The new Pixel Watch 4 is here, and it’s already making getting strong reviews. Google’s latest smartwatch refines nearly every part of the experience with a brighter display, faster charging, better battery life, and a few long-awaited upgrades that early reviews say finally make it feel truly premium.
So how does it hold up in the real world? Here’s a roundup of what some of the early reviews are saying:
At Wired, the focus is on how repairability has become a central part of the new model:
The Pixel Watch 4 retains its domed glass design but can be disassembled with a screwdriver, and it uses largely the same-size screws throughout its construction. The good news is that repairability is one of the top improvements Google has made to the new Pixel Watch 4…
At 9to5Google, the highlight is the display and hardware polish:
Hardware-wise, the Pixel Watch 4 looks exactly like its predecessor… It’s only when you use the Pixel Watch 4 that you really notice what’s new, and that’s the display. Google’s new Actua 360 display pushes the bezels to be a little smaller… The display itself is excellent, being as sharp as ever and noticeably brighter than past generations.
At Engadget, they call it a well-rounded smartwatch that finally feels premium:
Super fast charging meets solid activity and health tracking in an elegant design. Google’s Pixel Watch 4 doesn’t completely reinvent the wheel, but it throws in enough meaningful upgrades, including a new charging architecture, a brighter display, and better sensor performance, to finally make the Pixel Watch feel like it belongs in the premium smartwatch conversation.
At Droid-Life, the review centers on whether this is the upgrade you should buy:
What we want to see in a Pixel Watch 4 are improvements in display, battery life, performance, fitness tracking, and the software. In all of those areas, I think Google has made good enough improvements to keep this watch on your wrist. The display is pretty awesome now. Google is calling the display the Actua 360 because it’s more domed, more bubbly, and more edge-to-edge. We have peak brightness up to 3000 nits too, so sunny-day usage is a thing you can do now.
At Woman & Home, the emphasis is on fitness tracking accuracy and daily reliability:
Fitness tracking was highly accurate, including step counts, runs and strength training, thanks to an upgraded GPS and better sensor calibration. The watch supports over 40 workout modes and syncs with the Fitbit app. Sleep tracking showed marked improvement with stabilized data like REM and deep sleep.
At DC Rainmaker, the focus is on battery life, display performance, and deeper AI integration:
The new Pixel Watch 4 is here, and with it satellite emergency SOS communications, as well as more battery life, a brighter display, and deeper AI integration with new Gemini features. For example, there’s a new mode to stream your fitness metrics while cycling to your phone, ideal for commuting or those who don’t quite want to commit to a dedicated bike computer. The display is bigger, with reduced bezels, and it’s also brighter, up to 3,000 nits.
At TechRadar, the takeaway is refinement over reinvention:
While I only spent about half an hour with the Pixel Watch 4, it felt like a modern-day smartwatch that was responsive and zippy fast. The new processor, reduced bezels, and increased brightness make a noticeable difference. It’s shaping up to be a pretty strong smartwatch, and while the Pixel Watch 4 doesn’t usher in a tremendously radical redesign, it’s mostly about polishing and the addition of a healthy dose of AI functionality.
At Wareable, reviewers note the practical gains that make the Pixel Watch 4 a solid step forward:
With the domed display, slimmer bezels, side-dock charger, and overall structural tweaks, Google has done enough to bring the Pixel Watch 4 into serious contention. Two sizes, improved internals, and the same price as last year make this an interesting buy for Android smartwatch shoppers.
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