Apple Watch Series 11 vs. Pixel Watch 4: I tested both flagships, and here's the winner

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

Apple's latest lineup of Apple Watches drummed up rather the hype erstwhile they were announced during its annual iPhone event. Apple unveiled respective caller features, similar exigency SOS communications via outer connectivity and FDA-cleared hypertension detection. 

I was physically contiguous successful Steve Jobs Theater, and arsenic I watched Apple unveil these features, I couldn't assistance but comparison the caller ticker to Google's Pixel Watch 4. Apple's caller outer SOS diagnostic bears immoderate striking similarities to Google's standalone outer connectivity, for example. 

Also: The Apple Watch Series 11 is 1 diagnostic distant from making maine ditch my Oura Ring

It made maine wonder, what different similarities (and differences) bash the 2 competing smartwatches have? And which of the latest models should you buy? 

First: a spot astir privacy

The Apple Watch SE 3 (left), Apple Watch Ultra 3 (middle), Apple Watch Series 11 (right).

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

Before I delve into the existent specs, I wanted to notation a large quality betwixt the 2 brands: privacy. Smartwatches cod tons of wellness data, including bosom complaint data, menstrual rhythm data, humor oxygen, sleep, and more. That's immoderate of the astir invaluable information you tin springiness up. 

A recent report published by VPN Mentor rated Apple's data-sharing practices arsenic "excellent" portion Google's were rated arsenic "good." Apple shares information lone with idiosyncratic permission, and claims to ne'er merchantability data.

Also: New survey volition way 40,000 Garmin smartwatch users to amended recognize gestation outcomes

Google shares your information wrong its ecosystem, and performs opt-in third-party sharing, but nary advertisement targeting. Also enactment that a "Good" standing is amended than different brands' products, similar Samsung oregon Meta, some of which person received "poor" ratings for their data-sharing to make personalized ads oregon biometric information sharing with constricted opt-outs. 

Still, if information privateness is of the highest value to you, it's indispensable to support these things successful caput earlier putting a wellness tracker connected your wrist. Now that that's retired of the way, let's compare. 

Specifications

You should bargain the Apple Watch Series 11 if...

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

1. You similar a thinner, lighter watch 

I've gone hands connected with some the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Pixel Watch 4. While I was excited by immoderate of Pixel's diagnostic updates -- similar its brighter show -- 1 hardware hurdle I couldn't leap implicit was its sheer thickness. 

The Series 11 is bladed and feels airy to wear. The Pixel… does not. While I haven't gotten to trial retired the Pixel Watch 4 for much than a fewer minutes (during demos of the product) I slept with the Pixel Watch 3, which is akin successful build. The thicker lawsuit and circular physique of the Watch 3 made it much challenging to slumber with compared to the Apple Watch Series 11. 

2. You privation precocious wellness capabilities 

Apple has made investments successful its wellness initiatives successful caller years, gathering FDA clearance for respective features, including proceeding nonaccomplishment successful its AirPods Pro, slumber apnea detection, and the precocious unveiled hypertension detection.

As a wellness device, I'd urge Apple's Series 11, which I'd picture arsenic a wellness tracker archetypal and foremost, arsenic opposed to the Pixel Watch 4, which I'd picture arsenic an AI smartwatch that conscionable truthful happens to person precocious health-tracking capabilities. 

Also: Apple Watch SE 3 vs. Watch SE 2: I compared the 2 models, and there's a wide winner

There's nary amended illustration of this than Apple's hypertension detection feature. Over 30 days, the smartwatch tracks your humor unit and notifies you if you're supra the threshold. It's a unsocial diagnostic to Apple, and I don't spot immoderate different wearable offering a precocious humor unit detection rather similar it. 

Pair it with slumber apnea detection, oregon Apple's precocious re-implemented humor oxygen monitoring, and the effect is an precocious suite of certified features. Competing wellness wearables, similar Samsung oregon Google, airy successful examination to Apple's wellness wearable probe and development.   

You should bargain the Pixel Watch 4 if...

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

1. You privation a longer artillery life 

What bully is simply a smartwatch astir your wrist if it's dead? The Apple Watch Series 11 received six much hours of artillery beingness successful this upgrade, from 18 to present a afloat day's worth, but the Pixel Watch 4 inactive beats it, with 30 hours of artillery beingness total. 

2. You don't privation to wage other for outer communications 

Both Apple and Google unveiled outer connectivity features connected their smartwatches, allowing users to nonstop messages and get assistance without a telephone nearby. The lone quality is its exclusivity to Apple's higher-end Ultra 3. The Pixel Watch 4, connected the different hand, gets this diagnostic astatine nary other outgo oregon Ultra upgrade. 

Also: The 10 Apple Watch features that convinced maine to power to the wearable full-time

3. You privation a brighter display

Apple's Series 11 has a highest brightness of 2,000 nits, portion the Pixel Watch 4 offers 1,000 nits more. Both watches are inactive plentifulness agleam contempt their nit difference, and unless you were comparing the 2 connected a peculiarly agleam day, you mightiness not adjacent notice. Out of each the specs to nitpick (pun intended), this mightiness beryllium the slightest instantly noticeable.

4. You privation to wage little for an arsenic susceptible device

The Pixel Watch's starting terms begins astatine $350, portion the Apple Watch Series 11 starts astatine $400.

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