The Google Pixel Watch 4 almost felt like an afterthought during the Made By Google Fallon festivities, but it has some impressive standout features. Current Pixel Watch owners have until the October 9 launch to decide whether to trade in their current model, and while there’s plenty to tempt them, not everyone should.
Our favorite Watch 4 trade-in deal gives you $200 in credit for a Pixel Watch 3 or $95 for a Watch 2. That’s solid value for a standard model, but you won’t get extra credit for a 45mm or LTE trade-in, and you’re still looking at a decently hefty price tag if you want those upgrades again.
My job isn’t to sell you on the Pixel Watch 4; it’s to hone in on what’s changed that you might find compelling, versus the trumped-up new features or unchanged Watch 3 holdovers that might disappoint you.
Here are the key reasons you should buy a Pixel Watch 4, along with some reasons why you shouldn’t!
Why you SHOULD buy the Google Pixel Watch 4
Take inventory of how often you charge your current Pixel Watch. The Pixel Watch 4 has a new side-mounted charger that hits 50% power in 15 minutes or a full charge 15–20 minutes faster. Speedier charging helps to counteract draining GPS workouts or quickly top up before or after sleep tracking.
The Watch 4 also delivers a significant battery boost. The Watch 4 41mm and 45mm hit 30 and 40 hours with AOD, respectively, so compare that against your current watch’s lifespan. Every bit of capacity matters, but Wear OS 6 will give your older Pixel Watch an efficiency boost, too, if you’re patient.
Most recent Wear OS watches have Gemini, but only the Pixel Watch 4 adds on-device AI smart replies. In our Pixel Watch 4 hands-on, we were decently impressed with the contextual usefulness of Gemini’s suggested responses to messages. But if you’re happy to keep using voice-to-text or pull out your phone, you can skip it.
Raise to Talk is arguably more exciting. Replacing “Hey Google” and the button shortcut, it lets you raise the watch to your mouth and start talking. Simple! It cuts out just a couple of seconds of waiting, but that’ll add up if you’re a frequent Gemini/Assistant user. Plus, the Watch 4’s enhanced speakers make Gemini easier to hear.
The Watch 4’s upgraded display gives you a 10% larger touchscreen, 16% smaller bezels, and 1,000 extra nits of brightness compared to the Watch 3. These are nice-to-have changes rather than essential ones, but Watch 2 or 1 owners get significant extra space for apps and notifications, plus 2,000 nits of brightness to make it properly readable outdoors.
Plus, the display and battery are more easily replaceable, giving the Pixel Watch 4 a level of repairability not seen on previous models.
For sleep tracking, you’ll appreciate the new skin temp sensor and revamped sleep algorithm. The Watch 4 is supposedly better at categorizing your sleep stages and catching signs of sickness.
The Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 doesn’t offer a major performance boost, but it is 20% more battery-efficient and enables NB-NTN satellite messaging via the Skylo network. This could be a life-saving feature, but only if you’re willing to spend $100 extra for the LTE-enabled Watch 4!
This chip also helped Google enable more accurate dual-band GPS, which is particularly important for outdoor athletes who need precise workout results or often train in urban canyons or forests, where GPS-only signals can be unreliable.
Why you SHOULDN’T buy the Google Pixel Watch 4
Even with faster charging and a larger battery, the Watch 4 will still die on you at inopportune moments without daily charges. One reason not to buy the Pixel Watch 4 is if you find a smartwatch that lasts longer. The OnePlus Watch 3 gives you an extra 2–3 days for the same price, if you accept trade-offs like slower updates and a heavier design. Or skip Wear OS entirely for a fitness watch that lasts a week or more.
We can’t judge the new Fitbit AI coach until its October launch, but as intriguing as it sounds, you shouldn’t get invested if you’re unwilling to pay for a subscription. Once the six-month free trial runs out, not everyone will want to pay $10/month for AI data.
Like its predecessors, the Pixel Watch 4’s bezelless design is still vulnerable compared to the MIL-STD-810H-rated Galaxy Watch 8, and Gorilla Glass 5 isn’t as reliable as sapphire glass against scratches. You can buy a protective case, but this detracts from the Watch 4’s edgeless look.
Lastly, a Pixel Watch 5 leak suggests it may get a more powerful Tensor processor, while Qualcomm may still develop a RISC-V processor with enhanced efficiency. Either way, this year’s Gen-2 Snapdragon chip might be worth skipping if you wait patiently for better performance next year.
Making a final decision
I’m sure the Pixel Watch 4 will be one of the best Android watches of 2025, though only a review will properly test its new features, and you’ll need a good trade-in deal to make the 45mm or LTE versions affordable.
Assuming you’re a current Pixel Watch owner, you need only compare the Pixel Watch 4 vs. Watch 2 to see how massive the differences are; I’d certainly upgrade. The Watch 4 vs. Watch 3 gap isn’t nearly as large, but you’ll get twice the trade-in value for it, making it a tempting swap.
As for other brands like Samsung, core experiences like Gemini, Fitbit, and Wear OS apps will work with any Android phone. Galaxy phone owners turned off by the squircle Galaxy Watch 8 could certainly switch camps, and the Watch 8 vs. Watch 4 battle is very competitive.
Ultimately, if you’re not enthusiastic about the Pixel Watch 4’s upsides, you should hold off. But if you have an older Pixel Watch or use another Android watch brand, and it looks tempting, I say go for it.
