After Samsung revealed the Galaxy Watch 8 lineup in July, Google followed up with the Pixel Watch 4 at its August 20th Made by Google event. Now that both are officially on sale, Android users have two of the most polished Wear OS 6 devices in 2025.
At first glance, both watches look like natural upgrades from last year. Google’s Pixel Watch 4 features a new Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor, paired with a Cortex-M55 coprocessor. It results in overall smoother performance and better efficiency.
In fact, Google claims that the base Pixel Watch 4 can last 30 hours with an always-on display. It also supports fast charging, which can juice it up to 50% in just 15 minutes.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8, on the other hand, sticks with its Exynos W1000 chip but introduces a thinner, wave-like “cushion” design. It’s just 8.6mm thick, which makes it noticeably more comfortable during workouts and even while sleeping.
But which among the two could be a better buy? Let’s take a look.
1. Specs and performance
Google made the biggest internal change this year by moving to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon W5 Gen 2, paired with a Cortex M55 coprocessor that handles lighter tasks more efficiently. That combo allows the Pixel Watch 4 to last up to 40 hours on a single charge in its larger 45mm size, without needing a much bigger battery.
Samsung, meanwhile, retains its in-house Exynos W1000 chip from the predecessor. It offers similar battery life as the Pixel Watch 4 but takes about 30 minutes to recharge to 50%. Both smartwatches have 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage.
2. Design and display
The differences are most obvious on the wrist. The Pixel Watch 4 keeps its domed look but now uses a curved OLED screen with slimmer bezels, making it feel more immersive. Google has also moved its charging pins to the side, which changes how the watch docks.
Samsung took a bolder step with the Galaxy Watch 8, introducing a wave-shaped “cushion” design that spreads out components and makes the 8.6mm case surprisingly thin. The display is brighter too, peaking at 3,000 nits, with a touch-sensitive digital bezel for navigation.
3. Health and fitness
Samsung and Google continue to lean on their ecosystems. The Galaxy Watch 8 gets new tricks like Running Coach, which builds training plans based on your performance, and an Antioxidant Index that uses skin sensors to suggest dietary adjustments. All of this is tied into Samsung Health, which is free but works best with Samsung phones.
The Pixel Watch 4 keeps Fitbit at the center of its health features, offering over 40 workout modes and a new Fitbit Morning Brief that summarizes your activity and sleep. But unlocking advanced insights still requires a Fitbit Premium subscription.
4. The bottom line
Both watches bring meaningful updates, but in different ways. The Pixel Watch 4 focuses on performance gains and faster charging, while the Galaxy Watch 8 doubles down on sleek design and Samsung Health’s expanding toolkit.
Which one’s right for you may come down to aesthetics and ecosystem. The Pixel Watch 4 is minimalist and tightly integrated with Fitbit, while the Galaxy Watch 8 feels more technical and fitness-driven. Either way, Android users finally have two flagship smartwatches that feel equally premium.
| Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|
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Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) – Android Smart Watch with Comprehensive Health and Fitness Tracking and… | Check Price on Amazon |
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Samsung Galaxy Watch8 (44mm, LTE, Graphite) with 3nm Processor | Dual GPS | Sapphire Glass & Armor… | Check Price on Amazon |
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5. Google Pixel Watch 4 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 8: Specs comparison
| Google Pixel Watch 4 | Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 | |
| Display | 41mm or 45mm, Actua 360 AMOLED LTPO, 3000 nits, 1-60Hz | 40 mm (1.34″, 438×438) or 44 mm (1.47″, 480×480), Super AMOLED |
| Processor | Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 + Cortex M55 coprocessor | Samsung Exynos W1000 |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5, 5ATM, IP68 | Sapphire Crystal Glass, 5ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810H |
| Materials | Recycled aluminum housing | Armor Aluminum case |
| Connection | Bluetooth 6, Wi-Fi 2.4/5 GHz, NFC, UWB, LTE (optional), dual-frequency GPS, Galileo, Glonass, Beidou, QZSS, NavIC, satellite SOS | Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4/5 GHz, NFC, LTE (optional), GPS, Galileo, Glonass |
| Sensors | Compass, altimeter, barometer, magnetometer, 3-axis accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, multi-patch optical heart rate sensor, cEDA, SpO₂, ECG, far-field skin temperature sensor | Samsung BioActive (optical, electrical, bioimpedance), temperature sensor, accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, geomagnetic sensor, light sensor |
| Battery | 41mm – 325 mAh (30 hrs with AOD, 48 hrs in Battery Saver mode); 45mm – 455 mAh (40 hrs with AOD, 72 hrs in Battery Saver mode) | 325 mAh / 435 mAh |
| Charging | 41 mm: 15 min – 50%, 25 min – 80%, 45 min – 100%; 45 mm: 15 min – 50%, 30 min – 80%, 60 min – 100% | Fast charging |
| RAM / Memory | 2 GB / 32 GB | 2 GB / 32 GB |
| OS | Wear OS 6 | One UI 8 Watch (based on Wear OS 6) |
| Colors | Matte Black, Polished Silver, Champagne Gold (41 mm), Satin Moonstone (45 mm) | Silver, Black |
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