I’ve spent the past few months diving deep into the new Apple Watch Series 12, Google Pixel Watch 5, and Samsung Galaxy Watch 9. In fact, I wrote long-form reviews of the latter two and have tested the former head-to-head against the competition over a dozen times.
Hi, I’m Dan, and I lead our smartwatch coverage here at Tom’s Guide, and I often get asked, “OS preference aside, which smartwatch from the BIG THREE would I actually buy in 2026?”
It’s a difficult question to answer, given that all three models have advantages over their competitors. Moreover, Apple, Google, and Samsung all make seriously lovely wearables — some of the best smartwatches in 2026 — brimming with smart, health, safety, and connectivity features.
But enough excuses. Below, I’ve compared the Apple Watch 12, Pixel Watch 5, and Galaxy Watch 9 across six categories — cost, design, display, fitness/recovery features, health/safety features, and battery — with a winner or winners declared for each. If you’re short on time, you can find my ultimate verdict at the very end.
The Apple Watch Series 12 (42mm) and Pixel Watch 5 (41mm) each start at $399 for the smaller respective models without cellular. (Note: The Pixel Watch 5 is currently $100 off at Amazon.) The Galaxy Watch 9 (40mm) is a tiny bit cheaper, starting at $379.
If you spring for the larger size with cellular connectivity, the Apple Watch Series 12 (46mm) is the priciest at $549, followed by the Pixel Watch 5 (45mm) at $529, with the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 (44mm) being the best bargain of the fully-loaded big boys at $459.
Based on value alone, Samsung wins this category; however, a savings of $20 to $100 is unlikely to be the determining factor in which smartwatch I’d ultimately buy. Moreover, I prefer smaller watches and don't really need cellular, diminishing Samsung’s pricing advantage.
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The Apple Watch Series 12, Google Pixel Watch 5, and Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 are all extremely well-built, durable, and comfortable devices based on my extended testing. Each boasts 50 meters of water resistance, enough for surface-level swims, with metal cases and scratch-resistant displays.
No matter which model you go with, you get two physical controls along the side of the case. On the Galaxy Watch 9, those controls come in the form of two identical-looking buttons. On the Pixel Watch 5 and Apple Watch 12, you get a physical button and a digital crown that can be both turned and pressed, making it more valuable than a standard button.
As a result, I prefer the controls of the latest Apple Watch and Pixel Watch to those of the newest Galaxy Watch.
Each of the major manufacturers has settled on a unique case shape. Apple is a square, Google is a circle, and Samsung is a squarish circle.
In 2026, each of the major full-featured smartwatch manufacturers has settled on a unique case shape. Apple is a square, Google is a circle, and Samsung is a squarish circle. Of the three shapes, I prefer Apple’s the best.
The Galaxy Watch 9’s circular display mounted on a rounded square case results in what feels like wasted space around the bezel. Meanwhile, the Pixel Watch 5’s circular case coupled with its domed Actua 360 circular display makes the watch feel a little too bubbly/sit rather high on my wrist.
With the best controls and sleekest case design, Apple gets my nod in this category.
All three of these smartwatches sport…
