I’ve been using the new Amazfit GTR 3 Pro for the past 3 weeks and I have to say. I am impressed. But before I jump to my thoughts on this device let me say that I am no expert in fitness tracking despite having a few devices including Withings Steel HR Sport, Apple Watch Series 6 and an Oura Ring (which I wear all the time). My thoughts on Amazfit will be in comparison to those. I want to fully disclose that the folks of Amazfit sent the device for me to test (very kind of them).
Pros
- Simple and beautiful design
- Light weight
- Amazing haptic feedback
- Incredible screen
- Unbelievable battery life
- Tons of tracking including Blood Oxygen level
Cons
- No 3P apps like Spotify, Nike Running, Strava and others
- Limited number of watchfaces
- Permissions are confusing
- A bit too big
Features and Specs
- Ultra HD AMOLED touch display
- 480x480 resolution at 331 PPI
- Up to 12-day battery life in typical use.
- Up to 30-day battery life is save mode
- Sensors including GPS, gyroscope, ambient light, barometric, biometric for oxygen levels, temperature and more
- Waterproof up to 50 meters
- 22mm interchangeable straps
- Easy 24H Health Management
- 150+ Sport Modes
- Powerful Zepp OS
- Alexa Built-in
- Classic Navigation Crown
Design
From the design point of view I really love it. Quite simple, quite thin in comparison to other smartwatches. The model that I got with the brown leather band looks quite elegant. The screen is the hero and the AMOLED helps it blend completely with the rest of the hardware. Compared to the Apple Watch I definitely think that this one is a much better looking watch. The only thing I would change would be the size. It feels a bit too big on my wrist.
The crown navigation is super straightforward and I love the attention to details with the extra texture for grip for the main one.
OS and Performance
Using the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro is quite smooth. The system is quite responsive and snappy. I can quickly open new apps, go back, try new things without little to no loading screens. It’s quite impressive compared to my old Fossil smartwatch using WearOS 2.
Speaking of WearOS, the Zepp OS feels quite similar to the WearOS 2.0. The way you navigate between apps, the home screen and horizontal swipes as well as the control center. I was quite familiar with it because I had a few WearOS smartwatches in the past. This one however is way more responsive as I mentioned before, plus the screen is amazing.
The interface works well, however I wish the aesthetics of some apps were less 3Dish. Sometimes they feel heavily inspired by the Apple Watch, perhaps a bit too much and I understand the idea of familiarity, however it would be nice if the Amazfit folks would think about developing their own identity.
Modes
There are a lot of options from sport modes to tracking. You can check your heartbeat, stress level PAI, steps, oxygen and more. I love the one-tap measuring option where it does a series of checkups and a summary of your results. In addition to that, with over 150 built-in sports modes to suit your choice of activity, the watch can track metrics like heart rate, calories burned, and more.
Battery Life
One word to describe, unbelievable. I have used smartwatches in the past from Apple, Fossil, Huawei, Motorola and Samsung. None of them would give me a 2+ day battery life. When I got the Amazfit, that was my expectation and oh boy I was wrong. I used it 24/7 for literally 2 weeks and I still had 20% battery life. That includes sleeping with it and tracking my sleep. The whole idea of wearables changed for me by the fact I can keep wearing it without the anxiety to charge it every other day. Plus the battery lasts more than my Oura ring, which is quite impressive.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a fitness tracking device that looks like a nice watch and has great battery life, look no further, the Amazfit GTR3 Pro is in my opinion the best fit. I have been using mine since the day I got it and I have charged it only once. It’s not perfect though. The permissions are a bit confusing, the companion app could be better and the lack of 3P applications are a bummer. But for me it’s a fitness tracking more than a smartphone and the fact I can track my sleep for days without worrying about charging is a good trade off. I can still receive notifications from my phone from messages, to phone calls, which gives me the same experience as the Withings HR Sport as well as the Apple Watch, so for my usage, the Amazfit does an excellent job.
For more information make sure to check out: https://us.amazfit.com/products/amazfit-gtr-3-pro
