Google Pixel Watch 4

Class-leading battery life, a big, bright screen-and Gemini AI-make this the best Android smartwatch

- DAN BRACAGLIA

Like the Pixel Watch 3 (see issue 362, p61), the Pixel Watch 4 comes in 41mm and 45mm sizes, each available with or without cellular connectivity. It looks almost identical to its predecessor, but offers 10% more screen space thanks to a slimmer bezel. The domed display is easy to read at any angle, with a peak brightness of 3,000cd/m². That’s 50% brighter than both the Watch 3 and the Apple Watch Series 11 (see p72).

The familiar crown and button remain on the side of the device, but there are now two metal contacts on the other side that work with the new upright charger. This lets you use your watch as a mini alarm clock while it’s charging, but it means you can’t use a charger from an older model.

Another change is that the Pixel Watch 4 is the first Google watch with a replaceable battery and display. You can’t swap these out yourself – it has to be done by a certified technician – but it still makes this one of the most sustainable wearables around. This doesn’t affect water resistance: the watch is rated for submersion at depths of up to 50 metres, and when I experimentally dunked my review unit in 30cm of water for half an hour, it suffered no harm at all.