REVIEW: Hands on with the Google Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel 8 phone

Rory Cashin

We’ve spent some time with more of Google’s latest devices.

Last week, we reviewed the Google Pixel 8 Pro phone device, so if you want to know more about that one, right here. It is a tremendous phone and if you’re looking for an upscale phone, then that should be your go to.

If you’re looking for something a bit smaller and a bit cheaper, then the non-Pro version of the Pixel 8 might be your way to go. The biggest differences between the devices come down to mostly indistinguishable differences.

The Pixel 8’s screen display size is 6.2 inches, down from the Pro’s 6.7 inches. The main cameras are identical, with the biggest differences being with each device’s telephoto lens, as the 8 Pro has 48MP capability, compared to the non-Pro’s 12MP.

Additionally, the memory in the Pixel 8 comes in 8GB, with the storage tapping out at 256GB, compared to the Pro’s 12GB memory/1TB storage, but pretty much everything else under the hood – in terms of processing and operating systems and all those workings – are identical.

Maybe the most important difference is the price, with the Pixel 8 ranging from €799 to €859, depending on storage size, resulting in a difference of between €300 to €450 with the Pixel 8 Pro pricings. Basically, if you need a very good phone but you don’t need the very best phone, then the Pixel 8 is the one for you.

And then we’ve got the Google Pixel Watch 2.

For anyone who is looking for the perfect accessory for keeping track of their fitness, without losing any of the high-end tech specs you’d come to expect with a decent accompanying watch device, then the Pixel Watch 2 is an absolute must-buy. It also helps that it is extremely comfortable to wear.

Containing the fitness app technology of Fitbit, you get the absolute cutting edge if you’re particularly interested in keeping track of your weight, steps, BPM and it even goes so far as checking for irregular heartbeats, as well as your sleeping pattern and offering ways to help you relax.

The fact that Google have folded that into the much more attractive package of their own Pixel Watch OS and design is sort of genius. The Pixel Watch 2 is the perfect accompaniment for the Pixel 8. While it has also the features you’d expect from the accessory – checking messages, emails, operating Spotify, etc. – it is the extras that make it stand out, such as using the watch face as the countdown timer for the camera on your phone, meaning you can set your Pixel 8 up meters away and snap away.

Maybe the only downside we could find is that the device we could find is that the battery would only just about last the 24 hours, meaning you’d need to pick a time of day to give it its daily charge if you wanted to keep it on at night to keep track of your sleep data.

The Google Pixel Watch 2 is available to purchase on the Google Store for €399.

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