Active 2 Smartwatch

Amazfit Balance 2 should be about that price. The T-Rex 3 as well for something more sporty. The T-Rex 3 pro is out of that price range, but it's worth the extra. Or Bip 6, or Active 2 round or square, for a cheaper option with the same sensors and 90% of the features and limited local storage. The current gen of Amazfit devices are really very good.

Get a refurbished amazfit active 2. Or revise your budget upwards a bit. The cmf watch 3 is reportedly pretty good.

I don't think you can get a bigger bang for buck than with amazfit. Active 2 premium does 90%+ what the apple ultra 2 does? For around 10% the cost? Crazy. Want something bigger and 'fancier'? You got balance 2 and t rex pro 3 that look really good and are even a bit bigger with better battery, and more durable. 

With the Active 2 Premium currently $93 on Amazon, not sure why anyone would bite on the 3 right now. I bought one yesterday as a potential shift from my current RingConn/Garmin combo.

Yeah I saw on the official site, article was wrong. It's less of a straight buy for me now. It's 33% more battery which is good but I wish they gave it the same size as the Trex 3 pro 44mm version. I'll buy it on Amazon and see if it equates to anything - they've gone away from the dress watch style a bit which is what I liked about the active 2 premium.

Couldn't have said it better dude! It literally makes no sense. I understand not supporting the watches for long bc they are really affordable and they have to make money somehow (forcing people to update sooner than they should). I did see value having Bip6, Active 2, Balance 2, T-Rex 3 (a T-Rex 3 44mm would've been nice). But what's the point on flooding their line up? Why Active 2 Premium, Active 2 Square, Active Max, T-Rex 3 Pro, T-Rex Ultra 2, like wth??? Why so freakin many???? They’re acting like a pick me boy, desperately looking for people validation and headlines. Focus on your best watches, give pro features to you higher lineup (Balance 2 and T-Rex 3) to get athletes to buy the watches, while keeping your affordable lineup (Bip and Active) as good as it is for Active people who might do some sports so they can still have a good watch. They’ve been working for god knows how many months now probably like a year in ONE helio strap band. We're depending on 3rd parties to come with better straps bc they are unable to. The sleep tags are kinda mid, they could improve that so we can get more insights with a Zepp Aura subscription. It feels like they release a watch, someone tells them that the watch was missing something, and just a couple of months later they release a new version that is almost the same thing but with those things that were missing. Instead of waiting and develop other things, they’re focusing in how many watches can they release in a span of 6 months. I wouldn't be surprise if in the next months we'll see 3 new versions of the cheetah, an Active EDGE 2, Active Edge 2 PREMIUM, and more bullshit products.

I understand having T-Rex 3 and T-Rex 3 Pro. T-Rex 3 is their "affordable" rugged option and the T-Rex 3 Pro is the "Pro" and expensive rugged option. T-Rex Ultra 2 is just pointless, especially w that price. They should’ve made 3 size options for both T-Rex 3 models, that’s it. But it's clear that they want to be Garmin having a bunch of watches that are almost the same like Fenix, Epix and Enduro. Active Max a month before Active 3 is completely pointless, especially if they’re basically the same watch and the exact same price. It's so stupid, they release the Active Max and immediately killed it just after a month, bc tbh if someone is making their decision now, there’s really no reason to buy the Active Max other than the whole black look that the Active 3 doesn’t have. They’re totally losing focus and bombing everyone w releases to be on the headlines every other week. I still like the products but at this moment the only thing keeping me with them is the Helio Strap + Watch combo, not the features of the app. If Garmin or Coros decides to do something like that, I think I'll switch bc I don't wanna be waiting god knows how much time for Amazfit to get their shit together and start being their own company instead of trying to be Garmin. People want features and long term support, not 15162783377 watches.

I wear an Active 2 only for my workouts (including swimming). It’s not that big of a deal really. You can use your Helio daily, and switch to a smartwatch when swimming, and then back to the strap. Thats what I do, and I’ve been impressed with Actice 2 lap count while swimming, is incredibly accurate. Helio strap + Active 2 is cheaper than 1 year Whoop’s suscription haha.

Couldn't have said it better dude! It literally makes no sense. I understand not supporting the watches for long bc they are really affordable and they have to make money somehow (forcing people to update sooner than they should). I did see value having Bip6, Active 2, Balance 2, T-Rex 3 (a T-Rex 3 44mm would've been nice). But what's the point on flooding their line up? Why Active 2 Premium, Active 2 Square, Active Max, T-Rex 3 Pro, T-Rex Ultra 2, like wth??? Why so freakin many???? They’re acting like a pick me boy, desperately looking for people validation and headlines. Focus on your best watches, give pro features to you higher lineup (Balance 2 and T-Rex 3) to get athletes to buy the watches, while keeping your affordable lineup (Bip and Active) as good as it is for Active people who might do some sports so they can still have a good watch. They’ve been working for god knows how many months now probably like a year in ONE helio strap band. We're depending on 3rd parties to come with better straps bc they are unable to. The sleep tags are kinda mid, they could improve that so we can get more insights with a Zepp Aura subscription. It feels like they release a watch, someone tells them that the watch was missing something, and just a couple of months later they release a new version that is almost the same thing but with those things that were missing. Instead of waiting and develop other things, they’re focusing in how many watches can they release in a span of 6 months. I wouldn't be surprise if in the next months we'll see 3 new versions of the cheetah, an Active EDGE 2, Active Edge 2 PREMIUM, and more bullshit products.

Quick disclaimer: I’ll mention a couple of comparisons with my Active 2, but none of these were side-by-side comparisons since my Active 2 died out of nowhere and the Active Max ended up being the replacement. 1. Design and general info Obviously this is completely subjective, but I think the Active Max is the second best looking watch in the current Amazfit lineup (the first being the T-Rex 3 Pro 44mm in my opinion). It’s the perfect size for my wrist and has this sporty look that for some reason reminds me of the old Stratos 3, which I really liked, although the design here is a bit more subtle. It still only has two buttons, which some people might find annoying, but honestly I don’t mind using the touchscreen even when I’m sweaty or wet. I also feel like Amazfit hasn’t really taken full advantage of the buttons anyway, so it doesn’t bother me much right now. It has 4 GB of storage, which is great if you're downloading songs, podcasts, or multiple maps for running or hiking. 2. Battery life I usually wear my Helio Strap day to day since I tend to wear mechanical watches, but to actually test the battery I decided to use the Active Max as my daily watch for two weeks. One thing I didn’t do was sleep with it, since I’m used to sleeping with my Helio Strap. With AOD on, sleep mode and do not disturb enabled during the night, three swimming sessions per week, two gym workouts per week, and two GPS workouts per week (both around 1h), the battery lasted around 7 to 8 days. With basically the same settings on my Active 2, I usually got around 5 to 6 days. 3. Display and brightness Since the watch is a bit bigger, the display is more comfortable to read and it’s easier to see your metrics. I’ve noticed this the most while swimming. When I try to take a quick glance at the distance, it’s easier and faster to read compared to my Active 2. For running and gym workouts, I honestly haven’t noticed much of a difference since I never had any issues with the Active 2. I think it might be slightly brighter than the Active 2, but again, I never had any brightness issues with the Active 2, so I wouldn’t call it a particularly meaningful improvement. One weird thing I’ve noticed is that my Active Max has an issue with certain watch faces when AOD is active. Some part of the watch face starts flickering like crazy, but as soon as I touch the screen and AOD turns off, it immediately stops. I’m guessing this is something that could probably be fixed with a firmware update or something, since it doesn’t seem like a display issue, it only happens in AOD and only with certain watch faces (check the video). 4.. Heart rate accuracy It uses exactly the same heart rate sensor as the Active 2 and the Helio Strap, so I wasn’t expecting anything different. The results have been pretty much the same, with a bit of deviation here and there but nothing meaningful. 5. GPS accuracy It’s still single-band GPS. I’m not sure if it’s a different GPS chip compared to the Active 2, but the results are very similar overall. The only very small difference I noticed is that it seems to be slightly closer to the road I’m actually running, but again, not a meaningful improvement. One thing I did notice is that the Active Max gets the GPS signal faster than my Active 2. The Active 2 usually took around 10 to 12 seconds, while the Active Max takes about 5 to 7 seconds. 6. Sport features It’s pretty much the same as most Amazfit watches. You get a ridiculous number of sport modes, and the advanced features are almost identical. The only difference I noticed is that for running, the Active Max includes the Weighted Load option, which my Active 2 didn’t have (although I’m not sure if they might have added it in a later update). One extra thing worth mentioning is that the Active Max includes triathlon and multisport modes, which the Active 2 didn’t have. 7. Conclusion I think the conclusion is pretty much the same as with most Amazfit watches. At $170, it’s still an excellent watch, and whether it’s worth upgrading or not will mostly depend on how much you’re willing to pay for the design, because in terms of features and software, it’s basically the same as the rest. In my opinion, if we ignore the design, there are really only two reasons to upgrade from the Active 2 to the Active Max for example: 1. If you need more storage 2. If you want a larger display That’s it. If you don’t need those two things, the only real reason to upgrade would be if you simply prefer a watch with a sportier look. Now, if you’re deciding between the Active Max and something higher up like the Balance or the T-Rex models, there are a few additional differences. However, for me they’re not significant enough to automatically justify choosing those over the Active Max. The main ones would be: 1. If you really need dual-band GPS 2. If you do activities like diving 3. If you care about higher-end materials or build quality If none of those matter to you, then again it mostly comes down to whether the design is worth paying $300+ for. Honestly, it doesn’t really make sense to me that Amazfit released the Active Max and Active 3 as separate models, it feels pretty unnecessary. In my opinion, the Active Max could have simply been another color option of the Active 3. But Amazfit clearly likes releasing new models and staying in the headlines every week or so. If the differences between the Active Max and the Active 2 are already minimal, then between the Active Max and the Active 3 the only noticeable differences seem to be the colors and the buttons. I'm sure there are stuff that I'm not including here so if you have any questions, I'm happy to help (:

I agree, I was actually leaning more to the Active Max being unneccesary if they were already planning to release the Active 3 a month later, and tbh the only reason to choose Max over Active 3 is design. In my opinion, they should’ve just release Active 3 with an all black version. Yeah, I always forget about the Balance 2XT since it's not in their US web site which is the one I check. I complained on another post bc Amazfit is stuck in the same strategy. When someone ask me what Amazfit watch would I recommend, even if they tell me their needs, I honestly always say "if you don’t care about budget, just get the one that catches your eyes" bc everyone is so damn similar.

Exactly! My thing was that I wanted a more sport looking watch, and the Active Max was perfect for me. For people who want a more elegant watch, Active 2 is the one, one of the most if not the most beautiful smartwatch design I've seen. And I think they messed up with the Active 3, the ones I've seen look pretty cheap while the Active 2 looks so damn premium.

>Product line is similar to Garmin where they have Venu series with 2 button vs fenix series with 5 buttons. If you want to use Garmin as a comparison, it's actually like if Garmin releases a Forerunner 165 and a Forerunner whatever with only 2 buttons. >Lifestyle vs more sports oriented watch, caters to different segment of customers The Active 2 was already their "lifestyle" watch. Why would they not follow their own line of thought? If we go by the names and looks, Active Max sounds and looks more like a sport watch, while Active 3 still sounds and looks like their everyday watch, but they decided to switch it? Makes no sense...

- Amazfit Bip 6 - Active 2 Round (Regular or Premium) - Active 2 Square Note that for all 3 mentioned, they have a total storage of 445MB. So around 150 MB is available to the end user. If you need more storage, you could get the - Cheetah Square (Lack of bluetooth calls option but bigger storage at 2 GB)

Premium has a Sapphire Screen for better scratch resistance and the Stainless Steel case is silver with a Matte finish, instead of being shiny. You're also getting a Leather band, in addition to the Silicone band.

Indeed, but only in Europe

Yes, if Zepp Pay is supported in your country.

Okay. First, let's get all WearOS watches and Apple Watches out of the way, because she will never get the battery life she desires (and I will leave the technical tech explanations out of it). Now, from what she wants (and yes, I am taking into account the fact that she wants a watch with keyboard replies), my recommendations? **Amazfit**: - Amazfit Bip 6 - Amazfit Active 2 Round - Amazfit Active 2 Square - Amazfit Cheetah Square (Available on AliExpress) **Huawei** (If you are outside the US): - Huawei Watch Fit 4 - Huawei Watch Fit 4 Pro - Huawei Watch GT6 41mm

Love your review. However, the Active 3 is not unnecessary. Far from it, in fact. Some people found the Active Max too big. It's basically releasing a smaller version of the same watch... Well, "same". Plenty will ask why the Active Max **does not have 4 buttons**. And personally, I find it to be a greater mistake. A lot of people would rather sacrifice a bit of battery life for 2 extra buttons for more shortcuts and hands-free navigation. Considering in the market where the Balance 2 XT is available, the crown is available as a form of hands free navigation when using Button Mode AND it has dual-band GPS... Amazfit did not think this through very well.

Pretty much. Whenever I have to recommend a lifestyle watch, I honestly recommend the Active 2 for the price and look. And if they want better accuracy, I tell them to buy a helio strap and pair it with their watch and voilà. 🤣 > Yeah, I always forget about the Balance 2XT since it's not in their US web site which is the one I check. I'll make a post about it soon. I settled for the 2 XT instead of the Active 3 and I've been liking it ever since. I'll make a comparison with the Active Max and Balance 2.

Prepare yourself for a long response. > Question... why do you want more buttons, when you have the ability to program the existing buttons? Because the additional buttons are not just for additional shortcuts, they are also there for navigation purposes. Especially during workouts and handling maps when needed. In addition, there is an additional useful voice note shortcut only available for T-Rex users because of the additional buttons. (It uses 3 buttons to activate). > You also have the ability to use Zepp Flow to perform Alot of tasks as well. in fact, I hardly see any reviews that include using either of those creatures features. I'm not going to speak to my watch, for every change that needs to be done to my watch. It's there when I need it for something that isn't tedious to change manually and when I am in someplace quiet. > In this case, you don't even need to have your phone nearby for many of the voice commands. And some that I use, does need Zepp Flow because the command isn't available for Offline voice command. How about that?! > Further, you don't even need to press a button to activate Zepp Flow, it can be set to activate when you turn your wrist... Wrong. You are confusing this with offline Voice commands. You either need to use the app or use a shortcut to the app. > I currently use these features on my Bip6 and, I confirmed they are available on the Active Max as well. (note: at least for the US version) And what about those that aren't in the US? Are you also going to tell them they don't need a great addition because it suits your needs and not them?! In case you didn't know, Zepp flow isn't available worldwide. > I'm out working on a front yard waterfall/stream.. my phone stays on the porch. I take calls/messages without having to get the phone out or mess with it. Irrelevant. > So no, you don't need more buttons. I can tell you haven't done sports long enough to operate a watch with sweaty or wet fingers or with gloves during the winter, because literally everyone that has been in those situations will disagree with that statement. I can cite several reviews that will mention the preference of buttons over the touchscreen in many other cases. > you just need to learn the cool features this watch already has and use them. I suggest you take your own advice. I've taken time to learn the many differences and got to know my use cases very well and how they can and/or should be improved.

> Therefore, you do have other watches that will do that for you, as you mentioned by name. So... buy one of those. Yeah, like the Active 3. I still don't see why the Active Max couldn't get the 2 extra buttons. There are no valid reasons fkr this, as including it doesn't impair the rest of the functionalities in any way. The mental gymnastics stops here. The criticism people make about it are valid, doubly more so that this was designed **for runners in mind**! You may not like it when people criticize a product, but that also means that people do not use their watches in the same way as you. > this case its pretty clear... Price Point The active 2 launched with Sapphire screen at 129$ with Sapphire Screen and NFC. The Bip 6 lauched with AMOLED and Always-On-Display with maps integration at 79$. All of these are found in watches that usually cost over 300$. So your point with the price point is moot. > Clarification... You mis-understood what I said about not needing the phone on you.... you don't... just nearby, and it sitting on the porch as I mentioned, is enough distance (within 25ft-ish) is good enough for the watch/phone to communicate. I still see no relevance to the discussion. > As for Zepp Flow to activate without touching a button... yes, it can... the feature is located within the Wake Up mode. Its not just for off-line. Offline Voice Control [https://freeimage.host/i/BGqF5Yb](https://freeimage.host/i/BGqF5Yb) Zepp Flow [https://freeimage.host/i/BGBIQ9I](https://freeimage.host/i/BGBIQ9I) I hope my point was clear. You are confusing this with Offline Voice Control.

I've got the round premium and reduced the frequency of continuous heart rate monitoring and blood oxygen etc as I found the battery drained too quick for my liking. I do a fair amount of cycling, about 20 hours a week and also workouts for about 6 hours a week and those drain the battery quick enough Overall I think it's great for the price. I'm a bit annoyed my bank doesn't allow it for NFC payments, so I will have to open another account somewhere to get that working. Got a bunch of different nylon and silicon straps from AliExpress for a change of look whenever I want too

I have an amazfit active 2 premium which is a bit smaller and very good value, as well as looking good, more like a dress watch rather than the chunkier sports watches. I've found it decent enough for cycling, although at the end of the ride the elevation is low compared to what my bike computer or komoot says it is. The HR sensor on it is good for a watch, at least while cycling. It also pairs fine with my chest hr monitor for a bit more accuracy and also the cadence sensor that came with my bike computer. Overall it is not as good as a dedicated bike computer, but for more casual ease of use can recommend