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Generally speaking, stress is not a good thing. However, it can be beneficial to experience stress when assessing a well-known wristwatch that claims stress-tracking as one of its most notable new functions. I was going through a lot emotionally when I evaluated the Pixel Watch 2. In addition to having a family funeral to consider and receiving updates on my best friend's cancer diagnosis, I was also the maid of honor for the wedding of our senior commerce editor. In addition to the hectic schedule of Google's hardware launch event and the extremely short turnaround time for this review, my mental environment was ideal for testing the body-response sensor of the Pixel Watch 2.
Google is adding more features to its second smartwatch than just that. Along with making the case lighter and using a more powerful processor that should extend battery life, the business also improved the heart rate sensor and added a skin-temperature sensor. The Pixel Watch 2 offers certain enhancements that should make everyday use far better, despite not appearing to be a significant increase on the outside.
Design of the Pixel Watch 2
Even while I love the circular, glossy design and the way the Pixel Watch 2 feels, one feature stands out. literally. When you bend your hand backwards, the crown on the right side of the case protrudes and is quite simple to activate; I've already unintentionally called up the emergency SOS menu twice.
Additionally, it interferes with my workouts, particularly when I'm performing push-ups or riding a stationary bike. Adjusting the watch so that the screen is on the inside of your wrist is the fix for this, but even then, I've pressed the knob by mistake once. I must admit that I also have to do this with the Apple Watch, particularly the Ultra, but the Google wearable's dial feels a little more obtrusive.
Fortunately, the unintentional pushes don't occur frequently enough to disrupt my workouts, and I adore the Pixel Watch 2's design overall. I've become better at changing bands with Google's press-and-twist system in the year since I reviewed the original, and I can now replace the dull gray sport band I got with a nicer one, like the thin black metal strap I saw at the Pixel launch event.
Comparing the watch to its predecessor, which had a stainless steel case, it is five grams lighter on paper. I haven't yet scratched or damaged this year's model, which is composed of recycled aluminum. The new Pixel Watch has the same 5 ATM water (pressure) resistance as the original, but it is made of a less robust material. It is also rated IP68 for protection to dust and water. With an IP6X classification (dust-resistance only) and the capacity to survive up to 50 meters of submersion in water, the Apple Watch Series 9 has comparable specifications. Additionally, the lightest Series 9 device weighs roughly one gram more than the Pixel Watch 2.
Monitoring Heart Rate And Fitness
Your nighttime skin temperature and the number of minutes per day that you experienced a "body response" are just two examples of the physiological data that the Pixel Watch 2 can now measure thanks to its upgraded sensor array.
I should be receiving better reports on my HIIT sessions because the Pixel Watch 2's improved heart rate sensor is meant to provide more accurate readings during strenuous exercises.
This week, I've been wearing both the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Pixel Watch 2 to all of my exercises, and the results were largely comparable. It's important to note that viewing your metrics from Google Watch still requires using the Fitbit app. You will only be able to utilize the built-in health apps on Samsung and Apple devices. As an aside, the Fitbit app won't support the AI chatbot that Google debuted at its speech last week until at least 2024.
To begin a workout on the Pixel Watch itself, you must either set up a tile or open the Fitbit Exercise app. The Fitbit Today app is what you'll use to view your data on your wrist. I understand Fitbit's desire to remain part of the Google ecosystem, but this still gives the Pixel Watch 2 a very haphazard feel in comparison to its rivals.
Stress And Body-response Control Are New Features
Speaking of frustration, this year's body-response measurement system was the feature I was most eager to test out. Although the term "body response" is a little ambiguous, in this context it refers directly to the way your body responds to stress. When the Pixel Watch 2 detects physical indicators of stress, it will use the cEDA sensor to identify them and advise you to register your mood or go for a walk. Google uses the data from your heart rate variability and cEDA sensors, which often look for abrupt changes in sweat levels, to estimate your potential degree of stress.
I've been under a lot of stress in the few days that I've been wearing the Pixel Watch 2. As I previously stated, I have had several intense emotional moments, and generally speaking, it appears that the device detected roughly one-third of them. On the morning of the wedding, for instance, it recorded that I experienced a body reaction at approximately 8:50 am, which corresponds with the time that the bridesmaids and I needed to hurry and complete getting ready for pictures. It failed to detect my delight, though, when I received a message from my best friend informing me that my cancer was in a pretty early stage. I occasionally had trouble remembering what triggered my reaction because it typically served a warning 15 to 30 minutes after it detected a reaction.
If you have activated the feature, the Pixel Watch 2 can recognize one of these occasions and invite you to record your emotions or go for a walk. The results are difficult to interpret, in addition to the generalized language of "body response." The first thing you'll notice when reviewing your daily report in the Fitbit app is the number of minutes under "Stress and mindfulness" in the "Body responses" section. The duration of all the emotions you recorded that day, not the number of times you were discovered to have been experiencing a reaction.
Utilization And Performance
The Pixel Watch 2 boasts a new Snapdragon Wear 5100 engine in addition to the upgraded sensors, which should improve responsiveness and power efficiency. The Wear OS 4 interface was easy to navigate, and the majority of the statistics appeared rapidly. My lamp turned off with a satisfyingly quick response when I used the smart home shortcut.
I was pleasantly delighted to find how quickly the Gmail app loaded my inbox, and I haven't had any trouble reading anything on the screen yet. I haven't had any trouble seeing what's on the Pixel Watch 2's AMOLED panel because it has been generally cloudy lately. Although the Apple Watch Series 9 can reach 2,000 nits, it does reach the same 1,000 nits as its predecessor.
In comparison to Siri on the Series 9, which processes on-device, the Google Assistant was a little slow at recording my words. I hope Google's smartwatch will soon include on-device Assistant processing. One day, I went to the gym without my phones, and while the Google Assistant was entirely useless, Siri was still able to start an outdoor walk workout. Both watches were offline and had not been configured for cellular access. When I checked the Fitbit app and saw that it had logged a 7-hour walk—during which I reportedly only covered 0.9 miles—I too had to giggle.
Read Also: Apple Watch Series 10 Review
Charging And Battery Life
With the AOD turned on, the Pixel Watch 2 should last 24 hours thanks to its improved chipset and marginally bigger battery. When I removed the watch at the end of the day, it typically still had between 35 and 40 percent left, which pleased me. Google claims that's sufficient to monitor your nightly sleep.
I'm worried that the watch might not charge quickly enough for my morning workouts if I decide to wear it to bed rather than charging it overnight. With its redesigned contact charging technology, the Pixel Watch 2 is expected to return to full charge in 75 minutes, five minutes less than the previous model.
That's not a significant improvement, but happily, I was able to bring the watch from 29 to 44 percent in roughly 5 minutes. With heart-rate range and pace alerts turned on, I was able to use it for multiple workouts, two walks outside, and a circuit training session. I still had twenty-one percent remaining when I finally managed to plug the watch back in.
The Pixel Watch 2 is more or less on par with its primary rival because it generally lasted nearly as long as the Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm model). Although Google has a faster pulse sampling rate of once per second, Samsung watches and other activity trackers do, of course, often last longer. Unfortunately, the Pixel Watch 2 lacks wireless charging, just like its predecessor, so you can't exchange a little energy between your Samsung or Pixel phones while you're out and about.
Conclusion
I'm torn. The Pixel Watch 2 is unquestionably better than its predecessor and stands out from the competition thanks to a number of special features. Specifically, competitors such as Apple have not yet included stress management solutions. Thanks to years of experience and skill, Fitbit (or Google) continues to provide industry-leading heart rate measurements and insights. However, several software bugs and unclear data visualization make things difficult.