Google Pixel Watch 3 Review: Bigger and better

It’s been three years of Pixel Watch now and generally, I think Google is on the right track. The Pixel Watch 3 brings some welcome upgrades to the Pixel Watch line without significantly shaking things up. The biggest change (both figuratively and literally) is the addition of a new 45mm size alongside the existing 41mm size. The new size is probably the single best improvement Google brought to the Pixel Watch line this year, giving potential customers more choice with the smartwatch (there are now four Pixel Watch 3 models, one Wi-Fi only and one cellular model for each size).

Beyond the new size, Google brought several other improvements with the Pixel Watch 3, including a larger, brighter display, better battery life and tons of new software features. But while there’s lots of good with the Pixel Watch 3, not everything is great. It’s disappointing to see Google reuse the same chipset on the Pixel Watch 3, and the price hikes for the cellular models aren’t great either (especially since Canadians also need to fork out extra to their carrier to get that cellular connection).

Overall, it feels like Google has found a sweet spot with the Pixel Watch 3 and is pushing out welcome improvements to the watch. And as someone who’s worn a Pixel Watch almost daily for the last three years, it feels like a more natural extension of my Pixel phone than ever before.

Specs

• Dimensions: 41mm diameter, 12.3mm height / 45mm diameter, 12.3mm height.
• Weight: 31g / 37g (without band).
• Connectivity: 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax 2.4GHz, 5GHz, NFC, UWB.
• Compatibility: Works with Android 10 or newer, requires a Google account and Pixel Watch app.
• Display: 320ppi AMOLED LTPO display up to 2,000 nits peak brightness 1-60Hz Actua display with Custom 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
• Battery: 307mAh (41mm) / 420mAh (45mm).
• Chip: Qualcomm SW5100 with Cortex-M33 c-processor.
• OS: Wear OS 5.
• Storage and memory: 32GB eMMC flash, 2GB RAM.
• Sensors: Compass, altimeter, red and infrared sensors for SpO2, multipurpose electrical sensors for ECG, multi-path optical heart rate sensor, 3-axis accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light sensor, electrical senor for cEDA, skin temperature sensor, barometer, magnetometer.
• Water resistance: IP68 and 5ATM.

Note: Google provided me with the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 for this review, so almost all of the analysis that follows pertains to the 45mm variant and not the 41mm version.

Big and bright

Pixel Watch 3 45mm (left) and Pixel Watch 2 41mm (right).

The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 was a pleasant surprise for me. I’ve always assumed I’d prefer the smaller 41mm size because I have small wrists. However, with about two weeks of big Pixel Watch 3 time, the 45mm is actually quite nice and likely my preference going forward since it doesn’t feel too big on my wrist.

The larger display offers a lot more real estate to view content. That means more complications on the watch face, which is great if you like to have an info-dense layout like I do. Incoming notifications are easier to read and you can see more without needing to tap into a notification to expand it. And while I’m not much of an app user with my smartwatch, those who do use apps will find things feel much less cramped on the 45mm Pixel Watch 3.

Of course, the smartwatch also benefits from improvements to the display. Google noticeably shrunk the bezels on the Pixel Watch 3 display for both the 41mm and 45mm sizes. And while I unfortunately haven’t tried the 41mm Watch 3 to see how the larger display stacks up to the Pixel Watch 2, it’s worth keeping in mind for anyone interested in the smaller watch.

The Pixel Watch 3 display is also nearly twice as bright, with up to 2,000 nits peak brightness compared to 1,000 nits on the Watch 2. The extra brightness is particularly welcome when checking the watch outdoors.

However, there’s not a ton more going on with the Pixel Watch 3 on the hardware front. The watch sports the same Snapdragon W5 and Cortex-M33 co-processor as the Watch 2, and the design is virtually unchanged from previous generations, though that’s not a bad thing (the Pixel Watch still looks great). Google also continued using Gorilla Glass 5, which is quite susceptible to scratches (my Pixel Watch 2 screen has accumulated a ton of scratches and scuffs over the last year). And then there’s the battery.

Finally decent battery

The 41mm watch has the same 307mAh battery (give or take 1mAh) as the Pixel Watch 2. The 45mm boasts a larger 420mAh cell. And, finally, Google says it significantly improved power efficiency in several areas of the watch’s hardware and in Wear OS itself. For example, the display can now dynamically adjust between 1Hz and 60Hz to conserve power when using the always-on display.

All this combines to give the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 surprisingly decent battery life. Google claimed 24-hour battery life with always-on display on the original Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 and while those watches barely managed that, the experience wasn’t great. With the Pixel Watch 2, I ultimately gave up using the watch for sleep tracking so I could charge it each night.

However, with the Pixel Watch 3, I’m averaging closer to 40 hours with always-on display, even though Google still only promises 24-hour battery life. It’s tough to say how much of that is due to the 45mm model’s larger battery or the efficiency improvements, but it’s a notable boost that has made wearing the Pixel Watch 3 a much better experience overall. It’s eliminated charger anxiety and allowed me to go back to wearing the watch to bed. It’d be nice to get closer to true two-day battery life, but this is a welcome improvement overall. And with Google’s battery-saver mode, you can push the Watch 3 even further.

Coupled with the slightly faster charging, it’s also a lot easier to toss the watch on the charger to get a partial top-up when needed instead of worrying about getting a full battery on each charge. I also appreciate the improved battery charging screen, which provides more information and an ETA on when it’ll finish charging.

Ultimately, if you’re worried about battery, I’d recommend the 45mm watch over the 41mm, but either way, the Pixel Watch isn’t the longest-lasting smartwatch out there. Here’s hoping Google continues improving the battery life with future versions.

New tricks

Though hardware changes were minimal this year, Google did pack the Watch 3 with a few software upgrades. Wear OS 5 feels like a nice improvement and I noticed less stuttering and lag while navigating the watch (though it wasn’t perfectly smooth). Curiously, Wear OS 5’s new grid-style app launcher was mysteriously absent on my Pixel Watch 3, but again, I’m not much of an app user, so I didn’t miss it much.

It’s a bit tough to parse the new features Google detailed since some have already come to the Pixel Watch 2 and thus don’t feel new to me. For example, Google highlighted battery saver mode and auto bedtime mode on the Pixel Watch 3, but I’ve had those on the Pixel Watch 2 for months now.

Google Maps on Pixel Watch now supports offline maps and syncs with maps saved on your phone. The wonderful Call Assist features available on Pixel phones are also now accessible on the Pixel Watch 3, but unfortunately, this is limited to the U.S. for now. Google improved the smartwatch’s camera app, added submersion detection, and now you can use the excellent Pixel Recorder app on the watch, too. I unfortunately haven’t needed to record anything during my time with the Pixel Watch 3, but that’s a feature I look forward to using next time I need to quickly record an interview.

The Pixel Watch 3 also supports ultra-wideband (UWB), but so far it’s only used for unlocking the watch when you have a compatible phone nearby. And I haven’t been able to actually try this since the Pixel 9 is not one of the supported phones.

Finally, the Pixel Watch 3 can operate as a Google TV remote and let you control your Nest Cameras. Unfortunately, I don’t own a Google TV or Nest Cameras, so I can’t say whether these features work well. The Pixel Watch 3 also supports improved smart home controls through Google Home, which will be handy for anyone with an expansive smart home setup.

She’s a runner, she’s a track star

Many of Google’s biggest software updates hit the fitness side of things, with tons of new Fitbit features, especially for the runners out there. I am certainly not a runner and not much of a fitness guru at all, so little of this truly appeals to me. Still, there are some notable additions.

Google put most of the focus on running, with many of the tools designed around helping runners plan and execute their running goals. For example, there are new tools to help people build custom run plans on their phones and watches, including setting goals, interval end conditions, targets and more. Once runners have their plans built, they can get real-time guidance from their Pixel Watch during the run with alerts for intervals and splits along with coaching targets for pace and heart rate. Google also spruced up the in-workout controls with easy access to pause/resume controls for both the run and for your music.

Post-run, there are new and improved reflection tools in the Fitbit app to view long-term trends, personal running records, weekly goals and even advanced form analysis for deeper insights thanks to “advanced motion sensing and machine learning” on the Pixel Watch 3.

Fitbit Premium subscribers can also access AI-powered run recommendations that are personalized based on your recent activity. This is linked to the new target load feature, which aims to help people determine when and how hard to work out.

Cardio load tracks how hard your heart works throughout the day, while target load is a personalized daily target for cardio that Google says is designed to balance recovery, optimize performance and reduce injury risk. It all works in conjunction with Fitbit’s readiness score, which uses recovery indicators like sleep quality, heart rate variability and resting heart rate to help people track how their body is doing.

In a similar vein, Fitbit’s new Morning Brief feature delivers a summary of helpful health insights to your wrist every morning, with recaps of your sleep and readiness status. It’s a neat idea, but my main complaint about Morning Brief is that it’s easy to miss. It comes in within 30 minutes of waking up, but I’m rarely free to look at it when it arrives on my wrist since I’m usually busy with my morning routine. The notification to access it only sticks around for about three hours, but often when I finally have a moment to check it, it’s either already gone or I’ve forgotten about it. It’d be great if Google made Morning Brief permanently accessible somewhere in the watch interface.

Worth an upgrade?

Coming from the Pixel Watch 2, I was pleasantly surprised by how much better the Pixel Watch 3 experience was. Much of that just comes down to the improved battery life, likely a benefit of the larger 45mm version I tested. Regardless, the battery improvements alone make for a compelling reason to upgrade, though I’m not sure I’d recommend Pixel Watch 2 owners make the leap yet.

Many of the newest Pixel Watch 3 features are software-based and seem like they could come to the Pixel Watch 2, though I’m not sure if or when that might happen. But for people with the original Pixel Watch, there’s a lot here that’s compelling, especially thanks to the larger 45mm size.

Similarly, people who don’t own a Pixel Watch but want to pick one up, this seems like a good year to get one. With more choice than ever and tons of excellent features, this is Google’s most compelling smartwatch yet. It’s especially good combined with a Pixel phone, though it should work fine with most Android devices.

Some of the biggest concerns with the Watch 3 remain its longevity thanks to a lack of repair options and only three years of software updates, and while battery life is much improved, it could always be better. And with a significant focus on fitness, I don’t think the Pixel Watch 3 offers as much to intrigue the less fitness-minded among us.

The 41mm Pixel Watch 3 starts at $479.99 for the Wi-Fi only model (the same as the Pixel Watch 2) and $599.99 for the cellular model ($50 more than the Watch 2). The 45mm model costs $549.99 for the Wi-Fi model and $669.99 for the cellular model. The Pixel Watch 3 lands on store shelves September 10th, 2024.