Smart watch samsung galaxy gear s3 review. Samsung Gear S3 Frontier review - the best smartwatch on the market. reasons not to buy Samsung Gear S3

In September, at IFA 2016, Samsung presented two versions of its new smartwatches: Gear S3 Frontier and Gear S3 Classic. We have already talked in the news about their key innovations compared to the previous version. Now that the watch has officially gone on sale in Russia, it’s time for detailed testing.

It is worth saying that this time Samsung decided to make the Classic and Frontier versions very close in almost all respects. The models have the same set technical characteristics and differ, in fact, only in the presence of e-SIM. In addition, the Frontier version is claimed to be more protected: it is impact-resistant and resistant to high and low temperatures. It was the Frontier version that came to our test.

Specifications Samsung Gear S3

• CPU @1 GHz (2 cores)
• Touch round display 1.3″ Super AMOLED, 360×360, 302 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 768 MB, flash memory 4 GB
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n
• Bluetooth 4.2 LE, NFC, GPS/Glonass
• Microphone
• Gyroscope, accelerometer, heart rate sensor, light sensor, barometer
• 3G/4G (e-SIM support for Frontier variant), call transfer to smartphone via Bluetooth
• Lithium-ion battery 380 mAh
• Tizen operating system
• Degree of protection: IP68 (from moisture and dust), MIL-810G (the Frontier version claims protection from shock, temperature and vibration)
• Dimensions: 46×46×12.9
• Weight 57 g (Classic version) or 62 g (Frontier version)

For clarity, we compared the Gear S3 with previous versions Samsung smart watch, as well as with their competitors - Apple Watch.

Packaging and accessories

The Gear S3 Frontier comes in a medium-sized black plastic box, shaped like a cylinder.

The watch in the box lies sideways and is magnetized to the docking station.

Under the plastic circle there is an additional silicone strap, Charger with Micro-USB output (5 V 0.7 A), small warranty booklet and quick user manual in English.

Samsung traditionally puts a different size strap in the box along with the watch. Unfortunately, with the third generation of its smartwatches, the South Korean company decided not to have an additional main-size strap (as was the case with the Gear S2), so if something happens to the main strap, you'll most likely have to buy a new one. However, it is worth noting that the Gear S3 is compatible with absolutely any strap from various watch manufacturers, so you can choose the one that suits you best.

The wireless charging dock is good for its compact size and the presence of a magnet, thanks to which the watch is held while charging. In fact, the dock design is similar to what we saw in the Gear S2, so we won't repeat it.

Design

Let's take a closer look at the watch itself. They look great, it feels like you’re wearing not a smartwatch, but some kind of Tag Heuer. And this comparison is not accidental: the Gear S3 looks exactly the same as one of the models of the famous Swiss brand. However, Samsung is not at all shy about this and says that one of the goals when creating the Gear S3 was its similarity to a regular watch. All those who complained that smartwatches look somehow ridiculous can breathe easy.

The Frontier version looks brutal. Like the Gear S2, the watch screen is round and has no dead spots. Steel body, grey. You can control the Gear S3 either using the rim (bezel) or by “flipping” on the screen itself. If you have thin hands, you might want to take a closer look at the Classic version - it's a few millimeters narrower. For example, on the hand of the author of the article, Frontier looked too bulky.

Just like the Gear S2, main element design is a rotating bezel. Operating the watch is really very comfortable: every step in the menu is felt, so it’s really very difficult to miss the right item. When you control it using the bezel, you get real aesthetic pleasure: at such moments you understand that this is exactly how a smartwatch should be controlled.

There are two function keys on the right; they are easy to press. The bottom button allows you to exit to the home menu, the top button allows you to return to the previous menu or screen. Below the bottom button is a microphone hole. On the left there are three speaker holes - the watch can be used as a hands-free headset, which is very convenient if you are, for example, driving.

Screen

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, noticeably better than that of Google Nexus 7 (2013)), so fingerprints are removed much easier and appear at a lower speed than in the case of regular glass. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are slightly worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 2013 screen. For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected when the screens are turned off:

The screen of the Samsung Gear S3 is a little brighter (brightness according to photographs is 131 versus 113 for the Nexus 7). Note that from bright objects reflected in the screen, there is a not very pronounced bluish halo, more elongated along the wrist. The reflection ghosting is weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. When manually controlling the brightness and displaying the white field in full screen, the maximum value (10 on the scale) of brightness was about 600 cd/m², the minimum (1 on the scale) was 10 cd/m². You can enable automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor, which is presumably located under the screen. Depending on the adjustment value (we present the results for 1, 6 and 10), in complete darkness the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 10, 20 and 130 cd/m² (the first two values ​​are normal), in an office illuminated by artificial light (about 550 lux) sets to 10, 130 and 300 cd/m² (only the average value is suitable). It turns out that the auto-brightness function works adequately and to some extent allows the user to customize their work to individual requirements. Note that the brightness decreases only after the screen is turned off and on. In very bright environments (from bright day lighting conditions outdoors, but without direct sunlight (20,000 lux) and brighter), the brightness always increases to an incredible 950 cd/m², regardless of whether auto-brightness is turned on or not. This ensures that the user always sees what the watch is showing him.

On the graphs of brightness (vertical axis) versus time ( horizontal axis) only for low brightness can significant modulation be seen at 50 Hz.

As a result, at low brightness there is a visible flicker of the image, but the modulation phase somehow changes depending on the coordinate on the screen, which significantly reduces the noticeability of the flicker.

This screen uses a Super AMOLED matrix - an active matrix on organic light-emitting diodes. A full-color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B) in equal numbers, as confirmed by a fragment of a microphotograph:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

We observed a similar “structure” of the screen, for example, in the case. The spectra are typical for OLED - the primary color areas are well separated and appear as relatively narrow peaks:

Accordingly, the coverage is noticeably wider than sRGB, and there are no attempts to reduce it:

Note that the colors of regular images optimized for devices with sRGB screens appear unnaturally saturated on screens with a wide color gamut without appropriate correction:

Pay attention to the tomatoes and the shade of the girl's face. The color temperature of the white and gray fields is approximately 7500 K, and the deviation from the black body spectrum (ΔE) is 2 units. Color balance acceptable. Black is just black from any angle. It is so black that the contrast setting is simply not applicable in this case. When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the white field is excellent. The screen has excellent viewing angles with a much smaller drop in brightness when looking at the screen at an angle compared to LCD screens. In general, the quality of the screen can be considered very high.

Interface and functionality

Like previous generations of smartwatches and other Samsung fitness devices, the Gear S3 runs operating system Tizen. The South Korean company continues to believe in its OS and is actively developing it. At the time of writing, the watch was running Tizen OS version 2.3.2.

The user is greeted with a traditional menu consisting of the following applications: Settings, S Voice, Music, Weather, S Health, Contacts, Phone, Messages, Phone Finder, Gallery, Brief News, World Clock, Alarm Clock, Calendar, Reminders, Baroltimeter. You can install other applications from the Galaxy Apps store. Google Apps You are unlikely to find Yandex.Maps there, but it is quite possible to download Yandex.Transport or order a taxi using the watch.

As for the dials, there are 14 options available out of the box. If for some reason you don’t have enough of them, then welcome to the store. You can see the available watch faces in the screenshots below.

Of course, the Galaxy Apps store is developing, but it is still very difficult for it to compete with the similar Apple product.

Smartphone operation and compatibility

Samsung is actively working to ensure that its smartwatches cover as many larger number users. Literally at the time of writing this article, compatibility with iOS was implemented.

First, let's test how the watch works in tandem with flagship smartphone Galaxy S7 Edge.

On any of the Galaxy devices, you already have the necessary application to work with the clock, it’s called Samsung Gear. The principle of its operation has not changed since the Gear S2, so we will not repeat it and describe it in detail - if you want, take a look at our Gear S2 review. It’s much more interesting to check the Gear S3’s operation with other devices: for example, we tried connecting the watch to the not-so-new LG G4s.

You won't be able to simply connect your watch to the LG G4s (or any other Android device). You will need:

1. The Samsung Gear app itself
2. Gear S Plugin
3. Samsung Accessory Service

Moreover, after installing them, you can only connect the watch. To get the full experience, you'll need a Samsung Account (to download apps), and if you want to use S Health on your Android device, you'll also need to download it separately.

Of course, progress compared to the Gear S2 does not stand still, and this time we were able to “make friends” of the watch with an LG smartphone, but the connection process took us quite a long time.

As for connecting to iOS devices (we are talking about the iPhone, since the Gear S3, unfortunately, does not work with other iOS devices), here to work with the watch you only need the Samsung Gear S application. After you install it on your iPhone, you can fully manage your watch: install and uninstall applications, as well as track other important information.

The watch can be used to receive and send calls. This is very convenient if you are, for example, driving and reach for your phone while this moment not too comfortable. Unfortunately, unlike the Gear S (the first generation of Samsung smartwatches), you won’t be able to use the Gear S3 as a standalone device: it must be paired with a smartphone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Currently, virtual e-SIM is not supported by Russian mobile operators.

Battery life

Average when using the Gear S3 in conjunction with a device Samsung The clock works for about 2 days. This is a good indicator, especially considering that the display, Bluetooth, GPS and Wi-Fi are always on. In “normal” mode, where the screen turns on only when you use the watch, the Gear S3 can last up to 4 days.

conclusions

Samsung Gear S3 is a logical continuation of the line of smart watches from the South Korean company, which is certainly worth a closer look if you are planning to purchase this type of device. The Frontier version that we tested is recommended for everyone who leads an active lifestyle: the watch has various degrees of protection, is not afraid of shocks, high and low temperatures, so it is almost impossible to break it. But if you have small hands or lead an “office” lifestyle, we would recommend checking out the Classic version.

A logical question immediately arises: is it worth taking the Gear S3 if I have a Gear S2 or Gear S? In the case of the Gear S, definitely “yes” - after all this device It came out three years ago and is already obsolete. Gear S has smaller battery capacity and lacks support cellular networks fourth generation, highly controversial charger concept. But with the Gear S2, not everything is so simple: the model appeared in 2015, but Samsung is still actively working on its development: the fact that it was not removed from the market, but made into a cheaper version, speaks volumes. From a software point of view, the Gear S2 is almost as good as the Gear S3: it can also connect to other Android devices or iPhones. Therefore, in this case, you should be guided only by your desire and financial capabilities: you have the funds to purchase new toy- Great, you can go to the store to get it. No - you have a good, current model, and you may well miss the new product.

In 2016, a new generation of smart watches Samsung Gear S3 Frontier was released. This model includes two types of gadgets:

• Frontier;
• Classic.

Classic watches are intended for the general public. They are miniature and light.

Frontier, on the other hand, is famous for its more diverse functionality, external expressiveness and massiveness. Compatible with wireless headset, which allows you to have a conversation while driving without being distracted.

Description of Samsung Gear S3

Unlike the S2 model, the new sample has become larger in diameter and has a corrugated edging. You can use the gear wheel to scroll through the page menu and also receive messages. In addition to the bezel, the menu is also controlled using two keys on the watch case, located on the right side. They can also return to the main screen and switch off.

Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is a smartwatch with a SIM card. There are three small holes on the left - these are speakers for talking. The watch is designed in a sporty style. But by changing the strap, they can be worn with a formal business suit.

By the way, Samsung also produces straps. They are available in three sizes: S, M and L, designed for mounting on a 22 mm case. But straps from other manufacturers are also quite suitable for them. In the near future, fashion designer Arik Levy is going to release a whole line of designer accessories.

The body of the smartwatch is mainly made of 316L steel and has a matte finish. Back cover glass, sensitive sensors are built into it.

Advantages

Unlike other smart watches, Samsung Smart is characterized by the following advantages:

1. They have excellent compatibility with Samsung smartphones. However, with others Android devices mostly incompatible.
2. Supports Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, Glonass.
3. Accessories are located in separate sections separated by cardboard partitions.
4. If the user has been sitting for more than an hour, vibration is activated.
5. The 380 mAh battery can last 4 days if you do not use heavy loads.
6. To charge the watch, it is placed on the charging pad for only 2 hours.

When developing the watch case, manufacturers took the watch of the famous TAG Heuer Connected brand as a reference.

Flaws

It is not advisable to use the watch during training. Firstly, they are quite massive: 63 g, 49x46x12.9 mm. Secondly, they can restrict movement in the wrists.

Samsung Gear S3 display specifications

• AMOLED matrix resolution – 360×360 pixels;

Photo: Samsung Frontier in smart mode

• diagonal – 1.3 inches;
• built-in light sensor, smooth brightness change possible;
• the visibility of the picture is clear, regardless of the viewing angle;
• when in simple mode, the dial is visible on the display;
• There are 14 built-in modes in total, but if you want more choice, you can look at the Galaxy store for updated programs;
• turning the bezel to the right will open the widget menu. If to the left, alerts will be displayed.

Additional Samsung Smart Features

To make it more convenient for users to send messages, it is provided voice dialing. And if you need to answer yourself, you can use ready-made text or a picture.

Recently, official sales of the Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch started in Russia, inheriting elements of the “ancestor” Gear S2 and expressing them in a new combination of design and functionality. Today we will look at what innovations Samsung has implemented in this device.

Specifications

• Screen: 1.3", IPS Super AMOLED, 16 million colors, 360x360 pixels, capacitive, 392 ppi;
• Operating system: Tizen 2.3.2;
• Processor: Exynos 7270, 1 GHz;
• RAM: 750 MB;
• Built-in memory: 4 GB;
• Battery: Li-Ion 380 mAh;
• Dimensions: 49 x 46 x 12.9 mm;
• Weight: 59 g (Classic), 63 g (Frontier);
• Communication: WIFI: 802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz, NFC, Bluetooth 4.2 (A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP), GPS/GLONASS;
• Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, heart rate sensor, barometer, light sensor;
• Available versions: Classic, Frontier.

Equipment

The watch is supplied in a cylindrical box made of thick matte black cardboard. The design of the lid is made in the form of a now popular technique - relief concentric circles. The company and model names are embossed. Depending on the version, the color of the top edge varies.

Unpacking is the main ritual after purchase, on which the first impression of the type of device depends. The Samsung Gear S3 is straightforward in this regard. You lift the top part of the “cylinder” - and there the watch lies beautifully on a stand for wireless charging, and the inscription “Samsung” is engraved as the signature of the author. As they say, “you just have to extend your hand and they are yours.”

The above is placed on a plastic platform (the entire inner surface of the box is made of plastic), under which there are a user manual and a warranty card, in which everything is written in a tiny font; to read it, you need to strain your eyes, as well as a 5V 0.7A charger with a wire 1 meter long, which connects to a magnetic stand via a microUSB connector.

Appearance and features

The overall appearance of both versions of the Gear S3 is relatively similar, with a stainless steel composite body held together by four screws. A metal bezel rotates around the 1.3-inch display, making it easy to navigate through the interface. The watch has a standard mount for a 22 mm strap - this expands the possibilities of customization appearance, limited only by the variety of straps available.

The lower part is identical in both cases and contains an optical heart rate monitor with two LEDs, inscriptions indicating the model name, country of manufacture - Vietnam, and CE marking.

On the right side of the watch there are two buttons: “back” and “home”, next to the second there is a microphone.

On the other side there are three small speaker holes.

External differences concern the front part. Starting from the color (black for Frontier and silver chrome for Classic) and the shape of the buttons, to the material of the strap (genuine leather for Classic and silicone for Frontier), as well as weight - the weight of the watch officially indicated by the manufacturer is 59 and 63 g for Classic and Frontier respectively, but due to the straps the weight increases to 72 and 87 g, which is already more noticeably felt during direct use.

Samsung Gear S3 is protected according to the IP68 standard, which means complete protection from dust and moisture, as well as immersion in fresh water up to one and a half meters for 30 minutes, however, the manufacturer notes on the official website and in the quick start instructions that swimming, showering and exercising Diving in them is prohibited. On the contrary, a consultant at the official Samsung store assured that you can swim in them safely. It is worth noting that the warranty does not cover damage caused by disruption or interruption of operation of the device due to flooding.

Unfortunately, in practice we were not able to test their water resistance, since someone opened the samples before us and did not tighten the screws completely, we decided not to risk it.
The Gear S3 Frontier also differs from the Classic in that it can withstand extreme temperature changes.

Regarding shock resistance, it is assumed that the steel case should withstand a normal drop from a height of one and a half meters (the typical height when putting a watch on the wrist), and the protruding bezel should protect the screen from direct impact. physical impact. The display itself is protected from scratches and can withstand accidental contact even with metal objects such as a subway handrail or a car door.

Despite the same price for both versions, Frontier looks more expensive than Classic. It seems that the Classic was created as an addition to the "core" Frontier. Perhaps it’s the “whale” strap; on the Classic it looks rustic, poor, and not at all elegant, while on the Frontier it only adds even more brutality.

Frontier is very difficult to put on due to the thick silicone strap, which does not slip at all, but it is wider and fits snugly on the hand, and also better withstands diving, temperature changes and other extreme situations. Classics, on the contrary, are aimed at calm behavior of the “wearer”; with classic analogue dials, they look just like ordinary ones wrist watch, which is why the user will be able to surprise “unenlightened” friends by raising his hand to see the time, and then twist the bezel to check the weather, notifications, find out the latest news, or even answer a call or write an SMS.

Display

What makes the Samsung Gear S3 look like a watch is its 1.3-inch (32.9 mm) round screen, equipped with IPS matrix Super AMOLED with a resolution of 360x360 pixels, the density of which is 392 ppi. The clarity of the image is colossal, even the smallest symbols of the additional dials are visible without graininess.

The degree of brightness change is measured in 10 points, but the adaptive adjustment function depending on the lighting eliminates the problem of constant adjustment.
Color rendition is at the highest level, viewing angles are as wide as the maximum angle possible when looking at the watch.
The screen is covered with a layer of scratch-resistant glass and has an oleophobic coating.

The Always-on-display feature, as the name suggests, instead of turning off the screen, reduces the backlight level to a minimum so that the user does not have to shake his hand to activate the clock and see the time.

Iron

Apps and watch faces installed on watches do not require as many resources as, for example, smartphones, so 750 MB of RAM (500 MB in Gear S2) is enough for fast switching between Tizen OS interface elements.

Of the 4 GB of internal memory, only 1.6 GB is available to the user. They can be used as storage installed applications, images both sent to the Gear and screenshots of the watch itself, as well as music tracks for playback by the built-in player through the watch’s speaker or a Bluetooth headset connected to it.

On the back of the Gear S3 there is an optical heart rate sensor that reads very clearly, accurately repeating the rhythm of the heartbeat during the measurement process.

For lovers of hiking (especially mountain hiking), the Samsung Gear S3 has a built-in barometer and altimeter. The first measures pressure in hectopascals (hPa) and inches of mercury (inHg), and also shows a graph of further pressure changes based on data for the last 6 hours. If we convert hPa to mmHg. and compare with a regular home barometer, the difference in readings is minimal.
Altimeter (altimeter) is a device for measuring the altitude of an object’s “flight” based on GPS data.
Samsung Gear S3 has a built-in NFC module for using the service Samsung Pay.

The watch can work either in tandem with a smartphone or as an independent device; to do this, you need to activate the Offline mode, which breaks the Bluetooth connection with the smartphone and all functions such as answering calls, showing notifications, receiving messages, etc. Uses built-in Wi-Fi to install apps and watch faces, and Bluetooth for connectivity wireless headphones. This mode is intended primarily for training without a smartphone.

Software

Some say it's a waste Money, and those who confirm the benefits are divided into two “camps” - the first put sports functions at the forefront (pedometer, altimeter, heart rate monitor with appropriate software, etc.), and the second believe that it is not the functionality that is important, but the design and first of all, convenience, manifested in the fact that the watch allows you to constantly stay up to date with events, and not waste energy every time taking the phone out of your pocket (new notifications, instant reading and replying to messages, checking the weather, BT headset functions, etc.) etc.), and fitness functions are perceived only as an addition.

Samsung Gear S3 may well reconcile the controversial supporters of smart watches, as it perfectly combines functions that will suit everyone.

Connecting the Gear S3 to your smartphone and setting up some apps requires installing the Gear S app, available in Google Play and AppStore, the features and nuances of how the application works with iOS and Android will be discussed below.

The dial is the central element " home page", where you can add widgets and switch between them in right side, and to the left of the watch face you can scroll through new notifications.

Pressing the home button opens a list of installed applications. They are also arranged in a circle. Some pre-installed applications aimed at quick access to smartphone functions:

• Phone - opens a list of recent calls, contacts, and also allows you to dial any number and call directly from the watch.
• Contacts - allows you to select a contact (search) and call or send SMS directly from the watch. There are 4 types of input available to choose from: keyboard, dictation, drawing, emoticons.

• Weather - updates the weather data of cities selected in the Gear S application via a smartphone and displays the information on the watch screen.

• Music - combines the function of controlling music playback on a smartphone and a full-fledged mp3 player. Selected tracks are transferred to the watch's internal memory via the Gear S app on your smartphone.

• S Voice - voice assistant, an analogue of Siri, is capable of many things - from calling a contact or phone number, to viewing weather data, getting directions and searching for places. Displays information on the screen of a watch or smartphone.

• Organizer applications: Reminders, Calendar, World clock, Alarm clock.

• Flipboard News Briefing - a short, up-to-date news digest.

• Find phone - useful utility, Launches sound signal on a smartphone. Helps to find it not only if it goes missing in an apartment or house, but also if it is stolen or lost.

S Health

The watch app counts steps, calories, floors (based on altimeter data), regularly measures heart rate, monitors activity, reminds you to warm up every hour, and recognizes sleep time. You can keep track of the amount of water and coffee you drink,

S Health is a great training assistant. The database contains 16 types of exercises, each of which has a specific set of monitored activities. So, for example, while riding a bicycle, the watch will count speed, calories, distance and heart rate.

The smartphone program has a wide range of functions. The main goal is to maintain statistics, not only based on data from the Gear S3, but also by manually entering data. Using the program, you can control the number of calories consumed by choosing a dish - you can search through restaurant menus! You can also monitor your weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, etc.

The “Goals” mode will clearly show the progress of achieving the desired level of activity, nutrition, and sleep.

In the “Together” tab, you can compare your results with all S Health users, or with your age group, or you can add friends and arrange a competition.

Working with Android

It's no secret, and it's obvious that this watch will work flawlessly with Samsung smartphones, including instant connection, fast content sharing and Samsung feature Pay (but this is not accurate, we have not checked). The manufacturer also promises stable operation (or explains how to eliminate the shortcomings as much as possible) on the page of the global website with a list of devices compatible with the watches being reviewed, therefore, in order to answer the question about the interaction of the Gear S3 with any interpretation of Android OS, we chose the hero as a “guinea pig” recent review, Chinese Umi Max.

A pleasant surprise was that after installation Samsung apps Gear, as well as two plugins required for operation, all functions except Samsung Pay work as they should. The connection was easy and quick, applications downloaded and updated reliably.

Despite the fact that our device is far from Samsung, S Health works to the maximum.

A couple of times there was an unexpected break in the watch-smartphone pair and to restore the connection I had to reboot the watch.

Working with iOS

In the last quarter of 2016, a beta version of the Gear S application began to spread on the Internet. iOS-based for connection with Gear S2 and S3 smartwatches and fitness bracelet Gear Fit. Then, to install this application, you had to do several machinations in iPhone settings. On January 7, 2017, this application became available for download in the Russian AppStore. Its rating is unimportant, although there are not enough reviews, which suggests that there are quite a few perverted individuals who are ready to “connect the incompatible.”

First iPhone contact with Gear S3 is the most difficult and patient task. To connect to the phone, the device uses two Bluetooth channels: Bluetooth LE (Low Energy - a standard with lower energy consumption) to maintain the connection and management functions such as sending messages, reading notifications, controlling music, etc., and to use the watch as a Bluetooth headset , that is, for conversations using the built-in speaker and microphone, a standard Bluetooth channel is used.

You cannot close the application. It should always be running at least in the background.
The connection is quite fast, but downloading, installing and updating applications takes a very long time. So long that this may not happen at all. It is better to install applications one at a time, maximum two at a time, otherwise you will have to restart everything and get rid of installation errors that constantly pop up.

The release version of the Gear S app is not far from the beta version. While using it to write a review, there were permanent freezes, lags, and disconnections. Many features, such as sending images from your watch to your phone, are not available.

S Health for iOS does not exist, it is included in the Gear S. Available measurements: steps, floors, water, caffeine, sleep, heart rate and 4 activities: walking, running, cycling, hiking.

Unfortunately, with the release of the tenth iOS versions, containing many additional features, in particular the effects of sent messages and stickers that will not be displayed in notifications, there is no point in buying the Gear S3, and the brand itself seems to oblige you to buy an Apple Watch, despite its price. If you remove the heart rate monitor and altimeter with barometer, the benefits from the Gear S3 for iPhone are as much as from Chinese clones of popular smartwatches for 2000 rubles.

Battery

Samsung Gear S3 is equipped with a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 380 mAh, which is 130 mAh more than the Gear S2. Charging is carried out by connecting to a magnetic stand and there is no other method provided. Samsung promise fast charging, but in fact the watch charges up to 50% in 2 hours, and fully in 4 hours.

After fully charging and immediately pairing it with the smartphone at 17:00 on the first day, without breaking the connection and taking into account that 70% of the time the watch and phone were just lying on the table, sometimes notifications from social networks came - so the charge lasted for 70 hours.
Those who want to get the most out of their watch, that is, use it for training, for talking, monitoring sleep, constantly receiving and responding to notifications, messages, and all this with always-on GPS and the Always-on-display function, can expect an average of one and a half days of battery life.

To (emergency) save battery power, the Gear S3 has a power-saving mode that switches the home screen theme to grayscale, disables all features except calls, messages and notifications, disables Wi-Fi, limits maximum performance. In this mode, the watch can work up to 5 hours on the remaining 10%.

Results and conclusions

Compared to the previous generation of Samsung Gear, the watch marked with the number 3 has, in a word, grown. The screen has become larger, and most importantly, more convenient to use (although some may consider the size of the Gear S3 a disadvantage). Processor performance and RAM capacity have also increased. Gear S2 looked somehow frivolous, like a toy. Gear S3, if desired, can look like an expensive Swiss watch, you just need to set the desired dial and choose the appropriate strap.

Lovers of hiking and an active lifestyle will choose the brutal Frontier. For people who are closer to business and business style, elegant Classic ones are suitable. With S Health it will be very easy to start leading a healthy lifestyle, and with a high-capacity battery you will be less distracted by recharging.

Unfortunately, there are not very many applications in the local store, and for some watch faces the developers require a (sometimes considerable) fee. Internal memory Just words are enough, and iOS support is still too crude.
In addition, the Gear S3 is not a cheap pleasure. Price in the Samsung store is 24,990 rubles.

Pros:

• Design, rotating bezel, large screen with excellent brightness and color reproduction
• Long autonomy
• Variety of watch faces
• S Health
• Works with any smartphone running Android above 4.4 and RAM from 1.5 GB
• Almost complete freedom of choice of strap
• Heart rate monitor, barometer, altimeter.

• Working with iOS
• Paid watch faces
• Few applications
• Price (as for a separate good smartphone)
• Long charge.

The Gear S2 generation of smartwatches was already sufficiently balanced and functional to speak of their versatility. Three variations gave a choice to girls and boys, housewives and businessmen. Not forgetting, of course, about the group of technology geeks, for whom the main criterion is the need to flash screens and diodes from different places - from pockets to wrists.

Probably based on the sales of these three variations of the Gear S2, the decision was made to update only the Classic and Frontier models. At the same time, the sporty Gear S2 remained available for sale to its audience.

We tested the Gear S3 Classic version, which differs from Frontier in the design of the case and strap, as well as its resistance to high temperatures, shocks and vibrations.

Appearance

As for the design, at the presentation we noted the skillfully made case in the style of premium versions of the classics. The set includes a 22 mm leather strap, which can be replaced if desired. The watch case itself is made of 316L stainless steel and is protected according to the IP68 standard. It is more massive than the second generation.

At one end there are two buttons for navigating the menu. There is a microphone hole under them. On the opposite end there are three speaker holes. Thus, you can use the watch as a hands-free headset.

Very convenient while driving - and absolutely inappropriate when used on the street. Imagine a more or less familiar picture when a passerby speaks in front of him or shouts at his wrist. Now add to that the clock screaming back at him.

The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass SR+, specially released for wearable devices. The display is round in shape, with excellent color reproduction and contrast, inherent only in Super AMOLED technology. Mechanical dials look quite natural. Only the absence of shadows when the lighting changes will reveal their artificiality.

One of the significant design moments is the navigation ring in the Samsung Gear S watch. The process of scrolling texts or selecting the desired item in the menu can be repeated again and again. I would like the sound of the clicking hinges and the accompanying vibration to never stop.

Personalization - don't be like everyone else

Making something more extravagant out of such a “round” classic is as easy as shelling pears. There are hundreds of watch faces in the app store. Here you will find everything from simulated mechanics with penumbra and moving gears to Lego-style dials, old-school Casio, steampunk or themes from the films “The Matrix”, “Alien” and “Star Wars”. In addition, for some screensaver watch faces there is additional options color design.

After a positively received function Always On Display V Galaxy smartphone S7 it also appeared in watches. Yes, the watch screen can work constantly, and some screensavers-clock faces coolly play up the transition from passive to active mode.

A curious thing: the watch monitors whether it is on your hand or not. The Always On feature will only work while you are wearing them.

Really smart

In a sense, the Samsung Gear S3 is a smartphone on your hand. And it's not just about availability dual core processor and RAM.

While Samsung was developing a community of software developers for the Tizen OS, many popular programs and even games. Yes, yes, the company believes that play Asphalt 8 and Fruit Ninja at a resolution of 360×360 - convenient.

After launching the taxi call application or maps, the watch may not use the smartphone navigation, but can independently navigate the terrain thanks to built-in GPS and GLONASS.

Thus, in Ukraine with the help of a watch you can call an Uber driver, look up traffic jams on Yandex Maps, pay for utilities in Portmone.com. Why “in Ukraine”? Well, because just recently we almost said by rote that almost all services in our country are not supported.

This should also include the presence NFC module which makes it possible contactless payment, and not only through the branded Samsung Pay, but also through the Privat 24 application, specially adapted for watches.

This model has not yet received a digital SIM card module, which would allow you not to be tied to a smartphone and still use the Gear S as a standalone cellular device. However, we have already described the scenario of working as a watch phone above using the example of a situation on the street.

Interface

Watch programs are installed using the watch application. Samsung smartphone Gear. Not only Samsung devices are supported, but also more or less new Android smartphones. iOS support is still in conceptual plans for the future.

The clock itself is set in the same program. True, on a smartphone they are more concerned with the interaction of devices - how to send notifications, transfer music, work with SHealth.

From the watch you configure the screen backlight parameters, connection to wireless networks, notification sounds. Changing dial skins is also done from the watch, but you need to download new ones on your smartphone.

In general, when you select something that cannot be used from the watch screen, the application on the linked smartphone automatically opens.

The watch also has other “smartphone” things, such as setting a PIN code, setting an energy saving mode, the S-Voice voice assistant, reading texts and replying with templates.

You can also increase the sensitivity of the Gear S3 screen so that touches with gloves are recognized.

Anti-sports classic

Software-wise, the Gear S3's fitness features haven't undergone any major changes. The watch can count steps, steps, heartbeats, calories burned, and also give achievements for completing intermediate results, such as 1000 steps taken and a walk of ten minutes.

Yes, if in a couple of days SHealth sees that you are sitting 90% of the time, it will not only begin to remind you to move, but will also praise you more actively for even minimal activity.

Despite this, the Gear S3 Classic is poorly suited to the role of a sports gadget. Yes, the watch measures a lot and is not afraid of water, but it is large and chrome-plated. In addition, the leather strap will not allow you to swim, but it is easy to sleep with them give a black eye to your loved one in the middle of the night.

While they are perfectly suited to the role of replacing a classic or a geeky gadget, running with them is uncomfortable. In this regard, a more successful version for an active lifestyle is the Gear S3 Frontier version.

There is also baro-altimeter, a rare thing for modern wearable devices. More often it is found in specialized sports watches, tailored for specific sports.

The peculiarity of its operation is that in order to obtain data on the current atmospheric pressure, the sensor needs calibration. And for this we need current information about the pressure at a known altitude at a given geographical point. In theory, this information could be provided by a weather service. But conventional services do not update this information often enough and do not do it geographically accurately.

How long do they live?

A very important question in view of the number of sensors this watch is packed with.

The increased size of the case played into the hands in this regard. It accommodates a larger 380 mAh battery. It takes about an hour to an hour and a half to fully charge from the wireless docking station.

If you don’t receive all notifications in a row, reduce the brightness of the backlight, measure your pulse once or twice a day and check what time it is a dozen times, then the full battery charge will last for five days work.

Add to this the introductory reading of letters and SMS, increased display brightness and activity tracking, you can not charge the watch for about four days.

If you want everyone around you to check out the animation of the new screensaver dial, and to receive notifications from your smartphone about every sneeze in in social networks, then prepare to charge the watch every two days.

Is it a lot or a little? Gear S2 lived for about the same four days. The new Pebble 2 with a seemingly economical E Ink screen and heart rate monitor, the test of which is already being prepared by our Test Laboratory, can last one or two days.

Taking into account the excellent screen, sufficient hardware for performance and lack of lag, and the number of sensors, we can say that the autonomy of the Gear S3 is at a very good level.

conclusions

Note that the addition of a number of features missing from the Gear 2 and Gear S2 made the purchase of the new generation more rational. You truly get a self-contained wearable gadget.

Gear S3 looks even nicer and more organic. Especially the Frontier model. The ability to change straps, the variety of dials and the always-on display only encourage the creation of an individual image.

In addition, they will have to be charged no more than once every couple of days. The set of sensors and the ever-expanding base of applications in the Gear S3 model will qualitatively expand model range Samsung smartwatches.

And for all their advanced features and pleasant little touches during user interaction, we give them a well-deserved Editors' Choice.

Grade:

Case design

Replaceable straps

Lots of applications

Personalization

– overall body of the Classic model

Smart watch Samsung Gear S3 frontier

Well, now my favorite dial is this one, it’s called S3Illuminator24h. Very convenient and visual.

Swipe from top to bottom - area of ​​quick switches.

Rotating the gear counterclockwise is a notification. Moreover, they are very convenient to view. Here, for example, is a notification of a letter.

Tap on the screen - and the entire letter can be scrolled and read using the wheel.

Rotate the wheel clockwise - widgets for various applications. Tap on the widget - call up extended information and, possibly, icons for various actions (as, for example, in a phone application). Weather.

Contacts - there you can view a contact, call, send an SMS.

Reminders.

Calendar entries.

Kcalories burned (tracking physical activity of various types).

Step counter.

Barometer and altimeter. By the way, the barometer does not have “millimeters of mercury” units, it only has hPa and inches of mercury, which, in general, is not particularly good.

Samsung news app.

Media player. It can play audio tracks both from a smartphone and from the watch itself (the icon on the top right switches the track source). It reproduces very competently from the watch itself (not like in Android Wear). Shows a list of tracks, allows you to create playlists, sort by albums and artists. Songs are downloaded to the watch from a smartphone from the Samsung Gear application wirelessly.

Pulse measurement. It can be carried out in automatic mode occasionally. But the sensor, as usual in watches, does not detect it very accurately, and if the hand is also sweaty, then it really screws up.

Calendar.

Well, there is also a list of various widgets that can be installed: alarm clock, world clock, and so on.

The top button works as a return to the watch face, the bottom button calls up applications. They do not fit on one desktop; there is a special icon that calls up the next desktop with applications.

Phone application. There is a call log, you can call a subscriber, dial a number.

Dialing a number.

Let me remind you that there is a speaker and a microphone, so you can easily answer calls received on your smartphone directly from the watch. Physical activity tracking.

There are a lot of interesting things in the settings. And there is a “Do Not Disturb” mode that can be set directly on the watch, which is important.

Find My Phone app - makes a call on your phone.

The activity tracking mode is very well done. The watch determines the type of activity and records its duration. At the same time, they periodically encourage you with messages “Keep it up,” and at the end of the walk they express all sorts of compliments.

They can also track your sleep patterns and the next day in the morning show you what time you fell asleep, what time you woke up and how long you slept. Which, in general, is also quite interesting.