Amazfit GTR 3 Pro Smartwatch Review, Specs & Price: You can get the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro again at the top price at Proshop for €123.99.
- Physical Crown
- GPS
- over 1 week battery
According to Amazon, the product also hasout of 5 possible stars for reviews!
The popular Amazfit GTR 2 is not only followed by the GTR 3, but also for the first time by an Amazfit GTR 3 Pro. This is positioned by Amazfit as the “premium model”, which is also reflected in the price of €199.90 (RRP). As a reminder, the GTR 2 started out at just €169.90. In our test you can find out whether the GTR 3 Pro deserves the “Pro” name and for whom the surcharge compared to the normal GTR 3 (149.90€) is worthwhile.
Amazfit GTR 3 Pro Review, Specs & Price
- Amazonfit GTR 3 Pro
- Amazonfit GTR 3
- Specifications of the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro & GTR 3
| Huami Amazfit GTR 3 Pro | Huami Amazfit GTR 3 | |
| screen | 1.45″ AMOLED, 480 x 480p, 331ppi | 1.39″ AMOLED, 454 x 454p, 326ppi |
| Colors | Black with Fluoroelastomer Band | Gold with brown leather strap | Black with black silicone strap | Gold with beige silicone strap |
| battery pack | 450 mAh, 12 days run time | 450 mAh, 21 days run time |
| connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/BDS/QZSS, WiFi (2.4GHz) | Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/BDS/QZSS |
| features | 150 sports modes, sleep tracking, blood oxygen measurement, Alexa, offline voice assistant, permanent SpO2 measurement, offline music playback, Bluetooth telephony, crown | 150 sports modes, sleep tracking, blood oxygen measurement, Alexa, offline voice assistant, permanent SpO2 measurement, crown |
| App Compatibility | Zepp App: Android / iOS | Zepp App: Android / iOS |
| water resistance | ATM 5: shower, bathe, swim | ATM 5: shower, bathe, swim |
| Dimensions | band | Weight | 46 x 46 x 10.7mm | 22mm strap, 155-218mm | 32g | 45.8 x 45.8 x 10.8mm | 22mm strap, 155-218mm | 32g |
Amazfit GTR 3 Pro vs Amazfit GTR 3
The Amazfit GTR 3 and GTR 3 Pro are the same in many respects, but they also have a few important differences. The regular GTR 3 has a slightly smaller diameter and is 0.1mm thicker than the Pro. The display of the GTR 3 is also slightly smaller at 1.39 inches than that of the GTR 3 Pro (1.45″). The same applies to the resolution and pixel density, where the Pro version is a bit sharper. In terms of design, the GTR 3 can be recognized by the lines on the edge of the display, which the GTR 3 Pro lacks, and by the red accent on the crown.
Too bad – I liked the lines on the edge of the predecessor. I think the Pro version does without it because you want to keep the edge “invisible” as much as possible. The Pro also has a narrower bezel than the GTR 3 and therefore a better screen-to-body ratio of 70.6%.
The normal GTR 3 only comes to 66%. The housing of both variants is made of aluminum – optionally in a very dark gray or gold . When it comes to the straps, the Pro has a choice of a black fluoroelastomer strap or a brown leather strap . The regular GTR 3 gets a black or beige silicone strap.
Functionally, there are also a few differences. Only the GTR 3 Pro has a speaker for music playback and Bluetooth calls. Accordingly, only the Pro has an integrated music memory and WLAN to transfer the music to the watch, and both have a microphone. The temperature sensor for measuring the skin or ambient temperature is exclusive to the GTR 3 Pro.
Amazfit puts on the crown
The “R” in GTR stands for round , the “S” in GTS for square – at least that’s our mnemonic. Accordingly, the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro is round again and it is clearly based on the design of the GTR 2. So you get a front completely made of glass, which is slightly rounded towards the edge. The glass has an anti-fingerprint coating and withstood a few bumps in the test.
The glass then merges nicely into the matt aluminum housing. On the right you will find the crown (above) and a freely assignable button below. The crown is one of the biggest innovations of the GTR 3 range. Larger than the bottom button and featuring a few grooves, you can use it to scroll through the various menus and lists without touching the display. Similar to the Apple Watch or Huawei Watch 3, haptic feedback is also integrated, which is made possible by a linear motor.
The microphone and the barometer are on the right between the two keys, and the loudspeaker is on the opposite side. Let’s go to the back. This is mostly made of black plastic, only in the middle is a small glass pane and of course the two metal contact points for charging. Under the glass is the new BioTracker PPG 3.0 biometric sensor consisting of 6 photodiodes and 2 LEDs. The upgrade is definitely already visible.
The (deactivatable) vibration is undoubtedly an added value, but I think it could be a bit more precise and stronger – both of the competitors mentioned do that a little better. The crown itself is also a bit too smooth-running for me personally and not “stiff” enough, so that I often scrolled past the entry I was looking for at the beginning. But once you get the hang of it after a few days, the crown is definitely better than swiping your fingers around the display. I’m already looking forward to the improved version of the GTR 4 Pro.
As already mentioned, you have the choice between fluoroelastomer and leather for the bracelet. Both variants are 22 mm wide and have a standard quick release. So again, you can attach any 22 mm bracelet if the arm circumference of 155-218 mm is not enough or you just want a change.
Our black bracelet with metal pin buckle makes a very good impression even after several weeks. The diamond pattern is simple and, in my opinion, looks better than just a black band. However, the inside is completely smooth. As usual, the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro is also protected against water according to the ATM 5 classification , so you can shower and swim with the watch without hesitation.
I really like the look of the GTR 3 Pro. It is very simple and therefore “timeless” and can be combined with almost any bracelet and worn on any occasion. The processing is flawless, as is usual with Amazfit or Huami (the company behind the Amazfit brand). Personally, I would have preferred stainless steel instead of aluminum as the housing material for the more expensive Pro version, but maybe they wanted to keep the weight as low as possible. An option like the GTR 2 would still be nice.
Display: Bright, fast & sharp
Amazfit uses a 1.45″ AMOLED touchscreen display with a resolution of 450 x 450 pixels and a pixel density of 331 ppi . In terms of sharpness, this is even slightly better than the Huawei Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch 4. The text and all buttons are also sharp on these watches and especially on the GTR 3 Pro. As already mentioned at the beginning, the Pro has a good screen-to-body ratio of 70.6% thanks to the narrow bezel.
You don’t have to be asked about the brightness either and let the wrist shine with up to 1,000 nits. The brightness can be continuously adjusted manually or, like me, you can use the automatic mode and let the ambient light sensor do the work. It works so well that I haven’t even had to adjust it myself. The refresh rate has also been upgraded, with the screen now refreshing 50 times per second instead of the GTR 2 ‘s 30fps. This makes the clock look even faster and animations smoother.
Of course, there is also an always-on display. The design depends either on the currently used watch face or you choose one of five pre-designed designs (3 analog, 2 digital). You can configure exactly when the AoD should be activated. You have the following options:
- the AoD is always on in a certain daily period (e.g. 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.)
- the AoD is always on when you wear the watch and are awake
- the AoD is always on, even when you are sleeping or not wearing the watch
There are more than enough watch faces. There are eight preinstalled on the watch and over 150 more available for free in the Zepp app. Some of them also offer the possibility to configure the small complications (links). If that’s not enough for you, you can use apps like AmazFaces or Amazfit GTR 3 WatchFaces.
With the GTR 3, Amazfit even offers something that I haven’t seen on a smartwatch before: three different icon packs! There’s the default new one, one that’s a little plainer, and one that’s reminiscent of the GTR 2. So you can design the GTR 3 Pro completely according to your wishes.
The color reproduction of the display is also excellent. Bold colors and perfect blacks leave no doubt that this is one of the best smartwatch displays currently available. The GTR 3 Pro can play at the top here and is in no way inferior to the current Apple Watch 7 or Galaxy Watch 4.
Operation, notifications & app of the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro
Anyone who has ever had a smartwatch on their arm should quickly find their way around the GTR 3 Pro. Here I briefly summarize the different functions of the keys.
- Press top button: activates the screen, takes you to the app list, if you are on the home screen (watchface), takes you back to the home screen
- Press and hold the top button: freely assignable with one of over 35 functions or apps
- Press and hold the top or bottom button: Turn off or restart the watch
- Press the lower button: freely assignable with one of over 35 functions or apps
- Back: You can go back one step by swiping from the left edge of the screen to the right
As mentioned, since the top button doubles as a rotating crown, you can use it to scroll through lists. But you can’t do everything with the buttons, so now we come to the swipe gestures and navigation in the new Zepp OS operating system. Although this has a new name, it is very similar to the RTOS previously used in many ways. Accordingly, the so-called “link cards” or shortcut cards can also be found to the left of the watch face. This is a vertically scrollable list of up to 19 small “cards” that you can freely configure.
If you swipe to the right from the list or to the left from the watch face, you get to the “quick access apps” or widgets. You can activate up to ten of these in any order. Tapping on a widget takes you straight to the corresponding app. The same applies, of course, to the shortcut card list just described.
The quick settings are again located above the watch face – referred to as the control center by Amazfit. Twelve quick settings are currently available here, which can be arranged and shown or hidden as you wish.
Notifications from WhatsApp & Co. with emojis
As always, the notifications are below the watch face. You can set which apps you get the notifications from on the watch in the Zepp app. Unfortunately, as before, you cannot reply directly to notifications from WhatsApp and Co. The supported emojis don’t really seem to have increased either. Some common ones are displayed correctly, but the dreaded empty square is still too common.
It’s also annoying that in order to delete a single notification, you first have to tap on it and then on the “Delete” button again. A simple swipe left or right to delete like on Wear OS would be a lot easier and time-saving. I usually delete all notifications at once by scrolling down the list and tapping on the trash can.
The final area of Zepp OS is the app list, which is accessed by pressing the crown. You can also set the order of the 30 standard apps in this list and also which apps appear directly in the list, which should be hidden under “More” and which are completely hidden.
The Zepp app
The Zepp app (formerly Amazfit) was initially just a copy of the Mi Fit app with a different color scheme and fewer options. Fortunately, this is no longer the case as Huami continuously improves and expands the app. However, the basic structure is still quite similar. So there are three tabs below. On the start page you can see the “data cards”, which you can sort and hide as you want. That’s them:
- PAI, sleep, heart rate, stress and oxygen saturation, exercise history, my tools (shortcuts to functions), steps, calories, exercise status, breathing quality during sleep, body weight analysis, ECG, cycle tracking, body temperature, blood pressure and blood glucose
The entries marked in red can only be added manually in the app, as the watch does not support the measurement of these values. Of course, you can still display the data on the GTR 3 Pro. You can even enter body measurements (chest, waist, hip, arm, thigh and calf circumference) using the symbol at the top right. In the Health tab you can start the walking, jogging and cycling workouts, set goals and battle it out with friends.
Via “Profile” you get to the settings of the GTR 3 Pro. Here you have access to the “Shop” (free watch faces), the app store for the mini apps and all settings for notifications, health tracking, alarm clock, music, weather, offline voice assistant, Alexa and so on. If you don’t like the Zepp app, you can use the popular Notify app again. For iOS, one could try AmazTools.
What I particularly like here is that you can sort and configure almost everything personally in the app and on the watch. There are also a lot of options both on the watch and in the app – Amazfit simply does a good job here.
Features of the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro
As with the first GTR, the GTR 3 Pro also covers all the standard functions of a smartwatch. Weather, calendar, tasks, world clock, voice memos, find phone, compass, sun & moon rise & set, barometer, stopwatch, timer, remote camera shutter release and alarm clock are available. The alarm clock is now even “smart” and can wake you up to 30 minutes before the set time if you are in a light sleep.
Offline voice assistant & Alexa on watch
As in the predecessor, Amazon Alexa is also installed as an online voice assistant, for example to ask questions. In the event that no Internet is available, the offline assistant is also on board, with which apps can be started, for example. The latter now also works in German, but its functions are still limited, so I have almost never used it.
I was able to successfully connect Alexa in the Zepp app, but nothing happened on the watch. This was probably because I had already assigned another function to the “press and hold the top button”. The standard assignment there is apparently Alexa, but this could not be reset. Accordingly, I can’t say anything about Alexa support here, only that it worked well with the GTS 3.
2.3GB music storage
There is also music storage (2.3 GB), but again you can only transfer MP3 files to the watch. This is still ok for one or the other podcast sequence and is also quite fast thanks to the Wi-Fi Direct connection only used for this purpose, but it is no longer up to date. Personally, I’m completely at home with Spotify. So here I would first have to transfer my old music to my cell phone and then to the watch. So I only have podcasts or I have to take my cell phone with me when I run.
At least the connection between the GTR 3 Pro and my Bluetooth headphones is stable even while running. Spotify and other music apps can at least be controlled via the clock. So louder/quieter, play/pause, and next/previous track is possible.
Telephoning with the GTR 3 Pro
The music can also be played via the integrated loudspeaker, but this is intended more for telephoning. This works without any problems and both sides could understand the other well. With an active connection to the smartphone, you can not only accept or reject incoming calls via the watch, but also start some. You can set your favorite contacts in the app for this.
Amazfit GTR 3 Pro with mini apps
What is new is that you can now install eleven “mini apps” and more are to follow. With the GoPro app, a third-party app has been added so far. So here you go a similar way as Huawei with the Watch GT 2 Pro. The most practical thing I have found so far is the “time for water” app, which regularly reminds you to drink. You can also set a goal and two different drink sizes.
Health Tracking
A lot of value is placed on the health functions of the watch. With the revised BioTracker PPG3.0 sensor on the bottom of the GTR 3 Pro, it can measure several values at the same time! With a 45-second one-tap measurement you get your heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, stress level and breathing rate. This also works in practice, but only if the arm is kept absolutely still for the full 45 seconds. For me, the measurement probably broke off more often than it was successful. So you’re still a long way from the level of the Galaxy Watch 4.
Another new feature is that you can have your blood oxygen saturation measured permanently, i.e. 24 hours a day. The SpO2 measurement is not a new feature, but a continuous measurement of it is still relatively rare. This means that the GTR 3 Pro will send a notification if it detects that the SpO2 value is too low.
The same applies to stress and when the heart rate is too high or too low. How high or low the threshold for the alarm is can of course be set again. The frequency of the heart rate measurement can also be set to every minute, every 5, 10 or 30 minutes or to manual.
When it comes to sleep tracking, the GTR 3 Pro generally does a good job of recognizing the correct time to fall asleep and wake up. As always, the watch recognizes four phases: light sleep, deep sleep, REM sleep (dreaming) and waking phases. The proportion of the respective phases is then evaluated and tips for improvement are given. Breathing quality during sleep can also be monitored.
The only point of criticism is currently the “nap”. These are actually used for sleep monitoring during the day (e.g. for shift workers). At the moment, however, a series episode on the couch is often counted as a nap, even though you were completely awake. The recognition still needs to be tightened here.
The PAI score (Personal Activity Intelligence), which evaluates activities and health in the form of points, is also included again . The daily steps and calories burned are of course also recorded and you can be reminded to move every hour. The basal metabolic rate (rest consumption) and floors covered are displayed on the watch under “Activity”, unfortunately not yet in the app.
This time you can track the menstrual cycle both via the app and via the watch. To do this, you have to enter a few data every day – the more data, the more accurate the forecast. I would like to mention the new temperature measurement very briefly here. The sensor for this is on the back of the watch, so leaving the watch lying around can only measure superficial skin temperature or room temperature. Neither really brings me anything, which is why I removed the function from the app list again.
As always, the note that Amazfit also has on its website applies to the health data of such a watch: “This product is not a medical device. It cannot be used for medicinal purposes or as the basis of a medical diagnosis. The detection results are for reference only. Please contact professional medical institutions if you feel unwell.”
Sports tracking of 150 sports
There are 150 sport modes this year, while last year you had to be content with “only” 90 sport modes. This time you can not only use GPS and GLONASS for positioning, but also support Galileo, BDS and QZSS. So with five satellite systems and the new sensor, the GTR 3 Pro should be perfect for sports and especially run tracking – and it is! Compared to an Apple Watch 7, the GTR 3 Pro deviates on average by 2%, which is absolutely normal. The GPS fix is also there within about 20 seconds and the connection didn’t even break off in the test.
The many options and settings are nice here. In the settings on the watch and in the app, under “Training”, you can specify which GPS accuracy you want. Here you have the choice between: Accuracy, Balanced mode, Power saving mode and Custom. With the latter, you can then select the satellite combination yourself and whether you prefer speed or accuracy for the GPS fix. Of course I chose the most accurate mode with all satellites.
In the same menu you can configure the automatic training detection. Walking, indoor walking, outdoor running, treadmill, outdoor cycling, pool swimming, cross trainer and rowing machine are recognizable. The sensitivity of the detection can also be adjusted, although the highest of the three levels was really too sensitive for me, so that even very short walks were recognized as a walking workout. The medium standard level suits me best here.
The data page that is displayed during the workout is also highly configurable. These can be individually adapted for each of the 150 sports and you can create up to 10 pieces per sport. 1-6 data types can then be displayed on each individual data page. In addition, there are up to 5 live training diagrams for heart rate, speed, pace, altitude and training effect, at least when running. Thanks to the barometer and the “3D data mode”, altitude can also be calculated, but I’ve only just discovered it.
That was not all. Of course you also set goals. In running, these are: aerobic/anaerobic training effect, distance, time, calories. Then there are up to 12 different training alarms, an automatic interval counter (by distance), automatic pause detection, a virtual pacer and a step frequency assistant. The last two features in particular were not yet available in the GTR or GTS series and are a real added value for runners.
The data in the app has also been improved. VO2 Max, altitude differences and training effects (an-/aerobic) are now also displayed here. You can also see the current training load and recovery time on the watch. The export of GPX files is also possible and you can connect Strava, Google Fit and Relive. Only the chest strap coupling is still missing. Overall, Amazfit has made a big splash in terms of sports tracking with the GTR 3 Pro. Huawei should have caught up with it for the time being and with all the data and assistants Garmin is not far away either.
Battery life of the Amazfit GTR 3 and Amazfit GTR 3 Pro
Both the Amazfit GTR 3 and the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro are equipped with a 450 mAh battery. Due to the different functions, the average runtime of the GTR 3 is up to 21 days, which is significantly higher than the 12 days of the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro. This is only the indication for typical use, with heavy use it should only be six days. This is what my usage looked like most of the time:
- 24 hour heart rate measurement every minute
- Sleep tracking + breathing quality while sleeping
- Permanent stress tracking & SpO2 tracking
- automatic sports detection for all sports
- automatic brightness
- Lift watch to activate
- daily smart alarm clock
- Notifications with vibration from 9 apps & on calls
- Reminder to get up & drink water
I usually got a runtime of about 10-11 days, which is fine with me. Depending on the (de)activated functions, the runtime varies greatly and will be different for each user.
Wireless charging like the Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro is not on board, the manufacturer continues to use a magnetic charging cable. Personally, I’m even happy about that, since smartwatches that use wireless charging used to take forever. The Amazfit GTR 3 Pro, on the other hand, only needs 75 minutes from 0% to 100%. I am very happy to do without Qi charging!
Conclusion: Is the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro worth it?
Amazfit is not yet taking the step towards a “real” smartwatch with an open operating system, but is further expanding ZeppOS and concentrating fully on the topic of “health”. So you get a fitness tracker deluxe including a revised BioTracker sensor, significantly improved GPS and many options as well as data for sports tracking. I personally also like the design, the crown is a real added value and the display is beyond any doubt anyway. Running and loading times are also convincing and there are now even a few mini apps.
You still have to do without a payment function, a real app store, answering messages from the watch and support for music streaming apps. If you don’t need all these extras, you get one of the best smartwatches of its kind with the Amazfit GTR 3 Pro. And if you don’t need the exclusive Pro features described at the beginning, you can also use the normal Amazfit GTR 3 and save another €50. A possible alternative would be the Huawei Watch GT 3, which should also land with us soon. Amazfit GTR 3 Pro Smartwatch Review, Specs & Price video below:
