Google Pixel Watch 2 Review – Still Worth It After Months Of Use

Six months down the line, the Google Pixel Watch 2 feels like a big step up from its predecessor. It’s more polished, faster, and lasts longer on a charge — but it’s still not without flaws. From better sleep tracking to improved charging speeds, Google has clearly learned from the Pixel Watch 1. Yet, a few annoyances and missing refinements stop it from being a perfect smartwatch.

Let’s break down how it holds up after six months of real-world use.

Battery Life and Charging — A Big Win

Battery life is where the Pixel Watch 2 truly shines. With the always-on display enabled, the watch comfortably lasts a full day. The best part? It charges much faster than before.

You can easily top it up during a morning shower and again before bed. This fast-charging upgrade means you rarely find yourself worrying about battery life — a major improvement over the original Pixel Watch.

Sleep Tracking That Actually Works

Thanks to Fitbit integration, the sleep tracking experience is solid. The data for REM, light, and deep sleep feels realistic and consistent. It’s not perfect (no sleep tracker truly is), but it’s reliable enough to help you understand your sleep cycles better.

However, some advanced sleep insights — like sleep schedule variability or readiness scores — are locked behind the Fitbit Premium paywall, which feels disappointing given the watch’s price.

Design and Comfort

The Pixel Watch 2 retains the same elegant, pebble-inspired design from the first-gen model, and that’s a good thing. Its curved glass, reflective finish, and slim profile make it one of the best-looking smartwatches out there.

The sport band is soft, comfortable, and easy to swap. But if you have a larger wrist, the single size option might look a bit small. Google could really benefit from offering a bigger variant like Apple does with its Watch lineup.

Fitness Tracking and Watch Faces

Fitness tracking is another area where Google gets it right. Starting a walk or workout is fast and intuitive — just swipe to the fitness tile and you’re good to go.

The customizable watch faces are a highlight too. You can add complications for quick access to weather, temperature, or your favorite apps. It’s flexible and practical, especially for users who love having all their info at a glance.

Google Assistant Integration

The built-in Google Assistant remains one of the Pixel Watch 2’s most helpful features. It’s fast, accurate, and great for setting reminders, calendar events, or timers hands-free.

That said, it would be nice if Google allowed users to change the activation method — for example, by holding down the digital crown instead of the side button. It’s a small tweak that would make a big difference in usability.

Annoyances: Media Controls and Podcasts

Here’s where the experience takes a dip. Media controls on the Pixel Watch 2 are surprisingly basic.

When playing podcasts from Spotify, Pocket Casts, or YouTube Music, the watch doesn’t show skip forward/back buttons — something that works perfectly on Pixel phones. Worse, the watch companion apps don’t always sync with what’s playing on your phone, unlike Apple’s watchOS.

For heavy podcast listeners, this inconsistency can be frustrating and breaks the seamless experience you’d expect from a Google device.

Other Gripes: Size and Serviceability

A few other quirks stand out:

• The lack of a user-replaceable battery makes long-term ownership questionable.
• The small watch face may not appeal to everyone.
• The watch can unlock your phone, but the reverse isn’t true — which feels like a missed opportunity for convenience.

And while the circular design looks sleek, it’s arguably less practical than a square one for displaying text, notifications, and app interfaces. Square smartwatches like the Apple Watch or Fitbit Sense still offer more efficient screen use.

Final Thoughts — Who Should Buy It?

After six months of use, the Pixel Watch 2 proves itself as a polished, capable smartwatch with meaningful improvements over its predecessor.

It’s perfect for:

• Existing Fitbit users who want a better design and integration
• Those who prefer Google’s clean, minimal aesthetic
• Pixel phone owners who want tight ecosystem syncing

However, if you’re after advanced customization, better app support, or larger watch sizes, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6 Classic might offer more value.

Overall, the Pixel Watch 2 feels like Google’s smartwatch vision finally maturing — though it’s still a few updates away from greatness.