Power Up: Exploring Google’s Innovative Charger for the Pixel Watch 4

The Pixel Watch 4 is arguably the best looking smartwatch on the market. When you consider that the biggest design changes on the new model are a curvier glass dome, a larger display and slimmer bezels, you could’ve said the same thing about its predecessor. And while the Pixel Watch 4 also features improved health and fitness tracking and a more lively UI, the best thing about Google’s latest wearable isn’t even the watch itself. On the Pixel Watch 4, the charger is by far the biggest upgrade.

The came with a wireless charging puck, which was super convenient and easy to use. I also appreciated that even though it didn’t officially support the Qi wireless standard, you could reverse charge it with your phone just as long as you positioned it just right. That meant for short trips like a weekend getaway, you could simply leave the charger at home and travel super light while relying on your phone to pull double duty. The issue was that even in ideal conditions, the watch charged slowly, and when combined with lackluster battery life, you often ended up with a device that ran out of juice at inopportune times.

For the , Google sought to address this by switching to a charging cradle with pins that offered a higher power output. This is where my frustrations began. Because the pins on the charger needed to be aligned precisely, you could only mount the watch one way (i.e., the crown had to point the same direction as the charger’s wire). This might not sound like a big deal, but it made keeping the watch topped off harder than it should have been and often felt just as finicky as the “unsupported” phone-based reverse wireless charging available on its predecessor.

The really annoying part is that the connection between the watch and the charger was so particular that I lost count of the number of times I thought I connected the watch to the puck before going about my normal morning routine, only to come back 45 minutes later to a still dead wristpiece. So not only did Google trade convenience for marginally faster charging (which still wasn’t speedy enough imo), the company made the whole process more unreliable. And much to my dismay, the used the same charger as the Watch 2.

But on the Pixel Watch 4, Google provides a new cradle that makes almost everything so much better. Instead of charging pins, there are just two little contacts that touch the side of the watch. The added benefit of this is that now the screen is positioned vertically instead of lying flat on the table, which allows the watch’s display to also double as a little clock while it’s recharging. Cute and useful! Also, due to the charger’s design, there’s no confusion about which way you need to place the watch — there’s a dial in the way on the “wrong” side. No amount of fiddling will make the watch sit right if you place it incorrectly. I just wish the charger had a USB-C port instead of a captured cable, so if anything happens to the cord, you could simply swap in another instead of potentially having to replace the entire thing.

Of course, the biggest benefit is significantly improved charging speeds. To best illustrate the difference, I took the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Watch 4, connected them to their respective chargers and recorded their battery percentage every 10 minutes for an hour. And just to make things as fair as possible, I used as the power adapter for both.

Pixel Watch 4: A Game-Changer in Fast Charging

When it comes to smartwatches, one of the most crucial aspects is battery life and charging speed. The Pixel Watch 4 has set a new standard in this regard, outperforming its predecessor, the Pixel Watch 3, in a significant way.

After just 30 minutes, the Pixel Watch 4 reached an impressive 94 percent charge, leaving the Pixel Watch 3 far behind at 58 percent. The Pixel Watch 3 struggled to reach even 85 percent after an hour, requiring an additional 20 minutes to hit 90 percent. The Pixel Watch 4 not only powers up faster but also boasts a superior charging curve, effectively cutting daily recharging time in half.

Google has addressed the Pixel Watch’s battery life concerns with the Pixel Watch 4, offering faster charging and improved longevity. Users can easily enjoy two and a half days of battery life, even with the always-on display enabled. While the ideal scenario would involve weekly charging, the Pixel Watch 4’s enhanced charging capabilities make the process seamless and convenient.

The Pixel Watch 4 stands out not only for its charging capabilities but also for its sleek and modern design. With enhancements such as a larger, curved glass screen and reduced bezels, it sets a new standard for smartwatch aesthetics, offering a visually appealing option for consumers.

Transform the following sentence: “She will be attending the conference next week.”

Into: “The conference will be attended by her next week.”