One of the best Google Pixel of 2025 wasn’t even a cellphone

Over the course of 2025, I’ve had my palms on each new Pixel-branded gadget that Google has launched. From the Pixel 9a to the 4 Pixel 10 fashions, in addition to the Pixel Buds 2a and the Pixel Watch 4, I’ve tried, examined, used, and proceed to make use of many of those in my on a regular basis life. The Pixel 10 Professional XL has been my major cellphone for a couple of months, the Watch 4 has been on my wrist since its launch, and the Buds 2a keep in my backpack any time I get out of the home.

Of all of those, I anticipated the Pixel 10 Professional XL to be my favourite, particularly with its new Professional Res Zoom interesting to the avid photographer in me. And whereas I do just like the cellphone so much, I’ve discovered that my absolute favourite Pixel of 2025 is the Watch 4. Right here’s why.

When Pixel Watch 4 leaks began popping up, it appeared like Google was simply reiterating on the prevailing Watch 3. Similar design, similar options, and similar sizes. However the actuality turned out to be way more fascinating than that. The Pixel Watch 4 was virtually rebuilt from the bottom as much as accommodate two main modifications: a domed show beneath the domed glass, and a extra repairable physique that enables for straightforward battery, show, and module replacements. Each of those are important in their very own proper.

The second I unboxed the Pixel Watch 4, my Watch 3 felt instantly outdated as compared. I really like taking a look at this watch on my wrist. I really like its show, and I really like how modern the smaller bezels seem in individual. No quantity of nonetheless pictures can seize how good this design is, and the way minimalist and practically invisible the bezels actually are. And if you concentrate on it, a smartwatch is probably the most private gadget ever since we put on it on our personal our bodies the entire time, so it would as nicely be the nicest, most elegant gadget on the market.

Couple that design with Materials 3 Expressive, and all the things on this watch appears energetic and enjoyable. The colour-matching UI parts, animations, rounded buttons, playful shapes, and daring fonts all tackle a unique impression on the tiny show of a watch versus a cellphone. I’ve stated it earlier than, and I’ll say it once more: Materials 3 Expressive appears extra at house on the Watch 4 than it does on a Pixel 10. They’re a match made in heaven.

Regardless of the extra intricate show, Google managed to repair the largest criticism we had about earlier Pixel watches: repairability. I nonetheless fear once I hit my watch by mistake, nevertheless it’s extra subdued than earlier than as a result of I do know it gained’t turn into a ineffective paperweight due to a slight knock. Extra restore, extra energy to the client, higher inexperienced impression, much less e-waste — I’m all for these.

However Google didn’t cease there. The battery life is lastly “usable” in the actual world for me. I can’t kill it in someday, it doesn’t matter what I strive, and as a rule, it is a two-day look ahead to me. I can lastly spend a weekend at my mates’ with out carrying the charging cable. Plus, regardless of my hatred for Google switching charging mechanisms as soon as once more, I respect the pace and stability of the brand new charger. The battery fills up so quick and lasts so lengthy that on most days, I simply want a 15- to 20-minute top-up to final by way of the day. Once I’m busy, touring, or have impromptu plans, that is invaluable. Earlier Pixel Watch fashions weren’t made for real-world, sudden situations; this one is, and the Pixel Watch 4 has lastly erased my battery worries.

Add to this the tremendous useful new raise-to-talk Gemini gesture and automated train detection whereas doing the precise exercise (not after the actual fact), and Google has made nearly all the things on this watch extra seamless from the primary day. But it surely didn’t cease there. Since its launch, the Pixel Watch 4 has acquired a number of essential updates, too, to enhance it even additional.

Just a few weeks in the past, Google added a brand new always-on show mode for Pixel watches that reveals media controls and timer/stopwatch progress anytime the show isn’t energetic. It’s excellent if I simply wish to look at one thing ongoing with out turning on the show. The buttons are clickable, too, so I don’t must wake the watch first to be able to management my music or cease/restart a timer, for instance. I just lately used the music controls so much on an in a single day flight, and loved not having a brilliant, evident show every time I awoke from my dozing state to see what was taking part in.

One other current replace introduced gestures to the Pixel Watch 4. Though they’re not excellent but, they lastly make one-handed use a actuality in a number of situations. This has at all times been my bugbear with each Pixel Watch: I had to make use of two palms to do something, which made my watches cumbersome for any motion, and extra appropriate for checking data reasonably than appearing on it. It was usually extra sensible to seize my cellphone from my pocket with one hand and scroll, faucet, kind, than to tie my two palms collectively in entrance of my physique to do one thing on the tiny show of my watch.

Gestures don’t repair this fully, however they convey a sure stage of energetic one-handedness to the Pixel Watch 4. Now, I can dismiss notifications with a flick or pinch my fingers to play/pause music, scroll by way of the content material of a notification, cease timers, snooze alarms, and extra. I’d love to have the ability to navigate by way of your entire interface with extra gestures, however that is already a giant step up from the earlier absolute requirement to make use of two palms to do something.

In 2025, Google made a number of fascinating updates to its Pixel lineup. The common Pixel 10 lastly obtained a zoom lens that makes it the most effective primary flagships round and a straightforward advice for folks or pet house owners. The Pixel 10 Professional and Professional XL introduced a mind-blowing 100x Professional Res Zoom, and the Pixel 10 Professional Fold was the primary foldable with an IP68 ranking. On prime of this, each Pixel 10 obtained built-in Qi2 with magnets, which immediately expanded the Pixel’s whole accent ecosystem to each MagSafe gadget on the market. All of those have been laudable upgrades.

Except for its Pixel battery woes and the damaged belief they brought about, Google actually did plenty of different issues proper this yr. None of those, although, noticed as many enhancements because the Pixel Watch 4. And none have been as important or as impactful. The Pixel Watch 4 is a smartwatch I genuinely get pleasure from utilizing and that I can depend on day in and day trip. It’s a giant step up in each approach from the Pixel Watch 3 and has, due to this fact, earned the title of my favourite Pixel gadget of 2025.