Amazfit GTR vs. Amazfit Verge: Which should you buy?

Amazfit Verge

Those who are seeking more of a fitness smartwatch will be in good hands with the Amazfit Verge. In addition to heart-rate monitoring, activity and sleep tracking, and GPS, you'll also have other features, like music storage, Wi-Fi, and Amazon Alexa built-in.

Amazfit GTR

Want to make the ultimate fashion statement with a classic timepiece that has modern features? Look no further than the Amazfit GTR. It offers heart-rate monitoring, activity and sleep tracking, GPS, 5 ATM water resistance, and unbeatable battery life.

When you begin your search for an affordable smartwatch that provides plenty of tracking abilities and other helpful features, the options are plentiful. Amazfit continues to expand its offerings, most recently with the new Amazfit GTR. But how does it compare to the Amazfit Verge? There are some similarities, but the differences could easily sway your decision.

As far as design goes, the GTR blows the Verge out of the water. That's not to say that the Verge isn't still a solid smartwatch with excellent features. By all means, let your preferences guide the way. After careful consideration, we have to say that the GTR wins the physical appearance contest. However, the Verge offers more features, which is the main reason most people invest in a smartwatch. Check out the details for yourself so you can be the judge.

Night and day

Aside from both of these smartwatches having round AMOLED displays, the two designs couldn't be more different. The Amazfit Verge comes with a plastic body and a single button. It doesn't take more than a glance to notice that this wearable is definitely a fitness watch. It's available in a single size of 43mm and three colors, including Shadow Gray, Twilight Blue, and Moonlight White. If you were looking for something of premium quality that's flashy and stylish, this one probably won't catch your eye. However, if you want a basic watch design for fitness tracking, it might be right up your alley.

The GTR, on the other hand, received much more attention when it came to physical design. It has two buttons and is available in 47mm or 42mm. The larger model is available in three classic variants: titanium, aluminum, or stainless steel. The smaller watch comes in Starry Black, Moonlight White, Coral Red, and Cherry Blossom Pink. Both of these models are noticeably slimmer than the Verge.

For the sake of simliarity, we're comparing the 43mm Verge and the 42mm GTR. We should note that there's only a $10 price difference between the larger and smaller GTR models, which is a pleasant surprise.

You'll notice that the GTR has an impressive battery life, which is even better if you choose the 47mm model. The larger watch boasts up to 24 days with typical use, 74 days in basic watch mode, and 40 hours in continuous GPS mode. The Verge will give you five days with typical use, 34 days in basic watch mode, and 22 hours of continuous GPS mode. Sure, the GTR wins this round, but both of these watches offer amazing battery life compared to other options on the market these days.

Oddly enough, the sportier looking watch lacks a 5 ATM water resistance rating. While the IP68 rating is nice to have on the Verge, it's not going to cut it for swimmers. Amazfit states that the watch can handle dust, rain, splashing, and accidental submersion. However, it shouldn't be used when showering, bathing, swimming, or in the spa or sauna. The GTR has a 5 ATM rating as well as tracking for pool swimming and open water swimming.

Speaking of tracking, aside from the swimming aspect, there are a lot of similarities here. Both watches can track steps taken, calories burned, and distance traveled. You'll have access to heart-rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and onboard GPS with both models as well. Both of them come with 12 sport modes, most of which overlap. The Verge and GTR both track walking, indoor and outdoor running, trail running, indoor and outdoor cycling, elliptical training, climbing, and skiing. You'll also find tennis, soccer, and jump rope on the Verge. On the GTR, you'll have open water swimming, pool swimming, and a general exercise mode.

Bottom line

If you care more about having a beautiful watch than a feature-packed watch, chances are you're going to opt for the Amazfit GTR. Keep in mind that you'll have longer battery life and 5 ATM water resistance, but you won't have Wi-FI, music storage, a microphone, speaker, or Amazon Alexa built-in.

You'll be able to control your smartphone music from your wrist and view notifications, but you can't store music, make calls, or talk to the GTR. If you want a true smartwatch, those missing features might be a deal breaker for you. The Verge has shorter battery life and only offers the IP68 rating, but it fills in the major blanks that the GTR left behind.

There's not much to compare in terms of tracking with the exception of swimming on the GTR, which is not available on the Verge. Other than that, you can expect a fairly similar activity tracking experience from both of these wearables. Your final choice will likely come down to the physical design aspect as well as the importance of certain smartwatch features. Either way you go, you're getting an incredible watch at a fair price. We favor the Verge for the additional smartwatch features, but that GTR sure is stunning.