The Pixel Watch 3 is Google’s latest flagship smartwatch, replacing the Google Pixel Watch 2 that arrived last October.
Both boast the latest Wear OS 5 software, offer excellent Fitbit integration, and are capable of delivering crucial health insights, making them top smartwatches for Android users.
Yet, the Pixel Watch 3 is a better overall smartwatch. In fact, on account of the improved battery life and usability, we’ve graded the 45mm edition as the best watch for most Android phone users.
For 41mm users, things are more complicated. There are display improvements and some exclusive new software perks, but none of the changes are reasons to upgrade from the Pixel Watch 2.
Let’s dive into our comparison for the full breakdown.
Prices and versions
The most significant difference between the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Watch 2 is the case sizes.
The latest generation is available in a new 45mm size alongside the existing 41mm version, meaning it’s a better fit for those with larger wrists.
Which you opt for will also affect the price. The 41mm edition will begin at $349/£349, with the LTE upgrade bumping this to $449/£449, while the 45mm model starts at $399/£399 and features the same $100/£100 bump for cellular connectivity.
For the Pixel Watch 2, the equation is very different; you only have one edition to choose from (41mm) and, with the release of the third generation, it’s also much cheaper.
Google is currently retailing the Pixel Watch 2 for a reduced $239/£239, while the LTE upgrade is available for only an additional $50/£50.
Design and display
The Google Pixel Watch 3 maintains the sleek, circular aesthetic that defined the Pixel Watch 2, but with a couple of improvements.
The bezels on the Pixel Watch 3 are thinner, offering a more immersive viewing experience on the AMOLED display. Both third-gen sizes also punch out 2,000 nits (up from 1,000 on the Pixel Watch 2), with the screen running much closer to the bezel.
Due to the backgrounds on Wear OS being almost exclusively black, we don’t think the more edge-to-edge screen is a huge upgrade – and it’s a similar story for the brightness and refresh rate (60Hz for Pixel Watch 3, up from 30HZ) changes.
However, we enjoyed the on-wrist experience of the 45mm edition of the Pixel Watch 3 during testing – this felt like a huge step forward from previous versions. It retains the lightweight and svelte feel of the smaller edition but adds a bit more screen to play with, plus there’s the much-improved battery (more on that below).
Aside from this, though, the key design specs remain largely the same between generations.
The weight of each 41mm model remains super light (31.5g without band), largely thanks to the recycled aluminum case first introduced in the Pixel Watch 2, with the extra heft of the Pixel Watch 3’s 45mm edition only adding 6g. It ensures both sizes remain super comfortable for exercise, sleep tracking, and everything else.
The covering glass is once again a custom Corning 3D Corning Gorilla Glass 5 across the board, meaning the Pixel Watch 3 will remain as scratch-proof as the previous generation, and the matching 320 pixels per inch means the density and clarity remain solid.
Smart features
The Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3 will each run the latest version of Google’s software, Wear OS 5. However, the company has made a few small tweaks to ensure the newer edition is a more advanced smartwatch.
The Watch 3, for example, offers better integration with more Google devices and services. Most apps – like Google Wallet or Google Assistant – will work the same as they did on the Watch 2, though there is now proper offline Google Maps support, the ability to view Nest cameras and doorbells from the wrist, and also Google TV control.
Google’s AI can also take calls, record memos, or listen out for songs while you’re on the go, which can be accessed later on your watch or phone. And there’s UWB support which, while unlocking key support for BMW/Mini owners, is very useful for precise Find My Device support.
These are all exclusive to the Pixel Watch 3 – yet, as we say, the core of Wear OS remains virtually identical between these generations. Unless you’ve been craving one of these features – and we’d be surprised if you have been – there’s no real reason to upgrade in this area.
Health and activity tracking
The Pixel Watch 3 offers quite a few notable upgrades from the previous generation, though these are almost exclusively software-related changes.
The good news for Pixel Watch 2 owners is that the Daily Readiness Score once only available via the Fitbit app will now be accessible. The bad news is that the other changes introduced for the Pixel Watch 3 launch don’t appear as if they’ll be rolling back.
That means the new Fitbit Morning Brief – providing a neat overview of sleep, updates on vital metrics like HRV, and suggested workouts – is only on the Pixel Watch 3, as is the helpful new Cardio Load/Target Load features that help you stay within healthy activity ranges and avoid overtraining (or undertraining).
We found these three features to add a new, more sporty dimension to the Pixel Watch/Fitbit experience, and it’s all the better for a few more serious activity insights rather than something like Active Zone Minutes, which we’ve always found quite shrug-worthy.
There’s more available for runners, too, who can access metrics like cadence, ground contact time, and vertical oscillation with the Pixel Watch 3.
Google also stated that the Pixel Watch 3’s heart rate tracking algorithms for running have been tweaked to provide better accuracy. Yet, we’ve found both generations to be accurate compared to a chest strap in multiple activity types, so we wouldn’t grade it as a reason to upgrade.
The novel/morbid-sounding ‘Loss of Pulse Detection’ is also exclusive to the Pixel Watch 3.
With this enabled, the Watch 3 will call the emergency services if it detects the user is motionless and with no pulse. It works similarly to car crash and fall detection, and we recommend checking out our PULSE Podcast episode with the Google research scientists who helped create it for more on how it all works.
We’ve seen features like ‘Safety Check’ and ‘Safety Signal’ (introduced on Pixel Watch 2) only become available with specific version/membership requirements, but – at least from what we can tell – Loss of Pulse Detection will only send location via a connected smartphone or if the Pixel Watch 3 is the LTE edition.
We don’t think any of these health or fitness tracking additions are reasons alone to upgrade, despite all of them enhancing the experience somewhat.
Battery life
After the very shaky battery life of the Pixel Watch 1, Google turned it around for the Pixel Watch 2, with the smartwatch capable of running for 24 hours (with the always-on display enabled).
For the Pixel Watch 3, though, that 24-hour estimation unfortunately hasn’t been improved upon for the 41mm version. However, our testing showed that the larger 45mm edition and its 420mAh battery can consistently last for over two days with the always-on display enabled.
It’s a huge upgrade, alleviating the charging anxiety that comes with owning one of the smaller editions. The tweaked battery-saving mode also means you can reach multiple days.
If you’ve been previously put off the Pixel Watch because of the battery life, rest assured the 45mm edition solves much of this. We still wouldn’t wholeheartedly recommend the 41mm equivalent in this area, though.
Verdict: Which is best?
The Pixel Watch 3 is a better smartwatch, objectively, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best fit for everyone. Unless you crave the exclusive features of the latest generation, we think the cheaper Pixel Watch 2 is the better pick for those picking between each 41mm edition.
Yet, if you’ve avoided Google’s smartwatch line in the past due to the small size, you now finally have an option – one that isn’t available through the Pixel Watch 2 range. That makes it a bit of a no-brainer, especially when there’s the chance you may also enjoy effectively double battery life.
These recommendations also hold if you’re considering updating your Pixel Watch 2. We recommend holding off if you’re considering a jump from the second-gen model to the 41mm Pixel Watch 3, but you’ll notice a sizeable upgrade if you go from a 41mm model to the 45mm.
