The Stephen Curry special edition of the Pixel Watch 5 is finally on sale in the US, three weeks after the rest of the Pixel Watch 5 lineup went out on 20 August. GSMArena and Droid Life both put it at $579.99, which makes it the most expensive Pixel Watch 5 configuration Google sells. It comes in one form only: a 45mm case with LTE, in Satin Pyrite aluminium, on a Rye Performance Loop band.
What the $50 premium actually buys
Do the arithmetic Google is not putting in front of you. The standard 45mm LTE Pixel Watch 5 is $529.99. A 45mm Performance Loop band on its own is $59.99. Bought separately that is $589.98, so the special edition saves you $9.99 against buying the parts. Against the watch alone, though, you are paying $50 more, and what you get for it is a fabric band.
The band is the entire product difference. The case, the sensors, the chip and the software are identical to any other 45mm LTE Pixel Watch 5, and Satin Pyrite is a colour you can already order without Curry’s name on it. Google describes the band this way on its Store listing:
Designed in collaboration with 4x NBA champion Stephen Curry, this special edition band features a water-repellent coating, making it moisture-wicking for your toughest workouts.
Two things are worth holding against that. First, when we covered the leaked marketing materials for this edition in August, Google’s own fine print said the water-repellent coating is not permanent and can wear off through normal use and environmental exposure. That has not changed, and it applies to a band you are paying a premium for. Second, per Droid Life, the Rye Performance Loop is only obtainable by buying this edition, so the exclusivity is manufactured rather than incidental. If you want that specific band on a watch you already own, there is no route to it.
Pixel Watch 5 Stephen Curry Edition: price and availability
- Stephen Curry Special Edition, 45mm LTE — $579.99
- Standard 45mm LTE Pixel Watch 5 — $529.99
- 45mm Performance Loop band, sold separately — $59.99
GSMArena reports it is available in the US through the Google Store and Amazon. No 41mm size and no Bluetooth-only version of the special edition exist, so if you wanted the smaller case or did not want to pay for cellular, this colourway is not for you. Pricing and availability outside the US have not surfaced.
Should you buy it
If you were already buying a 45mm LTE Pixel Watch 5 and you like the band, the maths works out slightly in your favour and there is no reason not to. If you are buying it because it is a Stephen Curry edition, understand that you are paying $50 over the standard watch for branding on a strap with a coating that Google itself says will degrade. The watch inside is the same one we would recommend or not recommend at $529.99.
Sources: GSMArena, Droid Life
