Amazfit GTS Review - sports smartwatch with an Apple look
Huami
Amazfit GTS
Display
Display: AMOLED
Display diagonal: 1.65 inches
Display resolution: 348 x 442 pixels
Screen Protector: Gorilla Glass 3
Processor and memory
CPU: Unknown
RAM: Unknown
Internal storage: Unknown
Memory extension: no
other
Bluetooth: 5.0 BLE
WiFi: no
GPS: Yes
Pedometer: Yes
Heart rate monitor: PPG BioTracker
OS: Android / iOS
Battery: 220 mAh
Waterproof: up to 5 ATM
Size: 43.25 36.25 x x 9.4 mm
Weight: 25g (without bracelet)
Amazfit GTS smartwatch
The Amazfit GTS was already presented for the international market in September 2019. Manufacturer is the China-based company Huami, which is also used for the development and production of various Xiaomi wearables (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Band 4) responsible for.
Like all previously released Amazfit wearables, the GTS is with the proprietary Amazfit OS fitted. The target group are primarily amateur athletes, the Amazfit OS more than 12 sports programs offers.
Design
At first glance, the Amazfit GTS looks confusingly similar to the Apple Watch. Both watches share a rectangular watch case with a curved display glass. The watch case is 43.25 mm high and 36.25 mm wide. The thickness is only 9.4 mm. Due to the compact design, the smartwatch looks very discreet even on narrow wrists. The weight is just under 25g without a bracelet and 39g with a bracelet.
Silicone bracelet with quick release
Speaking of bracelet: this is out skin-friendly silicone made, 20 cm long, 20 mm wide and adjustable in 13 steps. A pin buckle and two loops hold the GTS securely on the wrist. The bracelet can be replaced in no time using the quick-release fastener. spare bracelets with quick release there are all possible variations. Only the width of 20 mm has to fit.
High quality aluminum frame
A high-resolution AMOLED display is hidden behind the curved display glass. The sloping display glass merges into a chic aluminum frame. The power button is the only physical control element on the right. The back of the smartwatch, which is only made of plastic, is of less quality.
Waterproof to 5 ATM
The water resistance up to 5 ATM is also worth mentioning. That means as much as that the smartwatch can withstand the pressure of an assumed water column of 50 meters. In everyday use, the GTS is not afraid of water and can confidently remain on the wrist while washing hands and showering. Swimming is also possible with the Amazfit GTS, after all, the watch also has its own sports program. Diving and salt water should be avoided.
Six different colors
The Amazfit GTS is available in 6 different colors. In addition to classic black and gray, gold, pink, orange and blue are also available.
Display
In contrast to the older Amazfit models, which use a transflective display, the GTS uses 1.65 inches AMOLED display.
Bold colors, deep black
The display type is characterized by particularly strong colors (100% NTSC) and a deep black. The deep black is achieved by simply leaving the (black) pixels that are not required switched off. At the same time, energy consumption is reduced so that the GTS even in Always-On Operation achieved a long battery life. (You can find out more about battery life at the end of the review.)
Razor-sharp representation
Given the price of the watch, the display is a real highlight. An extremely high one meets the small 1.65 inch display Display resolution of 348 x 442 pixels, which in turn corresponds to razor-sharp 341 PPI. It is hardly possible to recognize individual pixels with the naked eye. The brightness and contrast are impeccable and the display looks good even in strong light. A brightness sensor automatically adjusts the display brightness to the ambient light. The small touchscreen reacts precisely to inputs. Only the animations are slightly jerky and delayed, which is due to the Amazfit OS.
Scratch-resistant display glass
The particularly scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass 3 delivers what it promises. Even after using the watch every day for several weeks, there is no scratch at the end of the test phase. The anti-fingerprint coating prevents annoying fingerprints and at the same time ensures better gliding on the display.
Functions of the Amazfit GTS
The Amazfit GTS is not a watch with which you can make calls, whatsapp, pay on the go or just surf the internet. The focus of the smartwatch is mainly on the extensive sports functions. Strictly speaking, the GTS is a Mix of fitness wristband and smartwatch, Those who expect a full-fledged smartwatch like the Apple Watch are clearly out of place with Huami watches!
Because of the proprietary Amazfit OS, no own apps can be installed, which is why one is dependent on the apps and functions that Amazfit specifies. At the same time, the GTS is strongly linked to the Amazfit app. A Bluetooth connection to the smartphone is required to set up the smartwatch, to evaluate the data collected and to receive notifications.
Pedometer and sports programs
Overall, they show that the GTS essentially wants to be a sports watch 12 sports programs and the extensive sensor system consisting of GPS Compass, One PPG BioTracker, One 6 axis accelerometer as well as a 3 axes G-sensor.
The GTS reliably records steps. Arm movements while sitting or driving are not counted as steps. A daily goal can be set in steps of 1000 using the Amazfit app. The watch itself clearly shows the steps taken, the route and the calories burned. An inactivity warning provides information about sitting for too long.
The following sports programs are available to the user:
- Running (outdoor)
- Running (indoor)
- Walking / hiking (outdoor)
- Biking (outdoor)
- Cycling (indoor)
- Swimming (swimming pool)
- Swimming (open water)
- elliptical trainer
- Climbing
- Trail Running
- Skiing
- free training
Each of the sports programs is tailored to the respective sport. For example, if you select swimming in the pool, the pool length must first be determined. activity goals can be determined in terms of route, duration and consumption. Depending on the selected sports program, there are also reminder options for distance, heart rate and speed to choose from. Some of the data, such as speed or heart rate, can also be in the form of a Real-time chart represent. All relevant data can be viewed at a glance.
It is practical Auto pause function of the sports programs. As soon as the sports program is interrupted, the GTS pauses data acquisition. In the test, the feature worked largely precisely. However, you should note that the auto pause function is very sharp. If you put in a short gear unit during running training, the watch can already pause the sports program!
GPS and outdoor
In order to be able to track outdoor activities even more precisely, the Amazfit GTS is equipped with GPS. What sounds excellent in theory still requires a lot of improvement in practice. It usually takes 15-60 seconds until a stable GPS signal is established. This is especially annoying when you are in a hurry.
The same applies to the route, which is very imprecise depending on the environment. In the open field, the deviation is already 1-2 meters. In the forest or urban areas, deviations of a good 6-10 meters are possible. An export and import option for GPX or TCX files are not available by default. The training data can only be exported in the appropriate format via third-party apps.
Update 17. January 2019
The Amazfit GTS has received an update. According to the changelog, the firmware improves with the Version number 0.0.8.37 the GPS speed and GPS accuracy. This improvement was reproduced in the test. The GPS fix is โโcompared to the Firmware 0.0.8.33 found faster overall and the location accuracy is a little more precise.
Heart rate and PAI
The heart rate is above one PPG sensor (photoplethysmography) determined. In the measuring process, light is directed into the skin and how much light is scattered back depending on the blood flow. The detection frequency can be set in 1, 5, 10 or 30 minutes in the Amazfit app. The sensor works continuously in the workout.
Unfortunately, the heart rate determination is only partially reliable. Failures and incorrect measurements occurred more frequently during the workout. Despite constant performance, the heart rate dropped from 130 to less than 80 and only slowly recovered to a realistic value. There is no possibility to connect a heart rate belt to the watch.
A new feature introduced by Huami is the "Personal Activity Intelligence" (PAI), PAI is a scientifically recognized procedure for determining the state of health. The so-called PAI score (7-1) is recorded in a time window of 100 days, which evaluates the individual health status based on the heart rate. To increase your fitness or to motivate yourself, PAI is an interesting function. How reliable the value is remains questionable due to the partially incorrect heart rate recording.
Sleep monitor and alarm clock
The sleep recording starts automatically when you fall asleep. Manual control is not possible. The data collected includes the time to fall asleep and wake up as well as the various sleep phases. The detection of sleep and wake-up times is accurate to within a few minutes. The always-on display is annoying and does not switch off during sleep monitoring.
Several wake-up profiles can be set via the GTS or the app. The alarm clock works reliably and also wakes up from a firmer sleep.
Notifications, music and others
If the GTS is connected to a smartphone, incoming calls can be made to the smartphone Notifications be transferred to the watch. For example, WhatApp messages or incoming calls can be displayed. There is no answer, however. You also have to do without emojis and pictures. Which app notifications are forwarded to the smartwatch can be set via the Amazfit app.
The Music feature The watch is not a music player, but a pure control for the music playback of the connected smartphone. The volume is adjustable, songs can be skipped and playback paused.
The other functions of the Amazfit GTS include one 7-day weather forecast with UV index, air humidity and wind strength Compass, timer, Countdown, as well as one Mobile search.
Amazfit app
As already mentioned, the smartwatch is very closely linked to the Amazfit app. The app can be downloaded free of charge via the Google Play or the Apple Store can be downloaded. As an alternative to the Amazfit app, you can also use the Mi Fit App synchronize and in Google Fit or Strava import.
Sports summary
In addition to managing the watch, the Amazfit app also evaluates the data collected. Sports activities can be presented in a prepared manner so that conclusions can be drawn about the average heart rate, the distance covered or the calories burned. All activities and daily steps can be filtered by days, weeks and months.
Watch Faces
There are more than 102 watch faces to choose from for customizing the smartwatch. Selected via the app, the watch face is transferred directly to the GTS.
- Create a watch face in .BIN format or download a watch face.
- Synchronize a watchface via the Amazfit app.
- Open the file path Android \ data \ com.huami.watch.hmwatchmanager \ files \ watch_skin_local on your smartphone
- Copy the file name of the file stored there and replace your .BIN Watchface with this file name.
- After a new synchronization, your new watchface is on the watch.
Accumulator
The battery has one Capacity of 220 mAh. It is charged via a magnetic 2-pin charging connector. The charging time is just under 100 minutes. The Battery life is heavily dependent on the respective use.
With always-on display, 2-hour sports program, about 30 notifications a day and GPS turned off, the battery lasts about 4 days. If you deactivate the always-on display, the battery lasts an average of 15 days. GPS is rapidly reducing battery life. If you walk in the forest for an hour and use GPS, you lose about 20% of the battery.
Price Comparison
Would you like to know where to buy the Amazfit GTS? In our price comparison we list the current offers of the most popular shops. All prices are checked and updated several times a day. Should a shop appear several times, it concerns the different warehouses of the dealer.
I have a Polar chest strap, can I pair it with the watch? LG
No you can't. Is also in the test if you have read it.
Thanks, I guess I skipped that. This of course speaks against the GTS, provided the heart rate measurement is really as imprecise as the author writes. On other pages you read something else. I have no idea what to believe now.
Hi Ricardo, as already mentioned by Stefan, you cannot connect an external heart rate monitor to the smartwatch. This function is available on other Amazfit watches, but the GTS has not (yet ?!) integrated it. In 2/5 cases, I noticed that the heart rate measurement does not work as it should. There are a few things that could be responsible, but I'm sure Huami still has to tweak the software. I already had a lot of Amazfit watches on my wrist and so far only the GTS has caused this error.