distinctive design, with the same rounded case and domed glass as its predecessors. The 41mm model on this writer's wrist felt slightly small, but the inclusion of two different strap sizes in the box was appreciated.
The display is a 1.4-inch LTPO AMOLED panel at 456 x 456 resolution that hits up to 3,000 nits, making it easy to read in bright sunlight. The crown and haptics are also well-regarded features that have been carried over from the Watch 4.
The real difference between the Pixel Watch 5 and its predecessors or competitors like Samsung's Galaxy Watch 9 is how it presents health data. Google's approach summarises and explains the data, rather than presenting raw numbers for users to interpret themselves.
While this makes the Pixel Watch 5 feel more suited to casual health tracking, some users may find the lack of features like blood pressure monitoring or automatic workout detection a drawback. The battery life has improved significantly, with around a day and a half of use on a single charge.