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Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Tom's Guide
I swapped my Apple Watch Series 10 for a Google Pixel Watch 3 — here's what I liked and disliked
If you own an iPhone and you're fully locked into the Apple ecosystem, then it's hard to look past choosing the Apple Watch as your smartwatch. Whether it's our top smartwatch pick or the number one smartwatch choice for women, it's a tough one to beat. There are other great smartwatches outside of the Apple Watch, including the Google Pixel Watch 3. It's our favourite Android smartwatch and is proof that great Wear OS smartwatches exist. So what would happen if you swapped Apple Watch for Google Pixel Watch to dish out those phone notifications, let you make payments from the wrist, or let the music play sans smartphone? That's exactly what we did to find out if Google's best is a good enough alternative to the Apple Watch Series 10. Here's what we liked and disliked as we did smartwatch swapsies. If there's one area in general I think Wear OS smartwatches struggle in comparison to the Apple Watch, it's with the native fitness and health tracking support. It's generally good in parts, but lacks as a package. That's where the Pixel Watch 3 differs, and that's mainly down to the strong Fitbit integration, which essentially takes care of monitoring daily step counts, motivating you to keep moving during the day, and offers the kind of metrics and insights that are both glanceable and actually useful to pay attention to. A few features stand out particularly on the Pixel Watch. One is sleep tracking, which Fitbit has had quite a head start on Apple, both with tracking and with the level of metrics it can offer. Apple's sleep tracking support is pretty solid, but in contrast to what you get on the Pixel Watch, the presentation of data on and off the watch is a bit slicker. Readiness scores are another feature that's a win for Google over Apple. It's a good example of a metric that's powered by reliable tracking of heart rate and sleep. Once calibrated, these scores can offer a simple heads-up of whether you should work out or take a rest day. Currently, Apple doesn't offer a similar readiness-type score that is a great feature for fitness newbies and more experienced fitness lovers. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The Google Pixel Watch 3 is hardly a battery powerhouse, especially compared to other Wear OS smartwatches like the OnePlus Watch 3 and many of Mobvoi's dual-display-toting TicWatches. It does manage to squeeze out a little bit more battery than the Apple Watch Series 10, based on my testing time. The raw numbers state the Pixel Watch 3 can last up to 24 hours with the screen set to always-on, or you can switch to the Battery Saver mode to get up to 36 hours. The Apple Watch Series 10 lasts 18 hours, and really will if you keep the screen on at all times. Granted, it's a pretty rapid charger, but it doesn't negate that you definitely do end up having to think about the battery. Especially if you're taking it to bed to track your sleep. While the Pixel Watch 3 isn't immune to similar concerns, it's definitely slightly less of one compared to Apple's smartwatch. Like Apple, it does try to remedy that with some pretty rapid charging support. Apple's smartwatch has remained square since the original Watch and seems unlikely to shift from that angular look. While there's no shortage of round smartwatches, I'd say that the Pixel Watch 3's round look stands out for the right reasons. For starters, it comes in two different sizes, which is great news whether you like a smartwatch to dominate on the wrist or you prefer something that lives a little smaller, letting you strap on additional wristwear alongside it. You're getting a fully circular case design in either a polished or matte aluminium finish, an elegant watch crown, and a bright AMOLED display, and it has those deep black levels you associate with a high-quality colour screen. Combine all of that and you get something that's sleek and really does set it apart from other smartwatches. You certainly can't accuse the Google Pixel Watch 3 of aping the look of the Apple Watch Series 10 or other Apple Watches, and while Apple also gets plenty of things right with its design, so does Google with its own. Apple beats Google when it comes to tracking your exercise. Quite simply, if you want a smartwatch that can closely match the performance of a dedicated sports watch, it's not the Pixel Watch 3 you'll want on your wrist. Take GPS performance, or the fact that it doesn't offer the latest dual-band GPS technology that now appears on a whole host of smartwatches, some of which cost less than the Pixel Watch 3. If you look at the supported sports tracking profiles, there's simply more on offer with Apple's smartwatch. Take swimming as an example, where the Pixel Watch 3 only supports tracking pool swims, while Apple's will track your movements in the open water and do a really good job of it. If you're heading outside to track workouts, Apple gives you maps to view. Some of that mapping is available out of the box, with a host of apps in the App Store that are capable of extending that to other sports. That extensive third-party training and fitness app support gives Apple the upper hand to enhance its sports tracking capabilities. It also has the advantage of letting you pair external fitness accessories like a heart rate monitor, which you cannot do on the Pixel Watch 3. Yes, there's certainly enough on the Pixel Watch to track workouts and offer a satisfactory level of performance as well as a good array of metrics. The Apple Watch Series 10 is a much better performer across most, if not all, fronts. Having Fitbit take care of most of the Pixel Watch 3's fitness and health tracking was a smart move, but you will need to shell out more money, either on a monthly or annual basis, to get the most complete Fitbit experience. Thankfully, features like daily readiness scores, core activity tracking, and health metrics are available in the free version of the Fitbit App. The biggest features you're going to miss out on by not paying up for Premium are the extra analysis offered for sleep and stress data. You also miss out on Fitbit's workout videos and audio-based training sessions, but I'd say that richer sleep and stress insights are the things that most users will most appreciate having access to. Yes, I did like the fact that the Pixel Watch 3 (the larger 45mm version) has a better battery than the Apple Watch Series 10, but it's not by a huge amount. This is still a smartwatch where you have to think about the battery pretty much every day, whether the screen is on at all times, or when using the raise-to-wake gesture support. Having spent time with other Wear OS smartwatches that can go for almost a week without charging, it's frustrating that Google didn't seize the opportunity to make the Pixel Watch 3 go much longer than Apple's Watches, or at least seek parity with the best WearOS battery performers. Now, this is exactly the same criticism that can be levelled at the Apple Watch and its inability to play nice with Android. This dislikable element of using a Pixel Watch is unlikely to change anytime soon. The lack of compatibility across the two biggest smartphone platforms instantly makes using the Google Pixel Watch 3 a restrictive experience for many. If you don't have the luxury to switch between Android phones and iPhones, then that's going to be a pretty major reason to dislike the Pixel Watch 3. 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Tom's Guide
22-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
I walked 4,000 steps with the Pixel Watch 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 — here's the winner
I just walked 4,000 steps with the Google Pixel Watch 3 on my right wrist and the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 on my left to determine which is the more competent fitness tracker. To keep things fair, I manually counted my steps as the primary control for this showdown; I also ran Strava on a separate device (iPhone 12 mini) as a control for distance, elevation and pace data. After 4,000 steps and roughly 2.3 miles, one smartwatch proved (slightly) more accurate in this match-up of the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 vs Google Pixel Watch 3. Read on to find out which. But first, here's a quick look at how these two flagship models compare. Both run Google's Wear OS platform, and neither plays nicely with the iPhone. The Galaxy Watch 8 is Samsung's new release for 2025, while the Pixel Watch 3 represents Google's 2024 model; we'll likely get a Pixel Watch 4 model in August, if rumors prove true. Design-wise, the Galaxy Watch 8 features a "cushion" case design, borrowed from 2024's Galaxy Watch Ultra, compared to a circular case for the Pixel Watch 3, though both feature circular displays. The Pixel Watch 3 comes in two sizes, 41mm and 45mm; the latter is represented here. The Galaxy Watch 8 standard model similarly comes in a smaller, 41mm, and larger, 44mm option. There's also a 46mm Galaxy Watch 8 Classic with a rotating bezel, used for this comparison. The standard Galaxy Watch 8 models start at $349 for the 40mm model, which is the same starting cost as the 41mm Pixel Watch 3 (though you can score one on sale right now, link below). Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The Google Pixel Watch 3 in 45mm is my favorite long-lasting smartwatch for Android, offering two full days of battery with normal use during my testing. It also has Google's ground-breaking and possibly life-saving new Loss of Pulse Detection, and is loaded with other insightful wellness tools and helpful smart features. I'm still in the process of testing the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, available for preorder as of this writing and shipping July 25. But I've found a lot to like, including the design — I'm a huge fan of the rotating bezel and customizable Action button — as well as its impressive suite of holistic tools, including some of the most in-depth sleep insights you'll find on a smartwatch. Both smartwatches feature handy safety tools and access to the same enormous app library. Each is also brimming with wellness and fitness features, including deep insights into sleep quality, helpful workout training recovery tools, and potentially life-saving health-monitoring apps. The Pixel Watch 3, for instance, is the only smartwatch on the market with Loss of Pulse Detection. Similarly, Samsung's new cardiovascular load monitoring tool is only available on the latest Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch Ultra models. Still, either can perform an ECG, check your heart rate, or monitor your blood oxygen saturation levels. Nuances aside, these two devices are remarkably well matched. So, which came out ahead in this walk test? In my previous article, where I walked 5,000 steps with the Apple Watch 10 vs. the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, Cupertino took home the trophy. Can Samsung score some redemption? Find the results of my walk test with the Pixel Watch 3 vs Galaxy Watch 8 below. Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Pixel Watch 3 XL Control Step count 4,044 steps 4,042 steps 4,000 steps (manual count) Distance 2.30 miles 2.33 miles 2.33 miles (Strava) Elevation gain 151 feet 157 feet 143 feet (Strava) Average pace 14 mins 42 secs per mile 15 mins 4 secs per mile 14 mins 29 secs per mile (Strava) Average heart rate 133 bpm 132 bpm n/a Max heart rate 158 bpm 158 bpm n/a Total calories burned 247 calories 339 calories n/a Device battery usage 10% 6% n/a Both the Pixel Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch 8 each produced step count totals within 50 steps of my actual total. This is a very impressive level of accuracy and well within a reasonable margin for error. Strava also measures step count, and was even more spot-on with a total of 3,990 steps. All three devices also essentially measured the same distance covered and similar amounts of elevation gained; the 14 feet separating Strava's tally from Google's is equivalent to 1.5 flights of stairs, i.e., not enough for concern. The Pixel Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch 8 produced step count totals within 50 steps of my actual total. This is a very impressive level of accuracy. Average pace data additionally matches nicely; I was moving fairly quickly for the duration of this walk and made minimal stops, except for one or two traffic lights. Strava measured the fastest moving time, but also provides an averaged elapsed pace, which came out to 15 minutes and 17 seconds per mile. Both Samsung and Google wearables have a well-earned reputation for accurate heart rate data — something I can attest to based on reviewing numerous devices from each — and the results from this walk test are in near-perfect agreement with not only each other, but also my expectations based on numerous prior tests. Finally, Samsung calculated fewer calories burned during my roughly 35-minute walk, but coincidentally, also burned nearly twice the amount of battery tracking my trek as the Pixel Watch 3. And the winner of this challenge is... the Google Pixel Watch 3. That said, this is about as close as these walk tests come to being called a tie. Over the years, I've probably written 25-plus head-to-head comparisons of this type, and I can't think of another time where the winner was determined by just two steps. Stay tuned for more testing on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, including my full review where I'll share the inside scoop on the device's newest features, like Run Coach, bedtime reminders, antioxidant tracking and Vascular Load monitoring. Which smartwatches or fitness trackers would you like to see me test head-to-head next? Let me know in the comments below. Until next time, happy walking!
Tom's Guide
16-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
How to create custom running workouts on the Google Pixel Watch 3
The Google Pixel Watch 3 is the best Android smartwatch to buy right now and for good reason. It looks great, offers slick software, and makes the most of its Fitbit-powered health and fitness features to make it a pretty complete package. If you're a runner, Google's latest smartwatch has you well catered for, and that includes the ability to build custom running workouts. You might already know this as interval training, but if not, this is the type of running session made up of sections of low-intensity and high-intensity running. This type of session can offer benefits for your running pace and running endurance. If you're keen to give interval running a go and like the idea of your Pixel Watch guiding you through how to do it while you keep an eye on your progress, you can do this on both the watch and inside the Fitbit app. We'll show you how to do both, whether you like the idea of creating workouts on a bigger screen or you like the convenience of doing it right on the watch. If you're finding it a bit fiddly to build those workouts on the watch, you do have the option to build them on the Fitbit app. You can then sync them to the watch where you'll be able to select it from the run tracking screen when you're ready to do it. The first important part is that you'll need to download the Fitbit app first, which hopefully you've done already with the initial setup of your watch. Connecting your Pixel Watch 3 to the Fitbit app will enable you to get the most out of the onboard health and fitness features. Once you've got that Fitbit app and you're all logged in, here's what you need to do: Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. To locate it, open up the run tracking option in the Fitbit Exercise app, tap that icon with the stack of squares and you should see your created workout in the next screen. Tap to select and you'll see your workout displayed to give you a look at what you're about to tackle.
Digital Trends
11-07-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
Last chance to get the best Android smartwatch at lowest-ever price for Prime Day
Android fans, if you're planning to take advantage of smartwatch deals for Amazon's Prime Day, you should go for the Google Pixel Watch 3. The 45mm, Wi-Fi model, which is originally sold for $400, is on sale for its lowest-ever price of only $285 following a 29% discount. This is your last chance to get the wearable device with savings of $115 as the shopping event is closing soon, so you have to hurry and complete your purchase immediately to make sure that you don't miss out. Why you should buy the Google Pixel Watch 3 We gave the Google Pixel Watch 3 an impressive score of 4.5 stars out of 5 stars in our review, which is more than enough for it to earn our praise as the best smartwatch for Android in our roundup of the best smartwatches. It's 'the best smartwatch Google has ever made,' combining a solid build with an attractive design, a fantastic AMOLED display, a battery that exceeds Google's promise of 24 hours per charge, and durability from Gorilla Glass 5 and an IP68 rating for water resistance. The Google Pixel Watch 3 also offers sophisticated fitness features that will let you monitor and analyze your physical wellbeing. Runners, meanwhile, will appreciate alerts for intervals, real-time coaching, and AI-powered running recommendations. You'll need to sign up for a Fitbit Premium subscription to unlock most of these benefits though, which is worth it if you're serious about staying on top of your health. The Google Pixel Watch 3 is an excellent Android smartwatch, and it's a steal at its discounted price for Prime Day. The 45mm, Wi-Fi model is on sale at 29% off its original price of $400, for its lowest-ever price of $285 on Amazon. Time is running out for you to buy this wearable device with $115 in savings though, as we're approaching the final hours of the shopping event. We highly recommend adding the Google Pixel Watch 3 to your cart and finishing the checkout process immediately, as it may take a while before you can get it for a similar price after Prime Day ends.
Gizmodo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
Google Pixel Watch 3 Is Practically Free Compared to Past Prices, This Latest Model Still Holds for Prime Day
Looking for some sweet deals on some cool tech this Prime Day? The Google Pixel Watch 3 is the latest smartwatch from Google and all its various models are heavily discounted through Amazon's summer savings event, ending on July 11. The Google Pixel Watch 3 is both practical and stylish, coming in your choice of two different sizes and a variety of colors—all of which have various discounts for Prime Day. See at Amazon The watch is available in either 41mm or 45mm, in colors including a champagne gold aluminum case with a hazel band, matte black case with obsidian band, polished silver aluminum case with a porcelain band, or a polished silver aluminum case with a rose quartz band. You also have a choice of going with LTE support or the Wi-Fi only model. The most affordable is now the 41mm Wi-Fi only watch in any color, coming in at $237—a 32% discount from its original price of $350. The LTE 41mm models range between $335 and $350 depending on the color. The 45mm Wi-Fi only come in between $285 and $300. Then lastly, the premium 45mm LTE-supported models range between $385 and $400. All discounts lead to a savings of at least $100. Thanks to integration with Google AI, this smartwatch can become your own personal fitness coach. It can alert you with recommendations for workouts based on goals you set and past performance in previous workouts. Use these tools and you will see your perform improve day after day. If you're a runner, you'll notice yourself able to run for longer distances at faster paces if you keep up with you workout. You can even build out your own custom workouts that incorporated things like warmups, cooldowns and pace training. Track your personal records and load up any of your saved workouts at whenever. The Google Pixel Watch 3 can supply you with even more metrics to keep track of your fitness and health. Gain insight into you daily readiness, that can help you plan out your day. The watch has a super reliable battery that can last all day and beyond. Depending on whether you choose to use the always-on display or set it to power save mode, the Google Pixel Watch 3 can last anywhere from 24 to 36 hours in a single charge. Amazon has the Google Pixel Watch in a variety of colors, sizes, and supported features that are all part of the Prime Day savings event. Save yourself $100 or more on the latest smartwatch from Google for a limited time. See at Amazon
