Google Pixel Watch 2 review: Google’s smartwatch is better the second time around

Google’s (GOOG, GOOGL) Pixel Watch 2 is here, and it proves once again that you should always wait to buy a second-generation product rather than a first-gen. The $349 Pixel Watch 2 addresses nearly all of the needling problems with the original Pixel Watch, while building on its feature set to make it my favorite Android smartwatch.

There are no real aesthetic differences between the Pixel Watch 2 and its predecessor, and that’s a good thing. I loved the unique look and feel of Google’s first watch, and I’m glad the company seems dedicated to the design.

The bezel surrounding the Pixel Watch 2’s 41mm display is still a little too big for my liking. Still, it’s far from a dealbreaker, and only noticeable in certain lights and with certain watch faces.

But it’s what’s underneath and inside of the Pixel Watch 2 that matters. For its return act, the Pixel Watch 2 gets a new, more powerful processor and an improved heart rate sensor that provides more accurate readings during intensive workouts.

Like the first-generation Pixel Watch, the Pixel Watch 2 is deeply integrated with Google’s Fitbit, making it a great option for health-conscious shoppers. That means you get access to the company’s fitness features including exercise and step tracking, hourly activity, and heart health. Google also gives you six months of Fitbit Premium with the purchase of the Pixel Watch 2, which gives you access to sleep tracking, a slew of guided workout options, and the company’s Readiness Score.

Readiness Score takes into account things such as how you slept, how much you’ve exercised, and your heart rate variability over the last few days to determine if you’re ready to dive into a big workout or should take it a bit easy and recuperate a bit longer.

Google has also added an automatic workout detection for the Pixel Watch 2. If you forget to start a workout on the watch, you’ll receive a notification asking if you’re walking or out for a run, ensuring you get credit for your hard work. I walk to Dunkin’ every morning for a cup of coffee, and the Pixel Watch 2 asked if I wanted it to track my workout each time. My Apple (AAPL) Watch Series 9, which starts at $399, also offers automatic tracking, but it usually takes longer to ask if I’m exercising.

If you’re looking to improve your cardiovascular health, the Pixel Watch 2 also offers custom heart rate zones, which alert you when your heart rate reaches certain beats-per-minute thresholds. Better still, the watch will alert you as you change heart rate zones. So if you want to stick to a more vigorous exercise, you can simply track your heart rate zone and stick to the zone that kicks your butt the most.

Google also makes it easy to track your daily exercise stats from the Pixel Watch 2, including the number of steps you’ve taken, calories you’ve burned, and your hourly activity.

Interestingly, the Pixel Watch 2 also features a new Body Response feature that lets you see what kind of conditions make you stressed out, excited, happy, calm, frustrated, or sad. It works by taking advantage of the watch’s heart rate and temperature sensors, as well as its continuous electrodermal activity sensor that determines when you’re perspiring.

The gist of the feature is to help you figure out why you might be stressed, frustrated, etc., and understand how to manage those feelings better. The watch also includes breathing exercises to help you relax if you’re especially on edge.

My watch notified me that I was experiencing some kind of body response a few times a day, but most of the time I was just sitting down doing work or out for a walk. I chalk it up to the amount of coffee I drink and just generally sweating a lot.

As far as notifications and app compatibility, the Pixel Watch 2 is like any other smartwatch. You can get texts, calls, emails, Slacks, and more. You can also control Spotify and pay at the checkout using Google Pay.

As for battery life, Google has done a commendable job of improving how long the watch lasts. The original Pixel Watch powered through the day and well into the night, but only when its always-on display was turned off. Turn it on, and battery life dropped to a little more than 12 hours.

This time around, though, the watch’s battery coasts through the day with the always-on display turned on, making for a far better experience.

If you’re an Android user, and in the market for a new smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 2 is an excellent choice. From its design, to its Fitbit integration, to its improved battery life, this wearable proves that second chances are worth taking.

Daniel Howley is the tech editor at Yahoo Finance. He's been covering the tech industry since 2011. You can follow him on Twitter @DanielHowley.

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