Amazfit Active 2 Comments: Big Bang

The common reader requests I get are like this: If I don’t want a smartwatch, but want basic fitness tracking, what should I buy? When I suggest alternatives like a budget fitness band or smart ring, I’m not sure Hmm and the dissatisfaction of the nose. After a few round trips, I usually find a lot of people Do Want a smartwatch. They just don’t want one from Apple, Samsung, Garmin or Google. They want something more similar Your pebbles or This retro style $56 Casio. For those, consider the humble Amazfit Active 2.

Amazfit’s Shtick is giving you the big bang. Active 2 starts at $99.99. For just $30, you get a more exotic version with an extra leather strap and a more durable sapphire crystal lens. There is a 2,000 NIT OLED touch display, upgraded health sensors, new sleep and heart rate algorithms, offline maps and ZEPP Flow AI Assistant. There are also ZEPP coaches for personalized training programs and provided from wildIt provides diet and exercise advice based on your hormones and menstrual cycle. You won’t find a dual-band GP on this watch, but it has built-in GPS that provides access to five satellite systems (the next best thing you can get). If you live in Europe, then you can still pay. (Unfortunately, I No Living in Europe, unable to test. )

This is a stacked feature set for under $150. This is a fool. Not even much gain.

I rarely get compliments when testing budget gadgets. The belt is Chintzy and the case is plastic. Smartwatches under $200 usually look like it.

I was surprised when I was wearing active 2 during CES. My colleague David Pierce pointed at my wrist and asked, “What is that?!” because of the stylish watch. Two other colleagues asked because they dug out the appearance. Some protesters asked. When I told them the price, everyone was swallowed up. Active 2 doesn’t look cheap.

Is this the most elegant watch I have ever worn? No, but its design is basic and stylish enough to fit any clothing. It’s lightweight and won’t catch on the jacket sleeve. Is the leather strap on the “premium” model the softest old-fashioned patina? Of course not, but it’s comfortable enough to wear 24/7 and stays in good shape over weeks of wear, including a few sweating exercises. (Usually, I recommend swapping the silicone strap for movement, but this uses the standard pin mechanism, which is hard to use when you run the pins as frequently as I do.)

A capable tracker with AI side

Active 2 won’t wow anyone seeking Garmin-level insights or Apple-like tricks. However, as a fitness and wellness tracker, it may attract people looking for Fitbit alternatives.

Like Fitbit, Amazfit takes a simplified approach to overall health. It emphasizes ready, sleep quality and weekly activities rather than turning off the ring or throwing each performance metric into the dashboard in the sun. Like older Fitbits, the Active 2 has better battery life than the more advanced smartwatches. Amazfit is estimated to charge 10 days. My tests range from about eight to nine.

Since mine GTR 4 Comments. It has a smoother interface. Every morning, you will be ready and have your sleep insight scores every day. There is a prompt at the bottom of each to open Zepp Aura Premium Chatbot. ((Zepp Aura is Amazfit’s subscription service for sleep and breathing guidance content; the annual fee is $77. ) Tips include: “Can I take specific activities or habits to optimize my physical recovery?” or “How was my sleep quality last night?” The former provides you with general health tips similar to what you query from Chatgpt The information obtained in , which summarizes your sleep data and can provide you with tips for improving your sleep quality. You can write in the prompt, but that’s the general gist. Last year, Samsung, OURA and other wearable technology companies have implemented similar AI-driven capabilities. No one changes the game when it comes to contextual data. The ZEPP version at least integrates and responds quickly, but it costs an extra price and you won’t miss too much if you skip it.

ZEPP coaching is more useful. I created a custom eight-week 5K training program with a time goal of 32 minutes. The result is what I expected, combining easy running, interval running and long-term gradual development difficulties. Nothing crazy, but I appreciate that exercises are synchronized directly with the wrist. There is a new strength training mode that automatically recognizes representatives in the set. It is mainly effective – it will struggle if the exercise doesn’t move your entire arm or body, such as a plank or alternating biceps curls. But tell me a smartwatch No Struggle for this.

The accuracy of the Active 2 is similar to my Apple Watch Ultra 2 for GPS running and heart rate. Sleep tracking is usually aligned with my oura ring 4 as well. The difference lies in Poland. Active 2 takes a second or two to get the GPS signal – cruel when my trembling Tuchus fell off before the cold run. It has been a pain to view historical data outside the past week. Also, I’m angry that I can’t edit the workout. While calibrating my first treadmill run, I mistakenly entered the distance three miles instead of two miles. Usually, I edit it on the companion app or on my wrist. I can’t do it either. I’m still praised for my workouts, but it’s a basic feature of the fitness app and a surprising omission.

Just as I’m in mine Start your moveActive 2 Touch Display drives me crazy. Most of the time it works. But do hands point sweat? forget it. Even if I wipe my hands, I often have to wipe the touch screen. This makes pause or control the music in the middle of the music annoying. Casual users won’t think this is a deal-breaker, but it’s worth noting.

Another gripe is using voice commands on the ZEPP stream assistant. I found that I had to stress out saying it to pick up my questions – which made me look weird while shouting my wrist, setting a five-minute timer in public. Given that this is not Siri, Google Assistant, or Bixby, your requested arsenal is also limited. You can ask it to display health data, launch an application, set a timer, or control settings. Basically that’s it. Even then, I occasionally have timeouts or connection errors.

When I get angry at these quirks, I remind myself that the Active 2 on my wrist costs only $130. You’ll get what you’re paying for – and, at this price, there won’t be a weird or two, which is unrealistic. On the contrary, it is surprising no I complain more. Active 2 punches are above the weight of its style, material and function. If you want a lasting stain-free tracker, you will have a hard time finding better value.