The Pixel Watch 4 Is the Most Repairable Smartwatch on the Market

Hot news from the teardown table: The most repairable smartwatch on the market isn’t from Fairphone or Framework. It’s from Google.

The Pixel Watch 4 looks nearly identical to last year’s model on the outside, but inside it’s been completely reengineered for repairability. Gone is the glue, the frustration, and the heartbreak. In its place: screws, seals, and pure design joy. 

Smartwatches aren’t a particularly repairable category; most watches on the market have earned 3s and 4s out of 10. This design, on the other hand, has truly impressed us.

Before we dive in, a quick note. iFixit does have a business relationship with Google that’s unrelated to our teardown work (our editorial team tries hard to stay out of the business side of things). But if we sound extra giddy here, that’s because this thing is actually repairable, and we can’t help ourselves.

Visible Screws, Hidden Genius

From the moment we unstrapped it, we could tell something was different. The Pixel Watch 4 shows its screws proudly, and for once, that’s a good sign. Each tiny screw has its own O-ring, maintaining water resistance while still granting access. That’s a huge leap from the hermetically sealed Apple Watch Ultra 3 we tore down a few days ago.

The 2IP screws sealing the Pixel Watch 4 shut each have a tiny O-ring for waterproofing.

Using just three Torx Plus bits (1IP, 2IP, and 5IP), a spudger, and tweezers, we were inside in minutes. No heat, no solvent, no glue. Two of those outer screws even double as part of a hinge mechanism that gently compresses the rear seal when tightened, a clever trick that keeps the watch waterproof while simplifying assembly.

Everything you need to replace an Apple Watch Series 10 battery (left) vs. everything you need to replace a Pixel Watch 4 battery (right). We know which one we’d rather work on.

This rear-entry approach is a complete rethink of smartwatch design. Where other watches (cough, Apple) tease repairability with decorative screws, Google actually delivers. You can open the back, keep the sensor glass connected, and safely replace the components inside.

Finally, a Truly Replaceable Smartwatch Battery!

Under the backplate sits a vibration motor that ditches fragile flex cables for sturdy pogo pin contacts. It’s secured with screws, two of which also hold down the battery bracket. That’s a neat bit of screw efficiency we appreciate.

Pogo pin contacts, like these connecting the vibration motor, are much less likely to break during a repair.

And the battery itself is a dream. Two screws and one connector later, it’s free. No adhesive to fuss with. The 1.747 Wh cell is a noticeable upgrade from the Pixel Watch 2’s 1.184 Wh pack, and you can replace it in minutes with basic tools.

Just Gaskets, No Glue

Even the display follows the screw-and-gasket philosophy. Instead of adhesive, Google uses a replaceable O-ring gasket, just like a traditional dive watch. That design keeps an IP68 water resistance rating without sacrificing access. 

Circular screens make gasket sealing easier, and Google is taking full advantage of that geometry. It’s simple, serviceable, and sustainable. We expect replacement gaskets to be available soon, which is the kind of long-term thinking we love to see.

Inside, Modern Smartwatch Silicon

Pop out the mainboard and you’ll find a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ Gen 2 processor sitting under a Biwin memory package that bundles 2 GB of LPDDR4X RAM with 32 GB of NAND flash. 

This is modern smartwatch silicon at its finest, built on a board that’s refreshingly easy to remove and rework.

Designed for Service

Everything inside this watch points toward a repair-first design philosophy. Google released full service manuals for both the 41mm and 45mm watches on launch day (minus schematics), and we expect replacement batteries and screens to follow. Bands are already widely available. (We’ve also got guides up, for what it’s worth. We love an official repair manual but we’re partial to our style, of course.)

That serviceable design and repair infrastructure is a big deal. The exterior may look familiar, but the internals are brand new, engineered from the ground up to be maintainable.

See this easy-to-repair design for yourself in this interactive CT scan, courtesy our Lumafield Neptune machine:

A 9 out of 10, and a Standing Ovation

We give the Pixel Watch 4 a provisional 9 out of 10 for repairability. Screw-based construction, replaceable gaskets, easy battery access, and zero adhesive put it far ahead of the pack.

More importantly, this teardown shows that repairable design doesn’t have to come at the cost of water resistance, sleek looks, or performance. It just takes a company willing to rethink its approach.

We’ve seen Google stumble on repairability before (looking at you, original Pixel Watch), but this is a complete turnaround. Instead of heat mats, shattered glass, or hidden traps, we get an elegant, thoughtful smartwatch designed to be opened, fixed, and worn again.

The Pixel Watch 4 might just be the first mainstream smartwatch to make repairability cool. And we’ll happily raise a spudger to that.