At a Glance: The Verdict
| Amazfit T-Rex 3 | Coros Pace 3 |
|---|---|
|
Best For: Rugged adventurers who want big battery and a bright AMOLED A 48.5mm tank with 25 days of smartwatch battery, 10 ATM water rating, multi-band GPS, and a 1.5-inch AMOLED. Built for hikers, hunters, and anyone who beats up gear. |
Best For: Runners and triathletes who want a featherweight training watch under $250 30 grams on the wrist, multi-band GPS, always-on MIP display, and the best training platform under $250. Built for athletes who care about pace, not bezels. |
Quick Buy Path
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If these are already your two finalists, compare current pricing now, then keep reading for the full verdict.
The Amazfit T-Rex 3 and the Coros Pace 3 both target the “budget GPS watch” shopper, but they are built for completely different humans. One is a rugged trail tank with a flashy AMOLED. The other is a feather-light training tool aimed at serious runners. Picking the wrong one will frustrate you within a week.
Key Differences
- Weight: The Pace 3 is 30g. The T-Rex 3 is 68.3g. That’s more than double, and you feel every gram on long runs.
- Display tech: T-Rex 3 has a vibrant 1.5-inch AMOLED. Pace 3 uses an always-on memory LCD that is dimmer but sips power.
- Durability: T-Rex 3 carries a 10 ATM rating and stainless steel bezel. Pace 3 is 5 ATM with a polymer body: fine for pool laps, not for scuba depths.
- Battery: T-Rex 3 runs 25 days in smartwatch mode versus 15 days for the Pace 3. Both use multi-band GPS, but the T-Rex pulls 46 hours of GPS to the Pace’s 38.
- Smart features: T-Rex 3 has a mic and speaker for Bluetooth calls. Pace 3 does not. Neither has NFC payments.
- Training platform: Coros’s training app is built for serious runners and triathletes. Zepp is more lifestyle-focused.
Deep Dive Comparison
Design & Comfort
The T-Rex 3 is unapologetically chunky: 48.5mm of stainless steel bezel and nylon fiber body that screams “I do hard things outdoors.” It looks great if you want a rugged statement watch, but it is overkill on a thin wrist and brutal under a dress shirt cuff.
The Pace 3 disappears on your arm at 30 grams. The 41.9mm polymer case is plain-looking, almost cheap-feeling in the hand, but for marathon training and sleep tracking it is the more honest tool. If you run more than three times a week, the Pace 3’s weight advantage is decisive.
Battery Life
Both watches crush the battery game compared to anything from Apple or Google, but the T-Rex 3 wins outright. Expect 25 days of smartwatch use and 46 hours of multi-band GPS on the T-Rex versus 15 days and 38 GPS hours on the Pace 3. For thru-hikers and ultra runners, that 8-hour GPS gap matters.
For most everyday training, both will go a week or more between charges without breaking a sweat.
Health & Fitness Features
Both watches use multi-band GPS, which is the headline upgrade at this price point. In open trail conditions both lock fast and track accurately. The Pace 3’s track-running mode and structured workout support are noticeably better. Coros treats training as the main event, not a feature checkbox.
Sensor coverage is similar: optical heart rate, SpO2, altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, and thermometer on both. Neither has ECG. The T-Rex 3’s larger case lets it pack a beefier battery, not more sensors.
Smart Features
The T-Rex 3 has a built-in mic and speaker, so you can take Bluetooth calls from your wrist when your phone is paired. The Pace 3 skips that entirely: no mic, no speaker, no on-wrist voice. Neither has NFC payments, so do not buy either of these if you want to tap to pay at the coffee shop.
Music storage favors the Pace 3 with 4GB of onboard space versus 2.3GB on the T-Rex 3. Both can stream from a paired phone for notifications.
Price & Value
The T-Rex 3 launched at $279.99. The Pace 3 launched at $229. Street prices on both routinely drop $30 to $50 below MSRP. Dollar for dollar, the Pace 3 is the better training tool. The T-Rex 3 is the better rugged-life tool. Neither is a bad buy at retail.
Technical Specs
| Spec | Amazfit T-Rex 3 | Coros Pace 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | September 2024 | August 2023 |
| Launch Price | $279.99 | $229 |
| Case Size | 48.5mm | 41.9mm |
| Weight | 68.3g | 30g |
| Display | 1.5-inch AMOLED, 480 x 480 | 1.2-inch Always-On Memory LCD, 240 x 240 |
| Water Rating | 10 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Battery (Smartwatch) | 600 hours (25 days) | 360 hours (15 days) |
| Battery (GPS) | 46 hours | 38 hours |
| GPS | Multi-band | Multi-band |
| Sensors | HR, SpO2, Altimeter, Compass, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Thermometer | Optical HR, SpO2, Barometric Altimeter, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, 3D Compass, Thermometer |
| Mic / Speaker | Yes | No |
| NFC Payments | No | No |
| Storage | 2.3GB | 4GB |
The Verdict
These are not the same kind of watch. The Amazfit T-Rex 3 is a rugged outdoor watch with a beautiful AMOLED and class-leading battery. The Coros Pace 3 is a serious training tool for runners who care about grams, splits, and structured workouts more than they care about how the watch looks at brunch.
Buy the Amazfit T-Rex 3 if you hike, hunt, climb, or knock around outdoors and want a rugged watch with a bright screen, optional voice calls, and 25-day battery. The bigger case and 10 ATM rating earn their keep when you’re miles from a charger.
Buy the Coros Pace 3 if you run, cycle, or train for triathlons more than twice a week. The 30-gram weight, dialed-in training app, and always-on MIP display make it the better tool the moment you start logging real workouts, and you save $50 in the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall, the T-Rex 3 or the Pace 3?
Neither is “better overall”; they target different buyers. The T-Rex 3 wins on durability, display, and battery life. The Pace 3 wins on weight, training software, and price. Match the watch to your actual use case, not the spec sheet that looks fancier.
Is the T-Rex 3’s AMOLED display worth the extra money over the Pace 3’s MIP screen?
If you mostly check the watch indoors or want a vivid look, yes: the 1.5-inch AMOLED at 480 x 480 is gorgeous. If you train outside in bright sun and care about battery life, no: the Pace 3’s always-on memory LCD is more readable in daylight and sips power. The right answer is “depends on where you wear it most.”
Can either watch make Bluetooth phone calls?
Only the T-Rex 3. It has a built-in mic and speaker that let you take calls from your wrist when your phone is paired. The Pace 3 has neither. It is built as a pure training watch, not a wrist phone.
Which watch works better with iPhone versus Android?
Both pair with iOS and Android via their companion apps (Zepp for Amazfit, Coros app for Pace 3). Neither integrates as deeply with iOS as an Apple Watch, but both deliver notifications, sync workouts, and run fine on either platform. If you live on iMessage replies, neither will fully replace an Apple Watch.
Which one is better value at street price?
The Pace 3 is the better pure value: you get multi-band GPS, an excellent training platform, and 30-gram comfort starting at $229. The T-Rex 3 at $279.99 is fairly priced for what it delivers, but you only get your money’s worth if you actually need the rugged build and AMOLED screen.
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Specs and features may change. Always verify details on the manufacturer’s official site before purchasing.
