Amazfit GTS 2 and GTR 2 Fitness Smartwatches
The GTS 2 and GTR 2 affordable fitness smartwatches from Amazfit are not only fashionable, they have all the fitness tracking features you will ever need with long battery life to boot so you do not have to worry about charging it everyday. It even comes with a water resistant case and choice of case and strap.
The two Fashion series smartwatches from Amazfit, the GTS 2 with a Square case and GTR 2 with a Round case, are some of the most affordable fitness smartwatches out there. These are available in the following sizes:
- Amazfit GTS 2: square case in midnight black, urban gray or desert gold
- Amazfit GTR 2: round case in obsidian black with classic stainless steel or sports black case
Note the letter S for Square and R for Round case in the two series. They can easily be overlooked.
Amazfit GTS 2 – Apple Watch-like square case smartwatch
If you like a rectangular watch face and case, similar to that of the Apple Watch then the Amazfit GTS 2 is for you. The second generation watch supports Amazon Alexa and like the new Apple Watch 6, it measures blood oxygen saturation levels, and monitors sleep quality. Also like the Apple Watch, it features 3D curved bezel-less display design with edge-to-edge glass and slim side profile.
The Fitness Smartwatch with Style
The case is made from aluminium alloy in brushed midnight black, urban gray or desert gold finish. The glass over the display is also coated with oDLC (diamond-like carbon) for better resistant to scratches and wear. Underneath that glass is a 1.65-inch AMOLED HD display with sharp 341ppi pixel density. Choose one of the watch faces to personalise the watch, including custom modular complications and matching always own clock face.
Where it differs is the protruding anchor points for the straps. While Apple prefers a slot fitting for its straps, the Amazfit GTS 2 has a more conventional strap anchor. The Amazfit also has a single crown or button protected by the case, see image below. The Apple Watch has a crown and a button.
Search Amazfit GTS 2 on Amazon
What are its onboard sensors
Now for the tracking features. The Amazfit GTS 2 comes with the latest Biotracker 2 PPG high-precision optical sensor. With the Amazfit GTS 2 you can get SpO2 measurement quickly to check on your blood oxygen saturation level. It also comes with an all-day heart rate monitor that checks your heart rate and provides warning when your resting heart rate is abnormally high. Then there is the PAI Health Assessment System that combines all your health data to give you a score called the PAI value to have an overall view of your health and fitness state. Next, the Sleep Quality Monitor to help you optimise your sleep, tracking your light sleep, deep sleep and REM times. It also offers information on sleep breathing conditions and offer suggestions. And finally, the stress monitor showing your level of stress from relaxed, normal, medium or high so you can react accordingly.
What about its fitness functions
As for fitness modes, use one of the 90 built-in sports modes to track your workout. Like the Apple Watch, it will also automatically recognise your working using Smart Recognition. The latter is restricted to only 6 sports modes; outdoor running, treadmill, walking, outdoor cycling, pool swimming and elliptical. Once you have completed your workout, you can pull up the analytical report on the mobile app. Use this to plan and improve your next workout.
What it is great at
Other useful features include 5 ATM waterproof case (up to 50 meters), onboard 3GB music storage and playback without a phone by connecting a pair of Bluetooth headphones or directly from the watch speaker and the ability to access key information quickly with a swipe to the right for shortcut cards or left for quick access to apps. Also when paired with a phone, you can answer calls directly on the watch. Now, depending on your personal preference, the screen can be rotated to 180 degrees, which means you can either have the crown on the right or left side of the watch. You can also set the alert duration and intensity for better haptic feedback.
Another feature that makes it a better choice over the Apple Watch 6 is its battery life. With typical use, the watch will last up to 7 days with its 246 mAh battery. That same battery can be pushed up to 20 days with basic usage.
What we felt could be better
Now for what it doesn’t do or wish it would do better. You won’t get a lot in way of apps and none that you can install like those on the Apple Watch. You will just have to make do with what is already onboard. These are enough for you to manage your events, messages, calls via Bluetooth, track your fitness, set alarms, stopwatch and timer as well as fitness goals. It will also give you the weather and remind you to stand up and move.
The screen is also not as bright as we would like it to be. Using it indoor is fine but when outside, you really have to work to see what is on the display. The watch is also lightweight which is good but easy to misconstrued for poor quality. Don’t get us wrong, the build quality is great, solid feel all around and the strap is comfortable to wear all day. You sometimes forget it is there thanks to its lightweight body. We also experience lag in changing between screens and apps, not so slow that you can’t use it but slow enough to be noticeable.
What about its companion app
As for the companion app, Zepp is the name. It is basically an optimised health data management point like Apple Health, Samsung Health and Huawei Health. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices. Having its own health dashboard lets you have access to everything that Amazfit GTS 2 tracks around the clock, 24/7 which includes exercise data and analysis, physical conditions (blood oxygen and hear rate), sleep quality and that PAI score.
Amazfit GTR 2: Where conventional round dial meets fitness smarts
Next, we have the Amazfit GTR 2, fitness smartwatch with a round dial as oppose to square on the Amazfit GTS 2. Its predecessor may have a more dressy look, available in two sizes, Amazfit GTR 42mm and Amazfit GTR 47mm in a range of colours and design to choose from, the new second generation falls back to a more subdued design. Available in sports edition with black silicone strap and black aluminium alloy case or black leather and stainless steel case, the GTR 2’s primarily targets the men.
The fitness smartwatch with a traditional look and style
Doing away with the chucky bezel, the Amazfit GTR 2 applies a 3D curved bezel-less design to give it that full dial look. The glass edge gradually transitions to its stainless steel body. Like the GTS 2 that glass is also coated with ODLC for resistant against scratches and standard wear. This gives it a conventional and more traditional round dial look. Underneath that glass is a big 1.39 inch AMOLED display with a sharp 326 ppi pixel density. Choose from over 50 watch faces to suit your style with over 40 matching always-on watch face designs. Together with the case, the watch is waterproof to 5ATM and weights 31.5 grams (sports) or 39 grams (classic). The former makes the watch swim proof with water resistance up to 50 meters. There are two buttons, these are parked at 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock positions for easy access.
Search Amazfit GTR 2 on Amazon
Even better battery life, up to double compared to GTS 2
With a bigger round case, the watch is able to house an even bigger battery at 471 mAh capacity almost double the capacity when compared to the battery in the GTS 2. This allows it to last up to 14 days on typical use, double that of the standard 7 days with the GTS 2 and up to 38 days on basic use (GTS 2 managed 20 days only). On a heavy use you can expect 6.5 days while GTS 2 only managed 3.5 days
Now for the sensors
The GTS 2 has the same set apps and BioTracker 2 PPG biological data sensor suite with support for blood oxygen. The 24-hour heart rate monitor keeps your body activities in check, with heart rate zones and warnings when your resting heart rate is abnormally high. As for the blood oxygen sensor, this measures your SpO2 level when you trigger it using the OxygenBeats app. For a snapshot of your health and fitness state, use the PAI Health Assessment System. This offers a single overall score as a PAI or Personal Activity Intelligence number that combines your heart rate, activity duration, and other health data into an intuitive score. Other sensors include the Sleep Quality Monitor and Stress Level Monitor.
What is it like for sports and workout
As a fitness smartwatch, it is not short of workout modes, supporting some 90 different workouts out of the box with 6 smart recognition modes. The latter means it will automatically recognise and track the 6 different workout modes (outdoor running, treadmill, walking, outdoor cycling, pool swimming and elliptical).
What else does it do
The onboard 3GB storage lets you carry your favourite tracks with you so you can listen to them on your Bluetooth headphones during your workout and leave your phone safely at home. Use the watch to control the music playback, changing tracks and volume level. When pair with a phone via Bluetooth, the onboard microphone and speaker also lets you take incoming calls without reaching for your phone. Even without the phone or Internet connection, the watch supports some basic voice commands using Offline Voice Assistant such as turn on sports modes or open the heart rate monitor. Other customisable features include screen rotation, alert duration and intensity, and quick access to functions and apps with left and right swipes.
What is great and what could be better
The onboard GPS works great for running and outdoor trekking. Mostly, the sensors are quite accurate, including round-the-clock heart rate and sleep. While the watch dial is big, the case is slim and light, which is great to wear all day and much better for wearing to sleep at night as you can hardly notice that it is there. Having the option to load the watch with my favourite tunes means I have my playlist with me. Accepting calls on the watch is a breeze. And that battery life is super amazing, even with its bright AMOLED display. Apple Watch is nowhere near this.
What we wish it could do better. There is only one watch size, 47mm and no smaller case options like 40 or 42mm like in the first generation and only available in obsidian black. Again, more colour and design options with the first generation GTR. Great for those who like big watch faces and large dials, not so much for people with smaller wrists. It also does not support contactless payment so no NFC google or Apple Pay and while the companion Zepp app is fine, there are. Finally, apps are limited to those built-in shown below.
