Average score
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
3.9
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.2
activity auto-detection
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Reliable auto-workout detection was praised in multiple reviews, especially for catching walks automatically without much manual input.

app ecosystem
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.3

Garmin’s app stack is described as robust and golf-focused, giving users fitness, shot, and round data without needing a broader smartwatch app ecosystem.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Reviews consistently praised Wear OS app breadth and the watch’s tight integration with Google services and apps.

band quality
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.3

The silicone band is viewed positively overall, with praise for comfort, function, interchangeability, and a durable feel.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.7

The included band was comfortable and secure, but some reviewers found the default/first-party strap options plain or pricey.

battery life
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.6

Battery life is one of the watch’s standout strengths, with repeated claims of multi-round use, around 14 days in smartwatch mode, and roughly 20 hours of GPS use.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Battery life was a meaningful improvement, with the 45mm often reaching about two days, while the 41mm remained good rather than class-leading.

blood oxygen tracking
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.0

Multiple reviews note Pulse Ox or blood oxygen tracking as part of the watch’s fitness toolkit, but they discuss availability rather than medical-grade precision.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.2

SpO2 tracking is present, and one reviewer said the sleep-related oxygen data matched expected baseline patterns.

Bluetooth connectivity
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.0

Bluetooth phone pairing underpins wind data, notifications, and syncing features, and reviews treat that connection as a normal part of using the watch well.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.2

Bluetooth behavior was stable in use, and Google’s Bluetooth 5.3/connectivity refinements were called out positively.

brightness
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
3.8

Brightness feedback is mixed: some reviewers call the screen super bright, while others say it is dimmer than hoped or less readable than top rivals.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.8

The jump to a brighter 2,000-nit screen was one of the most consistently praised upgrades.

build quality
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.5

Build quality gets strong marks thanks to the ceramic bezel and premium-feeling construction that reviewers saw as suitable for both sport and daily wear.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.2

Reviewers said the watch feels more refined and better built than earlier Pixel Watches, even if it is not meant for rough abuse.

button controls
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.2

Physical buttons remain useful alongside the touchscreen, especially for quick navigation and gloved use.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.4

The crown/button setup was generally praised for smooth scrolling, good feel, and useful shortcuts.

call handling
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
1.8

Call handling is limited: reviewers note that you cannot truly take calls on the watch, and one review says only Android users get partial text or call controls.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.0

Call-handling extras such as hold/screening features add convenience, though this is more about ecosystem utility than speakerphone quality.

calorie tracking usefulness
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.2

Calorie data was considered useful enough for general training context, but at least one reviewer questioned how accurate the burn estimates felt.

charging convenience
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
2.5

Charging convenience is weaker because Garmin’s proprietary cable is seen as less handy than a standard USB-C solution.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.1

Charging works securely, but the proprietary pin puck and lack of wireless charging reduce convenience.

charging speed
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.0

Charging speed is only lightly discussed, but one review explicitly says the charger juices the watch up fast.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Charging speed was widely seen as improved, making quick top-offs easy.

coaching features
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.1

Virtual Caddie and plays-like guidance are feature-rich and often praised, but several reviewers also warn that trust in the recommendations depends on data quality and personal preference.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.6

Guided runs, workout builder tools, AI suggestions, and live cues were among the strongest new fitness additions.

comfort
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.3

Comfort is one of the watch’s quieter strengths, with reviewers calling it light, comfortable, and easy to wear for long stretches.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

The watch and stock band were regularly described as comfortable for all-day wear and overnight tracking.

companion app quality
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.3

Garmin Golf is described as intuitive, robust, and central to getting the most from the S62, especially for reviewing rounds and stats after play.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Fitbit app presentation and dashboards were repeatedly praised as clean, useful, and rich in data.

contactless payments
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.1

Garmin Pay is a recurring convenience win, letting users make touchless payments and leave the wallet behind.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Google Wallet/contactless payment support was widely treated as a standard, useful smartwatch feature.

cross-platform compatibility
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.3

Cross-platform support is a strength, with reviewers explicitly saying the S62 works with both iOS and Android.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.4

It works broadly with Android phones, but reviewers repeatedly noted the lack of iPhone support and some Pixel-only extras.

customization options
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.0

Customization is modest but real, with downloadable watch faces and interchangeable strap options giving users some room to personalize the watch.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Watch faces, complications, and tiles offer substantial customization, especially on the larger screen.

display quality
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.5

The larger, sharper color display is generally well liked for maps and hole views, making on-course information easier to read and use.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.8

Display quality was one of the watch’s clearest strengths, with sharp OLED visuals and more usable screen space.

durability
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.5

Durability is supported by comments about the band, materials, and outdoor-ready construction rather than by long-term abuse testing.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.3

Durability remains a tradeoff: some owners avoided scratches, but others reported scratching and noted the lack of rugged protection.

ECG functionality
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.0

ECG support is present and treated as a meaningful health feature, though it was not a major focus of deep testing.

fit
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.5

Fit is well judged for golf use, with reviewers saying it sits comfortably enough for daily wear and does not interfere with the swing.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Both sizes were said to sit well on the wrist, with the 45mm adding space without becoming unwieldy.

fitness tracking accuracy
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

General fitness tracking accuracy was viewed positively overall across multiple reviewers.

GPS accuracy
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.8

GPS performance is one of the strongest themes, with reviewers saying distances were spot on, on par with rangefinders, and consistently dependable on course.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.0

GPS was the weakest fitness metric, with repeated notes about wobble, drift, or distance errors versus stronger rivals.

health tracking accuracy
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Reviewers generally trusted the broader health stack for exercise and sleep tracking.

heart rate accuracy
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.8

Heart-rate tracking was one of the product’s standout strengths, often matching chest straps or top rivals closely.

LTE connectivity
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.0

LTE support is available across the lineup, though few reviews deeply evaluated LTE performance itself.

materials quality
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.2

Gorilla Glass and aluminum materials give the watch a polished, premium-feeling finish.

menu navigation
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.5

Menu navigation is widely described as easy to learn, with only a small learning curve before the mix of buttons and touch starts to feel natural.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.2

The grid app launcher and simple navigation flow made moving around the watch easier than before.

music controls
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
3.8

Music control support is present for phone playback, but the watch is discussed more as a controller than as a self-contained music device.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.2

Music and playback controls were easy to access during workouts and from the general UI.

onboard music storage
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
1.0

One review explicitly calls out the lack of onboard music storage, making this a clear weakness for users who want phone-free listening.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.0

The watch supports offline music/maps and some standalone streaming, making onboard storage meaningfully useful.

operating system experience
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Wear OS on the Pixel Watch 3 was widely described as polished and mature.

outdoor visibility
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.1

Outdoor visibility is mostly praised, with several reviewers saying the screen is easy to read in bright sun, though not everyone found it best in class.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.8

Sunlight readability was repeatedly singled out as a big improvement over earlier models.

pairing reliability
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.5

Pairing is generally described as quick and reliable, though one reviewer reported an early setup hiccup before later trouble-free use.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Pairing/connection behavior was stable, including better persistent Bluetooth pairing and smooth phone transfers.

recovery insights
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.0

Recovery-oriented feedback comes through Garmin’s recharge and Body Battery features, giving users a simple read on how rested they are.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.4

Readiness and load guidance were generally seen as useful and fairly true to how reviewers actually felt.

reliability
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.0

Reliability is mostly positive after setup, with reviewers describing later use as trouble-free and the watch as ready when picked up between rounds.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.4

Day-to-day reliability looked solid overall, but software update bumps prevented a spotless verdict.

safety features
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.8

Fall/crash detection and Loss of Pulse were viewed as genuinely valuable safety additions.

size options
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
5.0

The new 45mm option was one of the generation’s biggest upgrades and broadened the watch’s appeal.

sleep tracking accuracy
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Sleep timing and stage estimates were generally reported as closely matching real-world experience.

smartphone notifications
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.1

Phone-linked notifications are a consistent plus, with support for texts, emails, calls, and other alerts helping the S62 feel like a real everyday smartwatch.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.4

Notifications were prompt and remain a core strength of the smartwatch experience.

smartwatch features
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.3

The S62 earns repeated praise for doing much more than golf, blending golf tools with notifications, payments, fitness tracking, and everyday smartwatch utility.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.8

Smart-home controls, Google TV remote, Recorder, camera controls, and other wrist utilities make the watch feel feature-rich.

software smoothness
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.5

Speed and smoothness are strong positives, with reviewers calling the watch fast, fluid, and almost instantaneous in key on-course interactions.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

App loading and general UI movement were frequently described as smooth and lag-free.

step counting accuracy
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.5

Step counting tested very well in at least one direct comparison.

stress tracking
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.0

Stress tracking is repeatedly listed among the health features and is framed as a useful wellness extra rather than a core golf reason to buy the watch.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.7

Stress sensing/cEDA showed promise, but opinions were mixed on how actionable it feels versus rival platforms.

style and design
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.3

Style is a consistent positive, with reviewers describing the S62 as sporty, modern, slick, and wearable both on and off the course.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.8

The pebble-like design was frequently called stylish, elegant, and distinctive.

third-party app support
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
2.0

Third-party app support is a weak point, with reviewers noting that Wear OS and Apple watchOS app breadth is out of reach here.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.9

Third-party app support is good by Wear OS standards, though not entirely flawless.

touchscreen responsiveness
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.3

Touch input is generally effective and is a key part of why the S62 feels more capable than simpler golf watches.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.7

Touch response is strong in normal use, but sweaty or wet interactions can suffer.

user interface
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.3

The interface is praised for making hazard and distance information easy to summon and use during play.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.2

The interface was commonly described as intuitive and easy to learn.

value for money
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
3.8

Value is the main tradeoff: many reviewers think the feature set justifies the price for serious golfers, but several also stress that casual players may be better served by cheaper options.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.4

Reviewers liked the overall experience, but price came up often as a drawback versus Samsung and some other rivals.

voice assistant quality
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
1.0

Voice assistant support is effectively absent, with one reviewer explicitly noting that there is no Siri-type feature.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.7

Assistant performance was fine and responsive, but the absence of Gemini kept it from feeling cutting-edge.

watch face quality
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.7

Watch faces are flexible and usable, but several reviewers wanted more variety or deeper customization.

water resistance
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.0

Water resistance is a clear plus, with reviewers describing the watch as waterproof or safe for swimming and wet conditions.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.2

IP68/5ATM protection makes it suitable for swimming and everyday water exposure.

wellness insights
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.0

Reviewers highlight broader wellness tools like heart rate, steps, Pulse Ox, stress, sleep, and Body Battery, making the watch useful between rounds too.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.4

Morning Brief, Readiness, and load metrics were widely seen as genuinely useful wellness additions.

Wi-Fi connectivity
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
No score yet
Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
4.0

Wi‑Fi support is standard and Google also highlighted faster 5GHz connectivity on this model.

workout tracking variety
Product 1: Garmin Approach S62
4.0

Beyond golf, reviewers mention sports modes and fitness tracking for activities like swimming, cycling, running, and other workouts, giving the S62 broader training range.

Product 2: Google Pixel Watch 3
3.6

The watch supports many workout types, but reviewers noted that Google still prioritizes runners over some other athletes.