Google Pixel Watch 3 vs. Pixel Watch 2: Should You Upgrade? (2024)

Google's Pixel Watch 3 is shiny, streamlined, and packed with AI features. It's also the first Pixel Watch to come in multiple sizes. Still, last year's Pixel Watch 2 is no slouch, and if you already have one, you might not necessarily want or need to upgrade. Let's look at the differences between the two smartwatches to help you decide.

Full Specs

Pixel Watch 3 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Design

The core design of both Pixel Watches is the same. They're sleek, circular smartwatches with a domed glass face, 100% recycled aluminum casing, and a twistable crown plus an action button on the right side. Like the Apple Watch, it's hard to significantly improve the Pixel Watch 2's already attractive and minimalist aesthetics. The Pixel Watch 3 doesn't try to, but it does now give you the choice of two size options instead of one, and it shrinks the bezel (the black edge around the screen) by 16%, which results in 10% more screen on the 41mm version and 40% more screen on the 45mm version compared with the Pixel Watch 2.

Both generations of the Pixel Watch let you choose between polished silver, matte black, or champagne gold finishes. The Pixel Watch 3 adds another option to the mix: matte hazel, which seems more grayish than greenish. The watch face's glass curves to cover the sides, so only accents of aluminum on the edges and the crown are visible when you're wearing it.

Winner: Pixel 3

Display

The Pixel Watch 3's bezels are smaller, and therefore, its screens are bigger, but that doesn't mean they're sharper. Both the Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3 use AMOLED displays that show 320 pixels per inch. Google doesn't offer exact resolution numbers for the screens, but with the same dot pitch, they're equally sharp. The Pixel Watch 3 has a higher resolution (the same amount of pixels per inch, over a bit more space).

Left to right: Pixel Watch 3, 41mm and 45mm sizes (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Google has entered the brightness battle Apple and Samsung have already been fighting by doubling the peak light output of the Pixel Watch 3 to 2,000 nits. That's extremely bright, but the 1,000-nit Pixel Watch 2 isn't exactly dim. Both watches cover the DCI-P3 color space.

Winner: Pixel Watch 3

Processor

This is pretty surprising: Both generations of Pixel smartwatches have the same hardware specs. The Pixel Watch 2 and the Pixel Watch 3 each use Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 5100 processor with a Cortex M33 co-processor and feature 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. This means the new Pixel Watch probably won't be any faster or have any unique hardware-driven AI features.

Winner: Tie

Pixel Watch 3 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Fitness Features

Both Pixel Watches have the same fitness-tracking equipment. They have several sensors, including red and infrared SpO2, multi-path optical heart rate, skin temperature, and skin conductance (cEDA) body response. Both also pack all of the standard motion and navigation sensors, such as an accelerometer, altimeter, barometer, compass, gyroscope, and magnetometer.

Both watches also have extensive Fitbit integration for tracking various health metrics (and a $9.99 per month/$79.99 per year Premium subscription to access all of those metrics).

That doesn't mean Google isn't promoting some new fitness features on the Pixel Watch 3, and this is where it gets tricky. According to Google, the Pixel Watch 3 can analyze your stride as you run, and Fitbit can offer AI suggestions for future runs. However, it isn't yet clear whether these features will be exclusive to the Pixel Watch 3 or if they will be added to the Pixel Watch 2 via software updates.

Winner: Tie

Connectivity

Both watches have Bluetooth and dual-band 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and are available with 4G LTE cellular connectivity. The Pixel Watch 3 upgrades its Bluetooth from 5.0 to 5.3, which should allow for more stable connections with your smartphone and headphones. It also supports Ultra-Wideband wireless for accurately locating or being located by compatible devices like the Pixel 9 Pro.

Winner: Pixel Watch 3

Pixel Watch 2 (Credit: Will Greenwald)

Battery Life

Battery specs seem to be the same for both watches, which means an estimated battery life of up to 24 hours with the always-on display. The Pixel Watch 2 lasted 33 hours in our tests, but even with a bigger, brighter display, the Pixel Watch 3 still might be able to eke out longer-than-advertised time between charges as well. The Pixel Watch 3 can detect when you're sleeping and automatically turn off the always-on display to save battery life, which could further improve the numbers.

Google also says the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 charges 20% faster than the previous version, which is a minor upgrade, but it still counts.

Winner: Pixel Watch 3

Price

The Pixel Watch 3 starts at $349.99 for the 41mm Wi-Fi-only model, the same price as the Pixel Watch 2 when it launched. The 45mm version starts at $399.99. Adding cellular connectivity to either Pixel Watch 3 is an additional $100 (plus the cost of a cellular data subscription).

Google has dropped the price of the Pixel Watch 2. It now costs $249.99, or $299.99 for a model with cellular connectivity.

Winner: Pixel Watch 2

Pixel Watch 3 (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Which Watch to Get?

The Pixel Watch 3 is a promising smartwatch based on specs, but it isn't all that different from the Pixel Watch 2. Its slightly larger and brighter display is the biggest upgrade, while Bluetooth 5.3 and Ultra-Wideband are also worthwhile changes. If you want the largest Pixel Watch possible and/or you have a UWB phone, the Pixel Watch 3 is worth considering. That said, the Pixel Watch 2 is easy to recommend to anyone looking to save money. And if you already own a Pixel Watch 2, you probably don't need to upgrade, unless, of course, you want a larger 45mm model.

We plan to put the Pixel Watch 3 to the test in order to give you our official recommendation, so be sure to check back soon. Until then, read up on our coverage of the Pixel 9 series, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the Pixel Buds Pro 2, and Google's latest Gemini AI features.