Pixel Watch 3 Review: Is Google’s Smartwatch Finally Worth It?

In the world of smartwatches, Google’s Pixel Watch 3 has certainly established itself with its stylish design, faster charging, and numerous other smart features. This flagship smartwatch offers significant updates over its predecessors and is generally receiving positive reviews. Giving crucial upgrades, Google has tried to create a device that makes a style statement and is equally productive. 

Moving further, let us explore this launch in detail with special focus on its features, performance, software, and see whether it’s worth your money.

Key Highlights at a Glance

• Launch Date: Announced on 13th August 2024 and released on September 10, 2024
• Available Sizes: 41 mm and 45 mm (with a case thickness of 12.3 mm)
• Cost: $349.99 (41 mm) and $399.99 (45 mm)
• Operating System: Wear OS 5
• Battery Life: 24 hrs with AOD; up to 36 hrs in Battery Saver mode

Design & Display: Sleek With a Size Upgrade

In case you found the previous Pixel Watch model to be too compact, the brand has introduced two size upgrades this time. The 41 mm model features a 10% larger display area, while the 45 mm model has a 40% larger display area. Given below are some basic display specifications.

• Type: LTPO AMOLED
• Size: 1.4 inches (3.56 cm)
• Resolution: 456 × 456 pixels
• Pixel Density: 320 ppi
• Protection: Corning Gorilla Glass 5
• Peak Brightness: 2000 nits (peak)
• Refresh Rate: 60 Hz

Performance & Battery: Finally Lasts a Full Day

This time, the brand managed to make a noticeable leap in terms of both performance and battery life. The Pixel Watch is powered by a Snapdragon W5 Gen 1 chip, combined with a Cortex-M33 coprocessor. It runs on Wear OS 5.0, based on Android 14. 

Speaking of the battery life, the 41 mm model with a 307 mAh battery goes up to 24 hours with Always-on-Display enabled and can run up to 36 hours in battery saver mode. The 45 mm Pixel Watch has a 420mAh battery that comfortably lasts more than 24 hours. 

Software & Ecosystem Integration

The watch effortlessly integrates with the Google ecosystem, including Google Assistant, Google Calendar, Google Maps, and other Google apps. It is compatible with many Android phones running Android 10.0 or newer. The watch offers Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, and NFC for connectivity. 

Additionally, the watch also has some Pixel-exclusive features, which may affect the experience of non-Pixel Android users.

Fitness & Health: Fitbit-Powered Smarts

The Pixel Watch 3 boasts enhanced fitness and health tracking features with accuracy and useful insights. It leverages Fitbit’s ecosystem for comprehensive tracking. Let’s see what the device has to offer. 

• Personalized information to let you know the readiness of your body so that you can schedule your workouts accordingly.

• Advanced heart rate monitoring and sleep tracking.

• Helps you understand the impact of workouts on your body so that you can adjust the intensity of your routine. 

• Detects if the heartbeat stops and calls someone for help. 

• Can keep track of over 40 exercises, including brisk walking and jogging. 

If you are a casual fitness person, this device is just the right fit for you!

Pros and Cons

Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?

The Google Pixel Watch 3 is a noticeable, well-rounded smartwatch with some enhanced features, which are not as significant as the previous models. It is a great option for Android users, particularly those looking for a stylish device with a user-friendly interface. 

Although it has become a strong contender in the smartwatch market, potential drawbacks like the band-changing mechanism and Fitbit features being locked behind a subscription make decision-making tough.