Design and Materials of Pixel Watch 3
The Pixel Watch 3 is designed primarily with a circular watch face, continuing the aesthetic direction Google started with the original Pixel Watch. It now comes in two sizes: a 41mm and a larger 45mm, the latter offering over 40% more display area than its predecessor. The display uses an AMOLED-LTPO panel which supports variable refresh rates from 1Hz to 60Hz, boosting responsiveness and energy efficiency. The display is protected by a sleek, water-droplet-inspired 3D glass design with soft, pebble-like edges, contributing to its aesthetic and comfort on the wrist. The materials used for the watch housing are 100% recycled aluminum, emphasizing sustainability in its build. The active band is crafted from fluoroelastomer with a soft-touch coating, enhancing comfort and durability during wear. The Pixel Watch 3 is finished in premium colors including Polished Silver, Matte Black, Champagne Gold, and Matte Hazel, allowing users to choose options that suit their style. It is waterproof to 5ATM and IP68 standards, making it suitable for swimming and daily water exposure. The watch is slightly thicker than the Apple Watch Series 9 at 12.3mm compared to 10.7mm, which may be noticeable or not depending on user preference.
The design embraces Google's Material 3 Expressive design system, which is optimized for round screens. This design system focuses on edge-hugging buttons and layouts that maximize the circular display canvas, using rounded, pill-shaped components that fit naturally with the curves of the watch face. This helps make the Pixel Watch's interface appear dynamic, personalized, and integrated with the hardware design.
The watch bands are interchangeable, with a wide variety of accessory bands available including metal, leather, and woven options, supporting robust customization for style and comfort.
Design and Materials of Apple Watch Series 9
The Apple Watch Series 9 continues Apple's design tradition with a rectangular watch face, distinguishing it from the circular Pixel Watch. It is available in two sizes as well, 41mm and 45mm, matching the Pixel Watch 3 size options but differing in shape. Apple's watch is thinner and lighter than the Pixel Watch 3, with thickness at 10.7mm. The Apple Watch has a premium build featuring various material options including aluminum and stainless steel cases. The aluminum versions come in colors like midnight, starlight, silver, pink, and Product Red, while stainless steel offers finishes such as graphite, silver, and gold. Moreover, exclusive Hermes stainless steel models are available in silver and space black.
Apple uses a custom OLED LTPO retina display which is renowned for its brightness, clarity, and power efficiency, with the 45mm version sporting a 1.77-inch screen and a resolution of 484 x 396 pixels. The build quality includes rounded corners but a flat screen, maintaining the recognizable rectangular smartwatch look. Apple Watch Series 9 is waterproof to 50 meters (5ATM), suitable for swimming and other water activities.
The bands are easily interchangeable with a wide variety of styles and materials available directly from Apple and third parties, including metal, fluoroelastomer, leather, and woven styles. The smooth integration of design and material choices provides users with a luxurious yet sporty timepiece that balances durability and style.
Key Contrasts in Design
One of the most obvious contrasts lies in the display shape: the Pixel Watch 3 uses a round AMOLED display while the Apple Watch Series 9 sticks with a rectangular OLED Retina display. The circular design of the Pixel Watch is optimized with software and hardware integration following Google's Material 3 Expressive guidelines, resulting in a unique UI that embraces the full circle of the display. In contrast, Apple's rectangular screen uses WatchOS with an interface designed around the rectangular shape.
Material-wise, both watches offer aluminum cases, but Apple adds premium stainless steel and Hermes editions, which are not available in the Pixel Watch 3 lineup. The thickness of the Pixel Watch 3 is a bit greater than that of Apple Watch Series 9. The Pixel Watch housing is made from fully recycled aluminum, highlighting Google's focus on sustainable materials.
The Pixel Watch 3's glass features a 3D curved glass design inspired by water droplets with soft, smooth edges, whereas Apple's series 9 uses flat glass with rounded corners that sit flush with the rectangular watch body. This difference contributes to a distinct feel on the wrist, with the Pixel favoring a softer, pebble-like tactile experience and Apple focusing on sleek, flat surfaces.
Both watches are waterproof with 5ATM ratings, making them suitable for swimming, though the Pixel Watch 3 additionally carries an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, confirming its suitability for harsh environmental conditions.
Each offers a broad selection of interchangeable bands, but the style and options reflect their design philosophies: Google's are sporty and tech-centric while Apple offers a blend of luxury and fitness-oriented bands.