Samsung Galaxy Fit3 is an example of an optimal device that balances between inexpensive trackers and full-fledged smartwatches. From the former, the model borrowed ergonomics and a long operating time, and from the latter, high-quality materials and useful options such as a fall detection sensor.
Metal case and excellent strap
Theater starts with the hanger, and good affordable smartwatches start with quality materials. The Samsung Galaxy Fit3 makes a better impression from the very first seconds than many of its competitors. The body here is thin and made of aluminum rather than plastic. The side frames are matte, which is another plus, because the glossy sides quickly become covered with dirt and scratches.
The model pleases with a high-quality strap. It feels as pleasant and slightly velvety as in smart watches like the Samsung Galaxy Watch6. You want to touch it once again, and it does not irritate your wrist when worn for a long time. But the main thing is the ease of replacing it. There is no need to pry the latches at the edges with your fingernail; just press the button in the body of the wearable device itself – and the accessory will easily detach. On the other hand, choosing a third-party strap will be more difficult.
The design of affordable smartwatches is minimalistic. The gadget looks great with both a soft home suit and an expensive coat. The rounded edges of the case do not cling to the sleeves, and the only side key is flat and protrudes literally 1-2 millimeters – the risk of accidentally pressing it is minimized. Due to the narrow, elongated body and moderate weight (about 37 grams), the device fits perfectly even on a small wrist. Within half an hour or an hour you will completely get used to the Galaxy Fit3.
At the same time, the gadget received protection from moisture according to the 5ATM and IP68 standard – walking in the rain and exercising in the pool is not scary for it. There is even a special mode for locking the display in water.
The screen is smooth and bright, but has bezels
In fitness bracelets, it is the screen that often becomes a victim of savings. It usually lacks refresh rate, causing animations to look jerky. There are also problems with sensitivity and viewing angles.
Samsung Galaxy Fit3 is free of these shortcomings – the tracker’s display is good. It responds to swipes in the menu quickly and smoothly, which makes interaction with the device more comfortable. The 1.6-inch AMOLED matrix pleases with good viewing angles, perfect blacks and moderately saturated colors without distortion. In the settings, you can choose to wake up the screen by tapping or raising your wrist. The oleophobic coating is of high quality, dirt and fingerprints are easily removed. The resolution of 402 x 256 pixels provides a density of over 300 ppi, so the picture is detailed and without artifacts in fonts. But the frames here are noticeable, which, however, is typical of all fitness trackers.
The maximum brightness of the gadget is lower than on advanced watches, although there are no problems in everyday use – the image from the Galaxy Fit3 display is readable even outdoors. At the same time, there is a brightness adjustment sensor; you do not need to change it manually every time.
You can diversify the interface using interchangeable dials available on the smart watch itself. And if there are not enough of them, you can download new ones from the Wearable application or even select a picture from your smartphone gallery as a screensaver. There is also an Always On Display function – we did not use it due to the increased load on the battery, but its presence will certainly please many users.
Monitors sleep and takes care of safety
The sports functions are in order – among the workouts available for the Galaxy Fit3, any user will find a suitable one. There is also a function to automatically detect certain types of workouts, such as walking or swimming. During testing, the smartwatch never made a mistake: on all walks, after exactly 10 minutes, the workout countdown started, which also included the distance already covered.
Other functions are also monitored: heart rate, amount of oxygen in the blood, calories burned, and stress levels. You can set the amount of water you drink and mark each glass you drink in the corresponding card on the screen – there is no need to install third-party services for this.
One of the most interesting options was advanced sleep monitoring. The bracelet uses sensors to monitor the quality and phases of night’s rest, as well as the number of awakenings, in order to assign the user one of the archetypes. All of them are associated with animals – like a shark, a mole or a lion. The author of this material turned out to be a penguin. Not the best result – the quality of rest needs work.
Another useful feature is heavy fall detection. This option is usually found in more expensive devices. If the Samsung bracelet detects that the user has fallen to the ground, it will offer to call for help by sending a signal to a pre-selected contact. This makes the Galaxy Fit3 a smart gift for older people who often have balance problems, especially on steep slopes and icy streets. We didn’t fall on purpose to test the functionality of the function in practice, but we consider its presence one of the serious advantages of the model.
Control with Wearable and Samsung Health
To connect the gadget to a smartphone, you will need the Galaxy Wearable application, and usage statistics are available in the Health service. At first, this is even confusing: most devices have all functions collected in one program. But over time you understand this logic.
It’s all about the differentiation of options: there is no clutter of settings, when in a single application the eyes run wide from the abundance of lines and items, and the interface design looks clumsy. One program is for connection and customization, the other is for obtaining health information. You get used to it very quickly.
On Samsung smartphones, both services are available by default, but they can be downloaded from the application store on any brand of Android device. We checked – we only needed to download an additional plug-in for the Galaxy Fit3, which did not cause any difficulties. I liked that Galaxy Wearable has the option to quickly switch between Samsung wearable devices, and Health never had any problems getting statistics. This is what the interfaces of both programs look like:
Autonomy at its best
The battery capacity of the gadget is small – only 208 mAh. We expected the device to last 4-5 days on average. However, Samsung has worked hard to optimize the software, and the hardware here is simpler than in most smartwatches. As a result, the Galaxy Fit3 pleases with decent battery life.
Our usage scenario included average screen brightness, tracking sleep, all daytime activity, amount of water drunk, constant stress level measurement, and heart rate measurements every 10 minutes at rest. From Monday to Friday, the bracelet woke up in the morning with intense vibration, and during walking, it automatically recognized and started the corresponding workout.
In this mode, the gadget lost from 7 to 10% of its battery charge per day. Regular users will charge the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 about once every week and a half. Athletes who spend a lot of time in the gym, as well as those who like to use the Always On mode, will have to do this more often. But even with very intensive use, the gadget will last for several days. You can recharge the bracelet using the included cable with a magnetic fastener.
Should I take it or not?
We are ready to recommend the Samsung Galaxy Fit3 if the operating time or dimensions of the smartwatch are not satisfactory, and budget fitness trackers are frustrating due to their careless attitude to detail. Here the price seems too high only at first glance. But after a while you understand what exactly you are paying for. The device turned out to be really good.
Unlike many competitors, the Samsung Galaxy Fit3 does not give the impression of a cheap gadget based on honesty and compromise. There is convenient firmware without visual debris, high-quality materials of the case and strap, and there are also useful functions like a drop sensor. At the same time, it works for a long time, fits perfectly on the hand due to its elongated shape, pleases with its protected case and a very simple way to change the strap. This is one of the best affordable smartwatches on the market and its features will suffice for most users.