Amazfit GTS 4 Mini

 This was going to be a bit of a new long drab, but it was coming to the end of the current smartwatch I was having, even to the point paper clips as the straps. But this was meant to get replaced. So keeping with Zepp and how the app actually is easy to use and I really wanted to update it when i changed the phone but things don't always go to plan, so it was time to ger it changed. This cost £85 from a supplier in work which the retail price is about £99 . Even Amazon is similar prices here The video is below: 

Insert video here 

The Packaging: meant

This has a more darker tone to the looks of the box, which a hint of red, purple and black, since Amazfit use those colours for their logo.  The glossy finish on the box gives it a nice finish too. But the sides of the box have some clear features. the back of the box have so much small text so make sure to zoom into read, Ok it didn't help with filing the review at past midnight but this test was on a needs must agenda. 

The front of the box with the watch and the amazfit logo plus showing the watch 

the top of the box 

The side of the box 

The other side of the box to include Alexa 

The mass amount of text on the back of the box 

The bottom of the box 

Then it was time to unseal and then get the watch out. I'll admit the packaging has an incredible feeling, like it was a higher quality unboxing compared to the previous amazfit watch and it makes it feel like a much higher quality product. But then when opening it was the watch first hand. The box contained only 3 things or 3 things that I noticed. . 

• The Watch itself
• The manual
• The charger

The front of the watch with the #upyourgame sticker

Inside the box 

A look at the charger in the bag 

A clearer look at the charger 

The front of the manual

A look inside the pages of the manual 

The more English parts of the manual 

The final English pages of the manual 

A closer look at the USB end of the Cable 

The clearer look at the charger

Which on itself actually shows how neatly packaged this was and it all fits in with the back split underneath, its similar to the bip S in that regard. But it then has a look at the watch and it shows how polished design of the watch.

The Watch itself: 

This leads to show the watch. Like with the front of the watch having a Series 1 Apple Watch feel to it, with the lovely sticker of #upyourgame on the cover. Then the sticker over the sensors on the bottom, and the 2 prongs for the charger look almost invisible. 

The front of the watch 

The side of the watch with the amazfit logo embedded on the button 

The look at the sensors underneath the silicone strap attached 

A look at the bottom with the strap attached 

A closer look at the strap

Another look at the opposite side of the strap 

The look at the top of the watch near the strap

The Setup: 

So this was actually almost painless, since of the face I use the Zepp app from the Bip S,  So the setup of the device was very quick and painless. Once I gave it some charge on the power bank, 

All i had to do was to just hold the power button, turn it on, tap the English then I scanned the QR code or even just went into the app and added a device and it picked up the GTS 4 mini. Then it came up with Sync settings so it carried the options on from the Bip S. 

Getting the sea off 

The watch and the powerbank

The watch magnetic charging 

Turning it on with the Amazfit logo 

The QR code to install Zepp 

A better look at the charger 

The time and date inaccurate before the pairing 

Then once it paired up, the time and date were correct, and it was looking around some of the new features, like the apps and Themes were microtransactions now, like £1.99 per app or even watch face.   But it gives  a bit more posh vibe to it, but it has a smooth glide to swiping left and right, it  makes it vibrant for the oled screen and what's its worth. 

A Pic of the phone with the watch on paring 

The main menu layout 

The health settings  

So it leads to then getting the start of how this week will be with the way the sensors are supposed to be more accurate  than the Bip S. But the features like the calls and notifications from the apps were exactly the same as before , so I did not have to worry about 

The settings for Texts to be coming through 

The Incoming call settings, but it seems it does not handle the call via Bluetooth

But then it was getting do a firmware update which means it was then to be fully ready to be used for the week of a lot of workouts for work on the days ahead. Like this was going to go as far as it can for another 4 years or so, especially the distance the Bip S did since end of 2022 was going to be just as intense. 

The update of the firmware 

A close side view of the watch in my wrist 

The Tests: 

Wearing: 

So this is the first hurdle and actually the silicone is built a bit better with the look  compared to the original Bip S Strap. But this had a second hold which allows the strap to loop inwards so it will be easier to keep it on, But there is a leather strap amazfit do so might be a fix to get that as the spare. In all honesty, I should have just down the for the Bip S. But there is a strap which can be purchased as a leather one, which is a bonus compared to 2020.  

The wearing of the watch, its not too tight 

Wearing it before the first workout of the time 

It can be hard to keep it tighter since it does not let me slip underneath it all, so it has to be the way to not pull the strain on the silicone.  So it means it will have to either slip  or have to find a way to make sure it has to be taped on. 

Over the time of using it , there was and will be times its slipped, which in itself  isn't too bad but it leads to having to get distracted, this was going to prove that. But with the silicone, the vinegar smell does come over again, the leather can be better for it.  

Charging: 

So this is actually the easier part, since of the magnet, the charging took about 2 hours  which itself is quite quick for the  watch, and its easier to charge than the bip S, since there is no frame to hold it. So it means its easier to handle its battery, and less chance of issues if the straps go.

The charger on top of the plug

So it was time to sort out how its going to  work and with the battery life, the advertisements mentioned 14 day battery life but the small print mentions 8 day battery life.  But we will see. 

Exercising: 

Day 1: Monday 

So this day consisted of its first field test of my regular commute to see 3 regular people, actually make it 4.  But this was some distance and the bike was charged up the day before. But it was actually not reading the heart rate properly on the first workout. But with some electric power I got there about normal time of 53 minutes or so. The weather was not too hot and not freezing cold, but sweat always happens. 

The first workout ever used on the watch 

then it to the second visit which int itself was not too bad but the learning of the pausing the workout can be a bit confusing to say the least. like its which was inaccurate with the heartrate since I was feeling it beat more than the reading lead on. But later on will be able to find out the heartrate. It leads to a normal-ish time of about 53 minutes. Then it was time for the second workout which was a bit more intense since it was a hill of steep parts to go up. but it starting to start to get the heart rare that bit more accurate as I was pacing up a hill. 

The second workout which started to push the heartrate up 

Then it goes to being the 3rd workout which was very tame in terms of the distance since it was downhill,  so the rate was calmer there than other.  But it was clear to see the workout  progressing. The watch was clear on the screen. 

The 3rd workout of that day. 

While i had some time to kill in a visit, I checked out some of the nice features like the sunset and sunrise, the one Tap measurements and even the features like the weather, it laid things out in a presentable manner and easy to swipe across. Plus the notification can even be swiped a bit to the right to see more options like theatre or cinema mode plus going straight to settings.

Then it comes to the final workout for that day and even with the electric, the hill home is STEEEP, it was actually so steep its part of a book and was in the top 5 of the steepest hills to cycle in Cornwall which I read from when going to Tamar View garden nurseries. But it managed to get home in about just over 35 minutes and it was in pitch black too with Dusk passing me. 

But then it was time to compare the workouts, it felt a bit tame to this and maybe its more still in the swing of things since of changing bikes due to a repair 3 weeks ago. But it was about a normal pace, plus the weather did help cause more puffs but soon that will be more sweat when weather is better. 

The final workout for the first day 

Day 2: Tuesday

It then leads to the second day and that bit was going to be a bit more of a running day. Since  ok I did get a lift into work  for the morning, it was getting to then have to do 2 visits on the evening, which ok one didn't happen due to a last minute rush from one end of town to the other. That did not take as long as it seemed, about 30 minutes at the most.  But it was not as soaked as other days and the bottom of Newbridge back home is a steep hill. 

The selfie going up the road 

The ending of the workout 

Eventually I got home and it was not as long as I thought it was, but the 87A bus has its routes. I got up in the not as soaking weather and not actually with as much blisters as other times. But it was a good test for how it can cope. 

The run back home on the Tuesday 

Day 3: Wednesday

So it then leads to another day and this was more of a out of town visit. I did get a lift in so it was just the cycles home. But the watch could handle it. As far as i knew, BUT for some reason, it really stopped halfway, like the button pressed itself or my wrist fat pressed the button and stopped the workout while pedalling for a lamerton visit. 

The gentle mostly downhill ride to the village. 

After fate has its times of need with things. It was to cycle in the lucky dry dark to get home. But it was not as needing to use the Battery as other workouts, which means I could push myself. But it was going to be a repeated journey this one this week, sort of. 

A selfie of the view to Gulworthy road

But I got home in about 36 minutes which is pretty quick for me but its mostly flat. So the heart was not tested as much as it will be other times. 

The cycle back home 

So it shows a bit more of the pacing it shows and some higher heart spikes, but it shows more accurate data than the Bip S did. By this point the battery was getting around the mid 60%s so it was showing some sign of weaker battery. 

Day 4: Thursday 

Thursday was going to be a bit more of a running day since how things were hectic but also, it was 2 people to see within a short walk/run of each other. 

The Stats for the run on Thursday to the first customer after work

But then it was going to be the run to another customer's down the road which was not really worth the saving of the route, but then after another customer to visit, it was a rush to the bus which again that run was not too bad since I managed to get some time saved from running up to the catholic church. Then it was a £2 bus to get to Gulworthy again and time to get a run on the road home. 

The run from Gulworthy Home 

The run was not too bad, the trainers were no going to get me blister compared to later on. But the light pulling out means there was some light spare to be had. But it was soon to be halfway there and by Newbridge, it was going to be the case of checking the watch was coping and the fact that I was going to be quicker than the train that ended up to be cancelled. But still it kept going in the drizzle of rain. 

The running home

But eventually it comes to an end and i got home after the steep hill, the total time was about 40 minutes to the food community fridge. So it really did show its strength here. But it did have that issue of a little gap partway through hr run since my finger pressed on the button twice too quicker due to the screen going off quicker than usual ,, this was due to the turning off the sensor that wakes the screen as I lift my wrist, it would have drained the battery more.  But eventually it was the end of that day and on to the last 2 days. 

Day 5: Friday 

Well this was going to be a longer day which the bike was ready to prepare for it. So it was another wet way to cycle on to work, So it was to get ready for that and then make things work. I was ready and changed, since it was also another cycle to lamerton on that Friday. So it was off to work and some energy was left. 

The first cycle on the Friday 

Then it was to deal with more work as the usual, but then it was the cycle to somewhere a bit further up than the last time on Wednesday. But the way there was that bit more busier with cars behind, but a short time to get there it was too. 

The selfie while waiting for the GPS to get out 

The short trip to lamerton 

Then it was not as long as others for a visit and it was time to cycle in the dark home. the legs were feeling stronger to cycle in what was dry weather then too. 

The cycle home on the Friday 

The dark waiting for it to get the GPS 

But it was more of a good way to show its rides and can make it worth its while.  So we instead have to wait for another day. 

Day 6: Saturday: 

This was a longer consistency of 2 visits but those were on the same street so the bike was not needed for one of those,. But it was actually a calmer affair, the Saturday so The cycle was just about under the 30 minutes mark and 170 heartrate is a pretty normal mix low to me.  

The workout on the way from home to work

The bit of delay with chatter from customers is going to be the case of how a quick cycle can work, sometimes it can take longer to get a fix than to do this route with the Bip S, but the GTS 4 was a much shorted wait.

The cycle from Work to visit 

Then after 2 people it was the longer cycle home. Which was in drizzle but it was not too bad a cycle since in the end it it was not too bad a distance to go with the battery still giving life in it. 

From Texaco Back home in the drizzle 

So that recorded pretty much a week of Exercise. It was pretty more accurate than the original  bip is for me. But the heartrate and blood oxygen level rates are handy.

Testing the one tap measurements on the day after (Sunday) 

The durability: 

To be fair i did have some issues with the silicone getting looser and me having to tighten the watch up, that was towards the end of the week when the running was occurring mostly. I has been working as a solid watch. The screen was not that bad to see during the day and even too bright at night, the Bluetooth notifications kicked in and also thee have not been any scratches but some close calls. With the water it was coping fine even after a semi attempted hot bath after the day of it being in Sunday, Or was it Monday after charging it from 15% after 1 week of use just under. 

The GTS 4 mini in the bath 

But it has been able to keep up and has not been too slow with recording stats. The sun and moon feature is nice and the one tap measure feature does make it a nice way to make sure I was in some form of good shift or health. 

The results from the one tap measure 

But it has a lot less chance for damage from the frames and the silicone strap seems to be more stronger than the  Bip S. But there will be a chance or need to get the leather strap to make sure this works as it should be. Since the silicone stretch does not last forever. 

Conclusion: 

So this watch does feel like an extension of me in some ways, since it helps to pinpoint parts. Especially as last year was even raining money for potential charity with the running it or even to get some currency for gifts from dell. But that program was me kicked out since lack of work connections. But in a day to day sense it lowers the day to day tasks like finding weather and checking heart rate. The App Store is a new exploration and can feel like a bit of a gimmick, Alexa well that's difference since I'm more the Nest system type. But all in all 

omracer's Rating: 7/10

The Good Points:

• Clear and Bright screen
• Blood Oxygen
• Easy to pair up with if using Zepp before
• Nice watch designs (even free ones) 
• Clear language for settings on what to change 

The Bad Points: 

• Can be quite high for the retail price compared to the Bip Series
• GPS still takes some time to lock with having to stretch arms outside 
• cannot answer phone calls without going to Bluetooth settings to enable it
• Uses Alexa instead of Google Assistant
• A lot of Micro Transactions for this Via the Zepp App 
• Battery lasts for just 1 week exactly for the usage I do on it. 

And there you have it, its a nice start to spring and hopefully more reviews coming in the next few weeks from some overdue items I've yet to open or even one I've got a semi video review to explain my time with. 

More videos coming soon eventually too. But for now Enjoy easter when that comes about.

omracer's.