Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro: A Budget-Friendly Alternative to Apple and Garmin

Design, Display & Durability

The T-Rex 3 Pro stays true to the rugged DNA of the T-Rex lineup, with a design very similar to the T-Rex 3 I tested last year. If you want a deep dive into the overall look, hardware, software, and features, take a look at my full T-Rex 3 review—here, I am focusing on what is new.

In 2025, the T-Rex finally comes in two size variants, 48 mm and 44 mm, which makes it more approachable for different wrist sizes. This year, Amazfit upgraded the bezel and buttons to grade-5 titanium for extra durability while keeping a reinforced plastic body to maintain comfort on the wrist. The AMOLED display is sapphire-protected and now peaks at 3,000 nits, making it much easier to read under direct sunlight.

Navigation relies on four physical buttons (Up, Down, Select, and Back), which are a lifesaver in cold, wet, or gloved conditions. There is still no rotating crown, so this is very much a continuation of the T-Rex formula rather than a complete rethink.

I tested the 48 mm version, which is honestly too large for my wrist. Thankfully, Amazfit’s growing ecosystem makes this less of a problem. Instead of sleeping with the watch, I paired it with the Amazfit Helio Strap (review) overnight and switched back to the watch in the morning. This handoff worked seamlessly, and even though the combo costs 399 dollars for the watch and 99 dollars for the strap, it feels like a well-thought-out health tracking solution. It feels like Amazfit wants to be in charge of your entire health journey, not just what’s on your wrist.

I also wore the T-Rex 3 Pro on a bike trip through the Austrian Alps. Despite its size, it stayed securely in place and did not slide around, even when I was sweating. For such a chunky watch, it actually sits on the wrist much better than I expected.

But here comes the first tradeoff: while the titanium upgrades make it feel more premium than past models, it still cannot match the finish of an Apple Watch Ultra 3 (review) or even a Huawei Watch GT 6 Pro (review). Then again, the T-Rex costs about half as much as Apple’s Ultra and offers a richer ecosystem than Huawei’s GT series, which is not even available in the US. Ultimately, the T-Rex 3 Pro will appeal to a specific segment of users who value rugged aesthetics and outdoor-ready durability over sleek, luxury watch vibes.

Software & Compatibility

The T-Rex 3 Pro runs on ZeppOS 5, Amazfit’s proprietary operating system. Its biggest advantage is compatibility with both Android and iOS devices, which is always a win in my book. That said, it does feel a bit fragmented, with separate apps like Zepp Pay required to unlock all features. And while ZeppOS is not as buttery-smooth as watchOS 26 or Wear OS 6, it still gives you access to a capable app ecosystem.

Overall, ZeppOS is straightforward and easy to use. Both the companion app and the watch interface are intuitive and quick to navigate. While Amazfit does monetize certain software services like Aura and Fitness, most of the core features are available without a subscription.

One major limitation is music. You cannot stream directly from the watch, so you will need to manually upload MP3 files if you want offline playback. The good news is that when paired with your phone, you can control your music right from the watch.

Zepp has a solid track record for firmware updates, often adding new features, and app updates are rolled out consistently via the App Store and Google Play.

Here is the second tradeoff: privacy transparency. Amazfit has been ranked alongside Xiaomi among the least transparent smartwatch makers when it comes to privacy policies, whereas Google and Apple sit at the top for data protection.

On the plus side, Amazfit has told me in the past that servers for users outside Mainland China are located in Germany and the US (AWS). Additionally, the company is GDPR compliant. The T-Rex 3 Pro also comes with privacy controls for GPS data: you can choose between permanent cloud storage, temporary cloud storage, no cloud uploads, or disabling GPS entirely. Zepp further supports multiple backup methods, including email, cloud, local mobile storage, and the ability to export workout data files.

Wellness, Safety & Fitness Features

The Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro supports more than 170 sports modes, backed by a reliable heart rate sensor and dual-band GPS to keep training data accurate. On the health side, the rear sensor tracks blood oxygen, sleep, all-day heart rate, HRV, resting heart rate, skin temperature, and respiratory rate. In my tests, its readings lined up closely with my Wahoo chest strap, which I always use as a benchmark.

As with the Helio Strap, the T-Rex 3 Pro now uses the BioCharge system instead of the older Readiness score. Readiness offered a single morning snapshot of recovery, while BioCharge delivers a continuous, real-time view of how prepared your body is throughout the day.

When I first tested the Helio Strap, I found BioCharge a bit confusing compared to the simplicity of a daily readiness score. Personally, I still prefer waking up to one clear number rather than checking the app multiple times to track exertion load. That said, I can see the value. Continuous monitoring highlights unexpected dips or spikes in performance readiness during normal activities, giving athletes more flexibility and more opportunities to adjust training or recovery. For me, BioCharge does not fully replace the simplicity of a morning score, but I understand its appeal for users who want real-time feedback.

GPS performance was also impressive. During a 525 km bike tour across the Austrian Alps—through dense forests, bike lanes near highways, and highways themselves—the T-Rex 3 Pro mapped my routes accurately. Altitude tracking was especially precise, and I liked that you can create and sync routes directly through the Zepp app, similar to Komoot. GPS lock-on took only 3 to 8 seconds, and if I forgot to start a ride manually, the watch picked it up automatically.

Automatic activity detection remains one of Amazfit’s strengths. The T-Rex 3 Pro consistently recognized walking, running, cycling, and swimming without manual input, which I appreciate since I often forget to start a workout.

Safety is where Amazfit lags behind. The T-Rex 3 Pro does not support automatic fall detection, crash detection, or a dedicated emergency siren—features you will find on premium models like the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, and even on more affordable devices like the Huawei Watch GT 6 Pro and Google Pixel Watch 4.

That brings us to the third T-Rex 3 Pro tradeoff: safety. There is no LTE or 5G connectivity, no satellite messaging, and no SOS functionality.

What you do get is a built-in SOS LED flashlight, which doubles as a handy tool for night workouts. Beyond that, you will need to rely on your phone for emergency features such as SOS alerts, fall detection, or crash detection.

Battery Life & Charging

The T-Rex 3 Pro packs a 700 mAh battery in the 48 mm model I tested, and it delivers impressive endurance. Amazfit rates it at up to 25 days of typical use and around 10 days of heavy use.

To put those claims to the test, I took the T-Rex 3 Pro on a 525 km bike trip, specifically to see how far the battery could go. Since I was not using it for sleep tracking, I turned it off at night. With continuous daytime use, I managed about 328 km of tracking, which translated into 19 hours and 43 minutes of GPS usage—from Innsbruck in Austria all the way to Gauting in Germany. That gave me four full days on a single charge, with the Always On Display enabled for about half of that time. Quite impressive.

Charging is just as practical. The T-Rex 3 Pro takes about 100 minutes to fully recharge, which is reasonable for a 700 mAh cell. You can reach 80% in just 45 minutes. On my trip, I only had to charge it once. The charger itself is compact, uses magnetic pogo pins, and connects via USB-C without an attached cable, so I could plug it directly into my iPhone 16 charger adapter (20W). For traveling light, that design is genuinely convenient.

Back from the trip, with a less demanding daily routine, I stretched the watch to 14 days on a single charge. For outdoor adventurers, that kind of reliability makes the T-Rex 3 Pro an easy companion.

Technical Specifications

Where to Buy the Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro

The Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro is now available for purchase on the official store and through various retail partners, starting at $399. In Europe, it is priced at €399, positioning itself as a competitive choice for those in the market for a heavy-duty, outdoor-focused sports smartwatch.