Samsung announced its latest line of smartwatches, the Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro smartwatches. They feature a completely new design, new sensors, and come with many new features. The Galaxy Watch 5 series is still one of the first devices to use Wear OS 3.0 by default; however, that is expected to change in the not too distant future.
Google has also announced that after years of rumors and leaks, it will finally enter the smartwatch market with its Google Pixel Watch. The software giant is expected to officially unveil its first watch in October, alongside the new Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones.
While we’re still over a month away from getting our hands on the new Google Pixel Watch, we decided to compare the two devices and see if you should wait or buy the Galaxy Watch 5 or Galaxy Watch 5 Pro today.
You should buy the Galaxy Watch 5 today if…
you don’t want to wait
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 and Galaxy Watch 5 Pro are available now, and Samsung always offers amazing deals on its website. Carriers and other third-party stores also offer deep discounts and bundles with the new smartwatches, making them attractive and a great deal.
The Google Pixel Watch is expected to launch sometime in October, alongside the Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro flagship smartphones, so if you don’t want to wait and want one of the best Android smartwatches money can buy, these two Galaxy watches are your best choices. The Galaxy Watch 5 starts at $279.99, while the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro starts at $449.99. They’re not cheap either, but the Google Pixel Watch is expected to be somewhere between these prices.
You like Samsung’s One UI Watch interface
When Google revealed that it was working with Samsung to create the next Wear OS 3.0 software update, we didn’t know if Samsung would switch to the standard interface or create its own. As we found out later, it applied a skin over Wear OS 3, called One UI Watch.
One UI Watch resembles the previous Tizen OS available on the previous generation of Galaxy smartwatches. The interface offers plenty of customization, and the company even offers an app that users can download to customize their watch face and other settings.
You don’t mind changing some settings
Samsung Galaxy smartwatches come with features that most users would want to enable, and the setup process allows users to toggle on certain features. The watch also allows users to fully customize their experience using the Galaxy app on their phone, but this sometimes requires a bit of background work.
To get the most out of the smartwatch, users often need to fiddle with settings and other compatible apps and features to extend battery life. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, less tech-savvy people may find this difficult to understand without outside help. That said, the watch is perfectly set up by default and there are plenty of guides available online to help people get started.
You have a Galaxy smartphone
The Galaxy Watch 5 series technically works with all Android 8.0 and higher devices, but it doesn’t offer the tight integration that can be achieved with Samsung’s Galaxy devices. If you’re looking for the best experience possible, you’ll need to use a Galaxy smartphone to take advantage of auto-sync, take calls, send messages, sync data between Samsung Health and other apps, and more.
The Galaxy Watch 5 series will work with non-Galaxy devices, but there are a few caveats. Users will have to download Google’s own Messages app and other apps if they want to take advantage of messaging. The camera app can only be controlled by third-party apps, which is not ideal. There are a few more features, like ECG, that may be limited, which means if you want to track your health closely, we recommend using a Galaxy smartphone for the best experience.
You should wait for the Google Pixel Watch if…
You want a stock Wear OS experience
If you are a fan of the interface and design of Google Pixel smartphones, you may also like Google’s take on the Wear OS 3.0 interface. It looks clean, easy to understand and modern. Samsung puts a skin on Wear OS 3, and while we love the design changes and look of Tizen OS, we understand that it might not be for everyone.
As it stands, we don’t know if Google itself will apply its own Pixel skin over Wear OS 3.0, but even if it doesn’t, it’s expected to look like the standard Wear OS. This means it should be able to receive updates faster, and the design should be similar to other OS-compatible third-party smartwatches, unless they decide to apply their own skin.
You want faster updates
Google is the company to go to if you want reliable and fast updates for your smartphones, and we think the same could be said about your future smartwatch or smartwatches. The company already releases new security patches every month, on the first Monday, unless it’s a holiday. Other than that, it’s the fastest OEM on the market, and if you’re looking for timely updates to your future smartwatch, chances are it won’t be faster than a Google Pixel Watch.
You have a Pixel smartphone
The Google Pixel Watch is expected to be compatible with all Android devices, but it is not rumored to be compatible with iPhones. This isn’t surprising, given that even Samsung dropped support for its Galaxy devices to fully work with Apple smartphones in the past, but it’s something to keep in mind.
Like Samsung, Google could offer the best possible experience for users who trust and use a Pixel smartphone. The Pixel line aims to offer tight integration between devices, offering
conclusion
Choosing between the Galaxy Watch 5 and the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro can be a challenging task. The Google Pixel Smartwatch will offer a few perks, possibly slightly faster updates, a stock Wear OS experience, and some Pixel-exclusive features. As it stands, it’s unclear if the Pixel Watch will also get Pixel feature updates from time to time, but one thing’s for sure, it’ll work better with Pixel smartwatches.
If you’re already in the Google Pixel ecosystem, the Pixel Watch is likely to be a better option due to the great integration it promises. The same can be said for Galaxy smartwatches. If you have a Galaxy smartphone, the Galaxy Watch 5 or Watch 5 Pro will work better with your device than non-Galaxy phones. Of course, both smartwatches will work with other Android devices, but the integration is tighter across their native platforms and branded products.
We don’t have any information on the battery size of the Google Pixel Watch yet; therefore, it is difficult to recommend it. However, recent leaks claim that Google could use an older chipset to power the smartwatch, which may result in worse battery life than the Galaxy Watch 5 series. That said, the Pixel Watch is still in the works. the rumor mill We’ll have to wait until Google officially unveils it later in October, alongside the Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro flagship smartphones.
Are you going to choose a Galaxy Watch 5, Galaxy Watch 5 Pro or will you wait for the Google Pixel Watch? Tell us in the comments!
