Amazfit GTS 2e review: Praise worthy health and fitness tracker on budget
I reviewed the Amazfit GTS (read review here) in November 2019 and the Apple Watch lookalike was indeed promising health and fitness smart wearable of its time, despite it being subjected to a few software glitches that marred the user experience. Then came the Amazfit GTS 2, which brought wholesome upgrades, including the blood-oxygen saturation (SpO2) monitor and BioTracker 2 PPG optical sensor for heart rate, stress levels, and PAI score. The successor to the GTS, the second-gen health and fitness tracker had everything in place, except accuracy.
Cut to 2021, Amazfit has added two new models – the Amazfit GTR 2e and GTS 2e – to expand its portfolio. Part of the GTS series, the GTS 2e is not a successor to the GTS 2 but a cheaper variant of the model priced at Rs 9,999. The GTS 2e borrows several features from the GTS 2 but does it manage to fix the accuracy issue that marred its predecessors? Let’s find out:
Design and display
Like the GTS and GTS 2, the GTS 2e takes design cue from Apple Watch yet it looks novel and intriguing. The GTS 2e has a 1.65-inch HD AMOLED display of 341 pixel-per-inch pixel density. This is amongst the finest displays you get in a health and fitness wearable and the touch response is fairly good too. The AMOLED panel makes the colours pop. Thanks to good brightness levels, the display is easy to read under direct sunlight. The GTS 2e supports custom display wallpapers and there are several built-in display faces too to complement a new look every day.
The rectangular display has vacuum coating for scratch-and wear-resistance and narrow bezels around it. It has a 2.5D curved glass that meets the aluminum alloy body. There is a single crown on the right that wakes up the watch and opens sports mode upon double press. At the rear, there are sensors and charging points. The GTS 2e comes with different colour themed silicone straps, which are comfortable to wear and complements the overall looks of the watch. Light in weight (25g), the GTS 2e is comfortable to wear, even while sleeping.
Features and performance
Setting up the Amazfit GTS 2e is smooth through its complementary Zepp app. The app detected the watch quickly and creates a connection through Bluetooth in no time. After the initial set-up, the app takes some time to check the new firmware update. The app interface is minimal but functional, compared to its previous iteration, which was cluttered with details and information.
Coming back to the GTS 2e, there is pretty much everything covered here with regard to sensors. It has an accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate, thermometer, barometer, altimeter, etc. Moreover, there is a built-in GPS for independent location tracking services.
The GTS 2e is capable of tracking most of the health and fitness metrics. Importantly, the health and fitness tracker does it accurately. The step counter sometimes goes overboard in counting the steps but works fine if you plan to track a walk. The reading from the heart rate monitor is accurate too.
The GTS 2e can measure blood-oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels, body temperature, atmospheric pressure, and altitude. It can also track the sleep cycle. Besides, there are several fitness modes, including running, cycling, and swimming. The GTS 2e registers the data and syncs it with the smartphone through the Zepp app. The app shows the data through meaningful illustrations, making it easy to understand and comprehend. For example, if you want to see how you fared throughout the week or month, you can open the Zepp app and swipe on the metric to see graphics. The app also lets you compare data.
While everything seems in place, the GTS 2e could also have been a good smartwatch if it had value-added functions like quick replies for message notifications and the ability to attend calls. Another thing that is not up to the mark is the offline voice commands, which take forever to do the task and you are better off the conventional way.
Battery
The Amazfit GTS 2e has a 246mAh battery, which is touted to go on for about 14 days on a single charge. In real life usage, the GTS 2e lasts for about nine days on a single charge with always-on display enabled, vibration on, full brightness, 24-hour heart rate monitoring, etc. The battery time goes up slightly if you use the GTS 2e with brightness set at 50 per cent and vibration disabled.
Verdict
At Rs 9,999, the Amazfit GTS 2e offers the comfort of a smartwatch and the utility of an able fitness tracker. It faces stiff competition from the recently launched Mi Watch Revolve and Realme Watch S Pro. However, its minimal design, accurate health and fitness tracking, and ability to handle basics right make it a better proposition. Amazfit may have missed the mark with GTS and GTS 2 but the GTS 2e impresses on several counts and is worthy of praise.
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