Among Chinese technology, I highlight one section - wearable electronics. Smartphones are a matter of pure taste, laptops are very controversial, but smart watches and bracelets often turn out to be very successful.
For example, Amazfit GTS , which replaced my Bip, turned out to be extremely relevant. I had to change the Pace too (New Year, I got a new watch myself - my wife has an old one, it’s a problem). Their closest analogue is the new Amazfit GTR with a round AMOLED display in an aluminum case.
Everyone is good. But some points make you think seriously: is it worth upgrading?
Look strict and stylish
The Amazfit GTR 42 mm version looks better on thin hands.
The main feature of the Amazfit GTR in all variants is its round shape and round display. And the bezel around it. The latter does not work, does not spin. But it does the work of a protective screen frame, rising above the screen by a millimeter.
All control is carried out using a touch display and a pair of mechanical buttons that imitate a clock mechanism. The top one is responsible for exiting all menus, the bottom one works to quickly launch fitness functions.
By the way, both are spinning, although this also does not carry any semantic meaning. But without them, the large watch case would look different. GTR is the most similar to classic men's chronometers - large, strict.
They just look awesome. The best Samsung I've ever gotten my hands on. On the one hand it is more modest and simpler, on the other hand it is very natural. Most interlocutors simply do not understand what is in front of them.
Autonomy
First of all, I will give the manufacturer’s data: the watch can withstand up to 35 days in economy mode and up to 10 days in normal mode, when all sensors are used. In reality, when using all the capabilities of the Amazfit GTR 3 smart watch, they work less, you can count on a week of life on one charge. However, overall this is an excellent result by the standards of smartwatches, which often have to be charged every other day.
Photo: Alexander Pobyvanets / Wylsacom Media
Versions and options
Second from the left - with Swarovski crystals. Do you know what to give on March 8th?
At the moment, Amazfit has presented several variants of the GTR.
The base version is 47 mm , which is available in matte black painted aluminum , unpainted silver polished stainless steel and matte gray titanium .
The second version is presented with a “female” diameter of 42 millimeters . These watches are available in 2 versions: with aluminum (in our review) and ceramic (zirconium oxide) cases with Swarovski crystals. Chic-glitter-beauty!
The menu is simple and clear without words
Any of the options looks much nicer than any budget smartwatch in the price range up to 20 thousand rubles.
It is useless to compare with Apple Watch and analogues - they are different classes. But simpler devices are definitely inferior to the Amazfit GTR , which looks like a beautiful expensive watch. Ordinary mechanical watch.
It is not surprising that watches can be purchased not only with a plastic strap, but also with a classic strap. Which has a pleasant surprise: the inside is made of soft plastic, and the outside is made of genuine leather. Titanium and steel only come with this.
Apparently I'll be replacing my GTSs soon. Can you guess what? For now, let's talk about the 42mm GTRs that my wife uses.
Specifications
Performance
The entire contents of the watch are designed to optimize energy consumption, so this is perhaps one of the most autonomous wearable devices on the market. At the same time, it cannot be said that the watch is distinguished by amazingly smooth animations, or the incredible speed of the interface and pre-installed functions. At the same time, you can often find watch models that work even slower (say hello to Honor Watch Magic). In general, in terms of speed, everything is within normal limits and there is hope that in the future with updates the situation will become even better.
Autonomy
Operating time on a single charge is not the least important characteristic for devices of this type, so we’ll take a closer look here.
The version with a 42mm dial is equipped with a 195mAh battery. With active use, the charge lasts for about 2 weeks, and if you turn off some functions, such as heart rate measurement and Bluetooth, the lifespan from a single charge will exceed 1 month. The Amazfit GTR will drain most quickly when using GPS: with constant location tracking, the charge lasts barely a day.
The 47mm version is noticeably more durable: the 410mAh battery lasts for almost a month with active use and more than 2 months (74 days) when turning off some sensors that are not particularly in demand in everyday life, so most users will charge this watch somewhere once in two months. This is perhaps the best indicator of autonomy among similar devices.
Quality, straps and comfort
To measure your heart rate, you don’t need to tighten the strap like on Mi Band and Bip
The strap format is standard, width 20 millimeters . The fastenings are quick-release. So, if necessary, you can choose from hundreds of options, suitable for both other Amazfit and regular watches.
GTRs are made at the highest level for the Chinese: matte surfaces, pleasant weight. You wave the thing. I have never seen such well-made watches from eastern brands. Both Bip and Pace are noticeably inferior.
Even the reverse side made of rough polycarbonate does not change personal feelings. This option feels nicer on the skin than standard plastic. And in general they sit very nicely, even despite the impressive weight.
Perhaps this design is much more familiar and pleasant than fashionable copies of the Apple Watch. Classics never get old.
Great screen and awkward dials
The screen can be used as a flashlight
But the same cannot be said about the display, despite all its qualities. Amazfit GTR is equipped with an AMOLED panel with a diagonal of 1.2 inches and a resolution of 390x390 pixels (the 47mm has 1.39 and 454x454, respectively).
Brightness can be adjusted automatically or from the settings screen. The maximum level is sufficient, but not excessive; some owners will want more.
The front side is covered with Gorilla Glass , which not only looks good, but also reliably protects the display from scratches. And its oleophobic coating prevents fingerprints.
Always On Display is still present in the Amazfit GTR, unlike the previously reviewed GTS. But while you can choose watch faces and even make them yourself, there is only one theme available for AOD.
Everything is regulated. You won't have to search for long
The image is bright, clear and perfectly readable even under bright lighting. At least look at the photographs, at least read the texts. It didn’t come down to measurements, but at the AW3 level and no lower.
The only drawback of the GTR turns out to be systemic: unlike the very convenient “watchface” themes of the GTS, this model offers beautiful, but not very informative options.
And one more important detail: the message only takes 5 lines + the application icon. That's all. You can’t scroll through several messages in a row—you’ll have to take out your smartphone.
Main watch face available non-stop
You can't scroll either, this is not implemented in the current firmware. They can’t have it, that’s all. They also put messages in a separate menu, which you need to get to first (on Amazfit and Bip they are accessible by sliding down on the active screen).
For fans of active correspondence, GTR will not replace the Apple Watch. But, I repeat once again: Amazfit GTR is from a completely different camp, they are for a completely different thing - a cool classic watch with notifications.
Amazfit GTR Features
With this watch you don't need to fiddle with your smartphone
The main screen gives access to all functions of the watch. Swiping from bottom to top opens a menu:
- Notifications. Complete list of all messages
- State. Information about steps, heart rate, distance traveled
- Heart rate. Heart Rate Measurement - Start Instant Measurement
- Sport. Selecting modes to start tracking your workout
- Activity. Workout Summary
- Weather. For a day and a week with all the details
- Music. Player interface for controlling a running application on a smartphone
- Alarm. No more than five, with vibration. There is no smart
- Reminders. The ones from laziness. Installed in the application
- Settings. Not much, but enough to keep you from getting into your smartphone
The forecast works!
Sensors include a compass, stopwatch, countdown and phone search - generally standard functions implemented in the same way as in other smartwatch models.
Functional
- OS: Zepp OS 7.22.3.1.
- Communication: Bluetooth 5.1 BLE, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC, GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/BDS/QZSS.
The clock is controlled by swipes. Horizontal swiping moves through quick access widgets, of which the maximum number is limited to 10. Swiping down the interface on the home screen reveals the status bar, which houses important essential functions such as the flashlight, Do Not Disturb mode, calendar, and brightness controls. Swiping up on the main screen opens a stack of notifications for all time, from where you can delete them, after which they will also no longer be displayed on the smartphone.
You can assign a quick call to absolutely any application available on the watch to two buttons. For example, I assigned a long press on the top button to call up the timer, and on the bottom button to start a workout.
A quick press on the top button brings up the main menu with a vertical list of cards. It has everything you need, from a detailed display of sleep quality or a calendar with synchronization of events for the next two months, to a barometric altimeter and a calendar for sunset times or moon phase updates.
All apps can run in the background, but there is no quick way to return to them from the home screen. You need to go back to the running program from the menu list.
Really convenient app
The app has more settings than Mi Fit
I’ll talk about working with the official Amazfit app (iOS, Android) in more detail in the GTS review: it’s a gadget for geeks, so that’s where the description of all software features belongs. And it’s not worth repeating.
In Russia, the functionality of the models is identical. The application allows you to do exactly the same things with GTR as with GTR. Or with Pace, which we wrote about quite a long time ago. But, unlike Mi Fit, there were no drastic changes in Amazfit. And even more negative ones.
The accuracy of the sensors is better than in previous generations of Amazfit/Xiaomi smart gadgets. Let's try to compare them with AW, Samsung and Mi Band, but next time.
Pressure measurement or arrhythmia tracking for the GTR has not been announced, even in China (this feature was left for the less utilitarian GTS). NFC only works in the Middle Kingdom.
Autonomous operation
The “health” index allows you to assess changes in condition
The watch is completely autonomous, and after the first “pairing” with a smartphone, it can live perfectly well without it. The "wide" version lives up to 74 days if network interfaces are disabled.
The smaller version works at almost two times less. If you use the usual method, actively reading from the watch, measuring steps and pulse, you will get 2 weeks.
With GPS running, the Amazfit GTR (42mm) lasts an indecently long time: 30 hours of pure time with an active screen. Extended - 40 hours, and this is truly a record in its class.
Design
I’d like to start with the fact that the watch turned out to be beautiful: a successful combination of technology, minimalism and light classics. First of all, the Amazfit GTR 3 is striking with its round screen - this is not such a rare occurrence among smartwatches, but nevertheless this feature deserves attention. I will also mention the protection from water - the watch can withstand immersion of 50 meters.
Photo: Alexander Pobyvanets / Wylsacom Media
The watch has an aluminum case, the frames are thin and small. Pay attention to the risks with hours and minutes - again associations with mechanical watches. The watch has minimal weight, the thickness of the case is small - it fits perfectly on the hand and is practically not felt. As usual, a standard 22mm silicone strap is used, so if you wish, you can assemble a set of accessories to suit your mood or clothing.
Photo: Alexander Pobyvanets / Wylsacom Media
All sensors are located on the bottom, as well as contacts for magnetic charging.
Photo: Alexander Pobyvanets / Wylsacom Media
There are two buttons on the case: the top one is now called Digital Crown, just like Apple's. It recognizes pressing and scrolling, turns on the clock and launches a menu with applications. The bottom button activates the workout menu. If you are not into sports, you can reassign it to another function; there are ten applications to choose from, starting with weather, ending with heart rate or alarm clock.
Photo: Alexander Pobyvanets / Wylsacom Media
