Google Pixel Watch 3 review: Third time lucky

The display is also brighter than before, maxing out at 2,000 nits compared to just 1,000 nits on the Pixel Watch 2 – even though some other watches in the market boast of a higher count. The always-on display can drop down to 1 nit to avoid a jarring bright display in a dark environment. The display refresh rate too dynamically adjusts between 1 and 60Hz to maximize performance and efficiency.

Like before though, the Pixel Watch 3 is quite chunky. At 69 grams, it’s not exactly light. And at 12.5mm, it’s thicker than most sleek smartwatches. But that’s not a showstopper… merely a design choice that would appeal to one set of customers while disappointing others.

That said, whichever size variant you pick, the Pixel Watch 3 has a natural comfort to it. Especially the 45mm variant which I tested – it represents an ideal balance between wearability and size. The bundled soft elastic loop strap too is convenient and quite comfortable.

Surprisingly good battery life

The specification sheet by Google promises 24 hours battery life on the Pixel Watch 3, with always-on display (AOD) active. Nothing to write home about. But unlike most brands, it looks like Google has sold itself short.

The Pixel Watch 3 doesn’t match the three-day battery life on some other Wear OS smartwatches by the likes of Samsung or OnePlus, but it definitely goes beyond the promised 24 hours. The 45mm variant I tested consistently made it to two days, with two nights of sleep tracking, an hour of GPS tracking on both days, and AOD active all through.

And with its improved charging speed, I could bring it back up to 50% in less than 30 minutes – which is good enough for another active day – while I showered and got ready in the morning (there’s IP68 dust and water resistance though but I take it off to use the time to juice up).

Additionally, if one is in a pinch, they could squeeze a couple of hours more juice by turning on the Battery Saver mode.

Also read: Do you know how to secure your digital estate after death?

As it turns out, despite an insipid promise, battery life is quite a win from Google this time around. This is thanks to the efficiency improvements in the new Wear OS 5 which uses less power for tracking health and workout data as well as the new display’s ability to drop to 1Hz when a high refresh rate is unnecessary helps conserve some battery. There’s also a new auto bedtime mode that turns off notifications and AOD mode when you’re asleep to conserve battery (and to enable a distraction free sleep).

That said, battery life is a relative measure. I use a Garmin smartwatch that lasts for a week, but you know that’s not going to be the case going in. Once the expectations are set though, the Pixel Watch 3 does quite well and doesn’t give me battery anxiety every time I look at my wrist.

Health and fitness tracking

As a long-time Fitbit user, I was unsure about Google walking over solid fitness smartwatches like Fitbit Sense and Versa which lasted long and delivered terrific health insights. But considering the Pixel Watch 3 packs in all of Fitbit’s existing goodness, adds some newer features to surface the insights, and the expected smartwatch smarts along, I think I’m here for it.

The Pixel Watch boasts of one of the most accurate heart rate sensors, and across my run, I could observe it catching my heart rate changes in real time. Plus, it continues tracking heart rate even when I paused while most other smartwatches tend to freeze the reading unless one starts the activity again.

There aren’t any new sleep-tracking features apart from the auto bedtime mode, but Fitbit’s done that well for long, so it’s all good. There’s also the impressively accurate stress-tracking, which I appreciate, but unsure of what to do with the information. On several occasions, Pixel Watch 3 buzzed with “potential signs of stress or excitement."

A couple of new features stand out. There’s the new Cardio Load system which puts more emphasis on weekly and monthly progress than active minutes every day as well as Target Load feature that suggests the Cardio Load based on your daily readiness and activity.

The new Morning Brief feature, clearly inspired by Garmin’s Morning Report, delivers you sleep insights, weather, and exercise progress every morning. Also, the useful daily readiness summary is now available or free to all Pixel Watch users (earlier limited to Fitbit Premium subscribers), which is nice.

However, GPS accuracy on the Pixel Watch 3 is a bit of a hit and a miss and often threw my position all over the place. It’s a pity Google didn’t go for dual-band GPS on the Pixel Watch 3.

The Pixel Watch 3 is a capable running smartwatch – although some people would prefer more dedicated features for other training workouts and cyclists – but geared towards beginners and casual athletes. That aligns with Fitbit’s core idea of driving a holistic approach to fitness tracking and wellness. It isn’t a professional training companion, which is a different beast.

Better with a Pixel and Fitbit Premium subscription

Like Samsung and Apple’s offerings, the Pixel Watch 3 works best if you use a Pixel smartphone. But Google doesn’t limit any primary features on the smartwatch, but merely enhances the integration with its hardware ecosystem.

For example, you can use your Pixel Watch as a remote control for your Google TV. You can also use it to control your Google-powered smart home and view security camera feeds directly on your wrist (Google’s Nest range of cameras aren’t available in India though).

The fantastic Recorder app from the Pixel phones comes to the watch. You can record voice notes on the Pixel Watch 3 that'll sync directly to your Pixel phone, and available along with the transcription. Offline Google Maps too are now available on your wrist.

The Pixel Watch 3 has an ultra-wideband chip that lets you automatically unlock your Pixel phone. It’s quite neat! (You can also unlock certain cars – from BMW and Mini – using the same tech; no word on whether other automakers will also get on board).

Additionally, the health and fitness tracking on Fitbit works best with a Fitbit Premium subscription. While Google has done well to make certain health features previously locked behind Fitbit Premium available without the paid subscription on Pixel Watch 3, Fitbit Premium is still handy to take full advantage of Fitbit’s advanced health insights. The subscription also unlocks daily running plans based on your recent activity and readiness and an exclusive library of workout videos from professional trainers.

Thankfully, Google has priced its subscription in India at an inexpensive ₹999 for an entire year (unlike $9.99/month or $79.99/year in the US). You also get six months free when you set up your new Pixel watch.

Should you buy the Pixel Watch 3?

Compared to the last year’s Pixel Watch 2, the latest 41mm version boasts of a better screen and some new fitness features, but the larger new 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is quite an upgrade. Google has also confirmed that it will receive three years of timely Wear OS and security updates.

There are still some quirks that Google needs to iron out, but the evolution is significant. And none of its flaws are dealbreakers. The Pixel Watch 3 is Google's best wearable yet, and while it’s certainly not perfect, it could be considered as the Android answer to the Apple Watch.

Of course, you could also consider Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 which definitely does better on the specs sheet if not in style or the OnePlus Watch 2 if you're especially concerned about battery life although the software isn't quite as polished as the Pixel Watch 3. Wear OS smartwatches apart, you could always consider the Garmin Forerunner 165/265 which aces the fitness bit and offers guided running programs and workouts without a subscription.

In India, Pixel Watch 3 41mm is available for ₹39,990 while the all-new 45mm variant is priced at ₹43,990. It’s a bummer though that in India, Google has launched only Wi-Fi versions not the LTE variants of the smartwatch.