Google Pixel Watch 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and 5 Pro: Which should you buy?

Google took its second swing at making a great Wear OS smartwatch in recent years with the launch of the Pixel Watch 2. But the Pixel Watch 2 enters a category that has long been dominated by Samsung with its Galaxy Watches. The Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro are not the newest of the lot, but they continue to be on sale. Samsung’s excellent support allows them to be hot competitors on either side of Pixel Watch 2’s price point. Which one should you prefer? We pit these smartwatches against each other in this Pixel Watch 2 vs Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro comparison.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro were launched in August 2022, so they aren’t the latest smartwatches from Samsung. If you want the latest watch, check out this Pixel Watch 2 vs Galaxy Watch 6 comparison.

Still, Samsung continues to sell the 40mm variant of the Galaxy Watch 5 as well as the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. They initially launched with Wear OS 3.5 with One UI 4.5 Watch skin on top but have recently received the update to Wear OS 4 with One UI 5 Watch skin on top. This lets them compete head-to-head against the Pixel Watch 2, which also runs Wear OS 4.

The Pixel Watch 2 has a Google-centric approach to the smartwatch experience, while the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro flex their Samsung ecosystem integration with the One UI Watch skin.

On the Pixel Watch 2, you get robust integration with the Fitbit ecosystem. Google is promising that the Watch 2 will be able to leverage AI to provide personalized insights. You also get a 6-month Fitbit Premium trial. Other exclusive features include Safety Check, which alerts emergency contacts about your location if you haven’t checked in at the end of a timer.

The Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro work best with Samsung phones, as they can tap into several exclusive features such as ECG and blood pressure measurement. You will also get access to Samsung Pay to make payments directly from your watch, and there’s Bixby, Samsung’s voice assistant if you want an alternative to Google Assistant.

The Pixel Watch 2 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 (SW5100) chipset with a Cortex-M33 co-processor. The Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro are powered by the Exynos W930 SoC. As a user, both of these will provide you with a responsive experience, though the higher RAM and storage on the Pixel Watch 2 will give it an edge over the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro over the long term.

Where the Galaxy Watch 5 series shines is on battery life. You can get close to two days of battery life on the 44mm Galaxy Watch 5 and over two days on the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. The 40mm Galaxy Watch 5 has a smaller battery that lasts a day.

Google also promises a similar one-day battery life on the Pixel Watch 2. We’re conducting in-depth tests to assess this claim.

Beyond these differences, all three watches have a litany of health-tracking features. You can monitor your sleep, workouts and activities, heart rate, stress, and more. You can also use many of the usual smartwatch features such as on-wrist phone calls, texts, notifications, voice assistants, customizable watch faces, always-on display, and more.

Google Pixel Watch 2 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro: Design

The Pixel Watch 2, the Galaxy Watch 5, and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro have different designs, and as an end user, you may like one more than the other.

The Pixel Watch 2 comes in a single 41mm size with a curved display that looks absolutely gorgeous. The caveat is that protecting it will be a pain (screen protectors are the easiest to apply on flat displays), and at least on the first-gen Pixel Watch, repairing it was not possible. There is Gorilla Glass 5 on top for protection, but it will crack on strong impacts.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Watch 5 comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes (though Samsung no longer officially sells the 44mm size). These variants have a flat edge-to-edge display.

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro comes in a single 45mm size with a protective bezel all around. Coupled with the MIL-STD-810H rating, the Galaxy Watch 5 series is easier to protect and also comparatively easy to repair. Sapphire Crystal protects the display, but it can also crack with a strong enough impact.

The Pixel Watch 2’s singular size may not suit all wrist sizes. On the other hand, Samsung accommodates a broader range of wrist sizes, as you can go up to a 45mm casing.

The Pixel Watch 2 has a very round, pebble-ish look. Google uses proprietary straps for a seamless look, but that means you can’t use standard straps. The silver lining is that the straps and watch case are both backward-compatible with the first-gen Pixel Watch. So, thankfully, you can use your older straps on the new Pixel Watch 2 and vice-versa.

Google did release new straps this year, and plenty of third-party straps are available, so you have options, albeit ones that won’t work on your non-Pixel timepieces.

The Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro use standard 20mm straps across all three size variants. This is a boon as you have ready access to an extensive range of third-party straps that also work with analog wristwatches. You will never run out of options here!

The Pixel Watch 2 features a protruding digital crown, which helps with on-device navigation. There is also a side button that blends in well within the rounded watch case.

On the Galaxy Watch 5 and Watch 5 Pro, you have two buttons for assisting with on-device navigation. There is no digital crown here, nor do the watches sport a rotating bezel like some other Samsung watches.

The Pixel Watch 2, the Galaxy Watch 5, and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro offer 5ATM water resistance and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The standard warranty does not include water damage, so you should still exercise caution.

The Google Pixel Watch 2 is available in Wi-Fi-only and LTE variants. The Wi-Fi model costs $350, while LTE costs $400. Either version is available in Matte Black, Polished Silver, and Champagne Gold. Google pairs these case colors with active bands in Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, or Hazel.

The prices mentioned in the list above for the Galaxy Watch series are launch prices. Since the smartwatch is a year old, Samsung has discontinued some variants and discounted the rest.

Samsung currently sells the Galaxy Watch 5 in a single 40mm LTE variant for $198, which is available in Pink Gold color. The Galaxy Watch 5 offers incredible value at this price and is hard to argue against.

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro has seen a price cut too. You can now get the Wi-Fi variant for $400 and the LTE variant for $430. The pricing is slightly more expensive than the Pixel Watch 2’s, but you also get a bigger smartwatch that lasts for two days easily.

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro comes in Black Titanium and Gray Titanium colors, and you can pair it with a Gray D-Buckle Sport, a Navy Sport, a Sand Two-Tone Sport, and a Navy Two-Tone Sport band options.

The Galaxy Watch lineup has an incredible history, and Samsung’s hold over the market makes sense to everyone who has used these watches. The only thing holding back the Galaxy Watch 5 is its current availability status, as Samsung only sells one variant right now.

If you have a thin wrist or prefer smaller smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch 5 in the 40mm LTE variant is an excellent choice at its discounted price. But stocks may not last for long, so the Pixel Watch 2 will become your de-facto choice unless you want to opt for the Galaxy Watch 6 instead.

For larger wrists or for people who prefer larger smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a great choice. It offers incredible battery life and nails down all the features expected from a smartwatch. There’s enough on offer to justify the slight difference in price over the Pixel Watch 2.

What works in the Pixel Watch 2’s favor are its unique looks and the pure Wear OS experience with Fitbit integration. The promise of AI insights is also alluring. If you own a Google Pixel smartphone, the Pixel Watch 2 will offer a seamless experience.