One of the most recurring issues for watches is design compromises. It's hard to cram all of the various specs and sensors that make these tiny wrist computers so functional into something you'd want to wear out on. The result is usually a thick, unattractive device that costs as much as a nice traditional watch, with the double burden of needing to be charged once a day.
Wear OS is a slow- moving disaster, limiting the number of compelling options on the Android side, because of the hardware tradeoffs that are met with equally cumbersome software in the form of Wear OS. Things will get more interesting with the introduction of the new Wear OS 3.
Things are a little different for the company. The company's home-grown Tizen software is used instead of Wear OS in theGalaxy Watch line, which features hardware niceties like circular displays and rotating bezels. The Watch Active line of watches has a focus on health and fitness, and the new watch brings support for some advanced readings.
A variety of health-focused features, including an EKG and blood pressure sensor, can be found in theGalaxy Watch 3. It doesn't have the widest third-party app support, but you will get good battery life, a bright display, and a good Tizen OS software.
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Consumers can choose between 41mm and 45mm sizes, which have the same specifications, including the Exynos 9110 and 8GB of internal storage. The sizes started at $399.99 and $429.99, respectively, with an optional titanium variant of the 45mm model priced at $599.99, as of January 2022. There is a variant of either size that is $50 more expensive.
The 41mm and 45mm versions of theGalaxy Watch 3 are available in either Mystic Bronze or Mystic Silver. The leather band of the watch is swapped for a metal one in the mystic black version.
Hayato Huseman is a part of the Android Central.
The hardware of the watch is pretty amazing. The casing is made from titanium and is just as good as it looks. The 41mm review unit I was sent was still over 11mm thick, which is a bit on the thicker side. It is slightly thicker than the 45mm version since it needs to cram all of the same sensors into a smaller enclosure.
I love how small of a footprint this watch is, as it takes up less space on my wrist than an analog watch I typically wear. I like leather bands and have no complaints with the one that comes with the box, you can swap it out for a standard 20mm band if you like metal or silicone.
I was glad that the physical rotating bezel was reintroduced on the Watch 3, because I thought the touch screen on the Active 2 was pretty slick. It makes scrolling through the software interface delightfully fun because of the audible click with each dial rotation. Even when you are not using the watch, it is still like having a spinner strapped to your wrist.
It is not as easy to match an outfit with a watch that resembles a pink or rose gold if you have a lot of band shirts. It is a fun, eye-catching color that you won't see much of in the competition.
The 41mm variant of the watch has a smooth rotating bezel around the display, while the 45mm version has a ridged ring.
Hayato Huseman is a part of the Android Central.
If the software isn't equally good, watches don't add up as much as they should. Most of the Tizen holds up. Tizen will no longer get updates after the launch of the Galaxy Watch 4.
I love how the interface works with a circular display. You can scroll through pages and menus with the rotating bezel, and you can also touch and scroll on the screen. If you have never used a Tizen watch before, it is easy to learn.
The blood pressure detector and electrocardiogram are new additions to the watch. The FDA did not approve these features in the U.S., and in order to retroactively enable the settings, the company put the necessary hardware into some of its older watches. The watch 3 announcement coincides with the approval of the watch 3's EKG and blood oxygen sensor tech, which was activated in late September 2020.
VO2 max is the maximum amount of oxygen you can use while exercising, and it can be read out by the Watch 3's pulse oximeter. You can get a VO2 estimate after each workout, but you have to manually start blood oxygen readings through the health app.
Andrew Martonik often complains about the reliability of the gps on his watches, but I have found the Watch 3 to be fairly accurate. On a three-mile walk through a paved trail with distance markers every half-mile, theGalaxy Watch 3 stayed consistent with the signs I passed and gave me a full post-workout sheet with stats like my heart rate trends, calories burned, etc.
Hayato Huseman is a part of the Android Central.
For a second, let's talk about that software. I like the general interface, but third-party app support is still lacking. There is only one app on my phone that has an app on the Watch 3. I have found that the Spotify app is unreliable and fails to control my music.
The Watch 3's battery life was a bit disappointing. It is not bad. With the always-on display disabled, I was able to squeeze two or three days out of a single charge. Even one full day is pushing AOD at times, especially if you are using the Watch for activity monitoring.
The charging situation is something I would like to see improve. The magnetic puck is the same as every previous one, and it is easy to remove. I picked up the Watch 3 hours after putting it on the charge, but it wasn't seated right and didn't charge at all. I would love to see a USB-C option.
The launch price is sky-high. The original price for the 41mm model of the watch was $400, but it went up to $600. If you've looked at any Wear OS-powered watches recently, you're bound to feel some sticker shock. If you want a premium watch, you need to buy it even at its newly discounted rates.
The source is Daniel Bader.
If you don't like the idea of spending a few hundred dollars for a watch with software with numbered days, the first thing you should consider is the Wear OS option from Samsung. There are two options, the standardGalaxy Watch 4 that borrows a lot from theGalaxy Watch Active 2, and theGalaxy Watch 4 Classic, which is more faithful to theGalaxy Watch 3.
You will get some impressive health tracking options regardless of which watch you choose. You get both options, but you also get a new BIA sensor. The feature gives you deeper insights into your health.
Fossil Gen 6 is an option if you are interested in other options. The Gen 6 series features a rotating crown for interface with the software, similar to the one used by SAMSUNG. Basic fitness tracking and heart rate monitoring are the same features that you get.
Hayato Huseman is a part of the Android Central.
The collection of health-focused features of theGalaxy Watch 3 puts it in direct competition with brands like Apple. The best way to interact with a smartwatch is through the rotating bezel. The Tizen OS is well-tailored for the circular display, but it will not be around much longer.
The weak third-party network of apps could be a deal-breaker for some, but the Watch 3 performs its core function well and packs a lot of features. If you leave the always-on display feature off, you will get good battery life, a sharp display that is bright enough to use outdoors without a hitch, and a stylish leather band that is easy to swap out.
There are a lot of Wear OS alternatives at lower price points that benefit from a wider selection of third-party apps. Most of the time, you will be giving up some combination of hardware polish and fitness sensors. Even though the watch won't be supported forever, it is an excellent looking watch with a solid set of features.
There are a variety of health-focused features in theGalaxy Watch 3, including an EKG and blood pressure sensor.
The article was published in August 2020. The following changes were made in January 2022.
The following changes were made in April 2021.
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