Gear Fit accuracy - Samsung Gear Fit

In order to offload step calculation from Galaxy S5 and add heart rate monitoring to my exercises I thought to buy Samsung Gear Fit. I thought it might help a lot. But after a little research it seems its pedometer and heart rate sensor is far from accurate. However, all those reviews were made when it was first released. It got some updates I think. Now, after those updates what about its accuracy, did Samsung increase its pedometer and heart rate monitor accuracy via updates, or is it still the same?
Also since nearly a month S Health application is very laggy. When I wake up the device it is freezed nearly for 5 secs. Exercise mode rarely functions, just freezes and phone asks to kill it. This way also it consumes much more battery too. So I see it is important to not rely on only one application. Can Gear Fit run fine with other applications like Endomondo? I thought about other devices too, but it seems Gear Fit is the best in its price tag and features.

S-Health is really bad. I use Endomondo and it does more than I could ask for. Yes, best value for money device.
sis651 said:
In order to offload step calculation from Galaxy S5 and add heart rate monitoring to my exercises I thought to buy Samsung Gear Fit. I thought it might help a lot. But after a little research it seems its pedometer and heart rate sensor is far from accurate. However, all those reviews were made when it was first released. It got some updates I think. Now, after those updates what about its accuracy, did Samsung increase its pedometer and heart rate monitor accuracy via updates, or is it still the same?
Also since nearly a month S Health application is very laggy. When I wake up the device it is freezed nearly for 5 secs. Exercise mode rarely functions, just freezes and phone asks to kill it. This way also it consumes much more battery too. So I see it is important to not rely on only one application. Can Gear Fit run fine with other applications like Endomondo? I thought about other devices too, but it seems Gear Fit is the best in its price tag and features.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

It seems so. Just Endomondo seems its not able to use the heart rate sensor. I don't know, maybe I can buy sth. like Garmin Vivosmart and a heart rate monitor band. I'm dubious as I haven't used these devices. In fact do not really need these, but hava some capitalistic urge to buy from these.
What about their pedometer and heart rate accuracy?

Related

Gear Fit & Stress Level Monitoring

As far as I understand, S-Health is using heart rate sensor on the S5 & Note 4 to monitor stress. Since Gear Fit also has the same sensor, is it technically possible to enable stress level monitoring on Gear Fit software (by the software developer)?
x86phre3x said:
As far as I understand, S-Health is using heart rate sensor on the S5 & Note 4 to monitor stress. Since Gear Fit also has the same sensor, is it technically possible to enable stress level monitoring on Gear Fit software (by the software developer)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would be interested too. I tried a lot of heart rate monitoring apps but without any success.

[Q] Device accuracy

All of the reviews I can find for this device are now 6-7 months old, but the common thread seemed to be that the heart rate monitor and pedometer sensors can by wildly inaccurate.
Has this been improved since launch? If so, how accurate would you say the device is now?
Also, does it integrate nicely with S Health on the note 4?
cpete47 said:
All of the reviews I can find for this device are now 6-7 months old, but the common thread seemed to be that the heart rate monitor and pedometer sensors can by wildly inaccurate.
Has this been improved since launch? If so, how accurate would you say the device is now?
Also, does it integrate nicely with S Health on the note 4?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HR is accurate when you're in calm state. When you are doing some exercise it's really inaccurate. I can't compare GF with chest belt, but from my experience those values ​​are not accurate.
Pedometer is doing quite well, but also it's recording other hand movements than only walking.
Another words. GF is not good device for fitness at all.
pRo_lama said:
HR is accurate when you're in calm state. When you are doing some exercise it's really inaccurate. I can't compare GF with chest belt, but from my experience those values ​​are not accurate.
Pedometer is doing quite well, but also it's recording other hand movements than only walking.
Another words. GF is not good device for fitness at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it has improved a little with the newest update but it's true that if you type heavily on a keyboard or do like drumming on the table with your hands it will count that as steps.
But I think that generally it shouldn't be that far off from other trackers.

[Q] Heart rate sensor accuracy

Hi. Just wondering if anyone has tested the accuracy of the heart rate monitor during vigorous exercise? I am cautious about this unit, given how poorly the HRM works on the Gear 2 Neo. I have a great fitness watch with an accurate strapless HRM, but I would love to combine the features of a smart watch with a fitness device. The Gear S is the best option at the moment, but I have not seen any valid comparison against a device that is known to be accurate.
Thanks!
I have worn the gear with my polar hrm at the same time. If you sit there and stare at it, sometimes it can look off from the polar. However, when the workout is over and you compare the two, the readings are comparable. Accurate enough for me.
I haven't done enough tests to be 100% sure, but using a blood pressure monitor(it shows heart rate as well) and then the watch right after. The difference was about 2 bpm. So while I can't be sure it is accurate in all scenarios and I only tested once. The results seem to be accurate.
Thanks for the replies. I don't need it to be perfect, so it should be OK. The Gear Neo is useless as a training tool, as it cannot hold the heart rate consistently. If the Gear S only has the occasional spike or drop, it should be OK.
Can the Gear S sync with a bluetooth heartrate monitor?
In my experience Gear 2 works fine, if you don't sweat.
If you want better accuracy, look into two sensor devices like Apple Watch, Fitbit HR, or Mio Alpha (especially MIO).
I would not expect any accuracy improvement, from any single sensor Hear Rate monitor.
I tested it a few times while at doctor appointments. The nurse did a manual reading the old fashioned way and it was always within 5 or less.
Sent from my SM-N915V using XDA Free mobile app
-_-

Amazfit fakes heart rates?

Hi,
I have an e-bike. Just to test the GPS accuracy of my new watch i used the "bike" sport program. The top speed of my bike is around 20-24 km/h. The GPS tracking went really well, I am impressed there. However I saw rather strange and high heart rate readings. It was 113 bpm in average and 146 bpm as highest. I actually do not have much physical activity using the e-bike in full assist mode. I really have to push hard myself to get my heart rate to about 150 pbm.
I did repeat the test and got the same result.
So I have to conclude that, the watch checks my speed and thinks I am pushing hard on a "real" bike. It does not take the actual sensor reading, but something "pre-programmed" = fake one.
ventura1977 said:
Hi,
I have an e-bike. Just to test the GPS accuracy of my new watch i used the "bike" sport program. The top speed of my bike is around 20-24 km/h. The GPS tracking went really well, I am impressed there. However I saw rather strange and high heart rate readings. It was 113 bpm in average and 146 bpm as highest. I actually do not have much physical activity using the e-bike in full assist mode. I really have to push hard myself to get my heart rate to about 150 pbm.
I did repeat the test and got the same result.
So I have to conclude that, the watch checks my speed and thinks I am pushing hard on a "real" bike. It does not take the actual sensor reading, but something "pre-programmed" = fake one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, it's probably that. Although it gives me approx. the same readings on my regular bike, but I'm just a fat bastard.
If you have a chance to wear some other heart rate bracelet simultaneously, do that, and compare results.
Sent from my LG-D858HK using Tapatalk
Their faking algorithm is well known to be very advanced... it also takes temperature, atmospheric pressure, activity duration, your weight, height, and age into account. It also manages to pass comparative tests to other similar devices and external heart rate monitors, and detects when you give your watch to another person and measures his HR correctly. Ah, yes, and yesterday I saw some bright lights in the sky - be prepared, the aliens are coming.
trueruer said:
Their faking algorithm is well known to be very advanced... it also takes temperature, atmospheric pressure, activity duration, your weight, height, and age into account. It also manages to pass comparative tests to other similar devices and external heart rate monitors, and detects when you give your watch to another person and measures his HR correctly. Ah, yes, and yesterday I saw some bright lights in the sky - be prepared, the aliens are coming.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Can't decide what you are saying... So you mean the measurements should be correct and I am "making up" the complaints on the bad readings? Or else?
ventura1977 said:
Hi,
and I am "making up" the complaints on the bad readings?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's different to say that "i get bad readings" (or not very accurate) and different "i get fake readings"
btw gps has nothing to do with the hr measures (common sense , gps is only for outdoor activities)
ventura1977 said:
Hi,
Can't decide what you are saying... So you mean the measurements should be correct and I am "making up" the complaints on the bad readings? Or else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've just showed you what happens when way of thinking is flawed, based on what I see when using only my amazfit device and taking your hypothesis that there is a faking algorithm involved. Nothing more. I suggest you read this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method , then continue your investigation into why in your case the watch is showing faulty(if it is faulty) data and in what conditions. Otherwise your proposition about faking is no different than the one about an alien invasion coming every time there is a bright light in the sky.
I kinda ran into a similar issue. I was wearing the Pace past the wristbone and had my Schosche Rythmm+ on the forearm connected to my Under Amour App on my smartphone and went for a walk/Run - the heartrate readings and caloric burn were way off. The highest my Pace Watch would show is about 110 or 120, but i was running 400M intevals with 2:30 minutes of rest in between. My Rythm was showing 140-160 on the sprints. Which is about accurate.
So I am question the ability and accuracy of the device. If we could connect to an external HRM via Bluetooth this watch would be killa!
I really like the watch and not trying to make up stories guys. It was a simple observation about an odd behaviour.
Somewhere I have saw posted that single measurements seems to be accurate, but if you ran a sport program it is way off.
I suppose the easiest way is to verify this is to run a program while sitting in the car or bus with gps good signal.
Is there a possibility that while on your bike felt adrenaline when you were going fast causing your heart rate to go up?
Honestly, if you want accurate heart rates get an Amazfit Health Band w/it's ECG sensor. http://amazfitcentral.com/amazfit-health-band-specifications/
I use mine for jogging. The first firmware was very accurate but after the OTA update it always said that heart rate too high, over 170. Then I have to keep the strap pretty tight to get better reading.
Then I changed the firmware to PACIfied version. Reading was good again & without too much tightening of strap.
I think the watch fakes it too.
I think it fakes it too.
Did some tests. Ran an intervall where it got all the way up to 195. Which was 10 beats off what the treadmill shows. Which is fine, not expecting it to be that accurate so high.
Then I walked flat for 6kmh and it detected 110 which is also OK. Then I walked 6kmh with 10 degree uphill.
Now watch still show 110, mill showing 150.
It doesn't detect the uphill.
I'm so extremely disappointed in this thing. Wasted 110$
jhenrikb said:
I think it fakes it too.
Did some tests. Ran an intervall where it got all the way up to 195. Which was 10 beats off what the treadmill shows. Which is fine, not expecting it to be that accurate so high.
Then I walked flat for 6kmh and it detected 110 which is also OK. Then I walked 6kmh with 10 degree uphill.
Now watch still show 110, mill showing 150.
It doesn't detect the uphill.
I'm so extremely disappointed in this thing. Wasted 110$
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to run on the treadmill for thirty minutes, then put the watch on as soon as i stop the machine and see what the heart rate is.
FYI, had a Cambridge University educated doctor take my pulse and he said it was a lot less than what the amazefit watch was saying.
[Amazfit][Bip] heart rate sensor is a joke (firmware 0.9.40)
Hi, I have purchased the Amazfit Bip recently, it was cheap.
Several threads on the heart rate sensor of the Pace have try to warn against a possible fake feature.
I would like to extend this notice on the Bip after few tests.
I have posted a video on youtube to illustrate. unfortunately I am not able to post the link, here the title :
"Amazfit Bip heart rate sensors test."
Hope this helps.
here the description of the video :
A video of a heart rate test of the Huami Amazfit Bip watch. It can be seen that the watch does not offer a measurement but an estimate of the heart rate. This estimation rely on the time elapsed in the activity as seen in the first part of the video; but also on the information that can give the optical sensor, in the second part of the video. After turning off the camera, I started to move and put away my stuff and thus stress the accelerometer: the estimate of the heart rate has recovered.
The problem is that my heart rate could not exceed 60 bpm during the whole test (nothing doing it is around 54).
After several tests, this estimate seems made from several parameters:
- time: over time the heart rate increases in the effort
- what the optical sensor gives.
- the accelerometer : to detect an activity. (although in the first part of the video the watch does not move)
- parameters on age, weight, height, reported in mi fit, to establish a range of variation in the estimation of the heart rate.
Why that ? Maybe the sensor is unable to provide a measurement: the flash intensity is very low on this watch, the sensor covers a very small area.
What I expected: a measure like my polar f6
(without signal nothing is displayed: "--")
With a phone that has GPS and pedometer, it would have been better to invest in a Bluetooth module with electrodes.
Toni Maltes said:
Hi, I have purchased the Amazfit Bip recently, it was cheap.
Several threads on the heart rate sensor of the Pace have try to warn against a possible fake feature.
I would like to extend this notice on the Bip after few tests.
I have posted a video on youtube to illustrate. unfortunately I am not able to post the link, here the title :
"Amazfit Bip heart rate sensors test."
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right, when missing data, the BIPseems to interpole the resullts with the data available.
If you put the BIP on your wrist during that time, it sloooooowwly go down to the HR. It's still rely to the old incomplete data that globally at this moment gives a false result.
That could be improved by software I hope.
EMPTY
RisenVe said:
Same here,
shaved my hairy arm at the bip position. Measured while riding my bike. Drived with 23km/h over all time and some sprinting intervalls to vo2/max. The Bip says at normal riding 110bpm +/-5 beats. But then, holy moly, at sprinting.... 130bpm +/-5 beats. On right arm i have used my mi band 2, on same height compared to bip. It says heart rate is between 80bpm at start up to 180bpm in sprint intervalls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you sure it's tighten well ?
The sensor, is fully on your skin and doesn't move while riding?
Toni Maltes said:
Hi, I have purchased the Amazfit Bip recently, it was cheap.
Several threads on the heart rate sensor of the Pace have try to warn against a possible fake feature.
I would like to extend this notice on the Bip after few tests.
I have posted a video on youtube to illustrate. unfortunately I am not able to post the link, here the title :
"Amazfit Bip heart rate sensors test."
Hope this helps.
here the description of the video :
A video of a heart rate test of the Huami Amazfit Bip watch. It can be seen that the watch does not offer a measurement but an estimate of the heart rate. This estimation rely on the time elapsed in the activity as seen in the first part of the video; but also on the information that can give the optical sensor, in the second part of the video. After turning off the camera, I started to move and put away my stuff and thus stress the accelerometer: the estimate of the heart rate has recovered.
The problem is that my heart rate could not exceed 60 bpm during the whole test (nothing doing it is around 54).
After several tests, this estimate seems made from several parameters:
- time: over time the heart rate increases in the effort
- what the optical sensor gives.
- the accelerometer : to detect an activity. (although in the first part of the video the watch does not move)
- parameters on age, weight, height, reported in mi fit, to establish a range of variation in the estimation of the heart rate.
Why that ? Maybe the sensor is unable to provide a measurement: the flash intensity is very low on this watch, the sensor covers a very small area.
What I expected: a measure like my polar f6
(without signal nothing is displayed: "--")
With a phone that has GPS and pedometer, it would have been better to invest in a Bluetooth module with electrodes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
very interesting test, I already realized that the cardiac sensor of this watch gives me strange results sometimes.

Amazfit 2 (Stratos) as sports tracker - issues that render it quite useless

After quite some time of using Amazfit 2 as sportstracker mostly for running, I would like to share my experiences and comment on issues I have found. I have bought Amazfit 2 as a cheap replacement for garmin forerunner 220 I have used in the past. My feelings are quite mixed in the end. One of the highlights of amazfit is its build. It is build to last, looks nicely and fells durable in comparison with low to mid class garmin devices. However, there is lot of issues that in my opinion render it unusable for serious sport tracking:
GPS recording - There is discrepancy between mileage showed on watches (and in Amazfit app) vs mileage actually written in GPX file. So when your activity gets uploaded into Strava (or you then export it to Endomondo etc.), there is major difference (up to 2 %) in total mileage and thus also in pace etc. This is critical flaw.
Pace - One of the most important features of running sport tester is its ability to indicate current tempo. However, Amazfit readings fluctuate wildly, so it is really of not much use. For example, when jogging at constant pace, it quickly jumps between 4:00-5:30 min per km. In garmin devices, this get averaged and probably even anticipates hand movement, so you get quite good impression of how fast are you running at the moment. This is another major drawback of amazfit.
Altitude - I have noticed that for running, amazfit uses altitude from GPS only. Therefore, it is very inaccurate and completely useless - serves more like a random number generator. If you use "trail run" acitivity, altitude is measured through barometric sensor only, which is also less accurate. On garmin devices with barometer, altitude is measeured through combination of both sensors and measurements are very accurate (I got this impression after using Strava's correct elevation functionality).
Heart rate - For me, heart rate measurement during activity provides very poor readings. Even though i am having watches tightened fairly strong. For my regular runs at 150-160 bpm (measured through chest strap), typical stratos reading is around 120. Only sporadically, it gets closer to real values for certain period of workout. But in general, it is useless. It works same for my friend who also bought Amazfit for running. It seems to perform better when cycling (maybe because there is not that much hand movement - I dunno). However at this price tag, it is not realistic to expect any kind of accuracy from optical sensor. It is probably something very basic, it can be compared with garmin devices, which provide kind of realistic measurements. Downside of stratos is also the fact that it does not support ANT+ protocol, so most quality chest straps are not supported.
First beat features - These are in theory very nice. However as they are mostly based on HR readings, which are totaly offshot in Amazfit, they are not of much use.
However, this is something you might expect, as amazfit costs fraction of most other comparable devices, that can actually be used as sports tracker. In general, I would say, for a price it is still good buy for a nice looking smartwatch. For usage as sport tester, it has very nice hardware, however lacks proper software, which is probably not going to get changed.
Abandonned my Stratos because steps count are totaly wrong. Works if you start a fitness exercice with continuous walk or run but unusable as daily tracker. Steps are at minimum 2 time below real steps. I have real steps with a Fitbit One wich count only steps and not arm movement. Stratos daily steps also totally wrong compared to : Apple Watch, Gear Watch, Fitbit Watch, Garmin Watch.
Other thing is the current temp. Works sometime but often no data and display only min/max of the forecast for the day so unusable to have a forecast and not current temps. When we have a feature it must works or deleted
Notifications truncated but works on Android phone but ramdomly on IOS phone.
Not ready for prime time, just as prototype for tester.
thanks great review
Poborak said:
After quite some time of using Amazfit 2 as sportstracker mostly for running, I would like to share my experiences and comment on issues I have found. I have bought Amazfit 2 as a cheap replacement for garmin forerunner 220 I have used in the past. My feelings are quite mixed in the end. One of the highlights of amazfit is its build. It is build to last, looks nicely and fells durable in comparison with low to mid class garmin devices. However, there is lot of issues that in my opinion render it unusable for serious sport tracking:
GPS recording - There is discrepancy between mileage showed on watches (and in Amazfit app) vs mileage actually written in GPX file. So when your activity gets uploaded into Strava (or you then export it to Endomondo etc.), there is major difference (up to 2 %) in total mileage and thus also in pace etc. This is critical flaw.
Pace - One of the most important features of running sport tester is its ability to indicate current tempo. However, Amazfit readings fluctuate wildly, so it is really of not much use. For example, when jogging at constant pace, it quickly jumps between 4:00-5:30 min per km. In garmin devices, this get averaged and probably even anticipates hand movement, so you get quite good impression of how fast are you running at the moment. This is another major drawback of amazfit.
Altitude - I have noticed that for running, amazfit uses altitude from GPS only. Therefore, it is very inaccurate and completely useless - serves more like a random number generator. If you use "trail run" acitivity, altitude is measured through barometric sensor only, which is also less accurate. On garmin devices with barometer, altitude is measeured through combination of both sensors and measurements are very accurate (I got this impression after using Strava's correct elevation functionality).
Heart rate - For me, heart rate measurement during activity provides very poor readings. Even though i am having watches tightened fairly strong. For my regular runs at 150-160 bpm (measured through chest strap), typical stratos reading is around 120. Only sporadically, it gets closer to real values for certain period of workout. But in general, it is useless. It works same for my friend who also bought Amazfit for running. It seems to perform better when cycling (maybe because there is not that much hand movement - I dunno). However at this price tag, it is not realistic to expect any kind of accuracy from optical sensor. It is probably something very basic, it can be compared with garmin devices, which provide kind of realistic measurements. Downside of stratos is also the fact that it does not support ANT+ protocol, so most quality chest straps are not supported.
First beat features - These are in theory very nice. However as they are mostly based on HR readings, which are totaly offshot in Amazfit, they are not of much use.
However, this is something you might expect, as amazfit costs fraction of most other comparable devices, that can actually be used as sports tracker. In general, I would say, for a price it is still good buy for a nice looking smartwatch. For usage as sport tester, it has very nice hardware, however lacks proper software, which is probably not going to get changed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its great to have a review from sport tracker point of view . After watching many youtube reviews I was in impression that this watch is a steal but now I think they have compromised on GPS , Optical heart sensor and software . I think now I will stick to my TomTom Spark as its fairly accurate in both department and wait for AmazeFit 3. Thanks for the great review :good:
I love my Stratos 2S...
I am not a professional athlete and for my use it is more than ideal! A great price for what it offers, without mentioning the battery life.
Guto ViP said:
I love my Stratos 2S...
I am not a professional athlete and for my use it is more than ideal! A great price for what it offers, without mentioning the battery life.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These are my thoughts exactly. I recently ordered the Stratos and saw this thread thinking "Oh no, should I cancel my order?" but reading the details, the concerns raised by OP are likely not of concern for anyone that is not particularly "serious" about their athletics. In other-words, it's exactly what it looks like - an lower cost alternative to professional sports tracking devices. 2% inaccuracies in the distance traveled is actually ideal for my purposes - I may run about 5 miles at a time, so if it indicates I ran 4.9 or 5.1 miles (~2% is 0.1 miles), I would have no problems there since I likely set my stop point based on Google maps to begin with!
All the other metrics such as altitude, pace, and HR, I would treat as relative to my initial readings. Eg, if I started a run at 100 ft elevation and 70BPM, I would simply look at how much of a difference from that I varied and only care if I saw absurdly huge variances.
I appreciate the insights, and the details provided by OP, but I think it actually sends a different message to some users - instead of saying "it's quite useless", it's really just quite useless for OP and serious (or professional) athletic tracking. For every day, average joe/casual users, we're mostly glad to hear there's only a 2% variance.
Thanks for the details analysis! Looking forward to receiving my watch.
Individuals have different expectation. For its price, I will never think it can be as good as Garmin or much more expensive trackers. Serious athletes should never consider this Stratos watch unless you can accept certain flaws for its much lower price tag. It's quite unfair to compare it with those trackers and come with the conclusion that it's useless while many others are happy with it.
I will never think it can be as good as Garmin or much more expensive trackers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bingo. There's a reason a Garmin costs 2, 3 times as much. It's not that the Amazfits are bad they just may lack some of the refinement/accuracy of more expensive devices.
On a value-for-money count, they score high.
Poborak said:
After quite some time of using Amazfit 2 [...].
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree to all points. I have each experience the same after few weeks and several activities with this watch already performed.
I can only wish that firmware updates will improve most of weaknesses.
I have compared vivoactive 3/gamin fenix 5/polar m430/amazfit stratos and I will keep only the stratos, I explain shortly my decision:
Calories burned in all the day and training in gym (I'm bodybuilder) with a chest strap are the same (+/- 50) than the garmin.
Y use elpitical profile to track the gym activity and problem solved.
Amazing product for this price, the app is very good. 130 Euros VS..... no VS.
cons
nice watches, though i will get rid of tomtom spark 3 cardio, but Stratos showing wrong hr even with hr belt, instead of 48 showing high 70... even with belt the optical diode is still flashing. looks like bugged evo model to me...
Poborak said:
GPS recording - There is discrepancy between mileage showed on watches (and in Amazfit app) vs mileage actually written in GPX file. So when your activity gets uploaded into Strava (or you then export it to Endomondo etc.), there is major difference (up to 2 %) in total mileage and thus also in pace etc. This is critical flaw.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For GPS is pretty accurate. I have a track that I use for years now. Ran it with different watches (Vivoactive, Fitbit Ionic, TomTom etc). All of them had different mileage. And the Stratos is in the range of the others. Same for Strava: As far as I know Strava is automaticly correcting the length of the run based on their own algorithms.
I had an Garmin Vivoactive 3 before which costs twice as Stratos and was returned and refunded because of 2 hardware defects. I can only compare my Stratos to the VA3.
Distance: Same on both devices but little difference to Strava (both).
Pace: Same on both devices but Vivoactive 3 is updating move frequently and giving more pace alerts.
Altitude: Good to OK for Stratos, totally off for VA3. Strava corrects it anyway so I do not mind. For accurate altitude one needs to have a Suunto or Polar watch.
Step count: Only fine in walking activities on Stratos. For whole day it is counting much less than VA3. Amazfit should use a different algorithm for all day steps as others do. But I do not care about steps that much and VA3 is also not counting baby stroller steps.
Intensity minutes: The only reliable measurement on the VA3 but not available at Stratos.
Floor count: Garmin VA3 was OK but omitting some. Stratos stopped to count my floors since now the threshold seems to be much higher than 3 m.
Activities: Stratos missing important activity types as cardio or yoga. I am using elliptical for that which has almost same calorie count.
Heart rate sensor: Garmin has one of the best (it not the best) and because Vivoactive 3 is small and light it is the best watch at Garmin for recording. But still one needs to use a chest strap for high intensity activities or intervals. Stratos sensor is really bad but OK for resting heart rate and if one puts it higher on the arm and makes it tight than good enough for running or cycling.
Usage: Garmins VA3 has a crappy touch interface with a lot of annoyances and no mood to fix it. Stratos is more easy to operate but to slow and sometimes buggy.
App: Garmins Connect app is not really an app but just a web view. It holds a lot of data which is sometimes confusing but only works while having an active internet connection. Without internet is is not possible so sync activities to the smartphone nor checking data on the smartphone app. Stratos app is functional without internet but can only sync to Strava.
Verdict: I would be totally happy with the Stratos if the bugs are fixed and it had cardio and yoga activity types. I also like the Firstbeat features like recovery time and training effect. Garmins Vivoactive 3 is doing OK as an expensive activity tracker but has no training features and an annoying user interface and also some bugs like wrong altitude.
battery life with HR belt
guys whats your battery life with HR belt? I get -38% of battery after 2hr run with HR belt + GPS /optical switched off/, no backlight.
any hints?
my tomtom spark 3 runs for 8h15m with gps and HR belt, 7hr when skitouring /sub 0`C temp/
Hr measurements are completely off i take jabbra sport earbud for this and they connect to the stratos so ok
What annoys me the more is the altitude completely off hope they will introduce a manual input for this ... and sometimes it freeze ?
Great review of real runner, thank you!
Jabbra sport earbud
pbxl said:
Hr measurements are completely off i take jabbra sport earbud for this and they connect to the stratos so ok
What annoys me the more is the altitude completely off hope they will introduce a manual input for this ... and sometimes it freeze
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi could you share the exact model, would like to get the same earbuds for heart rate measurements.
Thanks

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