The 4 Best Smartwatch for Android Phones of 2025

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The Pixel Watch 3 now comes in two sizes with more running features and deeper Google integration.

The stylish $350 Google Pixel Watch 3 is a great-looking smartwatch with smaller bezels to view more information on the screen. It comes in two sizes: 41 mm and a larger 45 mm option with a bigger battery. It runs Google’s newest Wear OS 5 software and adds more fitness-based features via Fitbit, but it doesn’t require a premium subscription to access many of them. It also adds a few features exclusive to Google’s Pixel phones, like Google TV controls and communication with Nest Cam and Doorbell. Unfortunately, it uses a proprietary band connector and its unprotected domed glass design is highly prone to scratches and cracks, just like its predecessor.

The watch comes in two sizes, with brighter screens. The 45 mm version of the watch has a larger screen and slightly longer-lasting battery. They both have Google’s signature domed glass OLED display that can now reach up to 2,000 nits of maximum brightness. Both models of the Pixel Watch 3 have smaller bezels than the Pixel Watch 2, despite otherwise looking identical, which means you can see slightly more information on your screen. Google also added variable refresh rates from 1 Hz to 60 Hz for its always-on display, which allows the screen pixels to move at a slower speed for better power efficiency.

The larger model has the better battery. The 45 mm Pixel Watch has a 420 mAh battery, which lasted just over 36 hours with the always-on display turned on during my testing. It took 30 minutes to charge to 50% and required nearly 80 minutes for a full charge. The 41 mm size’s 307 mAh battery lasted a few hours past the suggested 24-hour mark. It can charge to 50% in under 30 minutes or fully charge in about an hour, which saves some charging time over the larger watch.

The Pixel Watch 3 adds deeper Google integration. It can communicate with some Nest Cams and Doorbells, including live streaming and two-way talking. It can also double as a remote for your Google TV and locate your remote for Chromecast with Google TV, Google TV Streamer, and TVs with Google Home app support.

Google Assistant and Gemini AI power the Pixel Watch 3’s new Call Assist feature, which can screen spam and place calls on hold from your watch. The Pixel Watch 3 can also download Google Maps for offline use and has a recorder app that can transcribe and sync recordings to your Pixel phone. It also has a new Ultra-Wideband chip that you can use to unlock your Pixel phone with a swipe, as well as start or unlock your car (currently only available for BMW and Mini vehicles).

It offers more health and fitness features, some of which aren’t behind a paywall. The watch can now measure the body’s recovery, create planned exercise routines, build custom runs, give AI-assisted guidance for reaching your goals, provide analysis of your running stats, and measure your cardio and rest based on your recent heart rate and sleep metrics. This is in addition to the heart rate, sleep, skin temperature, ECG, and blood oxygen tracking, all within the Fitbit app. All of these features are outside of Fitbit’s paywall. Subscribing to Fitbit Premium adds six custom workout videos daily and AI-powered daily run recommendations within the Coach tab. The Pixel Watch 3 can also detect when it’s submerged underwater and activate a touch lock to prevent the water from creating false touches.

Auto Bedtime Mode lets you rest undisturbed, and its Morning Brief feature catches you up. The Pixel Watch 3’s new Auto Bedtime Mode detects when you’re asleep. This automatically enables Bedtime Mode, which disables the always-on display and notifications and conserves battery life. It automatically disables within 15 minutes when it detects you’re awake. We found the feature to work well, even with short, unintentional naps.

Upon waking up, the Pixel Watch 3 greets you with its Morning Brief feature, an AI-generated summary of your upcoming day, including the weather forecast, your sleep and readiness score, and updates on your exercise goals. It also includes less-common metrics, such as any interruptions in your sleep or if your heart rate went too high or low. You’ll need to wear the Pixel Watch 3 for at least one night for the Morning Brief to populate.

Some of its new Google-integrated features only work with Pixel phones. Android users without a Pixel phone will miss out on the Call Assist feature to place calls on hold and screen spam calls, the Recorder app that can transcribe and sync recordings to your phone, and unlocking your phone using the Ultra-Wideband chip.

The sleek design comes with some drawbacks. The Pixel Watch 3’s attractive curves are owed in part to the lack of traditional watch lugs to connect a band. Instead, Google uses a recessed custom band connector. As with the Apple Watch, with this watch you can use only bands that were designed for the Pixel Watch. Google’s bands are high quality, but not many styles are available, they’re a little pricey, and we prefer standard connectors like you get on the Samsung Galaxy Watch7. Google’s domed glass design is also more prone to damage than other smartwatches with metal bezels, and there are no repair options. So a cracked screen means your watch becomes e-waste.