sleep tracking, heart rate and more

We know about party animals, but have you ever heard of a sleep animal?

Google Pixel has, and they want to make sure we all know what out sleep animal is, after tracking you sleep with their new Google Pixel Watch, powered by Fitbit.

While the smartwatch does a lot more than sleep tracking (more on that later) in honor of Sleep Week, we wanted to emphasize the unique sleeping features on the watch you won’t find anywhere else.

We were able to review the smartwatch alone, and in conjunction with the Google Pixel 6a phone, as they are made to be used together for the full Google experience, although any Pixel model will suffice. After going to the gym, work and of course, to bed, read on for our findings, plus other specs and features of the watch you should know before you buy.

What is the Google Pixel Watch and what can it do?

Watch what we can do!

To answer that question though, you first need to choose your make and model. The Pixel Watch comes in a WiFi enabled version as well as an LTE version, the latter of which pairs with your phone’s plan and can take calls and send text messages using your data plan. Should you opt for the WiFi version, you can still use all the functions of the watch, just on a WiFi network and not while out and about.

Next, choose if you would like to add the premium Fitbit membership to your plan or not. More on pricing in the next section, but should you opt for a premium membership, you unlock more features like a Sleep Score and a Sleep Profile, given to you after 15 days of wearing your watch at night.

Regardless of the model you choose, the features of the Google Pixel Watch also include heart rate monitoring, basic sleep tracking, fitness tracking for exercises through Fitbit, Google calendar and Google maps directions.

How much is the Google Pixel Watch and Fitbit membership?

Getting into the numbers, how much will a Pixel watch set you back? Again, there are options. Should you want the least expensive option, the Google Pixel Watch the uses WiFi only can typically be found for $350 or less.

For the LTE-enabled device that gives you more range when taking phone calls and texting, the price is typically $50 more, at $400 at most retailers.

Lastly, while the device can be used on a free Fitbit account, in order to unlock the watch’s fullest potential, a Fitbit Premium membership will set you back $10 per month. The good news? You can try before you buy, as each watch comes with six months of Fitbit Premium for free.

Google Pixel compared to other smartwatches

Have you been watching smartwatches lately? It makes sense, as there are a lot more on the market than there used to be, and so we want you to know the differences between the top models.

For those with an iPhone, the Apple Watch may make the most sense, while Android users could be best set-up with the Samsung Watch or even the Garmin line of watches. In our time with the Google Pixel Watch, we realized that the best use case scenario is when accompanied by the Google Pixel phone, not able to be paired with Apple or other phones.

For the basic breakdowns, take a look at our chart with top features, price and compatibility all considered.

Our review: Sleep tracking and more with the Google Pixel Watch

Sleeping for work? Count me in!

Only partially kidding, as I still got the same amount of sleep after my 9-to-5 as I normally do, but this time I was tracking what kind of sleep. What does that mean? While wearing my Pixel Watch for 14 days, I was able to see how much deep sleep, light sleep and REM sleep I was getting per night, down to the minute, plus it was tracking my restlessness and moments when I would wake up.

Having this data was super cool, as while you sleep you are, well, sleeping, and won’t know why you may feel energized or groggy once you wake up. The insights showed me what my sleep pattern was, with bedtimes and wake-up times, along with trends in my heart rate and more.

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For those that have the Fitbit Premium membership, you can see even more data, like a full sleep profile and even a sleep animal that populates after 14 days of continuous wear at night. The profile shows up on the first of each month, so check back here for the update — am I a night owl hedgehog or an early bird parrot?

As for other activities, I found that the watch did a great job of tracking my steps and heart rate, during the day and in exercise classes. I will say that it isn’t the best at detecting a workout on its own (it missed that I did a sweaty yoga session!) but you can access the fitness app on the watch and manually tell it to record your bike, run or other exercise with ease.

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