Google Pixel Watch 5: once again, there will be very little hardware

Recent information that has emerged about the Google Play Console confirms that the Pixel Watch 5 will follow a path of strong continuity with the past.

Internally identified with the codename “godric“, the new Google wrist device will share with the previous models not only the external design, but also much of the technical specifications.

The most significant novelty lies in the memory department, where RAM rises for the first time to support functionalities based on Gemini Intelligence, while the architecture of the main processor remains substantially unchanged.

Pixel Watch 5, specs leaked thanks to the Google Play Console

The chip appearing in Google’s database indicates the use of the Qualcomm SW5100 platform, the same compute base adopted on Pixel Watch 2, Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Watch 4. The processor configuration includes 4x ARM Cortex-A53 cores with operating frequency up to 1.7 GHz, alongside the Qualcomm Adreno 702 GPU set to 1.0 GHz.

This hardware choice repeats a well-known setup. Big G introduced the Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 at 4 nm with the Pixel Watch 2, then moved to the Snapdragon W5 Gen 2 on the Pixel Watch 4 in order to handle SOS satellite connectivity, while updating the coprocessor from the ARM Cortex-M33 to the M55.

The current documentation for the Pixel Watch 5 does not mention updates to the secondary coprocessor, which makes the reuse of the entire previous architecture very likely.

Google’s decision appears particularly conservative when analyzed against the moves of direct competitors. By way of comparison, the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 adopts the chip Snapdragon Wear Elite produced with a 3 nm process, featuring a Cortex-A78 core combined with 4x Cortex-A55 cores, a configuration capable of delivering a clear performance leap and greater energy efficiency.

More memory for AI and small aesthetic tweaks

The main upgrade of the Pixel Watch 5 lies in high-speed memory allocation, which increases from 2 GB to 3 GB of RAM. This marks the first increase of this type since Google entered the smartwatch market.

This increase is intended to ensure the compute headroom needed to run Gemini Intelligence functions. On the other hand, the rival Samsung has chosen to keep 2 GB of RAM on its latest models.

The entry on the Google Play Console includes a preview image that reflects the design already emerged through recent leaks.

In the screenshot there is a new analog dial designed according to the Neural Expressive design language tied to the Gemini ecosystem, confirming how Google is focusing its efforts on integrating software and AI services rather than redesigning the physical components.