In an ever-changing technological age, I have found myself somewhat hesitant about the latest gadgets. I still wear wired headphones to the gym (much to the chagrin of my younger sister) and wake up to the same panic alarm I’ve had for years. “I don’t need anything else,” I told myself. “What I have now is very good.” But something about the Google Pixel Watch 3 ($400) caught my eye.

As someone with a chronic illnessthe idea of ​​wearable technology is definitely appealing. When I was the first coping with long COVID In 2021, my mother bought me a pulse oximeter to track my pulse and oxygen saturation. Although the clip-on oximeter ultimately proved impractical for constant daily use, I still remember the comfort those numbers provided. While most people probably use their Google Pixel watches as an extension of their Pixel phones, I was more interested in features like sleep tracking and heart rate data.

During my testing, I expected to learn a little more about myself, but I didn’t realize how much a watch like the Pixel 3 would teach me about my health and fitness (and motivate me to do better). After trying the Pixel Watch 3 for several weeks, here are some of my key takeaways.

What you get

I opted for the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 with the polished silver aluminum case and porcelain active band (although I was also tempted by the pink colorway). As this is my very first smartwatch, I wasn’t sure what to expect aesthetic-wise, but I was pleasantly surprised when the Pixel Watch arrived. It looked stylish, didn’t clash with any outfit, and even the largest watch size seemed small on my wrist. In addition to the watch face, you also receive several watch straps – which attach to either side of the watch – and a charger.

Installation was incredibly simple, except for the removable strips. In all honesty, if you don’t have a tapered pen acrylic, chances are you’ll have a much easier assembly than I did. However, after about seven failed attempts, I resorted to what I call “letting instinct take over”, mashing the straps on either side of the watch face until I heard a satisfying click. For the record, there’s actually a button you can press on either side, making it easier to slide the strips into place (in theory).

What I like about the Google Pixel Watch 3

I was extremely eager to learn how my sleep schedule really was. After a few days of wearing my Pixel Watch, I checked my data through gritted teeth and found that I wasn’t doing as horribly as I thought (around seven hours on average). If you want to know more about your sleep habits, the Pixel Watch can also tell you your sleep score (mine is usually in the “fair” zone), your skin temperature variation, and your nightly sleep stages. , broken down minute by minute. minute, so you know exactly how much time you spend in REM sleep, light sleep, deep sleep, etc.

Of course, these weren’t the only measurements that interested me. One of my favorite parts of the Pixel Watch 3 was the Morning Briefing, which is automatically delivered every morning as soon as you wake up. This is intended to set you up for success by summarizing your daily readiness score, heart rate variability, exercise goals, and finishing with a quick overview of the weather. It’s one thing to say you’re going to go to the gym five times a week, for example, but when you wake up and your morning brief informs you that you’ve only been once. . . it really has a way of motivating you.

In fact, the Pixel Watch is great for accountability in general. I knew I had a fairly sedentary job, but I had no idea how little movement I was getting until I started clocking entire days under 1,000 steps. In an effort to change, I set a goal of 5,000 steps and the Pixel Watch 3 immediately sent me corresponding reminders, helping me stand up intermittently throughout the workday and get closer of this number.

When I went to the gym (I’m usually pretty consistent with my cardio and strength training), the Pixel Watch tracked that too, automatically detecting when I was on the elliptical – or even just walking – and giving me precise data. on my heart rate, my cardio load and calories burned. It even showed the intensity of my workouts and how much time I spent in each intensity zone.

As for mental health, the Pixel Watch also has the ability to detect signs of stress. Although I can’t always pinpoint the exact cause of my stress, I remember my watch beeping me in the middle of an anxiety attack. He clearly sensed something was wrong, but he also offered me specific suggestions, like using a breathing app or taking a brief walk. It was a surprisingly wholesome moment that I hadn’t anticipated, but thoroughly enjoyed, and ended up being one of the highlights of my entire Google Pixel Watch 3 experience.

What to consider before trying the Google Pixel Watch 3

As someone who leans more towards type A, I can see how having access to so many measurements could trigger for some. I even found myself a little obsessive at times – constantly checking to make sure I was exercising “hard enough” and getting down on myself if I wasn’t getting enough sleep or hitting my daily step goals. That said, I personally think the watch has proven to be more of a motivator and less of a stressor. I approached the data with curiosity rather than cold judgment, and I think that may have helped the new information seem less overwhelming. If you want to learn more about yourself, the Google Pixel Watch 3 will definitely help you do that, but remember not to focus too much on all the goals and metrics.

Who is the Google Pixel Watch 3 for?

With advanced fitness tracking features such as a running dashboard, fitness analysis and AI-based running recommendations, I think runners, athletes and fitness enthusiasts would benefit the most out of the Google Pixel Watch 3. That said, as more of a casual gym-goer myself (and a beginner runner at best), I always really liked all the measures and felt like it made a big difference to how I approached my own wellbeing goals.

Is the Google Pixel Watch 3 worth it?

Price is definitely a potential obstacle at $400. However, given that other similar smartwatches and sleep gadgets cost around the same price, if you own a Pixel phone and are looking to invest in your health, this would be great technology to have. Since this watch can do a lot of things, you may also need fewer gadgets in general, depending on your lifestyle.

Additional Details

Where is the Google Pixel Watch 3 available?

You can buy the Google Pixel Watch 3 on the Google Store, TargetOr Best buy.

Rating:★★★★★

Chandler Plante (she/her) is associate health and fitness editor for PS. She has more than four years of professional journalism experience, having previously worked as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributed to Ladygunn, Millie and Bustle Digital Group.