This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
I've been using the Pixel Watch 4 for more than a week now, and while it's still challenging to wrestle the ever-superb OnePlus Watch 3 away from my heart, Google is coming dangerously close to doing that with the Pixel Watch 4.
Now, I've already finished my review, but since then, I've garnered even more impressions of Google's latest smartwatch, and most of them are positive ones.
Display
First up, it has that exciting design language with a domed display that feels great to use. I've never put any real thought into the shape of glass on smartwatches, but apparently, the rounder, the better. While I dislike curved screens on phones, the Pixel Watch 4's domed screen makes more sense the more I use it. Swiping and interacting with the interface is oddly satisfying and rewarding, and I wish more smartwatches adopted similar design solutions.
That's domed alright (Image by PhoneArena)
What I also love about the screen is just how bright and legible it could get under harsh outdoor lighting. Having a display capable of hitting 3,000 nits, albeit briefly, is a godsend when you need to check up on something quick, as it eliminates the possibility of squinting or not being able to see what's on your screen. Nobody likes that, and fortunately, this problem doesn't exist on the Pixel Watch 4.
Battery life that's a big step in the right direction
While the most exciting aspect of a smartwatch for me is the battery life, in which the OnePlus Watch 3 has been the undisputed champion holder for a while, the Pixel Watch 4 got me excited for all the right reasons. And, after all, you can always charge a battery, but you can never add more features afterward.
If you're like me, you're most likely only using a smartwatch to check your notifications, track your sleep and some basic health metrics, and pay contactlessly. In all of these, the Pixel Watch 4 truly excels and is definitely a joy to use. After the initial honeymoon period when you're frequently checking your watch and playing around with its features, you settle down to a more relaxed and conservative usage. Thus, battery life could increase eventually.
The new redesigned charging puck is remarkable, as it enables the watch to function as a mini dock for your desk (Image by PhoneArena)
That's precisely what happened with me. In the first week of use, I was constantly tinkering around and trying to shape the Wear OS interface to my unique requirements. During this period, the device lasted a day and a few hours, which felt slightly lower than the advertised battery figures (30 hours with AOD on and 40 hours without).
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However, once I essentially stopped caring about what apps I had and what watchface I used and only interacted with the Pixel Watch 4 when a notification came, presto, battery life increased considerably. I didn't really keep tabs on how much, but I guess I spent around 50% of battery charge a day with the always-on display functionality toggled off.
That's not much when compared with the OnePlus Watch 3 but is definitely better than what you'd get out of an Apple Watch Series 11 or a Galaxy Watch 8, for that matter. Both of those are one-day smartwatches, and after a while, it's pretty easy to grow tired of the constant on-and-off charging.
In this aspect, the Pixel Watch 4 is less of a hassle and is more stomachable. Thank you, dual-chipset configuration that has been inspired by OnePlus!
The latest Wear OS grows on me
Wear OS 6 with the Material 3 Expressive design language pack on board is some seriously good eye candy. If you ask me, it looks better on the watch than on the latest Pixel phones, and the reason for that is trivial: it suits a simplistic and clean interface way more in comparison with the clash of different elements that a phone is.
Wear OS looks and feels great to use (Image by PhoneArena)
The widgets look great, the color combinations for the whole interface are very nice, and the smoothness and predictability of the interface are a major step forward. That's especially true if you've used the not-so-intuitive and mostly janky earlier iterations of Wear OS.
Conclusion
Will I continue using the Pixel Watch 4 now that my review is done and I can lay it to rest in our warehouse? Well, frankly said, the OnePlus Watch 3 is beckoning me once again, and I must heed that call, but if it weren't my smartwatch of choice, I'd definitely pick the Pixel Watch 4 over any other Wear OS rival.
One thing is for certain: Google's smartwatch division is doing things quite right at the moment.
Peter, an experienced tech enthusiast at PhoneArena, is captivated by all things mobile. His impartial reviews and proficiency in Android systems offer readers valuable insights. Off-duty, he delves into the latest cryptocurrency trends and enjoys sci-fi and video games.
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