Amazfit GTR 4: problems, parts and running costs
Checked: 2026-10-17
Summary
Owners most often run into heart-rate and sleep-tracking accuracy problems, plus broken pool-swimming lap counting and unreliable strength-rep counting. There are no recurring costs: no subscription is needed for the core features. It is a strong buy around the $109.99 store price and weaker value above about $170.
Common problems and fixes
- Pool-swimming tracking — Tech Advisor found lap counting broken and distance completely inaccurate; Amazfit acknowledged the issue and promised a fix. [3]
- Strength-training rep counting — automatic rep recognition was unreliable in the Tech Advisor and T3 tests. [3][5]
- Heart-rate accuracy — T3 measured about 100 bpm at rest against an actual 50, Wareable saw about 10 bpm underestimation when starting or resuming runs, and BikeRadar recorded up to 18 bpm of lag with 10+ seconds to catch up during exertion. [5][9][10]
- No NFC, no third-party apps — there are no contactless payments, no Spotify and no Google Assistant. [4][5][7][9]
- Software updates — a Reddit owner who moved to Garmin cited infrequent patch updates, an undelivered crash-detection update and poor support. [11]
Parts and consumables
- Battery — the watch has no user-serviceable parts, so battery replacement requires service. [3]
Yearly running cost
There are no recurring costs. Core features need no subscription, unlike Fitbit Premium, so the only money beyond the watch itself is a replacement strap if the original wears out.
When it is a good buy
The Amazfit US store listed the GTR 4 at $109.99, marked down from the $199.99 September 2022 launch price (October 2026). At $109-120 it is a strong buy for runners and fitness users; at $130-160 it is fair value; at $170-200 it is acceptable but less compelling.
Choose a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 or 5 or a Fitbit Sense 2 when you need NFC payments and a third-party app ecosystem, and choose a Garmin when heart-rate and GPS accuracy matter more than smart features.