Amazfit’s Ambition to Compete in the Wearable Market

If you’ve been browsing the latest fitness trackers, you’ve likely noticed the growing presence of Amazfit, a brand that has been making waves in the wearables market. Before you ask, Amazfit has no affiliation with Amazon; the brand is actually owned by Chinese company Zepp Health (formerly Huami). Amazfit is positioning itself as a budget-friendly alternative to established players in the industry, such as Garmin, Coros, and even Apple.

Source: lifehacker.com

The brand’s watches are typically priced lower than their competitors while boasting a surprising array of premium features, including AMOLED displays, long battery life, dual-band GPS on some models, and advanced health tracking capabilities often found in watches that cost two or three times as much.

Source: lifehacker.com

Testing Amazfit’s Running Watches

I’ve had the opportunity to extensively test Amazfit’s lineup, including the Balance 3 ($369.99) and the Cheetah 2 Pro ($449.99). Currently, I’m reviewing the Cheetah 2 Ultra, the brand’s most advanced running watch, priced at $599.99. My goal is to determine whether Amazfit is a legitimate competitor to the established players or simply a cheaper, inferior watch that looks the part.

So far, my experience with Amazfit’s watches has been mixed. For hybrid athletes, Amazfit seems to hit the mark. The brand’s partnership with Hyrox speaks volumes about the type of users these watches are designed for. However, when it comes to serious running watches, Amazfit falls short of expectations.

Amazfit’s Running Watches: What You Need to Know

The Cheetah line is Amazfit’s answer to Garmin’s Forerunner series, Coros’s running-focused watches, and other similar products. On paper, the Cheetah watches appear to be a compelling alternative, offering features such as dual-band GPS, running power metrics, offline maps, and an AI coaching feature that creates personalized training plans. These features are available at a significantly lower price point compared to their competitors.

However, the issue I’ve encountered is that the specs on paper don’t always translate to a watch that feels designed with serious runners in mind. A small example of this is the heart rate zones labeled with ‘fat burning’ language. Serious runners don’t want to see this type of framing on their watch – it’s a relic of generic fitness-tracking thinking, not something you’d find on a watch specifically designed for training zones and performance.

Amazfit markets the Cheetah 2 Pro as a marathon-training tool, specifically engineered for runners. Marathon runners are a demanding and well-served audience, and there are many excellent existing options available. Unfortunately, the Cheetah 2 Pro didn’t hold up to comparison in my testing.

Some specific issues I encountered include:

• My lactate threshold estimate was off by nearly 40 seconds per mile.
• The GPS distance tracking was slightly worse than my Garmin Forerunner 970.
• After finishing a run, the workout summary screen disappears almost instantly, and you have to dig back through menus to see your stats.

While Amazfit watches are great, there are better options available for serious runners.

Why Amazfit Falls Short for Serious Runners

If you’re training seriously for a marathon and want deep, dependable workout analytics, I’d recommend a Garmin Forerunner instead. At a similar price to the Cheetah 2 Pro, the Garmin Forerunner 570 offers more reliable advanced metrics and access to Garmin’s much deeper training ecosystem. If you’re willing to spend a bit more, the Garmin Forerunner 970 provides even more tools with a longer track record among serious athletes.

It’s worth noting that even the most elite marathoners in the world still wear the cheapest running watches.

While Amazfit’s Balance line is still a great option for those looking for a good-looking, budget-friendly watch with solid health tracking, the Cheetah line falls short of expectations for serious runners.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Amazfit’s running watches, particularly the Cheetah line, disappoint in their inability to deliver reliable and advanced features for serious runners. While the brand excels in other areas, such as hybrid fitness tracking, it falls short in its attempt to compete with established players in the running watch market.