As expected, Google has announced the Pixel Watch 3 as its 2024 flagship smartwatch, and it comes in two different sizes.
2022’s original Pixel Watch was solid but suffered from poor battery life, something that was addressed on the Pixel Watch 2 a year later. However, despite it now being the best smartwatch for most people, there’s still room for improvement.
In addition, the recently unveiled Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra set a new standard for Android smartwatches. While previously Google didn’t have to worry about the Apple Watch Ultra, which only works with iPhones, the Galaxy Watch Ultra could be a catch-all for many users of Pixel phones.
So, what has Google decided to do to win users over? 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 on 13 August 2024 and goes on sale 26 September in the UK and US.
Alongside it, Google has 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?
These are the prices for every 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 to 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, featuring a circular display with a rotating crown. However, for the first time, it’s now available in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm.
The Pixel Watch 3 XL model measures 45mm in diameter, 12.3mm in height, and weighs 37g without the band, while the standard Pixel Watch 3 model is slightly smaller at 41mm in diameter, with a height of 12.3mm, and weighs 31g without the band.
The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is available in three sophisticated colour options:
- Matte Black Aluminium Case with Obsidian Active Band
- Polished Silver Aluminium Case with Porcelain Active Band
- Matte Hazel Aluminium Case with Hazel Active Band
The standard 41mm version introduces a broader palette with four colour choices:
- Matte Black Aluminium Case with Obsidian Active Band
- Polished Silver Aluminium Case with Porcelain Active Band
- Champagne Gold Aluminium Case with Hazel Active Band
- Polished Silver Aluminium Case with Rose Quartz Active Band
Both models feature a housing made from 100% recycled aluminium, emphasizing Google’s commitment to sustainability. The Active Band, crafted from fluoroelastomer with a soft-touch coating, is designed for comfort and durability. The bands are available in both small and large sizes to ensure a perfect fit for any wrist.
The watches are also rated 5ATM, making them suitable for swimming, and they carry an IP68 rating, ensuring dust and water resistance.
Display
Both the 45mm and 41mm Pixel Watch 3 models are equipped with a new ‘Actua display’ that offers 1-60Hz refresh rate and is protected by custom 3D Gorilla Glass 5, ensuring resilience against scratches and daily wear.
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 colour accuracy and boast 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.
There’s also an always-on display feature as usual.
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, providing ample space for apps, music and more.
The smartwatch is also packed with sensors that elevate its functionality:
- Compass
- Altimeter
- Red and infrared sensors for oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitoring
- Multipurpose 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) for body response tracking
- Skin temperature sensor
- Barometer
- Magnetometer
Battery & Charging
The 45mm Pixel Watch 3 is equipped with a 420mAh battery, delivering up to 24 hours of use with the always-on display feature (according to Google). If you switch to Battery Saver mode, Google says that you can extend the usage to up to 36 hours.
Google claims that you can reach 50% charge in about 28 minutes, 80% in around 50 minutes and a full charge in approximately 80 minutes. Google says it charges 20% faster than its predecessor.
The 41mm version houses a 307mAh battery, offering 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 50% charge achievable in about 24 minutes, 80% in 35 minutes, and a full charge in about 60 minutes.
Software
Running on Wear OS 5.0, the Pixel Watch 3 provides a fluid and user-friendly interface.
According to 9to5google, the Pixel Watch 3 is only guaranteed three years of support, the same as both the original Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2, which will end in October 2027.
Note that this doesn’t include any ‘Guaranteed Android version updates’ so it’s just an overarching promise. You’ll get “Google Pixel Watch security updates, and may include feature drops and other software updates.”
One of the new features is ‘Morning Brief’, which each morning delivers a summary of your most important health and fitness metrics. Plus it shares other information like the weather.
And thanks to Google AI, the watch uses your past runs, readiness and target cardio load to customise run recommendations each day. You’ll also receive insight on your form and how to improve with content and drills.
The Pixel Watch 3 comes with six months of Fitbit Premium, giving you access to deeper insights, run and workout recommendations, and exclusive workout content from Fitbit Premium expert trainers and Peloton.
A first-to-market feature for any smartwatch is Loss of Pulse Detection which could potentially be life-saving – read more about it here.
That’s all Google has shown 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 be up against.
You may also be interested in similar articles for the Apple Watch X (the rumoured name of the Series 9 successor) and what the recently unveiled Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra have to offer.
