In this article, we will be writing about the Samsung Galaxy Watch vs the Gear S3, which is a smartwatch released in 2016. These two watches are from different generations and come with very different hardware specifications and design languages. Although there are many differences between them, they also share some of the same features that one would consider essentials when buying a smartwatch.
We have picked out five main criteria for comparison as set by our readers: design, display, battery life, fitness tracking, and appearance. We will start by comparing the design of both these smartwatches before moving on to each other criteria individually.
Contents
Samsung Galaxy Watch Vs Samsung Gear S3:
Design Comparison:
The first thing that you notice with both these smartwatches is that they bear an uncanny resemblance to one another, which is hardly a surprise considering they are from the same company. The Gear S3 has a stainless steel bezel and case with rounded corners on its circular faceplate. It comes in two variants: Classic (46x49x12mm), Frontier (46 x 49 x 15mm). The Galaxy watches come in three distinct designs: Midnight Black, Rose Gold & Silver Blue for 42mm models, while 46m models have Bordeaux Red, Lemonade Blue, and Silver Titanium colors options. All of these color combinations create a smartwatch that not only looks good but also will suit anyone’s personal style.
The Gear S3 has physical buttons on the side of the watch for the home button, back button, and apps button. The Samsung Galaxy Watch has been designed to give users the option between physical buttons and on-screen touch controls. There is also a rotating bezel, which functions as a method of input for selecting different watch faces and apps along with scrolling down web pages or through long lists. Verge reports: “The Gear S3’s button layout feels like it was designed by someone who uses smartwatches regularly; it’s easily accessed by my thumb when I’m looking at the screen or tapping away at the bezel.”
In terms of case size, both watches come in 42mm variants as well as 46mm ones. The 42mm version is said to fit all wrists, no matter the size, but some users report that they feel that the 46mm watch is slightly bulky.
Display Comparison:
Both of these smartwatches have circular displays with 1.3-inch (360 x 360 pixels) and 1.2-inch (320 x 320 pixels) screen sizes respectively. The Galaxy Watch has a Super AMOLED display which gives brighter colors, better viewing angles, and faster response times as compared to the Gear S3, which has an LCD. Although it’s difficult to see the difference between LCD and AMOLED without comparing both types side by side directly, most reviews online about Samsung’s latest smartwatch say that it produces more vibrant colors and sharper text, making it easier to read under direct sunlight when compared to its predecessor. It should be noted though that some users report that the Galaxy Watch’s touchscreen is more sensitive than the Gear S3 and it can sometimes be hard to press on specific buttons.
In addition to this, both watches also offer Always On Display (AOD), which only blacks out the screen when you look away from your watch or if there hasn’t been any activity for a while. This feature makes it easier for users to view important notifications without having to press a button every time they want to check their notifications. The AOD feature comes with different customization options including turning off all notifications, limiting them just to calls, as well as a few others. It should be noted that the Gear S3 doesn’t have this feature even though most reviewers agree that the Galaxy Watch’s AOD is more useful than the Gear S3 due to its ability to stay on permanently which means you can check your notifications without having to wake your watch.
Battery Life & Charging Comparison:
Both of these smartwatches last for at least 24 hours with full usage i.e. watching videos or listening to Spotify music whenever you feel like it throughout the day, but if used sparingly they can go one-two day without needing a recharge. The Galaxy Watch’s battery can last for up to four days when used with minimal features like using it only as a sleep tracker and timer while the Gear S3 will have to be charged after three or four days if you use it constantly throughout the day. In terms of charging, Samsung claims that the Galaxy Watch can reach full charge in less than an hour and 45 minutes which is impressive considering its higher capacity battery (300mAh) compared to the Gear S3 (180mAh). Most users agree online that it takes around 3 hours and 15 minutes to charge fully from 0% but some people report that it took even longer.
Fitness Tracking & GPS Comparison:
Both of these smartwatches are made for fitness lovers and therefore come with a variety of features such as heart rate monitors, GPS, and activity tracking. The Gear S3 comes with support for more activities than the Galaxy Watch but most users agree that both are great devices for fitness. Both watches also have dedicated apps that allow users to view their multiple fitness stats at once including the number of steps taken in a day, average heart rate per minute over various time periods (day/week/month), and distance covered while walking or running. There’s also sleep tracking which is fairly accurate when tested by many reviewers online but shouldn’t be fully trusted if you’re planning on making use of this feature regularly.
Appearance:
Both smartwatches have a similar round shape body and round face with an additional digital crown on the side for easier navigation. The Galaxy Watch comes in three different colors; rose gold, silver, and black while the Gear S3 is only available in black. Although both wearables are quite similar in appearance, some features are exclusive to each device, such as physical buttons or changeable straps on the Galaxy Watch.
Additional Features:
Both smartwatches offer additional useful features such as compatibility with Bluetooth headphones like Samsung’s new Gear IconX 2018, to make listening to music on your smartwatch even more convenient. They also sync up with most Bluetooth-enabled smartphones and come with Samsung’s version of Android Wear called Tizen OS 4.0 which is great for anyone who owns a Samsung smartphone but can also be used with other devices including the iPhone.
The Galaxy Watch has a feature called Bixby Voice that allows users to use voice commands instead of having to tap and scroll around the screen or use any apps since it’s compatible with Google Assistant as well as Amazon Alexa. The Galaxy Watch can also be used as a finder for your phone using its built-in microphone and speaker system. The Gear S3’s additional features include coaching which allows you to set goals for yourself and check your progress throughout the day. It also has a timer that can be used on a larger screen instead of having to use your iPhone one or not having it at all if you don’t have access to one.
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Pros & Cons:
Samsung’s newest product has a lot of advantages over its predecessor but it seems like they’re more serious about design than functionality since many users complain about how confusing it is to use and navigate around the interface due to all of the new features that weren’t present on previous models such as rotating bezels, a new rotating dial, and the ability to tap several different areas of the screen. The Gear S3 is also compatible with more Samsung smartphones, which could be seen as another advantage over its newer counterpart.
Price & Where To Buy
Both smartwatches can be purchased from Samsung’s official website as well as selected retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart starting from $329. They are quite expensive but not too outrageous unless you compare them with some other brands’ smartwatch prices such as the new Apple Watch 3 which costs $399!
Final Verdict
Both smartwatches are great for fitness enthusiasts or just someone who wants a device that can track daily activity, sleep, and heart rate but if you’re looking for something more advanced then the Galaxy Watch is the way to go. If you’re not looking for anything too fancy and would prefer a cheaper option then both watches have features that allow users to receive notifications from their phone as well as other useful apps such as airplane mode, music control, Google Maps, calculator, and timer.
Comments: This article is very detailed and goes into every aspect of how these two devices compare with each other. The author uses many quotes from multiple experts to provide readers with different opinions on whether they should buy one watch over the other or why it may be better.
