Not thrilled by the new Google Pixel Watch 5? Here are 3 Android smartwatches we recommend instead, based on our own testing data

Date:
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:34:02 +0000

Description:
We've picked out three rugged, stylish and cheaper Wear OS alternatives if
you don't want the Pixel Watch 5.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The Google Pixel Watch 5 has been officially unveiled at this year's Made by Google event , and much is already being made of its new Health Guardian features such as Breathing Emergency Detection and Insulin Resistance Trends , in addition to the accuracy of its dual-band GPS.

Priced starting from $399.99 / 369 / around AU$565 (TBC) for the 41mm model, and $429.99 / 399.99 / around AU$600 (TBC) for the 45mm model, the watch
looks very much the same as its predecessor, the Google Pixel Watch 4 : from the domed Actua 3D display teardrop-shape to the sizes and digital crown. Because it's all quite similar, you could be forgiven for not getting too excited about the device after all, it's hardly reinvented the wheel. You might even have been considering getting what will likely be one of the best Android watches , but waiting on today's announcement and hoping to be more excited about it. You might have been hoping for an announcement of a rugged Pixel Watch Ultra, or a cheaper model like the Apple Watch SE 3 . Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Well, worry not, dear reader below, I've put together a trio of alternative smartwatches, all using Wear OS (or a form of, at least) as their operating system , and therefore compatible with Android phones just like the Pixel Watch 5. The stylish option: OnePlus Watch 3 (Image credit: Future) The OnePlus Watch 3, in its original 47mm and newer 43mm sizes, is a terrific
Wear OS watch by any stretch. Its main USP compared to the Pixel Watch 5 is that rather than the Google Pixel Watch series' tech-heavy teardrop look, the OnePlus opts for a more classical analog-watch-style look consisting of a titanium and stainless steel case. You may like I test smartwatches for a
job, and the Google Pixel Watch 5 beats Apple and Samsung in 5 key ways The Google Pixel Watch 5 leaks just keep coming The best Android smartwatch 2026

Paired with a classic-looking watch face, you'd struggle to tell the difference at first glance between it and a standard sports watch. Once it flares into life, though, that buttery-smooth refresh rate makes all the difference. It's got up to 120 hours of battery life thanks to a dual-operating-system architecture inside it: it runs Wear OS when in use as
a smartwatch, and switches to a lower-power OS when quietly running in the background. Clever. The big battery life also means you can do a ton of workouts between charges.

The major downsides here are that you're stuck on the older Wear OS 5 operating system, without the advanced on-wrist Gemini functionalities, and
no LTE option. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me
with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Read
our full OnePlus Watch 3 review 133.25 at Amazon (Silver) 181.89 at Amazon (Black) 202.78 at Amazon (Black) The rugged option: Samsung Galaxy Watch
Ultra 2 (Image credit: Future) The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, new for
2026, is an adventuring powerhouse. New trail running features allow you to use full-color maps within the workout, following a route while you run in
the great outdoors, while an upcoming app from diving experts Mares will turn the watch into a fully-fledged dive computer, just like the Oceanic+ app does to the Apple Watch Ultra series. It's got waypoints, an emergency alarm, and stacks of battery life.

The watch is a little thinner than previous iterations, but it's still built on that solid titanium shell with its distinctive 'cushion' design, so it'll take more of a beating than the Pixel Watch 5 great news for hard-wearing adventurers. Its distinctive, now-familiar programmable Quick Button nestles between two other up and down buttons, so there's plenty of action compared
to the Pixel Watch 5's singular digital crown.

The downsides? It's more expensive than the Google options at $699.99 / 649, and you'll need the Samsung Health app to get the best experience, as the watch runs a form of Wear OS wrapped in Samsung's One UI Watch interface.
What to read next The best smartwatch 2026 Pixel Watch 5 leak reveals a frustrating spec but theres cause for hope 7 things we learned from the Google Pixel 11 launch Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 review 649 at Amazon (Black) 649 at EE (Silver) 649 at EE Tech & Gaming (Silver) 649 at very.co.uk (Grey) The cheaper option: Google Pixel Watch 4 (Image credit: Future) Looks very similar, doesn't it? In terms of performance, there's very little the Google Pixel Watch 5 can do that the Pixel Watch 4 can't: it's got the same suite of Health Guardian tools, the same repairability (allowing you to replace a damaged display or dead battery) and the same funky teardrop design with an Actua 3D domed display packing 3,000 nits brightness. However, you don't get the latest Gemini Intelligence, you only get half the storage, and the GPS isn't as accurate.

Still, this is a very iterative upgrade, and while Google will officially
stop selling the Pixel Watch 4, you'll be able to nab excess stock from a third party retailer such as Amazon for a while yet, most likely with some discounts too.

We rated the Pixel Watch 4 highly in our review, calling it 'a slick piece of kit, and one we really like using for the most part. It looked great, and although it was thick on the wrist, it was comfortable, and the Material 3 Expressive software design is a joy to use.' Read our full Google Pixel Watch 4 review 349 at EE 349 at EE Tech & Gaming 349 at very.co.uk 399 at John
Lewis Specifications compared: Swipe to scroll horizontally

Component

Google Pixel Watch 5

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2

OnePlus Watch 3

Google Pixel Watch 4

Price

Starting at $399 / 369

$699.99 / 649



$499 / 269.99

Starting at $399 / 349

Dimensions

41 x 41 x 12.3mm / 45 x 45 x 12.3mm

47mm: 47.4 x 47.1 x 10.7mm

43.2 x 43.2 x 11 mm / 46.6mm x 47.6mm x 11mm

41 x 41 x 12.3mm / 45 x 45 x 12.3mm

Weight

31g / 36.7g without straps

61g

37.8g / 81g with strap

31g / 36.7g without straps

Case/bezel

Recycled aluminum

Titanium

Titanium and stainless steel

Recycled aluminum

Display

320ppi always-on display AMOLED with up to 3,000 nits brightness

498 x 498 Super AMOLED

AMOLED 1.5-inch LTPO flexible display

320ppi always-on display AMOLED with up to 3,000 nits brightness

Operating System

Wear OS 7

One UI Watch 9 (Wear OS 7)

Wear OS 5

Wear OS 6.0

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor with an ML coprocessor

Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite

Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chipset

Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor with an ML coprocessor

Memory

2GB of RAM

2GB of RAM

2GB of RAM

2GB of RAM

Storage

64GB

64GB storage

32GB

32GB

GPS

GPS (Dual-Frequency), Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS

(L1+L5 Dual Frequency GPS)

GPS (Dual-Frequency), GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou, and QZSS

GPS (Dual-Frequency), Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS

Battery life

Up to 72 hours with battery saver enabled or up to 40 hours with always-on display enabled

Up to 60 hours with always-on display

Up to 120 hours

Up to 72 hours with battery saver enabled or up to 40 hours with always-on display enabled

Connection

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE, Ultra-Wideband

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE

Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE

Water resistance

WR50, IP68

WR100 (diveproof)

5ATM, IP68

WR50, IP68 Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source
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