So, you’ve decided that you want the new Google Pixel Watch 3 and aren’t willing to fight the crowds when it becomes available in September. The good news is that you can preorder it. Just tap the button below to do so from Google’s site (Google has the best Google Pixel Watch 3 preorder deal) if you want to do everything yourself. However, if you want to know about all of the features and make sure you don’t do anything wrong, you can follow our guide as well, where we’ll help you make sure you’re making all of the right choices.
Select your size
It’s the easiest mistake to make, and the one that you’ll regret the most out of your preorder — not getting the correct size.
If you’re having trouble making the decision, note that the main differences between the two (other than the obvious case size difference) are weight, battery capacity, color options, and price. Most people will want to choose the size that fits their wrist best (Google has a nice wrist-sizing guide in the checkout). For more information about the specs, check out our Google Pixel Watch 3 explainer. And, you can see some nice images of the 45mm being worn in our Google Pixel Watch 3 hands on look.
Get connected
Next, you’ll have two options for connectivity. You can either get the watch with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity only or get the watch with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and the possibility of a 4G LTE data connection as well if you pay an extra $100. Google sweetens the deal on the data version by offering two years of free data on the device from Google Fi, though, so that extra $100 up front won’t sting so hard.
Ultimately, choosing between these two options is choosing between how much freedom you want with the watch and, to some degree, about how long you think you’ll want to be wearing it. If you bought one of the best smartwatches about two years ago and are just now thinking of upgrading, this is probably the way to go. On the other hand, think more carefully if you like to upgrade every year or plan on keeping the watch for several years.
A trade-in could get you the watch for free
The next big decision is whether or not you would like to submit another smartwatch in to trade up to the Google Pixel Watch 3. You can get up to $350 of trade-in credit for this, which means you can technically get the 41mm watch without data access (a $350 value) for free after credits are applied. To do so, however, you’ll need the right watch. Here’s how the program works.
First, you choose your smartwatch to turn in — Google accepts watches from Google, Apple, Samsung, and Fitbit — and self-assess its condition. Google considers a watch to be in good condition if it turns on, doesn’t have cracks, and its screen and any buttons all work properly. Don’t worry, though, even if the watch has problems you can still submit it for a trade-in. Just tell Google that “No” your watch isn’t in good condition and answer the questions provided to get the honest esitmate.
How hard is it to get the $350 from Google? Ironically, the Google Pixel Watch 2, even when in good condition, will only fetch you $220. However, we’re finding that both the Apple Watch Ultra and Ultra 2 get the full $350 prize, so it is definitely possible to get there. Even an older Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 will net you $140 if it is in good condition, so try to find something to trade-in to get the best value.
Two years of device protection might be worth it
Next, Google will want you to decide if you want device protection on your watch. This is a sort of warranty lite in that it provides protections after Google’s warranty expires. In some ways the protection feels excessive — you can accidentally damage your watch from dropping it or cracking it up to twice in 12 months and get replacements both times.
You can get all that protection for an incredibly low price, too. It is typically $4 per month, but you can get two years for $89. That’s a savings of only $7, but it’s just a good breaking point, especially if you’re getting the two years of free data. At a certain point, it comes time to upgrade again and a crack or damage just becomes a good excuse. As a result, the ‘Two years coverage’ is the juiciest protection offer.
Make sure you grab Fitbit Premium
A lot of the features of the Pixel Watch 3 are tied to Fitbit, so it just makes sense to be a premium member, plus Google is offering you a free 6 month membership to the service, which you can cancel at any time to make sure it won’t roll over to the $10 per month regular price.
Fitbit Premium provides guided workouts, gives you the Daily Readiness Score that have made the best Fitbits so highly regarded, as well as gives additional health insights and data readings. In any event, it is free to try right now and you can cancel it immediately to avoid any extra charges, so there is no reason to tap ‘Skip’ in this section.
If you’ve been following along, this was the last step to a successful Google Pixel Watch 3 preorder. Haven’t gotten started yet? Just tap the button below to begin.
