Amazfit has launched a new rugged smartwatch, the T-Rex Pro, to challenge the likes of the Garmin Instinct and Polar Grit X.
The original Amazfit T-Rex was the company's first tough fitness watch, and on the surface, the new watch looks very similar. In fact, the case design is nearly identical, right down to the four screws set into the face.
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The T-Rex Pro also has the same 1.3in always-on AMOLED display as the T-Rex, which is no bad thing. When we reviewed the original watch back in January 2020, we were impressed by the screen's brightness and viewing angles, which make it clearly visible even in bright sunlight or underwater.
However, we found that, despite its anti-fingerprint coating, the touchscreen sometimes became smudged during workouts. We look forward to testing out the T-Rex Pro and seeing how it compares on this front.
We found that the original T-Rex, while lightweight and sturdy, felt a little cheap due to its entirely polymer case (an issue also suffered by the Garmin Instinct). The T-Rex Pro has a metal-sprayed outer bezel that gives it a slightly more premium look. It's available in three colorways: Meteorite Black, Desert Gray and Steel Blue.
The T-Rex Pro is more water resistant as well, rated to depths of 100 meters compared to 50 meters for the original T-Rex. This should make it a better choice if you're looking for a swimming watch, particularly for open water swimming.
Tyrannosaurs specs
The biggest changes are hidden away inside the watch, and include a new pulse ox sensor that will alert you when it detects major altitude change and remind you to take a blood oxygen measurement, which should prove extremely useful for cycling, hiking and climbing.
The T-Rex Pro also uses Amazfit's Firstbeat algorithm, which first appeared in the Amazfit Ares early last year. This provides more in-depth analysis of your current fitness level, training load and recovery, helping you better plan your training sessions and train smarter rather than just harder.
ExerSense is another new addition, automatically detecting and recognizing eight sports modes, and recording all related data so you don't miss out if you forget to activate tracking manually.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, all of this does have an impact on battery life. The Amazfit T-Rex Pro has the same 390mAh battery as the first T-Rex, but whereas the original T-Rex could last up to 20 days in typical use, the T-Rex Pro only lasts 18 days. That's a pretty small hit, though, and the extra features may prove worth the sacrifice.
The T-Rex Pro doesn't have the mapping features you'd find in higher-end watches like the Garmin Fenix 6 or Suunto 9, though this isn't too surprising at this price. There are no voice controls. either; Amazfit explains that this is because touchscreen and button controls are more practical for a device designed for outdoor use.
In the US, the T-Rex Pro costs $179.99, and is on sale now direct from Amazfit. In the UK, it's priced at £139, and will go on sale at Argos and Amazon from March 31. Details for Australia are yet to be announced.
We'll be putting the T-Rex Pro through its paces with a full review very soon, so stick with TechRadar to learn more.
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