Samsung Gear S3 Frontier - classic-style smart watch review

How do you rate the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier smart watch?
We vote!

Fine. Some of the best on the market

Good. The best price-quality ratio

Medium option. There are models much more interesting

Poorly. I do not recommend to buy

Difficult to answer. I do not care

Total votes: 12

Vote results

Comparison with competitors

Let's compare the watched Samsung smart watches with the previous version and the model of one of the main competitors - Apple's iWatch3.

Model	Samsung Gear S3 Frontier	Apple Watch 3 (38 mm)	Apple Watch 3 (42 mm)	Samsung Gear S2
Display	1.3 inches, round, AMOLED, 360x360 resolution	1.5 inches (38 mm), AMOLED, resolution 272 × 340	1.65 inches (42 mm), AMOLED, resolution 312 × 390	1.2 inches, round, AMOLED, resolution 360x360
operating system	Tizen OS 2.3.2	watchOS 4.0		Tizen os
RAM	768 MB	768 MB		512 MB
CPU	Samsung Exynos 7270, 2 cores, 1 GHz	Apple S3, 2 cores		Samsung Exynos 3250, 2 cores, 1 GHz
Battery	380 mAh	279 mAh		250 mAh
Compatibility	Android, iOS	iOS		Android, iOS
Degree of protection	MIL-810G	only from water (up to 5 atm)		IP68
Connection	Wi-Fi, LTE, 3G, NFC, GPS, Bluetooth, MST	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, LTE, 3G, NFC		Wi-Fi, NFC, 3G, Bluetooth
Inner memory	4 GB	16 GB		4 GB
Weight and dimensions	63 g, 49x46x13 mm	42 g, 39x33x11.5 mm	53 g, 42.5x36.5x11.5 mm	47 g, 50x42x11.5 mm

In general, we can conclude that the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier has a more “durable” battery than other smart watches. I am glad that the gadget is connected to all devices. At the same time, the screen resolution is even greater than that of Apple watches. And security is better - the military standard MIL-810G provides protection against water, dust, temperature, vibrations, shaking, shock, and so on. In general, it is very difficult to kill this watch.

But at the same time, the device in some way loses to competitors. In particular, it is heavier than all the others - as much as 63 grams versus 53 for Apple and 47 for the previous version of Samsung Gear S2. The screen size for smart watches is only 1.3 inches against 1.5 and 1.65 for iWatch. And the internal memory is four times less than theirs.

In general, we can say that the smart watches from the Korean company are certainly quite good. And it is problematic to single out a leader among competitors - all models are good in some ways and not so good in some.

Equipment

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is sold in a black cylindrical box made from durable plastic. All parts of the kit are packed quite tightly, so shaking something during transport is almost impossible.

Inside you can find:

• smart watches themselves;
• the docking station, to which the device is magnetized - it is rather heavy and equipped with an LED indicator that displays the progress of charging;
• two interchangeable straps - longer and shorter (the one that is longer is already attached to the watch case);
• Micro-USB dock cable;
• a bit of waste paper in the form of instructions and warranty booklet.

Grade, as you can see, is quite simple and at the same time complete. There is nothing superfluous, but the manufacturers carefully packed all the necessary things in a black box. Even thought about the convenience of people with a small wrist girth.

Appearance and ergonomics

In terms of design, everything is simple - Samsung watches, when viewed from afar, look like the most ordinary ones. Something their appearance resembles the leading Swiss models. They are closer to the classic watch than to the "smart". The watches are quite massive and large. Made from black steel 316L. On the top of the case there are no labels or labels - just a dark matte metal. There are no connectors either - you can charge the clock only through the docking station.

On the back cover is some technical information. In particular, the model and brand of smart watches. In the center is the heart rate monitor window.

On the side face to the right are two wide physical buttons: “Home” and “Back”. They almost do not stick out of the body and generally made quite nice. The buttons are covered with rough material and are easy to grope with your fingers.

The watch is controlled by a bezel (a ring around the display), two buttons to the right of the dial and a touch screen. The bezel is made toothed, due to which it is very convenient to scroll. One step of his move allows you to move exactly one point in the menu - it will be problematic to “twist” the ring. Some users complained that the bezel is a bit loose. In practice, this does not cause any discomfort and is almost imperceptible when operating.

 

The strap of the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is standard, 22 millimeters wide, made of elastomer. The box has two options - for thin and wider wrists. An important feature is that any standard straps for regular watches fit the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier. The developers have made a mount that allows you to use the most ordinary belts and bracelets at 22 millimeters.

The display is round and its entire surface is working - no black frames or pieces. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass SR + reinforced glass. This glass, like the clock itself, is practically indestructible. From above, the display is covered with a very high-quality oleophobic coating - the glass gets dirty more slowly, and it's much easier to clean it.

Display

The Samsung Gear S3 Frontier has a built-in AMOLED screen with a diagonal of 1.3 inches and a screen resolution of 360x360. Pixel density is high - 278 per inch. Due to this, the image is incredibly clear - the pixels on it can still be viewed, but only if you try very hard. The display colors are quite bright and saturated. Sometimes even oversaturation may occur - some shades become unnaturally juicy. But the magnificent depth of black color pleases - on this watch it is really black, not dark gray or some other.

 

Samsung's viewing angles are quite large - you can look at your watch as you please, and the image will not change much. In addition, the display brightness of the watch is chosen independently, depending on the level of illumination. The brightest option is enough to view the image even outdoors on a sunny day.

The watch supports the Always On Display function. That is, the device screen can be lit permanently. Due to the energy-saving technology AMOLED it is possible, and the watch will not be discharged in a couple of hours. The developers claimed that with the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier screen running all the time, they could work up to two days. In addition, the display can be turned on the rotation of the wrist to face.

 

I am very pleased that the menu has the ability to turn on "increased sensitivity." Due to this function, the watch is able to recognize the touch of a finger, even with thick gloves. Creators of smartphones would be worth learning.

The watch has 14 dials preset for the display. There are a lot more of them in the store - there you can even find free options in addition to those already downloaded. But most still have to pay. Judging by the reviews of customers, it depends on the selected dial how long the watch will work without recharging. The tricked the dial - the faster the battery is discharged.

Interface

The main interface screen is the dial. It displays the selected image (the shift can be found in the settings or purchased in the Samsung app store).

 

By turning the bezel, you can switch the screen to applications or notifications. The first will open if you turn the bezel to the right, and the second - if you twist it to the left.

At the very end of the "list" of widgets when scrolling will be the inscription "Add widget". You can choose any from the list, and then you will be able to use it by slightly scrolling the bezel.

The clock menu can be accessed by clicking on any of the buttons while on the home screen. The interface consists of round icons located on the edges of the display. In the center is the inscription, which explains what this item is.Navigating the menu is simple - bezel select the desired icon, and then simply click on any part of the screen.

Above there is also a curtain with quick settings. Just like in the classic "smartphone" Android. Enough to hold your finger from top to bottom.

The interface is very finely tuned - you can literally change everything, from font to background for widgets. Therefore, each user can make their smart watches truly unique.

I am glad that the interface is made very high quality and sophisticated. Everything is clear in it. Control and switch from point to point quickly and easily. In addition to general convenience, it is very good that the watch reacts instantly to any desire of the user. Due to good optimization, there is not a single brake or lag, and the battery discharges much slower - thanks to Samsung's Tizen operating system.

 

Unfortunately, there is a drawback with its own operating system. Many users in the reviews say that the application store is rather poor. Developers prefer to create applications for more mass watches running Android Wear. However, gradually it is updated with new useful applications, which pleases.

Functionality

Samsung Gear S3 Frontier is positioned by manufacturers as a device for active people. Because of this, it is equipped with a bunch of different sports applications, sensors and displays that will display statistics in real time.

There are already quite a few applications installed in the out-of-box clock. In particular, the gadget is easy to see the date, time, weather, put a reminder or an alarm clock, read and reply to a message or messenger, switch between time zones and so on. But you can install new ones from the Galaxy Apps store. In the store, you can find all sorts of applications for smart watches, even calling a taxi. In sports, watches are able to constantly monitor various types of activity and then produce statistics on it.

In addition to many useful applications, the device has a bunch of sensors and meters that will be very popular with sports fans:

• heart rate monitor;
• pedometer;
• speedometer;
• offline GPS to track user movements without the participation of a smartphone or tablet;
• atmospheric pressure sensor;
• altimeter;
• barometer;
• not to mention the standard light sensors, accelerometer and so on.

Why just lovers? Because the accuracy of these sensors will be insufficient for professional athletes. The heart rate monitor does not work continuously, due to which it is impossible to monitor the work of the heart during exercise. In addition, in some cases, he frankly lies, sometimes overestimating or understating his testimony.

The South Korean version of the watch allowed you to tie an electronic SIM card to them and use the device as a smartphone. Unfortunately, this function is not supported in the RF. But you can still talk on the clock - just connect them to your phone via Bluetooth.

Conveniently, you can upload pictures and music to your watch. To listen to the latest, for example, while jogging, it is easy to connect headphones via Bluetooth directly to the device. And then do not have to carry a smartphone.

Since 2017, Samsung Pay has been established in Russia, which was previously limited. Now you can link a bank card to the clock and pay for their purchases.

Compatible with smartphones

Manufacturers tend to cover as many market segments as possible in which they sell their smart watches. As a result, Samsung Gear S3 Frontier, unlike the similar Apple gadget, works not only with other devices of the company.

The device allows you to connect it to all more or less modern smartphones:

1. Samsung smartphones - the connection with them is the most stable, and the watches work in the most correct way.
2. Devices on Android3 and higher - smart watches can work with smartphones made not by Samsung, but managed by Android OS.
3. Smartphones on iOS 9 and newer - Samsung Gear 3 Frontier can even be connected to devices from a direct competitor to the manufacturer.

Interestingly, the Samsung website is compatible only with Samsung and Apple gadgets. But in fact, the clock quietly works with most smartphones and some Android tablets.Before buying, try to check compatibility with your device.

You can also control the clock through a smartphone. For this there are special mobile applications that allow you to fine-tune the interface and functionality of the clock:

1. Samsung Gear. Available for all devices on Android.
2. Samsung Galaxy Watch (Gear S). Application for working hours with iOS.

In some cases, you will have to install the Gear S Plugin and the Samsung Accessory Service. These two applications may be needed to connect the clock to Android devices. You will also have to get a Samsung Account to download the necessary applications.

In general, connecting to Android smartphones not from Samsung is feasible. But it takes a lot of time and requires several applications at once. In addition, some users complain that they constantly need to restart to their account in order to connect the clock or to install something.

Autonomy

During operation, the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier meets the battery capacity of 380 mA / h. For such hours it is quite a lot - among the competitors selected at the beginning of the review this is the best indicator.

According to reviews and measurements, Samsung smart watches are capable of issuing the following autonomy:

• 4 days - in the normal mode, autonomously from a smartphone and without a permanently on screen;
• 2-3 days - during autonomous operation in the Always On Display mode;
• 2 days - when the watch is constantly connected to the smartphone and Always On Display, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth and so on work.

In general, we can say that autonomy is acceptable. Here, only the buyer can decide whether it is convenient for him to constantly charge the watch, as he does with a smartphone or other gadgets. But in favor of the watch, you can say that charging it is simple to ugliness - just throw the watch at the docking station after it is removed.

By the way, from the docking station, they charge 100% from scratch in two hours. Pretty quickly, so even if they suddenly turned off, recharging the clock is not such a big problem.

Reviews

Samsung Gear S3 Frontier collected quite a lot of positive reviews. According to Yandex.Market, 84% of users recommend buying a product.

Most often, customers respond positively about almost all the capabilities of the watch: autonomy, design, interface and its operation, ease of operation, and so on. In general, the device is characterized as high-quality and comfortable in use.

But users still found some flaws in the watched smart watches. Many people do not like the fact that Samsung Gear S3 Frontier works without recharging for only two days. Also speak negatively about the heart rate monitor (we wrote that it may not work correctly). But this is the scourge of almost all non-professional wrist gadgets.

Some users recommend replacing the regular elastomer strap with something “breathable” right away. Otherwise there is a risk that irritation will appear on the skin.

Conclusion

Summing up the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier, we can safely say that the watches are quite successful. They are productive, made in an elegant design of "real" watches (only the physical dial is not enough) and are pleasantly felt on the arm. The functionality is quite extensive and allows you to actively use the watch, even without a constant bundle with a smartphone.

In general, several main advantages of the Samsung Gear S3 Frontier can be emphasized:

• solid look of Swiss watches;
• many sensors and applications out of the box;
• actively developing app store;
• reliability and security;
• connection with Samsung Pay.

But, like all things in the world, watches are not perfect. The main disadvantages include:

• small autonomy - on average you will have to charge the watch every two days;
• not always correctly working heart rate monitor - for professionals it is clearly not suitable;
• strap can cause irritation and allergies - good, it is easily changed to a new one.

But you should understand that smart watches are a rather specific gadget. And to demand from them the capabilities of a smartphone is useless.