My impressions of the Pixel Watch 2 was that it was essentially a round Fitbit Sense 2 with Wear OS. The downside was the loss of access to iOS while still having to contend with Fitbit’s paywall for advanced app functionality. There weren’t any significant core feature improvements either as the sensors were borrowed from the Sense 2. At the time, there were rumours of a Sense 3 in the works, and I was looking forward to some new innovation or sensor upgrades that Fitbit normally brings to the table. As it turns out, there’s no Sense 3 and there will likely never be.
Instead, we got the Pixel Watch 3. The best thing to happen is that it finally comes in two sizes: 41mm and a larger 45mm to address the biggest complaint of past Pixel Watches.
The TL;DR version:
Google has made a really sleek smartwatch and the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 really hits the mark in terms of size, but that’s about it unfortunately. There are better, and cheaper Wear OS smartwatches out there.
Note: You can buy the Google Pixel Watch 3 from the Singapore Google Store, Lazada and Shopee.
However, again, little else seems to have changed. On paper, the Pixel Watch 3 has the same sensors, same processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 1), same memory and storage (2GB/32GB) as the Pixel Watch 2. The smaller 41mm version also has the same battery capacity (306mAh) and same display resolution (1.2-inch 384 x 384 pixels). Design remains the same as in the original Pixel Watch, so bands are interchangeable with the 41mm version. Even the very first Fitbit Sense charging cable continues to work here. I’ve made many of these observations in my Pixel Watch 2 review, and I’m surprised one year down the road, I feel like I’m writing the same review all over again. So, instead of repeating myself, I'll just dive straight into the changes.
The 41mm Pixel Watch 3 is fully compatible with Pixel Watch 2 accessories, but the newer 45mm bands won't fit. Photo: HWZ
Display is king
The most prominent upgrade is the display. The Pixel Watch 3 has an updated LPTO AMOLED screen that is both brighter at 2,000 nits, and faster with a max refresh rate of 60Hz. It is also more energy-saving, with variable refresh rate support that goes down to just 1Hz. The Pixel Watch 2 has a 1,000 nits display with a fixed 30Hz refresh rate. Google has also made the bezel smaller on the Pixel Watch 3, so even if the 41mm version has the same screen size as the Pixel Watch 2, it looks bigger. The 45mm version has a larger 1.4-inch (450 x 450 pixels) display. Now, you might be thinking that’s just an extra 0.2-inches, but I think it’s a massive upgrade to the 41mm watch. It can show more complications, more tile options and is just so much easier to navigate; a pain point of the Pixel Watch 2. Even if you have smaller wrists, I wholeheartedly recommend the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 over 41mm. It’s also a good thing that the smooth domed design isn’t as chunky as many of its competitors that focus on very masculine, rugged, and angled cases.
The larger 45mm Pixel Watch 3 (black) shows more complications even with the same watch face than the 41mm version (pink). Photo: HWZ
It's just 0.2-inches larger, but you can get a whole extra row of options. Photo: HWZ
Still both screens have the same 2,000 nits peak brightness and is very legible outdoors, though it is reflective. Photo: HWZ
Everything else
Unfortunately, that’s about all that’s immediately noticeable to the casual user. Everything else is minor improvements that may or may not confer a better user experience for you. They’re good to have, but definitely not what I’d consider a generational version upgrade. For example, the Pixel Watch 3 now supports the 5GHz band for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.3; the Pixel Watch 2 only had 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and BT 5.0. The Pixel Watch 3 does have a new ultra-wideband (UWB) chip, which you can use to unlock your Pixel Phone, useful only if you have a supporting Pixel Phone. It does have wider use cases when digital car keys become more commonplace, as UWB devices can be used to unlock and start your car. Then again, UWB-enabled smartphones can do the same, and you’re more likely to already have one that supports this than needing to buy a smartwatch for it. One of the most talked about functions is Loss of Pulse detection, which is another emergency and safety feature Google has introduced to the Pixel Watch series, but as of this review, the feature is still not available in Singapore months after the official launch, so it’s a moot “update”.
The Pixel Watch 3 adds UWB to its list of features. Photo: HWZ
What about software?
There is one new fitness feature called Cardio Load and Target Load, which tracks all your daily activities and assigns a number that corresponds to the effort you’ve put in. This is your Cardio Load. The watch needs about 7 days of continuous tracking, and it will then offer up a daily recommended goal to achieve. This is your Target Load.
The mechanism behind this feature is rather simplistic, however, as you are only offered two options when setting up: either maintain or improve fitness. If I seem a little dismissive of these features, it’s because I’ve just come off the Amazfit Balance review, and the Zepp Coach feature on it was so much more comprehensive in setting goals, planning workouts, and suggested targets. It really felt personalised compared to the Pixel Watch 3’s simplistic and generic Cardio/Target Load.
Pixel Watch 3 Cardio Load breakdown of you daily activities with a 7-day average analysis. Screenshot: HWZ
This graph shows your daily Cardio Load vs your recommended Target Load. Screenshot: HWZ
This is the only settings you can change for Cardio Load feature, rather simplistic isn't it? Screenshot: HWZ
The Pixel Watch 3 has other software upgrades, such as more accurate heart rate reading algorithms and expanded running analytics, such as being able to track stride length and ground contact time. This is made possible through software optimisations and improvements from Wear OS 5. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Ultra have the same feature, being the first watches to come with Wear OS 5, and of course, this means that the Pixel Watch 2 will receive the same updates with Wear OS 5 as well.
Daily Readiness is a Fitbit feature, not Wear OS. Screenshot: HWZ
Performance and thoughts
Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, Galaxy Watch Ultra, Amazfit Balance and other 2024 smartwatches that come with updated dual-band GPS, the Pixel Watch 3 continues to have single-band GPS. While I didn’t notice significant improvement from testing dual-band GPS smartwatches along my usual running route over the Pixel Watch 3, they do seem to lock-on faster, and when taken as a whole, it just feels like yet another wasted opportunity to have more meaningful updates from the Pixel Watch 2.
I've brought the Pixel Watch 3 all over the world. Here's a leisurely walk along Miami Beach. GPS and auto workout tracking is solid. Screenshot: HWZ
Battery life of the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 is identical to the Pixel Watch 2 for me, lasting a full day and night. Expect to charge it every other day. The 45mm Pixel Watch 3, on the other hand, has a larger 420mAh battery and is capable of lasting two full nights, needing a charge on the third day. I test with AOD off. With AOD turned on, the 41mm watch gives me anxiety as I’ve woken up to a dead watch before, and the 45mm needs a charge the next day. Here, I’m quite impressed with the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 as it keeps up with the massive 590mAh Galaxy Watch Ultra, a rare win in this review for Google.
The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 will last you roughly two full nights, make sure you charge it by the third day if you are heading out. Photo: HWZ
Overall, the entire Google Pixel Watch lineup hasn’t really shown me that Google has made any major innovative improvements over the 2022 Fitbit Sense 2. The Pixel Watch 2 was basically the Sense 2 with full Google software, and the Pixel Watch 3 is simply a refined Pixel Watch 2 with a better display. When I reviewed the Pixel Watch 2, I lamented its small size and wished Google would make a larger device, and now that I have tested both Pixel Watch 3 sizes, I am even more convinced that 41mm does not do the platform justice.
Google Pixel Watch 3 45mm (black face up), 41mm (pink sensor side up). Photo: HWZ
If you’ve been holding out for a Made by Google smartwatch, my recommendation is 45mm or bust for the Pixel Watch 3. However, it is still one of the most expensive Android smartwatches around. The 45mm version starts at S$599 for Bluetooth/Wi-Fi and goes up to a whopping S$749 for LTE. Even the 41mm version starts at S$529. Comparatively, the 44mm Samsung Galaxy Watch7 is a whole S$101 cheaper for the Bluetooth version and S$151 cheaper for LTE.
Echoing my comments on the Pixel Watch 2, Google continues to offer nothing uniquely compelling about the Pixel Watch 3 over other Wear OS 5 devices and charging a premium for it. Don't forget the continuous cost of a Fitbit Premium subscription after the first 6 months as well, should you choose to continue paying for it.
Note: You can buy the Google Pixel Watch 3 from the Singapore Google Store, Lazada and Shopee.
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