The new Google Pixel Watch 3 series debuted on August 13 during the summer Made By Google event. The company’s launch was led by the new Google Pixel 9 series, consisting of the Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the new foldable, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. But not to be outdone, the Watch 3 arrived with a surprise of its own: that it now comes in two sizes, 41mm and 45mm.
The larger model features most of the same internals and features, but it has a slightly larger display and battery, thanks to the larger casing. Otherwise, it’s the same exact watch as the standard Pixel Watch 3, which still sports all the health and tracking features that we’ve come to expect.
What’s different about the Pixel Watch 3 series compared to Pixel Watch 2?
Same chipset, different size
There’s not much new in terms of design and features. The display on the Pixel Watch 3 series is slightly bigger, which is thanks to the smaller bezel. The Pixel Watch 2 had a 5.5mm bezel, whereas the Pixel Watch 3 series has 4.5mm, which allowed Google to slightly increase the size of the display without making the overall watch larger.
The standard Pixel Watch 3 still has the same 41mm diameter and 12.3mm height and even the same 31g weight as the Pixel Watch 2. The larger Watch 3 has a 45mm diameter and 12.3mm height and weighs 37g.
Google managed to keep the same battery in the Watch 3 as in the Watch 2, at 306mAh. The Pixel Watch 3 (41mm) can still last for up to 24 hours with the always-on display enabled or 36 hours with Battery Saver mode. The Pixel Watch 3 (45mm) has a larger 420mAh battery that can last the same amount of time, balancing out the power draw of the bigger display.
Both smartwatches support fast charging, but only the Pixel Watch 3 (45mm) benefits from the fastest charging speeds. It can go from zero to 100% in 60 minutes, whereas the 41mm model will only reach a full charge in 80 minutes.
Both smartwatches are equipped with the same sensors, and are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 chipset with 32GB of storage and 2GB of RAM. The only notable differences are the display, size, and battery capacity and charging.
Which Pixel Watch 3 should you buy?
If you found the Pixel Watch 2 too small, and you’ve been itching to get your hands on a larger model with a bigger display, it’s perhaps best to look at the larger Pixel Watch 3 (45mm). It’s not much larger, but the difference could greatly impact your everyday life, especially if you heavily rely on notifications, health metrics, and other key features. Google managed to make it considerably bigger without impacting the battery life or other key features.
For those who loved the size of the Pixel Watch 2, the Pixel Watch 3 (41mm) remains a great size for most people, one that doesn’t feel overly large or ungainly. Thanks to the smaller bezel you still get a (slightly) bigger screen than last time, with enough screen space to comfortably use it for anything from controlling music to starting a workout, checking up on your health data, and having a glance at your notifications.
Google Pixel Watch 3
The Google Pixel Watch 3 series come in two sizes, 41m and 45mm. They have smaller bezels, sport WearOS 5.0, and have a longer battery life that Google promises can last for up to a full day, or 36 hours using the Battery Saver mode. They support all the health-tracking features you need to get fit, and back in shape.
