Stylish and feature-laden
Google’s newest Pixel Watch 2 options many enhancements over the last-gen mannequin, together with a quicker chipset, higher battery life, and the flexibility to trace and analyze all of your well being and health knowledge.
ForStunning round designImproved {hardware} and battery lifeDigital crown with haptic suggestions and facet buttonExtensive Fitbit integrationRuns newest Wear OS 4AgainstOnly obtainable in a single sizeScreen cannot present an excessive amount of info at a time
Premium and highly effective
Apple’s latest Series 9 options stackable widgets, elevation alerts, and the flexibility to robotically monitor all of your exercises. It additionally has rather more energy-efficient {hardware} and improved battery life.
ForTwo measurement choicesFaster and energy-efficient {hardware}Digital crown with haptic suggestions and facet buttonSolid construct qualityGesture supportAgainstStainless metal and mobile variants are fairly expensiveDated design
The rivalry between Google and Apple — which started practically a decade and a half in the past with the revealing of the primary variations of Android and iOS — continues unabated to this present day. While smartphones have at all times been (and nonetheless stay) on the forefront of this battle, they’re now merely part of competing ecosystems which can be comprised of a wide range of different merchandise, similar to smartwatches.Speaking of smartwatches, let’s evaluate the lately launched Google Pixel Watch 2 vs. Apple Watch Series 9 and discover out which considered one of these wearables deserves to be in your wrist. Much like the latest Pixel 8 and iPhone 15 collection, these wearables are direct opponents.Google Pixel Watch 2 vs. Apple Watch Series 9: Design, show, and hardwareWhy you may belief Android Central
Our skilled reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services and products so you may select the very best for you. Find out extra about how we check.There’s no denying that Pixel Watch 2 and Series 9 are two of essentially the most premium and well-made smartwatches at present obtainable on the market. Both have circumstances created from recycled aluminum (with Apple’s providing additionally having a Stainless-Steel model) and mean you can choose from a variety of band types which can be suitable with last-gen fashions.However, there’s one key design distinction between the 2. While Apple Watch Series 9 sports activities an oblong housing, Google’s providing comes with a spherical housing. This distinction permits Google Pixel Watch 2 to higher imitate the appear and feel of an actual wristwatch. That mentioned, Apple’s providing really seems just like the good wearable that it’s.(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Available in just one case measurement (41mm diameter), Google Pixel Watch 2 has a 1.2-inch AMOLED show that may attain as much as 1000 nits of peak brightness. On the opposite hand, Apple Watch Series 9 is available in two case sizes (41mm x 35mm and 45mm x 38mm) and allows you to select from 1.7-inch and 1.9-inch LTPO OLED shows, with every able to reaching as much as 2000 nits of peak brightness. Although each of those screens are attractive to take a look at, using LTPO tech also needs to assist in making Apple’s providing a bit extra vitality environment friendly.While the smaller display screen does make Pixel Watch 2 simpler to put on, the bigger display screen on Series 9 is able to displaying extra info at a time. Apple’s providing can be going to be much more readable beneath direct daylight, as it could get twice as vivid as Google’s wearable. Both shows are well-protected (Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on the Pixel Watch 2 and Sapphire/Ion-X Glass on the Series 9) in opposition to on a regular basis scuffs and scratches and are additionally IP6X-certified with as much as 50m of water resistance.(Image credit score: Apple)Both Pixel Watch 2 and Series 9 have a digital crown (full with haptic suggestions) for navigation. In addition, there is a devoted facet button, a microphone, in addition to a speaker on each smartwatches.Google Pixel Watch 2 options Qualcomm’s 5100 SoC, which is significantly better than the Exynos chipset utilized by the previous-gen mannequin. Combine that with 2GB RAM and 32GB of storage, and this factor will effortlessly deal with nearly all the things thrown at it. You’re not more likely to run into any efficiency points with Apple Watch Series 9 both, because it comes with the corporate’s brand-new S9 SiP that is each quicker and extra environment friendly, together with 64GB of storage.Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0 Google Pixel Watch 2Apple Watch Series 9Dimensions41 x 41 x 12.3 mm41 x 35 x 10.7 mm & 45 x 38 x 10.7 mmBand OptionsTwo sizes (small & giant), with a number of colours and materials decisionsOne measurement (for every variant), with a number of colours and materials decisionsDisplay1.2-inch round AMOLED with 1,000 nits peak brightness and Always-On Display. Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection1.7-inch & 1.9-inch sq. LTPO OLED with 2,000 nits most brightness and Always-On Display. Sapphire/Ion-X Glass protectionDurability & Case Material(s)IP6X certification with 50m water resistance. Recycled AluminumIP6X certification with 50m water resistance. Recycled Aluminum or Stainless-SteelWeight31g31.9 and 32.1g (41mm measurement, Aluminum), 42.3g (41mm, Stainless-Steel) & 38.7 and 39g (45mm, Aluminum), 51.5g (45mm, Stainless Steel)Color OptionsPolished Silver, Champagne Gold, and Matte BlackPink, Midnight, Starlight, Silver, and Product (RED) for Aluminum & Gold, Silver, and Graphite for Stainless-SteelChipset / ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon Wear 5100 SoCApple S9 SiPRAM & Storage2GB & 32GBUnknown & 64GBNavigation & Physical ControlsTouchscreen, Digital Crown with Haptic Feedback, and Side ButtonTouchscreen, Digital Crown with Haptic Feedback, and Side ButtonSensorsAccelerometer, Altimeter, Barometer, Compass, Magnetometer, Gyroscope, Ambient Light Sensor, Optical Heart Rate, Skin Conductance, Skin Temperature, and SpO2Accelerometer, Altimeter, Barometer, Compass, Gyroscope, Ambient Light Sensor, Optical Heart Rate, Skin Temperature, SpO2, and VO2MaxWireless ConnectivityWi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, NFC, and 4G LTE (elective)Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.3, Ultra-Wideband, GPS, NFC, and 4G LTE (elective)Safety & Emergency OptionsFall detection, Safety Check, Emergency International Calling, Emergency SOS, and Safety SignalCrash detection, Fall detection, International Emergency Calling, and Emergency SOSHands-Free UsageVoice Control through Google AssistantVoice Control through SiriOtherBuilt-In Speaker & MicrophoneBuilt-In Speaker & MicrophoneBattery & Charging306mAh with as much as 24 hours endurance. Fast-charging assist through charging puck (with USB-C)282mAh (41mm) and 306mAh (45mm) with as much as 18/36 hours (regular/low energy mode) endurance. Fast-charging assist through magnetic charging puck (with USB-C)OS / Platform CompatibilityWear OS 4 / Smartphones operating Android 9.0 or abovewatchOS 10 / Smartphones operating iOS 14.3 or aboveGoogle Pixel Watch 2 vs. Apple Watch Series 9: Health and fitness-tracking optionsGoogle Pixel Watch 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 are two of the very best smartwatches for health, and for good cause. As the desk above exhibits, each pack a formidable array of highly effective sensors that provide help to monitor, document and analyze a plethora of well being and wellness knowledge. This consists of your coronary heart fee, blood oxygen saturation, physique temperature, sleep high quality and length, stress ranges, and a complete lot extra. They also can serve notifications about fluctuations in these vital parameters.(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Both wearables are able to robotically detecting quite a lot of exercises (e.g., indoor & out of doors operating, biking, elliptical coaching, rowing, and pool swimming) and logging a broad spectrum of related info (e.g., energy burned, steps taken), which is then became helpful, actionable insights. In the case of the Pixel Watch 2, that is made attainable by the deep Fitbit integration and Wear OS 4, the working system that runs Google’s smartwatch. Similarly, the Series 9 is pushed by watchOS 10, which incorporates its personal set of fitness-focused options that provide help to get essentially the most out of Apple’s smartwatch.Google Pixel Watch 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 are complemented by their respective subscription-based companies (Fitbit Premium and Fitness+) that present additional advantages (e.g.: guided exercises, personalised coaching periods, and so on.). But despite the fact that you do not want these subscriptions for monitoring your well being and health metrics, Google nonetheless paywalls some knowledge (e.g., sleep profiles) behind Fitbit Premium. Conversely, Apple enables you to view all the things with out paying a dime. If you subscribe to Fitness+, you get entry to real-time exercise stats, skilled recommendation from trainers, and stuff like that.Google Pixel Watch 2 vs. Apple Watch Series 9: OS, different options, and battery lifePowering the Pixel Watch 2 is Wear OS 4, which debuted on Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6 collection (albeit with One UI customizations) earlier this 12 months. The freshest model of Google’s smartwatch-oriented OS brings quite a bit to the desk, together with some new apps (each from Google and third events), improved text-to-speech assist, and the flexibility to backup & restore smartwatch knowledge.(Image credit score: Apple)Then there’s the Series 9, which is powered by watchOS 10. Apple’s newest OS packs options similar to redesigned apps, stackable widgets, elevation alerts, offline maps, and a few enhancements for enterprise customers.When it comes to non-public security, each Google Pixel Watch 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 have you ever coated. They can detect falls and notify emergency companies as wanted. In addition, you get worldwide emergency calling (in supported areas) and the flexibility to share related info (e.g., location) along with your designated contacts. To that finish, each smartwatches have all the things — from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to GPS and LTE (elective) — included within the combine.The Pixel Watch 2 incorporates a 306mAh battery that Google claims can go as much as 24 hours on a single cost. We have not reviewed the wearable but, however contemplating that the first-gen Pixel Watch simply lasted a day with an older SoC, we’re fairly hopeful Google’s latest smartwatch will no less than match, if not exceed its predecessor’s efficiency. The bundled charging puck helps quick charging and might take the battery from zero to fifty in simply half an hour, slowing down on its technique to a full cost.(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Apple by no means discloses the battery capability of its units, however that info often comes out through different sources. That’s true for the Series 9 too, which has 282mAh and 308mAh batteries for the 41mm and 45mm sizes, respectively. While these capacities are unchanged from the Series 8 fashions, Apple’s newest wearable ought to be capable of hit its claimed numbers — as much as 18 hours (with common use) and as much as 36 hours (with low energy mode enabled) — due to using extra environment friendly {hardware}. Fast charging is supported on this case as nicely, utilizing the bundled magnetic charging puck.Google Pixel Watch 2 vs. Apple Watch Series 9: Which must you purchase?Google Pixel Watch 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 symbolize the best possible that the 2 firms need to (at present) supply within the realm of wearable expertise. Both are absolutely loaded smartwatches having superior well being monitoring capabilities, app assist, voice calling, the flexibility to hearken to your favourite tunes, and much more. At $349 (Pixel Watch 2) and $399 (Series 9), the bottom fashions — that lack 4G LTE for untethered messaging and voice calling — are even priced fairly shut to one another. But the query is, which of those is the correct choose for you?(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Well, here is the factor! The Pixel Watch 2 and Series 9 aren’t particular person merchandise that exist in a vacuum. As I discussed earlier than, they’re elements of two rival ecosystems. If you need to use these smartwatches and understand their full potential, you are going to need to pair them with companion units(s) belonging to the identical household. It ought to come as no shock that Google Pixel Watch 2 solely works with Android smartphones (particularly Pixels), whereas Apple Watch Series 9 solely works with iPhones. In reality, you may’t even set these up if you do not have the correct smartphone.So, as wonderful as each of those wearables are, the best selection for you is finally going to be the one which performs good with the ecosystem of your choice. It actually is so simple as that. Already have among the finest Android telephones and desire a smartwatch that’ll take your expertise to the following degree? You’ll love the Pixel Watch 2. It options enhanced app assist, a truckload of well being & health options, and superfast platform updates. Have a factor for iPhones and would love a smartwatch that may do all of it? The Series 9 will probably be excellent for you. It comes with highly effective but environment friendly {hardware} and makes monitoring your whole well being & health knowledge a stroll within the park.
Works with Android smartphones
Google’s Pixel Watch 2 presents quicker {hardware}, intensive Fitbit integration, and a complete suite of security & emergency options, all at an inexpensive worth.
Meant for iPhones
Apple’s Watch Series 9 robotically tracks all of your exercises and retains you related. You can select from two case sizes and materials choices.