GoKawiilManufacturer or Full Name/ZDNET
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
One of the first tests I conduct while evaluating smartwatches is GPS location accuracy -- I want to see how close it can track my actual path. Most of the time, the overall distance is fairly close, but zooming in on the GPS track reveals differences in where I walked. Google focused heavily on improving the accuracy of its location tracking in the Pixel Watch 5, so I took it out running, walking, and biking with a Garmin Fenix 8 Pro over the past few weeks to compare.
Also: The best smartwatches of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed
Garmin watches have been the standard by which I've measured others over the past many years and they have held up well, particularly in GPS tracking. Obviously there's a significant price difference between the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro -- starting at $950 -- and the Google Pixel Watch 5 at just $400, so we won't get into the value proposition in this discussion.
Let's take a look at Google's accuracy claims and a few other key differences between these two watches.
Specifications
Google Pixel Watch 5 Garmin Fenix 8 Pro Display 1.77-inch Actua 360 AMOLED, 320 ppi 1.4-inch AMOLED, 454x454 pixels Weight (without strap) 36.7g 65g Dimensions 45x45x12.3 mm 51x51x16.5 Battery life (AOD off) 72 hours 15 days Battery life (AOD on) 40 hours 27 days Durability 5 ATM, IP68 10 ATM, 40m diving
Storage 64GB 32GB Price $529
$1,049
... continue reading