Amazfit GTS 3 review: High on style and fairly smart(er)

Similar to smartphones, innovation has sort of frozen in the high-end smartwatch category; you only get slightly better of something these days than major changes. It is, however, a different story with the budget smartwatch category where the goal to bridge the gap up to the high end ones is in full swing. The Amazfit GTS 3 once again proves that and that too without tweaking the prices.

Starting at INR13,999, the Amazfit GTS 3 lays emphasis on being a good smartwatch first, and then a fitness tracker. Carrying on the legacy of its predecessors, it looks more like an Apple Watch SE this year, especially with pink colour. That should be enough for most of us, right? I wore it for 10 days to find out.

Amazfit GTS 3 design

It’s predecessors were inspired from the Apple Watch of yesteryears and the new one is no different. I had many onlookers praise my new “Apple Watch”, only to find out it did not wear the Apple logo on its back (price justified for those who show-off). It is slimmer and lighter, despite having a metal frame.

At 1.75-inches, the display is quite large and the narrow bezels only enhance the AMOLED display with Ultra HD resolution. The crown-shaped button now actually works as a scroll wheel for browsing through menus but it isn’t as precise as the one on the Apple Watch. The silicon strap has been kind to my wrist all day, even when I was asleep.

Amazfit GTS 3 smart features

This is where the biggest improvement happens this year. It starts with the display that’s now brighter and sharper than before, and even holds up well under harsh sunlight. It makes Amazfit’s new Zepp OS lively, with all its colourful icons and tasteful watch faces rendered in absolute beauty.

Zepp OS is a massive evolution from before. The interface is well optimised to the hardware, bringing consistent and smooth animations. Going through menus and the first party apps feels natural, way better than Wear OS 2 watches.

Apart from a well thought layout, Zepp OS has a plethora of options to explore; you get almost all the basic features from your smartphone here such as Alarm, Clock, Timer, Weather, barometer, and much more. There’s support for Alexa commands and Offline voice commands, both of which I found were gimmicky.

While it is sad to see Amazfit still missing out on message replies and the ability to take calls, it makes up for it with universal support for Android and iOS devices equally. Using the Zepp app, you can access all its features on either platform and even tweak its health tracking functions.

Amazfit GTS 3 health tracking

Always the strength for Amazfit watches, health tracking is once again the star of the show here. With its updated BioTracker 3.0 sensor, you can track your heart rate, blood oxygen saturation monitoring, stress, sleep, menstrual cycle, and steps. I was unable to compare the data with a medical grade device but the GTS 3 registers data consistently on par with the Apple Watch Series 7. I find the step tracking to be accurate. Using the walking workout mode kept showing all the necessary data, including pace, distance, heart rate, etc.

What left me impressed even more was the data presentation. For example, the GTS 3 records light, deep and REM sleep patterns, and the data was relatable. The Zepp app presents all data beautifully in graphs and even syncs the data with Apple Health/Google Fit.

The One-tap measurement function is another favourite, as it uses all the sensors to track SpO2 monitoring, heart rate, and more together and present a summary. Amazfit’s PAI scoring system also returns and helps stay motivated to keep fit.

Amazfit GTS 3 battery

Although Amazfit claims up to 12 days of battery, the Amazfit GTS 3 could only last 3-4 days maximum. Mind you, I kept the watch connected to my phone, set it to monitor my heart rate and other aspects periodically, monitor sleep, track my evening walks workout, kept on Always On Display, and occasional use of Alexa.

The One-tap measurement function is another favourite, as it uses all the sensors to track SpO2 monitoring, heart rate, and more together and present a summary. Amazfit’s PAI scoring system also returns and helps stay motivated to keep fit.

Verdict

The Amazfit GTS 3 looks and feels polished, and given the slew of fitness tracking features, I’d say it appeals equally to fashion and health conscious people. The Zepp OS experience makes the GTS 3 way better than what other smartwatches offer at this price, including some affordable Wear OS devices. I wish the battery life with everything switched ON lasted a week at least but it is a price to pay for the improved smartness as of now. Also, the lack of calling and text reply features may concern some.

If you have a budget of INR15,000 to spend on a watch, we highly recommend considering the Amazfit GTS 3 for its looks, smart features and fitness tracking.