The Galaxy Match 3 teeters on the sting of being a smartwatch, and a health tracker. All the pieces from its in-between dimension to its sparse good options makes it onerous to categorize as one or the opposite. However as I examined this straightforward and charming wrist gadget, its important attraction grew to become crystal clear.
What’s most interesting about this hybrid smartwatch, as I am selecting to name it, is its price ticket. At $60, it is essentially the most inexpensive technique to entry Samsung’s strong well being ecosystem by means of the Samsung Well being app. If you happen to’re already a Samsung person and might mood your expectations, that alone may make it price contemplating. It additionally would not damage that it is simple on the eyes and would not overpower my 6.5-inch wrist like different conventional smartwatches (particularly the price range ones, a few of which may be an eyesore).
7.8
Samsung Galaxy Fit3
Like
$60 worth is the most cost effective entry level into Samsung’s ecosystem
Sturdy well being monitoring and sleep teaching instruments
3-day battery life with always-on show (as much as 13 days with lighter use)
Slim, light-weight design that appears fancier than most price range trackers
Don’t love
No built-in GPS for phone-free out of doors exercises
No voice assistant or dictation options
No cell funds or third-party app assist
Restricted notification dealing with (cannot provoke calls or texts)
At a time when there are dozens of smartwatches vying to your consideration, with a dizzying array of options, the Match 3 stands out because of its simple attraction and a worth that is a whole bunch of {dollars} lower than that of the flagship Galaxy Watch 7 and different rivals just like the OnePlus Watch 3. After three weeks of utilizing the Match 3, I’ve come to understand its worth and battery life, even when I would nonetheless suggest the marginally costlier Amazfit Bip 6 for most individuals.
Galaxy Match 3 design
At first look, its 1.6-inch (40mm) AMOLED display might simply cross for a full-size smartwatch — not what you’d usually count on from a tracker. It has a rounded rectangular show with an aluminum body that is available in refined rose gold (like mine), silver or darkish grey. Solely a few elements of its design trace at its true hybrid kind. The oblong display is way narrower than those you may discover on different smartwatches, just like the Amazfit Bip 6 and even the Apple Watch. By default, that limits how a lot data you’ll be able to view on the display, however for my part, it additionally makes the design really feel extra elegant. Additionally, the Match 3 has just one bodily button (there isn’t any crown or rotating bezel).
Galaxy Match 3 battery life
The place it really shines is battery life. Working at full throttle, the watch lasted three full days, and that is together with an energetic always-on show, the mirroring of all notifications from my cellphone, sleep monitoring, and a minimum of one exercise per day. With out the always-on show, you could possibly stretch it to Samsung’s promised 13 days. This longevity is partly because of the smaller display and since the Match 3 is not operating a feature-rich working system like Put on OS, which you may discover within the newer Galaxy Watch lineup. Regardless, it is simpler to maintain the Match 3 charged for all-day use and sleep monitoring than its Galaxy Watch counterparts, which regularly give out earlier than the 48-hour mark (even the Extremely). It additionally prices quick and might go from zero to 100% in simply over an hour.
Galaxy Match 3 ‘good’ options (or lack thereof)
The large sacrifice right here, and the explanation I do not take into account the Match 3 a full-fledged smartwatch, is its restricted good options. Even when paired with a Galaxy cellphone (I paired it with a Galaxy S25 Plus), its performance feels restricted and it would not assist voice dictation or cell funds. It is also suitable with non-Galaxy Android telephones, however you may lose out on much more performance, just like the digital camera distant or alarm syncing.
The slender display on the Match 3 means you do not get as a lot display house for notifications.
I did not suppose I would miss a voice assistant as a lot as I did, however sporting the Match 3 made me notice that dictation and voice instructions have grow to be a giant a part of how I exploit a smartwatch, whether or not it is textual content responses, setting a timer whereas I prepare dinner or taking and making calls. All you are able to do is decline a name and ship a canned response to the caller.
The identical goes for textual content messages. You possibly can’t provoke a textual content or dictate a reply, however you’ll be able to reply through prewritten messages which you could customise with one thing extra conversational than those that come preloaded. I added a “Give me a sec whereas I get to my cellphone.” It is not excellent, however a minimum of it buys me a while to dig by means of my bottomless Mary Poppins purse for my cellphone. I am considering including a “Piss off” customized response for robophishing rip-off texts.
The opposite large miss for me was cell funds. With out NFC, you will not be capable of pay for issues together with your wrist on the Match 3.
In any other case, the Match 3 is notable for its lack of app choice. I needed to survive with out a few of my common third-party apps, just like the Roku TV distant and Spotify, however I used to be OK with utilizing them on the cellphone. The Match 3 nonetheless has the fundamentals: alarm, calculator, climate app, digital camera distant (for Galaxy telephones) and Samsung’s Well being app. The final is the standout right here, and one of many important causes you’d take into account getting this within the first place.
The Match 3 has superior well being sensors and a single button for navigation.
Galaxy Match 3 well being and health
Let’s get one factor out of the best way: The Match 3 would not have built-in GPS. This implies you may be tethered to your cellphone throughout runs in order for you really correct monitoring. That was my greatest criticism so far as health options go, as a result of the S25 Plus is not essentially the most dainty of operating buddies, and there are occasions after I simply wish to go away it behind and disconnect for half-hour. I attempted to do a 5K with out my cellphone, and consequently the Match 3’s run monitoring and mapping was off by about half a kilometer, or three-tenths of a mile.
The Match 3 can observe over 100 completely different workouts and can robotically log runs, walks, rowing and elliptical exercises. Nonetheless, auto-tracking is not enabled by default, so you may must toggle it on within the settings. You may also take it swimming (simply not waterskiing) as a result of it is rated for 5ATM (50 meters) and has an IP68 ranking.
The guts charge information from the Polar chest strap (left) in contrast with the Galaxy Match 3 on the identical 5K run.
I examined the guts charge monitoring alongside my Polar chest strap (the gold normal for consumer-facing coronary heart charge monitoring) and located it to be typically correct, although slower to register coronary heart charge spikes. That is pretty frequent with most wrist-based units I’ve examined. As soon as I approached my peak coronary heart charge (all-out effort), the Match 3 confirmed a 2- to 5-point distinction in contrast with the chest strap and took a few seconds to catch up. Nonetheless, within the exercise abstract, the ultimate numbers for common and peak coronary heart charge have been comparable and inside 2 factors of one another.
The Match 3 additionally provides excessive and low coronary heart charge alerts, however it lacks an ECG app. It might monitor stress ranges and blood oxygen saturation, and it even has a fall detection characteristic that calls emergency companies if it senses a tough fall and you do not rise up. You may also activate SOS manually by urgent the facet button 5 instances.
Galaxy Match 3 sleep
The Match 3 has strong sleep monitoring options, just like these discovered on Samsung’s flagship Galaxy Watches. The Match 3 can detect sleep levels and even monitor loud night breathing utilizing the Galaxy cellphone’s microphone. After seven nights, it additionally supplies personalised sleep teaching, although I did not accumulate sufficient information in my testing to activate this characteristic. It additionally delivers a sleep rating every morning that ought to correlate together with your power ranges, however I discovered it a bit questionable, contemplating it gave me a rating of 91 (aka “Wonderful”) on an evening after I slept for less than six and a half hours.
The Galaxy Match 3 is comfy to strap on and put on all day.
Who should purchase the Galaxy Match 3?
The Galaxy Match 3 is not going to blow anybody away with its options or design, however it may with its worth. At $60, it is the lowest value of entry for Galaxy cellphone customers seeking to begin monitoring their well being and health inside the similar ecosystem. Its smooth design, strong well being metrics, and long-lasting battery make it price contemplating even when you do not have a Samsung cellphone. There are just a few price range smartwatches price your cash, and although this one is not the most effective or the one choice, it is a stable decide, with a easy and easy-to-navigate UI. The largest downside may be truly getting your fingers on it. As of publishing, it is out of inventory on the Samsung Retailer and obtainable solely by means of third-party retailers like Walmart.
