4 reasons why I'd get Google's Pixel Watch 4 over the Galaxy Watch 9

The Galaxy Watch 9 has officially arrived, bringing the annual round of upgrades to Samsung’s flagship wearable. If you’ve been holding onto an older Galaxy Watch, the new generation will feel like a major improvement. However, if you’ve spent the last year with the Galaxy Watch 8, the new model may feel like a surprisingly safe update. The hardware is familiar, and the headlining features already exist elsewhere.

As always at the start of the wearables launch season, I’m wondering how I’d spend my own money if I were shopping for a smartwatch today, and in a perfect world, I’d probably wait a little longer. Google’s Pixel Watch 5 is likely to land this fall, and could bring more substantial changes than we’ve seen from Samsung this year. In the meantime, the Pixel Watch 4 remains one of my favorite devices. For anyone eager to buy a new smartwatch right now, these are the reasons I’d still recommend the Pixel Watch 4 over the Galaxy Watch 9.

1. I still can’t get behind Samsung’s squircle design

Beauty is subjective, but this is one opinion I’ve never really wavered on, and this year I’m still stubbornly committed to my take. The Galaxy Watch lineup lost the understated charm that made Samsung’s earlier circular watches feel so much like traditional timepieces. The squircle design isn’t just a confusing use of space; it’s more industrial than timeless and, in my opinion, distinctive for all the wrong reasons.

Meanwhile, Google’s minimalist, pebble-inspired design still feels unlike anything else on the market. The domed glass gives the Pixel Watch a soft, elegant look, and after several generations, I’ve stopped worrying about its durability. It’s also incredibly comfortable. The curved shape sits naturally on my wrist and wears well overnight and throughout workouts. Four generations in, I still think the Pixel Watch is the best-looking Android smartwatch you can buy.

2. Google’s software feels more cohesive

One of the biggest takeaways from our Galaxy Watch 9 hands-on wasn’t actually a Galaxy Watch feature; it was Samsung finally getting Raise to Talk Gemini. It’s also something Pixel Watch owners have already had. In other words, Google also has the edge when it comes to software experience.

Both watches run Wear OS, but the Pixel Watch feels like Google’s vision for the platform, while Samsung’s version layers One UI over the top. Samsung loyalists will appreciate the familiarity, but I prefer Google’s experience, and it’s already been around. Navigating the interface is also straightforward, and I use Google services constantly, so the watch feels like a natural extension of my phone.

Again, if you’re equally bought into the Samsung platform, you’ll have the opposite take. Anyone with a Galaxy phone in their pocket or a Galaxy Ring on their hand is better off staying with the home team.

3. Fitbit still gives me the health experience I actually want

Samsung Health has come a long way, and it deserves credit for the progress it’s made over the past few years. However, while Google may have rebranded Fitbit as Google Health, underneath the new name, it’s still my favorite health platform. Fitbit has long been my top pick for new and long-term wearable users looking for approachable health insights.

The redesigned interface is clean, and customizable dashboards make it easy for me to surface the metrics I care about. Gemini-powered coaching is a work in progress but a nice perk for Premium subscribers after extra guidance. More importantly, I still think Google presents health data better than Samsung, from sleep to recovery and everything in between.

4. Google’s heart rate sensor earned my trust

If there’s one thing I care about more than any other wearable feature, it’s accuracy. I’ve tested enough smartwatches to know that not every optical sensor is created equal. Workout after workout, the Pixel Watch 4’s heart rate data has tracked so closely to my chest strap that I would trust it to almost the same level across the board.

That confidence matters because every other health metric starts with reliable heart rate data, from sleep insights to training load, recovery metrics to stress tracking. And that’s not even taking into account that Fitbit has consistently offered some of the best sleep tracking in the game for years.

Samsung’s accuracy has improved over the years, but if I’m going to base my training, or even just my understanding of my health, on the numbers coming off my wrist, I want the watch that’s proven itself repeatedly.

How the competition shakes out

The Galaxy Watch 9 isn’t a bad smartwatch. It’s probably the right choice for plenty of Samsung users. But this year especially, it feels like Samsung is refining a product while Google is refining an experience. Until the Pixel Watch 5 arrives, the Pixel Watch 4 remains the Wear OS smartwatch I’d spend my money on.