Google Pixel Watch vs Fitbit Sense 2: Which should you buy?

Whether Google admits it or not, the Pixel Watch is ostensibly the new Fitbit flagship series. The watch has Fitbit’s health and fitness features, albeit wrapped in a stylish Wear OS cocoon. So, how does the Fitbit Sense 2 fare against the in-house competition? Read on for our Google Pixel Watch vs Fitbit Sense 2 comparison.

Fitbit’s smartwatches will be familiar to most at this point. Since the first Versa launched in the late 2010s, the company has used a squared design reminiscent of the Apple Watch. The Sense 2 is no exception to this rule but does feel decidedly modern. Perhaps it’s the fetching ECG ring around the screen or the slimmer design. Either way, it’s Fitbit’s most attractive smartwatch yet.

Making a welcome return is a physical button mounted on the Sense 2’s left-hand side, replacing the unreliable touch groove on the original Sense. It’s also positioned slightly higher up the body, making it slightly easier to spot and press. There are no rotating crowns or smart bezels here. The Fitbit Sense 2’s UI doesn’t require either, and we appreciate the simplicity.

The Sense 2 is also lighter and thinner than its predecessor, shedding pounds from your wrist and making all-day wear more comfortable. And thankfully, older Fitbit bands from the Versa 3 and original Sense will fasten to the new watch without fuss. We love backward compatibility like this, as will those with a sizeable band collection.

What about the Google Pixel Watch? Honestly, it’s not too shabby itself. Its circular, shiny pebble design makes it one of the most distinctive smartwatches around. You might not like its sizeable bezels or how its display cramps the edge of menu items, but it’s a good-looking device from afar. It, too, relies on a physical button on its right-hand flank lurking above a rotating crown. This little addition, as we discovered during our Pixel Watch review, makes navigating Wear OS a breeze and adds classic watch appeal to the package.

Google made a particularly curious decision regarding the Pixel Watch’s straps. Unlike Samsung, Garmin, and Apple, which use standardized bands, the Pixel Watch relies on a proprietary design. You won’t be able to use your extensive strap collection with this watch. You’ll have to go through Google for more bands.

Overall, the Fitbit Sense 2 and Google Pixel Watch are alluring in distinct ways. Whether you like a square or round screen will likely be a key determining factor in your buying decision.

The Fitbit Sense 2 has a larger 1.58-inch AMOLED screen, producing deep color and crisp visuals. It’s housed in an IPX8-rated water-resistant body of up to 50 meters. The Pixel Watch packs a smaller screen but also employs AMOLED technology. Google claims a brightness of up to 1,000 nits, so it’s as legible outside as the Fitbit Sense line. It is also water resistant up to 50 meters and packs 32GB of storage for music and other files. The Fitbit Sense 2 does not include onboard music storage facilities. That’s a big win for the Pixel Watch.

For those who must have LTE connectivity, the Pixel Watch is the only watch that’ll sate your appetite. You’ll also get on-wrist calls alongside emergency SOS and emergency international calling features. The Pixel Watch also packs fall detection, something all Fitbit devices still lack.

Now for fitness features. Our review billed the original Fitbit Sense as a feature-packed smartwatch loaded with sensors to augment health tracking. Its sequel lives up to these expectations, packing the same ECG, SpO2, and heart rate tracking smarts as before. Interestingly, it makes some advancements in stress tracking. It now includes a Body Response (cEDA) sensor that continuously samples the wearer’s electrodermal activity and gauges stress levels. It’s an intriguing addition but does chew through battery life.

The Pixel Watch lacks health features compared to its Fitbit rival. You won’t find any stress tracking sensor or body temperature monitor onboard, but you will get heart rate monitoring, step tracking, and the usual fitness fare. This combo should suffice for most mildly active users, but we don’t believe the Pixel Watch is the best fitness tracker available. The Sense 2 remains a better product for those with more serious well-being goals.

Both watches include Fitbit Premium trials, allowing access to more meaningful health stats and guided workouts. Be aware that the trial lasts only six months on both devices, after which you’ll have to pay $9.99 monthly to continue access.

The Fitbit Sense also gains some Wear OS-inspired design additions, including tiles, bolder fonts, and brighter icons. You’ll still have to contend with Fitbit OS and its limitations. You won’t find the array of apps on the Fitbit Sense 2 that you would on the Wear OS-powered Pixel Watch. That’s true for third-party apps and Google-made services.

While Google has rolled out both Google Maps and Google Wallet to the Sense 2, big-ticket features like Google Assistant support are nowhere to be found. Google claims it has no plans to support Assistant on the watch — a huge miss for those upgrading to the Sense 2 from older Fitbit products.

As for the Pixel Watch, Wear OS gives it access to a broad list of third-party apps, making it a more useful smartwatch. You’re also getting Google support and services, from the Google Home app and Google Maps support to Find My Phone smarts. The Pixel Watch is a no-brainer option for those who rely on Google apps daily.

• Google Pixel Watch (Wi-Fi): $349 / €379
• Google Pixel Watch (LTE): $399 / €429
• Fitbit Sense 2: $299 / £269 / €299

The Fitbit Sense 2 is available in a single guise, but buyers can choose from an array of body finishes and band colors. Shadow Grey, Lunar White, and Blue Mist are the available band colorways alongside Graphite, Platinum, and Soft Gold case shades. The Sense 2 launched at $299, shading its predecessor’s starting price. It’s still substantially cheaper than the Pixel Watch but less appealing than the more affordable and smarter original Sense.

The Pixel Watch is available with LTE or as a Wi-Fi-only variant. The former launched at $399, putting it $100 beyond the Fitbit Sense 2. The cheaper Wi-Fi-only model comes in at $349. Case colors include Matte Black, Polished Silver, and Champagne Gold, with bands landing in Obsidian, Charcoal, Chalk, Lemongrass, and Hazel. Additional woven, stretch, and leather bands are also offered as premium accessories.

Interestingly, both Fitbit and Google watches are markedly more expensive than direct competition from Samsung and, in some cases, Garmin and Apple. This makes the Pixel Watch and Fitbit Sense 2 tough to recommend when considering the broader smartwatch market.

Realistically? We don’t recommend you buy either watch. The Fitbit Sense 2 has flaws that its new fitness features can’t outweigh. Although the latest flavor in the smartwatch world, the Google Pixel Watch isn’t quite the value proposition we hoped it would be. It has the best loadout of Google services and apps for your wrist with Fitbit’s health tracking smarts playing support, but its meager battery life promise, outdated chipset, and lofty price make it far less attractive than its competitors.

Then there’s the Google Pixel Watch 2 ($349.99 at Amazon), which makes considerable strides over both the Sense 2 and its predecessor. It now packs a similar health tracking loadout to the Sense line while bringing more Google features to your wrist.

If you were forced to pick between the Fitbit Sense 2 and the Google Pixel Watch, you’d need to ask yourself what you want from a wearable.

The Fitbit Sense 2 has more advanced health tracking features, continuous stress monitoring, skin temperature and heart rate monitoring, and a built-in ECG. It’s the better fitness watch.

However, if you want to invest in a smartwatch for the “smart” aspect, the Google Pixel Watch should be your first choice. With its deep Google service integration, ability to store and play music offline, LTE connectivity, and built-in Google Assistant smarts, the Pixel Watch is Google’s new priority product. It’s also the more sensible smartwatch option.

Which smartwatch wins between the Google Pixel Watch and the Fitbit Sense 2? And which are you more likely to buy? Be sure to let us know in the poll below.