As expected, Google has announced the Pixel Watch 3 as its flagship smartwatch for 2024, and it will be available in two different sizes.
The original 2022 Pixel Watch was solid, but had poor battery life, something that was addressed a year later on the Pixel Watch 2. Despite now being the best smartwatch for most people, there’s still room for improvement.
Additionally, the recently unveiled Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra set a new standard for Android smartwatches. While Google previously didn’t have to worry about the Apple Watch Ultra, which only works with iPhones, the Galaxy Watch Ultra could be a solution for many Pixel phone users.
What has Google decided to do to win over users? Here’s everything you need to know about the Pixel Watch 3.
When is the Google Pixel Watch 3 release date?
The Pixel Watch 3 was officially unveiled August 13, 2024 and goes on sale September 26 in Great Britain and the US.
In addition, Google also launched the Pixel 9 series, including the standard Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and the Pixel Buds Pro 2.
As a reminder, here are the previous Pixel Watch release dates:
How much does the Google Pixel Watch 3 cost?
Here are the prices for each Pixel Watch 3 model:
- Google Pixel Watch 3 – 41mm (Wi-Fi) – £349/$349.99
- Google Pixel Watch 3 – 41mm (LTE) – £449/$449.99
- Google Pixel Watch 3 – 45mm (Wi-Fi) – £399/$399.99
- Google Pixel Watch 3 – 45mm (LTE) – £499/$499.99
And here are the launch prices of previous models:
- Google Pixel Watch (Wi-Fi) – £339/$349.99
- Google Pixel Watch (LTE) – £379/$399.99
- Google Pixel Watch 2 (Wi-Fi) – £349/$349
- Google Pixel Watch 2 (LTE) – £399/$399
Find out where you can pre-order the Pixel Watch 3 with the best deals.
What new features does the Google Pixel Watch 3 have?
Design
The design of the Pixel Watch 3 remains largely unchanged from the Pixel Watch 2, with a circular display with a rotating crown. However, for the first time, it is now available in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm.
The Pixel Watch 3 XL model has a diameter of 45mm, a height of 12.3mm and weighs 37 grams without the band, while the standard Pixel Watch 3 model is slightly smaller with a diameter of 41mm, a height of 12.3 mm, and weighs 31 grams without the strap. band.
The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is available in three sophisticated color options:
- Matte black aluminum housing with active obsidian band
- Polished silver aluminum case with active porcelain strap
- Matte Hazel aluminum case with active Hazel strap
The 41mm standard version introduces a wider palette with four color choices:
- Matte black aluminum housing with active obsidian band
- Polished silver aluminum case with active porcelain strap
- Champagne gold aluminum case with Hazel Active strap
- Polished silver aluminum case with active rose quartz strap
Both models feature a casing made from 100% recycled aluminum, highlighting Google’s commitment to sustainability. Made from fluoroelastomer with a soft-touch coating, the Active Band is designed for comfort and durability. The bands are available in both small and large sizes, so they fit perfectly for every wrist.
The watches are also rated 5ATM, making them suitable for swimming, and they have an IP68 rating, making them dust and water resistant.
Display
Both the 45mm and 41mm Pixel Watch 3 models feature a new ‘Actua display’ that offers a 1-60Hz refresh rate and is protected by custom 3D Gorilla Glass 5, ensuring resilience against scratches and daily wear and tear.
The bezels are 16% smaller and the screen on the 45mm is 40% larger than the Pixel Watch 2.
The display features a 320ppi AMOLED LTPO panel with DCI-P3 color accuracy and features a peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits (double that of the Pixel Watch 2), plus a minimum brightness of 1 nit for comfortable viewing in low light .
As usual, there is also an Always On Display function.
Performance
The Pixel Watch 3 is powered by the Qualcomm SW5100 chip, supported by a Cortex M33 coprocessor. Both models come with 32GB of eMMC flash storage and 2GB of SDRAM, giving you plenty of room for apps, music and more.
The smartwatch is also packed with sensors that enhance its functionality:
- Compass
- Altimeter
- Red and infrared sensors for monitoring oxygen saturation (SpO2).
- Multifunctional electrical sensors compatible with ECG app
- Multi-path optical heart rate sensor
- 3-axis accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Ambient light sensor
- Electrical sensor to measure skin conductance (cEDA) to monitor body reactions
- Skin temperature sensor
- Barometer
- Magnetometer
Battery and charging
The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 packs a 420mAh battery and delivers up to 24 hours of battery life with the Always-On Display feature (according to Google). If you switch to battery saver mode, Google says you can extend usage for up to 36 hours.
Google claims you can get a 50% charge in about 28 minutes, an 80% charge in about 50 minutes, and a full charge in about 80 minutes. Google says it charges 20% faster than its predecessor.
The 41mm version packs a 307mAh battery and offers similar usage time: up to 24 hours with the always-on display and up to 36 hours in battery saver mode (according to Google).
Charging speeds are slightly faster than the 45mm model, with a 50% charge achievable in around 24 minutes, 80% in 35 minutes and a full charge in around 60 minutes.
Software
The Pixel Watch 3 runs on Wear OS 5.0 and offers a fluid and user-friendly interface.
According to 9to5google, the Pixel Watch 3 will only get three years of support, the same as both the original Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2, which ends in October 2027.
Note that this doesn’t include ‘Guaranteed Android Version Updates’, so it’s just an umbrella promise. You’ll receive “security updates for Google Pixel Watch, as well as potentially new features and other software updates.”
One of the new features is ‘Morning Brief’, which provides a summary of your most important health and fitness data every morning. In addition, it shares other information, such as the weather.
And thanks to Google AI, the watch uses your previous runs, fitness level, and target cardio load to customize running recommendations each day. You will also gain insight into your form and how you can improve it with content and exercises.
The Pixel Watch 3 comes with six months of Fitbit Premium, giving you access to deeper insights, running and training recommendations, and exclusive training content from expert Fitbit Premium trainers and Peloton.
A first for any smartwatch is the detection of loss of pulse, which could potentially be life-saving – read more about it here.
That’s all Google showed us. In the meantime, check out our list of the best smartwatches you can buy right now to see what the Pixel Watch 3 will face.
You may also be interested in similar articles for the Apple Watch
