{"id":352350,"date":"2025-12-18T02:19:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T02:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/352350\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T02:19:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T02:19:11","slug":"the-pixel-watch-4-is-great-but-im-sticking-with-my-galaxy-watch-8-classic-heres-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/352350\/","title":{"rendered":"The Pixel Watch 4 is great, but I’m sticking with my Galaxy Watch 8 Classic \u2014 here’s why"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thanks to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, I recently rediscovered the benefits of smartwatches after a long break, allowing me to stay on top of my health<\/a>. Though I tried to use the Samsung Galaxy Ring<\/a> as a smartwatch replacement<\/a>, it couldn\u2019t compete with the Galaxy Watch 8<\/a>\u2019s more comprehensive feature set, cementing it as an essential part of my everyday tech. In other words, it\u2019s a device I consider a permanent fixture in my life.<\/p>\n

However, as I’m always switching phones for work, I ran into a real problem: I just couldn’t get the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic to pair with the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL<\/a> \u2014 I must have tried around 20 times without any luck.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As expected, connecting Google’s own Pixel Watch 4 with the Pixel 10 Pro XL was a seamless experience, providing me with the ideal opportunity to directly compare the two smartwatches and decide which one best suited my needs.<\/p>\n

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Fitness first<\/p>\n

On paper, the Pixel Watch 4 is the clear winner for fitness tracking \u2014 and rightly so when you consider Google\u2019s exclusive FitBit integration. If you\u2019re training for a marathon, its heart rate accuracy is unmatched. Its \u201cCardio Load\u201d feature (courtesy of FitBit) is especially impressive for athletes chasing more granular fitness tracking, providing users with increased insight into how much physical strain your cardiovascular system is under during intense exercise.<\/p>\n

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\"Google\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

But I\u2019m not someone who runs very much or does frequent intense training \u2014 I\u2019m simply trying to understand my overall health on a day-to-day basis. It\u2019s the reason I appreciate the Galaxy Watch 8\u2019s \u201cEnergy Score\u201d feature, which essentially uses my passive data and AI to predict how much energy I\u2019m going to have throughout the day when I wake up in the morning.<\/p>\n

Sensor-ship<\/p>\n

The Pixel Watch 4 is undeniably equipped with superior sensors, featuring what many consider the best multi-path heart rate tracking and continuous stress detection available in a smartwatch (as of late 2025). That accuracy is further enhanced by the integration of FitBit\u2019s advanced algorithms, which are widely respected, especially for their precision in tracking sleep stages.<\/p>\n

Due to the aforementioned FitBit integration, the Pixel Watch 4 features a cEDA (continuous ElectroDermal Activity) sensor that effectively estimates stress by monitoring subtle shifts in sweat gland activity, allowing it to measure the stress response of the wearer\u2019s autonomic nervous system.<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

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\"Pixel\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

The cEDA sensor, while not new to Google’s smartwatches (it’s been around since Pixel Watch 2<\/a>), has been significantly enhanced for Pixel Watch 4. A key improvement is the upgraded \u201cBody Response\u201d \u2014 a Fitbit algorithm that\u2019s now much better at distinguishing between physical stress (from exercise) and mental stress. Its quicker Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 processor not only brings increased power efficiency, but also contributes to more accurate tracking.<\/p>\n

While the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 can track stress, it lacks the Pixel Watch 4’s cEDA sensor, relying instead on Samsung\u2019s \u201cBioActive\u201d sensor and its ability to measure Heart Rate Variability (HRV). This means that while the Galaxy Watch 8 is effective for day-long stress monitoring, the Pixel Watch 4’s cEDA sensor and Body Response algorithms offer a distinct advantage: the ability to provide proactive alerts upon detecting sudden physiological changes.<\/p>\n

BioActivity<\/p>\n

Of course, that\u2019s not to take anything away from the Galaxy Watch 8\u2019s BioActive sensor \u2014 it may not be quite as accurate when it comes to heart rate or stress monitoring, but it offers additional tracking capabilities that the Pixel Watch 4\u2019s sensors aren\u2019t capable of, thanks to its unique a 3-in-1 stack of sensors.<\/p>\n

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That means access to Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) for estimating body composition, and blood pressure measurement via its Optical Heart Rate sensor (currently awaiting FDA approval in the US). The latter is achieved using a photoplethysmogram (PPG) sensor, which measures changes in blood volume which are then compared against baseline data established through monthly calibration using a traditional upper arm cuff. Admittedly, the Galaxy Watch 8\u2019s blood pressure monitoring provides an estimation rather than a medically accurate measurement, but I still find it quite helpful as someone .<\/p>\n

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\"Samsung\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)<\/p>\n

Samsung’s BioActive sensor employs multi-spectrum LEDs capable of detecting “autofluorescence” \u2014 light reflecting off proteins in the skin, which is key to measuring metabolic AGEs (indicators of biological aging and sugar consumption). Essentially, it offers insight into the chemical impact of diet and lifestyle by looking inside your cells.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the Galaxy Watch 8 offers Sleep Apnea Detection, which is FDA-approved and is said to detect signs of moderate to severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Granted, I don\u2019t have sleep apnea, but it\u2019s nice to know that it\u2019ll alert me should it develop.<\/p>\n

Safety dance<\/p>\n

Of course, the Pixel Watch 4\u2019s \u201cLoss of Pulse Detection\u201d feature (first introduced with the Pixel Watch 3) seems like an invaluable safety feature \u2014 particularly for older users or those with heart or respiratory conditions.<\/p>\n

If the watch detects that your heart has stopped beating and you fail to respond to its check-in alerts, this feature will automatically contact emergency services and share your current location.<\/p>\n

While Samsung\u2019s Galaxy Watch 8 does provide \u201cHard Fall Detection\u201d, there\u2019s no denying that Google\u2019s Pixel Watch 4 takes this concept much further, potentially providing life-saving functionality. That said, as someone who doesn\u2019t suffer from any severe health conditions, the Galaxy Watch 8\u2019s emergency features are more than sufficient for me.<\/p>\n

Time to choose<\/p>\n

Obviously, both smart watches have their own strengths and weaknesses, and it would be easy for me to recommend both of them depending on what kind of features you\u2019re after. Hardcore fitness fanatics and those involved in intense training will undoubtedly be the ones who most appreciate the Pixel Watch 4’s key features. However, a normie like me isn\u2019t looking for that kind of data. The wellness info I\u2019m generally interested in is of the passive variety, with the ability to also monitor my vitals in real time.<\/p>\n

Now that I\u2019ve used both watches extensively, there\u2019s one feature on my Galaxy Watch 8 Classic that the Pixel Watch 4 simply cannot beat: the price of its health data \u2014 while Google locks its deepest sleep insights and long-term trends behind the Fitbit Premium paywall, Samsung hands me everything \u2014 from my Energy Score to the aforementioned metabolic AGEs index \u2014 for free. This is where, in my opinion, the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic quietly wins the war.<\/p>\n

More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n

Today’s best Google Pixel Watch 4 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 deals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Thanks to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, I recently rediscovered the benefits of smartwatches after a long…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":352351,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[49,48,195,61],"class_list":{"0":"post-352350","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-gadgets","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-gadgets","11":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352350","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=352350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/352350\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/352351"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=352350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=352350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=352350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}