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Google Pixel Watch 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch 9: I compared this year's flagship smartwatches. Here's which wins
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Google unveiled its latest smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch 5, on Wednesday, and the new Android device joins the legion of smart wearables flooding the market this year. Comparing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 to the Google Pixel Watch 5 doesn't feel like comparing apples to oranges. Instead, it's more like comparing a Granny Smith to a Honey Crisp: they're both tasty, crunchy fruits with distinct flavors and different uses.
Also: Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 vs. Google Pixel Watch 4: I compared both Android flagships, here's what I prefer
The two watches hail from the Android ecosystem, are powered by Qualcomm processors, and offer around a day and a half of battery life, give or take. Plus, a Samsung watch can be used with a Google phone, and vice versa.
That makes the decision between the two ever more challenging. Luckily, I've tested the new Galaxy Watch 9 out for myself, and I'll be reviewing the Google Pixel Watch 5 in the coming days. Before I have them both in my hands, let's compare the similarities and differences in the specs of the top two Android watches of 2026.
Charging on the Pixel Watch 5 is significantly faster, taking only 60 minutes to fully replenish the battery. This is around 30 minutes faster than the Galaxy Watch 9's charging time.
These days, smartwatches can monitor every health metric under the sun. This is true for both the Pixel Watch 5 and the Galaxy Watch 9. Google adds a few new metrics to the Pixel Watch 5, including blood pressure patterns (without a blood pressure cuff) and insulin resistance tracking (without a continuous glucose monitor). It can now detect dangerously low blood oxygen levels and alert emergency services, too (only available in the EU).