The Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro is the cheap Garmin Fenix 8 Pro alternative I’ve been looking for

There’s never a dull moment for Amazfit. Fresh off the Amazfit Active 2 and Amazfit Bip 6, the company has announced its new T-Rex 3 Pro rugged fitness watch.

While we’re yet to go hands-on, it certainly looks impressive. It was tested by ultrarunner Ruth Croft, winner of the UTMB in France in recent weeks, and is designed for rugged exercise thanks to a Grade 5 titanium alloy.

Available in 44mm and 48mm versions, here’s all we’ve learned so far.

Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro — (Image credit: Amazfit)

T-Rex 3 Pro specs

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Row 0 – Cell 0	Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro	Row 0 – Cell 2
Works with	iOS/Android (Zepp app)	Row 1 – Cell 2
Dimensions (mm)	44mm: 44.8 x 44.8 x 13.2mm 48mm: 48 x 48 x 14mm	Row 2 – Cell 2
Weight	44mm: 46.8g 48mm: 52g	Row 3 – Cell 2
Case/bezel	Grade 5 Titanium	Row 4 – Cell 2
Display	1.32″ AMOLED/1.5″ AMOLED	Row 5 – Cell 2
GPS	Yes, Dual-Band	Row 6 – Cell 2
Battery life	44mm: 17 days / 26 hours with GPS Mode 48mm: 25 days / 38 Hours with GPS Mode	Row 7 – Cell 2
Connection	Bluetooth	Row 8 – Cell 2
Water resistant?	10ATM, 45m Freediving, Scuba	Row 9 – Cell 2

Underlying its rugged credentials, the display is made of scratch-resistant sapphire glass, and it can operate in temperatures as low as -30°C. There’s a dual-color LED flashlight, too, just like the best Garmin watches, and the display has up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness.

With dual-band GPS built in, offline maps, and over 180 sport modes, perhaps the biggest surprise is the price. The Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro is available for $399 (around £295 / AU$600), handily undercutting rivals like Garmin’s watches. Some of the specs don’t quite match up, such as the Fenix 8 Pro’s microLED screen, but for most users the AMOLED will suffice for the serious price drop.

“With the T-Rex 3 Pro, we’ve taken our most capable outdoor watch and pushed it even further,” said Wayne Huang, CEO of Zepp Health, in a press release.

“Moreover, users also gain entry into the broader Amazfit ecosystem, where advanced training tools—such as the Helio Strap with industry-leading PPG accuracy—complement the watch to create a complete system that helps athletes train, recover, and evolve.”

Why it’s worth paying attention

Whether you’ve used an Amazfit tracker or not, the company has an excellent track record.

We awarded the Active 2, which costs just $99 (before discounts), five stars earlier this year, saying “While not perfect, for $99 the Amazfit Active 2 is an unbelievable smartwatch with an extensive feature-set, accurate health tracking, and a brilliant classic design.”

The Bip 6, which is even cheaper, got 4 stars from us, too. We said, “The Amazfit Bip 6 is an impressive smartwatch. Accurate health and fitness tracking, a seamless AI assistant, and great build quality make the Bip 6 a force to be reckoned with.”

“In almost every way, this is a watch that has exceeded my expectations. I would have liked a crown button for easier operation, but Zepp Flow voice commands almost do away with the need for any buttons at all.”

The long and short of it is that Amazfit is worth keeping an eye on right now. The company’s designs may seem to ape other manufacturers to an extent, but there’s a lot to like about the way the company is democratizing technology for better living.