Google’s 3rd gen Pixel watch line-up is sleek and powerful with a great feature set, but at a premium price point.
Google Pixel Watch 3: Starting at $349.99 (41mm) and $399.99 (45mm)Google’s third-gen Pixel watch line-up is sleek and powerful with a great feature set, but more premium pricing.Refined, comfortable designAvailable in two sizesLarger screens with double the brightness vs PW2Advanced health and fitness trackingWear OS 5 is attractive and comes with great watch facesPrice premiumNo official repair optionsNot enough band options for proprietary connector
Google blessed the first Android-powered wearables in 2014, with partners including Motorola, LG, and Samsung offering smartwatches running Google’s software. At first, Google opted not to make a smart watch of its own, instead relying on its partners. That changed in 2022 when Google finally released the first Pixel Watch. Google’s first-gen wearable had some issues, but it got a lot right. And every release since then gets a little bit better.
The recently revealed Pixel Watch 3 is faster and more efficient than its predecessors, and most importantly, it finally comes in multiple sizes. The new Google wearable looks identical to the last watch, retaining the curved puck shape that makes these watches so comfortable. However, that glass dome is vulnerable to damage, and like the first two Pixel Watches, there are no repair options. It’s also a premium device, starting at $350 for the smaller watch. Let’s see how it stacks up against other smartwatches, to see if that premium is justified.Google Pixel Watch 3: Industrial Design And Hardware
The Google Pixel Watch 3 is the epitome of minimalist wearable design—it’s a screen on your wrist with almost zero hardware embellishment. The top half of the watch is a glass dome that covers the display, meeting up in the middle with the similarly rounded aluminum case. The prominent crown button is the only feature to disrupt the continuously curved body, which carries and IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. ProcessorQualcomm SW5100Display41mm: 1.27-inch OLED, 320ppi, 2000 nits
45mm: 1.46-inche OLED, 320ppi, 2000 nitsMemory2GBStorage32GB Battery41mm: 307mAh
45mm: 420 mAhOSWear OS 5Dimensions41mm: 41 x 41 x 12.3 mm
45mm: 45 x 45 x 12.3 mmWeight41mm: 31g
45mm: 37gConnectivityWi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, UWB, LTE (optional)Colors41mm: Silver, gold, black
45mm: Silver, hazel, blackPricingGoogle Pixel Watch 3 41mm starting at $349.99Google Pixel Watch 3 45mm starting at $399.99
The new 45mm version looks exactly the same as the traditional 41mm, just a bit bigger. Unfortunately, that also means the band connector is larger, and it won’t work with bands designed for the 41mm version. There have never been a lot of official bands for the Pixel Watch, but only part of Google’s meager lineup is available for the 45mm connector. When asked about more options, Google unable to provide any specifics just yet, suggesting we stay tuned for upcoming changes.
Proprietary band connectors are annoyingly common these days, but we do like Google’s. It’s easy to swap bands, and it holds securely. The connector is positioned toward the bottom of the case and angled down. This ensures the watch and band hug the wrist without the gaps that can make more chunky smartwatches feel too big. Even if there aren’t many styles, Google’s bands are high-quality. Even the sport bands that come with the watches is nice. It’s sturdy, soft, and not sticky like some silicone bands.
The Pixel Watch 3 is among the most comfortable smartwatches you can get. The shape and minimal design feel at home on your wrist to the point you can actually forget you’re wearing it—that even goes for the 45mm variant. It’s exceedingly rare to find a larger smartwatch that doesn’t dominate your wrist, but this is it. We just wish Google hadn’t waited 10 years to make this watch.
Both watches have smaller bezels and larger screens compared to previous Pixel Watches. The 45mm is naturally much bigger, adding 40% to the viewable area. The 41mm’s display is 10% larger than last year’s Pixel Watch 2. That’s a welcome change, even though Google’s take on Wear OS does an admirable job of hiding the bezels. However, there are times when you can see the edge of the screen, for example while reading long messages, which shows how much space the Pixel Watch 1 and 2 were wasting.
