Pixel Watch 3 hands-on: bigger, brighter, smaller bezels
There’s a bigger 45mm Pixel Watch 3 this time around, along with brighter screens and smaller bezels. But the real updates this time around are all in the software. There’s new running metrics, custom workouts, the ability to stream your Nest Doorbell feed, and frankly, more than we have room to list.
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TechTranscript
00:00The Pixel Watch 3 is here, and hey look, there's two of them now!
00:04While the first two Pixel Watches only came in a single 41mm size, Google's now introducing
00:10a second 45mm watch.
00:12Overall, this is a good thing.
00:15While smaller-wristed folks like me have generally been very happy with the original 41mm, I
00:20did hear quite a few complaints last year from readers with larger wrists.
00:24So this is for you.
00:26That said, there were times where I couldn't actually tell them apart from each other when
00:31I was wearing both on my wrist.
00:32The 45mm is definitely larger, and you could read more on the screen, but, you know, for
00:38small-wristed folks, like, I wouldn't worry too much about the 45mm being too big for
00:44your wrist.
00:45Some bad news though, if you're thinking of upgrading to the bigger size, your previous
00:49straps for the 41mm, they're not going to carry over.
00:53Otherwise, there's not too much difference in terms of design, though the 45mm does have
00:58a larger battery.
01:00Speaking of battery life, we still have an estimated 24 hours of battery with the always-on
01:04display.
01:05That said, there is a new battery saver mode that kicks in when you hit 15%.
01:10Supposedly that mode can get you up to an extra 36 hours, but we're gonna have to see
01:15how it does in testing.
01:17Also, you don't have to manually start bedtime mode anymore.
01:21The Pixel Watch 3 will be able to automatically detect when you fall asleep, which dims the
01:25display and then turns off notifications.
01:28Theoretically, that should help you conserve more battery life.
01:32The main hardware upgrade is that there's a bigger, brighter screen.
01:36They're calling it an Actua Display now, just like the phones.
01:40In any case, the bezels have gotten about 16% thinner, so you get about 10% more visible
01:45screen on the 41mm and 40% more on the 45mm.
01:50It's also brighter as well, with a new maximum brightness of 2000 nits, and you can see it
01:55really well here with all three of the watches, the Pixel Watch 2, the Pixel Watch 3, and
02:00the big Pixel Watch 3 lined up with the flashlight on.
02:04Outside of the screen, we still have a Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chip with a Cortex-M33 Quote
02:09processor, the same sensors, including the CEDA sensor.
02:14All that jazz.
02:15Though we do now have an ultra-wideband chip, which was rumored last year, but didn't actually
02:20end up on the Pixel Watch 2.
02:22So what it does is you can unlock your Pixel phone, or if you have the right model of BMW
02:28or Mini Cooper, you can unlock your car, if you have a BMW.
02:33So while the hardware is pretty similar to last year, Google is introducing a bunch of
02:38new software features, particularly for runners.
02:42You can now create custom workouts that include warm-ups, cool-downs, intervals with target
02:47paces, heart rates, times, you get the idea.
02:51You'll get haptic cues via the wrist now, all great stuff if you're training for a race
02:55and want to include some kind of speed work or tempo runs.
02:59You'll also get some new running metrics like cadence, stride length, vertical oscillation,
03:04plus a new running dashboard in the Fitbit app with some additional insights, and if
03:08you like AI, you can get some AI-generated workout suggestions too.
03:13The readiness score is also getting a revamp in that it can now take into account your
03:17cardio load.
03:18This isn't a new concept if you've ever used a Garmin or a Polar, but if you haven't, it's
03:22basically another measure of how much cardio-intensive work you're doing, and it can give you insight
03:27into whether to take it easy or push harder.
03:30Another Garmin-esque feature is that there is now a morning brief.
03:34So when you wake up, it's a summary of how you slept, your readiness score, some other
03:39key metrics, and like, the weather, so you know whether you're about to die on a 90-degree
03:44five-mile run, like I did.
03:46Given what we've seen from the Watch OS 11 Beta and the new Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra,
03:52these new fitness features are right in line with what other flagship smartwatch makers
03:57are doing.
03:58But outside of fitness, we're getting some neat productivity features too.
04:02The Pixel Watch 3 will now let you view the feed from your Nest cams and doorbells, and
04:06it can also work as a remote for Google TV and control your Pixel phone's camera.
04:12You can also use it to record audio via the Pixel Recorder app and access offline Google Maps.
04:18The Pixel Watch 3 starts at $349.99 for the 41mm and $399 for the 45mm.
04:25I liked what I saw today, but you know, I'm going to be getting review units in, and I
04:30will be putting it through its running paces, so we'll see.
04:34We'll see.
04:35I want to use my Pixel Watch to open my car, but I use turn signals, so I can't own a BMW.