Smartwatches have evolved from basic fitness trackers into sophisticated mini-computers strapped to your wrist. In 2022, two models stand at the forefront of Android-compatible smartwatches: the Google Pixel Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro. Let‘s dive into an in-depth, spec-by-spec comparison to see how they stack up!
Meet the Contenders
First, here is a high-level overview of each model:
| Google Pixel Watch | Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | October 2022 | August 2022 |
| Operating System | Wear OS 3.5 | Wear OS 3.5 |
| Dimensions | 41 x 41 x 12.3 mm, 36g | 45.4 x 45.4 x 11.2 mm, 46.5g |
| Processor | Samsung Exynos 9110 | Samsung Exynos W920 |
| Display | 1.2" 416×416 AMOLED, 1000 nits (peak) | 1.36" 450×450 Super AMOLED, 1300 nits (peak) |
| Battery Life | 24 hours runtime | 80+ hours runtime |
| Water Resistance | 5ATM | 5ATM + IP68 / MIL-STD-810H |
| Starting Price | $349 | $449 |
With the Pixel Watch as Google‘s first 1st-party smartwatch and the Galaxy Watch5 Pro representing an upgrade over Samsung‘s prior smartwatches, there is plenty to compare across these wearables to crown a definitive winner.
Design Showdown
Beauty is in the eye of the smartwatch beholder, but let‘s objectively assess the physical design and display attributes of these watches.
The Google Pixel Watch debuts an eye-catching domed circular display made of 3D Corning Gorilla Glass with a custom-molded polymer back. Clocking in at just 36g with a 41mm diameter and 12.3mm thickness, it achieves a trim and lightweight profile. Matte, polished, and gold color finishes on the recycled stainless steel case cater to diverse preferences. Google created stretchable proprietary watch bands to ensure seamless fit with the curved contours.
By comparison, the larger Galaxy Watch5 Pro measures 45.4 across with a 11.2mm profile. Instead of glass, the display uses Sapphire Crystal for enhanced durability while keeping an AMOLED panel underneath for vivid graphics. The titanium frame feels ultra-premium but tacks on extra weight at 46.5g versus the Pixel Watch. You can swap out its bands for any standard 22mm watch band.
Both smartwatches carry excellent 450+ PPI resolution combined with excellent maximum brightness over 1000 nits for easy outdoor legibility. Dedicated touch operation and side buttons round out the control options.
For protection against the elements, Samsung pulls far ahead. Meeting MIL-STD 810H ruggedness standards and earning IP68 water resistance gives the Galaxy Watch5 Pro versatility for intense activities and environments. In comparison, Google only designed the Pixel Watch to sustain light splashes and rain with its basic 5ATM rating.
Performance and Hardware Benchmarked
Diving under the hood reveals key efficiencies and performance advantages between the Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch5 Pro platforms.
Google equipped the Pixel Watch with Samsung‘s Exynos 9110 system-on-a-chip fabricated on a power-efficient 10nm process technology. This chipset relies on two Arm Cortex-M33 cores clocked at 1.15GHz for general tasks aided by a Cortex-M4 co-processor. There‘s just 2GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage onboard.
By utilizing the newest Exynos W920 chip, the Galaxy Watch5 skips ahead. Also built by Samsung, this 5nm-process SoC dynamically activates a single powerful Cortex-A55 core alongside a helper Cortex-M55 coprocessor. You can further configure the watch with 1.5GB RAM and 16GB storage.
Real-world speed testing confirms the tiny Exynos W920‘s superiority, outpacing the Pixel Watch in app load times. Both chipsets smoothly handle the Wear OS interface, notifications, and everyday functions. But the Galaxy Watch5 Pro claims a performance advantage from its cutting-edge silicon.
Comparing the Sensor Suite
From activity tracking to medical-grade wellness monitoring, these smartwatches come well equipped with onboard sensors. Let‘s examine those capabilities in detail.
The health sensors embedded in the Google Pixel Watch can:
- Monitor heart rate continuously via electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Take periodic SpO2 blood oxygen saturation readings
- Profile sleep cycles with accelerometer data
Combine that foundation with Global Positioning System (GPS) connectivity for outdoor activity tracking. You can analyze all this biometric information within the intuitive Google Fit app. And the Pixel Watch allows emergency access to your data for authorized medical personnel.
Alternatively, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro supplements the same heart rate, SpO2, sleep, and GPS functionality with these additional sensors:
- Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) for compositional body measurements
- Temperature sensor for fever detection and fertility planning
- Barometer for gauging relative altitude changes
The specialized Samsung Health platform ties everything together. Both health ecosystems provide actionable fitness insights but Samsung offers additional proprietary tracking features.
Watch Faces and Customization
Personal style plays a major role when choosing a smart sidekick for your wrist. Let‘s compare what aesthetic options Google and Samsung bake into their smartwatches.
Being Google‘s debut smartwatch, the Pixel Watch unlocks exclusive access to Google‘s first-party watch face catalog. The Pixel Watch app for Wear OS grants access to customize watch hands, colors, fonts, and motifs across over a dozen watch faces. Swapping bands also refreshes the look.
Conversely, the Galaxy Watch5 Pro relies on Samsung‘s long-established Wear OS customization suite. By installing the Galaxy Wearable app on your paired Android phone, you can selectively apply premade watch faces or craft custom designs leveraging your own photos. The rotating bezel UI offers fluid navigation as well.
Both platforms enable matching your watch‘s style to your personal tastes or outfit through changeable software interfaces. Samsung holds the advantage in terms of watch face diversity while Pixel Watch bands better color coordinate by design.
Charging Speed and Battery Benchmarks
One of the most important aspects of any mobile gadget is how long it lasts between charging sessions. Due to their compact nature, most smartwatches require daily power-ups. But runtime expectations diverge between our contenders.
Fitting a 294mAh battery into the Pixel Watch‘s petite frame allows for up to 24 hours of operation before hitting zero percent. Real-world testing shows that enabling the always-on display and continuous heart rate monitoring reduces runtime closer to 20 hours for most users. The included USB-C magnetic charger can replenish a dead Pixel Watch battery to full in about 80 minutes.
The Galaxy Watch5 Pro‘s battery benchmarks crush the Pixel Watch without contest. Thanks to its integrated 590mAh power cell, Samsung guarantees the Watch5 Pro will endure for over 80 hours by default even with continuous heart rate monitoring active. Capping display brightness, activating battery saver modes, and minimizing workouts can further stretch single-charge runtime. When you do need to top it up, 30 minutes of charging provides 45% capacity to safely get through longer sessions between charger access.
Clearly the Galaxy Watch5 Pro‘s epic battery life stands far above the Pixel Watch‘s merely average single-day endurance. For multi-day hiking or camping trips, Samsung‘s smartwatch holds an undisputed advantage in off-the-grid scenarios.
Software Support Expectations
Since both smartwatches run Wear OS 3.5 software, you might expect uniform version support policies from Google and Samsung. Unfortunately, their past track records point to divergence ahead.
Currently, the Pixel Watch and Galaxy Watch5 series share an identical core user interface with access to the Play Store for compatible apps. Google mandates that Wear OS devices must receive regular security patches for at least 3 years after launch via its policy page. Feature updates generally reach 2 years post-release.
However, Samsung doesn‘t commit to any official Galaxy Watch software support windows. Based on history though, most models receive approximately 1-2 years of version updates and bi-monthly security patches. This leaves the Pixel Watch likely ahead in terms of future-proofing its capabilities.
Breaking Down Pricing
With high-end components, advanced sensors, and slick software experiences packed in, you might expect towering price tags attached to these premium smartwatches. However, both provide strong value depending on your budget.
Google prices the 41mm Pixel Watch at $349 for Bluetooth/Wi-Fi connectivity or $399 to add LTE cellular data. Opting for certain band materials bumps the cost a bit higher as well. These costs come in line with competing wearables.
The Galaxy Watch5 Pro sells for $449 normally. That nets you the larger titanium frame with sapphire glass face, the latest Exynos hardware, and all sensors on board. You can often find discounts bringing it closer to $380 though. LTE support gets tacked on separately through carrier plans.
No matter which watch you choose, there are opportunities to save money through seasonal sales. The Galaxy Watch5 Pro costs more upfront but blows away the Pixel Watch for battery, durability, and health sensors given its $100 premium.
Verdict: Pixel Watch vs Galaxy Watch5 Pro
Analyzing the extensive feature sets and capabilities of the Google Pixel Watch versus the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro paints a definitive winner in my book:
The Galaxy Watch5 Pro clinches victory thanks to these key advantages:
- 2-3 day battery life outpacing the Pixel Watch
- MIL-STD and IP68 ratings for unbeatable durability
- More robust health monitoring functionality
- Proven pedigree of Samsung‘s watches
However, the Pixel Watch puts up an admirable fight with its slick curved glass design, tighter Google ecosystem integration, easier navigation, and more approachable pricing. Ultimately you can‘t go wrong with either wearable.
Choosing the right one comes down to weighing your personal priorities. Fancy the Pixel Watch‘s striking domed aesthetic and Google software ecosystem? Prefer the Galaxy Watch5 Pro‘s ruggedness and marathon battery instead? Let your needs guide you to the best smartwatch choice!
