Apple Watch Series 12 vs. Google Pixel Watch 5: How Do the Two New Wearables Compare?

The $399 Apple Watch Series 12 and Google’s $400 Pixel Watch 5 both start at a similar price, and they highlight new health and AI features when paired with the iPhone or any Android phone, respectively. While both watches look identical to last year’s Apple Watch Series 11 and Pixel Watch 4 on the outside, there are notable hardware changes that power a number of new health-tracking features.

Apple’s new sensors take more accurate readings, with the watch now adding a dynamic take on Readiness Score, which changes the score based on your day activities. On the other hand, Google is focusing on tracking vitals like blood pressure and insulin resistance with the Pixel Watch 5.

While your choice between these watches depends entirely on whether you prefer an iPhone or an Android phone, it’s still worth comparing them in case you’re open to switching between iOS and Android. And for that comparison, I pit both of these watches against each other, comparing their pricing options, design and features to highlight which options help each stand out. 

Pricing

Unlike Apple’s iPhone line, the Apple Watch Series 12 did not increase its starting price over last year’s Series 11. The smaller 42mm model starts at $399 for the aluminum case (GPS only) and rises to $699 for titanium. And the Apple Watch Series 12 also comes in a $799 ceramic option, which hasn’t been available since the Apple Watch Series 5. Opting for a larger 46mm model adds $50 to the price. The titanium and ceramic models include cellular functionality, and getting that added to the aluminum model will raise prices by $100.

Google, on the other hand, increased the prices for its Pixel Watch 5 by $50 over last year’s Pixel Watch 4. The Pixel Watch 5 only comes in aluminum cases, starting at $400 for 41mm and $430 for 45mm sizes. Cellular versions of both watches cost $100 more.

Design and display

Praakhar Khanna/CNET

The Apple Watch Series 12 has a rectangular OLED Retina display (with 2,000 nits of maximum brightness), and a rotating Digital Crown alongside a shortcut button on the right side.

As for the Pixel Watch 5, it has a round design reminiscent of traditional wristwatches. I quite like it and sometimes prefer it over the Apple Watch, especially with a black watch face. It has a seamless curved display with no visible frame, which makes it look comparatively elegant on the wrist. It comes in 41mm and 45mm sizes and has a Super AMOLED display with 3,000 nits of peak brightness. Both these watches are legible under direct sunlight. 

In terms of durability, the Apple Watch 12 has Ceramic Shield 2 on its front glass, in addition to the scratch-resistant coating introduced on the Series 11. If it’s anything like my experience with Apple’s Ceramic Shield 2 on the iPhone 17 Pro Max, that should mean the display will easily resist most scratches and bumps. Like last year’s model, it is dust-resistant and swimproof up to 50 meters (compared with the Pixel Watch 5’s IP68 and 5ATM 50-meter rating for dust and water resistance).

Google’s Pixel Watch 5 uses the same Gorilla Glass 5 protection as its predecessor, which might be more prone to scratches comparatively speaking. In her review, CNET’s Vanessa Hand Orellana mentioned that her Pixel Watch 4 has “some deep scratches on the glass from an unfortunate run-in with some rocks after I ate dirt on a trail run.” However, the new Pixel Watch is relatively easy to repair. In fact, CNET’s Katie Collins, replaced her Pixel Watch 4 screen by herself, without any previous repair experience. You can’t do the same with an Apple Watch.

Software and health features

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The Apple Watch 12 can only be paired with an iPhone, whereas the Pixel Watch 5 works best with a Google Pixel phone but will work with any other Android phone. The former runs WatchOS 27 while the latter has Wear OS 7.

Apple’s biggest software strength is in its no-subscription model. Once you buy the Watch Series 12, you get access to all the health features. The Pixel Watch 5, however, keeps certain features behind a Google Health Premium subscription for $10 a month (or $100 a year). But both watches will likely get new features in future WatchOS and Wear OS updates, regardless of whether a subscription is involved.

The new Apple Watch has a revised sensor array, which enables more frequent heart-rate readings to power a dynamic Readiness score. (It adapts as your body recovers throughout the day.) It can change throughout the day by measuring your daytime vitals to give you actionable advice, including Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready and Go for It. In theory, you could see how a midmorning nap affects your score and adjust your workout accordingly. 

Apple’s new sensors and 32 electrodes (dispersed like flower petals from the center) allow the Series 12 to give you a more complete picture of your heart rate throughout the day and night. In CNET’s tests, which involve a 3-mile run, Apple Watch 12 tracked almost identically to the Polar H10 chest strap. In comparison, Google’s Pixel Watch 5 averaged less than 2 beats per minute of difference, roughly a 1% error rate. 

There’s another big new feature coming to the Apple Watch Series 12: Audio Intelligence. The Watch 12 can automatically identify music playing in the background, show a transcription of the last 15 seconds of chatter or give high-level summaries of longer conversations in a feature called Siri Recap.

Apple says none of the conversations are stored, and whatever is processed in the cloud can’t be accessed by the company or anyone else. Not all of these features are available yet, but they do raise potential privacy concerns — we’ll have to see how they roll out when Apple finishes getting them ready.

Similarly, the Pixel Watch 5 has a few features that were a big talking point at launch but which are yet to roll out. The new Google wearable can track your blood pressure and insulin resistance trends over time. It can help you identify if you have elevated risks for hypertension and diabetes. However, we’ll need to wait for FDA clearance and an official rollout to test these features. Google is also promising more Gemini features later this year. These include the ability to create custom widgets with your voice and to automate multistep tasks from your wrist.

The Pixel Watch 5 has a new Health Guardian feature, which expands upon existing emergency safety features. You get Breathing Emergency Detection, which contacts emergency services if there’s a life-threatening drop in oxygen saturation, even in the case of incidents like choking or drug toxicity.

Battery life

Despite the addition of new features, both the Apple Watch 12 and Pixel Watch 5 received an efficiency boost, thanks to their respective new chips. Apple doesn’t share battery sizes, but the Series 12 is rated to last up to 24 hours in regular use, while Low Power mode can stretch the battery to 38 hours by disabling features such as the always-on display. 

The company made no over-the-top battery life claims during its launch presentation, but in CNET’s review, Vanessa got even better battery life. She wrote, “In my first round of testing, which included a 3-mile GPS-enabled outdoor run and one night of sleep tracking, the Series 12 lasted about 30 hours on a charge.” The Watch 12 also supports fast charging and can go from 0% to 80% in 30 minutes. 

In comparison, the Pixel Watch 5 comes with a 332-mAh battery on the 40mm version, while the 45mm version has a 465-mAh battery. According to Google, both can last up to 30 hours of battery life with an always-on display.

Which is best for you?

The watch that’s best for you depends on the phone you’re using. While iPhone users will opt for the Apple Watch Series 12, the Pixel Watch 5 is suitable for Android users. Compared head-to-head, however, both have their advantages and disadvantages.

I’d personally opt for the Apple Watch Series 12 for its accuracy, no-subscription model and cleaner user interface. The Health app refresh and all-day battery life are great additions, too. However, I’m skeptical about the upcoming Siri AI features. After all, if I didn’t hear what someone just said to me, I’d prefer asking them to please repeat themselves, instead of pressing buttons on my wearable to hear a recap.

Google, on the other hand, focused on better health tracking features this year. I’m looking forward to tracking vitals like blood pressure and insulin resistance with the Pixel Watch 5. At the time of writing this story, the two Google features are still rolling out. Overall, the Pixel Watch 5 remains one of the best-looking smartwatches on the market. It also offers all-day battery life, a plethora of health-tracking features, and offline Gemini support.

Apple Watch 12 vs. Pixel Watch 5: Specs