Google Pixel Watch 5 Review | Improved battery life and smarter Gemini AI

Closing out the latest Google Pixel launches, I am sharing my review of the Google Pixel Watch 5. To begin with, the watch comes with a starting price of ₹42,900 for the 41mm band and costs ₹45,900 for the 45mm band. I have been using the watch while it was paired with the latest Google Pixel 11 Pro XL.In this review, I am going to break down my experience and also share how the watch holds up against the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9.DesignWhen it comes to the design, Google has not really tried to make the Pixel Watch 5 look different from its predecessors. The watch continues with the same rounded case, the crown at the 3 o’clock position and the domed glass that has become a signature of the Pixel Watch series.Personally, I still like this design. It has a simple and elegant appearance and does not look too sporty on the wrist. The watch comes in the 41mm and 45mm options, with the case made using 100% recycled aluminium. It also gets an IP68 rating, so everyday exposure to dust and water should not be a major concern.The build quality feels premium, although there is one area where I feel Google could have done better. The Pixel Watch 5 does not come with a sapphire crystal display, while the Galaxy Watch 9 does. This makes Samsung’s watch a more reassuring option for someone who is particularly concerned about scratches.DisplayThe Pixel Watch 5 comes with a 1.4-inch LTPO AMOLED Actua 360 display with a resolution of 456 x 456 pixels and 320ppi pixel density. The display can reach up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness, which makes a noticeable difference when using it outdoors.I found the screen easy to read even in bright sunlight. Colours are vivid, text looks sharp and the display does not feel like an area where Google has settled. The LTPO panel can also adapt its refresh rate between 60Hz and 1Hz, depending on what is happening on the screen. The Always-On mode can use a lower refresh rate when needed.The Galaxy Watch 9 also offers a bright AMOLED panel with up to 3,000 nits, so there is not much separating the two in terms of outdoor visibility. I personally like the Pixel Watch 5’s curved display and domed glass because they add to the watch’s overall character.There is one downside, though. The curved glass means the screen feels slightly more exposed to accidental knocks when compared to a flatter smartwatch display.SoftwareOne of the features I found most interesting in the Pixel Watch 5 is Gemini. Google has made the AI assistant more independent this year, as basic Gemini commands can now work directly in the watch without requiring the phone, internet or Bluetooth connection.I could use Gemini for basic tasks such as setting timers, starting workouts, opening apps, controlling music and changing settings. This makes the watch feel less like an extension of the phone and more like a device that can handle some tasks independently.The raise-to-talk feature is useful. Instead of saying a wake word, I can simply raise the watch towards my mouth and start speaking once it is ready.Google has introduced Proactive Suggestions, which can use data from Gmail, Messages and Calendar to surface relevant information on the watch. During the review period, I experienced how useful this feature could become. However, there is a catch: some of these features require the latest Pixel 11 models.The Watch 5 runs Wear OS 7 and is powered by the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 chip with a Cortex-M55 co-processor. During everyday use, I found the watch responsive, with smooth menus and quicker interactions.Health and FitnessGoogle has made GPS accuracy one of the major highlights of the Pixel Watch 5, and this is one improvement that stood out during my use. Sleep tracking has received an upgrade, with Google claiming that it is now 15% more accurate.Smart Wake is another small but useful addition. It uses movement and heart-rate information to wake you during a lighter sleep phase within 30 minutes of your alarm. However, automatic workout detection is still not perfect. There were a couple of instances when the watch did not automatically detect my walk, so I had to start the workout manually.This is where the Galaxy Watch 9 has an advantage in terms of the breadth of health features it offers today. Samsung provides features such as Fitness Index, Cardio Load and Heart Health Score, while the Pixel Watch 5’s bigger health features are still arriving.Google has confirmed that blood pressure trends and insulin resistance trends are coming later, while breathing-related features are also part of the roadmap. So, if these are the features you are specifically looking for, it is worth remembering that they are not all available at the moment.BatteryBattery has historically been one of the weaker areas of the Pixel Watch series, but the Google Pixel Watch 5 changes that.I tested the 41mm model that comes with a 332-mAh battery, and Google rates it for up to 30 hours of regular use. In my experience, with Always-On Display switched off, I could get closer to two-and-a-half to three days between charges.This is easily one of my favourite upgrades to the Watch 5. The Galaxy Watch 9, despite being a capable smartwatch, remains closer to the one-day mark, in my experience, when features such as Always-On Display are enabled.Charging is reasonably quick. The Pixel Watch 5 can reach 50% in around 15 minutes, while a full charge takes approximately 60 minutes. The redesigned Quick Charge Dock shows the time, charging progress and upcoming alarms as the watch is charging.VerdictThe Google Pixel Watch 5 addresses some of the biggest concerns with the previous generation. The design remains familiar, while the bright display, on-device Gemini AI, improved GPS and much-improved battery life make it a more complete experience.However, the lack of sapphire crystal, the inconsistent automatic workout detection and the health features that are still yet to arrive, hold it back. If you are upgrading from an older Pixel Watch or entering the Pixel ecosystem, the Watch 5 makes a strong case for itself. Google Pixel Watch 4 users may want to wait.Compared to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9, the Pixel Watch 5 feels more focused on Google’s ecosystem and Gemini, while Samsung offers broader health and fitness insights. For me, the improved battery life and smarter Gemini experience make the Pixel Watch 5 a meaningful upgrade.