Google Google Pixel Watch 4 (Wi-Fi: GPW4-WF / LTE: GPW4-LTE)

Google dropped a bombshell: The Pixel Watch 4 lasts longer than a Samsung Galaxy Watch 8—and charges faster than your morning coffee break.

Quick Take Box

What it is: Google's fourth-gen smartwatch with a game-changing battery and Gemini AI baked in Who it's for: Android devotees, Fitbit faithful, battery anxiety sufferers Reality check: That gorgeous display will scratch faster than a lottery ticket

Design & Build Quality

The Actua 360 domed display is the star here—it's like wearing a water droplet on your wrist. Google shrunk the bezels by 16%, making the screen feel expansive despite the compact 41mm/45mm cases. The aluminum housing uses 100% recycled materials (eco-points), and the whole thing is IP68 water-resistant plus 5ATM swim-proof.

But here's the kicker: Google finally made it repairable. After three generations of disposable tech, you can now replace the battery and display. Revolutionary? No. Overdue? Absolutely.

The catch? Still rocking Gorilla Glass 5 instead of sapphire crystal. In 2025, that's like shipping a Ferrari with plastic hubcaps. Reddit users are already reporting scratches within weeks. For professionals handling equipment daily, this is a dealbreaker. Casual users might survive with a screen protector.

Weight-wise, the 45mm hits 36.5g without bands—lighter than Galaxy Watch 8's 37g but chunkier at 12.3mm thickness. The proprietary band system remains, because Google needs those accessory margins.

Display & Multimedia

That 3000-nit AMOLED LTPO panel is nuclear bright—matching Samsung, crushing Apple's 2000 nits. The domed design creates this wild 3D effect where UI elements feel tangible. Scrolling notifications feels like manipulating physical cards.

Resolution sits at 456x456 pixels (41mm) and 496x496 (45mm), delivering 320ppi sharpness. The 60Hz refresh keeps animations butter-smooth without murdering battery. Always-on display finally works without anxiety, showing time/complications clearly even in direct sunlight.

Audio through the custom speaker is surprisingly loud for calls and Gemini responses. No headphone jack (obviously), but Bluetooth 5.3 handles wireless earbuds flawlessly. Media controls for YouTube Music/Spotify are responsive, though storing music locally eats into that 32GB storage fast.

For creators checking color accuracy on-the-go: DCI-P3 color gamut support means photos display accurately. Viewing angles are perfect—essential when quickly glancing mid-workout.

Performance & Software

Qualcomm's Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 paired with a Cortex-M55 co-processor delivers the smoothest Wear OS experience yet. The 2GB RAM prevents the stuttering plague that killed earlier Wear OS devices. App launches are instant, multitasking actually works, and that Material 3 Expressive UI feels playful without being childish.

Wear OS 6 brings Gemini AI front-and-center with a "raise to talk" gesture that actually works 90% of the time. Ask complex questions, control smart home devices, or translate languages on-the-fly. It's genuinely useful, not gimmicky.

Bloatware situation: Basically none. Google includes its suite (Maps, Wallet, Home) plus Fitbit, but nothing feels forced. Samsung's OneUI Watch would've crammed 15 sponsored apps here.

Software commitment: 3 years of OS updates, 4 years security patches. Solid, though Apple still wins longevity wars.

Gaming? Don't. This isn't for Genshin Impact sessions. Productivity users get excellent Google Workspace integration—except Calendar sync is bizarrely broken for Workspace accounts. That's inexcusable for Google's own watch.

Camera System

No cameras on the watch itself (thank god), but the Pixel Camera remote control is brilliant. Frame group shots, trigger Night Sight for astrophotography, or discreetly capture street photography. The live viewfinder on your wrist updates smoothly over Bluetooth.

Pro tip: The timer countdown appears on the watch display, eliminating awkward "did it take the photo?" moments. Works with any Pixel phone, obviously, but also functions with other Android devices running Google Camera ports.

Battery & Charging

Here's where Google redeems itself. The 45mm model's 455mAh cell delivers a genuine 40 hours with always-on display, GPS workouts, sleep tracking, and constant heart monitoring. Real users report 48+ hours with moderate use. The 41mm's 325mAh manages 30 hours—adequate but not impressive.

The game-changer: 15-minute charging for 50% battery. The new side-mounted magnetic dock hits 100% in 40 minutes. That's faster than brewing and drinking coffee. The dock doubles as a bedside clock showing time, weather, and next alarm.

Power users running GPS + LTE streaming drain about 10% per hour during workouts. Normal office days burn 2-3% hourly. Sleep tracking consumes 8-10% overnight—finally reasonable.

Battery Saver mode extends 45mm runtime to 3 days, though it kills always-on display and background heart monitoring. Still receives notifications.

Connectivity & Extras

5G support exists but India gets Wi-Fi-only models initially. Dual-frequency GPS (L1+L5) locks instantly and tracks accurately through urban canyons—matching Garmin's precision.

Wi-Fi 6 (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.3, NFC for Google Pay all work flawlessly. The satellite SOS feature (US-only) could literally save lives when hiking off-grid, sending emergency messages via geostationary satellites.

Haptics feel premium—distinct patterns for different notification types. The rotating crown has satisfying mechanical clicks despite being fully digital.

Missing: Blood pressure monitoring (hardware supports it, software doesn't), wireless charging compatibility, IR blaster for TV control.

Marketing Claims Reality Check

"Revolutionary AI health coach" = Gemini answers basic health questions with web searches "40-hour battery life" = Actually true for 45mm, but 41mm barely makes 30 "Fastest charging Android watch" = Legitimate—0-50% in 15 minutes verified "Most accurate sleep tracking yet" = 18% improvement sounds specific but still trails Oura Ring "Repairable design" = True, but Google doesn't sell parts directly yet