About a week ago we compared two top smartwatch models from the Huami brand. Amazfit GTR and Amazfit Stratos are truly the best that Huami offers at the moment.
However, one more premium watch model was missing. Amazfit Watch 2, also known as Nexo, which were introduced on June 11 / June 2019.
Amazfit GTR vs Stratos vs Watch 2 (Nexo): Specifications
In our comparison specs table, we also added the Huami Amazfit Watch 2 – also referred to as Nexo. You could say the Nexo watch specs sit somewhere in the middle of the models being compared. The table shows which parameters differ for each type.
| Amazfit GTR 47mm | Amazfit Stratos | Amazfit Watch 2 (Nexo) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watch thickness | 10.75 mm | 13.70 mm | 13.70 mm |
| Bracelet width | 22 mm | 22 mm | – |
| Weight | aluminium 36 g | 49 g | 49 g |
| steel 48 g | - | – | |
| titanium 40 g | - | – | |
| Number of physical buttons | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Processor | - | 1.2 GHz Dual-core | 1.1 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon Wear 2500 |
| RAM | - | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Available storage space | - | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Display | touch AMOLED | touch LCD | touch AMOLED |
| Display protection | Gorilla Glass 3 | Gorilla Glass | Gorilla Glass 3 |
| anti-fingerprint coating | - | 2.5D-curvature | |
| Display size in inches | 1.39 | 1.34 | 1.39 |
| Display resolution | 454×454 px | 320×320 px | 454×454 px |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 4.0 | Bluetooth 4.2 |
| NFC | WiFi IEEE 802.11b/g 2.4GHz | NFC | WiFi IEEE 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz | |
| Mobile network | No | No | Yes – 2G | 3G | 4G via eSIM (probably only in China) |
| Location determination | GPS+GLONASS | GPS+GLONASS | GPS+GLONASS+BDS |
| Li-Po battery | 410 mAh | 290 mAh | 420 mAh |
| Battery life | 24 days normal mode | 5 days normal mode | - |
| 74 days basic mode | - | - | |
| 40 hours of continuous GPS | 35 hours of continuous GPS | 28 hours of continuous 4G | |
| Charging time | 2 h | 2 h | 1.5 h |
| Sensors | BioTracker TM PPG | Optical heart rate sensor (PPG) | BioTracker TM PPG |
| 6-axis accelerometer | 3-axis accelerometer | accelerometer | |
| 3-axis geomagnetic sensor | Geomagnetic sensor | Geomagnetic sensor | |
| Ambient light sensor | Ambient light sensor | Ambient light sensor | |
| Capacitive sensor | Air pressure sensor | ECG sensor (ECG version) | |
| Barometric sensor | Gyroscope | ||
| Water resistance | 5 ATM to 50 m | 5 ATM to 50 m | IP68 |
| Sports modes | 12 | 16 | 10 |
| Number of dials | 100 | - | - |
| OS support | Android 5.0 and iOS 10.0 or higher | Android 4.4 and iOS 9 or higher | Android 4.4 and iOS 10.0 or higher |
| Calling feature | No | No | Yes – speaker + microphone |
Dimensions, weight, and design
In the design and size comparison between the GTR and Stratos, we gave priority to the GTR. Even though the Amazfit Watch 2 Nexo model has a body made from microcrystalline ceramic frame, polished for up to 35 days, in terms of case thickness and weight it is closer to the Stratos.
In appearance, the Amazfit Watch 2 – Nexo looks like a cross between the Verge and Pace models. Out of this trio, the GTR impressed us the most, thanks to the availability of multiple variants.
Amazfit Watch 2 – the most powerful hardware
When comparing performance, the clear winner is obvious at first glance. The technical specs say it all. Amazfit Watch 2 features a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2500 processor with a clock speed of 1.1 GHz.
And when you add 512 MB of RAM, the other compared models fall behind. 4 GB of storage is offered by both Stratos and Nexo. With the GTR, there’s no option to store data in internal memory, as it doesn’t have any.
Stratos lags behind in the display comparison
The Amazfit Watch 2 has a display on the same level as the GTR. It’s a touchscreen AMOLED panel with a 1.39-inch diagonal and a pixel density of up to 326 ppi. Plus, the Nexo model’s display also has 2.5D curved glass. For the display alone, we’d give our vote to the Nexo model.
With which one will you make calls from?
As for connectivity, there’s no real revolution. All the models being compared offer a Bluetooth interface, but their versions differ. Stratos and Nexo also support WiFi connection, though its capabilities are currently limited to software updates only. For navigation capabilities, Nexo has a slight edge. Besides GPS and GLONASS, it also supports the Beidou navigation system.
And yet we found one standout exception that can heavily influence your decision. Amazfit Watch 2 comes with eSIM functionality and support for 4G LTE networks. After registering a virtual SIM card, the user can make phone calls directly through the watch, without needing a smartphone. However, eSIM support in our region hasn’t been confirmed yet.
The phone-calling functionality also means that the Nexo has a built-in speaker and microphone. Users can also use this for voice commands – something the other two watch models don’t support.
Battery capacity increases, but battery life is variable
The battery in the Nexo sparks mixed thoughts. Of the watches being compared, it has the biggest capacity at 420 mAh, which isn’t small for a watch. On the other hand, the manufacturer lists a battery life of just 28 hours, which is pretty poor.
Of course, this time parameter depends on how you use and take advantage of each feature. Amazfit Watch 2, thanks to their equipment, clearly have higher energy demands than the GTR and Stratos. However, in terms of battery life, they are the “worst” of the three.
All models are packed with sensors
When we look at the sensors in the watches, we won’t find big differences. The Amazfit Watch 2 EKG version also adds a sensor for measuring and evaluating EKG – a person’s electrocardiography. For heart-rate recording, GTR and NEXO also used a brand-new sensor labeled BioTracker.
It’s a optical sensor independently developed by Huami Technology, with reduced power consumption and improved accuracy. In this case, the Stratos version is a bit behind.
All are water-resistant
Another important and tracked metric is the durability of the smartwatches. The Nexo model has an IP68 rating – meaning the watch is protected from dust particles and water. It can handle up to 30 minutes of immersion at a depth of 1 meter. The GTR and Stratos models have a 5ATM rating for dives up to 50 m.
Because of this drawback, the Nexo watches can’t monitor water sports, so they have the fewest preset monitoring modes. They can record only 10 sports activities. Stratos can even handle 16, and GTR 12.
Prices
Let’s take a look at the prices you can get each model for by our local standards. Price can often make the difference when choosing, by either excusing or highlighting another important factor. Prices are valid as of 31.7.2019.
Amazfit GTR has just gone live at a well-known global retailer in a flash sale, and you can get it for €126 / 3586 CZK. It’s the aluminum version and the steel version in the international version.
Amazfit Stratos had a limited number of coupons here, and only recently it was available for €116 / 3000 CZK. However, this price is no longer available; currently there’s a coupon for €129 / CZK, but at regular retail you can get it for €142 / 3676 CZK.
Amazfit Watch 2 – Nexo is currently on offer for €177.35 / 4587 CZK. For now, only in the Chinese version—there’s no new information about the international version.
Prices in this article were last updated on 31.7.2019 at 17:45
Amazfit GTR
International version
Price from: €125 / 3356 CZK
Amazfit Stratos
International version
Price from: €129 / 3365 CZK
Amazfit Watch 2
EKG-free version
Price from: €177 / 4587 CZK
One last little help at the end
What else to add at the end? All three watch models are design art. They more or less have the same shape, roughly the same dimensions and weight. The Stratos model is among the older ones, and its LCD display can’t compete with newer watches with AMOLED. For this model, we can only be lured in by the price tag.
Choosing between the GTR and Nexo won’t be difficult at all. Just evaluate a few things about yourself. And when we say a few, we mean two. Do you want to make calls with the watch without carrying your phone? Do swimming belong among my favorite sports and training?
Answer for yourself and you’ve already made your choice. Or not? The other specs don’t differ too much, so the rest is up to your taste.
So what—which of the best Xiaomi smartwatches would you pick?
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