The best Android watch you can buy helps you train and operate Google

Google broke the mold this year. The company changed its traditional device launch schedule, bringing forward to August the launch of its Pixel 9 mobile phones, its Pixel Watch 3 smartwatch and a new foldable smartphone, the Pixel Fold, although it cannot be purchased in Europe. This comes before the launch of the new iPhone 16 and Apple Watch presented today. The observation is clear: position itself as the main alternative to Apple.

The Pixel Watch 3 comes in two sizes for the first time, 41 and 45 mman increase in inches, with which it aspires to compete with the Apple Watch, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2024. However, its new features do not stop only at a larger circular sphere with more space, but Google proposes to take full advantage of its ecosystem from our wrist and with extra care for our daily health.

At EL ESPAÑOL – El Androide Libre we spent the last few weeks with him to see with our own eyes what he looks like. The evolution of Google’s star mobile phonewhat it brings to its particular face-off against Apple and Samsung and if it is worth the 449 dollars (399 for the 41 mm version) from which it arrives in Europe.

An extraordinary design

The Pixel Watch 3 is the most personalized Android smartwatch on the market. It’s sleek and striking at the same time; but also flirty and attractive. A unique and differential design with which Google has managed to transmit to its watch the same character as the design of its Pixel smartphones to differentiate itself from any other manufacturer.

In reality, it’s an evolution of what we saw in the Pixel Watch 2 launched last year, but It is true that the 45mm dial suits it very well. Thanks to its circular and curved screen, it does not become large on the wrist, but at the same time it gains a huge panel to answer messages, track our health or use Google Maps. This gives the feeling of immersing yourself in the content, but without the feeling of having something big in your arm.

This immersive feeling is achieved thanks to significantly thinner edges and very good screen brightness and resolution. The bezels are 16% thinner, which means they have up to 40% more screen compared to the previous generation (if we compare it to last year’s single 41mm model). For its part, the Actua screen offers very high sharpness thanks to the use of a 320 dpi LTPO AMOLED panel and a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits. It looks very good.

Another interesting factor is its weight, with the sports bracelet it is about 50 grams, so you forget you are wearing it. It is comfortable to use, the crown is very well implemented and the response of the screen at 60hz makes it fluid in everyday life. It is light years ahead of many of its Android competitors. in qualities and finishes.

Your health, in more detail

Since Google acquired Fitbit, the company has increasingly focused on bringing health monitoring closer to users with easier-to-follow concepts that not only make it easier to exercise, but also Know what recovery point your body is at.

The new Pixel Watch 3 was designed with the idea of ​​helping users achieve a workout routine This avoids a sedentary lifestyle, while indicating recovery and monitoring of the cardiovascular load. A very useful balance for athletes, but especially important for those who are new to physical activity, allowing the body to be tightened to the maximum without forcing it.
The recovery level indicated by the watch is now more personalized, as it uses sleep data, resting heart rate, as well as the degree to which the rate varies once you recover.

Cardiovascular load, on the other hand, measures the effort made by the heart and the Watch 3 can determine the effort you make on a daily basis and see how This is reflected in the training. This dual tracking not only allows you to train better, but also to avoid injuries and even to know if you are above or below your body’s capabilities. In practice: it helps you train better.

Precisely, in this respect, improve the way you trainThe new watch is oriented towards users who run. It now has a complete experience that allows, from the wrist, to plan the routine, warm up, cool down, set goals, do sets, intervals… everything the runner wants.

Not only can you track your routines, but the watch will alert you with voice messages and vibrations when you lose your rhythm or exceed your established heart rate. Likewise, if we train in series, it can tell us when the next sprint will take place or when to slow down. It also has a system that monitors the running gene based on the movement of the wrist and explains how to take the stride, what cadence we perform or how to oscillate vertically. It’s like a sneaker, but on your wrist. Of course, if the user wants to take full advantage of the experience – with a more personalized routine – You will need to subscribe to Fitbit Premiumwhich also offers exercises to improve running.

Much more Google on your wrist

Beyond sports tracking and health tracking. One of the great assets of this watch is its integration into the Google ecosystem, which goes far beyond linking and controlling our Android watch – better if it’s a Pixel – or paying in stores with Google Pay. Now we have a deep approach in which we can dominate the house of the wrist or use applications such as Google Maps in a comfortable and intuitive way.

For starters, our health data is mixed with information about our environment like where we are to provide us with the weather as well as a morning summary with our most important measures. A very interesting detail to know what we face every day.

This personal touch goes further and the Watch 3 is fully integrated in the Google ecosystem. It is very useful for managing household tasks such as controlling the temperature of the house, the doorbell or security cameras. Likewise, it can also be used as a Google TV remote control if we do not have the remote control at hand, if we are not using the recorder or if we are not answering unwanted calls from the watch.

The use of Google Maps to walk around the city, since we can use it even without an internet connection. It is very useful to have the map and directions directly on the wrist, which avoids taking out the watch when we are more lost than usual and we need a route to get to another point in the city.

This intense use of measurements, the integration with Google and the brightness of the screen make the battery not among the best Android watches, but it is true that it complies with the rating and we will have an experience similar to that offered by Apple or Samsung.

Specifically, The Pixel Watch 3 has 24 hours of battery life of use with the screen always active, although I managed to extend the battery up to two nights of use without needing to recharge it. Here it is essential to be aware of the breaks so that the clock also measures us during these periods.

One of the key points to optimize it is the Sleep mode, which the watch automatically activates when it detects that we are sleeping. Of course, it is I would appreciate a larger fast charge, since it takes about 28 minutes to charge to 50% and about 80 minutes to be at 100%, a combination that requires spending between 40 and 50 minutes without the watch during the day to be able to charge it and be able to measure sleeping with it.

Should I buy it?

The Pixel Watch 3 is one of the the best android watches you can buy, It’s a lesson from Google on how things should be done at every level, both hardware and software. It’s elegant, with a timeless style and high-quality materials. All with deep integration into the ecosystem and the help of the company’s AI. A circle that allows you to compete with the best in the market and aspire to the throne.

If you decide to purchase this, you won’t regret it. The user experience is very good, It has everything you could want from a top-tier smartwatch, and its design is cutting-edge. Of course, if you’re looking for a wearable with a battery that’s closer to a weekly charge than a daily one, this isn’t the watch for you. In my case, I tend to charge the watch every day, or even every other day, so the Watch 3 fits perfectly into my routine.

In short, the Pixel Watch 3 is not only the best watch Google has ever made, but one of the best you can buy thanks to its performance, unique design and character.