Update: Check out our recap of the Made by Google event is up and running. Check it out for all the Pixel Watch 3 news.
As expected, the heavily leaked and much rumored Google Pixel Watch 3 officially launched during the August 12 Made by Google event in Mountain View, California, and I was there to check it out in person.
Available in two sizes and boasting a slimmer bezel, a brighter screen, advanced fitness training tools, better integration with other Google products and improved power management, there’s a lot to be excited about.
Be sure to check out our hands-on Pixel Watch 3 review for first impressions of Google's new watch. Otherwise, below is everything you need to know about the new Google Pixel Watch 3 including price, availability, core features and my early outlook.
Google Pixel Watch 3 cheat sheet: Biggest upgrades
- Two sizes: Choose from 41mm or 45mm
- Smaller bezel and a better screen: The bezel has been reduced by 16%; max screen brightness is now 2,000 nits instead of 1,000 nits; the refresh rate has been doubled to 60 Hz vs. 30 Hz on the Pixel Watch 2
- Advanced training tools for runners: New Workout Builder tool; real-time guidance/pacing feature; additional running metrics like ground contact time, stride length, vertical oscillation and vertical ratio
- Better battery conservation: Pixel Watch 3 gets 36 hours of battery life in Battery Saver mode without sacrificing health tracking or safety features; new dual-chip architecture should also bring small battery life improvements
- Fitbit’s ‘Readiness’ score: All Pixel Watch users get access to Fitbit’s previously paywalled daily Readiness score to help better plan their day
- Better integration with the Google ecosystem: Users can use Pixel Watch 3 to view their Nest camera’s live feed, change the channel on their Google TV, control their Pixel phone’s camera app and record audio with the Pixel Recorder app Battery: 41mm may have the same 310 mAh battery as its predecessor; 45mm size may sport a 420 mAh battery
- Ultra-wideband: An UWB chip allows the Pixel Watch 3 to be used as a ‘digital key’ to lock and unlock compatible devices; users can also use their Pixel Watch 3 to lock/unlock compatibility BMW and Mini cars
Google Pixel Watch 3: Price and availability
The Google Pixel Watch 3 is available for preorder beginning today. The smaller 41mm version starts at $349 for the Bluetooth-only model and $449 for the LTE edition. The larger 45mm is $399 for Bluetooth and also $449 for LTE.
Reports initially suggested that Google might significantly hike the launch price of its third-gen smartwatch. However, $349 is a match with the Bluetooth-only variant of the original Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2. The LTE 41mm Pixel Watch 3 is, however, $50 more than its predecessors.
Google Pixel Watch 3: specs
Google Pixel Watch 3: what’s new
The most notable improvement to the Pixel Watch 3 is the availability of a larger-sized model. Beyond that, the new device boasts a twice-as-bright screen that maxes out at 2,000 nits, the same as its direct competitor, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7.
The high-resolution AMOLED touchscreen also gets as dim as 1 nit, which should lessen the strain on your eyes when viewing the launch at night. The refresh rate additionally gets a bump up from 30 Hz to 60 Hz, which should make the visual experience a whole lot smoother.
The rather chunky bezel found on the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 has been slimmed by 16%. However, the smaller model has exactly the same overall dimensions and weight as its predecessor.
Google gave the Pixel Watch 3 all sorts of new fitness and wellness features including a long list of advanced training metrics for runners.
You can also create customized workout regiments, receive real-time guidance in the form of audio or haptic alerts while exercising, and now have access to Fitbit’s Readiness Score for daily insights into rest, recovery and overall wellness, which was previously only available with a Fitbit Premium subscription. This takes into account your sleep quality, heart rate variability and resting heart rate.
Additionally, you get access to Fitbit’s Cardio Load metric to learn more about how hard your heart is working while you train. Another new metric for Pixel Watch, borrowed from Fitbit, is Target Load, which informs you of what types of fitness challenges your body is ready to take on each morning; it can also tell you whether or not you may be overtraining.
Then there’s also a Morning Briefing with details on pertinent health and sleep data, progress toward workout goals, weather and more. On the usability side, the Pixel Watch 3 now makes it easier than ever to control media while tracking a workout.
The new Pixel Watch promises the same 24-hour battery life as its predecessor when using the always-on display and 36 hours in Battery Saver mode, which notably doesn’t impact fitness, health tracking or safety features.
A new power-saving feature puts the watch into Battery Saver mode at 15%, while Bedtime mode kicks in automatically once you start snoozing to additionally help conserve battery; it also pauses notifications and dims the screen. Finally, the 41mm model charges 20% faster than its predecessor.
Dual-chip architecture is nothing new for Google’s smartwatch line but now the Pixel Watch 3 can hand off more tasks to its smaller, less power-hungry processor, which should additionally bring about some battery life improvements (or so Google says).
This is the first Pixel Watch with an ultra-wideband chip, which can be used to lock and unlock compatible devices like your Pixel phone from further distances and with better reliability than Pixel Watches prior; remote phone lock/unlock existed but previously used Bluetooth.
Of course, UWB can help you access other things, too. For launch, Google partnered with BMW and MINI, which means folks with compatible car models will be able to lock and unlock their vehicle from the wrist using the Pixel Watch 3. No word yet on which car models (and which regions) will get the feature, though.
Lastly, the Pixel Watch 3 is now better integrated with other Google products, like Google TV, Nest home security devices and Pixel smartphones. You can now also use Google Maps while offline, something I look forward to testing as an avid hiker.
Google Pixel Watch 3: how it compares
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is the device Google needs to beat to win over the Android faithful hungry for the latest and greatest wrist candy. Having just spent a few weeks with the Galaxy Watch 7 on my wrist, the Pixel Watch 3 has a lot to prove if it wants to compete with the best Android smartwatches.
Samsung’s latest Wear OS device offers a lot of impressive and custom-tailored sleep-tracking and wellness features, insights and tips underpinned by artificial intelligence. And only the Samsung Watches are FDA-approved to detect sleep apnea.
However, Google’s doubling down on advanced training tools and metrics for runners may make it the better option for workout enthusiasts. Meanwhile, Samsung’s daily Energy Score is essentially the same as Fitbit/Google’s Readiness Score and both devices offer insights into heart health and workout recovery.
Battery life between the Galaxy Watch 7 and Pixel Watch 3 also appears to mostly be a match: 24 hours using normal settings; maximum screen brightness is also the same.
While pricing between the models is the same for the smaller Bluetooth-only Pixel Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch 7, Google’s other versions of the device are a bit more expensive than Samsung’s.
If the new health and training features on the Google Pixel Watch 3 turn out to be legit, choosing between it and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 may ultimately come down to which smartphone you intend to pair it with, as both manufacturers offer additional functionality when using their respective versions of the best Android phones.
Google Pixel Watch 3: first impressions
Of the five things on my Pixel Watch 3 wishlist, Google successfully addressed four of them, which is an A- rating. We got an improved display with better brightness, multiple sizes, a thinner bezel and better integration with other Google products. The only real miss is a lack of notable improvements to battery life.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: lackluster battery life is the single biggest thing holding back the smartwatch world, second only to a lack of design innovation (at least the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra looks a little different).
I was really hoping to see the standard battery life on the Pixel Watch 3 jump by eight or even 12 hours but alas, no dice. Still, I’m pleased to see battery life not take a hit on the 41mm model, especially considering it uses the same capacity pack as the Pixel Watch 2 but with a much brighter screen.
Google Pixel Watch 3: Outlook
I suspect the Google Pixel Watch 3 will be a popular device and easily become one of the top smartwatches for non-iPhone owners, and may even make our best smartwatch roundup.
Of all the new features, I’m the most curious to see what functionality the new ultra-wideband chip may be able to offer down the road, especially if Google takes partnering with other car and tech brands seriously.
While the new features on the Google Pixel Watch 3 are far from mind-blowing, iterative improvements, namely, more sizes, a better screen, and advanced wellness features are welcomed and I can’t wait to test them out on my wrist.
