Amazfit T-Rex vs T-Rex Pro: here are all improvements the new version brings

Apple might be working on a rugged version of its watch but a few brands already have their own iterations of the same. One of these is Huami, or Zepp as it is known internationally.

Amazfit T-Rex is a durable watch made for the outdoorsy types. Launched a couple of years ago it packs a lot into a design that can take quite a beating. The company has followed that up with a Pro version a few days ago. It brings a few updates which make the timepiece even better and more durable.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

But what exactly is new? Read on to find out.

Amazfit T-Rex vs T-Rex Pro: Design and hardware

You can try and find differences in looks between the two T-Rexes, but you won’t find them. They both measure 47.7 x 47.7 x 13.5 mm and have the exact same design. The build is a high-strength polymer that protects against drops, shocks and weather elements. Despite this the watch is lightweight weighing around 59 grams, and that’s with the strap.

There are a few new color options available for T-Rex Pro which include Meteorite Black, Desert Grey and Steel Blue colors. The non-pro version comes in Rock Black, Army Green, Gun Grey, Came Green and Khaki. The outer bezel now has a metal-spray giving it a slightly more premium appearance. The strap is also a bit fancier.

These are devices built to last. This is best illustrated by the number of US Military grade certifications. The first generation passed 12 of them, the second 15. We’re not really sure what the 3 extra ones are, but does it really matter? The watches will not disappoint when it comes to durability and rugged build. For example, they can withstand enviroments like extreme cold (-40 F) to extreme hot weather (+150 F).

One more improvement is that the timepiece now has a 10 ATM water-resistance rating, which means it can withstand depths down to 100 meters. That is double the 5 ATM water resistance of the original.

Under the hood

A few more differences can be found under the hood.

The duo shares a PPG Optical HRM sensor, 3-axis acceleration, Geomagnetic, Ambient Light and satellite positioning. That combination of sensors allows for most things you’d expect from an outdoorsy sports watch.

The improvements with the Pro version include the second generation BioTracker 2 PPG sensor that dishes out blood oxygen figures and stress readings. There’s a barometric altimeter on-board and instead of just GPS and GLONASS you now get four global navigation satellite systems – GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo.

Despite the bump in specs, the battery life is 18 days so only slightly less. However, with GPS switched on the watch can keep going nearly twice as long – 40 hours. That’s pretty good.

Here’s a table showing how the devices compare in terms of general specs and design.

	Amazfit T-Rex Pro	Amazfit T-Rex
Case material	High-strength polymer body. Metallic painting on the watch. Two-tone silicon wristband.	High-strength polymer body. Silicon wristband.
Size	47.7 x 47.7 x 13.5 mm	47.7 x 47.7 x 13.5 mm
Military grade certifications	15 military grade certifications	12 military grade certifications
Display type	AMOLED Screen, 360 x 360 resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 + anti-fingerprint coating	AMOLED Screen, 360 x 360 resolution, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 + anti-fingerprint coating
Screen size	1.3 inch	1.3 inch
Weight	59 grams	58 grams
Sensors	BioTracker 2 PPG biological tracking optical sensor, 3-axis acceleration sensor, 3-axis gyroscope, Geomagnetic sensor, Barometric altimeter, Ambient light sensor	BioTracker PPG biological tracking optical sensor, 3-axis acceleration sensor, Geomagnetic sensor, Ambient light sensor
Water-resistance	10 ATM	5 ATM
Positioning	GPS+GLONASS/GPS+BeDou/GPS+Galileo	GPS+GLONASS
Battery type	390mAh LiPo, Magnetic, 2pin pogo pin charging	390mAh LiPo, Magnetic, 2pin pogo pin charging
Battery life	18 days in normal mode, 40 hours with GPS switched on.	20 days in normal mode, 20 hours with GPS switched on.
Colors	Meteorite Black, Desert Grey and Steel Blue	Rock Black, Army Green, Gun Grey, Camo Green and Khaki.
Price (typical RRP)	starting at $179.99	starting at $139.99

Amazfit T-Rex vs T-Rex Pro: Features

The Amazfit T-Rex is a great outdoorsy watch, particularly when you take its price into consideration. It offers a lot for the money. The watch represents a good alternative for those that do not want to pay an arm and a leg for a Garmin.

As far as fitness and activity tracking, you get all the basics including the ability to track 14 different sports. All of this works via Huami’s proprietary operating system which is easy to navigate and operates smoothly.

The Pro version builds on the original with some new functionality. For starters, users can now track more than 100 sports. These include a host of popular outdoor sports modes. Something called ExerSense is also new. It automatically detects and tracks eight sports modes in case you forget to switch them on yourself.

Interestingly, Firstbeat metrics make an appearance. They include VO2Max, Training Load and Recovery info. We are big fans of these types of metrics and are hoping to see more of them on Amazfit watches.

The satellite positioning should be even better as the watch now speaks to BeDou and Galileo satellites, in addition to GPS and GLONASS. That should allow it to track positioning in more complicated conditions and out-of-the-way environments.

The final extras are to do with Huami’s BioTracker 2 PPG biological tracking optical sensor. It brings the addition of a blood oxygen sensor, stress monitoring and better overall heart rate measurements.

	Amazfit T-Rex Pro	Amazfit T-Rex
SpO2 blood oxygen monitoring	Yes	No
Heart rate monitoring	BioTracker 2 PPG biological tracking optical sensor	BioTracker PPG biological tracking optical sensor
Stress monitoring	Yes	No
Sports modes	100+	14
Altimeter measurement	Yes	No
Smart automatic sports recognition	Yes (8 sports)	No
Vo2Max (Firstbeat)	Yes	No
Languages supported	23	21

Amazfit T-Rex vs T-Rex Pro: Verdict

The T-Rex is an excellent Military style watch. You’ll struggle to find a similar device that offers so much for the price. A great alternative to a costly Garmin. If you are into lots of outdoor activities and rugged environments, it is certainly a timepiece worth considering.

The Pro version brings a number of upgrades over the original. For starters it is more robust, whilst retaining the same lightweight design. Other additions include a barometric altimeter, SpO2 sensor and stress tracking, better water-resistance and more satellite positioning options.

Despite this, battery life is still excellent. All in all, this is a nice iterative upgrade over the original device.

Which should you opt for? We always suggest going for the latest version. It is more likely to benefit from future software updates, plus it has the latest sensors. Having said that, the non-Pro version has come down in price which makes it bargain.

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