Google's New Pixel Watch 4 Is the Most Stylish Smartwatch in Town

For my money, Google's Pixel Watch has always been the slickest smartwatch you can buy. The rounded face is more realistic and comfortable than the Apple Watch's square face, while the minimalist design feels more high-tech than the Galaxy Watch. This year, Google's doubling down on aesthetics with a new domed display, alongside a new charger that displays the watch upright while it's docked. And of course, there's more power and AI integration, too.

A new domed display Pixel Watch 3 with flat display (left) vs. Pixel Watch 4 with domed display (right) Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

The Pixel Watch 4 improves on previous Pixel Watches with a convex domed display that adds some three-dimensionality to the watch face. The screen now sticks out a little bit more and waterfalls over the side, giving you what Google says is 10% more screen space and a 16% smaller bezel. Still, the device as a whole is the same height as before, at 12.3mm, so you shouldn't have to worry about the new screen being bulky or accidentally bumping into walls.

It's a change that I think looks pretty attractive overall. Large bezels have been a consistent issue on circular watch faces, and anything that helps address that is worth it in my book.

If you're less certain about the new look, though, there's another benefit. The new display is also much brighter than the old one, with 3,000 nits of maximum brightness as opposed to 2,000. That's probably overkill for more people, but with smartwatch screens being so tiny, every little bit of increased visibility helps.

More powerful chips and a better battery Close up shots of the Pixel Watch 4 Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

Aside from the new screen, the Pixel Watch 4 is rocking some internal improvements as well. These include new chips, which, when paired with the new, larger battery, should help it be more efficient.

Specifically, the Pixel Watch 4 uses a Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 for its main processor and a Cortex-M55 for its co-processor, both of which are generational improvements on what was in the Pixel Watch 3. While you're not going to run the latest and greatest smartphone apps on these, the idea is that these will work together to make for faster stat tracking and more on-device AI, all with less power draw. Specifically, Google is claiming a 25% increase in performance and a 50% decrease in power consumption.

Speaking of power consumption, the Pixel Watch 4 has a larger battery across both available sizes, with 455 mAh of capacity on the 45mm model and 325 mAh on the 41mm model. Google is promising 25% longer battery life on both, with 40 hours of total life on the 45mm version and 30 hours on the 41mm one, or two to three days while using Battery Saver mode. As a first, the battery is also now replaceable. Google will do repairs for you if you're in warranty, or you can buy a replacement battery from Google and do it yourself. The company says it will sell replacement batteries up to five years after end of life for the Pixel Watch 4, and that the replacement process does not require adhesive or heat. Screens will also be able to be replaced, too.

A redesigned charger Pixel Watch 4 on charger Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

As someone who's taken to using my smartphone as my alarm clock, this next change is one I really appreciate. Google's redesigned the Pixel Watch 4's charger so the watch now sits upright in it. That makes it easy to place on your bedside table and check at a glance, where you'll see the time, your battery life, how long until you have a full charge, and any alarms you might have set. The new charger is supposed to be 25% faster, too, for those instances where you forget to charge overnight. The catch? Previous Pixel Watch chargers, including third-party options, won't work with the Pixel Watch 4.

Satellite connectivity Pixel Watch 4 demonstrating satellite connectivity Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

While both Apple and Google already offer emergency SOS modes on their smartwatches, both require you to have either an active data or wifi connection. The Pixel Watch 4 is the first smartwatch to allow you to contact emergency services directly via satellite, which should give you more peace of mind when going on rural adventures. Google says the feature is free of charge for the first two years after activation, but that it may not be available in all countries, regions, or circumstances." The company has not yet shared how much emergency SOS via satellite will cost after the initial two-year period is up, and did not that because of hardware limitations, emergency SOS via satellite will only work on the phone's LTE model (although, again, you won't need a data plan to use it).

While we're on safety features, Loss of Pulse Detection also makes a return on the Pixel Watch 4 after its U.S. debut on the Pixel Watch 3 earlier this year. With it, if your smartphone detects that you're having a heart attack or other cardiac emergency, it'll sound an alarm and contact emergency services (if you're able and you don't need help, you can dismiss the alarm and call before then). While there aren't currently any stories about the feature having saved a life, it is still relatively new. Note that Loss of Pulse Detection detection is opt-in, so you'll need to turn it on in the Pixel Watch app, under Safety & Emergency.

Similarly, the Safety Check feature also makes a return here, allowing you to set a timer that will automatically alert pre-selected emergency contacts of your location if it runs out without any intervention from you. Emergency Sharing also lets you reach out to your emergency contacts with your location, but on demand. As expected, Google's typical Fall Detectionand Car Crash Detection features are also present.

New AI Smart replies on the Pixel Watch 4 Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

Despite the Pixel Watch 4's impressive new screen, since smartwatches don't rely on especially powerful processors, it can sometimes be hard to notice hardware upgrades with newer generations. That's why Google's also pushing new on-device AI as a reason to get its latest watch.

Perhaps the most useful new AI feature is activity recognition. Now, instead of having to pick a workout on your watch before you start exercising, your watch will automatically recognize your activity and log it for you in the Fitbit app. While this was previously available for basic activities like runs, it can now get as detailed as tracking when you're playing tennis. Google did tell me that you might have to manually log a specific activity a few times before the watch learns to recognize it, but overall, it should still be a convenient change.

If you feel the need to argue with your AI, though, you can also use the Pixel Watch's new Raise to Talk" feature to access Gemini directly, and ask it questions like, When is my hotel reservation?" or direct it to accomplish simple tasks like building a custom playlist or setting an alarm.

Google also says you can use Gemini on your watch as a health coach, bringing in data from your Fitbit app, although how much data it'll have access to will depend on your Fitbit plan. The company will have more to say about this around October, including how much other devices will be able to use the health coach.

As for talking with other people, rather than AI, your Pixel Watch 4 will also be able to use its new co-processor to deliver more contextual" smart replies, which Google says will allow you to respond to texts more quickly using just your watch by clicking on a relevant AI reply suggestion. It might be useful in a pinch, although I'd personally hate to think my friends are consistently forwarding me to a robot. As a bonus, for privacy's sake, the model for drafting these smart replies runs entirely on the watch. Google also told me you should get smart reply suggestions more frequently.

On that note, Google also says the Pixel Watch 4 has an improved motor and a clearer speaker, for 15% stronger haptics and better audio while talking to Gemini.

Pricing and availability Pixel Watch 4 in various colors and sizes Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

The Pixel Watch 4 costs the same as the Pixel Watch 3: $350 for the 41mm version and $400 for the 45mm version. The 45mm model comes in black, silver, and moonstone (a bluish-gray), while the 41mm model is available in black, silver, and gold. Watchbands are interchangeable across models, although your default watchband color depends on the color of your watch (black watches get a black watchband, silver watches get either a tan or blue watchband, gold watches get a lime green watchband, and moonstone watches get a dark blue watchband).

The Pixel Watch 4 is available for pre-order today and will hit shelves on Oct. 9.