There was a time when reviewing a Pixel Watch felt a bit like grading a talented but underachieving student — charming design, plenty of promise, but always a few steps behind the class leader. But this year, I think Google has finally done it. The Pixel Watch 4 isn’t just “good for a Google smartwatch”. It’s simply good, period. How so? Let’s find out!
- Price: From S$529 (41mm) and from S$599 (45mm, version reviewed), get it at Google Store from 6 Nov 2025
- Case size: 41mm and 45mm (version reviewed)
- Display: 1.27 inches (41mm) and 1.46 inches (45mm) AMOLED; up to 3,000 nits
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Weight: 68g (45mm, with silicone watch band)
| PROS | CONS |
| Sleek domed design | Proprietary charger yet again |
| Excellent display | Default watch band looks “meh” |
| Super-fast charging | Fitbit Premium needs subscription |
| Accurate health and fitness tracking | |
| Improved battery life |
When I took a first look at the new Pixel Watch 4, I wondered: “Hey, didn’t I already review this two years ago?” Wait, I did. It was the Pixel Watch 2. Jokes aside, they really look alike. The silhouette is unchanged: the same pebble-like dome design, soft curves, and minimalist demeanour. Yet, if you look closer, the refinements start to show.
The bezels are thinner (by about 16%), and the new Actua 360 domed display now truly curves under the glass, giving it a distinctly premium look — almost liquid, like someone melted the screen around the edges. Add to that a ludicrously bright 3,000-nit AMOLED panel, and you have got one of the most legible and good-looking smartwatch screens around, rivalling even Apple’s best.
Unfortunately, the default silicone watch band looks pretty “meh” and did the watch a disservice. It is like fitting a Ferrari with taxi-standard rims and tyres. Plus, the watch band mechanism is still somewhat fiddly, not exactly intuitive. But at least, the smartwatch remains compatible with previous watch bands.
Colours remain recognisably Google — Obsidian, Porcelain, Moonstone (version reviewed) — but the colour availability still depends on size, which is an odd but might not make much difference for most.
Nonetheless, the Pixel Watch 4 still feels more refined in ways earlier models never did. Notifications are smarter, the haptics more precise, and even small touches — like a warning when the charger isn’t plugged in — show that Google is finally sweating the details.
The display’s brightness and animated flair make WearOS 6 genuinely pleasant to use. And while Gemini’s conversational features are still a work in progress, AI-generated smart replies and new gesture tweaks (like “raise-to-talk”) hint at a wearable becoming context-aware, and not just connected.
Furthermore, Google deserves a clap for finally making the Pixel Watch repairable. You can now replace the screen or the battery yourself (with some help from iFixit). This change might sound boring, but in this era of disposable tech, it is quietly revolutionary.
Health tracking remains Fitbit-powered — and for good reason. The heart rate accuracy has been improved, sleep tracking is sharper (though still guilty of counting lying awake as “light sleep”), and dual-frequency GPS finally means running in downtown areas doesn’t look like you teleported through buildings. It took only three seconds to lock onto a GPS signal. Step trackings and jogs are on-par with my calibrated Apple Watch Ultra 2, differing by mere 100 steps or 10m respectively. In other words, it is very accurate.
Auto workout detection now happens after your activity. You will get a gentle nudge like 30 minutes later asking: “Was that a workout?” This happened a lot when I was in Taiwan for vacation when I clocked up 20,000 steps daily. Some might find this delayed detection thoughtful; others will find it slightly un-Google in its lack of immediacy. I think it is totally fine.
Fitbit Premium requires a subscription (S$12.98 per month), but new features like AI-powered coaching promise a personal trainer who actually listens and adjusts your plan accordingly to your fitness levels. Getting this smartwatch gives you a six-month free subscription to Fitbit Premium. So, you can give it a try and decide if it is worth your money.
On the other hand, battery life is where the Pixel Watch 4 quietly flexes. While WearOS watches traditionally struggled to last a full day, this one will easily go up to two days with the always-on display off. But that’s not the best part.
The charging speed is ridiculous. From near-empty to 50% in about 15 minutes, and a full charge under an hour. Although it is disappointing that Google went with yet another proprietary charger (the third in four generations) in this iteration, the super-fast charging softens that blow.
Not to mention, for the first time, a Pixel Watch can be docked nicely while being charged. In previous versions, you can’t even get to attach the charger properly to the watch at times.
VERDICT: It took Google four tries, but the Pixel Watch 4 is the real deal. It is not longer just an accessory for Pixel smartphone hardcore fans, but a top-tier smartwatch in its own right.
It is not perfect, of course. The reliance on custom chargers is frustrating, Gemini still needs polishing, and Fitbit Premium content creeping behind a paywall feels very . But for S$599, the Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) delivers a complete, fast, and highly wearable smartwatch experience. It is one that finally gives Samsung and Apple something to look over their shoulders for.
Now, where to buy a better looking Pixel 4 watch band, anyone?
