Google Pixel Watch 3 review: the smartwatch I’ve been waiting for

What makes a smartwatch truly great? A well-made and attractive design? A great display? Reliable performance? Good battery life? Robust health and fitness features? A solid price? If you find a smartwatch with all the above, you’ve probably hit the jackpot.

Now, what if I told you that you get all of those things with the Google Pixel Watch 3? Google’s latest smartwatch checks almost every box I could ask for, and it’s one of my favorite wearables I’ve used this year. It’s exactly what I’ve wanted from the Pixel Watch since the first model debuted in 2022, and aside from a couple of little quirks, I really couldn’t be happier with it.

Pixel Watch 3: specs

Pixel Watch 3: design and hardware

Visually, the Pixel Watch 3 is no different from the previous two models. It has a round display, a side button, a rotating crown, and the same proprietary watch band system. And you know what? It’s all still fantastic. The Pixel Watch 2 really grew on me last year, so I’m thrilled that Google stuck with a design that works so well. It’s clean, elegant, simple, and just looks fantastic to my eye.

The most significant hardware upgrade this year is the Pixel Watch 3’s growth spurt. In addition to the same 41mm size the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 came in, the Pixel Watch 3 is also available with a larger 45mm body. It’s the one I’ve been wearing, and I love it.

Even as someone with tiny wrists, I’ve always felt the 41mm case to be a bit too dainty. After wearing it for a while, I think the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is the perfect size. I like how the larger body looks on my wrist, and the added screen real estate is great, too. The best part is that the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is still lightweight and comfortable. At 37 grams, it’s just 6g heavier than the 41mm style and aclittle more than half the weight of the 60g Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. I’ve never found the 45mm case too bulky or unwieldy. While I’m glad the 41mm case is sticking around for folks who prefer it, I really think the 45mm option is the way to go.

Along with the nice aesthetics, the Pixel Watch 3’s hardware is equally impressive. The rotating crown feels terrific, the buttons have a nice click, the haptics are strong, and the Gorilla Glass 5 protecting the display hasn’t attracted any noticeable scratches after over two weeks of use. There are also IP68 and 5ATM ratings to keep you safe from dust and water.

My only complaint about the Pixel Watch 3’s hardware is that the back of the watch has picked up a lot of scratches. You can see some of them in the photo above, and under certain lighting, you can see even more. It looks like I dragged the back of the watch across a bunch of rocks. I don’t actively look at the underside of my smartwatch, so it’s not that big of a deal, but it is concerning to see this much visual wear and tear after just a couple of weeks — especially given the repairability concerns around the Pixel Watch 3.

Pixel Watch 3: screen

One of our main complaints with the original Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 was the display. The small screen size, paired with comically large bezels, created a pretty mediocre viewing experience. Thankfully, those complaints have disappeared with the Pixel Watch 3.

The 45mm case size naturally results in a larger display — specifically, a 40% larger one compared to the previous two Pixel Watches. It’s an impressive number on paper, and you really do notice it. Select watch faces support additional complications, some tiles display more information, and you can read more of your messages/notifications before they get cut off. This is the screen I’ve wanted on the Pixel Watch for the last couple of years, and it was well worth the wait.

The bezels are much smaller this year, too; on the 41mm Pixel Watch 3, there’s a 16% reduction compared to previous generations. I prefer the extra screen I get with the 45mm size, but no matter which one you choose, you still get more display than before.

Also new for the Pixel Watch 3 is up to 2,000 nits of brightness — double that of the 1,000 nits on last year’s Pixel Watch. I’ve worn the Pixel Watch 3 outside multiple times during the final sunny days of summer, and not once have I had difficulty reading notifications, running stats, etc. Also, the screen’s ability to go down to just one nit has been lovely for checking my alarm at night without blinding myself right before bed.

Pixel Watch 3: health/activity tracking

Like the previous two Pixel Watches, the Pixel Watch 3 uses the Fitbit app for health/fitness tracking. Every major health feature/sensor is here, including all-day activity tracking, sleep tracking, auto workout detection, a skin temperature sensor, SpO2 monitoring, an ECG app, irregular heart rhythm notifications, high/low heart rate notifications, and heart rate zone tracking during workouts.

Google is introducing two new health metrics on the Pixel Watch 3: Cardio Load and Readiness. Cardio Load takes all of your activity throughout the day — including tracked workouts and other general movement — and turns it into a number rating. The more you move and the harder you work out, the higher your Cardio Load number goes. This is initially presented as a standalone number, but after wearing your Pixel Watch 3 for 14 days, you get a Cardio Load goal to reach for each day. That goal (called your Target Load) is based on your previous activity, rest, and your Readiness score (more on that below).

I’ve never been a fan of Fitbit’s emphasis on tracking things like steps and floors, but I think Cardio Load is brilliant. On the surface, it’s a simpler, easier-to-understand fitness goal, similar to the Apple Watch’s activity rings. However, you can also dig into the Fitbit app for more granular information about your activity — including a breakdown of your Cardio Load and whether you’re undertraining, overtraining, or just right.

Readiness, on the other hand, is a new calculation of how “ready” your body is for the day ahead. Shortly after you wake up after wearing your Pixel Watch to bed, you get a Readiness score between 1 and 100 based on your heart rate variability (HRV), past two weeks of sleep, and resting heart rate (RHR). It’s very similar to the Readiness score you get from the Oura Ring, and I’ve found it to line up nicely with how I actually feel. For example, after nearly six-and-a-half hours of sleep and an easy run the day before, I had a Readiness score of 76. Meanwhile, after a night with barely four hours of sleep and pushing well above my Cardio Load the previous day, I had a Readiness score of just 15.

Also new for the Pixel Watch 3 is a suite of fresh running features. During a run, you now have helpful alerts for intervals and splits. Additionally, if you’re running with a pace or heart rate goal, you get real-time coaching to let you know if you’re in range of or above/below your goal. It’s a really nice-looking interface that I’ve been quite happy with.

After your run, the Fitbit mobile app has a new Running Dashboard that highlights your past running activity on a dedicated page. Here, you can view your progress for your weekly running goal, look at all of your past runs, view your personal running records, and see detailed breakdowns for numerous factors — such as your distance, duration, pace, cadence, stride length, and more. It may be overkill for some people, but for an avid runner like myself, it’s a dream come true.

The other new running feature is Fitbit’s “AI-powered” running recommendations. From the Coach tab of the Fitbit mobile app, you now get a daily run recommendation based on your Readiness score, Target Load, and running goals/preferences. You can go with the run as it’s presented to you, customize it with different goals/intervals, and use the same run-building tool to create runs from scratch.

As someone who often gets in a running rut, having my watch tell me precisely the kind of run I should be going on has been tremendously helpful. It’s greatly improved the variety of my running, has made me more consistent with warming up and cooling down, and helped my running be far more enjoyable than it usually is. It’s annoying that you need a Fitbit Premium subscription to access these recommendations, but I’ve been thoroughly happy with them.

Elsewhere, the rest of the Pixel Watch 3’s health/fitness suite is top-notch. Auto workout detection is incredibly accurate, often detecting walks with my dog that my Apple Watch Ultra 2 regularly fails to recognize. The sleep-tracking data often lines up with that of my Oura Ring and provides an accurate, comprehensive view of my rest. I also love the new Morning Brief screen, which shows you a few key health metrics right after you wake up in the morning. Finally, the new Loss of Pulse Detection feature, which can alert emergency services if you lose your pulse, is an ingenious addition. It’s disappointing that it’s not yet available in the U.S., but for countries where it is available, it’s something that could prove to be legitimately lifesaving.

My only complaint about the Pixel Watch 3’s health/fitness abilities is the optional Fitbit Premium subscription. In addition to the running recommendations, Fitbit Premium is also required to see detailed sleep tracking data, mindfulness sessions, guided workouts, and recipes. It’s not absolutely necessary, but it is worth subscribing to if you want the full Pixel Watch 3 experience. It’s not ideal, but at $10 per month or $80 per year, it’s also not unreasonably priced for what you get.

Pixel Watch 3: performance and software

Inside the Pixel Watch 3 is the same Snapdragon W5 chip that powered the Pixel Watch 2. Just like its predecessor, the Pixel Watch 3 is fast and responsive with whatever I’m doing. Animations are smooth, apps open quickly, and I get notifications from my phone with little to no delay. It’s a very fast, very reliable chipset.

Similarly, the Wear OS 5 software is easy to navigate and enjoyable to use. You swipe left and right to see your tiles (aka widgets), swipe down for your Quick Settings, and swipe up to view your notifications. It’s effectively the same interface you get on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, though I prefer Google’s simpler and cleaner aesthetics. Google’s watch faces are also much nicer to my eye, with some really great analog and digital styles to choose from.

There are also some welcome Google app updates debuting with the Pixel Watch 3. You can now access a virtual Google TV remote right on your watch, letting you navigate your TV from your wrist. You can also now see a live view of your Nest security camera, and you can download maps from Google Maps for offline viewing — including turn-by-turn navigation.

One of my favorite features is the new Ultra-Wideband (UWB) chip, which allows you to unlock your Pixel smartphone when the Pixel Watch 3 is connected to it. This is a feature Google rolled out last year, though, at the time, it only used Bluetooth. If you have a Pixel Watch 3 and a compatible Pixel phone (Pixel 9 Pro/9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 8 Pro, or Pixel 7 Pro), the Watch Unlock feature uses UWB instead. The big benefit to this is that Watch Unlock is faster than ever — almost instantaneous. It’s a relatively small touch, but I’ve really enjoyed it.

And that’s not all! Google’s excellent Recorder app is now on the Pixel Watch 3, letting you grab an audio recording when your phone isn’t within reach. The camera app has an improved interface, there’s a new tile for quicker access to Google Home controls, and if you’re getting a phone call, you can tap a new “Ask to hold” button that uses the Google Assistant to ask the other person on the line to wait for you. They’re a lot of small touches, but they make the Pixel Watch 3 feel much better integrated with Google services and Pixel phones than before, and it’s all great to see.

Pixel Watch 3: battery life

The Pixel Watch 3’s battery life has been impressive. Google promises 24 hours of use per charge, but I’ve seen much better results. A gadget rarely exceeds its battery claims, so it’s always a treat whenever this happens.

In my testing, the Pixel Watch 3 consistently lasts around a day-and-a-half between charges. That’s with the always-on display (AOD) enabled, multiple tracked workouts during the week, wearing the watch to bed each night, and receiving a steady stream of notifications from my Google Pixel 9 Pro.

As an example of my usage, I started one day at around 9 a.m. with 100% battery. I didn’t track any workouts that day, but still used the AOD and got plenty of notifications. At 11 p.m. that night, my watch still had 66% battery. After wearing the watch to bed to track six-and-a-half hours of sleep, plus recording two workouts the following day (a manually-tracked 28-minute run and an auto-tracked 17-minute walk), I was down to 14% at 2:30 p.m.

This excellent longevity is likely attributed to the new Cortex-M33 coprocessor inside the Pixel Watch 3. The Snapdragon W5 chip runs apps, turn-by-turn navigation, and other intensive tasks, while the M33 chip handles background duties such as ongoing health/activity tracking. It’s a hybrid chipset approach similar to the OnePlus Watch 2, and while the Pixel Watch 3’s battery life isn’t quite as legendary as OnePlus’, it’s still very, very good.

What about charge speeds? The Pixel Watch 3 starts charging quickly — going from 12% to 62% in 30 minutes, and getting to 100% in a little over an hour. The charger puck also works well. It’s lightweight, plugs into a wall charger via USB-C, and latches onto the Pixel Watch 3 securely and easily.

Pixel Watch 3: price and availability

The Google Pixel Watch 3 is available now. It starts at $350 for the 41mm model and goes up to $400 for the larger 45mm size. The LTE variants add an extra $100 to each price ($450 and $500, respectively).

You can buy the Pixel Watch 3 from most major retailers (Amazon, Best Buy, etc.), though I’d recommend checking out the Google Store — especially if you want the LTE Pixel Watch. For a limited time, if you buy an LTE-equipped Pixel Watch 3 from the Google Store, you get two years of LTE connectivity included for free. It’s an unbelievably good offer and one you should seriously consider taking advantage of.

Pixel Watch 3: should you buy it?

The Google Pixel Watch 3 is the smartwatch I’ve always wanted Google to make. The first Pixel Watch, while ambitious in some regards, fumbled so many of the smartwatch basics and was largely a disappointment. The Pixel Watch 2 fixed much of what its predecessor failed at, though still left some clear room for improvement. The Pixel Watch 3 fixes the few lingering issues of the second-gen model and adds helpful new features I wasn’t expecting — and the end result is truly special.

If you have an Android phone — especially a Google Pixel — the Pixel Watch 3 is one of the best smartwatches you can buy. It has phenomenal hardware, a gorgeous display, fast performance, long battery life, top-notch health features, and a competitive price. It checks all those important boxes I mentioned at the start of this review, and it does so with ease. It’s Google’s best smartwatch to date, and it’s a watch I can’t wait to keep on my wrist for a while to come.