Leaks tease a major display upgrade for Pixel Watch 3, but its other specs might be borrowed from the Watch 2

Google Pixel Watch 2 models
The Google Pixel Watch 2 (Image credit: Google)

The leaks just won't stop coming for Google’s upcoming Pixel products, which are meant to be revealed on August 13 at its Made by Google event. The latest concerns the Google Pixel Watch 3. We’ve previously seen the watch in a leaked official promo video, and now we have a better idea of its specs - though it’s not all good news.

Getting the disappointment of the way first, if the latest leak via Android Headlines is correct, the smartwatch might share a lot of similarities with its predecessor. According to the latest rumor, the Pixel Watch 3 will boast the same Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 5100 chipset, 2GB of SDRAM, and 32GB of eMMC flash storage as the Google Pixel Watch 2.

It’s also being reported the Pixel Watch 3 will only offer a minor battery capacity bump to 307mAh – up from 306mAh. That said, if you opt for the rumored 45mm model, you’ll apparently get a battery with a 420mAh. Either way, your Pixel Watch 3 should offer 24 hours of battery life while running its always-on display, based on the leak.

Google Pixel Watch 2 on a wrist

The Google Pixel Watch 2 might be too similar to the Pixel Watch 3 (Image credit: Future)

Speaking of the display, that’s one area that might get an upgrade. Previous models maxed out at 30Hz, but it's suggested that its new display will run at 60Hz, a significantly higher refresh rate which should make the smart watch feel more responsive and like it’s running more smoothly, even if its chip isn’t any faster.

Pixel 3 models could also be able to achieve a peak 2,000 nit brightness – double the Pixel Watch 2’s 1,000 nit maximum. So if you’ve ever struggled to read your Pixel Watch in sunny weather, that could become an issue of the past.

Leaks should always be taken with a pinch of salt, but these display details do match up with a rumor we heard back in July so they may have some credibility. Ideally the Pixel Watch 3 would be an out and out improvement, but perhaps there are other new features – perhaps on the health and fitness side of things – that will make the watch feel like a worthwhile upgrade. We’ll just have to wait and see what Google unveils. Thankfully we won’t be waiting long. 

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Hamish Hector
Senior Staff Writer, News

Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.