I Tested Samsung’s $60 Galaxy Fit 3: It’s Basic, but in a Good Way

The Galaxy Fit 3 teeters on the edge of being a smartwatch, and a fitness tracker. Everything from its in-between size to its sparse smart features makes it hard to categorize as one or the other. But as I tested this simple and charming wrist device, its main appeal became crystal clear.

What’s most appealing about this hybrid smartwatch, as I’m choosing to call it, is its price tag. At $60, it’s the most affordable way to access Samsung’s robust health ecosystem through the Samsung Health app. If you’re already a Samsung user and can temper your expectations, that alone might make it worth considering. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s easy on the eyes and doesn’t overpower my 6.5-inch wrist like other traditional smartwatches (especially the budget ones, some of which can be an eyesore).

At a time when there are dozens of smartwatches vying for your attention, with a dizzying array of features, the Fit 3 stands out due to its straightforward appeal and a price that’s hundreds of dollars less than that of the flagship Galaxy Watch 7 and other competitors like the OnePlus Watch 3. After three weeks of using the Fit 3, I’ve come to appreciate its value and battery life, even if I’d still recommend the slightly more expensive Amazfit Bip 6 for most people.

Galaxy Fit 3 design

At first glance, its 1.6-inch (40mm) AMOLED screen could easily pass for a full-size smartwatch — not what you’d typically expect from a tracker. It has a rounded rectangular display with an aluminum frame that comes in subtle rose gold (like mine), silver or dark gray. Only a couple of aspects of its design hint at its true hybrid form. The rectangular screen is much narrower than the ones you’ll find on other smartwatches, like the Amazfit Bip 6 or even the Apple Watch. By default, that limits how much information you can view on the screen, but in my opinion, it also makes the design feel more elegant. Also, the Fit 3 has only one physical button (there’s no crown or rotating bezel). 

Galaxy Fit 3 battery life

Where it truly shines is battery life. Operating at full throttle, the watch lasted three full days, and that’s including an active always-on display, the mirroring of all notifications from my phone, sleep tracking, and at least one workout per day. Without the always-on display, you may be able to stretch it to Samsung’s promised 13 days. This longevity is in part due to the smaller screen and because the Fit 3 isn’t running a feature-rich operating system like Wear OS, which you’ll find in the newer Galaxy Watch lineup. Regardless, it’s easier to keep the Fit 3 charged for all-day use and sleep tracking than its Galaxy Watch counterparts, which often give out before the 48-hour mark (even the Ultra). It also charges fast and can go from zero to 100% in just over an hour.

Galaxy Fit 3 ‘smart’ features (or lack thereof)

The big sacrifice here, and the reason I don’t consider the Fit 3 a full-fledged smartwatch, is its limited smart features. Even when paired with a Galaxy phone (I paired it with a Galaxy S25 Plus), its functionality feels restricted and it doesn’t support voice dictation or mobile payments. It’s also compatible with non-Galaxy Android phones, but you’ll lose out on even more functionality, like the camera remote or alarm syncing.

I didn’t think I’d miss a voice assistant as much as I did, but wearing the Fit 3 made me realize that dictation and voice commands have become a big part of how I use a smartwatch, whether it’s text responses, setting a timer while I cook or taking and making calls. All you can do is decline a call and send a canned response to the caller.

The same goes for text messages. You can’t initiate a text or dictate a reply, but you can respond via prewritten messages that you can customize with something more conversational than the ones that come preloaded. I added a “Give me a sec while I get to my phone.” It’s not ideal, but at least it buys me some time to dig through my bottomless Mary Poppins purse for my phone. I’m contemplating adding a “Piss off” custom response for robophishing scam texts.

The other big miss for me was mobile payments. Without NFC, you won’t be able to pay for things with your wrist on the Fit 3.

Otherwise, the Fit 3 is notable for its lack of app selection. I had to survive without some of my regular third-party apps, like the Roku TV remote and Spotify, but I was OK with using them on the phone. The Fit 3 still has the basics: alarm, calculator, weather app, camera remote (for Galaxy phones) and Samsung’s Health app. The last is the standout here, and one of the main reasons you’d consider getting this in the first place.

Galaxy Fit 3 health and fitness

Let’s get one thing out of the way: The Fit 3 doesn’t have built-in GPS. This means you’ll be tethered to your phone during runs if you want truly accurate tracking. That was my biggest complaint as far as fitness features go, because the S25 Plus isn’t the most dainty of running buddies, and there are times when I just want to leave it behind and disconnect for 30 minutes. I tried to do a 5K without my phone, and as a result the Fit 3’s run tracking and mapping was off by about half a kilometer, or three-tenths of a mile.

The Fit 3 can track over 100 different exercises and will automatically log runs, walks, rowing and elliptical workouts. However, auto-tracking isn’t enabled by default, so you’ll have to toggle it on in the settings. You can also take it swimming (just not waterskiing) because it’s rated for 5ATM (50 meters) and has an IP68 rating.

I tested the heart rate tracking alongside my Polar chest strap (the gold standard for consumer-facing heart rate monitoring) and found it to be generally accurate, though slower to register heart rate spikes. This is fairly common with most wrist-based devices I’ve tested. Once I approached my peak heart rate (all-out effort), the Fit 3 showed a 2- to 5-point difference compared with the chest strap and took a couple of seconds to catch up. However, in the workout summary, the final numbers for average and peak heart rate were similar and within 2 points of each other.

The Fit 3 also offers high and low heart rate alerts, but it lacks an ECG app. It can monitor stress levels and blood oxygen saturation, and it even has a fall detection feature that calls emergency services if it senses a hard fall and you don’t get up. You can also activate SOS manually by pressing the side button five times.

Galaxy Fit 3 sleep

The Fit 3 has robust sleep tracking features, similar to those found on Samsung’s flagship Galaxy Watches. The Fit 3 can detect sleep stages and even monitor snoring using the Galaxy phone’s microphone. After seven nights, it also provides personalized sleep coaching, though I didn’t accumulate enough data in my testing to activate this feature. It also delivers a sleep score each morning that should correlate with your energy levels, but I found it a bit questionable, considering it gave me a score of 91 (aka “Excellent”) on a night when I slept for only six and a half hours.

Who should buy the Galaxy Fit 3?

The Galaxy Fit 3 isn’t going to blow anyone away with its features or design, but it might with its price. At $60, it’s the lowest cost of entry for Galaxy phone users looking to start tracking their health and fitness within the same ecosystem. Its sleek design, robust health metrics, and long-lasting battery make it worth considering even if you don’t have a Samsung phone. There are a few budget smartwatches worth your money, and though this one isn’t the best or the only option, it’s a solid pick, with a simple and easy-to-navigate UI. The biggest problem might be actually getting your hands on it. As of publishing, it’s out of stock at the Samsung Store and available only through third-party retailers like Walmart.