Spec Comparison of the Gear Sport vs Gear S3

The smartwatch market is gradually picking up momentum and users are beginning to justify the usefulness of this product considering the fact that they cost as much as and even higher than many Chinese smartphones. Today, the much awaited Gear Sport was unveiled at IFA 2017 held in Berlin, Germany and we have pitched this smartwatch against its one-year-old colleague, Samsung Gear S3, to find out their strengths, weaknesses, and overall just how good it is.

The Gear S series started with the announcement of Samsung Gear S2 at IFA in 2015, and a year later, it unveiled the Samsung Gear S3 Smartwatch at IFA 2016. Looking at the release pattern of Samsung smartwatches It appears that it takes the company about one year to unveil a new product after the former has established its presence in the market. Today, at the IFA 2017 being held in Munich, Germany, Samsung released its much anticipated Samsung Gear Sport and we have wasted no time to put this device in the ring with its predecessor (Gear S3) for a vigorous contest
How do these wearables compare?
This comparison aims to analyze the Gear S3 and the Gear sport, placing their specs side by side and giving a final verdict. We are going to first look at the similarities of these products and since they are both smartwatches the final verdict will be direct.  For starters, we both wearables comes with the same processor (Exynos 7270 processor clocking 1.0 GHz), GPU (Mali-T720) and display details (Super AMOLED 1.3-inch 360×360 display screen). They both have similar sensors such as Accelerometer, Barometer, Gyroscope, Heart rate sensor but that is about it as every other feature appears to be optimized in the newbie, Gear Sport as expected.
 

 
Gear S3 Pro and Cons
Pros
The Gear S3 is a complete military grade wearable which is evident in its durability and other top-notch features. It packs a dual-core Exynos 7270 processor clocked at 1.0 GHz with a Mali-T720 GPU which is just enough for a smartwatch. A 768 RAM size is adequate for a smartwatch and this is another strong point for the Gear S3 considering the fact that it runs on a Linux based OS (Tizen), which means it doesn’t need too much RAM and it doesn’t take too much battery power, thus, its 380mAh battery is more than adequate. This smartwatch is equipped with GPS thus its position can be tracked at any time and it also has NFC and MST which means that it can be used for the Samsung Pay electronic payment. It weighs only 68grams and considering its chip and all the other features it packs especially its 380mAh battery, it’s not that bad though it seems a bit weighty.
Cons
It is interesting to note that this smartwatch is IP68 (water and dust proof) certified, however, this rating is applicable within the first 1.5m depth of water thus this smartwatch is not for under water exercise or swimming. While its 4GB internal memory may seem to be large enough for a smartwatch, unavailability of external storage is definitely a down point here.
 
Gear Sport Pros and Cons
Pros
Upgrading from its colleague (Gear S3), the Gear Sport took portability seriously as it weighs only 50 grams which is more of a fitness tracker weight than a smartwatch weight. This new smartwatch is completely water resistant, well, to a depth of 50m, which means that it can be used for swimming and other aquatic activities. The processor is supported by a 768MB of RAM and 4GB of ROM which was the expectation of a wearable of its class. Interestingly, this top-notch smartwatch supports Samsung’s new voice assistant, Bixby thus operability of this product will be seamless. It’s S Health app compatibility is another strong point which means that health parameters can be tracked using this wearable.

Cons
This is a newly released smartwatch from a top manufacturer and you don’t expect to see much of a down side considering the fact that it is an upgrade of the Gear S3 which in itself is considered to be top-notch. However, with all the features of this smartwatch, a 300 mAh battery may appear too small. The reason for the small battery is obviously to compensate for its weight but as a new device, many have expected an upgrade from what we saw in the Gear S3. No doubt, Samsung prioritized portability and weight over power in the Gear Sport. The pricing of this device is not entirely scary but it is more expensive than the Gear S3. It’s rumored price is approximately $420 and this could be a downside of this machine. Although the features of this smartwatch justify the price, the market may not see it in that light considering the fact that the Gear S3 sells for less than $320 and its price is expected to even drop further with the release of the Gear Sport. However, like I said earlier, the price is only a rumor and has not been officially confirmed by the company.
 
Final Verdict/Conclusion
The final verdict contains why we should buy either of these devices. First of all, we must understand that the decision to purchase either of these devices is largely dependent on what we want. Simple truth is that the Gear Sport outsmarts the Gear S3 in multiple ways but there is a cost attached to the top-of-the-line features you get. The Samsung Gear Sport is rumored to cost $420 and will be available in Europe on October 27 while its older colleague is selling for about $320. If top-notch swimming functions mean a lot to you then no doubt, the Gear Sport is your guy but if you are more concerned about the cash you fork out for a device with a relatively small battery, then the luxury Gear S3 is what you need.