So, I've had my Gear S3 for a good 2 weeks now, and I can say that the HR monitor hasn't been quite accurate, specifically during running. I'm getting readings of max heart rate at 200 bpm, which is just physically impossible. I've tried adjusting the watch, tightening the strap, placing it elsewhere, etc. My skin complexion it not that dark; I have a healthy tan from running, so it shouldn't be that much of a problem. This can be especially frustrating when trying to maintain peak levels of heart rate during exercise.
Another issue I've had is getting the Auto HR to work properly. Over the past few days, the readings would only work if I was completely still or at rest. However, yesterday I downloaded a new WatchMaker face, and I've noticed that the heart rate sensor has been flashing non-stop. Maybe I didn't notice this prior to installing the new watch face? Ironically though, the Auto HR can now take accurate measurements when in movement every 10 min as it's supposed to. I'm totally confused as to what's going on now. So:
1. Should the HR monitor during running or exercise be this off?
2. Should it matter that I'm in movement during Auto HR measurements throughout the day?
3. Is the HR sensor supposed to be flashing all day?
Thanks.
Could honestly be your heart rate depending on your level of intensity. I personally have had a heart rate of over 200 bpm when doing pretty vigorous activity.
Some watch faces have the heart icon flash constantly. I have downloaded a few that fo that. It's probably just a feature of that paticular watch face.
Related
How has everyone's experience been with the heart rate monitoring while walking or running? Mine is both inaccurate and inconsistent. I ran 4 miles the other day and had Nike+ running on my GS2 and had my phone with me for the GPS. After the run I checked my heart rate graph on the Nike+ website and for half of the run it was in the 80's while the second half of the run was in the 130's. My heart rate while trail running is usually 160-190 or so. Sometimes it would document my heart rate at 215-220...which is ridiculous.
Also, today I went on a 2 mile walk and activated the walking feature on the S Health app on the G2S. I also had my phone with me so, so the GPS was working. After the walk was finished, it said I walked about 2 miles and showed me the time, but it had not registered any steps for the said walk. It had 800 or so steps on the counter, which is what I had before I started the walk. Also, it had my heart rate down around 80 or so for half of the walk, where it would been around 120 or so...
Anyway, this watch is nice, but it needs software updates or something to get it more accurate.
Hey everyone
SO I got a s2 classic. I was told that it was Better than having a f1tbit....
I see there are some running apps, nike+, shealth....but is there anythign where you can track ur progress over a couple of days like fitbit?
everyone is saying this is a better "fitness tracking" watch....but I have yet to be shown how?
Thanks in advance...
i have both fitbit charge hr and samsung gear s2. in health tracking, fitbit is the best hands down. cannot really compare them. but i gave up using the fitbit in favor of s2, as i don't really need detailed tracking and screen is way better and informative on s2. s health doesn't offer a web interface or anything like fitbit though.
I used to have a Charge HR and I loved it. Always had the heart rate monitoring and battery still lasts a week. It's step count seems spot on top. This Gear S2, horrible... I will walk down isles at a store and count my steps and compare to the watch, most of the time it doesn't register a single step taken. Other times it only counts half of what I actually did. The heart rate monitor on this thing is a complete joke! It took me 8 times to get it to read my heart rate after a workout and it said I was 75bpm, my heart was still pounding!!
The only benefit this watch has over the fit bit is being able to make calls and reply to texts, which I think the fit it with the GPS can actually do.
simpletona70 said:
I used to have a Charge HR and I loved it. Always had the heart rate monitoring and battery still lasts a week. It's step count seems spot on top. This Gear S2, horrible... I will walk down isles at a store and count my steps and compare to the watch, most of the time it doesn't register a single step taken. Other times it only counts half of what I actually did. The heart rate monitor on this thing is a complete joke! It took me 8 times to get it to read my heart rate after a workout and it said I was 75bpm, my heart was still pounding!!
The only benefit this watch has over the fit bit is being able to make calls and reply to texts, which I think the fit it with the GPS can actually do.
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Click to collapse
You may want to exchange the S2. I use both it (Gear S2 Classic) and a Vivofit I picked up a week earlier... and the S2 is vastly more accurate. I can't compare it to the Fitbit but from what I have experienced comparing two fitness trackers, the S2 you have should be functioning far better.
The S2 detects walking when I am on a treadmill, walking outside, just walking around my apartment, and so on. Depending on how I use my hands it will also count "steps" on my elliptical trainer. It tracks my heartbeat very well and when I compare it to the machine's heart rate monitor they match. It also matches the heartrate measured via my Galaxy S4 (I use an app which uses the flash and camera to measure heart rate)
Evening
Hoping someone can help with a quick question I have on the heart Rate monitor.
Mine Gear is only taking a HR intermittently, often with a 2-3 hour gap between reads. Is there anyway to have it constantly record your HR as mine seems to have a mind of its own!
Thanks
I dont think there is. I think a constant monitor would be a dream come true but i would like to be able to set interval times instead of the useless auto feature.
Gooner4_1998 said:
Evening
Hoping someone can help with a quick question I have on the heart Rate monitor.
Mine Gear is only taking a HR intermittently, often with a 2-3 hour gap between reads. Is there anyway to have it constantly record your HR as mine seems to have a mind of its own!
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Auto HR works when you are idle. But when you are motion/movement, it doesn't record the HR except while exercising.
Thanks both.
Seems like a real miss that it can't be set as always on or even scheduled but there you go....
My HRM thinks I am alive with a rate of 53 bpm (sitting) and true rate is 58 -59.
The Auto HR (Heart Rate) of the Gear S3 isn't satisfying, it only takes (measures) 1 time every hour, the Gear S2 did that every 10 minutes! What a huge step back from Samsung, I just hate it! Will send back this item to Amazon, what a shame
Bit of an extreme reason to send it back. Check your settings etc... anyway
Mine records a measurement every ten minutes and stores it in SHealth.
Lakota said:
Bit of an extreme reason to send it back. Check your settings etc... anyway
Mine records a measurement every ten minutes and stores it in SHealth.
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Click to collapse
We don't have the possibility to change how often we want to measure! We only have the option Auto HR on or off, this is ridiculous! Mine only measures every hour :/
Mine measures every 10 mins pretty reliably. I know I've seen the setting for this somewhere but I honestly can't find it now, I'm sure someone else can tell you where it is.
memo357 said:
We don't have the possibility to change how often we want to measure! We only have the option Auto HR on or off, this is ridiculous! Mine only measures every hour :/
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Mine does every 10 minutes too. But it's not a heart monitoring watch. It's an added feature on a watch with a million other features. "Ridiculous" that it does not have specific adjustment details that a relatively small fraction of the customer base probably needs? I agree that's probably a bit harsh!
If THAT is the one feature that is a deal breaker for you, yeah, you chose the wrong watch. The accuracy on any watch HR monitor is questionable anyway. And you can do it manually whenever you want. How much data do you need?
Return your gear and get a fitness-specific device! Start here... http://www.wareable.com/fitness-trackers/best-heart-rate-monitor-and-watches
Sounds like you need a chest strap.
Has anyone found where I can change the intervall to 10mins? Generally once every hour is fine IMO, but there are certain scenarios where I'd like to monitor my heart rate more closely.
It's 10 mins by default. The problem is you are moving when it try's to take a measurement and fails. To demonstrate this try and take 2 manual readings - one perfectly still and the second time keep moving your fingers.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
memo357 said:
The Auto HR (Heart Rate) of the Gear S3 isn't satisfying, it only takes (measures) 1 time every hour, the Gear S2 did that every 10 minutes! What a huge step back from Samsung, I just hate it! Will send back this item to Amazon, what a shame
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
K bye. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
I know exactly how you feel. That's why when I work out I switch out my gear s3 with my gear fit2 or fitbit2 blaze. The blaze can accurately measure while in motion, the Gear fit2 lacks accurately getting a bpm while in motion.
The blaze fitbit also severely lacks instant notifications. Pretty ineffective if that's what you want it for. Stick with the fit2 or gear s3 as their on target when it comes to notifications being accurately relayed to the wearable
It seems pretty accurate when I'm at rest but I'm not sure about its readings while I'm walking or hiking. Maybe I should tighten up the band when my arms are swinging.
The latest S3 and Samsung Health updates has fixed the accuracy.
I used Polar M400 with chest sensor before S3 and when I started with S3 it seemed to be underrating, for the same 45 minutes cross trainer session, Polar counted about 400 calories and S3/Health - about 300. S3 also shown about 5 bpm less constantly.
With the latest update things seem to be fixed, S3 indications are quite close to Polar.
I'm doing the same session 2-3 times per week, so I can compare the data.
MichaelGG said:
I used Polar M400 with chest sensor before S3 and when I started with S3 it seemed to be underrating, for the same 45 minutes cross trainer session, Polar counted about 400 calories and S3/Health - about 300. S3 also shown about 5 bpm less constantly.
With the latest update things seem to be fixed, S3 indications are quite close to Polar.
I'm doing the same session 2-3 times per week, so I can compare the data.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a garmin vivoactive hr before and the HR seems to be the same while running but the calorie count is really low on s3. 1000 vs 300
Those of you having issues with movement - slide the watch further up your wrist. Every HR monitor ive tried has the same issue. If it is too close to your hand, it will give crap readings. Apple Watch 2 has the same issue and I have to run with it about an inch higher than where I normally wear it.
I had the Gear S3 about a month after it came out and the heart rate accuracy was pathetic. I was coming from Fitbit Charge HR and that one had problems and still was better than the Gear. For example on a treadmill I was running and my Gear could not get above 80 bpm when I know from manually taking my bpm it was around 160 at least. I think it's from the sensor being on a completely flat surface so it's hard to stay accurate during movement.
I now have the Garmin Vivoactive HR and it is worlds better. Stays within 2-3 bpm of what a chest strap would read.
I think just about any wearable has accuracy issues here and there, but in general you can and do get a fairly good representation over time. If you're looking for dead nuts accuracy, no wearable is going to deliver. I've worn my chest monitor with my Fitbit Charge2 and Gear s3, and overall through the course of a workout, my readings are close enough to produce physical results.
I wear my Charge2 on one arm and gear on the other. The Charge is touted as a fitness tracker and my gear s3 SMARTWATCH produces results that are pretty dang close. Close enough anyway.
I find I get better hr readings lower on my wrist. YMMV.
If no one has found out yet. Maybe different in S3, but in my S2, it is located in SHealth app of gear (not phone). The far right card is settings and inside there is a menu called "Auto HR" which is selectable between Frequent, Moderate or Off.
I'm looking to buy this watch but one of the key factors for me is using it as a standalone for running.
I'm not too concerned with HR or having a map for the exact route I ran but it is crucial that the distance is pretty accurate and therefore my pace per km is accurate. Is the Gear 3 able to deliver on that front? Also does S Health have the feature where a voice-over will alert you at each completed km and update you with your pace for that km and overall average pace per km?
I've tested the LTE Frontier version against a Garmin Vivoactive on a 5 and 4 mile run, so far. Both runs were within .03 of a mile difference. I did have it tethered to my phone because AT&T hadn't gotten NumberSync worked out yet. I'm not sure if the watch refers to the phone during workout while tethered, but now that NumberSync is straightened out, I'll test it again this weekend.
A few things I've discovered:
- It seems to begin recording before the GPS has locked. To work around it, I paused it as soon as it started and gave it a few moments to lock on. This worked but it's little things like this that Samsung should address if it wants to be taken a little more seriously in the fitness world.
- I don't use always-on display so it takes a second or two for the distance display to catch up to the current number. It's usually no more than .05 off for that couple of seconds.
-I don't do interval notifications and I track miles instead of km, but there are options for "Guide at interval every..." .5 mile, 1 mile, 5 miles, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, hour.
- The heart rate max has been way off but the average is fairly close. I kept it strapped pretty tight during runs. It's convenient but I'd prefer they allow connecting to chest straps, etc. Wrist based HR is tough to do right.
- Heart rate is not imported into Strava when S Health has been set to automatically import. You can manually export the data but I haven't tried that, yet.
- Many of the activities in the phone version of S Health are missing on the watch. Skiing is a big omission in my opinion and seems like a no-brainer with onboard barometer\altimeter.
- For a short time the display would not turn off after starting a run. It eventually did. Also, it has gotten "confused' several times with auto-brightness level but rights itself after the display has turned off and back on again.
Techradar's 50k run review on YouTube was helpful in deciding. I can't post links, yet, but search: "Samsung Gear S3 vs Apple Watch 2 vs Garmin Forerunner 735XT: Battery and GPS 50k test"
tracycm55 said:
I've tested the LTE Frontier version against a Garmin Vivoactive on a 5 and 4 mile run, so far. Both runs were within .03 of a mile difference. I did have it tethered to my phone because AT&T hadn't gotten NumberSync worked out yet. I'm not sure if the watch refers to the phone during workout while tethered, but now that NumberSync is straightened out, I'll test it again this weekend.
A few things I've discovered:
- It seems to begin recording before the GPS has locked. To work around it, I paused it as soon as it started and gave it a few moments to lock on. This worked but it's little things like this that Samsung should address if it wants to be taken a little more seriously in the fitness world.
- I don't use always-on display so it takes a second or two for the distance display to catch up to the current number. It's usually no more than .05 off for that couple of seconds.
-I don't do interval notifications and I track miles instead of km, but there are options for "Guide at interval every..." .5 mile, 1 mile, 5 miles, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, hour.
- The heart rate max has been way off but the average is fairly close. I kept it strapped pretty tight during runs. It's convenient but I'd prefer they allow connecting to chest straps, etc. Wrist based HR is tough to do right.
- Heart rate is not imported into Strava when S Health has been set to automatically import. You can manually export the data but I haven't tried that, yet.
- Many of the activities in the phone version of S Health are missing on the watch. Skiing is a big omission in my opinion and seems like a no-brainer with onboard barometer\altimeter.
- For a short time the display would not turn off after starting a run. It eventually did. Also, it has gotten "confused' several times with auto-brightness level but rights itself after the display has turned off and back on again.
Techradar's 50k run review on YouTube was helpful in deciding. I can't post links, yet, but search: "Samsung Gear S3 vs Apple Watch 2 vs Garmin Forerunner 735XT: Battery and GPS 50k test"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks a lot for the response, will check out the YouTube video. If you did get round to testing the watching as a standalone this weekend, can you let me know how well it worked?
4 mile run with the Gear S3 on LTE (Not connected to a phone), Garmin VivoActive with Scosche Rhythm+ HRM, and Galaxy S7 Active
- The final average pace between all 3 devices was within 10 seconds of each other. The VivoActive was in the middle and the Gear S3 was 5 seconds more and the S7 Active was 5 seconds less.
- Throughout the run, the Gear S3 always read the pace at 1 to 2 minutes more than the Garmin. But, the final results of the Gear S3 basically matched the Garmin so I'm not sure what is going on there because it was displaying a pretty big incorrect pace.
- For the first 5 minutes of the run, the heart rate on the Gear S3 read a consistent 40 bpm less than the Garmin with the Scosche Rhythm+ hrm. After that 5 minutes, it was never more than 2 or 3 bpm different from the Garmin. Looking at the S Health app, I'm not seeing those consistently low numbers for that 5 minutes. While S Health shows an incorrect hr for only a couple of minutes, the watch was definitely showing an incorrect hr for a full 5 minutes. The final average is very close to the Garmin, though.
Gear S3 Garmin VivoActive (Scosche Rhythm+ HRM) Galaxy S7 Active (Strava)
Start Bat % 99% 100% -
End Bat % 89% 88% -
Distance 3.98 mi 4.03 mi 4.0 mi
Avg hr 147 bpm 150 bpm -
Max hr 165 bpm 165 bpm -
Avg Cadence 83 spm ??? 160 spm ???
Max Cadence 167 spm 168 spm