the accessible and quality smart health connected watch smart health innovation

Tired of smart health connected watches that always offer the same things? One year after the release of the Gear S2, Samsung returns very strongly with its little sister, the Samsung Gear S3. The Korean giant presents a high-end smart health connected watch with a multitude of features. But is it worth the price? The editorial team tested it for you.

smart health connected watches are now well established on the market. Many brands have their own version, but some still manage to stand out. Until now, Samsung has stayed one step ahead with its Gear range. But after the success of S2, what about the latest version? the answer in our Review.

Mark : SamsungCategory: smart health connected watchConnection: WiFi, Bluetooth, NFCCompatibility: AndroidPrice: € 399Availability: AvailableTested with: Samsung galaxy s7

The Frontier model:

The Classic model:

(embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huYp5mvVt5w (/ embed)

Unboxing of the Samsung Gear S3

First, the Samsung Gear S3 comes in a matte black cylindrical case. The slices display some characteristics of discreet writing. The reflective top surface features the model name with white and blue letters.

The box simply lifts from the top to reveal the Samsung Gear S3 lying on one of its sides. The smart health connected watch is held by a magnetic black support and protected with a small foam.

Just below, a cover is removed to reveal a charger in a small black house, a handy guide and a second rubber strap size S. All these elements are very easily replaced.

In terms of ergonomics, the packaging is quite successful and is perfectly suited for a product in this price range.

Design and ergonomics of the Samsung Gear S3

The Samsung Gear S3 is sold in two distinct models, the Classic and the Frontier, which differ only in their design. At the editorial office, we received the second. Like its little sister, the S2, the Korean giant’s latest watch doesn’t have particularly similar lines to analog watches. Instead of needles, the Samsung Gear S3 offers a solid Gorilla Glass SR + screen 3 centimeters in diameter.

Around the dial are the numbers corresponding to the minutes, a rotary wheel and two flat buttons. The set offers a thickness greater than that of most analog watches while remaining within reasonable limits. The weight of the Samsung Gear S3 is necessarily impacted with its 62 grams. However, let's be honest, the watch is quickly forgotten.

The rubber strap has a clearly sport-oriented design. Like the rest of the Samsung Gear S3, it is adorned with the same matte black. It matches the morphology of the wrist well and its wearing remains pleasant even in the long term.

Overall, the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier offers a fairly sporty, sober and slightly imposing line for small wrists. However, if you want to add a touch of fantasy, it is possible to download display dials and adapt any 22mm bracelet. The Samsung Gear S3 Classic, on the other hand, offers a more elegant and classic design that more closely incorporates the codes of traditional watchmaking.

Using the Samsung Gear S3

The Samsung Gear S3 only works with Android devices, as we might have suspected. To start, the Samsung Gear S3 is started with a long press on the lower button. A tutorial then starts to teach the owner how to use the watch. Once this is well understood, use is simple and the first reflexes appear quickly.

The screen of the Samsung Gear S3 is constantly turned off but turns on automatically when you tilt it to view it. The rotary wheel is very intuitive and is more practical than the touch screen itself to scroll through the different features of the watch. Nothing could be simpler, turn clockwise to go forward and counterclockwise to go back. The upper button returns to the main dial and the second to the previous tab. For everyday use, the Samsung Gear S3 is very efficient and quick to handle. It avoids some manipulation on his smartphone while providing specific functionality.

During sports, the Samsung Gear S3 does not hinder movement and regularly informs the user aloud of the progress of the objectives. Tracking the watch can be effective by offering functions adapted to the current exercise. For example, for flexion-extensions, the Samsung Gear S3 beeps at each of them. For the race, her female voice informs the great sportsman that you are of the duration of the exercise, the calories burned and the progress according to the objective. For sports activity, the smart health connected watch is very intuitive and offers many sports that we will detail below with the others of its features.

The charging of the Samsung Gear S3 is by induction. The watch is placed on its magnetic support smart health connected to a wall outlet. The Korean giant announces a very interesting autonomy of 4 days and keeps its promise with its latest watch. With really intensive use, it will probably take a few hours less.

Samsung Gear S3 features

The capabilities of the Samsung Gear S3 are as many as they are varied. Each time we turn the dial, new tools appear one behind the other on the 360 ​​x 360 px screen. Like most smart health connected watches, it informs its wearer of its latest messages, emails, calories burned and the number of steps. The Samsung Gear S3 doesn't stop there and offers much more.

It would take too long to list all of its capabilities, which is why we prefer to dwell on what makes the Samsung watch a very interesting product. Unlike many trackers, it has a built-in GPS making it independent from that of your smartphone. Thus, he can stay in the locker room during training.

Furthermore, we were impressed by the number of sports activities offered by the Samsung Gear S3. It accompanies its wearer outside with classics such as running, walking, cycling or hiking. At the gym, the watch follows you for elliptical or exercise bikes, step machines, treadmills, lunges, abs, crunches, star jumps, pilates, rowers, yoga and "other training" if you have not found your happiness. Although the Samsung Gear S3 is water resistant to IP68, it is not intended for swimming sessions.

For each activity, you can set a goal whether it is in terms of duration or calories burned. It is possible to configure a guide speaking orally and to consult the history of activities. Using sensors located under the dial, the watch shows your heart rate with a summary of the past few days. For even more data, the watch offers a shortcut to Samsung Health.

Much more than sport

The Samsung Gear S3 is also used in everyday life. Like your smartphone, it displays the weather using geolocation, gives access to contacts, to the calendar with the events of the day or to reminders. They can also be configured aloud using the microphone built into the Samsung Gear S3.

Still in the same line, the watch can program alarms, display news as well as shortcuts to applications. For music, it is able to control the songs streamed and has 4GB of internal memory. The Samung Gear S3 offers to put them using its speakers. This feature will not replace a Bluetooth speaker but may serve as a temporary replacement. Samsung Gear S3 integrates S. Voice to understand requests ordered out loud. The sensitivity is remarkable and has never failed us.

The smart health connected watch offers other more specific tools such as a barometer and an altimeter. With the help of the latter, the Samsung Gear S3 impressed us by telling us which floor we were on. It is also possible to associate certain applications with those of your smartphone. We think of Uber, or others specially designed for the Gear S3 like the speedometer.

The capabilities of the Samsung Gear S3 are still many and diverse. To make it all work, the Korean giant integrated the Tizen 2.3.2 operating system with an Exynos 7270 processor and 768 MB of RAM. Finally, the watch communicates via WiFi, Bluetooth and supports Samsung MST technology and NFC transmission.

Application

Apple fans, you will have to do without this little gem, the application is only available on Android. It is almost useless for such a complete product but still has two main tabs. The first shows only the battery, storage and available RAM as well as suggestions. It offers a large number of dials and compatible applications.

The second main tab, gives access to the settings of the Samsung Gear S3. You can configure notifications and manage applications. From the smartphone and the app, you can transfer images or music to the smart health connected watch.

Against competition

As the editorial team has already mentioned, the Samsung Gear S3 brings some new features compared to its little sister, the Gear S2. Faced with different manufacturers such as Asus with its ZenWatch 3, Samsung smartwatch clearly brings more features. So when the competitors offer to follow notifications, the number of steps or configure an alarm, the Samsung Gear S3 displays the news or coaches you for a dozen sports activities.

Of course, all of these abilities come at a price. It will cost around 399 € against 250 € that is worth the Asus ZenWatch 3. It is up to you if you want to spend more to have more.

Conclusion

Good points

• Many features

• Good autonomy

• Easy to use

Negative points

• A slightly imposing design

• Not compatible with iOS

11

Design and Ergonomics – 7

Application – 8

Features – 9

Value for money – 7

7.8

Design and ergonomics : We can say that this smart health connected watch has a quality design. Robust and with easily accessible and reactive controls, there is almost nothing but positive. We will still retain a somewhat bulky construction and which ends up weighing a little too much on the wrist.

Features : There are a large number of features in this smart health connected watch. Everyone will therefore find their account, from the sportsman to the person in lack of organization. A varied proposition that cannot be found among all of its competitors.

Application / Interface : Interface side, the Samsung Gear S3 is as accessible as it is intuitive. The bet is successful since both amateurs and neophytes will have no trouble using it. If people allergic to technology will remain reluctant at first, they will quickly be swept away.

Value for money : Difficult to disregard the price of this watch. However, given the functions it offers and its qualities, we come across a fairly fair figure.

AB SMART HEALTH REVIEW