The new Amazfit GTR 3 smartwatch brings a lot of new features and also tries to keep the price tag affordable but it has got serious competition in form of the TicWatch E3, Mobvoi’s affordable Wear OS watch announced a few months ago.
Both Zepp Health and Mobvoi are Chinese manufacturers but they have strong roots outside their home country, thanks to their wide range of wearables that are also competitively priced and available in major markets across the globe.
Ticwatch E3 @Aliexpress (Black Friday – $199 $139) | @AmazonUS ($199)
Amazfit GTR 3 @Aliexpress (Black Friday – $189 $179) | @AmazonUS ($179)
This post will compare both smartwatches and also suggest which one is best suited for a user. First, let’s look at a spec-by-spec comparison of the two wearables:
| Amazfit GTR 3 | TicWatch E3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Display and resolution | 1.39-inch AMOLED display 454 x 454 | 1.3-inch High Density display 360 x 360 |
| Processor | Not stated | Snapdragon Wear 4100 and Mobvoi dual processor system |
| RAM and Storage | RAM not stated 2.3GB of available storage | 1GB RAM 8GB of storage (available storage will be lesser) |
| Operating System | Zepp OS | Wear OS |
| Sports Modes | 150+ | 20+ |
| Water resistance rating | 5 ATM Pool swimming | IP68 Pool swimming |
| Smart Assistant | Alexa | Google Assistant |
| NFC | No | Yes with support for Google Pay |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.1 LE | Bluetooth 5.0 |
| Wi-Fi | No | 2.4GHz Wi-Fi |
| GNSS | GPS + GLONASS + Galileo + Beidou + QZSS | GPS + GLONASS + Beidou |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Gyroscope BioTracker 3.0 PPG sensor (heart rate and SpO2) Geomagnetic sensor Barometric pressure sensor Ambient light sensor | Accelerometer Gyro sensor Heart rate sensor SpO2 sensor Low-latency off-body sensor |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Speaker | No | Yes |
| Battery capacity | 450mAh | 380mAh |
| Battery life | Up to 21 days in typical usage scenario Up to 35 days in Battery saver mode | Up to 72 hours in Smart mode Up to 45 days in Essential mode |
| Dimensions and weight | 45.8 x 45.8 x 10.8 mm 32 grams | 44 x 47 x 12.6 mm 32 grams |
| Compatibility | Android 7.0+ and iOS 12.0+ | Android and iOS |
Design and Display
Both smartwatches have a round dial but their designs are different. The TicWatch E3 has a smaller display attached to 20mm silicone straps but the watch is thicker than the Amazfit which uses 22mm silicone straps. The former’s case is also made from polycarbonate and glass fiber while the latter has an aluminum alloy case. There are two buttons on the TicWatch E3 while the Amazfit GTR 3 has a digital crown that can be rotated to navigate the watch alongside a secondary button.
Processor, RAM, and Storage
Zepp Health doesn’t say what processor powers the Amazfit GTR 3 neither is there a mention of the RAM. However, owners get 2.3GB of storage to store MP3 files. For the TicWatch E3, it has Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear 4100 and Mobvoi’s dual processor system along with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of storage for apps, podcasts, and songs.
Software
This is a major difference between both smartwatches. The Amazfit GTR 3 runs Zepp OS which is a new operating system that is designed by Zepp Health for its smartwatches. It is a lightweight OS that has better power efficiency than the old Amazfit OS. It also brings new features such as support for mini apps. There is an app store inside the companion app where users can download more apps. However, the type and number of apps are limited when compared to what you get from the TicWatch E3 which runs the more powerful Wear OS and has an extensive library of apps.
This is also the right time to mention that both smartwatches have a smart assistant. The Amazfit GTR 3 has Amazon’s Alexa while the TicWatch E3 comes with the Google Assistant.
Sports and Health Tracking
If you are picking up a smartwatch, you are most likely doing so to stay fit and healthy, hence why the sports and health tracking features of a watch are important.
The Amazfit GTR 3 has support for over 150 sports modes. That is an enormous amount even if the average user may only use a fraction. Of these 150+ sports modes, it can automatically detect 8. It also has sleep tracking, sleep breathing quality tracking, all-day heart rate and blood oxygen level measurement, stress level monitoring, breathing rate, and female cycle tracking.
For the TicWatch 3, there is support for 20+ professional workout modes including high-intensity interval training, and has support for automatic detection via TicMotion. It also has 24/7 heart rate measurement and blood oxygen saturation detection, sleep tracking, stress monitoring, TicZen for relaxing, and TicHear to alert you of unsafe sound levels.
Connectivity and Sensors
The Amazfit GTR 3 has Bluetooth 5.1 LE, a compass, a barometer, an ambient light sensor, and support for five satellite navigation systems, but doesn’t have NFC and Wi-Fi. The TicWatch E3 has Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4GHz WLAN, NFC with Google Pay support, an off-body sensor, and support for three satellite navigation systems but doesn’t have a compass and barometer.
Battery life
There is a bigger battery inside the Amazfit GTR 3 and combined with its more power-efficient operating system, its battery life goes up to 21 days which is miles ahead of the 3-day battery life the TicWatch E3 boasts. Surprisingly, the TicWatch E3 lasts 10 days longer in its Essential Mode which is similar to the battery saver mode of the Amazfit GTR 3.
Other features
The TicWatch E3 has a microphone and a speaker, so you can not only take calls on the watch but can also ask the Google Assistant questions and get an audio response. There is only a microphone available on the Amazfit GTR 3, so you can’t receive calls on the watch.
Both smartwatches are compatible with Android and iOS devices, have replaceable straps albeit of different sizes, and are water-resistant.
Price
The Amazfit GTR 3 is priced at $179.99 and available in two colors while the TicWatch E3 is $199.99 and can be purchased in only black.
Conclusion
The two watches have their own strengths and weaknesses. Those who want a smartwatch with amazing battery life, are tied to the Amazon ecosystem, and need a watch that has a compass and barometer are better off purchasing the Amazfit GTR 3 as it ticks all of these boxes. It also costs less.
The TicWatch E3, which is pricier but regularly goes on sale and is even $169.99 on the official website as at the time of writing, has a more feature-rich operating system with support for full-fledged apps. It is also more powerful thanks to its Snapdragon Wear 4100 processor and packs more storage. Another merit is support for NFC and Google Pay so users can use their watch to make payments. Those who are tied to the Google ecosystem will also prefer it as they can control compatible devices from their smartwatch.
Which of the two smartwatches do you prefer? Do let us know in the comment box.
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