If you're interested in upgrading your smartwatch and are trying to choose between the latest modelGoogle Pixel Watch 4 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, you've arrived at the perfect spot. Both made it to our list of thebest smartwatches,and both are top choices if you favor Android compared to iOS.
Both timepieces are built for continuous wear, and they monitor far more than just step counts — each one will track your heart rate, sleep patterns, menstrual cycle, and other metrics. However, as a fitness editor with over ten years of experience evaluating watches, this is always where I begin when assessing new models. If you're investing hundreds of dollars in a watch, you should expect it to handle the fundamentals effectively.
To learn more, I fastened both watches to my wrist and walked 11,000 steps, simultaneously keeping a manual count of my steps. After returning home, I transferred all the data and checked how accurate each watch was. Continue reading to discover my findings.
I walked 11,000 steps using the Google Pixel 4 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 — here's what occurred
Both timepieces track your steps through an internal accelerometer that detects the motion of your arm. Each movement is counted as two steps. It makes no difference if you wear the watch on your dominant or non-dominant hand, or if you're walking with your hands in your pockets or carrying an item; the accelerometer should still detect your body's movement.
I divided my steps into three distinct walks around the city between meetings and office visits. Here are the outcomes:
Walk one
Manual recording | 4,209 steps |
Google Pixel Watch 4 | 4,218 steps |
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 | 4,214 steps |
Walk two
Manual recording | 2,688 steps |
Google Pixel Watch 4 | 2,702 steps |
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 | 2,710 steps |
Walk three
Manual recording | 4,842 steps |
Google Pixel Watch 4 | 4,865 steps |
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 | 4,838 steps |
Totals
Manual recording | 11,739 steps |
Google Pixel Watch 4 | 11,785 steps |
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 | 11,752 steps |
As you can observe from the results, this one is extremely accurate. Indeed, I have been conducting these walking tests on Tom’s Guide for many years, and this is among the most challenging ones I've encountered recently. The Google Pixel Watch 4 overcounted by 46 steps, while the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 was off by just 13 steps, making it nearly flawless.
Of course, 50 steps is very small over the course of five miles. The average person walks 2,000 steps per mile, so we're really being picky here, and both watches are very precise in tracking steps.
When choosing between the two watches, the decision becomes somewhat more complex. Both models begin at a price of $349 and offer a wide range of smartwatch functionalities along with health and fitness capabilities. In terms of health features, the Google Pixel Watch 4 includes Fitbit, but accessing its more sophisticated health tools requires an additional fee. To utilize advanced features like the Pixel Watch 4’s Personal AI Coach, which modifies your daily workout difficulty according to your sleep patterns and heart rate variability, you'll need a Fitbit Premium subscription.
The Samsung Watch 8 includes all the fitness features added over the years: enhanced sleep tracking with chronotype classifications, FDA-approved sleep apnea detection, a daily energy rating, BIA body composition analysis, temperature-based cycle monitoring, an Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) Index for metabolic health, and additional functionalities.
Both timepieces are outstanding when it comes to health monitoring, and we will be conducting further comparisons in the future, but know for sure, if youare Someone who monitors your daily steps, both do so very effectively, so unlike me, you don't have to track them.
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More from Tom's Guide
- I walked 14,000 steps using the Garmin Forerunner 570 compared to the Galaxy Watch 8 — and I'm surprised by the outcomes
- Apple Watch 10 vs. Pixel Watch 4 — Which One Offers Superior Performance as a Smartwatch?
- I used the Google Pixel Watch 4 for two weeks and it's the most advanced smartwatch I've ever tried — here's what makes it special
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