Xiaomi amazfit GTS sports GPS watch

My old Polar sport tester, two speedometers and one watch are on their way out. At the end of 2019 Polar switched off the synchronisation service and did not release the documentation. That is why I got a new device, specifically the Xiaomi amazfit GTS smart watch, which has heart rate measurement and GPS recording, so it is suitable for my sporting activities. The GPS log, heart rate measurement and synchronisation with the strava.com application were the reasons why I got exactly this watch. I was, however, pleasantly surprised by what other functions the watch has.

Developing such a watch is child's play given today's technology. I once thought I would build my own speedometer and heart rate monitor. I also know people who had a prototype of a smart watch built.... Of course it takes work, but mass production then allows a low selling price. At the end of 2020 the watch cost 3 thousand CZK and the price is going down. At the beginning of 2021 it costs only just under 2 thousand CZK.

Parameters

• with the display switched off they should last many days
• GPS - I simply want to log my routes and trips
• heart rate measurement
• sleep measurement
• strava.com support
• replaceable battery

Heart rate measurement is not as accurate as a sport tester with a chest strap, but it will be enough for me. Moreover, compared to my PolarCS 200 sport tester, the watch records the measured heart rate over time. With my old sport tester I only recorded the average and maximum heart rate. I also had sensors on the bike for the sport tester, including cadence measurement, two speedometers on the watch, but these things, when I am not racing, I do not have to measure so much, and other new functions of the watch, such as GPS and heart rate recording over time, are of greater importance to me than additional sensors on the bike.

The watch supports a connection with strava.com , where a record of a training session or other physical activity can then be sent very conveniently.

Here is my account on strava.com. Otherwise I try to keep training records in the Czech application mytreneek.

Every device should have the option of replacing the battery, because it is pointless and unecological to throw away a functioning device just because the battery has lost a significant part of its capacity. According to the demonstration videos on Youtube, it should be possible to replace the battery in the conditions of an ordinary handyman.

Package contents

Apart from the nice wrapping and box, the package contains

• the watch
• a manual
• a charging cable

The unpacked Xiaomi amazfit GTS watch:

So you must already have a USB power source at home to be able to plug in the charging cable. Charging is done by attaching a magnetic connector to the back of the watch.

The watch is supplied with a manual in Czech.

Technical design

The watch connects to the phone using BlueTooth and the phone then sends the data from it to Internet applications or downloads data and updates from the Internet.

The sensor for heart rate scanning is under the watch.

The Xiaomi amazfit GTS watch has a nice, probably standard strap, which is easily replaceable. Ladies can therefore comfortably change straps daily so that they match their outfit in colour.

The watch has a touch display and one button, which in appearance resembles the crown for winding mechanical watches.

The appearance of the display can be changed. More precisely, what the watch face will look like and what is to be displayed on it.

Functions

The watch has many other functions, some of which I did not even know about. Some are very interesting, some practical for everyday use. functions:

• display of time and date
• heart rate measurement - from that it approximately calculates calories
• heart rate recording over time
• GPS recording
• export of data to strava.com
• watch
• alarm clock on the wrist
• sleep quality measurement
• count down
• pedometer
• weather forecast
• finding the phone
• controlling music playback on the mobile
• notifications from the mobile
• alert for long sitting
• and more

For sleep it measures light and deep sleep and dreaming. You can thus monitor not only the length of sleep, but the lengths of the individual phases. Also whether you fall asleep quickly and the regularity of sleep.

I regularly use the countdown when cooking - typically when I cook pasta.

The watch shows the weather forecast. It downloads the forecast from the Internet. And it is then possible to display it on the phone for the current day, or to browse the forecast for 7 days. At the same time it shows which phase of the day you are currently in, so you can quickly estimate when sunset will come.

First steps after purchase

What does the first switch-on look like and what needs to be done to get it up and running?

For full use you cannot do without a smart phone (smartphone) First you need to download the application to your mobile. You will find the QR code with the address in the manual, which is of course supplied in Czech.

In the manual there is a QR code that points to the application for the mobile phone:

For communication with the Xiaomi amazfit GTS watch the Zepp application is used, it is the official application for Xiaomi watches and it is a replacement for the Mi Fit application, which is also an official application, but was used with older models of Xiaomi watches.

After downloading the application you pair the watch with your smartphone and then the watch updates itself. An update is carried out of: the watch OS, GPS, libraries, fonts.

NFC payments I think the watch does not support.

Synchronisation

Synchronisation with cloud services is provided by the application installed in the phone

Besides strava.com, the watch also allows uploading data to: webchat, googlefit, relive.

It is necessary to take into account that the use of all these services is the passing of personal data to third parties.

As for connection with other services, it is always at the discretion of the manufacturer.

In general, manufacturers do not provide an open API to the watch, to the applications or to the cloud services. So that, for example, a programmer could download the data and do things with it according to their own will. After all, e.g. Polar and Strava.com try to make it impossible to simply download data from their services - that is, in bulk and automated.

There is also the risk that the manufacturer will end support for the device or simply switch off the service. As has just happened to me with Polar.
That is why I prefer to download interesting GPX routes to the PC and upload them to my map application, by which I have ensured backup . When strava.com ends, I will still have the data available. When the manufacturer stops supporting the watch, I will probably then be able to throw it away. Well, corporations are not interested in ecology.

Experience from use

The operation is fairly intuitive. Many more things can then be set from the mobile application.

Typically on the main screen of the watch I have, apart from the time and the current date, the current heart rate, the weather and the number of steps displayed as well.

Outdoors the GPS picks up the signal, but indoors it does not, it even loses it there; I assume the GPS is probably not the most modern. GPS has already advanced considerably, or new technologies have also come into being, such as GLONASS or Galileo.

The watch offers to record physical activity as several typical sports

The measured heart rate can be displayed directly on the watch in the form of a graph over time as well.

Synchronisation with strava.com did not work for me for two days. Then after an update of the watch (which is strange) the data was sent to Strava.

Negatives

What bothers me about the watch? Very little .... But I am very irritated by how the display automatically lights up even at night. Typically when I am asleep and have light sleep, I move the hand with the watch and put the watch somewhere in the space or, heaven forbid, near my head and the watch suddenly lights up. Update: this behaviour (probably after some update) eventually disappeared.

After finishing an activity (a training session) the watch shows an overview, including a preview of the GPS route:

Screenshots

Here are screenshots from the Zepp application

Overall evaluation

After two months of use I am delighted with the watch. It helps me in everyday life. It helps me log GPS routes and it will help me monitor my sporting activity better and more comfortably. And it can certainly help other people train correctly as well.

Currently I have the Xiaomi Amazfit GTR 2e watch. Because with the original one the charging cable broke and I needed something new quickly.