Compare Google Pixel Watch 3 vs Garmin Lily 2 Active

Auto-detection was usually praised for catching walks and workouts quickly, but at least one reviewer said it failed to detect sessions reliably or took too long.

The app ecosystem was praised as robust for Wear OS, with reviewers saying app support has improved enough that major third-party gaps are less noticeable.

The app ecosystem is praised as comprehensive for wellness data and long-term health interpretation.

Band quality was mixed: the default band is secure and comfortable for some, but others found it plain, not very comfortable, proprietary, or difficult to swap.

Band quality is praised for comfort, quick-release swapping, and easy removal.

Battery life improved meaningfully and often beat Google’s claims, especially on 45mm, but reviewers still said it trails Garmin, OnePlus, or true multi-day expectations.

Battery life is strongly praised, often beating or matching expectations and lasting around a week or more in real use.

Blood oxygen tracking received limited but positive support, with one reviewer saying SpO2-related sleep data lined up with their patterns and baseline readings.

One reviewer was very positive about Pulse Ox readings, saying the watch routinely matched their normal SpO2 range.

Bluetooth connectivity was mixed: general ecosystem connectivity was described as seamless, but heart-rate broadcasting and some external-device workflows were cumbersome.

Bluetooth connectivity is viewed positively because the watch pairs easily with phones and other devices.

Brightness was widely praised for the 2,000-nit Actua display and better sunlight readability, though one reviewer said dim-room AOD could be too dim.

Brightness is generally acceptable, with one reviewer noting easy viewing, while another says the screen itself is not ultra-bright.

Build quality was generally viewed as premium, solid, and sleek, though reviewers tied some build concerns to glass protection and missing rugged certifications.

Build quality draws criticism from one reviewer who dislikes the cheaper-material feel.

Button and crown controls were mostly praised for fluid scrolling, haptics, and quick navigation, though a few reviews wanted more mappable buttons or disliked side-button behavior.

Button controls are a unanimous strength because they make workouts and navigation much easier than touch-only Lily models.

Call handling was mixed: reviewers liked mic quality or call features in theory, but some described handoff and speaker limitations as awkward or unreliable.

Call handling is useful for glancing at calls on the wrist without pulling out a phone.

Calorie tracking was treated as usable by some reviewers, but one review strongly criticized the calorie calculations as not making sense compared with other watches.

Charging convenience was mixed to negative: fast top-ups help, but reviewers disliked the proprietary/pin-based charger, alignment issues, and lack of wireless charging options.

Charging convenience improves because the watch uses the standard Garmin cable rather than the older Lily clip style.

Charging speed was generally praised as much quicker and easy to top up, though a few reviewers still found it merely adequate or not especially fast.

Coaching features improved substantially through custom runs, verbal cues, Cardio Load, and AI-style suggestions, but serious runners may still want Garmin/Coros-level training depth.

Coaching features are well received, with reviewers praising Garmin Coach, adaptive plans, and guided structured workouts.

Comfort was consistently praised, including the larger 45mm model; reviewers repeatedly said it felt light, wearable, and comfortable day or night.

Comfort is one of the most consistent strengths, with reviewers saying the small, light watch is easy to forget on the wrist.

The Fitbit companion app was a strong point for presentation and interpretation, but some reviewers disliked Premium gating or the lack of deeper exports.

The companion app is useful for setup, coaching, and deeper tracking, with one reviewer preferring it for faster, clearer health logging.

Contactless payments were lightly but positively supported, with reviewers noting prompt Google Pay/Wallet access and broad support among key smartwatch features.

Garmin Pay is considered useful and easy to set up, though one reviewer notes its value drops if a phone is still needed for music.

Cross-platform compatibility was mixed: it works well across Android and especially Pixel phones, but the lack of iPhone support and Pixel-exclusive perks frustrated reviewers.

Cross-platform compatibility is mixed because Android users get quick replies while iPhone users cannot reply from the watch.

Customization was supported through tiles, watch faces, and layouts, though reviewers wanted more flexibility in faces, complications, and broader workout customizations.

Customization is mixed-to-good: notifications and data views have useful controls, but watch-face flexibility is more limited than other Garmins.

Display quality was one of the strongest upgrades, with reviewers praising the larger, sharper, more readable, more immersive screens across both sizes.

Display quality is divisive: reviewers like the contrast and hidden-display style, but some dislike the monochrome screen or limited visual richness.

Durability was a common concern because the curved glass lacks a protective bezel; some units stayed pristine, but reviewers reported scratches or recommended screen protectors.

Durability is a concern for one reviewer, who connects the aluminum casing to easier scratching and reduced durability.

ECG is a clear limitation: a reviewer explicitly wished Garmin had included the hardware for ECG-related features.

Fit was praised for snug bands, better wrist presence, and a bigger model that finally fits more users, though comfort varies by band and size preference.

Fit is excellent for the intended user, especially people who want a small watch that sits comfortably on smaller wrists.

Exercise tracking was mostly praised for accurate workout, calorie, heart-rate, and activity results, but a few reviews criticized calorie math, data export limits, or workout-mode behavior.

Fitness tracking accuracy is a major strength, with multiple reviewers finding pace, distance, and overall workout data accurate.

The flashlight was a small but appreciated perk, with reviewers calling it helpful for dark environments despite not replacing a phone flashlight.

GPS accuracy was the most divided fitness metric: some reviewers saw solid or accurate tracking, while others found wobbly, so-so, or clearly behind dual-band Garmin/Apple/Samsung references.

GPS accuracy is one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly finding quick locks, solid routes, and close agreement with other devices.

Reviewers found the health suite broadly accurate and useful, with Fitbit-backed data often matching rival wearables; the strongest praise centered on heart-rate, sleep, and holistic health dashboards.

One review gives the broader health-tracking package a very strong assessment, describing fitness tracking as excellent within Garmin’s health ecosystem.

Heart-rate accuracy was one of the clearest strengths: several reviewers said it closely matched chest straps, Apple Watch, Garmin, or other references, though a few still noted small workout gaps.

Heart-rate accuracy is consistently praised, with reviewers noting only minor delays or brief misses during harder efforts.

Mapping and navigation were useful, especially offline Google Maps and wrist guidance, but reviewers criticized the lack of integrated workout navigation and weaker responsiveness than Apple.

Mapping and navigation are mixed-to-weak: GPS mapping after workouts works, but reviewers note no detailed map display and no hiking profile.

Materials quality was mixed: reviewers liked the feel but repeatedly wished Google used sapphire or tougher materials instead of Gorilla Glass 5.

Materials quality is criticized by one reviewer for relying on cheaper materials.

Menu navigation improved with the grid launcher, crown, and tiles, but several reviewers still disliked buried settings, round-screen compromises, or less intuitive app-update menus.

Menu navigation is viewed positively, with one reviewer describing swiping and app opening as smooth.

Music controls were useful but not a headline strength; reviewers liked access during workouts or media playback but still preferred phone-based browsing in some cases.

Music controls work well for controlling phone playback from the wrist.

Onboard music storage is a repeated downside because the watch lacks local music even though it now has built-in GPS.

Wear OS was widely described as polished, zippy, and much improved, though some reviewers still noticed quiet updates, occasional stutters, or missing Gemini-era polish.

The operating experience may feel unusual to traditional Garmin users, but the reviewer says the approach makes sense for this type of watch.

Outdoor visibility was excellent in most reviews, with reviewers repeatedly saying the display was easy to read in bright sunlight or direct outdoor conditions.

Outdoor visibility is mostly strong in sunlight, although one reviewer found bright outdoor conditions could make it harder to read.

Pairing and setup were praised as quick, easy, and reliable, including one reviewer who transferred between phones without losing data.

Pairing reliability is praised across sensor use, with reviewers noting easy sensor connections and appreciation for expanded external sensor support.

Readiness, Target Load, Cardio Load, and Morning Brief were repeatedly praised as useful recovery and effort-planning tools, with reviewers saying the scores often matched how they felt.

Recovery and readiness tools are praised for helping shape training decisions and fine-tune workouts.

Reliability was generally good, with praise for battery consistency, auto bedtime, and day-to-day stability, though isolated concerns appeared around battery saver or scratches.

Reliability is positive in one review, with the reviewer saying GPS remained spot-on and did not drop.

Safety features were praised for fall detection, emergency sharing, loss-of-pulse detection, and related tools, even when reviewers could not practically test emergencies.

Safety features are praised as reassuring for solo runs and emergency-contact situations.

The new 45mm option was one of the biggest consensus upgrades, expanding usability, readability, and battery potential without ruining the Pixel Watch look.

Sleep tracking was generally viewed as solid or very good, especially for basic timing and Fitbit sleep insights, though a few reviewers found it adequate rather than deeply insightful.

Sleep tracking earns strong marks overall, especially for wake/sleep timing and presentation, though one reviewer wanted more refinement in stages.

Notifications were consistently viewed as strong, with reviewers praising instant syncing, easy message handling, and excellent notification flow from an Android phone.

Smartphone notifications are considered helpful for quickly checking messages during outdoor activity.

Smartwatch features were a major positive, with reviewers praising Google services, Nest/TV/Recorder/Wallet/Maps integrations, safety tools, and the phone-like wrist experience.

Smartwatch features are mixed: some reviewers see a well-rounded compact device, while one finds the smart-feature set limited for the price.

Software smoothness was usually strong, with many reviewers reporting snappy apps, zero lag, smooth transitions, or polished scrolling; only a few noticed stutters.

Software smoothness is positive, with reviewers noting smooth syncing and smooth navigation between widgets.

Step counting was acceptable in some tests but inconsistent in others, with one reviewer noting false overnight steps and another saying Apple and Pixel matched reasonably well.

Step counting is described as close but slightly high, with limitations when the arm is not moving normally.

Stress tracking drew mixed reactions: some reviewers liked cEDA/body-response alerts, while others felt Fitbit still does not explain stress triggers or actions clearly enough.

Stress tracking is viewed as a useful interpretive metric, especially because it helps explain Body Battery changes.

Style and design were strongly praised for the clean, rounded, minimalist Pixel aesthetic, though some reviewers still wanted a fresher or more rugged direction.

Style and design are major strengths, with reviewers repeatedly praising the fashionable, subtle, non-smartwatch look.

Third-party app support was generally strong, especially for Wear OS fitness and smartwatch apps, though app updating and some ecosystem limitations remained less intuitive.

Third-party app support is positive, especially syncing workout data outward and broadcasting heart rate to other devices.

Touchscreen responsiveness was strong when dry, but DC Rainmaker found it struggled noticeably when wet or sweaty compared with Garmin touchscreens.

Touchscreen responsiveness is split, with one reviewer finding it very sensitive and simple, while another calls the controls finicky.

The user interface was mostly praised as clear, smooth, and helpful, though some reviewers criticized workout-mode display behavior or round-screen layouts requiring extra scrolling.

The user interface is praised as simple to learn and easy to swipe through.

Value for money was mixed: many reviewers called it a strong Android smartwatch, but several flagged the price, Fitbit Premium costs, and cheaper Samsung alternatives.

Value is mixed-to-positive: many reviewers think the upgrades justify the price, while a few criticize the cost versus fuller smartwatches.

Voice assistant quality was mixed: voice-to-text and Google Assistant worked well for some, but many missed Gemini or found the assistant experience dated or robotic.

Watch faces received mixed feedback: some liked Active or info-dense options, while others found Google’s native selection limited, monotonous, or constrained by Wear OS changes.

Watch face quality is mixed, with one reviewer liking the selection and another finding the options very limiting.

Water resistance had limited but positive opinionated support, with reviewers saying dips, shower use, or the 5ATM rating inspired confidence.

Wellness insights were a major strength: reviewers repeatedly praised Cardio Load, Target Load, Readiness, Morning Brief, and Fitbit’s health presentation as actionable and easy to digest.

Wellness insights are a standout, especially Body Battery, women’s health context, sleep, stress, and overall body-awareness feedback.

Workout variety is good for casual users but skewed toward running; reviewers repeatedly wanted broader customization for cycling, HIIT, multisport, or other serious training types.

Workout variety is broadly praised because the Active adds many sports, workout modes, and training tools for a compact Lily watch.