The display qualities of the Pixel Watch 3 and Apple Watch Series 9 differ in several aspects including brightness, sharpness, screen size, and usability in everyday conditions.
Display Specifications and Brightness
Both watches have bright OLED-type displays optimized for vibrant colors and good visibility outdoors. The Pixel Watch 3 uses a 320 pixels per inch (ppi) AMOLED LTPO display, while the Apple Watch Series 9 offers a slightly sharper display at 326 ppi with LTPO OLED technology. This difference in sharpness is minimal and practically imperceptible in normal use.
In terms of maximum brightness, both smartwatches achieve peak brightness levels around 2000 nits, allowing them to be highly visible even under direct sunlight. The Pixel Watch 3's display brightness is noted to dynamically adjust and can go as low as 1 nit in dark settings to save battery, refreshing between 1Hz and 60Hz depending on usage for smoothness. The Apple Watch Series 9 also achieves similar peak brightnesss, making the outdoor viewing experience very comparable between the two.
Screen Size and Shape
The Pixel Watch 3 has a round display available in two sizes: 1.2 inches for the 41mm model and 1.45 inches for the 45mm model, both at 320x320 resolution. In contrast, the Apple Watch Series 9 comes in rectangular shapes with slightly larger screen sizes: approximately 1.7 inches (430x352 pixels) for the smaller 41mm and 1.9 inches (484x396 pixels) for the larger 45mm version. This gives the Apple Watch a larger actual display area and higher resolution due to the rectangular shape compared to the round Pixel Watch.
The round display of the Pixel Watch 3 presents a more traditional wristwatch aesthetic, which some users may prefer for style, while the Apple Watch's rectangular display is more optimized for displaying app content and notifications in readable segments.
Usability and Everyday Viewing Experience
Both devices feature always-on displays that remain visible at all times, enhancing their utility for quick glances. The Pixel Watch 3's display benefits from the higher brightness and dynamic refresh rate, making it responsive and clear while also conserving battery when idle. The Apple Watch Series 9 also includes an always-on display with efficient power management through its advanced LTPO OLED panel.
Because the Pixel Watch 3 is slightly thicker and designed with a round display, some users find it more watch-like and possibly less obtrusive as a smart wearable, while the Apple Watch Series 9's thinner, flatter display may appear sleeker but bulkier on the wrist.
Display Durability and Materials
The Pixel Watch 3 uses Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protecting its AMOLED screen, offering good scratch and impact resistance for daily use. The Apple Watch Series 9's screen uses strengthened glass, with options for sapphire crystal on stainless steel models, adding a premium durability level depending on the version.
Display Integration with Ecosystem
The Apple Watch Series 9's display is tightly integrated with its watchOS 10 software, optimizing the look and responsiveness for iOS apps, notifications, and fitness tracking. The Pixel Watch 3, running Wear OS 5, also displays notifications and apps with sufficient clarity but is paired best with Android devices, especially the Google Pixel smartphone ecosystem, providing unique Google services directly on the screen like Nest camera feeds and Google Maps offline usage.
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In summary, both the Pixel Watch 3 and Apple Watch Series 9 have high-quality, bright OLED displays suitable for everyday use. The Apple Watch Series 9 offers a slightly larger and sharper rectangular screen with premium glass options, while the Pixel Watch 3 features a round AMOLED screen with dynamic refresh and peak brightness matching the Apple Watch. The choice between them in display quality depends largely on personal preference for screen shape and ecosystem integration rather than stark differences in brightness or resolution.