Amazfit has once again surprised with a new range of smart watches capable of competing with the greats in functionalities, but with a much lower price.
Although perhaps it shouldn’t surprise me that much, considering the company’s track record of being packed with good-value bracelets and smartwatches. But I think that with the third generation they have surpassed themselves, although there is no lack of problems and there are still aspects to improve.
The model that I have been able to test is the GTR 3 Pro; In addition, the new GTR 3 and the new GTS 3 have also arrived, which only differ from each other in design (the first is round and the second is square). For its part, the GTR 3 Pro is the top of the range, with a price of 199.90 euros and a round design and quality materials to offer the best experience.
A more elegant watch than its price dictates
200 euros is not cheap, but it is not expensive either, especially if we compare it with the references in the sector, which are around 300 and 400 euros easily. We might think that paying half for a watch means making significant sacrifices in design, but the truth is that the GTR 3 Pro can be compared to the competition without any shame.
The design is basic, but that is precisely what makes it imperishable. The unit I have tested is the black one with a fluoroelastomer strap, although it is also available in brown with a leather strap; personally, and judging only by the images, I prefer the one I have received as it is much more discreet, but we will discover that it is also very elegant if we look at it.
The black strap has a somewhat curious texture, and personally, I would have removed it, but it does not affect the style of the watch much and it even gives it a more sporty air.
The body of the watch is made of aluminum alloy , which guarantees a minimum weight and gives a great feeling to the touch. On the right side we have two buttons: the upper one is also a scroll crown that we can move to navigate the interface. Both buttons offer a good touch.
The entire front of the watch is covered by glass, which is flat but slightly curved at the edge to cover a larger surface area and give a greater sense of quality. Placed on the wrist, it is a watch that will attract the attention of anyone who looks at it and it should not surprise us to be asked about it; I had a feeling very similar to that of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic that I was able to try, something striking considering that it costs twice as much.
The AMOLED screen is the star of the watch, with a size of 1.45 inches and a great brightness of 1,000 nits that guarantees the viewing even when the sun hits; although at those times, what helps the most is the high-contrast interface that allows you to better distinguish words and icons.
It’s also a high-resolution screen, 331 dots per inch, which adds to the overall quality feel; however, you soon realize that it is a smaller screen than it appears, and discover the large border that surrounds it. However, in everyday use, and thanks to an interface in which black predominates, it is not very noticeable.
Software: everything you could need
A smartwatch can be very nice, but if it doesn’t do the “smart” part, it’s not much use. In that sense, Amazfit gives us one of lime and another of sand, mainly due to the decision to continue ahead independently, developing its own Zepp OS operating system .
Starting with the good, this smartwatch has everything you could possibly need, and more. It is one of the most complete smartwatches that I have been able to use, with a huge number of options and functions, related to health, exercise and our daily lives.
Of course, we have the basic functions, such as heart rate measurement, and daily movement; You can record our steps and activity, calculating the PAI, a unique score that sets us a specific goal to achieve in a certain period of time. That, along with the reminders that we should get up from the table if we have been working for a long time, is already a great help to improve our daily habits.
We also have access to all kinds of activities when we want to exercise, accessible directly by pressing the button below. We have from the simplest such as running or walking, to more specific ones such as rowing machine, yoga, skiing, or even electronic sports; indeed, this watch allows you to record your games online and count them as a type of exercise.
But where the GTR 3 Pro really stands out is in intelligent functions that we do not always find, such as compatibility with Alexa , which allows us to use the popular personal assistant, or the connection with our phone, which allows us to answer calls directly from the watch. We will also receive app notifications and access to our contacts.
It is one of the most complete in terms of connection to the phone, thanks in large part to one of the best apps in the sector . Available for both Android and iOS, in my case I have used it on an iPhone and I have not had any problem enjoying all those functionalities; it even brings a widget that shows information like the steps I have taken. From the app we can also access more data obtained by the watch, including the exercise history and check how faithful the GPS is; in my case at least, it has been able to record my walks with great precision, showing them on the map and indicating where I picked up the pace, and how the exercise was distributed.
Another great feature of the app, somewhat hidden, is the ability to install apps . However, keep in mind that the selection is somewhat limited and we only have functions developed by the company itself. At the very least, they are very useful, as a reminder to drink water, a tooth brushing guide, or the ability to control smart home devices.
The problem of being independent
The small size of the app store is a direct consequence of not using Wear OS, which already has access to the Play Store and many apps from mobile phones as demonstrated by the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. We also do not have access to many watch faces, although the ones that exist are very good; some are pretty and some are more functional, with lots of data on the screen.
By going ‘on your own’ with Zepp OS, Amazfit has made a very risky decision, with its pros and cons; We have already seen some of the advantages, such as the great compatibility with the iPhone and the large number of functions and possibilities. But developing your own system is not easy, and the GTR 3 Pro suffers for it; In the test period, I have noticed that the watch was ‘caught’ a couple of times, without responding to my actions. It has always fixed itself, sooner or later, but it is frustrating when it happens to you.
The experience with some of the functions can also be improved. Specifically, I think that the sleep function is somewhat useless in the current state, and in my tests it has not been able to detect the changes correctly, always marking the wrong times and detecting practically only light sleep (I have compared the results with other watches and they have been able to detect REM phase and more deep sleep). At the very least, heart rate detection and other health-related things seem to work well.
At least, it seems that the company is aware of these problems, and the support is good, with updates that are installed directly through the app and that already respond to some of the complaints from users.
Great High Aiming Alternative
These complaints must be taken with a context, the price. For 199.90 euros, I can’t think of better options than this Amazfit GTR 3 Pro . It is a very elegant watch, with a build quality that is higher than what we would expect in this price range, and with a huge number of options.
It is not perfect, but I say this by comparing it with watches that cost twice as much. Few, if not none, can boast of fighting Apple and Samsung with such an accessible and cheap product.