Why You Can Trust CNET These two Amazfit smartwatches are on sale for all-time low prices
The lovely and versatile GTR and GTS models are down to $120 and $130, respectively. Here's the one I'd choose.
The Amazfit GTR and GTS smartwatches debuted at the tail end of 2019 and only recently budged from their $180 and $150 list prices. For a limited time, however, both are on sale for the lowest prices to date. Should you consider either of them when you can get something like the new Amazfit Bip S for $70? That's up to you, of course, but these models look and feel a lot more premium -- for not much more cash. Plus, they offer ah-maze-ing battery life.
Amazfit GTS: $130 (Save $20)
The Amazfit GTS does a lot, and looks good while doing it.
First up, Amazon once again has the Amazfit GTS smartwatch for $130 in your choice of colors. It's not much of a savings, but still a decent price on a very nice watch.
The GTS looks a lot like the aforementioned Amazfit Bip , which is to say it looks a lot like an Apple Watch . It's incredibly lightweight, though, with an absolutely stunning 1.65-inch AMOLED display. (That's roughly equivalent to 42mm.)
Like the Bip, the GTS offers heart-rate monitoring, activity tracking and all manner of notifications. Unlike the Bip, it's water-resistant to 5 ATM, meaning it's suitable for the shower and pool.
I did some brief testing back in December and liked it a lot, particularly the speed and consistency of the raise-to-wake feature and the smooth responsiveness of the onscreen menus. The Amazfit app lets you choose from a few dozen watch faces (some cool, some classy, some geeky), but you can also load one that includes a custom background (like, say, a photo of the family dog).
You may need to do some tinkering in that app to get things like notifications set up to your liking, but most settings are easy and intuitive.
Battery life is about on par with Amazfit's promise of 14 days, though lots of variables can impact power consumption. Of course, even if it manages only half that, it's a huge improvement over the Apple Watch and many others.
Amazfit GTR: $120 (Save $60)
The gorgeous Amazfit GTR, shown here in stainless steel, is a solid deal at $120.
I'd been struggling to remember which watch was which, until I realized: The GTS has a square face, while the GTR is round. The latter is also gorgeous, definitely the looker of the two, and a better bet for someone seeking a more traditional-looking wearable. And right now, Amazon has the Amazfit GTR in aluminum alloy for $119.99. The stainless-steel version is priced about $6 higher.
The GTR is slightly thicker, with a slightly smaller display (though we're talking fractional differences here), but has one very impressive ace in the hole: a battery that's good for up to 24 days, according to Amazfit.
Beyond that, it's pretty similar to the GTS in terms of operation and capabilities -- which is to say, it's easy to use and extremely versatile.
Between the two, I'd definitely choose the GTR; the $10 savings is an added bonus. It's a much prettier watch, in my humble opinion, and the battery life is just bonkers.
Your thoughts?
Originally published last year. Updated to reflect new sale prices and include the GTR model. Removed expired bonus deal.
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