The Pebble Round 2 is making a comeback, but it’s not designed for everyone. Unlike the fitness-focused wearables from Garmin or the feature-rich smartwatches from Apple, Google, or Samsung, the Pebble Round 2 embraces the core philosophy of its predecessor, the Pebble Time 2. It offers a playful experience with long battery life and an always-on e-paper screen that remains visible in any lighting conditions without a backlight.
Now available for preorder at $199, the Pebble Round 2 is set to ship in May. It’s a stylish alternative to the square Time 2, featuring a thin frame and lightweight stainless steel design reminiscent of the 2015 Pebble Time Round. The watch is available in three colors—gold, silver, and black—and offers two wristband sizes (14mm and 20mm).
The Legacy of Pebble
The original Pebble smartwatches were pioneers in the wearable tech industry, gaining popularity for their simple design, e-paper screens, and impressive battery life. After the company was acquired by Fitbit, which later became part of Google, the Pebble brand seemed destined for the history books. However, co-founder Eric Migicovsky remained committed to the brand’s ethos of simplicity and longevity, leading to the revival of Pebble after Google open-sourced its software.
The Pebble Round 2 is the third product in the company’s current lineup, joining the Time 2 and the Index 01 smart ring. The new Round 2 model boasts a slimmer bezel and significantly improved battery life, lasting 10 to 14 days compared to the original’s three days. It also connects to the Pebble store, offering a variety of watch faces and simple apps.
Technical Features and Design
The Pebble Round 2 features a memory-in-pixel, color e-paper display with a refresh rate of 30 to 40 frames per second, enabling simple animations. This low-power screen is key to the watch’s extended battery life, ensuring visibility in all lighting conditions without emitting a glow in dark environments.
While it lacks the comprehensive health, lifestyle, and safety features found in top-tier smartwatches, the Pebble Round 2 includes basic activity and sleep tracking, such as step counting. It primarily functions to display notifications from your phone and supports simple apps, rather than replacing your smartphone’s capabilities.
A New Chapter for Pebble
The Pebble Time 2, another product in the lineup, will begin shipping in March for $225. It includes a heart rate monitor and boasts an even longer battery life of three to four weeks. Although the Round 2 does not include a heart rate monitor and has a shorter battery life, it offers a more traditional watch appearance and a lower price point.
Once the new models are available, they will be tested to see how these classic designs hold up against modern competitors. In the meantime, consumers can explore current top smartwatch options on the market.
Personal Insights from a Tech Enthusiast
As a senior writer at PCMag covering smart home and wearable devices, I have been immersed in technology reporting for nearly a decade. Before joining PCMag, I created educational content for Abt Electronics and spent eight years covering the smart home market for CNET.
In my personal life, I enjoy a variety of hobbies, including board games, video games, and fantasy football. I also have a passion for craft beer and aim to visit every microbrewery in Chicago. My tech setup is diverse, featuring an Apple MacBook Pro, a Google Pixel 7a, and a rotating selection of smartwatches, including the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for fitness metric comparisons.
My entertainment center includes a 55-inch LG OLED TV, a Yamaha soundbar, a Nintendo Switch, and a PS5. Despite owning a PS5 with a disc slot, I haven’t used the feature in over a year. I also use a Shark Air Purifier to combat allergens from my two cats.
To stay connected with digital assistants, I use a Google Pixel 7a and Nest Hub for Google Assistant, an iPhone 16e and AirPods for Siri, and an Amazon Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 15 for Alexa.
