While several companies have successfully offered less expensive alternatives to the Apple Watch, mounting a direct challenge with premium features and design isn’t easy. But Huawei-owned Huami is giving it a shot with the new Amazfit GTR. Boasting a Retina-class AMOLED screen with 326PPI pixel density covered by Gorilla Glass 3, the Amazfit GTR offers seriously impressive battery life and a range of distinctive designs — including a licensed Iron Man edition, and another with Swarovski crystals.
Amazfit GTR is offered in two sizes: a 42mm model with a 1.2-inch, 390 x 390 screen and 195mAh battery, and a 47mm version with a 1.39-inch, 454 x 454 screen and 410mAh battery. Huami is positioning the smaller version as an atypically slim and lightweight 42mm watch, backed by enough battery power for 12 days of normal use or 34 days of “basic watch” functionality. If you’re willing to accept the size of the larger model, you’ll get up to 24 days of normal use or 74 days of “basic watch” performance. By comparison, Apple Watches promise one day of normal use, and even the latest and longest-running models need to be recharged every two days.
Huami hasn’t skimped on other hardware features, either. Amazfit GTR includes Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS and GLONASS, 50-meter water resistance, and a PPG sensor for optical heart rate monitoring. Other increasingly common smartwatch sensors, including a barometer, 6-axis accelerometer, 3-axis geomagnetic sensor, and ambient light sensor, are also included in each model, along with Android and iOS platform compatibility.
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On the design front, the 42mm model can be had in black, white, pink, or red standard versions, each only 25.5 grams in weight, while a limited edition model adds 60 Swarovski crystals within its ring-shaped bezel. The heavier 47mm Amazfit GTR comes in aluminum (36-gram), stainless steel (48-gram), or titanium (40-gram) versions; there’s also an Iron Man model with a golden body, customized red silicone strap, and exclusive Iron Man-themed face.
Huami’s prices are aggressive, too. A standard 42mm model is only 799 Chinese yuan ($116), with the Swarovski edition selling for 999 yuan ($145). The aluminum and stainless steel 47mm models are 999 yuan each, while the titanium and Iron Man editions run 1399 yuan ($203). Currently, the watches are only available for order in China, but they’re highly likely to make their way out of the country in the months to come.
