Reviewing the Newest Smartwatch: The Google Pixel Watch 3
For years, the smartwatch world has been a two-horse race. Apple has dominated with its seamless hardware and software integration, while Samsung has held down the fort for Android users. Google, despite owning the Wear OS platform, has felt like a promising but slightly underdeveloped player with its first two Pixel Watches. They were beautiful and smart, but held back by large bezels and lackluster battery life.
With the launch of the brand-new Google Pixel Watch 3, that changes.
We’ve spent the last week with Google’s third-generation wearable, and it’s immediately clear this isn’t just an incremental update. This is Google’s most confident and ambitious wearable yet, a device that finally feels like the ultimate showcase for its software prowess, powered by a deeply integrated new version of Wear OS.
The Design: Finally, a Perfect Circle
The first thing you’ll notice is that Google has finally addressed the biggest complaint about the previous models: the thick bezels are dramatically reduced. The stunning, circular AMOLED display now stretches much closer to the edge of the watch’s domed glass, creating a more immersive and aesthetically pleasing look.
Google has also introduced a second, slightly larger 44mm case size, catering to users who prefer a bigger watch face. The core design remains the same—a minimalist, pebble-like smoothness that stands in stark contrast to the sharp rectangles of the Apple Watch—but it now feels more refined and confident.
The Software: A Truly Proactive OS
The real story of the Pixel Watch 3 is the new version of Wear OS. Google is leveraging its Gemini AI to create what it calls a “proactive assistant” on your wrist.
Instead of just showing you notifications, the watch now intelligently surfaces “glances” based on your context. For example, as we were walking to a meeting, the watch face automatically showed the Google Maps walking directions and the name of our next appointment. Before a workout, it suggested a relevant Spotify playlist.
It also integrates the new “Meeting Agent” feature from Google Workspace. Fifteen minutes before a scheduled call, a notification popped up on the watch with an AI-generated summary of the meeting’s topic and a list of attendees. This level of proactive intelligence makes the watch feel less like a passive screen and more like a genuine assistant.
The Health Suite: Closing the Gap
Google has made a significant leap in its health-tracking capabilities, clearly aiming to compete with the best in the business. The Pixel Watch 3 introduces two major new sensors:
- A Skin Temperature Sensor: Similar to other high-end wearables, this now tracks your temperature overnight, providing deeper insights into sleep quality and potential illness.
- Blood Pressure Monitoring (Beta): In a huge move, the watch features an optical sensor that can provide on-demand blood pressure estimations. While Google is launching it in “beta” and stresses it’s not a medical device for diagnosing hypertension, our readings were surprisingly close to a traditional cuff. It’s a powerful new metric for casual health monitoring.
Fitbit integration is deeper than ever, with automatic workout detection that is faster and more accurate than previous generations.
The Achilles’ Heel: Battery Life
If there’s one area where the Pixel Watch 3 still doesn’t quite lead the pack, it’s battery life. It is noticeably better than the Pixel Watch 2. We were able to comfortably get through a full 24-hour day with the always-on display active, including sleep tracking overnight. However, you will still be charging this watch once a day. It is not a multi-day wearable, a benchmark that some competitors have already crossed.
The Verdict
The Pixel Watch 3 is the smartwatch we’ve been waiting for from Google. It’s the moment where the company’s hardware design, software intelligence, and health-tracking ambitions have finally come together in a single, cohesive, and compelling package.
By shrinking the bezels, they’ve perfected the beautiful design. By infusing the OS with proactive AI, they’ve made it genuinely useful. While the battery life still isn’t revolutionary, it’s now good enough for most users.
For Android users, the choice is no longer just “Samsung or nothing.” The Pixel Watch 3 has arrived as a powerful, intelligent, and beautifully designed contender for the best smartwatch on the market.
