Is a used Apple Watch 4 still worth it?
Here's why the Apple Watch 4 is still worth a look if you want to get a cheap Apple Watch this year.
Published Jun 28, 2023 - Which smartwatch should you buy?
The Amazfit GTS can now be found for around $100 across the web. And it has a lot of fancy features like a 14-day battery life, GPS tracking, and all-day heart rate monitoring and step counting. It even looks like an Apple Watch thanks to its square design, but is it really a worthy competitor?
There are two key advantages of the Amazfit GTS over the Apple Watch: first off, it’s able to pair to an Android phone. And second, it has a 2-week battery life--as long as you don’t use the always-on display. Even with the always-on display activated, you’ll probably be able to get 4 days of use on a charge.
And that brings us to a third key advantage of the Amazfit. The always-on display. If you want a used Apple Watch with this feature, you need at least a Series 5.
And, of course, let’s not forget the price. If you don’t want to spend $400 on a new Apple Watch, this Amazfit looks like a good deal. But thanks to Back Market, you can get a refurbished Apple Watch for around $100 that does all the same things as the Amazfit.
Just keep in mind that not all older Apple Watches have built-in GPS, you’ll need a Series 2 or newer to have GPS tracking without your iPhone. But you can still find a refurbished Apple Watch Series 2 deal on Back Market for around $100.
When it comes to accurate fitness tracking, there are very few smartwatches that can rival the Apple Watch. Aside from the fact that the Apple Watch’s heartbeat sensors are probably the most accurate of any smartwatch, it also has the most intuitive interface that motivates users to achieve their fitness goals with visual rings that need to be filled each day.
And let’s not forget notifications. The Apple Watch does a better job with notifications than any other smartwatch currently on the market, and it’s also able to take phone calls (which the Amazfit GTS can’t do because of its lack of a speaker and microphone).
When it comes to styling, the Apple Watch is also the clear winner, using more premium materials and having an unmistakable look that many find alluring. And although the Amazfit GTS does look similar (who are we kidding, it’s clearly a direct copy) it looks cheap if you put the two devices side-by-side.
Unlike the Amazfit GTS, the Apple Watch doesn’t have a two-week battery life. As a matter of fact, you’ll need to charge it every day. And for some people, that’s unacceptable and unreasonable.
The Apple Watch doesn’t have native sleep tracking, although you can easily install an app that can enable this feature. The Amazfit GTS does come preinstalled with a sleep-tracking application, albeit not a very sophisticated one.
NOTE: This was written before the release of the Apple Watch Series 6. This next device is rumored to come with native sleep tracking, although it is unknown if this will come to the rest of Apple Watch models with the next WatchOS update.
Unless you absolutely need your Apple Watch to be able to receive text messages, phone calls, and use the Internet without being in the proximity of your iPhone, we wouldn’t suggest getting a used Apple Watch with LTE. These require paying an additional fee for your data plan, in addition to having an even shorter battery life than a standard Apple Watch.
If you’re looking for a budget device to track an occasional run, but don’t necessarily need the most accurate heart rate readouts and other advanced metrics, then maybe the Amazfit GTS is the better purchase for you. You’ll be getting a longer battery life too, but don’t expect a watch that looks or feels nearly as premium as its Apple competitor.
If you're a serious athlete that wants the maximum amount of fitness data, consider getting a refurbished Garmin watch! These come with some of the nicest software to track your workout data. Other great smartwatch brands for serious athletes: Suunto, Polar, Coros, Fitbit, and there are definitely a few others that I'm forgetting as well hmmm...