Jan 15, 2017
Samsung Gear S3
seen from T1
seen from Sweden
seen from United Kingdom
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from Brazil
seen from Australia
seen from China
seen from Sweden
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from China
seen from China
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
Samsung Gear S3
Bigger and better than the S2 and a ‘smart’ buy for the elderly
I am an OAP and the owner of a Samsung Gear S3 having recently updated from the S2. So, I was particularly interested to find out if the S3 is an improvement on the S2 and whether it was suitable for older people. The S3 is a quality, smartwatch. It is well designed, looks stunning and the wide screen is superb; quite ideal for those with failing eyesight. It is significantly larger than the S2 and people with smaller wrists might find it too big, so perhaps Samsung need to also manufacture a smaller model. The bezel itself enhances its classic appearance. Old folk will find it so very easy to control because it glides effortlessly between the fingers. So, we have both a traditional yet very modern look which should appeal to many people. Its build-quality is impressive. It feels robust but certainly not heavy and the leather strap is comfortable albeit mundane. I happily wear my S3 in bed but some may find that uncomfortable There is a vast array of alternatives available for purchase if you prefer another strap. Similarly, an amazing number of watch faces are available to suit all tastes and can be changed to reflect different outfits and styles.
The S3 battery lasts quite a lot longer than the S2 which I had to charge daily. The S3 lasts nearly three days even when constantly on. Using the wireless charging cradle, which is bigger than the S2 equivalent, is quick and not at all fiddly because the watch is held in place magnetically. As the watch face sits on its side in its cradle, I use it as a very convenient night watch.
The built-in GPS is great and older people will find it very useful for finding their way. The various flash lights apps available are a real help when fumbling with a key in the dark. No need to carry a torch - the S3 shines brightly! Improvements to the microphone and speaker mean that both sound and voice quality are surprisingly good and a big improvement over the S2. Using the S3 directly for phoning is therefore straightforward and calls are clear at both ends. Streaming music via the watch and receiving notifications on the wrist almost seems to make the phone redundant and it can remain, rather thankfully, more often in your pocket or handbag. Notifications are attractively presented and there are quick and easily managed options for responding to them.
As an OAP, I do find the S3 indispensable and wholeheartedly recommend it although it is expensive. It is very responsive and operating it does not involve a steep learning-curve. The interface is straightforward and you can easily add, delete and move widgets to your heart's content. The app choice was very limited with the S2 but has been substantially extended and now includes Spotify and, Uber for Gear although key gaps remain to be filled. Older people will find some of the available apps extremely valuable. The S Health is most useful for me but perhaps irksome for some because it prompts one to keep moving! It automatically monitors walking, cycling, sleep, hear-rate and now floor tracking with the advent of the altimeter and a host of new exercises are also now monitored. No wonder I am looking much fitter! Unfortunately, steps data still varies considerably between smartphone and smartwatch by as much as 3000 in 10000 step. I can also keep up to date with weather and news and being forgetful, I frequently use the excellent voice recognition to add a reminder. Easy Peasy!
The S3 is a super smartwatch with wide appeal but is particularly useful for older people. I certainly find it to be so. I really do feel young at heart wearing and using it. It is bigger and better than the S2 in almost all ways. There are still issues but Samsung has certainly delivered one of the best smartwatches currently on the market.
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The watch delivers on all levels! It looks very good (people react to it!), size is perfect for me (smaller then my Garmin Fenix3) , the user experience is awesome thanks to the bezel, and it is fully loaded with functionality. I used it for: daily fitness/activity tracking, running, reading emails and calendar, WhatsApp, and text messages, and... to see the time :) I've been through a number of Android Wear watches to date (sony, moto 360, huawei), and none even comes close to this Gear S3 classic. 1. Battery life: spans from two to three days (depends on the setup and usage). Which is amazing for a smartwatch and don't think any other smartwatches come close to it. 2. Heartrate monitor: was surprisingly accurate (I compared it to garmin with a chest monitor) 3. Resilience: So far (after over 2 weeks of heavy use) there are no scratches / signs of wear) 4. GPS as well worked like a charm (once again compared to Garmin Fenix 3) 5. Hundreds of watch faces available to download to suit any style and occasion. Same with bands. 6. built in speaker is surprisingly good and left many people impressed with the quality and loudness of the music coming from built in speaker. 7. Built in storage for music so you can leave my phone at home when of for a run.
Love this watch a lot and think it's the best smartwatch that is available on the market at the moment. Samsung is on the winner here for sure.
Can a Samsung Gear S3 (Classic) replace a Polar H7 heart rate sensor during gym sessions? Probably not. At least from what I’ve seen so far.
I experimented with a one hour and five-minute workout on an elliptical trainer and found significant differences between the two devices. Polar's H7 tracked a (realistic) maximum heart rate of 165 beats per minute, while the Gear S3 claimed a peak of 215!
The graphs from both devices differ massively. I'm not sure what triggered the massive jump in the second half of the workout on the Gear S3.
I was wearing the watch uncomfortably tight, so the optical sensor had a fair chance, but, it still didn't do too well.
I need to do more experiments with different exercises...
Kicking off the blog with an unboxing video. Nice packaging, sturdy watch and wireless charging base. Buttons aren't as clicky as the Motorola 360 v2 :(