Is it time for a new generation of Pixel Watch?
Google’s August 13 Made by Google Pixel hardware event wasn’t exactly filled with surprises – considering the deluge of leaks and the company’s own teases in the weeks leading up to it – but that didn’t stop us from being dazzled by the exciting new slew of Pixel-branded hardware that was served up on stage, particularly one… actually, make it two new smartwatches.
Alongside improvements to the company’s Gemini AI offerings, four new phones in the Pixel 9 series (check out our hands-on Pixel 9 review, Pixel 9 Pro review, Pixel 9 Pro XL review and Pixel 9 Pro Fold review for more on those), and the new Pixel Buds Pro 2, we saw the debut of the Pixel Watch 3.
Whether you’re an existing Pixel Watch user now considering an upgrade, or you’re looking to make the move to one of Google’s most recent smartwatch generations and wondering whether it’s worth forking out the cash for this latest model, you should find your answer here.Pixel Watch 3 vs Pixel Watch 2: Price & Availability
As touched on up top, the Pixel 3 is the first in the series to come in two sizes (41mm and 45mm); a long-requested element to the series that also means this generation spans more price points.
The Pixel Watch 2 arrived on October 8 last year, costing $349 / £349 / AU$549, for the WiFi-only model, while 4G LTE connectivity elevated prices to $399 / £399 / AU$649, across the US, UK and Australia, respectively.
Here’s how pricing compares today; accounting for the price cut Google has since placed on the Watch 2, now that its successor is here:
As you can see, although Google has used the Watch 2’s debut pricing as a jumping off point, the price has started to creep up on this year’s iteration. Note a AU$30 increase on the WiFi-only 41mm Pixel Watch 3 over its predecessor and a $50 / £50 / AU$100 hike, when comparing the pricing of the 4G LTE models across both generations.
When it comes to the new larger-sized 45mm Pixel Watch 3, it costs $50 / £50 / AU$90 more than the smaller 41mm variant, while 4G LTE cellular adds an extra $100 / £100 / AU$170 over the WiFi-only 45mm model.
The Pixel Watch 3 line was made available for pre-order at Google’s event on 13 August, with products scheduled to start shipping 10 September in all key markets, less than a year on from the Pixel Watch 2.
As Google still sells the Watch 2 directly, you could instead pick that up for $100 / £110 / AU$120 less than its original retail price, if you aren’t enamored by the new Watch 3’s upgrades.
Winner: Pixel Watch 2Pixel Watch 3 vs Pixel Watch 2: Design
At a glance, the Pixel Watch 3’s hardware doesn’t really set itself apart from the previous generation. The same rounded pebble-shaped form, consisting of an aluminum back and a Gorilla Glass 5-protected front, with a rotating crown, proprietary user-replaceable bands, an optical heart rate monitor on the back (which Google says uses the same hardware as the Watch 2 but is more accurate thanks to a new algorithm), and an IP68-certified dust and water-resistant construction, up to 5ATM.
The elephant in the room, of course, is the new larger 45mm model. While the standard Pixel Watch 2 and Watch 3 share a 41mm body size – allowing for bands to be swapped interchangeably between generations – the new 45mm Watch 3 supports a new band size (i.
