I Tried the Google Pixel Watch 4 for 30 Days. Here Are My Honest Thoughts

As a health and wellness writer, I’ve written about everything from seasonal allergies and hair loss to acne treatments and protein powders. In recent years, I’ve taken an interest in a particular intersection of wellness and technology: Smart wearable devices, such as smart rings, fitness trackers, and smartwatches.

I’ve used some of these products myself, so I know just how convenient they can be. Many collect health and fitness data (e.g. heart rate, calories burned, menstrual cycle, etc.) and motivate you to increase your physical activity.

While some are strictly focused on your health goals, such as smart rings and fitness trackers, smartwatches offer a broader range of functions. They do all of the above, plus allow you to receive texts, answer calls, check notifications, control music, and more.

There are many smartwatches on the market, but Google’s latest model, the Pixel Watch 4, has received quite a bit of attention for its many improvements compared to earlier versions. When Google invited me to test it out, I was eager to see for myself. 

Keep reading to see what my firsthand experience with this watch unveiled.

Compatibility Checkpoint: Will Your Smartphone Work With the Pixel Watch 4?

Is the Google Pixel Watch 4 right for you? The first step to finding out is making sure it’s compatible with your smartphone’s operating system (OS). 

The good news: It’s compatible with most Android devices running on Android 11.0 or newer, even those that aren’t manufactured by Google. The bad news: It’s not compatible with older Androids or iOS devices, such as iPhones. 

For my testing, I paired the watch with Google’s very own Pixel 10 Pro XL.

What’s in the Box

Here’s everything that comes with the Google Pixel 4:

• The watch face.
• Two bands.
• USB-C charging cable.
• Instructions and warranty information.

It comes with everything you need to get started with one caveat: You may also need a USB-C adapter that plugs into a wall outlet in order to charge it. These are usually pretty affordable and accessible. You might even already have one lying around. You can also charge it via laptop or desktop computers with USB-C ports.

First Impressions

Google offers several variations of this watch, including several band colors, screen sizes, and LTE or Wi-Fi connectivity. 

You can change out the band later, but the initial choice you make determines the color of the hardware—there’s a slim case, side button, and knob (called a digital crown). I went with the Obsidian colorway so everything would be black.

There are two screen sizes to choose from — 41 and 45 mm — which mainly come down to personal preference, though the latter is about $50 more. Those four measly millimeters may not seem like a lot, but you get around 40% more usable screen real estate and an additional 10 or so hours of battery life with the larger size.

I opted for the 41 mm size in the Obsidian colorway because I have small arms. The smaller screen is still generous without overpowering my wrist. The only thing I found bulky was the band itself.

As for quality, it looks and feels high-end. The domed glass makes the screen appear bigger than it actually is and gives it a 3D effect. It also uses AMOLED technology, which is currently considered the gold standard for smartwatch displays because it’s bright, vivid, and simply stunning to look at.

Getting Started

I was able to assemble and set up the watch in mere minutes. All I had to do was attach the band to the watch face, turn it on, download the corresponding Pixel Watch app, and follow the instructions in the app. Admittedly, attaching the band was slightly tricky but I figured it out quickly.

Setting up a new device can be overwhelming, so I stuck to the basics at first. I wanted to access texts, calls, and music right away, which was set up in a flash. In fact, I didn’t have to do much — syncing my phone to the watch got the job done.

Fresh out of the box, the battery was at 50%, and when I placed it on the charger, it let me know it would reach 100% in just 20 minutes.

What Makes the Google Pixel Watch 4 Different From Its Competitors

Here are the main selling points.

Domed Display

I’ve researched dozens of fitness trackers and smartwatches, and the Pixel Watch 4 has one of the most attractive designs. It’s similar to its predecessor but with one major improvement: Domed glass that Google calls “Actua 360.”

The domed glass display is truly innovative in a market that’s saturated with (flat) round and rectangular screens. The reason the domed display is such a game changer is because you can view the screen easily from multiple angles—meaning you don’t have to raise your wrist to your face like some sort of undercover spy.

It’s also beautiful to look at. Who wouldn’t want less bezels and a screen that looks like it’s floating on their wrist?

Gemini AI Assistant

Google’s Gemini is widely considered a top AI model, and the watch makes it easy to use — simply click on the sparkle shape on the home screen or use the “Hey Google” voice command. 

There’s also a third and much more fun way to call on Gemini: Turn on the raise to talk feature. When you bring the watch close to your mouth, a blue light will signal that the microphone is on, allowing you to talk to Gemini.

This took some getting used to at first. You have to bring the watch very close to your mouth — almost touching your lips — in order to prompt the microphone to turn on and wait for your command.

You can do all sorts of things with it, such as:

• Draft and send texts.
• Make phone calls.
• Set timers.
• Ask questions.
• Create alarms and reminders.
• Start and pause workouts.
• Chat with FitBit Coach (subscription required).

I found Gemini helpful but not always necessary, nor always accurate or responsive. It’s easy enough to pull up the data I’m looking for, though it might take a few tries to get it right.

Battery Life

A general con of smartwatches is the short battery life — you’re lucky to get more than a day and a half. 

The 41 mm has a battery life of up to 30 hours while the 45 mm version can last up to 40 hours. This is based on regular smartwatch use, but if you use the battery saver mode, it could last even longer (up to 48 and 72 hours, respectively). Some competitors only last up to 24 hours. It also charges rapidly — about 40 to 60 minutes for a full charge.

While opinions on this are all over the place — many Pixel users long for an even better battery life — I never ran out of battery. It helps that I work from home so I can quickly charge it whenever I please, but I don’t see this as being a huge issue. You probably have to charge your phone once a day too. For many of us, daily charging is a routine that’s easy enough to fall into.

Price

Most smartwatches aren’t cheap. In many ways, a smartwatch is a nice-to-have, not a need-to-have, a luxury, not an essential.

On the lower end, you could get a fitness tracker that has some smartphone integrations for around $100. This’ll get the job done, though it’ll probably lack the premium feel and functionality of a full-on smartwatch.

On the higher end, some smartwatches could run you nearly $1,000. Some Apple watches, for example, cost double the Pixel Watch 4’s starting price.

So, in the range of $350 to $500, I find the price reasonable and a better value compared to some competitors.

Easy Repairs

You might not think about making repairs when buying a brand-new device, but you don’t really have to with the Pixel Watch 4. The back panel can be removed, so the battery can be replaced if needed. The screen is also replaceable, which is good news if it ever cracks. All this to say: If something happens, you might not have to spring for an entirely new watch. Just be sure to get a pro to do these repairs because it’s not exactly DIY-friendly.

As an aside, I noticed some other reviewers mention the screen scratches easily, despite it being gorilla glass, though I haven’t had this problem. You can also use a screen protector if you want to be on the safe side.

Satellite Connectivity and Dual-Band GPS

Like repairs, safety features aren’t something you’ll hope you need to use, but you’ll be glad they’re there. One of this watch’s safety features is satellite connectivity, which is usually reserved for phones and watches at higher price points. This allows you to send out emergency SOS (not regular texts) when you’re off grid and need help. Some of its other safety features include automatic car crash and fall detection.

Many wearable devices have some degree of GPS built in, which is especially helpful for runners. But Google’s new and improved watch uses dual-band GPS (available in both WiFi and LTE versions) for superior accuracy. And even if you’re not a runner, this comes in handy for using Google Maps.

Google Pixel Watch 4 Features I Enjoyed the Most

This watch has so many features that it was impossible for me to utilize them all during this 30-day test. Here’s what I actually used and enjoyed.

Smartphone Functionality

I had two main hopes for the Google Pixel Watch 4: I wanted to receive smartphone notifications without feeling glued to my phone, and I wanted to see what the purported in-depth health and fitness tracking was all about. 

On the smartphone front, it lets you text, make phone calls, and receive other alerts that you would otherwise need to check your phone for. It lets me know when someone’s at my front door, for example (though I can’t see the live feed with my particular smart doorbell). And it sends me notifications from my calendar, email, etc. I also have a couple of Nest devices, and I can access and control both of them from my wrist, which is neat. The list goes on: Play music, use maps, and contactless payment, to name a few more.

I can do all of these things on my smartphone, and with somewhat greater ease, but it’s convenient to have all this at your wrist. I appreciated not having to find my phone at the bottom of my purse every time I needed to read a text, skip a song, etc.

Health and Fitness Tracking

Before I obtained the Pixel Watch 4, I read the product page on Google’s storefront from top to bottom. There was a pretty big emphasis on health and fitness tracking, which I was excited about.

When I downloaded the Pixel Watch app, it also automatically installed the Fitbit app on my phone. I just had to sign in via the app.

It covers the basics: Heart rate, step count, calories burned, skin temperature, and more. But it also offers some deeper insights into sleep, stress, blood oxygen, and more (some of which requires a Fitbit Premium subscription). 

One thing to note is that the Pixel Watch 4 uses sensors to collect this data, but only some of it is actually displayed on the watch face. You’ll need to go on the Fitbit app on your phone to check your predicted period start date, for example. 

It also has 50+ exercise modes, such as Pilates, strength training, aerobics, and more. Some get more attention than others, however. On the watch face, you can let it know you’re running, biking, and hiking, and it will collect stats like beats per minute, pace, distance, and so on.

Where the Google Pixel Watch 4 Falls Short

Nothing’s perfect. Here’s what I think could be improved.

Women’s Health Tracking Could Be Better

Women make up half the population, but women’s health tracking seems like an afterthought. It’s not mentioned anywhere on the product page or marketing materials, despite the emphasis on overall health and fitness tracking. 

I was so concerned that the watch didn’t track menstruation that I reached out to Google’s customer service for clarification. I asked three different representatives and only one could confirm that it does indeed track women’s health … to some extent.

To be clear: Women can track their menstrual cycle and pregnancy in the Fitbit app, but it mainly relies on logging symptoms and data yourself, and you can’t access the data on the actual watch face. Why?

According to Google’s customer service representative, the watch face is reserved for displaying “immediate metrics.” I found this very disappointing since the watch displays things like floors climbed, hourly steps, mindfulness—things that are less helpful to me than knowing where I’m at in my menstrual cycle.

For men, this may not be a deal breaker. For women, it very well could be. Especially since the watch tracks skin temperature, which can be very useful in women’s health tracking, this seems like a huge missed opportunity.

Wrist Band: Bulky and Tricky to Change

I like the feel of the included band — it’s very soft and smooth — but the fit wasn’t great. Even the smaller band is too bulky for me, so changing it out is on my radar. I found it uncomfortable to sleep in, and even after a few short hours of wear, I was relieved to take it off. Much of the health data relies on you sleeping with it on (e.g. readiness, skin temperature variation, etc.), so this meant there were many data gaps.

However, my husband tried it for an afternoon, and he felt entirely different. He said it was so comfortable he didn’t even notice it on his wrist after a while. He was also confident he could comfortably sleep in it. His wrist is much larger than mine, so the band isn’t bulky on him at all. So, this may just vary from person to person.

When I first assembled the watch, I found it slightly tricky to attach the band. As it turns out, many people also seem to struggle with this, both the first time around and when swapping it out for a replacement band. Perhaps this makes it more secure, but it could be more intuitive.

Integration With Non-Google Devices

When I first set up the watch, I was looking forward to accessing my smart home devices (e.g. cameras, thermostat, doorbell, etc.) from my wrist. However, you can only access smart home devices like Nest that are made by Google. Most of my devices are made by other brands, so I wasn’t able to connect them. 

This might not be Google’s fault: some brands don’t have smartwatch apps to begin with. Still, I was disappointed.

Fitbit Premium Subscription

The Pixel Watch 4 uses sensors to collect health and fitness metrics and relies on the Fitbit app to get a full picture of what’s going on. While the Fitbit app does have some cool features, you have to pay a monthly subscription fee, which is around $10 per month, to access all of them.

For basic tracking (e.g. monitoring heart rate, logging periods, etc.), the free version is fine. For deeper insights into sleep, stress and so on, you’ll have to subscribe.

Paying a monthly fee isn’t the end of the world, but it’s something to be aware of if you’re big on health data.

In My Expert Opinion

After testing the Pixel Watch 4 for 30 days, I have some thoughts.

I have to give credit where it’s due: The watch is beautiful. I’m a sucker for an OLED display. The brightness and vivid imagery are simply stunning.

I also think a lot of attention to detail went into the domed glass design and repairability. It charges rapidly, collects health and fitness data, and has no shortage of features, including some for safety.

On the other hand, there were some things I couldn’t get past, particularly the women’s health tracking, which is inferior to other trackers I’ve used in the past.

I also found the band bulky and uncomfortable to sleep in, so I couldn’t take full advantage of the health tracking.

I’m glad I got to test this watch, though I can’t say with certainty that it will become a permanent fixture in my life. Even still, I can definitely see why this watch is so highly rated.