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I've tested the Apple Watch 12, Galaxy Watch 9 and Pixel Watch 5 — here is the smartwatch I'd buy with my own money

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I've tested the Apple Watch 12, Galaxy Watch 9 and Pixel Watch 5 — here is the smartwatch I'd buy with my own money

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 .


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