Samsung watch gear s3 frontier review. Samsung Gear S3 Classic smartwatch review: almost perfect

Gear S3 classic is a modern classic on your wrist, a combination of vintage design and modern technology. The marks on the bezel are applied using a laser. The pushers, made in the style of classic crowns, harmoniously complement the design of the case. The Gear S3 classic is built using 316L stainless steel alloy for a high level of protection. The Gear S3 classic is designed to last for days without needing to be recharged or connected to your smartphone. The Gear S3 classic gives you freedom.

Innovation in a rugged package

The Gear S3 classic combines the best of traditional watches with innovative devices. One glance is enough to appreciate their stunning design. A comfortable strap, a unique rotating bezel, a clear dial and a powerful battery make the smartwatch so easy to use and allow you to use it for up to 4 days without recharging.

Always active screen

The updated full-color always-on screen is virtually indistinguishable from the classic watch face. Choose the interface that suits you. The watch comes preloaded with 15 screen designs, and you'll find even more in Galaxy Apps! Make your watch truly unique!

Control with one movement!

Enjoy the ease of use of the Gear S3 classic. Manage notifications, adjust volume, answer calls by simply rotating the bezel left or right. You can easily operate your watch even with wet hands or gloves.

Call from your smart watch!

Let the Gear S3 classic be your smartphone. The built-in speaker and microphone allow you to make and receive calls without your smartphone and listen to voice messages and reminders (Voice calls require a Bluetooth connection to your smartphone and the Samsung Gear app on your phone.). In addition, you can enjoy your favorite tracks thanks to the built-in music player.

Built-in GPS

With the Gear S3 classic, you'll never go astray again, even without your smartphone. Thanks to the built-in GPS, you can build walking routes, calculate the distance to your destination, and even find the best cafes and restaurants nearby.

Tracks for the road

Connect your Bluetooth headphones and listen to your favorite tracks during workouts and trips! The Gear S3 classic's 4GB of internal memory lets you take your favorite music with you, even without a smartphone. Listening to music from online resources is possible if Wi-Fi is available.

Built-in sensors

Gear S3 classic features a barometer and constantly monitors pressure, keeping you informed of any unexpected or expected changes in as much detail as needed to help you plot a new route. An altimeter and speedometer help you track your speed and show your current altitude. Smart watches allow you to always be one step ahead.

4 days without recharging!

Thanks to the capacious battery, you can go without charging for up to 4 days! Battery charge time may vary depending on usage and settings.

SOS messages quickly and easily

Simply press the Home key three times to instantly send your location to your selected contacts. They will be able to track your movements in real time. The service is provided by the Glympse platform. Available services may vary by country and region.

Water and dust protection

Wear the Gear S3 classic in any weather, in any situation. IP68 water and dust protection allows the watch to withstand immersion in fresh water to a depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. (Not suitable for diving and swimming)

More than 10,000 applications

You don't need a smartphone to download apps for the Gear S3 classic. Just go to Galaxy Apps from the Gear S3 classic screen and download the apps you trust, the ones you can't live without, or the ones you've always wanted to try! Easier than ever!

Setup and compatibility with smartphones

Setting up the Gear S3 is as easy as it is using it. To connect the Gear S3 to your smartphone, open the Samsung Gear App on your smartphone and follow the onscreen instructions. Gear S3 is compatible with many other smartphones. Gear S3 connects to smartphones running Android 4.4 or higher and equipped with more than 1.5 GB of RAM, as well as iPhone 5 and newer smartphones running iOS 9.0 and higher. (Some Samsung features may not be available on smartphones from other manufacturers)

Samsung Pay

Make purchases with your Gear S3 using Samsung Pay! The Samsung Gear S3 device fully supports the payment service, allowing you to pay for purchases at terminals that accept regular bank cards. All you need to do is connect the Gear S3 to your smartphone (a smartphone running Android 4.4.4 or higher, compatible with the Samsung Gear app with Samsung Pay functionality on the Gear S3)!

Samsung designers did everything to make the Gear S3 frontier difficult to distinguish from a classic watch. This particular model is reminiscent of the brutal Casio G-Shock. Many people like it, and so do I. For those who don't like this, there is the more discreet Gear S3 Classic.

There is no fault with the quality of assembly and execution. The case is made of steel, the display is protected by Gorilla Glass SR+. I didn’t pick at it with sharp objects, but I did touch the walls and iron handrails in subway cars several times for hours. Result: no chips or scratches during testing.

The watch is not afraid of dust and water - it has protection according to the IP68 standard. The gadget can be submerged to a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, but do not take this as a guide to action. Waterproofing is not waterproofing. If liquid leaks inside, repairs will not be covered under warranty. The watch is also not afraid of shocks and is resistant to high (up to +70) and low (up to -40) temperatures. The latter is very relevant for Russia.

Gear S3 frontier looks great: metal, glass and maximum similarity to a regular watch.

There are problems with usability. Firstly, the watch case is very thick - it spoils the sleeves of clothes by stretching them. If the sleeves do not stretch, then the S3 frontier has to be put on clothes. Looks especially enchanting with a leather jacket.

Secondly, although the gadget looks cool, it feels bulky, and the silicone strap included in the package (along with it the S3 frontier weighs 85.3 grams) puts pressure on the hand and does not allow air to pass through - the skin sweats. But at least it’s easy to replace - any regular watch strap with a standard width of 22 mm will do.

First day with S3 frontier: acceptance stage – hard and uncomfortable. Second: the stage of humility. Third: the stage of incredible relief that you feel when these handcuffs finally go out for charging.
Alexey Vedernikov
Editor of the “Smartphones” section of the website

The interface of the Gear S3 frontier is a success: it not only looks beautiful and very stylish, but also works quickly and stably. Whatever one may say, the proprietary Samsung Tizen operating system on which this watch runs is better optimized than the “mass” Android Wear from Google. It’s logical: you can do whatever you want with your own software, but Google doesn’t allow you to modify its system for wearable devices.

The disadvantage of Tizen is still the same: third-party developers are less willing to write applications for this system than for Android Wear. But Samsung motivates them in every possible way, investing heavily in promoting Tizen. In general, there are fewer programs here, but there is equally little that is truly useful in both Tizen and Android Wear.

It is convenient to manage the clock. You can switch between applications in the Gear S3 frontier using the rotating bezel around the screen. Plus, the display itself is touch-sensitive, and there are two buttons on the side. One confirms the action, the second cancels it.

The watch is equipped with a Super AMOLED screen, which is very cool. There are a whole bunch of advantages: rich colors, very deep blacks, wide viewing angles and moderate power consumption.

The AMOLED screen in the watch couldn’t come at a better time: the picture is clearly visible in bright sunlight, and there is an Always On function.

There is an “Always On Display” function. In sleep mode, it displays a dim image of the dial on the S3 frontier display. In smartphones it is better to turn it off (it eats up 15-20% of the battery per day), but in watches it looks extremely appropriate.

The screen diagonal is 1.3 inches, the resolution is 360x360 pixels, which gives a density of 278 pixels per inch. The image comes out very clear.

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Samsung positions the Gear S3 frontier as a gadget “for active users and fans of extreme sports.” Unfortunately, we cannot say that this is a watch for athletes. Rather, they are specifically for “active users” who like to collect various statistics.

The watch automatically measures speed and distance traveled - in steps, kilometers and flights of stairs. You can also choose from several dozen types of activities, from running and twisting to kitesurfing and yoga. S3 frontier, using built-in sensors, will calculate the time, the number of repetitions and build the route along which you moved if, for example, you were jogging or cycling.

There is a built-in altimeter: it tracks altitude and displays the readings in the form of a graph. This is useless in the city, but during a walk in the mountains or a hike it will come in handy. The Gear S3 frontier can also measure atmospheric pressure. Knowing its level in advance, a weather-dependent user will be able to better plan his day. If your blood pressure has dropped, then it’s better to go to bed early and try to be outside more. If it has increased, then it is better to minimize physical activity. These are just a couple of examples.

GPS and motion sensors work correctly, but there are constant problems with measuring heart rate. Even if you tighten the watch on your wrist very tightly to increase the contact of the sensor with the skin, the heart rate monitor does not always work, and the data is not particularly accurate.

The Gear S3 frontier is not suitable for professional athletes. GPS and motion sensors work well, but the heart rate monitor is disappointing.

The Gear S3 frontier has a microphone and speaker. First of all, this is necessary for the South Korean modification of the watch: there you can attach a SIM card with your number to it and go jogging lightly without a phone. The gadget will receive calls, voice the interlocutor and convey to him what you say. But this function will not work in Russia - this is official information. So, in fact, the speaker and microphone are only useful for listening to music and voice commands. You can talk on the clock only if the phone is nearby and connected via Bluetooth.

The Gear S3 frontier has all the necessary modules and technologies (NFC and MST) to pay for purchases using the Samsung Pay payment system, which was recently launched in Russia. I would like to believe that the function will be added in one of the future firmwares. There is no official confirmation of such plans yet.

By smartwatch standards, the Gear S3 frontier lasts for a really long time. I have it in pedometer mode without playing sports, with the Always On function disabled, but with a bunch of notifications they lasted exactly the same stated 4 days.

There is only one charging option - wireless. There are no connectors on the watch body, and this is probably for the best. The small docking station is lightweight and doesn't take up much space. True, it’s easy to accidentally forget it at home or in the office, and for some reason it is equipped with a microUSB connector that is becoming a thing of the past. S3 frontier charges from 0 to 100% in exactly 2 hours.

Gear S3 frontier at the charging station

The Gear S3 frontier can actually last 4 days, but with moderate use with Always On turned off. Active users should expect 2-2.5 days without recharging.

Opinion site

If you play sports seriously, then the capabilities of the Gear S3 frontier are unlikely to suit you: it is still a gadget, not a measuring device. The main disadvantage: problems with measuring pulse - the sensor does not always work and is not particularly accurate. But for simple collection of average statistics about activity, the watch is quite suitable. Unless, of course, you are not afraid of the price: they cost the same as a good smartphone - 25,000 rubles.

The gadget has little practical use: smart watches still remain toys for geeks. The main advantages of this particular model in comparison with competitors are a very durable battery, a good screen, the presence of GPS and convenient controls.

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier smartwatch was released at the end of 2016. This is a device that makes it much easier to use a smartphone for active people, drivers and sports enthusiasts. The watch can not only show the time and work as a pedometer. They have many applications and capabilities.

In the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier review, we will show all the features, advantages and disadvantages of the smartwatch and compare it with its competitors in key indicators. In the writing process, not only technical information was used, but also real customer experience.

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Comparison with competitors

Let's compare the reviewed Samsung smartwatches with the previous version and the model of one of the main competitors - iWatch3 from Apple.

Model	Samsung Gear S3 Frontier	Apple Watch 3(38 mm)	Apple Watch 3(42 mm)	Samsung Gear S2
	1.3 inches, round, AMOLED, resolution 360x360	1.5 inches (38 mm), AMOLED, resolution 272x340	1.65 inches (42 mm), AMOLED, resolution 312x390	1.2 inches, round, AMOLED, resolution 360x360
operating system
RAM
CPU	Samsung Exynos 7270, 2 cores, 1 GHz	Apple S3, 2 cores		Samsung Exynos 3250, 2 cores, 1 GHz
Battery
Compatibility
Degree of protection		only from water (up to 5 atm)
	Wi-Fi, LTE, 3G, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth, MST	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, LTE, 3G, NFC		Wi-Fi, NFC, 3G, Bluetooth
Inner memory
Weight and dimensions	63 g, 49x46x13 mm	42 g, 39x33x11.5 mm	53 g, 42.5x36.5x11.5 mm	47 g, 50x42x11.5 mm

In general, we can conclude that the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier has a more durable battery than other smartwatches. I'm glad that the gadget connects to all devices. Moreover, its screen resolution is even higher than that of Apple watches. And the security is better - the military standard MIL-810G provides protection from water, dust, temperature, vibration, shaking, shock and so on. Overall, these hours are very difficult to kill.

But at the same time, the device loses to its competitors in some ways. In particular, it is heavier than all the others - as much as 63 grams versus 53 for Apple and 47 for the previous version of the Samsung Gear S2. The screen size of the smartwatch is only 1.3 inches versus 1.5 and 1.65 for the iWatch. And the built-in memory is four times less than theirs.

In general, we can say that the smartwatches from the Korean company are certainly quite good. But it is difficult to single out a leader among competitors - all models are good in some ways, but not so good in others.

Equipment

Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is sold in a black cylindrical box made of durable plastic. All parts of the kit are packed quite tightly, so it is almost impossible to shake anything during transportation.

Inside you can find:

the smart watch itself;
the docking station to which the device is magnetized - it is quite heavy and is equipped with an LED indicator that displays charging progress;
two interchangeable straps – a longer one and a shorter one (the longer one is already attached to the watch case);
Micro-USB cable for docking station;
some waste paper in the form of instructions and a warranty booklet.

The equipment, as you can see, is quite simple and at the same time complete. There is nothing superfluous, but the manufacturers carefully packaged everything necessary in a black box. We even thought about the convenience of people with small wrist girths.

Appearance and ergonomics

From a design point of view, everything is simple - Samsung watches, when viewed from afar, look like the most ordinary ones. In some ways, their appearance is reminiscent of leading Swiss models. They are closer to classic watches than to smart watches. The watch is quite massive and large. Made from 316L black steel. There are no inscriptions or labels on the top of the case - just dark matte metal. There are no connectors either - you can charge the watch only through the docking station.

On the back cover there is some technical information. In particular, the model and brand of smart watch is indicated. In the very center there is a heart rate monitor window.

On the right side there are two wide physical buttons: “Home” and “Back”. They hardly stick out from the body and are generally made quite nicely. The buttons are covered with a rough material and are easy to feel with your fingers.

The watch is controlled by the bezel (the ring around the display), two buttons to the right of the watch face and the touch screen. The bezel is serrated, making it very easy to scroll. One step of its movement allows you to advance exactly one item in the menu - “twisting” the ring will be problematic. Some users have complained that the bezel is a little loose. In practice, this does not cause any discomfort and is almost unnoticeable during operation.

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier has a standard strap, 22 millimeters wide, made of elastomer. There are two options in the box - for thin and wider wrists. An important feature is that any standard straps for regular watches are suitable for the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier. The developers have made a mount that allows you to use the most common 22 mm belts and bracelets.

The display is round, and its entire surface is functional - no black frames or pieces. The screen is protected by reinforced Corning Gorilla Glass SR+. This glass, like the watch itself, is practically indestructible. The top of the display is covered with a very high-quality oleophobic coating - the glass gets dirty more slowly and is much easier to clean.

Display

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier has a 1.3-inch diagonal AMOLED screen with a screen resolution of 360x360. The pixel density is high – 278 per inch. Due to this, the image is incredibly clear - you can still see the pixels on it, but only if you try very hard. The display colors are quite bright and saturated. In some places, oversaturation may even occur - some shades become unnaturally rich. But we are pleased with the magnificent depth of the black color - on this watch it is really black, and not dark gray or something else.

Samsung's viewing angles are quite large - you can look at the watch any way you like, and the image will practically not change. In addition, the watch selects the display brightness independently depending on the light level. The brightest option is enough to see the image even outdoors on a sunny day.

The watch supports the Always On Display function. That is, the device screen may be constantly on. Thanks to energy-saving AMOLED technology, this is possible, and the watch will not run out of charge in a couple of hours. The developers stated that with a constantly working screen, the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier can work for up to two days. In addition, the display can be turned on by turning your wrist towards your face.

I’m very glad that the menu has the option to turn on “high sensitivity”. Thanks to this function, the watch is able to recognize the touch of a finger even when wearing thick gloves. Smartphone creators could do with a lesson.

The watch comes pre-installed with 14 watch faces for display. There are many more of them in the store - you can even find free options there in addition to those already downloaded. But for most you still have to pay. Judging by customer reviews, the chosen dial determines how long the watch will work without recharging. The more sophisticated the dial, the faster the battery drains.

Interface

The main interface screen is the dial. It displays the selected image (the change can be found in settings or purchased in the Samsung app store).

Rotate the bezel to switch the screen to apps or notifications. The first ones will open if you turn the bezel to the right, and the second ones - if you turn it to the left.

At the very end of the “list” of widgets, when scrolling, there will be an inscription “Add widget”. You can select any one from the list, and then you will be able to use it by turning the bezel a little.

You can get to the watch menu by pressing any of the buttons while on the home screen. The interface consists of round icons located along the edges of the display. In the center there is an inscription that explains what kind of item this is. Navigating the menu is simple - use the bezel to select the desired icon, and then simply click on any part of the screen.

There is also a curtain at the top with quick settings. Just like a classic Android smartphone. Just swipe your finger from top to bottom.

The interface is very finely customizable - you can change literally everything, from the font to the background for widgets. Therefore, each user will be able to make their smartwatch truly unique.

I am glad that the interface is made very high quality and well-developed. Everything in it is clear. Control and switch from point to point quickly and easily. In addition to general convenience, it is very good that the watch responds instantly to any desire of the user. Due to good optimization, there is not a single slowdown or freezing, and the battery drains much slower - thanks to Samsung's proprietary Tizen operating system.

Unfortunately, there is also a drawback to having your own operating system. Many users in the reviews note that the application store is quite scarce. Developers prefer to create applications for more mainstream watches running Android Wear. However, it is gradually being replenished with new useful applications, which is good news.

Functionality

Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is positioned by manufacturers as a device for active people. Thanks to this, it is equipped with a bunch of different sports applications, sensors and displays that will display statistics in real time.

There are quite a lot of applications already installed in the watch out of the box. In particular, using the gadget it is easy to see the date, time, weather, set a reminder or alarm, read and reply to a message or messenger, switch between time zones, and so on. But you can install new ones from the Galaxy Apps store. In the store you can find any applications for smart watches, even calling a taxi. In sports, watches are able to constantly monitor different types of activity and then provide statistics on it.

In addition to many useful applications, the device has a bunch of sensors and meters that sports fans will really like:

heart rate monitor;
pedometer;
speedometer;
offline GPS for tracking user movements without the participation of a smartphone or tablet;
atmospheric pressure sensor;
altimeter;
barometer;
not to mention the standard light sensors, accelerometer and so on.

Why amateurs? Because the accuracy of these sensors will not be sufficient for professional athletes. The heart rate monitor does not work in constant mode, making it impossible to monitor heart function during training. In addition, in some cases he outright lies, sometimes overestimating or understating his readings.

The South Korean version of the watch allowed you to attach an electronic SIM card to it and use the device as a smartphone. Unfortunately, this function is not supported in the Russian Federation. But you can still talk on the watch - just connect it to your phone via Bluetooth.

It’s convenient that you can load pictures and music into the watch’s memory. To listen to the latter, for example, while jogging, it’s easy to connect headphones via Bluetooth directly to the device. And then you won’t have to carry a smartphone with you.

Since 2017, Samsung Pay has been operating in Russia, which was previously limited. Now you can link a bank card to your watch and pay for purchases with it.

Smartphone compatibility

Manufacturers strive to cover as many market segments as possible in which they sell their smartwatches. As a result, the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier, unlike a similar Apple gadget, works not only with other devices of the company.

The device allows you to connect it to all more or less modern smartphones:

Samsung smartphones – the connection with them is the most stable, and the watch works in the most correct way.
Devices running Android3 and higher - smartwatches can work with smartphones not made by Samsung, but running Android OS.
Smartphones running iOS 9 and later – Samsung Gear 3 Frontier can even be connected to devices from the manufacturer’s direct competitor.

Interestingly, the Samsung website indicates compatibility only with Samsung and Apple gadgets. But in fact, the watch works smoothly with most smartphones and some Android tablets. Before purchasing, try to check compatibility with your device.

The watch can also be controlled via a smartphone. For this purpose, there are special mobile applications that allow you to fine-tune the interface and functionality of the watch:

Samsung Gear. Available for all Android devices.
Samsung Galaxy Watch (Gear S). Application for working with watches on iOS.

In some cases, you will have to additionally install the Gear S Plugin and Samsung Accessory Service. You may need these two apps to connect your watch to Android devices. You will also have to create a Samsung Account to download the necessary applications.

In general, connecting to non-Samsung Android smartphones is feasible. But it takes a lot of time and requires several applications at once. In addition, some users complain that they constantly need to re-login to their account to connect the watch or install something.

Autonomy

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is powered by a 380 mAh battery. For such a watch, this is quite a lot - among the competitors highlighted at the beginning of the review, this is the best indicator.

According to reviews and measurements, Samsung smartwatches are capable of providing the following autonomy:

4 days – in normal mode, autonomously from a smartphone and without a constantly turned on screen;
2-3 days – with autonomous operation in Always On Display mode;
2 days – with the watch constantly connected to the smartphone and Always On Display, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and so on.

In general, we can say that autonomy is acceptable. Here, only the buyer can decide whether it is convenient for him to constantly charge the watch, as he does with a smartphone or other gadgets. But in favor of the watch, we can say that charging it is incredibly simple - just throw the watch on the docking station after removing it.

By the way, from the docking station they charge 100% from scratch in two hours. Quite quickly, so even if they suddenly turned off, recharging the watch is not such a big problem.

We recently published our first look at Samsung's new product - the Gear S3 smart watch. Now a detailed review of the new smartwatch has been released on 4pda.

It seems that smart watches are a very recent invention that has yet to prove its viability. But this year, Samsung released no less than the fifth generation of its smart watches - the Galaxy Gear S3 Classic. The South Korean manufacturer did not return to using a curved display, but noticeably “pumped up” the gadget, which received a new “stuffing” and, most importantly, a rotating bezel for controlling the device. How convenient the innovation turned out to be, and what other surprises the Gear S3 has in store – we’ll tell you in the review.

Specifications Samsung Gear S3 Classic

Screen: Super AMOLED, 1.3", 360x360, 278 ppi
Processor: dual-core Samsung Exynos 7270, 1 GHz
Graphics accelerator: ARM Mali-T720
Operating system: Tizen 2.3.2
RAM: 768 MB
Built-in memory: 4 GB
Memory card support: no
Wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, MST
Navigation: GPS, GLONASS
No camera
Sensors: accelerometer, microgyroscope, barometer, heart rate monitor
Battery: 380 mAh, Li-Ion, non-removable
Dimensions: 49x46x12.9 mm
Weight: 59 grams

Packaging and accessories

The smart watch comes in a cylindrical box, the design of which is made in blue and black. Inside, the gadget itself is fixed in a vertical position, and in the compartment under it there is a wireless charger, an additional, shorter strap and a power supply with a micro-USB connector.

Appearance

Samsung offers smartwatches in two versions: Frontier and Classic. The first is distinguished by support for eSIM cards and cellular communications, but the classic version has been tested, which is named so for good reason: from a distance, the Gear S3 is indistinguishable from a regular mechanical watch (or electronic, depending on what dial you have installed). There are no color modifications; if you buy the Classic model, you will receive a mirror-silver stainless steel case and two black leather straps of different sizes. However, you can buy absolutely any strap - a standard 22 mm mount is installed on the gadget’s body. The gadget is sealed and certified to the IP68 standard, which allows the device to continue operating at a depth of more than 1.5 meters for longer than 30 minutes. Despite this, you should not swim while wearing a watch, especially in salt water.

The front panel of the watch is occupied by the display, which is located in a small recess - this should protect it from getting scratched too quickly. The outer contour of the bezel protruding above the display is covered with notches for more convenient rotation.

On the right side of the watch there is a microphone, a back button and a home button, which, despite the specific name, is multifunctional. The buttons are quite large and have a clear tactile response. An unpleasant feature noticed by the author is that when wearing the watch on the right hand, the buttons can be accidentally pressed by the sleeve of the jacket. This cannot be called a disadvantage, but left-handers should keep this nuance in mind.

There are no buttons on the left, but there is a perforation behind which the speaker is hidden. The reverse side of the watch case is made of plastic; a heart rate monitor is located in the middle of the rear panel.

Ergonomics

The Gear S3 Classic is no larger or heavier than almost any mechanical watch of the same diameter. However, we advise you to try on the gadget before purchasing, especially for girls.

The feeling of a watch on your hand will be purely individual - for some, like the author, the gadget will instantly become an extension of your hand, while for others it will seem too big.

Screen

The watch is equipped with a fully round display with a Super AMOLED matrix with a diameter of 1.3" and a resolution of 360x360 pixels, which gives a density of 278 ppi. In terms of characteristics, the display is practically not inferior to the screens of Samsung flagships - it has excellent color rendition and picture clarity. Pixelation when using the watch is not noticeable, but the maximum brightness of the display is even excessive when using the device and will only be necessary on the sunniest days. The screen is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass SR+, which has a high-quality oleophobic coating applied. The watch supports adaptive brightness control, but where exactly the manufacturer placed the light sensor is not clear At least the presence of the sensor did not prevent the manufacturer from making a completely round display.

Like Samsung smartphone screens, the Gear S3's display has a high-sensitivity mode that allows you to operate the device even with gloves. The display can simultaneously recognize up to two touches, although multi-touch gestures in the Gear S3 are rarely used and only in third-party applications.

Interface

Gear S3 runs on Samsung's own operating system, Tizen 2.3.2, which allowed the manufacturer to implement an unusual interface and functions that are not found in Android Wear. The fastest and most convenient way to control the new interface is the bezel. It is used to scroll screens and lists, switch tracks in the player, change brightness, volume, and has a number of other functions that depend on the running application. Thanks to this method of controlling the watch, interaction with the gadget has been made extremely simple: in most standard programs, the required action is selected by rotating the bezel, and confirmation is carried out by pressing the center of the screen. Of course, the clock also supports a more familiar control method - scrolling by swiping and selecting the desired icon by tapping, but this is not so convenient.

In smart watches, by analogy with desktops on a smartphone, the concept of widgets was implemented. The first widget on the home screen is the watch face. It cannot be removed, but, of course, it can be changed. Additionally, most standard watch faces are customizable in some way. Typically, the user has access to a choice of colors and display of additional information.

The rest of the widgets, which are located clockwise from the dial, can be customized by the user: add, delete, and change the order.

Most widgets are added to the main menu only once, but some (such as widgets with app shortcuts and favorite contacts) are allowed to be duplicated.

Counterclockwise from the dial are cards with notifications - they can come from applications on the watch itself, or duplicated from a smartphone. The text of smartphone notifications is always displayed on the watch, but reactions for it are not available for all applications. For example, clicking the “Reply” button on a Hangouts notification will only open that messenger on your phone. To remove any notification, simply swipe it up.

Pressing the bottom button while the watch face is open launches the application menu. The program is selected using the bezel, and to launch it, just tap on the center of the screen. If you hold your finger down, the menu will go into edit mode, from which you can remove third-party applications and change their order, including moving shortcuts between pages.

In addition to controlling the bezel and taps, the smartwatch also supports S Voice - voice input of commands. To launch it, just double-click the bottom button, or say the phrase “Hello, Gear.” Smart watches can use voice commands to launch programs, set a timer and alarm, show the weather and perform a number of other functions.

Swiping down from the top of the watch face opens the quick settings panel, where you can adjust the brightness, volume, enable Airplane or Do Not Disturb modes, and launch the audio player.

On those rare occasions when you need to enter text, you can use either S Voice or the keyboard. Switching between layouts, number pad and emoticon panel is done using the bezel.

In the dialer, the keyboard is designed differently and is located in a ring. You can use your watch to receive incoming calls from your smartphone, and then talk using the built-in microphone and speaker of the watch, or a headset.

Synchronization with smartphone

To control your watch from your smartphone from Google Play, you must install the Samsung Gear application. The application can’t do almost anything that the watch itself can’t do, but it allows you to conveniently and quickly configure the gadget.

Among the functions available only in the application, it is worth noting the setting of an emergency mode (sending messages and calling selected contacts when you press the Home button three times), sending music and images to the Gear S3, as well as a watch search, when activated, the device will begin to vibrate and make sounds. loud noise. It is worth noting that the search function also works in the opposite direction: it turns on a melody on the smartphone when activated from the watch.

You can view activity data both from a smart watch and in a more convenient form on your smartphone in the S Health application. In automatic mode, the Samsung Galaxy Gear S3 can record information about steps and floors traveled, heart rate and sleep, and during training, the watch must first activate the appropriate mode.

Another thing you can't do directly from the watch is install apps (with the exception of a few watch faces). To do this, you will need the Galaxy Apps application store, in which programs for smart watches are collected in the Gear section. The selection of programs (except, again, watch faces) for the Tizen platform cannot be called too large, but it is quite sufficient to expand the capabilities of the Gear S3 for certain needs. It's nice that Russian developers didn't stand aside either. For example, a number of Yandex programs are available for Samsung smartwatches, including Metro, Transport and Taxi.

Among other applications, we would note a program for remotely controlling a smartphone’s camera and a convenient stopwatch and timer from Samsung.

Also among the auxiliary programs that require installing the main application on a smartphone are Navitel and Uber.

The device in operation

The smartwatch uses Samsung's own SoC - Exynos 7270. The processor is made using the most modern 14-nm process technology, has two ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1 GHz and an ARM Mali-T720 graphics accelerator. The amount of RAM has increased to an impressive 768 MB of the LPDDR3 standard, but the amount of internal memory of the eMMC 5.0 standard has not changed and is still 4 GB. Out of the box, the user will get only 1.5 GB of internal memory, so, unfortunately, it will not be possible to download the entire music collection to the gadget.

The Samsung Galaxy Gear S3 is perhaps the most powerful smartwatch on the market and, given the optimized operating system, you won't have to think about the lack of performance for a very long time. The gadget's interface works as smoothly as possible, and there are no slowdowns in third-party applications.

In addition to the obligatory vibration motor, the new Samsung product also received a surprisingly loud speaker. However, it is used quite rarely - for playing a melody on an incoming call, listening to music from the internal memory (although hardly anyone will use a smart watch for this purpose) and for talking on a cellular connection. In the latter case, the speaker volume is enough for conversations even in noisy places, but placing the watch against your ear is inconvenient, and it looks quite strange. In short, the speaker in a smartwatch is more of a nice additional feature than something you will use often.

Wireless interfaces

The watch does not have a single wired interface, but the Gear S3 was fully “charged” with wireless standards. First of all, it is worth noting the energy-efficient Bluetooth 4.2 for connecting the watch to a smartphone and headsets, as well as Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, operating in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. The watch needs Wi-Fi to stay connected even when there is no connection to a smartphone.

To support Samsung Pay, the watch is equipped with NFC and MST modules, but in order to pay for purchases, you need to have support for this system on your smartphone. This means that unless the Gear S3 is connected to one of Samsung's latest flagships, you won't be able to use this feature.

Among other things, the watch received support for GPS and GLONASS. The gadget needs navigation to more accurately track activity during training, but using it will reduce the battery life to just a few hours.

Autonomous operation

The smart watch is equipped with a non-removable 380 mAh battery. The operating time of the Samsung Gear S3 Classic with standard settings is a fair 3-4 days, depending on the intensity of use of the gadget. This became possible thanks to several factors at once: a relatively large battery capacity, the use of its own operating system and the use of an AMOLED display, which, when using dark themes, consumes energy quite economically.

If you want to see the dial all the time, you can enable this mode in the watch settings. In this case, after the timeout expires, the display backlight is reduced to a minimum, and the dial itself is simplified. This mode only works if the watch is on your wrist, and reduces its battery life to approximately two working days.

The watch is charged using wireless charging. Fully charging the battery takes about 2.5 hours.

Results

If you don't take into account professional gadgets like Garmin Fenix, the Samsung Gear S3 Classic can easily be called the most advanced mainstream smartwatch on the market. The functionality of the device is impressive even out of the box, not to mention the ability to install third-party programs and watch faces. Activity tracking apps work completely automatically - you just wear the watch on your wrist, and in the evening you open S Health and get detailed statistics. If you do sports or fitness on a regular basis, you can tell the watch which of the 16 exercises is worth tracking and, while you strain your muscles, the gadget will do the rest for you, in the end, again, providing detailed statistics. At the same time, the watch does not look like a sports accessory and successfully combines the features of classic and modern design. Samsung Gear S3 can be safely recommended to those who care about their health and love new technologies.

Pros:

moisture protection;
convenient control;
Great functionality out of the box.
high autonomy.

Minuses:

not a very large selection of applications;
Samsung Pay only works with smartphone support.

There is a lull in the Android Wear device camp, which Samsung has not failed to take advantage of. Back at IFA 2016, the Korean manufacturer presented the Gear S3 smartwatch, which continues the glorious traditions of the first generations. At the same time, some weaknesses were eliminated, and the advantages, on the contrary, were strengthened. The result is a larger and heavier Smartwatch, available in two versions. Moreover, even iPhone owners may like the Gear S3.

We didn't seal it. Samsung continues to work on making the company's wearable gadgets. Samsung prepared the corresponding companion application almost a year ago, but for some reason it is delayed. Now the first quarter of 2017 has been named as a possible release date. On the other hand, Android support has not changed. The Gear S3 can work with a smartphone equipped with Android 4.4 or later and 1.5 GB of RAM.

But joining the world of Gear S3 costs more than . Samsung asked for its predecessor 349 and 379 euros (Standard/Classic), in Russia prices range from 14.2 thousand rubles and from 18.0 thousand rubles. For a new watch, regardless of the version, you will have to pay 399 euros or from 22.7 thousand rubles.

Almost classic wristwatch

The price alone of the two versions of the Gear S3 is somewhat confusing. But, as with the Gear S2, the difference is limited to the appearance and material of the bracelet. The Gear S2 is being replaced by the Gear S3 frontier, and the Gear S2 classic is giving way to the Gear S3. The frontier version is a little more elegant than its predecessor; compared to the classic version, the watch looks more sporty.

With dimensions of 46.0 x 49.0 x 12.9 mm, both versions of the Gear S3 are larger than the Gear S2 models, weighing 59 and 63 g too. The case in both cases is made of stainless steel; in the frontier it is black. In addition to the color of the case, three more external differences can be counted: the bezel has more noticeable marks, the frontier buttons are not round, but oblong, Samsung used different strap materials - leather (classic) or elastomer (frontier). Both cases are protected from dust and moisture and are IP68 certified. So the Gear S3 can withstand a drop in a sink full of water, rain, or a short session in the pool. But they still cannot compete with the Apple Watch 2.

Externally, the watch looks high-quality and expensive, which was quite logical to expect, since Samsung attracted famous designers. The Gear S3 classic will look good with a suit, while the frontier version is better suited to sporty users. The bracelet of both models can be easily replaced, all 22 mm straps fit. Samsung itself offers a large number of bracelets in two lengths: 110 and 130 mm. This is good, but some women or men with thin wrists will not be as comfortable. It's all about the large case; it would not hurt the manufacturer to release a Smartwatch version with a smaller case.

Otherwise, the watch is quite comfortable to wear, comparable to classic watches of a similar size. We had no complaints about the quality of production. The bezel and buttons are quite comfortable, the resistance when turning and pressing is well chosen.

Overall, the Gear S3 feels even more like an expensive watch than the previous generation. Except that some users may find them too big.

With GPS support and new SoC

The enlargement of the case was accompanied by some changes in hardware. The display has increased from 1.2 to 1.3", it is still round and has a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels. Thus, the pixel density has even decreased, but readability is still good, despite the Pentile matrix. The display brightness is quite sufficient, it can be adjusted in ten steps, with maximum brightness the dial is readable even outdoors on a sunny day.There is also an always-on display function, where information is displayed even during inactivity.

The battery received an increase of 52%. The Gear S3 has a capacity of 380 mAh, an increase that could not have come at a better time given the new sensors. In addition to the accelerometer, heart rate sensor and gyroscope, there is a barometer and a GPS receiver. As you know, determining coordinates from a satellite requires a lot of energy.

	Samsung Gear S3	Samsung Gear S2
Display	1.3", 360 x 360 pixels, Super AMOLED	1.2", 360 x 360 pixels, Suiper AMOLED
Battery	380 mAh	250 mAh
Dimensions	46.0 x 49.0 x 12.9 mm	43.6 x 39.9 x 11.4 mm (classic) 49.8 x 42.3 x 11.4 mm (Standard)
Weight	59 g (classic) 63 g (frontier)	42 g (classic) 47 g (Standard)
Sensors	Accelerometer, heart rate sensor, light sensor, gyroscope, barometer	Accelerometer, heart rate sensor, light sensor, gyroscope
RAM	768 MB	512 MB
Built-in memory	4 GB	4 GB
Housing material	Stainless steel, glass	Stainless steel, glass, plastic
Bracelet material	Leather (classic) elastomer (frontier)	Leather (classic) elastomer (Standard)

The installed SoC was a serious step forward. The Exynos 3250, which was used in the Gear S2, has given way to one specifically designed for wearable devices. The "system on a chip" is equipped with two Cortex A53 cores instead of A7, the process technology is now 14 nm instead of 28 nm, but the maximum frequency is still 1 GHz. The SoC contains a WLAN 802.11n module, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC and . The memory capacity has increased from 512 to 768 MB, the built-in flash memory still has a capacity of 4 GB.

The watch case contains a speaker and microphone, as well as a vibration motor. The battery is charged by induction, that is, there are no usual contacts.

There are still not enough applications for Tizen

Tizen's biggest drawback continues to be its sparse selection of apps. This is the operating system Samsung has chosen for its wearable devices, but third-party support leaves much to be desired compared to Android Wear and watchOS. Of course, the range of applications is gradually increasing, but many popular programs are not available for Tizen. All this is somewhat annoying, especially considering the promises of the South Korean giant. The Spotify app was released a few days ago, but many other programs are still missing.

But even if applications appear in a timely manner, the Gear S3 smartwatch will still not be able to achieve the versatility of the Apple Watch - at least in the medium term. Even taking into account the number of initially available applications at 11,000.

Samsung itself is in no hurry to expand functionality through its own applications. Even such fundamental functions as a timer are not standard - you need to install a third-party application. There are such applications, but we come to the conclusion that even basic applications have heterogeneous design and different management concepts.