Garmin CIRQA vs Pixel Watch 5: Which One Actually Tracks Better

Two very different wearables, one very real question: does a screenless fitness band like the Garmin CIRQA hold up against a full smartwatch like the Pixel Watch 5 when it comes to the numbers that actually matter? With both devices now out in the wild and getting put through real workouts by independent testers, the early data is starting to paint a clear picture.

Two Different Approaches to the Same Job

The Pixel Watch 5 is a traditional smartwatch: display, apps, notifications, and fitness tracking layered on top. The Garmin CIRQA takes the opposite approach entirely. It’s a screenless band, closer in spirit to a WHOOP or Fitbit Air than to anything with a touchscreen, built around the idea that the sensor matters more than the interface.

That difference in philosophy shows up immediately in daily wear. The CIRQA’s module sits noticeably longer and covers more skin than something like a WHOOP band, though testers note it’s thinner and lighter, and comfortable enough for extended wear, including on the bicep instead of the wrist. The Pixel Watch 5, by contrast, wears like any other smartwatch, with the tradeoffs and benefits that come with a screen on your wrist.

Heart Rate Accuracy

This is where things get interesting. In a side-by-side 5K run test that included the Pixel Watch 5, the Garmin CIRQA, and a Galaxy Watch 9, testers found the CIRQA and Pixel Watch 5 tracked each other closely for most of the run, occasionally diverging by several beats per minute during pace changes before syncing back up. Both devices notably outperformed the Galaxy Watch 9 in that particular test, which showed a heart rate spike that took several minutes to correct.

Separate in-depth accuracy testing on the CIRQA, run against a Polar chest strap reference and multiple other wearables, found its optical sensor performs well across gym sessions, yoga, and cycling, with results that closely matched independent reference devices. That’s a strong showing for a screenless band, historically the category where accuracy claims are hardest to verify.

GPS Tracking

Here the Pixel Watch 5 has a genuine edge. Independent GPS testing found the Pixel Watch 5 handled tricky urban routes, tall buildings, and dense city blocks noticeably better than Garmin, correctly tracking the runner’s position on streets where other devices lost the thread entirely. For anyone doing the bulk of their training outdoors in a city, that’s a meaningful practical difference, and it’s worth noting the CIRQA doesn’t have onboard GPS at all in the same way a GPS watch does, relying instead on connected phone data for route mapping.

Battery Life and Everyday Use

This is where the CIRQA’s screenless design pays off. Testers consistently point to battery burn as one of the bigger differences between screenless bands and full smartwatches, with the CIRQA needing far less frequent charging than a display-equipped device like the Pixel Watch 5. The tradeoff, as always with this category, is no display for at-a-glance information: no checking your heart rate mid-run without pulling out your phone, no notifications on your wrist.

The CIRQA does have one advantage over some of its screenless rivals: it includes a physical button and supports data broadcasting over ANT+ and Bluetooth, letting it pair with other fitness equipment and platforms more easily than some fully closed screenless systems.

Subscription Model

One point testers keep highlighting in the CIRQA’s favour: core health, sleep, and training metrics don’t require an ongoing subscription, unlike the model WHOOP built its business around. That makes the upfront cost comparison against a full year of a subscription-based band look considerably more favourable for anyone who wants the data without an annual fee attached.

Which One Should You Pick

If GPS accuracy on runs through dense urban environments is the priority, the Pixel Watch 5 currently has the edge based on independent testing. If the goal is heart rate and recovery tracking without a screen pulling your attention, longer battery life, and no subscription commitment for core features, the Garmin CIRQA is shaping up to be a strong screenless option, and one of the more credible challengers to WHOOP and Fitbit Air in that specific category.

They’re not really solving the same problem. The Pixel Watch 5 is a smartwatch that happens to track fitness well. The CIRQA is a fitness and recovery tool that happens to skip the screen entirely. Which one wins depends entirely on which of those two things matters more to you.

Also worth reading: our Garmin CIRQA review and the CIRQA vs Whoop comparison.

This post contains affiliate links. VitalHub may earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Affiliate links. Same price for you, small commission supports VitalHub.