The Gear S3, despite only weighing 59g, still feels like a very heavy device on the wrist. To compare, the Samsung Gear S2 weighed 42g, and the Apple Watch 2 is 45.6g, so Samsung has gone meaty here with its latest smartwatch.
It's a very well-made device though, with a metal frame housing the 1.3 screen and holding the two prominent buttons on the side, which function as the Home / Apps and Back keys.
This distinction is hard to remember initially, but over time you'll start to get the hang of the way you're supposed to move through the menus, which is more by swiping and swinging the bezel than by hitting the physical buttons.
The bezel is the main feature of Samsung's recent smartwatches, with the rotating dial serving as a way to navigate through the Gear S3. Spinning it left and right on any screen will either scroll you through displays or let you select apps, or allow you to flip through a list quickly and without having to take your eyes off the screen.
It seems odd that there's no 'confirm' key, as you'll scroll through the apps you want, land on the one you were looking for, then have to stab it with a digit to open it. It's not the most fluid way of doing things - although you can set up the Gear to be able to open an app if you hover the dot over the software you fancy.
On the rear of the Gear S3 is the now-expected heart rate monitor, which appears to be of Samsung's own design.
This offers the ability to track your heart rate throughout the day, which is a key benefit of a device like this and designed for those that are trying to get fitter and like to monitor how their resting pulse is decreasing.
This review focuses on the Samsung Gear S3 Classic, which comes with a leather strap in the box. Like most other timepieces of this ilk, the leather is rather stiff at first and needs some heavy 'weathering' to get it to be a nice and flexible addition.
These straps are connected by the standard 22mm pin, which means that if you're buying the Gear S3 for fitness purposes, you're going to need to get a more sweat-resistant strap and probably wear it all the time, as it's a pain to change these over if you just fancy a quick run.
Then there's the choice of the Gear S3 Frontier as well, which comes with a slightly more rugged design and a rubberized strap as standard. If you're set to be on the go with your Gear S3 and focused on exercising while wearing your watch, you may want to opt for this version instead.
It's slightly heavier weighing in at 62g, but apart from the look and strap of the device there aren't many other differences to the Gear S3 Classic. You can even use the same straps as the Gear S3 Classic if you ever want to go for a slightly more formal look.
Some markets will be able to buy an LTE connected version of the Frontier, but that's not available in the UK or the US at the moment.
The 1.3-inch Super AMOLED screen on the Samsung Gear S3 is, unsurprisingly, one of the best on the market. That lack of surprise is due to the fact Samsung has had a long history of making brilliant screens for its phones, and using that same technology here means you've got a clear and bright screen.
Samsung is touting that the Gear S3 uses an Always On Display, the same used in the Galaxy S7 smartphone range and enabling the user to see the time no matter what the display is up to - it’s a nice thing to turn on, but it’ll really munch down on the battery.
That said, when it is turned on, the Gear S3 has a beautifully bright and vivid screen. The debate of round vs square smartwatch displays still rages here, as while the circular face is nicer aesthetically, text at the bottom of the screen is harder to see, which is less enticing.
It's not impossible to read, but just looks messy. It would also be good if there was an automatic ‘do not disturb’ (DND) mode here as well - that would mean when you're wearing the watch in bed and turned on DND you're not constantly flashing like the world's smallest lighthouse with every slight movement.
It's a very well-made device though, with a metal frame housing the 1.3 screen and holding the two prominent buttons on the side, which function as the Home / Apps and Back keys.
This distinction is hard to remember initially, but over time you'll start to get the hang of the way you're supposed to move through the menus, which is more by swiping and swinging the bezel than by hitting the physical buttons.
The bezel is the main feature of Samsung's recent smartwatches, with the rotating dial serving as a way to navigate through the Gear S3. Spinning it left and right on any screen will either scroll you through displays or let you select apps, or allow you to flip through a list quickly and without having to take your eyes off the screen.
It seems odd that there's no 'confirm' key, as you'll scroll through the apps you want, land on the one you were looking for, then have to stab it with a digit to open it. It's not the most fluid way of doing things - although you can set up the Gear to be able to open an app if you hover the dot over the software you fancy.
Then there's the choice of the Gear S3 Frontier as well, which comes with a slightly more rugged design and a rubberized strap as standard. If you're set to be on the go with your Gear S3 and focused on exercising while wearing your watch, you may want to opt for this version instead.
It's slightly heavier weighing in at 62g, but apart from the look and strap of the device there aren't many other differences to the Gear S3 Classic. You can even use the same straps as the Gear S3 Classic if you ever want to go for a slightly more formal look.
Screen
Samsung is touting that the Gear S3 uses an Always On Display, the same used in the Galaxy S7 smartphone range and enabling the user to see the time no matter what the display is up to - it’s a nice thing to turn on, but it’ll really munch down on the battery.
It's not impossible to read, but just looks messy. It would also be good if there was an automatic ‘do not disturb’ (DND) mode here as well - that would mean when you're wearing the watch in bed and turned on DND you're not constantly flashing like the world's smallest lighthouse with every slight movement.
Comments
Post a Comment