I Tried Google's New Gemini 3 - Here's What Actually Surprised Me
Honest thoughts after spending a week with Google's latest AI model
GEMINI 3
Google's Latest AI That Everyone's Talking About
Look, I've tested a lot of AI models this year. ChatGPT, Claude, Llama - you name it. But when Google announced Gemini 3 last week, I had to see what the hype was about. Spoiler: some of it's justified.
So Google just launched Gemini 3, and honestly? It's a pretty big deal. I've been using it for about a week now, and there are some things that genuinely impressed me (and a few that didn't). Let me break down what you actually need to know.
What's Different This Time?
First off, Gemini 3 isn't just one model - it's two. There's Gemini 3 Pro (the heavy hitter) and Gemini 3 Flash (the speedy one). Think of Pro as your go-to for complex stuff, while Flash handles the everyday tasks without making you wait around.
What caught my attention right away was how they're handling reasoning now. Previous versions were decent, but this one actually takes time to think things through. Not in a "spinning wheel of death" way, but more like... it's actually processing instead of just pattern matching. You'll see what I mean when I talk about Deep Think mode.
Quick Take: Gemini 3 feels less like talking to a chatbot and more like collaborating with someone who actually gets context
The Deep Think Feature (This One's Wild)
Okay, so this is probably the coolest part. Google added this thing called "Deep Think" mode - but it's only for Ultra subscribers (more on pricing later). Here's the deal: when you give it a really complex problem, instead of immediately spitting out an answer, it actually... thinks.
I tested it with a gnarly coding problem that had been bugging me. The model spent about 3 minutes working through it, and I could see it exploring different approaches in real-time. The final solution wasn't just correct - it explained why other approaches wouldn't work as well. That's not something I've seen before.
Real Example I Tested:
I asked it to optimize a database query that was taking forever. Regular mode gave me a decent answer in 10 seconds. Deep Think took 2 minutes but found an issue with my indexing strategy that would've saved me hours of debugging later. Worth the wait? Absolutely.
Coding Performance - Let's Be Real
As someone who codes daily, this was my main test. Google's claiming it's their "best-in-class vibe coding model" - which honestly sounds like marketing speak, but I wanted to verify.
I threw various coding tasks at it:
- Refactoring messy React components
- Debugging a Python script with weird edge cases
- Building a small frontend prototype from scratch
- Explaining complex codebases
Results? Pretty solid. The frontend work was genuinely impressive - it understood modern CSS, accessibility concerns, and even suggested performance optimizations I hadn't thought of. Where it really shines is understanding context across multiple files. I could reference "that component we built earlier" and it actually remembered.
That said, it's not perfect. Sometimes it hallucinates package names or suggests outdated approaches. But compared to where AI coding assistants were six months ago? Night and day.
What Works Well
- Understanding full codebases, not just snippets
- Modern frontend frameworks (React, Vue, Svelte)
- Explaining why code works, not just how
- Catching subtle bugs I missed
What Needs Work
- Still makes up library methods sometimes
- Can be overly verbose in explanations
- Occasionally suggests deprecated patterns
- Deep Think is Ultra-only (frustrating)
The Multimodal Stuff Actually Works
I'll be honest - I was skeptical about the multimodal claims. Every AI company says their model can "understand images and video," but the results are usually underwhelming.
Gemini 3 surprised me here. I uploaded a hand-drawn wireframe of a website layout, and it generated working HTML/CSS that actually matched my sketch. Not perfectly, but close enough that I only needed minor tweaks. That's wild.
I also tested it with a long YouTube video (a 45-minute tech conference talk). Asked it to summarize the key points and pull out any code examples mentioned. It nailed it. Even caught a correction the speaker made midway through.
Fun Test: Showed it a photo of my messy desk with notebooks and papers. It read my handwritten notes (terrible handwriting, by the way) and organized them into a digital todo list. Saved me 20 minutes.
Visual Layout & Dynamic View - Game Changer?
This feature is... honestly kind of amazing. Instead of just giving you text responses, Gemini 3 can create interactive visual layouts. Not sure how else to explain it without showing you, but here's an example:
I asked it to plan a 3-day trip to Tokyo. Instead of a boring bullet list, it gave me this interactive thing with photos, maps, clickable itinerary items, and even time estimates between locations. I could swap out restaurants, and it would update the whole schedule automatically.
Dynamic View takes this further - it literally codes custom interfaces on the fly. Asked for a mortgage calculator? It built one with sliders, real-time calculations, and charts. This isn't just AI responding to prompts anymore; it's building tools as you need them.
Who's Actually Using This?
I did some digging to see if companies are actually adopting Gemini 3 or if it's all hype. Turns out, some big names are already integrating it:
- Cursor & JetBrains added it to their coding assistants
- Figma is using it for their Make feature (turns designs into code)
- Thomson Reuters is using it for legal document analysis
- Wayfair creates product infographics with it
These aren't tiny startups experimenting - these are established companies betting on it for production use. That tells me something.
The Pricing Situation
Let's talk money because this matters:
| Plan | What You Get | Who It's For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Gemini 3 Flash via Google AI Studio | Hobbyists, trying it out |
| Plus/Pro | Higher limits, faster responses | Regular users, professionals |
| Ultra | Deep Think mode, highest limits | Power users, developers |
The free tier is genuinely useful for testing. But if you want Deep Think? You're paying for Ultra. That's frustrating because Deep Think is where Gemini 3 really shines.
For developers, there's API access through Vertex AI. New users get $300 in credits, which is enough to properly test it. Pricing after that depends on your usage, but it's competitive with other enterprise AI offerings.
Where It Falls Short
Let's be real about the limitations:
Response Speed: Deep Think is slow by design, but even regular mode can lag during peak hours. If you're used to ChatGPT's snappy responses, this might bug you.
Availability: Some features are region-locked or tier-locked. It's annoying when you read about a cool feature only to find out it's not available at your subscription level.
Learning Curve: The more advanced features (Dynamic View, deep context understanding) require knowing how to prompt effectively. There's definitely a learning curve here.
Still Makes Mistakes: Look, it's AI. It still confidently states incorrect things sometimes. Always verify important information, especially code or factual claims.
Should You Actually Use It?
Here's my honest take:
If you're a developer: Yes. The coding capabilities alone make it worth trying. Start with the free tier in Google AI Studio, see if it fits your workflow.
If you do creative work: Maybe. The Visual Layout stuff is impressive, but you might not need it daily. Test the free version first.
If you're doing research/analysis: Probably yes. The long context handling and multimodal understanding can save serious time.
If you're just casually using AI: The free tier is fine. No need to upgrade unless you find yourself hitting limits.
Access Options (Without the Marketing Fluff)
You can access Gemini 3 through:
- Gemini App - Web, mobile, or desktop. Easiest for most people.
- Google AI Studio - Free access to test and build with Gemini 3 Flash
- Vertex AI - For companies building serious AI applications
- API - For developers integrating it into apps
- Android Auto - Yes, it's in your car now (hands-free only, thankfully)
My Final Thoughts
After a week of real-world use, Gemini 3 feels like a legitimate step forward. Not revolutionary in the "this changes everything" sense, but evolutionary in ways that actually matter for daily work.
The Deep Think mode is genuinely impressive when you need it. The coding assistance is solid enough to use professionally. The multimodal understanding actually works beyond basic image recognition.
Is it perfect? No. The paywall for best features is annoying. It still makes mistakes. And honestly, whether it's "better" than alternatives depends entirely on your specific use case.
But here's what matters: I'm still using it a week later. That's more than I can say for most AI tools I test.
Want to Try Gemini 3?
Start with the free tier at Google AI Studio. No credit card needed, actually useful limits.
Get Started FreeQuick FAQ Based on What People Keep Asking Me
Q: Is it better than ChatGPT?
Depends what you're doing. For coding and deep reasoning, I prefer Gemini 3. For quick questions and creative writing, ChatGPT still feels snappier. Try both.
Q: Can I use it offline?
Nope. Cloud-based only.
Q: Does it have access to the internet?
Through tool integration, yes. It can search and fetch web pages when needed.
Q: Will it replace my job?
If your entire job can be replaced by AI, that would've happened regardless of which model comes out. It's a tool, not a replacement. Use it to get better at what you do.
Q: What about privacy?
Google has their policies. Read them if you're concerned. Don't put sensitive company data in the free tier.
Note: This is based on my experience with Gemini 3 in December 2025. AI models update frequently, so features and performance may change. Always test with your specific use case.
Have you tried Gemini 3? What's your take? Drop a comment below or ping me on Twitter. Actually curious about other people's experiences with it.
