Pebble Time 2 review: Nerds just want to have fun

At CES 2026, we had the opportunity to speak to Eric Migicovsky, the CEO of the original Pebble, who now heads Core Devices. Migicovsky is responsible for the return of the Pebble smartwatches, as well as a brand new AI smart ring called the Index 01. Earlier this year, we discussed this upcoming ring in addition to the Pebble Round 2 and Pebble Time 2 smartwatches. He described the new Pebbles as “very good at telling time,” as they don’t seek to usurp the Apple Watch, Garmin Venu, or Pixel Watch.

Over the past month, we’ve been testing the Pebble Time 2 to see whether or not they can recapture the magic of the original Pebble from the mid-2010s. We also wanted to know if this laptop made the right compromises between smart features and analog capabilities.

After getting to know Migicovsky better and sharing with him the frustrations of having an Apple Watch on my wrist constantly buzzing, beeping, and alerting me, I couldn’t have been more excited than when IFA 2026 came around and I decided to leave my Apple Watch at home and swap it for the Pebble Time 2 as my daily watch in Berlin. No traditional analog watch, no Apple Watch Ultra 2: it would be me and Pebble Time 2 for the entire week – and no charger, because I refused to take Pebble’s proprietary charger. It went well and taught me a few lessons too.

With a 1.5″ 64-color always-on electronic display, the Pebble Time 2 features a rectangular design that gives it a retro feel. It can be controlled by tapping the touchscreen, but it also has four physical buttons that let you go back through a menu, scroll through the notification center and settings, and check your data. On the back, the watch has basic health sensors to track your sleep and heart rate.

Available in black or silver, what makes the Pebble Time 2 shine isn’t its colorful silicone bands but the thousands of watch faces you can add to it. In fact, one of the best things about the relaunched Pebble Watches is the community that develops creative watch faces. I immediately fell in love with an option that would only give me the time, displaying “It’s about 11 a.m.” instead of 10:58, for example. I thought it was cute and clever, and it also served as a fun conversation starter.

Because Apple only gives users access to a limited number of watch faces, I started wearing analog watches, like A Perfectly Useless Afternoon from Mr Jones Watches. The hour hand has been replaced by someone relaxing in a swimming pool. Meanwhile, a duck floats around the perimeter as a minute hand. This sense of play is also present on the Pebble Time 2.

While the Pebble Time 2 is technically a smartwatch, it’s not as feature-rich as any Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch. That said, it’s indeed smart, capable of displaying your phone’s notifications, counting your steps, measuring your heart rate, and recording every time you go for a walk. You can check your calendar, set a timer, control your music, and use the Timeline feature to see how your day is going. Although the watch has many tools at its disposal, the e-paper screen reminds you that you shouldn’t be glued to your watch, no matter how attractive your watch face is or how full your calendar is.

Core Devices is also very clear about what Pebble Time 2 is not: It’s not a fitness wearable and it doesn’t try to do everything, because it can’t work with digital wallets or AI assistants. On a related note, when I wore the watch while sleeping, it only gave me basic heart rate readings, meaning I wasn’t getting all the data I expected when wearing an Apple Watch to sleep. As such, there was no compelling reason to sleep with the watch on.

One of my favorite features of the Pebble Time 2 was Quiet Time, which could be activated by long-pressing the single button on the left side of the watch. After all, every time my iPhone was too close, I would get the notification there and a second later on the Pebble Time 2, which worried me in advance. I also loved the little mouse animation that showed my smartwatch wouldn’t beep every five seconds with a new message.

Core Devices promises about 21 days of battery life before charging the device becomes necessary. If you have a less vibrant watch face or enable Battery Saver mode, the smartwatch may last more than a month without being charged. For someone used to an Apple Watch, this is an unthinkable length of time. I was already using the Pebble Time 2 before IFA, putting it on a charger just to be safe, and after using it every day for a week in Berlin, the battery was still over 70% when I got home.

The only downside, as is the case with most smartwatches, is that it relies on a proprietary charger. The Pebble Time 2 comes with a small adapter that connects to a USB-C port. I had a bit of trouble charging it up to 100% as it would eventually disconnect due to the way it was sitting on the table or moving slightly on its own.

Since the magnets aren’t very strong, charging the watch wasn’t as easy as expected. Beyond that, since the adapter is small and you rarely need to use it, I feel like someone (me) could easily lose it around the house (I found it after it went missing for a day).

Unlike an Apple Watch review, which focuses heavily on all the features and technologies, the Pebble Time 2 has a different goal in mind. This watch won’t wow anyone with advanced sensors, a flashy design, or access to countless apps. In fact — and Migicovsky emphasizes this — Pebble watches are made for those who already know the brand, know what to expect from its products and don’t necessarily want to have a small computer on their wrist at all times.

However, if you weren’t around during the Pebble frenzy of the early 2010s, how do you know if the new Pebble is right for you? Well, you should know that this smartwatch has several flaws, especially if you are an iPhone user. The Pebble Time 2 is already (intentionally) limited compared to most of its competitors, and since Apple doesn’t offer the best integration between iPhone and third-party watches, the experience becomes even more limited.

The Pebble Time 2 finds itself in an odd position where it’s the perfect smartwatch for those who want a retro digital watch with a modern twist, that connects to your phone and offers health sensors. Ultimately, the Pebble Time 2 won’t be for everyone, as I realized it wasn’t for me. Personally, I prefer to go fully analog or just have an Apple Watch.

Now available for $225 on rePebble.com, the Pebble Time 2 is an ode to the good old days of Pebble. As Eric attempts to update his iconic brand for this decade, Pebble still feels like an exclusive club, filled with enthusiasts eagerly awaiting new models. If you’re a member of this club, or just want to escape the incessant notifications and data collection of more advanced wearables, there’s a lot to like about the new Pebble.

For me — someone who’s trying to rely less on an Apple Watch after work hours or gym sessions — I’ve found a healthier balance by simply not using a watch or opting for an analog watch instead. The Pebble Time 2 was in a difficult space between the two. It didn’t quite allow me to completely disconnect, nor did it offer all the features I expect from a smartwatch.

Although I’m not the target audience, Pebble customers know what to expect, and they’re the ones this refresh is aimed at in the first place. However, if you want a real smartwatch, the answer isn’t the Pebble Time 2. But not everyone needs a full-featured smartwatch.