Google Pixel Watch 5 (45 mm, LTE): 45 mm · 4G LTE option
Apple Watch Series 8 (45 mm, GPS): Apple Watch Series 8, 45 mm aluminium case, GPS model. The 41 mm case, GPS + Cellular and stainless steel versions are separate models; weight and screen size differ.
| Specification | Google Pixel Watch 5 (45 mm, LTE) | Apple Watch Series 8 (45 mm, GPS) |
|---|---|---|
| Release year | 2026 | 2022 |
| Launch | Announced and opened for pre-order on 12 August 2026; on sale 20 August 2026 Google | — |
| Display | Actua 360; 320 ppi AMOLED LTPO; DCI-P3; up to 3000 nits; 1–60 Hz variable refresh; as low as 1 nit in always-on mode Google | Always-On Retina LTPO OLED; 396 × 484 pixels; 1143 sq mm display area; up to 1000 nits Apple |
| Cover glass | Custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Google | — |
| Case and band | 100% recycled aluminium case; soft-touch HNBR rubber Active Band (2nd gen) Google | — |
| Wrist size | The small band fits 150–185 mm wrists and the large band 165–215 mm; both come in the box Google | — |
| Size | 45 mm diameter; 12.3 mm height Google | — |
| Weight | 36.7 g (without band) Google | — |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated; Cortex-M55 co-processor; Google cites a 12% CPU increase and 50% more RAM than the previous generation Google | — |
| Storage | 64 GB eMMC flash (capacity before formatting) Google | 32 GB Apple |
| Software | Wear OS 7.0 Google | — |
| Connectivity | 4G LTE and UMTS; Bluetooth 6.0; Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4 and 5 GHz); NFC; Ultra-Wideband Google | Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 2.4 and 5 GHz; Bluetooth 5.3 Apple |
| LTE option | On the LTE option the watch can be activated for calls, texts and music without the phone; carrier activation is required and the phone must use the same carrier Google | — |
| Satellite SOS | Emergency communication over satellite; no extra charge for 2 years after activation; may be unavailable in some countries or conditions Google | — |
| Positioning | Dual-frequency GPS; US: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS; rest of world: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS Google | — |
| GPS route accuracy | Google says post-workout route correction uses Google Maps 3D building models and weather-station data, and claims twice the accuracy of the previous generation in difficult urban areas; the comparison rests on Google’s own July 2026 study Google | — |
| Sensors | Multi-path optical heart rate, red and infrared SpO2, electrical sensors for the ECG app, skin conductance (cEDA), far-field skin temperature, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, altimeter, compass, magnetometer, ambient light Google | — |
| Health features | Irregular rhythm and high/low heart rate notifications, ECG, loss of pulse detection; breathing emergency detection (launching in Europe first); monthly trend summaries for blood pressure, sleep breathing and insulin resistance (“coming soon” in the announcement). Availability varies by country Google | — |
| Battery | 465 mAh (typical) lithium-ion; up to 40 hours with always-on display, up to 72 hours in Battery Saver mode Google | — |
| Charging | With the Quick Charge Dock: about 15 minutes to 50%, 30 minutes to 80% and 60 minutes to 100%; the 30 W adapter is sold separately Google | — |
| Water and dust resistance | 5 ATM and IP68; Google states the watch is not waterproof or dustproof and that resistance can diminish over time Google | — |
| Controls | Touchscreen, side button, haptic crown, Gen 3 premium haptics; touchless one-handed gestures Google | — |
| Audio | Built-in microphone and speaker Google | — |
| Gemini | Gemini Intelligence; Raise to Talk, At a Glance and proactive suggestions; core actions run on the device. Features are offered in select countries and languages to users 18 and over Google | — |
| Phone compatibility | Works with most phones running Android 12 or newer; requires a Google Account and the Pixel Watch app; Android (Go edition) is not supported Google | — |
| Repair | Google cites a repairable architecture; repair manuals and options vary by region Google | — |
| Warranty | 1 year in the US, Canada, Japan, India, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and Mexico; 2 years in the UK, EEA, France, Switzerland and Australia Google | — |
| Chip | — | S8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor; W3 wireless chip; U1 (Ultra Wideband) Apple |
| Health sensors | — | Blood oxygen sensor; electrical heart sensor (ECG app); third-generation optical heart sensor Apple |
| Motion and safety | — | High-g accelerometer up to 256 g (Fall Detection and Crash Detection); high dynamic range gyroscope; Emergency SOS; international emergency calling Apple |
| Location | — | L1 GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou; compass; always-on altimeter Apple |
| Battery and charging | — | Up to 18 hours; built-in lithium-ion battery; USB-C magnetic fast charging cable Apple |
| Durability | — | Water resistant to 50 metres under ISO 22810:2010; IP6X dust; ceramic and sapphire crystal back Apple |
| Size and weight | — | 45 × 38 × 10.7 mm; aluminium GPS: 38.8 g Apple |
| Compatibility | — | Requires iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16 or later Apple |
| Colours | — | Aluminium: Midnight, Starlight, Silver, (PRODUCT)RED Apple |