The latest Apple Watch Series 12 promises the “most accurate heart rate detection in a wearable,” but how does it compare to the Google Pixel Watch 5?
Of course, choosing between the Apple Watch and the Google Pixel Watch primarily depends on what phone you use, but what really sets the two wearables apart? Are you missing out on features by choosing one over the other?
We compared the specs of the Apple Watch Series 12 with the Google Pixel Watch 5 to find out what really sets the two wearables apart. Be sure to also check out our Apple Watch Series 12 vs Series 11 guide as we explain what’s new with this year’s flagship.
If you’re not sold on wearables from Apple or Google, our best smartwatches and best fitness trackers guides have more options across brands.
Comparison table of technical data
| Apple Watch Series 12 | Google Pixel Watch 5 | |
| Chip | S11 | Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 accelerated |
| AI | Apple Intelligence, Audio Intelligence | Gemini Intelligence |
| Operating system | WatchOS 27 | Wear OS 7 |
| Emergency SOS | Yes | Yes |
| Water resistance | 50 m | 50 m |
| Battery | Up to 24 hours | Up to 40 hours |
| UK RRP | £369 | £369 |
Price and availability
At the time of writing, the Apple Watch Series 12 is available for pre-order and will officially launch on September 18. The wearable is priced at £369/$399 for the 42mm aluminum case.
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The Google Pixel Watch 5 is available to buy now and the Apple Watch Series 12 starts at £369/$399.99.
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Pixel Watch 5 is for Android and Apple Watch Series 12 is for iPhone
One key difference to keep in mind is that the Pixel Watch 5 is built for Android, while the Apple Watch Series 12 is built exclusively for iOS. That means you simply can’t use the Pixel Watch 5 with an iPhone, and you can’t use the Apple Watch with an Android phone either.
Google claims the Pixel Watch 5 has the “best GPS” on a smartwatch.
The Pixel Watch 5 is equipped with dual-band GPS powered by machine learning, which Google says is the best among smartwatches. In addition, Google claims that by using data from Google Maps, accuracy has doubled, especially in urban environments. If you’ve ever tried to navigate a city full of skyscrapers, you’ll know how difficult it can be to follow a route.
While overall we found the Pixel Watch 5 to accurately track our outdoor runs and walks, we did see some wobbles around Canary Wharf. That said, the tool is generally accurate and most users won’t be disappointed.
We haven’t yet reviewed the Apple Watch Series 12’s GPS capabilities, but we found last year’s Apple Watch Series 11’s GPS to be “consistently fast-locking” for accurate route tracking. With that in mind, we expect similar performance for the newer Watch Series 12.
Apple says the Apple Watch Series 12 offers the most accurate heart rate detection in a wearable device
While Google claims the Pixel Watch 5 has the best GPS of any smartwatch, Apple claims the Apple Watch Series 12 has the most accurate heart rate tracking in a wearable. Apple backs up this claim with a study With more than 1,000 participants, the new heart rate detection accuracy of the Apple Watch was compared to leading wearable devices. The result showed that the Apple Watch provides the highest accuracy among the devices.”
So what’s behind Apple’s accuracy claims? It’s essentially Apple’s new health sensor system, which includes new optical and electrical heart sensors, as well as larger LEDs that measure heart rate every 5 seconds. Additionally, Apple Watch Series 12 now measures HRV up to 24 times more frequently, giving you greater insight into stress and recovery.
Google Pixel Watch 5 promises a longer battery
Neither Apple nor Google is known for promising industry-leading battery life, and while there have been some improvements, it’s on par with 2026’s flagship wearables. While the Apple Watch Series 12 promises 24 hours of battery life between charges, which is unchanged from last year’s Apple Watch Series 11, the Pixel Watch 5 promises 40 hours.
In fact, we found that we could get even more than Google promised, seeing 45-50 hours between charges – although that was with the larger 45mm version.
Both wearables also offer fast charging. While the Apple Watch Series 12 charges an additional 12 hours of battery with a 15-minute charge, the Pixel Watch 5 sees 40 hours in the same amount of time.
Apple Intelligence vs Gemini Intelligence
The Apple Watch Series 12 runs on Apple’s own S11 processor, billed as the brand’s “most powerful wearable chip.” The processor allows the Apple Watch to accurately track health and fitness metrics and also supports Apple’s new Audio Intelligence features.
Audio Intelligence is new to the Apple Watch Series 12 and uses the wearable’s built-in microphone for things like Voice Recognition, which detects sirens, doorbells and other alerts you need to pay attention to, Live Rewind, which lets you go back 15 seconds to catch what you might have missed, and Siri Summary, which actively takes notes on your conversations.
Apple has claimed that you can control when you listen to Siri Recap, and the Apple Watch Series 12 also does not store recordings on the device.
Incidentally, the Pixel Watch 5 is equipped with Google’s Gemini Intelligence system. We’ve come to the conclusion that Gemini is one of the most useful smartwatch assistants out there as it answers questions quickly and accurately. Gemini Intelligence also powers Google Health – specifically Google Health Coach, which is included in the Premium subscription. With Google Health Coach, you can get personalized insights into your data and advice on how to reach your fitness goals.
It’s an additional £7.99/$9.99 per month, and while it’s not a required add-on, we recommend it works great.
Early judgment
The main deciding factor between the Apple Watch Series 12 and the Google Pixel Watch 5 will ultimately be whether you use an iOS or Android phone. However, if you have some flexibility, other factors may influence your decision.
While the Pixel Watch 5 promises the best GPS, is equipped with the Gemini Intelligence system and offers longer battery life, the Apple Watch Series 12 is promised to be more accurate than ever and also equipped with new Apple Intelligence features.
We will update this after reviewing the Apple Watch Series 12.
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