The AmazFit T-Rex 3 has garnered a lot consideration over the previous few months since its announcement. In some ways, that spotlight is deserved, albeit a wee bit overstated. Nonetheless, the watch has been on my wrist now continuous for 35 days, placing in practically 700 kilometers of exercises throughout biking (highway, MTB, gravel), working, climbing, openwater swimming, and extra. I’ve found out what it does rather well (battery life), what it does actually badly (readability), and what it’s so-so at (navigation). After all, these are only a few examples, I’ve obtained numerous extra in every class.
That mentioned, it’s essential to grasp context right here. The AmazFit T-Rex 3 is generally $279, however was not too long ago on vacation gross sales for $235. At both value, it’s tremendous interesting. Some have tried to name it a ‘Fenix Killer’. However let’s be clear, this isn’t remotely near a Fenix killer. As a substitute, it’s far more attuned to be hurting gross sales of a COROS Vertix, or maybe in some eventualities, a Garmin Intuition. However as you’ll see, value isn’t all the things. Neither is feature-check-boxing. The navigation part will make that basically clear.
Nonetheless, this isn’t AmazFit’s first BBQ. And every time they launch a watch they get nearer and nearer to being a premium competitor, however at a funds value. In impact, AmazFit is kinda like COROS, earlier than COROS grew up and began spending time on new characteristic improvement, as an alternative of simply product comparability checkbox improvement.
With that, let’s get into it.
Oh and lastly, I bought this unit myself. AmazFit did try and ship me a media loaner unit, however alas it obtained caught in Spanish customs jail lengthy sufficient that we each gave up on it, and I simply went to Amazon to purchase one myself. I find yourself re-purchasing most watches for long-term comparisons anyway, so…shrug. As at all times, I don’t settle for promoting from any firm I evaluation – so, for those who discovered this evaluation helpful, contemplate changing into a DCR Supporter, which will get you an ad-free web site, plus the behind-the-scenes video sequence between each myself (and my spouse) on all the things that occurs within the DCR Sports activities Tech Cave/universe.
The Core Specs:
Itemizing watch specs today is kinda like throwing spaghetti at a wall. There’s a whole lot of totally different instructions you’ll be able to go in. However in some methods, that’s apt for the AmazFit T-Rex 3, because it covers a lot floor. To be clear, this listing isn’t inclusive of each characteristic, however moderately, a few of the big-ticket gadgets that provide you with a tough define of what this watch is.
– 48mm watch (48.5mm) weighing 68.3g
– Physique is plastic with chrome steel high bezel piece
– 1.5” AMOLED touchscreen show (480x480px) with Gorilla Glass
– Optical HR sensor (with SpO2, HRV, pores and skin temp monitoring)
– 24×7 exercise monitoring and sleep monitoring
– Has 177 sport modes (most of which is simply categorization, not distinctive sports activities options)
– Freediving to 45m (with EN13319 certification)
– Structured exercise assist,digital pacer, monitor working mode
– Helps exterior sensors together with coronary heart price straps, biking energy meters, cadence/velocity sensors, working energy, CORE physique temp sensors
– Uploads to Strava, Komoot, Apple Well being, Google Match
– Downloadable international free maps
– Fundamental navigation following imported routes
– Microphone for voice instructions (albeit, no speaker, only a beeper and vibration alerts)
– Consists of WiFi, Bluetooth connectivity
– Multiband/Twin Frequency GNSS
– Smartwatch battery declare is 13 days (I discover it nearer to 7-9 days)
– GPS battery claims: Vary from 42 hours to 180 hours, relying on mode
– Value is $279/€299
– Extra Premium Zepp app options for $69/yr (e.g., extra reporting/evaluation, not used on this evaluation)
As you’ll be able to see, it’s a formidable listing on paper. And to be clear, at a excessive stage, virtually all of those options have labored advantageous for me. What you’ll see although is that nearly as good as AmazFit is at including options, lots of them are skin-deep at greatest. For some use circumstances, that won’t matter. For instance, it’ll work simply advantageous as a working watch to trace your runs. However wish to push in structured exercises from one other platform (like TrainingPeaks)? Nope, can’t do this. Likewise, fundamental navigation works properly, however wish to simply create routes inside the AmazFit app? Nope, can’t do this.
Which isn’t to say that AmazFit gained’t get there. They may, nevertheless it’ll simply take time (years). Nonetheless, it’s unimaginable progress to this point – so, let’s dive into how properly it truly works.
The Fundamentals:
On this part I’ll cowl a lot of the non-sports options. Issues like fundamental usability (buttons/touchscreen), 24×7 exercise monitoring (e.g., sleep/steps/and many others…), in addition to their voice assistant and total app options (their smartphone app known as Zepp). After this, we’ll get into the sports activities bit, the mapping/navigation bits, adopted by accuracy.
Beginning with the {hardware} fundamentals, the unit has 4 bodily buttons on the edges, and a touchscreen atop it. The 4 buttons work properly when it comes to day by day interplay, each sport and non-sport utilization. Likewise, the touchscreen is mostly fairly good for each moist and dry integrations. Mentioned otherwise, at no level during the last whereas has it been an issue for me.
The display is a 1.5″ AMOLED touchscreen, that may be configured as gesture-based or always-on. In my case, I’ve been utilizing it in an always-on configuration the complete time. The exception being at night time it goes into sleep mode, which requires a faucet to wake the display (to make sure it doesn’t blind you in the course of the night time).
Now that mentioned, one of many themes you’ll see with the T-Rex 3 (or AmazFit generally) is it’s nuances that matter. And the most effective instance of that’s truly how the display handles gesture-based actions, comparable to when a textual content message is available in. For many watches, the watch gained’t present the textual content message till you twist your wrist in the direction of you. In some ways, how properly they detect this tiny motion is sorta the hallmark of how good an organization is on their smartwatch journey.
Sadly, as foolish as it might be, it’s truly one of many issues that frustrates me probably the most concerning the T-Rex 3. The gesture recognition is horrible, requiring important hideously enormous over-dramatic actions to get it to indicate my textual content messages. Else, it simply stays on the watch face, however reveals {that a} textual content message is pending. Now, is that this the tip of the world? Hardly. Actually, a lot of the points with the T-Rex 3 are minor on their very own. Fairly, it’s the end result of many little issues that units it again from the pack.
In any occasion, let’s have a look at the varied information widgets as you scroll down. These are technically known as ‘Shortcut Playing cards’, and you’ll customise them (together with ordering) within the Zepp app (sure, that’s what AmazFit calls their app, as a result of Zepp is definitely the mother or father firm identify of AmazFit). By default, the highest one is ‘Zepp Circulate’, which is their voice assistant bit. After that, there’s music, ‘Suggestions’ (which by no means adjustments), and a slate of extra traditional ones like climate, final exercise, exercise standing (aka Coaching Standing), and extra:
One factor you’ll discover is that whereas it renders and shows these immediately, the info is definitely ‘previous’ for the primary second or two for every widget, earlier than it then pulls in contemporary (in the present day’s/present) information. It’s weird, however once more, a part of the little quirky nature of the watch.
Zepp has a whole lot of options which might be sorta there. For instance, it has contactless funds, however solely through Curve – not different playing cards (and inside Curve, it doesn’t embody the US). Curve is principally a pay as you go Mastercard which you can create an account with, after which load onto the watch. It’s extra well-liked within the UK than different locations, and does not less than fill the fee hole right here. For many of us, paying together with your watch is much less about going to Finest Purchase and shopping for a TV together with your watch, and extra about stopping at a restaurant after a future to seize a drink/snack. So in that context, having a pre-loaded account is nice sufficient for many. Nonetheless, establishing a Curve account does require sending some type of authorities ID in, in addition to different private particulars. Moreover, whereas the corporate advertises a standalone Mastercard connection, it doesn’t truly enable me to try this anymore, and I can’t discover any proof you are able to do that with out a Curve account anymore (and the app solely reveals Curve and Account2 as supported).
Subsequent, we get to sleep monitoring, which sadly, didn’t work in any respect for me for the primary week or two. To be clear, I’m not speaking about having inaccurate information – moderately, it actually wouldn’t monitor a single minute of sleep. Seems, this isn’t a brand new drawback for AmazFit, or the T-Rex sequence. A easy Google search reveals that is considerably frequent – and regardless of quite a few folks having reported this and despatched logs to AmazFit, there’s been no decision for years.
Thus, daily for the primary few weeks, that is what I’d see in my sleep monitoring particulars:
Simply nothing. It’s just like the Simon and Garfunkel track, ‘The Sound of Silence’, besides, no sound. Simply…nothing.
No less than, that’s what I believed was taking place. Nevertheless, upon nearer inspection it was even weirder. In actuality, it *was* monitoring sleep every night time on the watch, and if I regarded early/fast sufficient within the morning I’d see these particulars on the watch. However, the second it synced that information to the Zepp app on my telephone, it’d erase my sleep information fully (on each watch and telephone). Actually, it’d additionally erase all step/exercise information too, only for funsies. Recorded exercise classes did nevertheless stay.
After some forwards and backwards with AmazFit, the eventual resolution was each resetting my watch *and* deleting the AmazFit (Zepp) app off my telephone fully, earlier than beginning over once more. Since then, it’s been advantageous.
The excellent news is as soon as I obtained mentioned sleep information, it’s been fairly correct when it comes to the time I fell asleep and awakened. It captures that properly, comparable to beneath:
Actually, simply yesterday one among my daughters wasn’t feeling properly, so after getting the opposite daughters off to highschool, I went again and laid down together with her for a number of hours.Likewise, it additionally helps nap monitoring – which has additionally labored properly for me. Be aware that it does show sleep phases/phases, although as is at all times the case, I don’t try and price the accuracy of that. That’s as a result of the comparative know-how to take action merely isn’t all that correct by itself (solely within the mid-80% correct vary in a greatest case situation, however often 60-70% correct). We’d by no means choose coronary heart price accuracy on one thing solely 80% correct, so I’m unsure why some reviewers attempt to do the identical for sleep phases. I’m personally much more involved with whether or not it obtained my falling asleep/wake-up instances appropriate.
That mentioned, the sleep scores it provides me are very…constant. Far too constant. It doesn’t matter what I do when it comes to sleep, it’s principally the identical daily:
Which then will get us to the ‘Readiness’ rating. This rating is geared toward taking your sleep metrics, restoration metrics (post-workout), exercise information, and extra, and supplying you with a rating for a way ‘prepared’ you’re. It’s roughly designed to imitate Fitbit’s Readiness Rating and Garmin’s Coaching Readiness rating, besides in contrast to these, with out truly being helpful.
Right here’s a few of the metrics it pulls from the app for a single day’s Readiness Rating:
However extra importantly, right here’s how that rating has modified week after week, month after month.
As a fast recreation of ‘spoiler’, it hasn’t modified. It doesn’t matter what I do workout-wise (together with again to again to again days of 3-4hr lengthy mountain rides), to simply 3-4hrs of sleep, it merely stays at roughly 75-90…each…single…day. A lot in order that even when the watch was zapping my sleep, it’d *STILL* generate a readiness rating in the identical vary. Mentioned otherwise: It’s fully ineffective to evaluate readiness.
The humorous factor is that by itself, the AmazFit tends to get all the person metrics appropriate. Fairly, it’s the sum of the elements that goes off the rails. For instance, along with the sleep metric, there’s HRV (Coronary heart Fee Variability) monitoring, and that information, it’s been inside the realm of different units I’ve (all three of the beneath use all-night averaging).
Simply choosing a random night time prior to now week:
AmazFit T-Rex 3: 51ms
Oura Ring Gen4: 49ms
Whoop 4: 48ms
Every system measures at barely totally different intervals, with the T-Rex 3 seeming to have a a lot decrease interval/frequency, which can be why it’s barely offset from the others.
Lastly, AmazFit has a number of different areas like their voice assistant, Zepp Circulate, which has a marble-looking icon after which you’ll be able to audibly ask it issues:
Besides, I discovered it doesn’t fairly appear to translate issues tremendous properly. For instance, above, it clearly hears me ask concerning the climate *tomorrow*, reveals me it understands the query, after which as an alternative provides me the climate for *in the present day*. Be aware, it provides the solutions visually on the display, moderately than audibly through speaker. It appears to do properly if you ask it one thing that it could explicitly accomplish on the watch. However for those who ask absolutely anything that’s an actual query (e.g. “Ought to I run in the present day?”), it’ll begin providing you random issues as an alternative.
Nonetheless, as I mentioned early on – the battery life continues to be spectacular for me in smartwatch mode. I’m fairly constantly getting a few week’s price of battery life, and this regardless of having many (GPS) coaching days every week at 2-4 hours every, on common in all probability near 2hrs/day of exercise time. And all this with the always-on show for each exercise and day by day smartwatch use, in addition to utilizing optical HR for exercises (and related to a biking energy meter for biking exercises).
For charging, it clips onto a magnetic base clip, that you simply in flip connect through USB-C cable:
Whereas battery life lasts perpetually, that’s additionally true for charging – it too takes perpetually. AmazFit quotes 2.5 hours to totally cost, which does appear within the appropriate ballpark. It’s at all times lengthy sufficient that I simply go and do different issues for a number of hours and are available again and it’s practically performed.
Charging time apart although, all different issues associated to charging and battery life are nice – so, kudos on that.
Sports activities Options:
The AmazFit T-Rex 3 has an absolute boatload of sports activities profiles, as of this writing, some 177 to be exact. AmazFit has all of them listed right here, although realistically it’ll have each sport profile you’ll be able to think about – even bocce ball. AmazFit’s path to so many profiles basically comes from an aggressive categorization recreation. That means, as an alternative of simply having one sport profile for ‘dance’, they break it out into: “Sq. dance, Ballroom dance, Stomach dance, Ballet, Avenue dance, Zumba, Latin dance, Jazz dance, Hip-hop dance, Pole dance, Breaking, Folks dance, Dance, Fashionable dance, Disco, Faucet dance”. None of those seize information otherwise from one another, it’s just so you’ll be able to monitor how a lot time you spend in every profile long-term.
After all, there’s completely nothing flawed with that from a categorization standpoint. Actually, we’ve truly seen a common trade pattern of including extra categorization-based sport profiles in recent times, in comparison with firms traditionally solely including sport profiles when there was distinctive per-sport information (e.g., gathering wave information for browsing, or jumps for mountain biking). Nevertheless, shoppers have made it clear: They need categorization of their actions, even with out distinctive per-sport information.
In any occasion, circling again to beginning a sport, you’ll faucet the higher proper button to get into the game menu:
Right here you’ll be able to scroll by and choose out of your mostly used sports activities, or dive into all all the different sport classes:
In case you’re questioning, ‘Excessive Sports activities’ contains ‘Wingsuit flying’ (I agree with that descriptor), whereas leisure sports activities contains ‘Hula Hooping’ (and once more, I agree with that descriptor too). In the meantime, ‘Board Video games’ contains Chess, Checkers, and Go…however sadly, not Monopoly or Jenga.
In any occasion, when you’ve picked your sport of struggling, you’ll be able to faucet it to search out GPS (if relevant), or configure settings. These embody bits like exercise alerts/targets/auto lap/auto pause/digital pacer, in addition to structured coaching, together with intervals. For intervals, you’ll be able to configure distance or time-based repeats, the amount of repeats and restoration, and whether or not a warm-up or cool-down is added.
In the meantime, within the app itself, you’ll be able to create structured exercise ‘templates’ for every sport, that iterate by on numerous targets. There proceed to be some quirks. For instance, in structured exercises, as an alternative of utilizing the (correct) time period “Restoration”, they name it “Break”. I do know it appears like nitpicking, however there are infinite examples of this all through the AmazFit app/platform. Be aware for biking exercises, you’ll be able to’t specify biking energy as a goal, solely coronary heart price or velocity.
Again to our run although, as soon as we’re prepared, we’ve obtained GPS lock and might press the ‘Go’ button to begin.
At this level, you’ll see your information pages/fields as you’ve configured them through the app.
Talking of which, you’ll be able to customise these to upwards of 6 information fields per web page, which is completed from the watch itself (inside a sport profile mode), and you’ll add a number of customizable pages.
Likewise, you can even join to varied Bluetooth sensor sorts, together with coronary heart price sensors, working energy meters (e.g. Stryd), biking energy meters, biking velocity sensors, and biking cadence sensors. To pair sensors, you’ll swipe down from the highest, then faucet the Bluetooth icon on the second web page, after which select ‘Exercise Equipment’. From there, you can begin your pairing.
That mentioned, it’s been hit and miss for me. The JetBlack Victory Sensible Coach paired with out issues, but the Quarq RED energy meter (2024) pairs and connects generally, and fails different instances. Frankly, I’d have anticipated the alternative – since Quarq Bluetooth energy meter pairing has been round for roughly a decade now. And even as soon as paired with the JetBlack Victory and exhibiting energy on the watch and within the app, it fails to ship that energy information to Strava (however does export it not less than to the .FIT file, through the exporter within the app). Once more, it’s one more instance of a half-finished characteristic.
When it comes to working/driving with it, it labored completely advantageous for me in all my exercises from a knowledge/usablity standpoint. That means, I had no issues utilizing it for pacing or distance/and many others… I believe that’s one of many issues that many overlook when working/and many others watches. By and huge, all of those watches do the entire “how briskly/how far” factor fairly properly. Actually, I’ll give further credit score that AmazFit even has a ‘Resume Later’ choice (helpful for multi-day treks or lengthy breaks).
As soon as your exercise is full, you’ll see a abstract on the watch itself:
And likewise, on the app:
All of which then syncs off to apps like Strava and others. And, you can even export out .FIT information instantly from the app (kudos on that, want extra firms did that). Nevertheless, as at all times, there are quirks. For instance, the exports to Strava don’t include your biking energy information (for those who had an influence meter). Sigh…
Likewise, I’ve additionally had a number of exercises, seemingly within the day or two following some water actions, the place it was firing blanks for altitude-related information, comparable to elevation (this informal hike with the youngsters concerned loads of ups and downs, but confirmed zero on the watch):
Although, on the app, it confirmed up correctly:
Now when it comes to coaching load and restoration stats, AmazFit will monitor your coaching load, and truly does a reasonably good job of it at a excessive stage. Although, the numbers I get from AmazFit are typically double that of Garmin, however, on this particular space, the precise quantity isn’t essential so long as it’s constant (which, it’s). I additionally *GREATLY* admire that AmazFit accurately reveals your 7-day trending load, and doesn’t reset it each Monday morning (like COROS and some others do, fully lacking the purpose of coaching load):
Nevertheless, when it comes to VO2Max values, they’ve been considerably beneath my latest examined VO2Max, and all different units. Additional, the unit doesn’t calculate any VO2Max for any sports activities besides working.
When it comes to ‘Restoration’, there are two items. First, it’ll listing a restoration time (presumably till the following laborious exercise):
After which inside the Readiness bits, there’s additionally the ‘Bodily Restoration Rating’, which…umm…by no means actually adjustments a lot.
Lastly, a fast observe about free diving. On this situation, the unit is proscribed to 45m of depth gauge particulars – past that it gained’t show correct depth (till you get again inside the 45m vary). The unit doesn’t have a Scuba profile, however as an alternative, has ‘Outside freediving’, ‘Indoor free diving’, and ‘Spearfishing’. Additional, it additionally has snorkeling.
Whenever you open a free diving profile for the primary time, it’ll warn you of assorted dangers of each the bounds of the system, and free diving dangers usually.
Throughout the settings, you’ll be able to change the water sort, although extra notably, you’ll be able to customise alerts for diving depth, length, in addition to floor interval alerts.
After that, you’re offered with the beginning display, the place you’ll be able to press ‘Go’. Although technically talking, it gained’t truly begin the counter till you submerge (GPS is used although to mark areas on the map):
In my case, I’m a scuba diver, however not a free diver (targets for the spring…), so this was extra simply snorkeling and informal diving all the way down to about 6 or so meters (~18-20ft) to indicate how the depth gauge works. I ran out of water depth on this bay to go any deeper. Unhappy panda.
On the unit (by default) you’ll see your present/max depth, ascent data, water temperature, and coronary heart price. Plus the compass. However you’ll be able to customise these as you see match.
However one more instance of just a little quirk although is that I obtained a ten% battery alert notification pop-up mid-dive. I couldn’t dismiss it with the buttons (and clearly, not the touchscreen).
It will definitely disappeared once I obtained to the floor, however that is the type of factor that will completely represent an enormous security violation on another dive laptop (particularly, the shortcoming to dismiss it and see your depth, not the precise alert itself). Once more, it’d sound minor, nevertheless it’s seemingly minor issues which might be actually essential to get proper.
Nonetheless, afterward within the app you’ll see a recap of your dive profile, together with every dive listed/proven, in addition to the depths/instances:
Setting apart the battery bug, all of that is tremendous cool to have in a low-priced system. Whereas the 45m max restrict is kinda low for extra superior free divers, it’s completely advantageous for snorkeling and different shallow fishy actions. Most different watches which have a depth gauge are restricted to both 7-8m (Suunto Race for instance), or 40m (Apple Watch Extremely 2, Garmin Fenix 8, and many others…). And the Suunto Ocean at 60m. Nevertheless, all of these are $800+.
Mapping & Navigation:
The AmazFit T-Rex 3 contains the power to obtain maps to the watch from the app, together with base maps, Ski Maps, and Contour Maps. After which, we’ll get into the routing functionality, however, I’d learn this part rigorously, as a result of as is usually the case with AmazFit, the small print matter.
To begin, you’ll crack open the app and go to Gadget > Map, after which zoom out to the realm you wish to cowl, comparable to beneath:
From there, you’ll return to your watch and choose Settings > Map > Map Sources, to really see the standing of mentioned obtain. It’s just a little bit cumbersome that it doesn’t simply begin downloading instantly. It’s right here you’ll must configure WiFi for those who haven’t already. WiFi is required for map downloads (like most watches, although COROS does enable map downloads through Bluetooth).
From there it’ll begin the obtain of the map. It took about 2 minutes to obtain the entire island of Mallorca, an space I outlined as roughly 100km x 175km. You’ll be able to obtain a number of map areas, so in my case I additionally downloaded one for the Netherlands and Belgium as properly, which took just a little bit longer – about 10 minutes. However that’s fairly darn affordable, given how large it was.
At this level, you’re prepared to begin navigating a course or route, which requires first getting a route onto the system. That half is a bit messy. In contrast to all their opponents, AmazFit doesn’t have route connectivity for Strava Routes (although they did not too long ago add Komoot Routes, extra on that in a second). As a substitute, you’ll should manually export out the GPX/TCX/KML file from these platforms, reserve it to your telephone, after which import it again into the AmazFit app, after which you’ll push it to the watch.
For instance, I created a path run in Strava, then downloaded and saved the .GPX file to my telephone. On my telephone, I chosen it through the Information app (an iPhone), the place I instructed it to make use of the Zepp app to open it, which then pulled the route into the Zepp app (observe that for those who use Strava’s cellular app, there isn’t actually any simple strategy to export a file out, as an alternative, you might want to use their web site out of your telephone).
As soon as in your Routes library, you’ll be able to select to ship it to an AmazFit system, on this case the T-Rex 3:
After which, you’re in a position to head exterior and begin routing on it. To take action, you’ll open a sport profile (e.g., climbing/working/and many others…) after which choose navigation. From right here, you’ll be able to choose the route.
You’ll be able to see numerous particulars concerning the route, together with elevation and climbs:
When you’ve began the route, you’ll be able to navigate atop it. You’ll see a line (crimson in my case, although you’ll be able to customise it), after which my present place on that line. You’ll additionally see the gap remaining on the course listed (5.87km in my case).
You’ll be able to swap the orientation within the map, although oddly by default it’s North Up (versus the path of journey up like most watches).
In any case, as you strategy a flip, you’ll get discover about it:
Should you deviate off the course by 50m or extra, you’ll get a quirkily worded warning about that as properly. Although curiously, you’ll be able to customise the deviation distance (e.g., setting it for 20m/50m/100m/off).
Nonetheless, there are bizarre issues in mapping land. Firstly, is that it doesn’t present water as blue…or something close to blue. I reside on an island surrounded by the ocean. But, the map in both map model, reveals huge chunks of very agency rock floor as nebulous.
Only for context on the above, positive, the black part to the best of my place is water. However all the things north of me could be very a lot laborious floor (3 crimson arrows pointed at laborious floor that on the AmazFit map is water, and two crimson arrows pointing on the sea).
Once more, I very a lot admire that AmazFit makes downloading maps simple, however these aren’t good maps.
Now, as well as, AmazFit not too long ago added Komoot route assist, although, it’s fairly funky. It looks as if a characteristic that was constructed by a single individual that wasn’t allowed to combine with the remainder of the app. It’s oddly silo’d away from all the things. Usually, you’d see your routes in your route library – however that’s not how the Komoot ones work. To get to those routes, every time, you might want to go to:
Zepp App: Profile > Third-Get together Account Linking > Komoot > Import Routes > [Manually refresh each time] > Faucet route identify > Save
Then, as soon as that’s performed, you might want to ship it to your watch, so, there’s extra steps:
Zepp App: Exercise Tab > Scroll to backside > My Route > Faucet route identify > Ship to system
What’s humorous is how close to equivalent this course of is to the COROS route sending course of. The UI appears to be like equivalent, the ready/sending prompts are equivalent, all the things is identical. A lot in order that I can’t determine if AmazFit has licensed it from COROS, or simply blatantly copied it. Sadly, I want AmazFit copied different options from COROS as an alternative of this one, as this continues to be the singular characteristic that frustrates me probably the most on the COROS platform.
Nonetheless, as soon as it’s synced, you then’re good to go simply as with earlier than and the guide routes.
As a lot as some YouTubers wish to proclaim this to be a ”Fenix Killer” or ”Garmin Killer”, it’s the navigation and routes items that present simply how insanely far that’s from actuality. Certain, it’s obtained maps at a discount value, however these maps suck. If I don’t know I’m strolling in the direction of an ocean/lake and assume it’s land, how helpful is that basically, when it counts?
Likewise, the route import course of is extremely clumsy – with none capacity to create a route within the app itself. Thus, you’ve possible gotta pay for an additional platform to create your route. Once more, AmazFit goes in the best path, however the product as it’s in the present day isn’t actually able to compete with most different items in the marketplace.
GPS & Coronary heart Fee Accuracy:
With properly over 2 months of near-daily exercises on the T-Rex 3, I’ve obtained a reasonably good grasp of the place it really works properly, and the place it falls aside from an accuracy standpoint. Thus, moderately than drop some 60 exercises on this part, I’m highlighting those that each most consultant of the efficiency, in addition to some ‘attention-grabbing’ ones from a route/complexity/and many others standpoint.
On this part I’ll cowl coronary heart price accuracy, GPS accuracy (configured in the very best accuracy mode), in addition to elevation/altitude accuracy. I’ll be doing so in opposition to different items concurrently used throughout every trip, together with trusted coronary heart price sensors and watches/bike computer systems. I’ll principally skew in the direction of newer exercises, although I noticed no actual change all through this time interval.
With that, we’re gonna bounce straight into it with a 90-minute interval run from earlier this week. Certain, I might present you simple stuff first, however there’s no motive to – it aces all that. And in reality, it additionally practically aces this interval run as properly. Right here it’s in comparison with an Apple Watch Extremely 2 on the opposite wrist, the COROS HR band, and a Garmin chest strap:
You’ll be able to see solely a handful of very tiny errors, first firstly for a number of seconds right here or there, after which on the finish of the final interval, once I held up a digital camera to take a brief video, that tripped up the optical HR sensor (considerably uncommon, but in addition not an enormous subject).
From a GPS accuracy standpoint, this was loop after loop, although the primary loop did undergo the downtown portion that included numerous high-rise accommodations, and it had no points being within the shadow/overhangs of that:
Right here’s a zoomed-in look:
Now, I’ve performed path runs as properly – although frankly, these too have been equivalent to this. Boringly excellent. Actually, virtually all of my runs have been just about boringly excellent no matter terrain/atmosphere, or interval construction.
So as an alternative, let’s change sports activities, and swap over to biking. First, we’ll begin with an indoor exercise – this one a 1hr 45min coach trip:
At a excessive stage, it too appears to be like very very shut. Although once more, within the first jiffy throughout the warm-up interval, there are some moments of battle, particularly once I shift into some brief bursty intervals. Right here the Apple Watch Extremely 2 tracks these adjustments a lot sooner.
Nonetheless, the rest of the exercise was simply advantageous, just about equivalent to the opposite coronary heart price sensors.
So let’s head exterior, to extend complexity. This trip was the famed Sa Calobra route in Mallorca. It’s a sequence of climbs and descents. That’s notable, since you’ll see which sections it actually struggles in (although, seemingly, all of them). I’ve put arrows on every part, indicating whether or not it was up or down, and to a half-hearted diploma, how steep it was (which roughly corresponds with velocity, which may affect highway vibrations).
As you’ll be able to see, it did OK throughout the first climb for the primary 45-50 minutes. Nevertheless, after that half, it struggled very closely. I’d have anticipated struggling on the descents (frequent for optical HR sensors whereas biking. However I’d have totally anticipated the principle climb (beginning at ~2hrs in) to be tremendous simple for the unit. In any case, it was a gentle climb on clean pavement for 45 minutes. However alas, it was a scorching mess.
On the intense aspect, shifting to the elevation realm, issues are fairly stable there. The three items have been usually inside at 15m the complete time (the slight delay you see on the Edge 540 on the finish is just because it obtained paused for a minute or so, therefore the offset):
When it comes to GPS, once more, no points right here, regardless of twisty-turny roads within the mountains, underneath tunnels and no matter different loopy road-in-cliffside creations the nation of Spain has determined to create. At a excessive stage, it’s clearly laborious to see within the information:
However when you zoom in, issues are stable, regardless of a few of this being descents at 50-60KPH:
And once more, right here too:
And once more, irrespective of which rides I have a look at: Mountain, path, highway, metropolis, and many others… all of them are just about equivalent. Zero issues, very stable.
Lastly, we’ll take a fast have a look at an openwater swim. That is one of some swims, however, is the latest one. Albeit not the most effective one, the earlier one practically two months in the past was barely higher, although, not massively so. Whereas that is positively on the decrease finish of GPS accuracy for an openwater swim. Right here it’s, alongside the swim buoy reference monitor (a GPS unit hooked up to a swim buoy above the water, utilizing a clear GPS monitor):
Should you zoom in, you’ll be able to see the T-Rex 3 is unquestionably fairly wobbly:
This isn’t a deal-breaker clearly, nevertheless it isn’t in keeping with most different merchandise out there in the present day from a wide range of firms. Heck, even COROS managed to lastly repair their openwater swim points in latest items – thus placing most firms in the identical ballpark.
Nonetheless, setting openwater swims apart, I’m fairly darn pleased with accuracy for GPS and elevation, and working coronary heart price + indoor biking. Biking out of doors coronary heart price clearly leaves a lot to be desired although.
Wrap-Up:
Every year AmazFit will get nearer and nearer to being a viable model within the endurance sports activities watch class. And, relying in your standards, it might already be one. The corporate’s technique to date has largely been “Sure to all the things”, not less than on the floor stage. Because of this, when evaluating this system to others from a characteristic standpoint, it seems to do properly. That rewards each lazy reviewers, and the corporate alike. And positively, there are some options it does properly – and even higher than, present firms within the area. And clearly, the worth is unimaginable, be it on sale or in any other case.
The issue although is sarcastically not the laborious stuff that almost all newer watch firms battle with. The GPS and coronary heart price accuracy have truly been stable for me. Likewise, the battery life can be implausible. And whereas all of us have our model preferences, when it comes to sturdiness, it appears stable too. And heck, no one else on this market has a depth gauge of their watch wherever close to this value level (and even 2x this value level).
As a substitute, a lot of the software program options appear solely surface-level completed. For instance, mapping is usable till water is concerned (lake/ocean/river/and many others), and you then notice the maps don’t differentiate between water and not-water (loopy as that may sound). Likewise, the latest Komoot Routes integration is clearly half-baked at greatest, buried deep in unrelated menus and falling far in need of all their opponents implementations. Identical goes for contactless funds, which in the true world solely works with a single fee processor that most individuals don’t have or wish to sign-up for. And all this units apart the diving security subject I bumped into, or the infinite nagging to sign-up for his or her premium platform.
However once more, as I mentioned earlier, a lot of this jogs my memory of COROS years in the past. Firstly, they principally simply copied Garmin (fonts and icons included), and undercut deeply on value. However over time, they obtained higher and higher at doing their very own dance, and truly innovating on extra than simply value. Within the final yr or two, COROS has began to grasp that ending software program options is extra essential than amount. Because of this, they’re placing out merchandise (like the COROS Tempo 3 and COROS Tempo Professional) that aren’t simply paper opponents to Garmin/Suunto/Polar, however very legit opponents. COROS has slowed down the infinite churn of usually half-baked software program options, to ship fewer however totally cooked options.
If Zepp/AmazFit could make that transition, they might grow to be a really legit competitor within the endurance area. That requires them not solely concentrate on ending options, but in addition updating present watches (one other ache level of the corporate, which usually simply releases a brand new mannequin as an alternative annually, not often providing significant updates for earlier homeowners). As a result of once more, it’s clear they’re innovating on value, and even the amount of options included in a watch (comparable to voice instructions or free diving at this value level).
And for everybody’s sake – I hope they will make that transition, because it’d be implausible to have extra opponents on this area that athletes can look to. That’s the most effective factor for all of us.
With that – thanks for studying!
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