Three Things I Already Love About the New Pixel Watch 4
Google’s Pixel Watch 4 starts shipping this week. It features several welcome improvements over the Pixel 3. I’ve started testing the new watch for an upcoming review and wanted to share my thoughts on how the device looks so far. Here are three changes I already like.
I like the new charging dock
The new charging dock is a significant improvement over the old charger. Previously, we had to make do with a magnetic washer at the end of a cord with four small pins. This had to be attached to the back of the watch, ensuring the cord was positioned to the side of the crown.
Many smartwatches have chargers that are roughly the same size—the Galaxy Watch and Apple Watch are similar. I think this is normal, although these chargers are usually easier to use with a stand ( here’s one that fits the Pixel Watch 3).
This new docking station is different from others, and I really like it. It fits on a desk or nightstand. To charge your watch, simply insert it sideways, crown up. The display remains visible while charging (showing the time and battery level), and the watch strap tucks away. No more will your watch dangle around your desk while you’re trying to find a convenient place for it.
Super fast charging works even better than advertised
Google boasts that the Pixel Watch 4 charges from 0 to 50% in about 15 minutes. I tested this and found it even better than the claim: the watch charged from 10% to 60% in 12 minutes, and to 82% (plus 72%) in 19 minutes. I’m impressed.
The display is larger, although the watch is the same size.
The most important thing you’ll notice about the Pixel Watch 4 is the larger display, even on a watch of the same size. In these photos, I placed the Pixel Watch 3 (with a gray band) next to the Pixel Watch 4 (with a yellow band—the color is called “lemongrass”). I turned on the flashlight app, and you can already see the difference in display size:
The display is now domed, too, though the watch’s overall shape hasn’t changed (at least, I didn’t notice). To give you an idea, here’s what the watch looks like with the concentric dial, which was updated for the Pixel Watch 4. I think the old version looks nicer, but that’s not the point: the seconds hand along the edge of the dial seems to extend onto the rounded portion, rather than remain within it. It’s a nice touch.
I’ll cover the Pixel Watch 4 in more detail in my full review, which will be released soon.