Pixel Watch 5 (41mm) Initial Review: New watch alert, actually

Google's Pixel Watch 5 (41mm) marks a significant leap from previous generations, offering a futuristic experience. The external design remains unchanged, but the internal updates are substantial. The new chip, Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated, brings a 12% boost in CPU processing power and extra gigabyte of RAM. However, these enhancements are subtle and not immediately noticeable during regular use. Animation snappiness improves, but the changes are hardly perceptible.

One of the most noticeable features is the curved Material 3 Expressive button at the bottom of widgets, adding a three-dimensional feel to the screen. This design choice complements the watch's round nature. The Quick Charge Dock and protruding contacts on the left edge remain unchanged and continue to be well-received. Battery life has slightly improved, with a 41mm watch lasting up to 60% after a day and a 45mm model going two days without charging.

The Active Band has been upgraded to a new material with fewer "forever chemicals," but this change is not readily apparent during daily wear. The band-swapping mechanism is smoother and more straightforward compared to other smartwatches. The hardware overall is reliable and functional, with no significant complaints.

Software-wise, the Pixel Watch 5 shows marked improvements. Expanded watch face complications provide more information, such as sunset/sunrise times with a countdown and heart rate range and temperature. Color differentiation enhances readability on dense faces. Auto Bedtime Mode has been refined, allowing users to set auto-pause for audio, and a new watch face offers a red color scheme for night vision.

Express Pay simplifies payments by allowing users to tap their watch to NFC readers, eliminating the need to open the Google Wallet app. Motion models have been updated to improve payment terminal accuracy, and new faces like Chronograph and Weave integrate Google's Neural Expressive design language, responding to wrist motion.

The At a Glance feature is particularly noteworthy. It provides a space at the bottom of watch faces for Live Updates and real-time information, such as media controls, timers, navigation, flight boarding passes, and workout data. This feature reduces the need to tap and wake the screen, allowing for one-handed gestures. Gestures have been extended to more apps, with customizable actions in Settings. The ability to double-tap for media controls or pinch to pause audio adds to the convenience.

One-handed gestures, introduced in previous models, have been further refined on the Pixel Watch 5, allowing for truly touch-free interactions. These improvements give users a futuristic experience, making the Pixel Watch 5 a powerful and intuitive wearable.