Galaxy Watch versus Pixel Watch: Pricing, specs, performance

If you're not in the iOS ecosystem and you aren't game for what more hardcore sports brands like Garmin have going on in the wearable space, there are two big names to choose from. Either you sell yourself to one of Samsung's glitzy Galaxy Watches or you go with Google and pick up a Pixel Watch instead.

If you're not sure where to start when it comes to the biggest names in Android smartwatches, we're here to help. This article pits the latest Galaxy Watch against the latest Pixel Watch to see which offers a better deal when it comes to design, performance and overall value.

The reality is that there's not a huge difference in price when it comes to either it or the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. At least, when it comes to the starting price.

Officially, Australian pricing for both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and the Google Pixel Watch 2 starts at $549. That said, that number goes up if you opt for either the larger 44mm version of Samsung's smartwatch or a version of the Google Pixel Watch 2 that comes with 4G connectivity. For a sense of how the pricing of the two gadgets compare, check out the pricing matrix below.

Of course, that's just the official line. If you go out into the market and shop around, you can probably find the Pixel Watch 2 for much less than its advertised price. Check out the table below for a round-up of Australian deals for the device.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is a newer product, so it's no shock that those kinds of deep discounts are harder to find but that doesn't mean there aren't savings out there if you know where to look. Check out the table below for a round-up of pricing for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7.

If you prefer to pay off the price of your next smartwatch over time rather than upfront, there are a few options out there. However, Telstra is the only provider that currently offers postpaid plans for the Google Pixel Watch 2. In contrast, you can pick up the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 through all three of Australia's big three network providers.

Of course, that's just the device itself. If you're looking to get the most value out of your new smartwatch and make use of its own cellular capabilities, you'll need to pair it up with its own eSIM.

You can get an eSIM for your Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 through Optus by signing up for a plan that offers Number Share. This add-on is only available with Optus' Choice Plus mobile plans and costs $5 per month. Check out the widget below for a round-up of Optus postpaid SIM-only plans that support eSIM.

You can get an eSIM for your Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 through Telstra by signing up for a plan that offers One Number. This add-on is only available on any of Telstra's upfront plans and costs $5 per month. Check out the widget below for a round-up of Telstra postpaid SIM-only plans that support eSIM.

You can get an eSIM for your Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 through Vodafone by signing up for a plan that offers NumberSync. This is only available on Vodafone postpaid mobile plans and costs $5 per month. Check out the widget below for a round-up of Vodafone postpaid SIM-only plans that support eSIM.

When it comes design and durability, the best place to start with both Google and Samsung's latest smartwatches is the screens involved.

The Google Pixel Watch 2 features a 1.2-inch AMOLED display with 320ppi and 1000 nits of brightness. For comparison, the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 features a 1.3-inch Super AMOLED display with 453 pixels-per-inch and 1000 nits of brightness. 

The story told by those specs is a simple one. The Galaxy Watch 7 has a screen that's bigger, brighter and better in resolution that its Google counterpart.

Weightwise, the Google Pixel Watch 2 sits roughly between the 40mm Galaxy Watch 7 and its 44mm counterpart. As for durability, both devices feature an aluminum chassis and come with an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The screen on the Pixel Watch comes covered in Gorilla Glass 5 while the Sapphire Glass one on the Galaxy Watch 7 is made of sterner stuff. The latter also comes with a MIL-STD 810H certification for durability.  It's always reading the fine print when it comes to claims around military-grade toughness, but it's nice to have regardless.

One other detail to note here is that like the original Pixel Watch, the Pixel Watch 2 has something of a blindspot when it comes to repairability. If something happens to the screen on the Pixel Watch, there is no process to get damage repaired through Google.

Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is powered by the Exynos W1000 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of on-board storage and the latest of Wear OS. The 40mm model comes with a 300mAh battery. The 44mm model comes with a 425mAh battery.

For comparison, the Pixel Watch 2 comes powered by a Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of on-board storage, a 306mAh battery. Google's go-to wearable currently ships with Wear OS 4. However, it is expected to get an upgrade to Wear OS 5 towards the end of 2024.