Google Pixel Watch 3: A Refined Smartwatch Experience for Android Users

Google Pixel Watch 3 Review: Still My Favorite Android Watch

CNET's expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. Ever since the first Pixel Watch launched in 2022, I've been waiting for Google to make its smartwatch even smarter with more features that make it feel like a proactive assistant and workout coach, rather than a tool for logging exercise and viewing notifications. With the $350 Pixel Watch 3, Google is closer to that goal, all while offering two different size options and making some quality-of-life improvements to the display and battery life. Taken together, the Pixel Watch 3's larger screen, faster charging on the smaller model, new metrics for measuring workout intensity and tools for building custom runs make it a step above last year's Pixel Watch 2. Then there are the features that hint at the future I've been hoping for, like AI-generated running workouts, the Morning Brief digest, and more applications for the Daily Readiness Score. Combined, all of these additions make the watch a more intelligent exercise companion and better at keeping me from reaching for my phone as often. But there's still some progress to be made. The absence of Gemini feels like an odd choice given the company's big push to incorporate it into the Android ecosystem. On a device as small as a smartwatch, there's a bigger need for improved voice-forward AI companions, but the Pixel Watch is still limited to the Google Assistant. Many of the Pixel Watch's fitness-related improvements seem heavily focused on outdoor runs, making the user experience feel unbalanced when it comes to other types of cardio workouts. Separately, for those who are serious about running, there are still some benefits you'll get with a Garmin watch that the Pixel Watch 3 can't replicate as well, such as longer battery life and trip routing features. Overall, the Pixel Watch 3's upgrades are enough to keep it as my top pick for a general purpose Android smartwatch. If you're anything like me and consider yourself a casual runner in need of a general-purpose Android watch that's sleek and comfortable, the Pixel Watch 3 won't disappoint. Read more: Google Pixel 9 Review: Chock-Full of AI. But That's Not What Makes It Great The Pixel Watch finally comes in a bigger size option. Google now sells the watch in a new $400 45-millimeter model, bringing more screen space and battery life to your wrist. Both versions, including the 41-millimeter option that I prefer, also have smaller bezels, which makes it easier to see more text on screen without it getting cut off. The borders around the display are still noticeable, but they're less intrusive than before, which was one of my biggest physical complaints about previous Pixel Watches. On the 45-millimeter edition, it's even easier to read text and view apps since icons look larger. Otherwise, the Pixel Watch 3's design is largely the same as older Pixel Watch models, which I'm happy about because I find it to be one of the most stylish watches out there. It has that same pebble-shaped aesthetic, which looks right at home on the wrist without adding bulk. I can't say the same for other Android smartwatches I've tested, like the OnePlus Watch 2. However, my colleague Lexy Savvides, who has been wearing the 45-millimeter Pixel Watch 3, said the display already has a deep scratch in it. (My 41-millimeter Pixel Watch 3 is scratch-free). Both watches are coated in Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Google clearly wants the Pixel Watch 3 to appeal to runners. The watch comes with new settings and features like the ability to build a custom run, prompts to mark the beginning and end of an interval, split alerts, pace coaching and media controls included within the workout interface. That's along with the heart zone and pace training tools introduced on the Pixel Watch 2. I run for general fitness rather than competition, so I built a custom run that consisted of a warm up and two 10-minute running intervals broken up with a 2-minute rest. I wanted a routine that was more challenging than my regular unstructured run but not too difficult, and I feel like my custom run generally checked that box. But what I found more interesting was that after I built a custom run, Fitbit suggested its own AI-generated run. The run itself wasn't much to write home about -- it was just a straight 28-minute run -- but seeing it pop up on my wrist felt proactive and intelligent in a way that smartwatches usually don't. So far, I like how Fitbit recommends certain runs based on my previous performance. My next suggested run, for example, consists of a 16-minute running interval in the vigorous heart rate zone, which would seemingly build nicely on the 10-minute intervals I've been practicing with. You'll also find a wealth of data points about your running form in the Fitbit app, such as stride length, ground contact time, vertical oscillation, step cadence and vertical ratio. Fitbit also explains what each of these numbers means, which is helpful. In the future, I'd love to see a deeper assessment of my running form that crunches all these metrics together to let me know whether I'm performing at my peak or may be at risk of injury, almost like a sleep score or readiness score but for running. After gathering data from at least 10 runs, Fitbit will provide personal ranges for each metric, though, which will likely make these numbers more useful. Fitbit is also introducing a new measurement to estimate exertion during a workout called cardio load. It assigns a rating to each exercise session based on how hard your heart is working during physical activity to help you understand whether you're pushing yourself. The app says cardio load takes into account one's age, heart rage, activity duration and resting heart rate. A casual walk, for example, might just have a cardio load of 4, while a run might have a cardio load of 65. There's also an overall daily cardio load rating in the Fitbit app's Today feed that combines workouts and regular activities to measure overall daily exertion. It sounds a bit similar to the new training load metric coming to the Apple Watch in WatchOS 11. I look forward to seeing how cardio load works with other metrics like Fitbit's readiness score and the new target load, which is a recommended cardio load goal based on your readiness. For years, Fitbit has offered a readiness score to communicate how well rested you are based on sleep, activity and other data, but it's now factoring that information into workout recommendations in a bigger way with target load. It reminds me of how the Oura Ring dynamically adjusts your activity goal based on your readiness score. Coming up with new tools and tricks like these is also increasingly important for Fitbit as it continues to compete with Oura, which recently launched an AI-powered health chatbot for providing advice and exercise tips. I like this idea in theory, but since the target load takes 14 days to calibrate, I haven't had much time with it yet. Another nice perk: Google says it's improved its readiness score to be more personalized and it'll no longer require a $10 monthly Fitbit Premium subscription. So far, I've enjoyed looking at my cardio load rating after a workout to see how hard I pushed myself during a run or indoor cycling session. However, I want Fitbit to be more specific about how everyday activities factor into cardio load readings. For example, on a day that involved a treadmill run with a cardio load of 45, I ended up having a daily cardio load of 212, which seemed high given that I didn't feel like I was exerting myself outside of my workout. I also wish Google provided more customization options and metrics for other workout types besides outdoor running. I usually only run once or twice a week and opt for different cardio workouts on other days, like indoor cycling or high-intensity interval training. I'd love the option to build custom workouts for either of those exercise types too, especially given how interval-centric HIIT is. Garmin, on the other hand, lets you create workouts for a variety of exercises, including HIIT, bike, yoga, pilates and more. Even though Google has added a lot for runners to be excited about, you'll probably still get more running-specific tools with Garmin, which has extras like an automatic route builder, for example. But thankfully, I was really impressed with the Pixel Watch 3's heart rate accuracy. During treadmill running and indoor cycling workouts, it matched my chest strap heart rate monitor almost beat for beat on most occasions, which is a big deal because chest straps are generally considered to be much more accurate than wrist-based heart rate monitors. Still, it's worth noting that I got similar results from the Apple Watch Series 9. The Pixel Watch 3 isn't the longest-lasting smartwatch, but it's enough to get through the day and then some. After bemoaning the Pixel Watch's battery life for years, I finally feel like battery life isn't a limitation with the Pixel Watch 3, mostly thanks to how quickly it charges. Google says the watch can now last for up to 36 hours when Battery Saver is enabled, but like most tech products, battery life will vary depending on how you use the watch. Battery life on the 41-millimeter version regularly lasted for more than a day, pretty much lining up with Google's claims, while my colleague Lexy got two full days out of the 45-millimeter version when using it for tracking daily GPS workouts and sleep monitoring. The watch can also automatically kick itself into Battery Saver mode once it hits 15%, which I found useful. One- to two-day battery life is typical for a general purpose smartwatch like the Pixel Watch 3 and is in line with what I usually experience when wearing the Apple Watch Series 9. But it can't come close to the $450 Garmin Venu 3, which lasted for about a week on a single charge when I reviewed it last year. Thankfully, the Pixel Watch 3 charges up quickly. The battery on the 41-millimeter version replenished by 51% in 20 minutes and 80% in 30 minutes, making it really easy to top off the device when I had a few spare minutes throughout the day. This, too, is similar to the Apple Watch Series 9 so long as you're charging it with the included cable. However, these speedier charging times are only for the 41-millimeter model. The Pixel Watch 3's quick charging and lightweight design make it an ideal sleep tracker, more so than watches with longer battery life but clunkier designs like the OnePlus Watch 2. Like previous Pixel watches, the Pixel Watch 3 measures sleep stages and provides a sleep score based on the quality of your slumber. The Pixel Watch 3 has many, if not all, of the connectivity features you'd expect from a smartwatch in this price range, including phone notifications, optional LTE, GPS, support for Google Wallet, Google Maps, Gmail and many other apps along with a laundry list of safety features, such as fall detection, the ability to send location data to emergency contacts and emergency services and a check-in timer for letting a friend or family member know you're OK. Google added a few extras to the Pixel Watch 3 that let you do more from your wrist. That includes the ability to use the Pixel Watch 3 as a remote for your Google TV, view your Nest Camera feed and unlock your phone with the watch using its ultra wideband tech. The Pixel Recorder app is also now available on the watch for quickly taking down notes and thoughts from your wrist. I used the app to verbally record observations about the Pixel Watch 3 for this review and was able to access the file right from the app on my watch. I don't know how often I'd actually use this feature. Maybe it's just me, but there's something about speaking into my watch when I'm not using the Google Assistant that just feels awkward, especially for long-form dictations like note-taking. But I could see this being more useful in other situations, like quickly recording a conversation for work (with consent, of course) at a press event when I don't have time to reach for my phone. Google also took a page from Garmin's book by adding a new Morning Brief notification, which as the name implies provides details it thinks will be helpful for starting your day, such as your sleep score, the weather and your readiness score among other tidbits. It's similar to Garmin's Morning Report, although I find Garmin's version to be more useful because it includes additional pieces of data like suggested workouts. Still, I'm sure Google's Morning Brief will improve over time, and it feels like a step closer to making the Pixel Watch more of a proactive, ambient assistant that surfaces information as you need it. Speaking of assistants, I was a bit surprised to see that Gemini isn't included on the Pixel Watch 3. Google is positioning Gemini as being the go-to virtual helper on Android phones, so I expected to see it take a similar approach for the Pixel Watch. I realize there may be some technical limitations that make it challenging to run Gemini on a device as small as a smartwatch. But since Gemini is available on the Pixel Buds Pro 2, I hoped Google would have found a way to make it work on its smartwatch. Doing so would create more consistency across Google's mobile products, especially as Gemini becomes a larger part of the experience. Google will provide software version updates to the Pixel Watch 3 for three years, just like the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2. That's a stretch from the seven-year support timeline for Google's Pixel phones, which would admittedly feel longer than usual for a smartwatch. But still, it would be great to see Google match Apple, which is making its upcoming WatchOS 11 software available for the nearly 4-year-old Apple Watch Series 6 and first-generation SE. The Pixel Watch 3 is another step in the right direction for Google's smartwatch. With its new running tools, workout intensity metrics and additional smart features, Google continues to fill in the gaps left by the previous models, resulting in a well-rounded smartwatch slightly skewed toward runners. But of course, there's still room for improvement. Battery life may never match Garmin's given the additional smart connectivity features that come with Google's watch by comparison. I'd also really like to see more workout customizations tailored for other exercise types beyond running in the future and longer software support. Still, Google solved some of the Pixel Watch's biggest shortcomings with its third watch, which is the most you could ask for in a next-generation product.

Google Pixel Watch 3 Early Review

There's no need to go out and update unless you want the larger Pixel Watch 3 offered this round. The Google Pixel Watch 3 is officially in its Apple Watch era. I'm not saying that because of any new features introduced with this model or because I'm trying to incite violence among the Android vs. Apple crowd (I see those comments!). Just look at this third-generation Pixel Watch 3. It looks exactly like the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2, down to the dome circular display and the pop-out digital crown. At least this time, you get the option for a bigger size. But unless that's what you'd rather have, there's no immediate need to upgrade. And that's kind of like the Apple Watch, too. Every year, there's a new model. It usually has the same square-but-rectangle shape, sometimes smaller and sometimes more rugged. But the point is you can rely on a new Apple Watch every year, and when you see it from afar, you know that the person is in that ecosystem. The same goes for the Pixel Watch: it's established as the watch to wear if you're carrying the Google freak flag. It means you've committed to an aesthetic and chose the Fitbit suite over Samsung Health or another third party. If you already own a Pixel Watch, much of what you're about to read might sound like a recap to you. For the most part, it is. Most of what is new is a part of Fitbit or Wear OS. Most of what the Pixel Watch 3 improves on is stability and battery life. There will be more to this Pixel Watch 3 review in a future update. We still need to test the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, and since Google bumped its hardware release up against Apple, we figured we'd wait for the Apple Watch Series 10 to see what ten years offers over three. At least I can report that the Pixel Watch 3 remains a pleasant experience for Android users who don't like what else is on the market. The larger display only makes it better. Since the design is mostly a reprise of what the Pixel Watch has had going on for a few generations, the biggest takeaway from this year's Pixel Watch 3 release is that there are finally two sizes to choose from. The 41mm and the 45mm sizes boast the smallest bezels in the lineup's history. They're also refreshed with a new Actua display that is twice as bright as before, up to 2,000 nits. That's all good for the flashlight mode if you're navigating unlit farmland in the middle of the night. I've yet to experience how the watch feels in the hot, broad daylight as it's trying to show the time. Google says that battery life on both versions of the Pixel Watch 3 is up to 45 percent longer than its predecessor. The smaller one has a 307mAh battery, while the bigger Pixel Wach 3 has a 420mAh battery. After a full charge, they claim up to 24 hours of battery with the always-on display and 36 hours without it. I noticed the difference in longevity between the third-gen and second-gen Pixel Watches during my brief period of use. After nearly two days off the charger, I'm at 43% on the 45mm Pixel Watch 3. It still does not have a 100-hour battery like the OnePlus smartwatches. Those have a system to take the onus off the battery-sucking processor inside for basic tasks. Fitbit is good. I've genuinely enjoyed tracking my routine with the health and wellness suite and the Pixel Watch 2 this last year. The new features launched as part of the Pixel Watch 3's debut will at least make all that data it's aggregating a little easier to follow. The Morning Brief is the latest significant feature addition to the ecosystem. It summarizes what you might feel like for the day ahead and how much energy you might have based on how well or poorly you slept. The watch gives you a little nudge, and then you can peek at the Fitbit app for more detailed information. Cardio Load is the primary metric for this Morning Brief. It factors in how you sleep, your overall readiness score based on the activities you've logged, and your target load, which is how much you want to hit if you want to feel it. I'm still accumulating data for this feature to show up. I'm curious how it will manage with my three weeks on/two weeks off movement schedule. More on that soon. At the very least, this feature doesn't require a Fitbit Premium subscription. For that $10 monthly fee, you will get Fitbit's sophisticated Running Dashboard. This feature helps you build custom runs with AI help. From my reading, this is a massive boon for runners dissatisfied that the feature isn't more sophisticated on other ecosystems, like the Apple Watch. Wear OS 5 improves with every new feature added to the Pixel Watch. This time, there's a built-in Chromecast remote to take advantage of. It lives as its icon in the app launcher on the watch, or you can add it as a tile. It lets you control playback on a nearby screen, volume, and content, just like on the Chromecast Remote app for your phone. Google Home shortcuts have also improved. Now, you can see security camera previews from the watch instead of grabbing your phone to open the preview, only to see no one you wanted to be at your door. At least this way, you'll know sooner, though the function works best if you're at home and everything is on Wi-Fi. Call Assist is the last little feature on the Pixel Watch 3 that's intrigued me. I haven't encountered it organically yet, but the way that Google explains it, you can answer the phone from your watch, but it's an automated voice that lets the person on the other line know you want to talk with them; you don't have your phone in-hand yet. Many times, the hand-off between the smartwatch and the phone when trying to take a call has faltered to absurdity. I usually hang up and try calling back, but you can't always do that. Hopefully, this will mean fewer missed calls from the watch. Google's smartwatch platform has exponentially improved over the past few generations. You don't need the Pixel Watch 3 to be a part of it, but there is something about using it in Google's form. Mostly, the Pixel Watch 3 feels like an apt extension of what's going on with the rest of Google's Android form. It's the perfect mini command center for accessing smart home and media controls or checking in on notifications. We'll have more on how the Pixel Watch 3 performs as a fitness and wellness companion in the coming weeks. I don't think you should run out and buy the Pixel Watch 3 if you've already got one of the first two generations on hand. But if that larger screen seems worth the added information density from all it does, you might consider a trade-in. Having that extra screen real estate for going through notifications and Fitbit data is nice. After spending some time with Samsung and OnePlus's larger smartwatches this year, I'm not so afraid of taking up wrist space with a larger display.

Google's Pixel Watch 3 is big, beautiful, and brainy; and I'm smitten!

At its Made by Google product launch event this year, Google gave users the brand-new Pixel Watch 3, which comes in two sizes: 41mm and what I've affectionately named the MegaPixel (45mm). This review focuses mainly on that 45mm MegaPixel, but the processors, screen brightness, and almost every other tech spec are the same. The key difference here, besides overall size, is battery size, though Google claims both watches will get 24 hours of battery life. I'll say this: It has been a while since I reviewed a smartwatch, and I didn't immediately want to return to the one I wear daily once the review period was over. The Pixel Watch 3, Wear OS 5, and updated apps and features from Fitbit without the subscription are like that D'Jango meme: "Google, you had my curiosity, but now you have my attention." There's a lot to get to in this deep dive, so grab some snacks, get comfy, and let's get into it. Staff pick Google Pixel Watch 3 8.5/ 10 The Pixel Watch 3 is a fine-tuned improvement over the Pixel Watch 2 and a worthy upgrade from the first-generation Pixel Watch. The 45-mm version is gorgeous. Pros45mm version is gorgeousBetter Google ecosystem integrationSolid battery life (45mm version)Best fitness features don't require subscriptionImproved tracking ConsProprietary watch band connectorsNeeds better Focus Mode and Workout integrationAdvanced running features are subscription-based X $350 at Best Buy$400 at Best Buy (45mm, Wi-Fi)$350 at Google Store$350 at Amazon Price, availability, and specs The Pixel Watch 3 models are available at four price points, depending on whether you're buying a Bluetooth/Wi-Fi-only or LTE-enabled model. The 41mm and 45mm Wi-Fi models are $350 and $400, respectively, but you can add $100 more to each price for the LTE-equipped versions. That's $50 more than last year's models. The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is available in three different finish/band combos: A polished silver aluminum case with a porcelain active band, a matte black aluminum case with an obsidian active band, and a matte hazel aluminum case with a matching hazel active band. The 41mm replaces and, in some cases, extends your color options. You won't get a matte hazel case, but you'll have the option of a champagne gold aluminum case with that hazel active band. The polished silver case can be bought with either that porcelain active band or a rose quartz active band. Specifications Case size 41mm; 45mm Case Material Aluminum CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 with Cortex M33 co-processor RAM 2GB Storage 32GB Battery 306 mAh (41 mm); 420 mAh (45 mm) Cellular connectivity LTE (optional) Wi-Fi connectivity 2.4GHz; 5GHz Bluetooth 5.3 Software Wear OS 5 Health sensors Optical heart rate, SpO2, ECG, continuous EDA, skin temperature Dimensions 41 x 41 x 12.3 mm (41 mm); 45 x 45 x 12.3 mm (45 mm) Weight 31 g (41 mm); 37 g (45 mm) IP Rating IP68 Expand Design Enter the MegaPixel Close I like big watches, and I cannot lie! And like Queen Latifah said in the rap classic Come into my House, "Give me body!" As much as I like larger watches, the Apple Watch convinced me I could love something svelte -- a delicate, lithe rectangle sitting atop my wrist like a Blue Jay on Snow White's finger. Though I love the fit and feel, I've longed for a smartwatch that sits atop my wrist, more like King Kong on the Empire State Building, beating his chest. To that end, Samsung's new 47mm Galaxy Watch Ultra and the 49mm x 44mm Apple Watch Ultra are great options. But now, I have a highly capable third option. Though a behemoth in its own right, the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is a different beast. It is King Kong-size, but the beast is refined. Its soft lines and circular body feel more like a luxe giant robot -- Voltron, Evangelion maybe -- than a giant monster. Of course, a more direct comparison would be the 44mm body of Samsung's Galaxy Watch 7 since the Pixel Watch 3 doesn't have some durability features like sapphire glass or 10atm of water resistance, but, frankly, it still feels "Ultra." I'm reviewing the matte black watch with the obsidian band, and I absolutely love it compared to the Pixel Watch 2's black face with a polished silver body. The wraparound, domed black face mated to a matte black body adds a level of refinement, making the entire watch body look like one piece of hardware instead of two. Hopefully, that matte black body stands up to scratches and scuffs over time. Pixel Watch 2 (Right) and 3 (Left) side-by-side The 41mm Pixel Watch 3's polished silver body beneath that black face is identical to the Pixel Watch 2. Nothing is wrong with that, but I have an affinity for earth tones, so I love the upscale beauty of the Champagne Gold 41mm body. That one will likely be my wife's next watch. She's helping me test both watches concurrently, and with petite arms and wrists, she favors the smaller 41mm over the larger 45mm Pixel Watch 3. At the heart of each Pixel Watch 3 is a similar processor and co-processor as last year's Pixel Watch 2 and the same biometric sensor, which have improved. We'll discuss them in this review. Dual-band Wi-Fi was added to the mix this year, so you have support for 5GHz bands now. The proprietary lug connector is the same as last year's Pixel Watch 2, so last year's bands will fit the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 but not the 45mm version. You also get the same rotating crown and side button, so other than the upgrades to the display, you'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference between last generation's 41mm watch and 2024's. It even uses the same charger as the Pixel Watch 2. Close One thing worth noting regarding the design of Pixel Watches is that aftermarket bands can be hit or miss, depending on the quality of the lug attachments. With other watches that use the traditional spring-loaded lug pins, I haven't had lousy failure rates with aftermarket bands. With the Pixel Watch 2, I went through a few that worked for a while, but after a time, their plastic connectors failed, leaving the watch susceptible to falling off my wrist and hitting the ground unexpectedly. If you're going for either Pixel Watch 3, take a hard look at the aftermarket bands you may be considering and try to choose one with metal connectors. I've never had any issues with the connectors on Google's Pixel Watch bands. Upgraded displays Beautifully bright and curvy! Both Pixel Watch 3 models feature Google's new Actua displays, and that's a big deal. It's an even bigger deal (pun intended) with the 45mm watch, which has 40% more screen size, perfect for my tired eyes. If you go for the smaller watch, the display now has 16% smaller bezels. Both watches have LTPO displays to scale their brightness from as low as one nit up to a radiant 2000 nits. Google also upped the refresh rates from 30Hz to 60Hz for smoother scrolling and interactions. All this combines, like Voltron, to create a stunning watch face. An LTPO display means the screen adjusts indoors in places like movie theaters or even just a dark room; that ability to scale down will keep you from blinding yourself; a little hyperbole, I know. Outdoors at the beach, under a cloudless California sky, the difference is noticeable as the watch hits that 2000 nits, rendering each tiny complication and every letter or image easily readable and vibrantly displayed. Additionally, scaling down to very low brightness levels saves on battery life. So, LTPO is a great upgrade from the Pixel Watch 2. As much as my eyes hate me for it, I love info density, and this year's Pixel watches scratch that itch. With 16% smaller bezels on the 41mm watch and a larger display on the MegaPixel, the Pixel Watch 3 has more watch faces for that info-dense deliciousness. My current favorite is the Adventure watch face, which gives me access to six customizable complications, utilizing the Digital Arcs layout; you have five layouts to choose from with the Adventure watch face. The only concern I have here is that, unlike larger watches that generally have metal on the sides and the glass display up top, there is no buffer for this beautiful domed glass display that wraps around the sides. Instead of using a material like sapphire crystal, known for its resilience regarding impact and annoying scratches, Google uses Gorilla Glass 5. My wife wore her Pixel Watch 1st gen for a few years with no issues, so I'm not concerned. However, it's something worth noting if you're hopelessly clumsy. Software Smarter, but with room to grow Close At the Made by Google event, the folks in Mountain View made it clear that they upped their game on the machine learning and artificial intelligence that went into refining the Pixel Watch 3. Regarding connected experiences, the Apple Watch has long been the gold standard, but that's expected as we're on generation nine, not including SE versions. We're on generation seven with Samsung's Galaxy Watch, not including other watches they've made or their fitness trackers. This is just number three for Google, but they're on the right track! I've been reviewing the MegaPixel connected to Google's Pixel 9 phone, and the refinements in device mirroring have been a delight. One of my complaints with previous-gen Pixel watches was the lack of overall continuity between the Pixel Watch and the Pixel Phone. This time around, Google addressed my primary complaint: Bedtime mode settings being mirrored. I can now set or alter Bedtime mode on the watch or the phone, which will activate at the appointed time. This applies to Do Not Disturb as well. And that's especially handy as you can place your phone screen down on a surface, muting the ringer, and the watch will also follow suit, muting audible notifications, not vibrations. However, the continuity doesn't end there; Google has made it more intelligent. This year, you get Auto Bedtime mode which uses machine learning to detect when you fall asleep, enabling Bedtime mode for you. The watch will also detect when you wake up, turning off Bedtime mode. The feature is turned on by default. In my testing, the feature worked quite well. One issue with many watches is detecting when you actually fall asleep if you're in bed and relatively still while reading or watching TV. The Pixel Watch 3 handles this surprisingly well, though it isn't something I often do, so I haven't tested it extensively. Other ecosystem integrations are well worth mentioning. When connected to a Pixel Phone, you have new Camera app gestures, allowing you to switch between photo and video modes. I've found these to come in quite handy. Also, for those who like astrophotography, it has Astro Mode support for those starry night photos. At the Made by Google event, the folks in Mountain View made it clear that they upped their game on the machine learning and artificial intelligence that went into refining the Pixel Watch 3. From photos to phone calls, if your phone is in another room and a call rings through to your watch, tapping the three dots in the upper right-hand corner presents the AI-powered Ask to Hold option and the ability to respond to a call with a text message. When you tap on it, the caller gets an automated message asking them to hold. Then, you can pick up the call from your phone or your wrist once you're ready. This fantastic, easy-to-use feature worked well during testing for me. But wait, there's more! You can also invoke Find My Phone while using Ask to Hold if you don't know exactly where your phone is while your caller waits. This feature will be a godsend for my wife and youngest son, who can never find their phones. I know what I'm getting them for Christmas, so I can stop calling their phones for them. Some other odds and ends allow you to experience deeper Google integration. Offline Google maps downloaded on your phone will now be transferred and accessible on your watch. Thanks to the inclusion of an Ultra-Wideband radio, you can now use your Pixel Watch to unlock your Pixel Pro phone if you have a Pixel 7 Pro, up to the Pixel 9 Pro and all its iterations. You can also use it as a digital key to unlock some BMW and Mini models. The other phones, beginning with the Pixel 5, all support Bluetooth unlocking, but UWB should be more secure and provide a better unlocking experience than Bluetooth overall. One of my favorite new integrations I'd like to see expanded is Live View for Nest cams and doorbells. To be clear, Live View with my Nest video doorbell was excellent. There were no problems there whatsoever. However, when I try to pull up the Nest Hub Max camera in my kitchen, it sends me an unsupported message. I'd love to see Google expand this and further differentiate itself from the Galaxy Watch and other competitors. I don't know what the underlying streaming protocols are to make this happen, though. Maybe it's as simple as an update to the Nest Hub Max, or maybe it's old enough that it doesn't support whatever protocol is necessary to stream to the watch. I'll update the article should I find an answer. Fitbit: Health & wellness for dummies! And that isn't a bad thing at all! I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Fitbit is one of the best non-niche health and wellness platforms in the tech world, minus the subscription features, but Google has even improved upon that this go 'round. You have doctors and personal trainers for a reason! You already have a job, and becoming a kinesiologist, personal trainer, and general practitioner isn't it. That's where Fitbit's new Readiness, Target load, Cardio load, and Morning Brief features come into play. All without a premium subscription, showing AI isn't the only thing smart in Mountain View. Morning Brief is a valuable first look at your day. It pops up on your watch a bit after you wake up and gives you an idea of your recovery, sleep, Readiness, Target Load, and more. It'll also let you know if some of your trending metrics are out of range. Close Target Load will require more vigorous testing as I haven't pushed myself very hard these last few months due to an injury. But, in my 2.5-mile daily walks and interval walks/sprints, my Pixel Watch 3 had enough data to set a target load. I love the simplicity of Fitbit's Active Zone Minutes, but Target Load is even simpler because you get this visual "fuel gauge" that shows your low to high load. It's easy to stay within that and not push so hard. Being as busy as life sometimes demands, I like Cardio Load for two reasons. It compares your past seven days of activity to your last 28, then gives you a color block meter to show you at a glance if your current activity level is enough to maintain your current fitness level or if it's trending toward increasing your fitness level. It will also tell you if you've fallen below what you've been doing and are edging into detraining territory. This is important for me because I want to increase my VO2 Max. You can go into the app and manually set the tracking to "maintain cardio fitness" if you're happy where you are and aren't trying to increase your fitness. The cool concept here is that you can gradually increase your fitness level by staying within your optimal target range without hurting yourself by trying to level up too fast. I've done that. It's no fun. Close I'm not going to dive too deep into the advanced running machine learning and AI because I'd like to spend an extended period putting them through their paces. One of my goals has been running a 5K, which I haven't formally done yet. I've run that distance on a treadmill but never a formal 5K race or charity event on the more unforgiving pavement or even off-road like a Spartan. I will have Fitbit's AI-powered, subscription-based, daily run recommendations, combined with the free Cardio Load feature, help me achieve that goal and write about it. For now, on my 2.5-mile interval walk/sprints, the Pixel Watch 3 has been very reliable for heart rate monitoring, GPS, real-time guidance, and in-workout controls. Close The Pixel Watch 2 was solid in terms of heart rate monitoring, but the MegaPixel keeps up better with sudden changes in heart rate when performing intervals. It consistently took less than 10 seconds to catch up with sudden changes in heart rate when running stairs. In my testing, the only piece of equipment faster than that has been a chest-worn HRM. Looking over the GPS maps of my outdoor excursions, tracking has been more accurate than some other single-band GPS devices and quite close to my results with dual-frequency watches like the Apple Watch Ultra. Real-time guidance is always a great feature to have, and it's been fair so far, but I can't wait to test it more thoroughly and see how well pace coaching, heart rate coaching, and interval alerts stack up against other watches. Close I have only two issues with this area of the Pixel Watch 3 45mm: single-frequency GPS and the pause and resume function with the side button. I haven't been hiking with the watch yet, so I don't know how well the real-time GPS holds up in a dense, tree-canopied area. With the 45mm watch competing with other large watches that have dual-frequency GPS, other than battery life, why omit it? Then, with the side button, there are times that I want to change music or fool around with the music app while in workout mode, so I hit the side button, which launches a screen of recently used apps. But I forgot I set it to pause/resume workouts, and I would immediately pause my workout. I turned this feature off because the Pixel Watch 3's automatic workout detection, automatic pause, and restart functions have been flawless for my outdoor walks and runs. I'd call the automatic pause and resume functionality "aggressive." Better tracking algorithms Improvements for your movements This third generation of Pixel Watches definitely received some improvements. Step accuracy on the Pixel Watch 2 wasn't the greatest. One of my battery tests is to go out multiple times with a watch and use a click counter to track steps, then compare that to what the watch has tracked. On one occasion, the MegaPixel had 2,287 when I began my walk, and by the end, it showed 6,037 steps total for the day. Doing the math, that's 3,750 steps tracked. I registered 3,743 on the click counter. That is only a 7-step difference, which can be chalked up to operator error. A vast improvement over the tracking numbers I saw with the Pixel Watch 2. I've talked about the tracking phenomenon I call "Sleep Walking," where a watch or fitness tracker counts false steps while sleeping or sitting at your desk. This has also improved. Sitting at my desk, the steps registered were within acceptable numbers, and the "steps counted" while sleeping were "0" many times. That's better than most smartwatches. Battery life Not weak, still not a week Here's what the first few days of use looked like, with "Day One" always being the worst when I'm onboarding. Day/Charge cycle 1: 8/20 Charged battery to 100% at 12 p.m. 48% left 8/21 at 0730. The Pixel Watch 3 died around 12 p.m., almost 24 hours later. A standalone GPS workout finally drained it. Charge cycle 2: 8/21 100% around 1 p.m. and lasted until 6 a.m. 8/23. My use was two hours of GPS-guided traffic navigation, one hour of music streaming to Bluetooth earbuds, one hour of fitness tracking, and two nights of sleep tracking. That's (checks notes) 42 hours of use. Charge cycle 3: 8 a.m. 8/23 - 10:30 a.m. 8/25, for 50 hours of use. This was a weekend, which is my recovery time, so less fitness tracking and Bluetooth earbud streaming, and my battery life reflects that. It should be noted that Google has stated that this watch gets 24 hours of battery life under "normal" usage. In my experience, the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 regularly exceeds that number, getting me roughly two days of use. My colleague at Android Police, Taylor Kerns, has been testing the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 with LTE activated, and his experience lines up more closely with Google's estimates. He's been going on GPS-tracked runs with Spotify streaming to the watch over LTE, and that really hammers battery life -- up to one percent drain per minute, but sometimes less. Still, in his testing, he says he's getting around 24 hours of battery life. Like Taylor, I've seen battery life take a hit while using GPS-tracked exercise and streaming to Bluetooth earbuds. I'm losing around 20% battery life on an hour's walk or run -- something to note if you plan on using the watch during longer runs or marathon training. Fortunately, Google's charging estimates also align with my experience. In the time it takes me to shower and get ready for work in the morning, the watch is fully charged. Although it can go a couple of days off the charger, I just throw it on the charger every morning while I get ready for work. Competition Other ecosystems? I'm cautious about how I look at this. There are better watches on the market for niche needs. Need a watch that lasts a week or longer on a charge? Garmin, TicWatch Pro, and Polar, to name a few, will provide that. Need very granular, very powerful triathlon-oriented features? Yep. Those are on the market as well and could cost hundreds more. Do you want a watch that ties in as seamlessly as possible with your smartphone and earbuds? The options are fewer. Read our review Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro review: An iterative update to a great watch A refined TicWatch Pro 5 experience, but some lingering flaws remain Right now, the competition for a premium ecosystem smartwatch is pretty much just Samsung and OnePlus, though I think we'll see more from Nothing as it continues to bring wearables to this space. Yes, there's the Apple Watch, but I'm guessing that if you're reading this, you likely aren't in the Apple ecosystem. Sure, I use it for comparison in my reviews, but only as a reference product. Even though I've compared the 45mm watch to other Ultra watches, technically, it isn't "Ultra." It hasn't even been given the "Pro" moniker. I'd compare this more directly to the 44mm Galaxy Watch 7 from Samsung, which is $330 for Bluetooth/Wi-Fi only, adding $50 for an LTE-equipped version. If we're talking about the Galaxy Watch Ultra, we're also talking about a $650 watch. Still, it has greater durability, with its titanium body and water resistance of up to ten atmospheres instead of five. And the Ultra is only available in an LTE-equipped version. The pricing has been a curious bit for me. With LTE, the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is over $100 more than the similarly equipped LTE Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 . In this economy, all those extra dollars don't make much sense. With trade-ins and carrier deals, that price will come down, and I'm sure there will be bundles, but still, that may be a tough pill to swallow for some. Additionally, you have the much improved OnePlus Watch 2 and 2r, both of which may get you better battery life and pass along some things from phone to watch, like alarms. That said, the Pixel Watch 3 has greater Google ecosystem continuity. Read our review The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is still the best ecosystem smartwatch on Android Iterative? Only compared to the last Galaxy Watch 6 Should you buy the Pixel Watch 3? The third generation in the Pixel Watch series is a solid improvement over the previous Pixel Watch 2. I don't know that it's worth upgrading from the 2. However, if you're still on the first generation Pixel Watch, I can recommend the Pixel Watch 3 as a worthy upgrade. If you were never settled on the size of your Pixel Watch, first or second generation, the MegaPixel 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is absolutely gorgeous and worth consideration. So much so that I haven't rushed to put my daily driver watch back on, and I will be wearing this for some time as I put it through some serious paces more thoroughly testing the advanced running features. Staff pick Google Pixel Watch 3 8.5/ 10 The Pixel Watch 3 is a fine-tuned improvement over the Pixel Watch 2 and a worthy upgrade from the first-generation Pixel Watch. The 45-mm version is gorgeous! $350 at Best Buy$400 at Best Buy (45mm, Wi-Fi)$350 at Google Store$350 at Amazon Related Best Google Pixel Watch 3 cases & screen protectors in 2024 Protect your Pixel Watch 3 at all times

Google Pixel Watch 3 Review: Third time's the charm, no matter the size

Google's Pixel Watch series has always had a solid foundation, but it's taken a while to find its footing. With the new Pixel Watch 3, Google is delivering a long-awaited hardware upgrade, welcome software improvements, and more. True to the expression, third time's the charm. From a hardware perspective alone, the Pixel Watch 3 hasn't changed much. It runs on the same Qualcomm chipset inside, has the same aluminum build as Pixel Watch 2, and the design hasn't changed either. But there's literally a whole second half to it. The Pixel Watch 3 finally delivers on the long-awaited larger size option, with a 45mm option joining the existing 41mm size. This is the size option I've been primarily using over the past couple of weeks, and it's been an absolute delight. The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is not drastically larger than the existing size, but it's big enough to be the "right" size for people who weren't satisfied with the smaller 41mm size. I've also found that the various curves of the Pixel Watch design have done a great job of making the size feel smaller than it is on the wrist itself. I've really come to prefer smaller smartwatches since switching to the Pixel Watch series, with options like the Galaxy Watch 5 (and 6 and 7) feeling too big to me, but the larger Pixel Watch 3 really nails it when it comes to adding size without overdoing it. The bigger display leaves more room for apps, more room for text, and has overall better utility. And not much changes with this size either. The battery is a little bigger (more on that later), and the charger is the same too. The biggest negative to the bigger size is the band situation. Google is still using its proprietary band connector here, of course, but it's now split into two sizes. You can't use 41mm Pixel Watch bands on the 45mm size. That was probably inevitable, but it's a shame. It means that a lot of great first-party and third-party bands simply won't work with the larger size. This alone will keep me using the 41mm size in the long-term. One of the other new additions with this bigger size is a new "Hazel" finish. The casing picks up a grey-green color with a matte finish which looks excellent. The green tint is just subtle enough to where I don't fear this color not working with other band options, something I take issue with on Samsung's otherwise fun Galaxy Watch color options. Annoyingly, one problem Google continues to leave unsolved on its third-generation Pixel Watch is repairability. Put simply, there is none. If you break your Pixel Watch 3's display, or the battery fails, Google can only replace the device. Repairs aren't offered in any capacity. I can't help but feel that just leaves the device like e-waste waiting to happen, which is negative point in the face of Google's increasing environmental efforts. It's also frustrating given the fact that Google is still using Gorilla Glass for the display cover. Gorilla Glass is great for a smartphone, but a smartwatch is exposed to different kinds of damage. My Pixel Watch 2 held up surprisingly well over a year of use, but scratches are all too common on smartwatches using normal glass. And it's frustrating when the cheaper Galaxy Watch 7 and OnePlus Watch 2R both use sapphire glass instead. That downside out of the way, the rest of the Pixel Watch 3 hardware continues to refine the formula Google started on a couple of years ago. The display underneath that glass is noticeably better. It's very bright outdoors, but feels about the same in indoor or dim conditions. Later at night, it's also a bit dimmer that the previous model, which is appreciated! And the reduced bezel size is a treat on the smaller 41mm size. Google's haptics carry over from the Pixel Watch 2, and they're excellent. The various taps and vibrations you feel throughout using the Pixel Watch 3 are clear and concise, not annoying buzzes like on many other smartwatches. And on the band situation, I'm disappointed to see Google lessening its first-party options, but third-party bands are only becoming more and more prevalent nowadays. There's also the long-awaited support for automatically turning on "Bedtime" mode when you fall asleep, something I've regularly wished for on prior generations. The Pixel Watch experience has always been a delight because it's clean, fluid, and easy to use. That hasn't changed at all on the Pixel Watch 3. Google's Wear OS 5 update feels just like what you've seen or maybe even used on past iterations of the Pixel Watch. It's marginally more fluid, I think, versus Watch 2, but to a minimal degree. That's to say that everything is fast and smooth throughout, whether it's an app or the OS itself. Speaking of apps, that's where many of the upgrades on Pixel Watch 3 lie. There are major improvements to the Google Home app. You can now control Google TV devices, watch a live feed from a Nest camera, and control a lot more devices without even opening the app thanks to expanded Wear OS tiles. This is all wonderful, though the only thing I've used in-depth in my time with Pixel Watch 3 thus far has been the live video from Nest cameras. It's incredibly convenient to get a notification, which has a direct shortcut for the live feed, and just immediately jump into viewing it. This works impressively quickly too (assuming your Nest camera has a fast enough internet connection). Another useful new addition is Pixel Recorder, which works quite well. The app is simply laid out and works impressively quickly from its Wear OS tile. It's a handy option for quick voice notes, but I wouldn't rely on it for anything more given the microphone is inherently not in an ideal location. Google's little taste of Gemini on the Pixel Watch 3 is "Ask to hold" in the phone app, which can use the AI to ask a caller to give you a few extra moments to actually pick up the call. Absolutely brilliant smartwatch feature. The Pixel Camera app is also considerably more capable now, able to control photo and video, and having better controls across the board. I've never been a big fan of capture controls from my watch, mostly because the app was always so slow. But now, it's fast and actually intuitive to use. It's rather impressive how useful this app has become, and I'm actually inclined to try to use it more. The bigger screen of the 45mm model makes this app even better too. One of my favorite added features uses a combination of software and hardware. "Watch Unlock" makes it easily possible to unlock your connected smartphone just by having it near your Pixel Watch 3. This was already possible on previous models, but it works better this year thanks to the addition of UWB. Alongside Pixel "Pro" devices, this makes unlocking seamless and, more importantly, reliable. I often found that the Bluetooth-based system could be just a little temperamental, but this time around it's absolutely flawless. Google's continued work on its Wear OS app and feature suite make this smartwatch feel like it's really a Google smartwatch, a Google experience, not just a smartwatch Google happens to sell. Then, of course, there are plenty of Fitbit upgrades. One of those is "Morning Brief," a notification that arrives each morning and can go over your sleep from the night before and offer some recommendations for what you can handle in the day ahead based on historical data. It's a useful addition, but one that was a little frustrating for me. Over the past couple of years on Pixel Watch, I've developed a habit of putting my watch on the charger immediately after I wake up, giving it time to refill the battery before I start my day. With that habit, I basically always miss out on seeing Morning Brief. And, because it's a simple notification, you can't get back to it. Once you've opened it or once it times out, it's gone for the day. It's also not all that useful, in my experience, if you don't wear the watch to sleep. There are further additions for workout tracking too, all surrounding running workouts. This is something that I'm far from the right person to talk about, so I'd recommend checking out Abner Li's review of the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 for more on that. Last year the Pixel Watch 2 was the tipping point for this form factor being a real Fitbit smartwatch, with this new generation only doubling down on that. Good news, seeing as more Fitbit smartwatches aren't coming. Another note on software comes with watchfaces, which are updated this year. There are a few new and updated faces, Active, Track, and Field. These can all take advantage of the added screen real estate on the 45mm size. These can show more "Arc" style complications, in some cases even within the watch face rather than just at the edges. The bigger display literally leaves more space for the software to work with. If you like an info-dense watch face, you'll probably love this. Personally, I almost found that there were too many options for data to be added, to the point where I left complication slots blank instead. But that's probably for the best! Better to have more options than not enough. Wear OS 5 does restrict some older watch faces, meaning they won't be compatible with Pixel Watch 3, but it does that for the sake of battery life and performance. The first-generation Pixel Watch suffered from exceedingly poor battery life, something that the sequel fixed. The Pixel Watch 2 largely solved this problem until later software updates hurt endurance a bit, but the Pixel Watch 3 takes things up a notch. Using the same chipset, Wear OS 5 brings a few more power efficiency improvements. These aren't noticeable throughout actual usage, but they add up to better overall battery life. At least slightly, on the 41mm model. I've noticed the 41mm model, in the short period of time I've used it, lasts just a bit longer compared to the Pixel Watch 2 when it launched, meaning a huge upgrade over what the Watch 2's battery has turned into over time. I'm easily ending my day with 40-50% left over (with AOD on), which keeps it a 1-day smartwatch, but with plenty of cushion. This is only made better by the endurance of the larger Pixel Watch 3 (45mm), which is easily a 1.5-2-day smartwatch. Even with always-on display (AOD) turned on, I've been getting at least 36 hours of use out of this smartwatch. A full day of use without GPS-tracking workouts generally ends at around 50-60% battery remaining. Overnight sleep tracking tends to be under 10% thanks to the new automatic "Bedtime" mode, an overdue and welcome addition. Charging is marginally faster, but this is offset by the extended battery life. I've found that my morning habit of tossing the watch on the charger is actually overkill when it comes to topping off the battery, at least on the 45mm size. The 30 or so minutes it sits there each day is much more than enough to refill it. In my book, that's as ideal as smartwatch battery life can get. I've been a huge fan of the Pixel Watch since the first generation. Google's implementation of a simple, thoughtful smartwatch experience combined with Fitbit's capable, but not overwhelming fitness setup just struck a chord with me. But there were obvious downsides before. The first generation had terrible battery life. The second generation was excellent, but lacked a modern look due to its large bezels. And in both cases, many clamored for a larger size option. The Pixel Watch 3, finally, offers an experience that's largely "right." It's obviously not a perfect product, but Google's smartwatch is easily now competing with the best in the game. No matter which size you opt for, the Pixel Watch 3 is just a stellar choice for a smartwatch to pair with your Android phone, especially because, unlike its biggest competitor in the Galaxy Watch series, the vast majority of its features work regardless of what phone you're paired to. If you've been tempted by the Pixel Watch in the past, but held off for various reasons, now is the time to try it. Which model should you buy? The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 puts up a compelling offer, with great battery life and a screen that's not just bigger, but useful. For me, though, I'll be sticking back with the 41mm size that I've come to love, the slimmer bezels make it feel like a solid upgrade, and it means I get to continue using the bands I've collected over the past two years. Where to buy the Pixel Watch 3 Pixel Watch 3 starts at $349 for the 41mm size and $399 for the 45mm size. Both have LTE options for an extra $100 which, as of September, includes 2 years of free service through Google Fi (which works no matter what carrier you use).

Google Pixel Watch 3 Review

Holistic health insights are the hottest trend in wearables from big brands, and Google is getting on the bandwagon with the Pixel Watch 3 (starting at $349). Leveraging Fitbit's capable fitness tracking technology, the Pixel Watch 3 (starting at $349) triples down on the trend with Readiness Score, Cardio Load, and Training Load metrics that are genuinely helpful for workout planning and more comprehensive than the piecemeal offerings from competitors. The Pixel Watch 3 doesn't offer much in the way of hardware upgrades over its predecessor besides a new 45mm option and a brighter screen, but it's a good smartwatch to pair with your Android phone if you want the robust app selection and lifestyle features of Google's Wear OS along with Fitbit's algorithms to track and guide your workouts. As a more affordable alternative, the WearOS-powered Samsung Galaxy Watch FE ($199) offers most of the same fitness and lifestyle features for nearly half the price, so it remains our Editors' Choice. Design and Specs: Same Look, More Screen Google offers the Pixel Watch 3 in 45mm or 41mm sizes instead of just 41mm like the last generation. The base 41mm Bluetooth-only Pixel Watch 3 costs $349, matching the launch price of the Pixel Watch 2, which has now been marked down to $249.99 and remains a solid option if you're looking to save money. The larger 45mm Pixel Watch 3 comes at a $50 premium, and an LTE-enabled model of either costs an extra $100. The Pixel Watch 3's prices are higher than those of its main competition, Samsung's latest flagship model, the Galaxy Watch 7, which costs $299 for its base 40mm model, an extra $30 for the 44mm size, and an extra $50 for LTE capability. The budget-minded Galaxy Watch FE only comes in one 40mm size for $199.99, and an LTE version is slated to arrive later this year for $249.99. Both sizes of the Pixel Watch 3 are available in matte black with an obsidian band or polished silver with a porcelain band. The larger size also comes in matte hazel with a hazel band, while the smaller size is also available in champagne gold with a hazel band or polished silver with a rose quartz band. For this review, Google sent me a 45mm LTE model in matte black/obsidian and a 41mm LTE model in champagne gold/hazel. As I'm a bigger guy, I spent most of my time testing the 45mm version. The Pixel Watch 3 largely carries over its predecessor's design, featuring a circular, curved face made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and no physical bezel. The curved glass transitions seamlessly to the 100% recycled aluminum case that wraps around the back of the watch. On the side, it has a rotating crown and an extra button that sits flush with the case. Its most notable design change is a bigger, brighter display with a maximum light output of 2,000 nits, doubling the Pixel Watch 2 and matching the Galaxy Watch 7, and a 16% slimmer bezel (the black border surrounding the screen) compared with last generation. Its AMOLED display still shows 320 pixels per inch, the same as the Pixel Watch 2, and looks very sharp and colorful. Due to the thinner bezel, Google says the smaller Pixel Watch 3 offers 10% more screen real estate than the Pixel Watch 2 with the same size case, while the 45mm version offers 40% more display space. The large display lets you see most tracked fitness data on the watch itself, and its touch controls and buttons proved consistently snappy and responsive in my testing. The Pixel Watch 3 intelligently uses the screen's adaptive brightness to save power in darker environments. Adaptive brightness can take the screen all the way down to 1 nit for optimal viewing and battery life, depending on the ambient light. I could easily read it in bright sunlight, and it dimmed low enough in dark rooms to prevent eye strain. The screen also has an adaptive refresh rate that can shift from 1 to 60Hz depending on what's needed for its current task. The Pixel Watch 3 is slightly thicker than its predecessor at 12.3mm for both sizes, compared with 12.2mm last generation. The 41mm version weighs the same 1.09 ounces as last year's model, while the 45mm version is a bit heftier at 1.31 ounces. The larger model felt weighty on my wrist, but not burdensome. The sturdy rubber watch bands fit snugly and comfortably, and the Pixel Watch 3 comes with both large and small bands in the box to accommodate a wide range of wrist sizes. The band easily and securely snaps into place by sliding over the release button on the case. Like the last generation, the Pixel Watch 3 has an IP68 durability rating, and it can withstand pressure from calm salt and fresh water up to 164 feet deep. Samsung's smartwatches, including the Galaxy Watch FE, go a step further with a MIL-STD-810H certification, meaning they are rated to endure extreme temperatures and environmental stressors, a spec the Pixel Watch 3 does not offer. Under the surface, the Pixel Watch 3 has the same dual-processor setup as the Pixel Watch 2, with a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 5100 processor and a Cortex M33 coprocessor, along with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. For connectivity, it adds ultra-wideband support and gets an upgrade to Bluetooth 5.3 (from Bluetooth 5.0 last generation). Otherwise, it continues to pack 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, NFC, and GPS functionality on all models. Wear OS 5: Power Efficient and Packed With Features For apps, notifications, and general smarts, the Pixel Watch 3 runs Wear OS 5, the latest version of Google's smartwatch operating system, which also powers the Galaxy Watch 7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra ($649.99). Wear OS has a wide selection of apps. Apple's watchOS still has more, but Wear OS is functionally close enough now that you're unlikely to notice any big third-party options missing from the platform. Google launched refined smart home device controls for Nest thermostats, cameras, and doorbells with the Pixel Watch 3, allowing you to more easily change the temperature or talk to the person at your front door from your watch. You can even use the watch to unlock and start compatible cars from BMW and Mini. For productivity, the Pixel Watch 3 can automatically sync alarms with your phone and keep your phone unlocked when the watch is nearby. You can download music or maps to the Pixel Watch 3 for when you want to go for a run offline. On the safety front, the Pixel Watch 3 has fall detection and can make emergency calls like its predecessor. You can also opt in to a new loss of pulse detection feature that senses when your heart stops beating and calls emergency services in that event. The Pixel Watch 3 requires a smartphone running Android 10 or later, and the bulk of its features work with compatible phones of any brand. Pairing it with a Pixel smartphone gives you access to a few exclusive features, including the ability to set up automatic call screening on the watch to find out who's calling and why before you pick up. If you need to find a quiet place to talk, you can tell the watch to "hold a minute," and an AI assistant will pick up the call on your phone and say you'll be right there. You can use the watch as a remote camera shutter to take photos on your phone. You can also record conversations from your wrist with Pixel Recorder and sync them with your phone. While testing, I wore the watch day and night with the always-on display enabled. I used the watch to respond to texts and keep up with email notifications, both of which were delivered promptly. I worked out with the watch to make use of its GPS, and I slept with the watch on. Through all of this, the battery acquitted itself well. Wear OS 5 promises improved power efficiency, which helps the Pixel Watch 3 keep the same 24-hour official battery life estimate as the Pixel Watch 2, despite having a bigger screen and the same 306mAh cell in the smaller version. The larger model has a 420mAh battery. In testing, the Pixel Watch 3 surpassed its promised battery life spec, with the 41mm model lasting around 34 hours on a charge and the 45mm model powering through 46.5 hours. Normally, the watch automatically switches to a battery-saver mode at 15%, but I disabled that feature, and the larger model still lasted nearly two full days. It did crash suddenly from 2% to dead, but that's still a nice result. When I let the battery saver turn on at 15%, the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 eked out just over 48 hours. It outlasted the Pixel Watch 2 (33 hours) and the Galaxy Watch 7 (22 hours) in the same test. The 45mm watch took 78 minutes to fully recharge and sends a notification to your phone when it's done. While its battery life is respectable, if you want a WearOS smartwatch that you don't have to charge every day, check out the OnePlus Watch 2 ($299.99), which lasted 69 hours in the same test. Bear in mind that the OnePlus Watch 2 is missing a couple of features found on Samsung and Google models, such as ECG measurements, skin temperature readings, fall detection, and period tracking. Intuitive Setup and Controls The Pixel Watch 3 comes in a box with the watch, bands, a charging cable without a brick, and some paperwork, including quick start instructions and a warranty. Before getting started, you'll want to download both the Pixel Watch app and the Fitbit app on your phone or make sure they're fully updated if you already have the apps. Then, open the Pixel Watch app and power on the watch by holding the crown for three seconds. The Pixel Watch app will guide you through connecting the devices via Bluetooth and then walk through the rest of the setup. You'll select your language on the watch itself, allow the app to find nearby devices, pair the two devices by confirming a code, agree to various terms and conditions, then you'll sign into and sync the watch with the Fitbit app, and indicate your height, weight, and gender (male or female options) so it can calibrate your health data appropriately. Along the way, you can set up LTE service if you have that model. It'll also walk you through safety features, have you set up Google Assistant, Google Wallet, and install any number of apps from a list of recommended popular ones. You'll sign up for your free six-month trial of Fitbit Premium, and then you'll be up and running. While it walks you through some of the fitness features and available apps, it doesn't give a tutorial on basic controls. Those haven't changed since the Pixel Watch 2, but if you're new to Wear OS watches, you might need to play around a little bit to get comfortable, though the controls are relatively intuitive. Tap the crown to see your app drawer or to return to your watch's home screen from any app. You can rotate the crown or use your finger to scroll on any page. Double-tap the crown to open Google Pay. Tap it five times to start an SOS call. Hold it down to power down or restart the watch. Tapping the other button opens up a list of recently used apps. Press and hold the button to talk to Google Assistant. You can also access Google Assistant by raising your wrist and saying the wake words "Hey Google." During a workout, tap this side button to quickly pause if you need a break, and then tap it again to resume when you're ready to get back to it. Outside of the buttons, you'll mostly navigate your watch with touch controls. Swipe down on the watch face for a menu of quick settings like battery saver, brightness, and smart home controls. Swipe up for notifications. Swipe left or right to scroll through a customizable arrangement of tiles such as step count, heart rate total, Google Maps, exercises, sleep assessment, and more. You can swipe from the left side of the screen to the right to go back from any screen. To scroll through various watch faces, touch and hold the home screen. You can access more in the Pixel Watch app. You won't need to use this app much once your watch is up and running, but it's there with additional watch face options. You can also use it to customize tiles, access settings, customize notifications, set up safety preferences, and manage apps. You'll then use the Fitbit app to see health and fitness metrics from the Pixel Watch 3. I dislike needing to use multiple apps to manage my watch, but both Samsung and Apple watches ask you to use even more apps to keep track of all of your health data. Google wisely leans into Fitbit's expertise at health tracking with the Pixel Watch 3 as the Fitbit app shows you a wide range of information in a clear and helpful manner. At the top, you'll see featured metrics based on your selected focus, such as Cardio Load, Readiness, sleep, and steps. Below that, you can scroll for more details and charts organized into cards by category-activity, health metrics, heart rate, nutrition, sleep, stress and mindfulness, and more. You can tap any of the cards for more details. The app has additional tabs at the bottom with more features. The Coach tab offers a variety of workouts for Premium members and customizable running plans for all. The You tab lets you customize your profile, share your progress, and check your badges and goals. The Pixel Watch 3 offers all your measured metrics and holistic health assessments for free. A Fitbit Premium membership ($9.99 a month after a six-month free trial) gives you access to the in-app library of audio and video workouts, with recommendations tailored both to your preferences and your holistic health scores. It can also provide specific daily run recommendations with details beyond your Target Load. The Galaxy Watch 7 doesn't have any paywalled features, but requires a Samsung phone for AI health insights. Fitbit Fitness Tracking: Accurate Workout and Sleep Metrics For fitness tracking, the Pixel Watch 3 has the same set of sensors as the Pixel Watch 2. It has an accelerometer, an altimeter, an ambient light sensor, a barometer, a compass, an electrical sensor to measure skin conductance (cEDA) to gauge stress, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a multi-path optical heart rate sensor, and a skin temperature sensor. It can also monitor blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) with red and infrared sensors and it can take an ECG with multipurpose electrical sensors. Google claims to have improved its heart rate tracking this generation through a more precise algorithm that takes arm swing and ground contact into account. Like the Pixel Watch 2, the Pixel Watch 3 tracks your activity in the Fitbit app. It supports automatic and/or manual tracking for more than 40 workout types and also monitors your sleep, including your duration, quality, and stages. The Pixel Watch 3 still trails Samsung on the list of things it can track, as the Galaxy Watch 7 can monitor snoring and sleep apnea, though the former requires a nearby Samsung phone. The Galaxy Watch 7 can also track Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs, an indicator of metabolic health) and body composition measurements similar to those of a smart scale, features that are not available on the Pixel Watch 3. In testing, the Pixel Watch 3 impressed me with its accuracy when tracking my exercise and sleep. To evaluate its workout metrics, I tracked a 30-minute run while wearing the Pixel Watch 3 on one wrist and the proven Apple Watch Ultra 2 ($799) on the other. For the first couple of minutes, the Pixel Watch 3's heart rate readings deviated from those of the Ultra 2 by 3 to 4 beats per minute (bpm), but then it settled and stayed within 1bpm for most of the run. On subsequent runs, it started off more accurately as well. After a consistent jog for 20 minutes, I sprinted at intervals and the Pixel Watch 3 responded to the corresponding spikes and dips in heart rate even more quickly than the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Its GPS map of the run also proved accurate, though it didn't show the first block and a half on the map. Again, it seems like it was calibrating to this first workout, as its distance measurement still matched the Ultra 2, and the map captured the entirety of subsequent runs. The map also shows a color code that changes based on speed, and it matched my memory of where I ran and where I slowed down. The Pixel Watch 3 tracks a variety of running pace and form metrics, and these measurements matched readings from the Ultra 2 as well. Stride length, step cadence, ground contact time, vertical ratio, and vertical oscillation show both on a generic average scale and within your own average range after you log a few workouts. The Pixel Watch 3 also measures elevation gain and automatically tracks your splits per mile. The Pixel Watch 3 offers more detailed training guidance than its predecessor for running in particular. You can customize a running workout before you start with segments focused on distance, speed, or time. The watch will provide active guidance so you can hit your segment goals during your workout. While running, you can track your own laps or swipe for more detailed workout controls, different views, and music controls. Afterward, you can look at your run and compare it to your past workouts to assess your trends and view any personal records you hit or goals you achieved. It offers significantly more detail for runs than any other workout, but it can still track time and heart rate for many other activities. When out and about, it automatically tracked a walk more quickly than the Ultra 2. Apple's smartwatch usually showed more steps taken throughout the day versus the Pixel Watch 3, but the two matched reasonably well. As you're winding down at night, the Pixel Watch 3 will sense when you're going to bed and automatically enable bedtime mode, which turns off the display and silences all notifications. The watch can also sense when you're waking up. In practice, it took five to ten minutes for it to recognize either end of my sleep, so I usually preferred to manually control bedtime mode via the quick menu instead of having the screen shining as I was trying to fall asleep, or waiting on the watch to realize I was awake as I brushed my teeth in the morning. I wore it to sleep at night alongside the Ultra 2 on my other wrist, and Google generally gave me credit for slightly less sleep than Apple (about 30 to 40 minutes different), but its numbers more closely matched my anecdotal experience. The graphs of sleep stages looked similar, with times spent within each stage generally lining up. The Fitbit app also provides a sleep score and shows how your time in each stage compares with a typical range for your demographic. Scroll down on the sleep page, and Fitbit breaks down your estimated blood oxygen variation, restlessness, and your sleep profile. I was generally restless for 10% to 11% of my sleep time on a given night. The app hasn't generated my sleep profile yet, as you need to wear the watch for 14 days in a calendar month to see this data for the first time. The rest of the sleep details populate after a single night. Holistic Health Insights: They're Actually Useful On the holistic health front, the Pixel Watch 3 continues to support Fitbit's Readiness Score, also available on the Pixel Watch 2, which uses heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and sleep to give you a sense of how hard you should push your workouts on a given day. The Pixel Watch 3 offers more training guidance than its predecessor through new Cardio Load and Target Load metrics. Cardio Load provides a rolling seven-day breakdown of your exertion over time alongside guidance on whether you're under or overexerting yourself. Target Load uses your Readiness Score and Cardio Load to help you set a specific workout goal for the day. When you wake up, your watch will show a Morning Brief with all of the above alongside the weather, so you'll know if you can plan your workouts for the great outdoors or if you'll need to go to the gym or exercise at home. The Galaxy Watch 7 has its own holistic health assessment called Energy Score, which encapsulates your well-being for the day on a scale from 0 to 100 by weighing your sleep and activity level from the day before. It uses this score to also offer a specific wellness tip meant to help you improve your score and feel better the next day. Garmin also has a feature called Body Battery on its latest watches which updates throughout the day with your estimated energy level. Apple's latest watch software, watchOS 11, has a feature called Training Load which assesses your activity over time and warns of possible burnout. Together, Fitbit's trio of assessments available on the Pixel Watch 3 encapsulate both an overall energy level and strategic workout planning, making for the most comprehensive set of holistic health advice. You'll need to wear the watch for six nights to calibrate your Readiness Score and two weeks to provide both the Cardio Load and Target Load. The Morning Brief shows up after three nights, but it's a little paltry until the other holistic health assessments are ready. Apple's Training Load also asks for two weeks of data to calibrate, but Samsung's Energy Score populates after just a couple of days. You might be disappointed to unbox your new watch and need to wait a couple of weeks for its best features to come online, but the information from the Pixel Watch 3 is generally worth it. My Readiness Score has varied from 48 after a long day of travel and a mostly sleepless night to 78 after I made a concerted effort to sleep and recover from my trip. Fitbit called the score of 48 moderate and advised a moderate amount of exercise. It called 78 a high level of readiness and it told me my body was recovered and ready for a workout, which fit my frame of mind. I tend to average a score in the 60s, and Fitbit splits high and moderate readiness within that threshold, calling 63 moderate and 65 high. Overall, the Readiness scores generally reflect how I feel, and Fitbit offers solid workout advice. If you want to dig deeper into your data, Fitbit also shows the sleep and heart rate assessments used to generate your score. The Cardio Load score adjusts in real time as you work out and perform activities throughout the day. You can see the Target Load given on the Cardio Load progress bar, so you know what you're aiming for. My Target right now is an activity score anywhere in the range of 66 to 103. Under details, it shows I've been training less than usual lately and warns that I'm under training. While the Target Load numbers themselves feel obtuse, they become more understandable as you start working out, as the Cardio Load rises and gets closer to the goal. Verdict: Google's Body With Fitbit's Bones Despite having the same processor and sensors as the last generation, the Pixel Watch 3 is a solid update thanks to its improved screen, new 45mm size option, and fresh Fitbit features. We appreciate its holistic health insights and precise workout recommendations, especially since they are all offered in front of Fitbit's paywall. Those details help the Pixel Watch 3 keep up with tough competition from the Galaxy Watch 7, though we slightly favor Samsung's watch overall thanks to its extra tracking capabilities for body composition and snoring. Still, the Pixel Watch 3 offers better battery life than the Galaxy Watch 7, and it's a worthwhile investment if you value Fitbit's excellent app and workout guidance. The Galaxy Watch FE beats both in terms of affordability while offering a similar list of sensors and smarts, remaining our Editors' Choice among Wear OS watches.