Pixel Watch 5 Delivers Solid Upgrade Despite $50 Price Hike as Key September Features Lag
Updated
Updated · Engadget · Aug 21
Pixel Watch 5 Delivers Solid Upgrade Despite $50 Price Hike as Key September Features Lag
3 articles · Updated · Engadget · Aug 21
Summary
Google’s Pixel Watch 5 emerges as a good but incomplete launch product, with Engadget praising performance, charging and usability while withholding full judgment on several headline features until September.
September updates will add the workout builder plus blood pressure and insulin-resistance trend reports, leaving buyers to evaluate the watch initially on current strengths like on-device Gemini, improved gestures and faster-feeling operation.
Google says the watch’s GPS is 2 times more accurate than older Pixel models, and early side-by-side testing against Apple Watch Series 11 suggested more precise route mapping on small detours.
Hardware changes are modest: the watch keeps a 3,000-nit display, repairable design and nearly 2-day battery life, while adding a slightly faster Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated chip.
For existing Pixel Watch 4 owners, the review’s bottom line is not to upgrade yet, since many new health features are also headed to the prior model.