Summary

  • The Google Pixel Watch 2 is now available for pre-order at a price of $350, the same price the first generation launched at.
  • The design of the Pixel Watch 2 is very similar to the first generation, with most improvements being to software or internal components.
  • The Pixel Watch 2 features upgraded hardware with a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chipset, better fitness tracking sensors, and comes with Wear OS 4 out of the box.

After months of leaks, rumors, and official teasers, Google has finally, formally unveiled the Pixel Watch 2. We knew a lot of what to expect before the official announcement, and the rumors were largely true: the Pixel Watch 2 looks nearly identical to the first Pixel Watch, sports a handful of under-the-hood improvements, and costs the same $350. Here's everything you need to know about it.

Price and availability

The Pixel Watch 2 is available for preorder from Google now for the same $350 MSRP as the first generation. It comes in Matte Black with an Obsidian band, Polished Silver with either a Porcelain or Bay band, or Champagne Gold with a Hazel band. General availability starts on October 12.

Specs

google pixel watch 2 white background angled
Google Pixel Watch 2

Case Material
Aluminum
Case size
41mm
Colors
Matte Black, Polished Silver, Champagne Gold
Display
1.2" AMOLED, 60Hz
CPU
Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 with Cortex M33 co-processor
RAM
2GB
Storage
32GB
Battery
306mAh
Software
Wear OS 4
Health sensors
Optical heart rate, SpO2, ECG, continuous EDA, skin temperature
Price
From $350
Dimensions
41 x 41 x 12.3 mm
Weight
31g
IP Rating
IP68
Cellular connectivity
LTE (Optional)

Design, hardware, and display

Google Pixel Watch 2 in Porcelain with Active Sport Band
Source: Google

Visually, the Pixel Watch 2 is nearly identical to the first generation — it's the same size and shape and has a very similar domed glass face. It's available in one size, 41mm, with a 1.2" AMOLED display surrounded by bezels that are larger than what you'll find on a lot of competing smartwatches. The biggest visual update is in band colors: the Polished Silver model comes with either a white Porcelain band or a blue Bay band, both colorways that Google hadn't offered for the first Pixel Watch. Google has also reengineered the watch's crown this generation, which should make for smoother, more natural scrolling.

The Pixel Watch 2's internal hardware sees a more meaningful upgrade in the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chipset, a step up from the years-old Exynos chipset Google stuck in the first generation. The newer chipset should mean slightly quicker performance and, hopefully, significantly better battery life than the first-gen Pixel Watch. Google quotes the Pixel Watch 2's battery life at 24 hours per charge with the always-on display active.

google-pixel-watch-2-pixel-buds-pro-bay-hands-on-2

There's new fitness tracking hardware, too, in a continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA) sensor that the Pixel Watch 2 uses to approximate your stress levels, similar to the Fitbit Sense 2, plus a skin temperature sensor Google says helps the watch get better data about your sleep. It also carries forward all the health tracking features from the first-gen mode, including continuous heart rate monitoring (that Google says is improved by a new multi-path heart rate sensor), and sleep and activity tracking. Fitness data is stored and managed in the Fitbit app.

Software

The Pixel Watch 2 comes with Wear OS 4 out of the box. It's actually not the first watch on the market with the latest version of Google's wearable software — the Samsung Galaxy 6 series launched with Wear OS 4 in August. Compared to Wear OS 3, Wear OS 4 isn't a big change, visually or functionally, but it comes with some solid improvements like the option to pair the watch with a new phone without having to reset it, and apps for Gmail and Google Calendar.

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Google's introduced a Safety Check feature in the Pixel Watch 2. When activated, the watch will check in on you after a customizable amount of time passes, and if you don't interact with the notification, it'll let your emergency contacts know.

The Pixel Watch 2 comes with a six-month trial of Fitbit Premium for both new users and users who used to pay for Premium, but no longer do. Fitbit Premium gives you more insight about your fitness data, and has some extra features like Fitbit's Sleep Profiles that match you up with an animal with similar sleep habits. Premium isn't essential for most users, but if you're really into tracking with Fitbit, the half-year trial might be a nice bonus.

Google Pixel Watch 2: Google's next-gen wearable

The Pixel Watch 2 doesn't try to reinvent the first generation, but at the same MSRP as the last model, it doesn't really need to. Under-the-hood changes like improved fitness tracking and a new chipset that promises longer battery life should make it a meaningfully better watch, even if it doesn't look much different. We'll have to try it out for a while to know whether it makes the cut as one of the best Wear OS watches, though.

If you're rocking a first-gen and you're not tempted to upgrade, check out our recommendations for the best Pixel watch cases and best Pixel Watch screen protectors to keep your old Pixel Watch looking like new.

google pixel watch 2 white background angled
Google Pixel Watch 2

The Google Pixel Watch 2 is the sequel to Google's first self-branded smartwatch. The second generation doesn't reinvent the wheel, instead offering a handful of low-key improvements like a redesigned digital crown, Wear OS 4 out of the box, and a newer chipset that should offer better performance and battery life. 

Case Material
Aluminum
Case size
41mm
Colors
Matte Black, Polished Silver, Champagne Gold
Display
1.2" AMOLED, 60Hz
CPU
Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 with Cortex M33 co-processor
RAM
2GB
Storage
32GB
Battery
306mAh
Software
Wear OS 4
Health sensors
Optical heart rate, SpO2, ECG, continuous EDA, skin temperature
Price
From $350
Dimensions
41 x 41 x 12.3 mm
Weight
31g
IP Rating
IP68
Cellular connectivity
LTE (Optional)