Amazfit T-Rex Review: A Smarter G-Shock

This article uses affiliate links, which means if you purchase products through these links, we may earn a commission. Click here to see our T&C. For licensing please click here.

I still remember my first G-Shock, which I wore daily for a good 5 years until the whole resin casing fell off. It was my longest surviving watch, and it was also the watch that I did not need to worry about, ever. So whether I went climbing, or swimming, or even working in a humid factory environment one summer, I had no qualms about whether I need to keep it protected. If survived everything I put it through, and I had a confidence in it like I've never had in another watch since.

When I received the latest watch from Amazfit, I can feel the old feelings fluttering back. The T-Rex takes design cue from the iconic 'tank' aesthetics, and combines it with its latest Amazfit smartwatch innards, which I am a fan of already having tried both the GTR and the GTS. So what it is like to have a rugged smartwatch? I dove in to find out:

Strong but the weight surprised me

The T-Rex reminded me of my first G-Shock not only in design, but even its dimensions felt nostalgic. It has the familiar bezel which the glass recedes into, providing protection from scratches, as well as the aggressive bumpers on the sides that prevents accidental press of the buttons. The thickness of the watch is also familiar for a former constant G-Shock wearer like me, which is around the thickness of my index finger.

Check Price

Photo from Amazon.com/

What did come as a surprise is when I actually picked it up: it's much lighter than expected! The whole watch including straps actually weighs 58g (2oz) which is quite a bit lighter than the Amazfit GTR. Being fairly light means that despite all its ruggedness, I barely feel it when I'm working out.

Combat ready toughness

I still remember watching ads of people doing all sorts of crazy things to a G-Shock watch, which etched into my teenage mind the toughness of these watches. The T-Rex is the beginning of a new wave of tough watch, and their toughness is certified. Satisfying the military standard STD-MIL-810G, basically it means this is tough watch to break.

When inspecting the T-Rex, the watch itself like the other Amazfit watches that I have used is put together with high precision. There is hardly any gap between the components - which would be important for water and mud resistance.

The top of the watch is held down by four genuine tri-lobular screws, while the buttons are deeply knurled and also made of metal.

As tough as the watch may be, the straps however were extremely soft by contrast. It's made of the same material on many other popular smartwatches on the market like the Fitbit Versa 2, or the Withings Steel HR, both soft and feels durable. The strap is quite different than the harder rubber straps that is on G-Shocks, and it could mean that it will be much less prone to crack due to age - which was actually the first thing I had to replace on my old Casio watch. The material that are chosen looks very resistant to any sweat corrosion, which is a must for me, and for anyone who wishes to use this watch during their workout routines.

The reason for the extra buttons

Compared to the GTS which had 1 button, and the GTR which had 2 buttons; the T-Rex upped the ante with 4 buttons. At first it seems redundant to include up and down buttons when it has a touch screen, other than making the aesthetics symmetrical. But all it took was one walk in the rain for me to realize buttons are the only controls that would work reliably when the touch screen is covered in water droplets.

The T-Rex design team obviously has thought this through. They made the watch strong enough to endure harsh environment and settings, but also fully functional under those circumstances.

CHECK OUT OTHER SMARTWATCH REVIEWS ON IBTIMES:

Functionality and performance that's expected from Amazfit

Anyone who has read my reviews on the Amazfit GTR and GTS will know that I am a huge fan of these watches. From the AMOLED screen covered by Gorilla glass, to the 20 day+ battery life, to the extensive selection of user generated watch faces online, the Amazfit watches strikes a very compelling balance on all aspects that matters most for an excellent watch.

With the T-Rex, that Amazfit package is now crammed into a rugged case that I can now take with me for climbing, swimming or other sports activities and free from worry about damaging it. It is a compelling package when I want a peace of mind when travelling and want the flexibility to go between business and active schedules.

Who is the Amazfit T-Rex for?

For those of us who loves timepieces, but at the same time do not want to end up tiptoeing for fear of damaging it, or hate the idea of needing to take off the timepiece to protect it only to now risk losing it: the Amazfit T-Rex is a smartwatch that you never need to take off and will tick on even in the most extreme environments. This together with a fully customizable watch face, 3 week battery life, and full movement tracking, heartbeat monitoring and GPS, this is a watch for the people who takes care of business by day, and goes on adventures by night.

David is a tech enthusiast/writer who is often on the move and is on a mission to explore ways to make his overhaul flights more enjoyable. This is a contribution to an ongoing IBTimes review series on gadgets for Business Travellers.