The Google Pixel Watch 3 is the latest iteration in Google’s smartwatch lineup, featuring subtle design refinements and a host of new features aimed at improving health tracking, connectivity, and overall user experience. While the Pixel Watch 3 maintains its signature minimalist aesthetic, it introduces important upgrades under the hood that make it a strong contender in the smartwatch market.
In this review, we’ll explore the key features, performance, design, and whether the Google Pixel Watch 3 is worth the upgrade for current users or an appealing option for newcomers.
Design: Minimalist and Sleek, With Slight Refinements
The Google Pixel Watch 3 stays true to its minimalist design approach, with a round face and a seamless display that blends into its bezel. The new 1.4-inch AMOLED screen is sharp, vibrant, and easy to read, even in direct sunlight. The slightly thinner bezel compared to the Pixel Watch 2 provides more screen real estate, making navigation through apps and widgets feel more immersive.
Build Quality: The body of the watch is made from recycled stainless steel, contributing to a premium feel. It’s durable, water-resistant up to 5ATM, and scratch-resistant with Corning Gorilla Glass DX, ensuring it holds up well to daily wear and tear.
Customization: The watch offers a variety of interchangeable bands, from silicone to leather and metal, giving users more options to personalize their look.
Display and Interface: Smooth and Responsive
The Pixel Watch 3’s AMOLED display is stunning, offering rich colors and deep blacks that make watch faces pop. It has an always-on display feature that now consumes less battery than previous models, making it a more viable option to leave enabled throughout the day.
Navigating through Google’s Wear OS 4 is fluid, and the 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon W5+ processor ensures snappy performance with no noticeable lag. The touch responsiveness and haptic feedback have been fine-tuned to make interactions feel smooth and satisfying.
Health and Fitness Tracking: Advanced Features Powered by Fitbit
A key selling point of the Google Pixel Watch 3 is its integration with Fitbit’s health-tracking technology. This model takes health monitoring to the next level with advanced sensors and improved tracking accuracy. Key features include:
- Heart Rate Monitoring: Continuous 24/7 heart rate monitoring with more accurate readings compared to the previous model.
- ECG Support: The ECG app allows users to monitor heart rhythm and detect potential irregularities like atrial fibrillation.
- Sleep Tracking: Improved sleep tracking with Sleep Score insights, which gives users a better understanding of their sleep quality over time.
- Stress Management: The Pixel Watch 3 introduces EDA (Electrodermal Activity) sensors to track stress levels, offering insights into how your body responds to stress and providing guided breathing exercises for relaxation.
- SPO2 and Skin Temperature: Blood oxygen monitoring and skin temperature sensors are included for tracking overall health trends and flagging potential issues.
Battery Life: Incremental Improvements
Battery life remains an area of incremental improvement. Google promises up to 36 hours of battery life on a single charge with regular usage, which includes GPS, heart rate monitoring, and notifications. While this is a step up from the Pixel Watch 2, heavy users may still find themselves charging the watch every night, especially if the always-on display or sleep tracking is enabled.
Google has introduced fast charging with the Pixel Watch 3, allowing the device to charge up to 50% in just 30 minutes, making it more convenient for quick top-ups during the day.
Connectivity: Enhanced Features
The Google Pixel Watch 3 offers robust connectivity options, including Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, NFC for Google Pay, and LTE on the cellular model. The introduction of 5G connectivity ensures faster data transfer and more reliable calls for those who opt for the LTE version.
Google has also improved the Google Assistant integration, making it faster and more responsive, allowing users to control smart home devices, send messages, and set reminders hands-free.
Wear OS 4 and Software Features
Running on Wear OS 4, the Google Pixel Watch 3 provides a clean, intuitive interface with a wide range of third-party app support. It also integrates deeply with Google’s ecosystem, including Google Maps, Gmail, and Google Calendar, making it a valuable companion for productivity.
The updated Google Fit app and deeper integration with Fitbit make health tracking more comprehensive, while Google Wallet provides seamless payment solutions. Notifications are clear and easy to manage, and Google has made multitasking between apps more fluid with this latest version of Wear OS.
Pricing and Availability
The Google Pixel Watch 3 is available in two models:
- Wi-Fi only: Starting at $349.99
- LTE model: Starting at $399.99
This price point puts the Pixel Watch 3 in direct competition with other premium smartwatches like the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, making it a viable option for those embedded in the Google ecosystem.
Final Verdict: Is It Worth the Upgrade?
The Google Pixel Watch 3 offers meaningful improvements over its predecessor, particularly in health tracking, design refinements, and battery life. It’s an ideal choice for users who are looking for a sleek, versatile smartwatch that integrates deeply with Google’s services.
Pros:
- Enhanced health tracking powered by Fitbit
- Sleek, modern design with better display and interface
- Improved battery life with fast charging
- Deep integration with Google apps and services
Cons:
- Battery life may still not meet the needs of heavy users
- Incremental upgrades may not justify the price for Pixel Watch 2 owners
Overall, the Pixel Watch 3 is a strong contender in the smartwatch space, offering a balanced mix of health features, productivity tools, and Google Assistant integration. If you’re in the market for a smartwatch that’s stylish, functional, and optimized for Android, the Pixel Watch 3 is worth considering.
