At its annual Made By Google event, Google announced numerous devices including the Pixel Watch 3.
While the new Pixel Watch 3 undoubtedly packs multiple upgrades from its predecessor, the Pixel Watch 2, how does it compare to the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Watch 7?
To find out, we’ve compared the specs of both and highlighted the key differences between the smartwatches below.
Google vs Samsung
If you’re torn between the two smartwatches then it’s worth keeping in mind which ecosystem you’re deep in.
Although both are Android-only smartwatches and run on Wear OS 5, they each include features that are best paired alongside their native handsets. For example, the Pixel Watch 3 is naturally integrated into the Google ecosystem and works seamlessly with Pixel phones and other Google devices.
This means you can control your Pixel’s camera and enable Pixel’s Call Assist to take phone calls, all from the wearable. Also, the Pixel Watch 3 even allows you to check in and control your smart home devices, such as Google TV and Nest Doorbell.
Alternatively, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is best paired with a Samsung Galaxy smartphone as this enables key features such as the Double Pinch shortcut, Sleep Apnea risk detection and blood oxygen tracking.
With the Google Home app on Wear OS you can also control your compatible smart home devices straight from your Galaxy Watch 7.
The Pixel Watch 3 has Loss of Pulse Detection
Google has introduced a very welcome feature with the Pixel Watch 3 called Loss of Pulse Detection. Utilising the Pixel Watch 3’s heart rate sensor alongside some AI-powered algorithms, the device can now pick up on the absence of a pulse.
If no pulse is detected, the Pixel Watch 3 will activate additional sensors to minimise the chances of false alarms. However, if there’s still no pulse or motion detected then the Watch 3 will eventually place a call to the emergency services, either via an LTE device or connected smartphone, and share the user’s location with the operator.
The Pixel Watch 3 has an optional Fitbit Premium subscription
The Pixel Watch 3 comes with six months of Fitbit Premium at no additional cost. Depending on how you plan on using the Pixel Watch 3, Fitbit Premium might not be a necessary addition, however it does come with extra perks such as tailored daily run recommendations and access to Peloton workout classes.
Otherwise, the Pixel Watch 3 has many health and fitness tools built-in such as Daily Readiness which analyses your body’s key recovery biometrics to provide a more comprehensive picture of your body’s readiness, Cardio Load to track your training and Target Load which is a personalised goal for your training, sent every morning.
On the other hand, the Samsung Health app is completely free and just requires users to register to access all its health and fitness trackers, such as Natural Cycles-powered Cycle Tracking, Bioelectric Impedance Analysis (BIA) insights which measure your body’s composition and personalise programs to suit you, Sleep Coaching and Energy Score.
The Pixel Watch 3 is now also available in two sizes
The Pixel Watch series has been fairly restrictive in its size options until now, as it was previously only available in a very small 41mm size. Fortunately, it has now joined the likes of Samsung and Apple and is now available in either 41mm or 45mm options. This is a very welcome change.
The Galaxy Watch 7 is also available in two sizes: both a slightly smaller 40mm or 45mm.
The Galaxy Watch 7 has a longer battery life
Although even the smallest Pixel Watch 3 (41mm) has a bigger battery cell at 307mAh, the Galaxy Watch 7 offers up to 30 hours of usage time with its always-on display (AOD) enabled. Turn AOD off and you’ll receive aorund 40 hours – although losing one of the wearable’s key feature
Alternatively, the Pixel Watch 3 offers up to 24 hours of battery life with AOD enabled which boosts to a decent 36 hours when Battery Saver mode is switched on. Of course, we haven’t reviewed the Pixel Watch 3 yet, so we’ll know more about the endurance skills when we’ve put it through our review process.
The Galaxy Watch 7 is cheaper
The Galaxy Watch is available to buy now, starting at just £289/$299.99 for 40mm size. The Google Pixel Watch 3 however is currently available for pre-order, starting at £349/$349.99 for its 41mm or £399/$399.99 for its 45mm option.
All smartwatches are available with the option for 4G/LTE connectivity at an extra cost. Otherwise, all work via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
