Google Pixel Watch 5 (45 mm, LTE) / Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic (46 mm, Bluetooth)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (45 mm, LTE): 45 mm · 4G LTE option

Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic (46 mm, Bluetooth): SM-L500 · 46 mm Bluetooth; the LTE version SM-L505 is a separate model; black or white

SpecificationGoogle Pixel Watch 5 (45 mm, LTE)Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Classic (46 mm, Bluetooth)
Release year20262025
LaunchAnnounced and opened for pre-order on 12 August 2026; on sale 20 August 2026 Google—
DisplayActua 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 Google1.34-inch Super AMOLED, 438 × 438, full-colour Always-On; sapphire crystal

Sapphire crystal is a cover material that resists scratches better than ordinary glass.

Samsung
Cover glassCustom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Google—
Case and band100% recycled aluminium case; soft-touch HNBR rubber Active Band (2nd gen) Google—
Wrist sizeThe small band fits 150–185 mm wrists and the large band 165–215 mm; both come in the box Google—
Size45 mm diameter; 12.3 mm height Google—
Weight36.7 g (without band) Google63.5 g (without band) Samsung
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 Accelerated; Cortex-M55 co-processor; Google cites a 12% CPU increase and 50% more RAM than the previous generation GoogleExynos W1000; 5 cores, 3 nm Samsung
Storage64 GB eMMC flash (capacity before formatting) Google—
SoftwareWear OS 7.0 Google—
Connectivity4G LTE and UMTS; Bluetooth 6.0; Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4 and 5 GHz); NFC; Ultra-Wideband GoogleBluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4 and 5 GHz, NFC; no LTE on this model Samsung
LTE optionOn 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 SOSEmergency communication over satellite; no extra charge for 2 years after activation; may be unavailable in some countries or conditions Google—
PositioningDual-frequency GPS; US: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS; rest of world: GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS Google—
GPS route accuracyGoogle 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—
SensorsMulti-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 GoogleBioActive sensor (optical heart rate, electrical heart signal, bioelectrical impedance), temperature, accelerometer, barometer, gyro, geomagnetic, light sensor, 3D Hall sensor

Health features are for general wellness and fitness, not medical diagnosis.

Samsung
Health featuresIrregular 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—
Battery465 mAh (typical) lithium-ion; up to 40 hours with always-on display, up to 72 hours in Battery Saver mode Google445 mAh (typical); fast charging, WPC-based wireless charging

Samsung says its charge times were measured with a separately sold 25 W adapter.

Samsung
ChargingWith 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 resistance5 ATM and IP68; Google states the watch is not waterproof or dustproof and that resistance can diminish over time Google—
ControlsTouchscreen, side button, haptic crown, Gen 3 premium haptics; touchless one-handed gestures GoogleRotating bezel, Quick Button

The rotating bezel lets you scroll lists and apps without touching the screen; its position is read by a 3D Hall sensor found only on the Classic. Quick Button can be assigned to an app or function.

Samsung
AudioBuilt-in microphone and speaker Google—
GeminiGemini 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 compatibilityWorks with most phones running Android 12 or newer; requires a Google Account and the Pixel Watch app; Android (Go edition) is not supported Google—
RepairGoogle cites a repairable architecture; repair manuals and options vary by region Google—
Warranty1 year in the US, Canada, Japan, India, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and Mexico; 2 years in the UK, EEA, France, Switzerland and Australia Google—
Case size—46 mm; 46.4 × 46 × 10.6 mm (excluding health sensors)

It is sold in one size only.

Samsung
Memory and storage—2 GB RAM, 64 GB storage Samsung
Operating system—Wear OS Powered by Samsung (Wear OS 6), One UI 8 Watch

Setup and use need an Android 12 or later phone with more than 1.5 GB of memory and Google Mobile Services.

Samsung
Location—L1 + L5 dual-frequency GPS; GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo

The second frequency (L5) helps accuracy where signals bounce, such as among tall buildings or under trees.

Samsung
Durability—5ATM, IP68, MIL-STD-810H

5ATM suits surface water use such as swimming, not diving or high-speed water sports. Samsung says its MIL-STD-810H testing cycled the watch between –20 °C and 50 °C for 6 hours in total.

Samsung
Colours—Black, white Samsung