Reddit user buys open box Pixel Watch, turns out to be an early prototype

The prototype has only 1GB of RAM while the actual Pixel Watch features 2GB of RAM

Before Google released the Pixel Watch in 2022, it tested its first wearable with several seemingly far less capable prototypes.

One such prototype was recently purchased by a Reddit user who shared their experience with the wearable.

The user has deleted their Reddit account, but the post about the watch is still up. According the user, they bought the watch off eBay for $100. The seller said the watch was an open box.

Upon purchase, the Reddit user realized that the display had a lot of burn-in, which happens when a static image is left on the screen for a long duration. Burn-in is irreversible.

The user also said that the watch was “running slow and lagging” and that the “battery life was terrible and it had issues with charging.”

Upon resetting it, the watch said that it had “less than intended RAM.” The Reddit user decided to enter fastboot mode, and the information that popped up revealed that the device indeed had less than the listed RAM amount.

The fastboot mode also revealed that the watch was a ‘Production’ model, and that it might have been in testing since 2019. “It turns out it’s a prototype! Also, I was looking through the recovery files or whatever on the device and saw that it said 2019 somewhere,” wrote the Reddit user.

The user is now looking to return the watch for a full refund, and considering that the watch has a lot of performance issues, returning it might just be the right choice. However, I also think that a collector might be willing to pay a good price for such a find. It is, at the end of the day, still a prototype.