Huami makes feature-rich smartwatches that usually don’t break the bank. Perhaps that was the reason why the Amazfit GTS and Amazfit GTR smartwatches were so popular last year. But after only a year on the market, the GTS and GTR are getting a bit long in the tooth. They are still good watches, but competing products in 2020 have more health sensors and more smart features. The displays on both watches are fantastic. Both are AMOLED panels that are very bright in direct sunlight outdoors and can be dimmed enough for nighttime use.
There is also an option for an always-on display. Since Huami makes all of its own watch faces, most of the ones available in the Zepp app translate well to the always-on display. You can turn the AOD on and off depending on the time of day, so you don’t have to worry about it consuming valuable battery life while you sleep. You can also enable/disable the lift-to-wake feature depending on the time of day.
The Amazfit GTR 2 is definitely my favorite. The large, round display and classic design make the GTR 2 the more accessible of the two watches. The design reminds me of the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and the Huawei Watch GT 2 Pro. Despite its thin and light design, this watch is quite large. The built-in speaker is surprisingly good on both models. Listening to a few songs on the watch itself was also a pleasant experience.
The GTS 2 should last about seven days on a single charge, while the GTR 2 should last about two weeks. Based on my usage habits over the past week. The GTS 2 has lasted about 6.5 days for me, and the GTR 2 is on track to last about 12 days. However, the always-on display significantly reduces battery life. You can also limit all-day heart rate monitoring if you want to save some juice. Basic sleep monitoring was accurate and reliable on both devices.
The GTS 2 and GTR 2 can record sleep phases (light, deep, and REM) and clearly display the information in the Zepp app. Huami is touting built-in Amazon Alexa support for the non-Chinese variants of the Amazfit GTS 2 and GTR 2. Unfortunately, this is not yet available, although the watches are already on sale. When your device receives the OTA to activate Alexa, you will be able to control your smart home devices, ask about the weather, and more.