Amazfit - Balance 2

How small? Mine is 5.9” and I wear a T-Rex 3 and Balance 2. Yes they are large on my wrist but I love a chunky watch. Of the two, Balance 2 is definitely better for less movement on wrist during a workout (which translates to more reliable HRM data).

I tend to wear my watches about 3 finger width behind my wrist bone. With the TRex 3’s default strap on the tightest hole that’s mostly okay but I do use an external HRM during workouts. If I swap in a different strap (similar in style to the Apple sport band with all the holes in it) I can get the device pretty securely in place and have no issues. With the Balance 2 (using the red strap, I haven’t tried the black one) I have zero issues. If either watch were *any* bigger it would be a problem though. They do look massive on my arm, but I like that style. If you’re not sure, the slightly smaller Active 2 might be a safer bet. Feature and sensor wise it’s almost the same. It doesn’t have multi-band GPS, but neither does my Apple Watch 10 and it doesn’t great with GPS accuracy. Sometimes the specs aren’t the whole story.

Honestly, the Balance 2 is also very large/thick. Too large for me to wear as a daily driver and to sleep with

What I mean is that don’t buy because it’s Siri compatible. Otherwise Garmin is good. If smart features are important I’d recommend something else. Maybe amazfit. I tried balance 2 and really liked it. But I got back to Garmin because of the ecosystem

AmazFit Balance 2 ticks all of those boxes. Edit - as pretty much all of their other watches.

All the bugs i've had on the Balance 2 got fixed, don't have anything now always some bugs, but nothing i notice at the moment. Meanwhile the Garmin button lock has been non functional since launch, so no not true at all. [https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/fenix-8-series/410542/lock-device-shortcut-malfunctioning-f8-43mm-15-33/1936442#1936442](https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/fenix-8-series/410542/lock-device-shortcut-malfunctioning-f8-43mm-15-33/1936442#1936442)

Will probably get downvoted, but here’s my take. You’re in the Garmin sub, so of course you’ll mostly get Garmin recommendations. I’ve used both (had the Fenix 8 at launch) and now I’m on the Amazfit Balance 2 with the Helio strap, and honestly, I’m done with Garmin. Countless bugs that never get fixed (like the button lock issue), overpriced hardware, and so on. If you want absolutely all the training data available, go Garmin. If you want the same essentials, better smartwatch features, and (subjectively) a better app, go Amazfit for one third of the price. If you don't trust Amazfit, pick a Suunto or Coros.

I get what you’re saying, but my experience has been different. With the Helio strap my HRV and sleep data actually line up very closely with Garmin. I don’t really care too much about the REM stage accuracy since no watch gets that right, I only focus on awake time and total sleep. For workouts I always pair a chest HRM anyway, since wrist-based HR is rarely reliable. The only one that’s consistently good on the wrist is Apple, by far the best in that area. Suunto is definitely behind, I agree there. But after some of the ridiculous stuff from Garmin (a 2000+ Fenix 8 Pro as an example, on top of Garmin Connect quirks etc.), I completely understand why people start looking elsewhere.

In the end, I opted for the Balance with a screen protector for added safety. The most important factor for me was the ability to wear it while sleeping. Based on forum discussions, the T-Rex seems a bit too bulky for this purpose. The Balance offers similar features and sufficient screen brightness. My wrist measures 16cm, and from the images, the T-Rex appears slightly larger on my wrist.

i just got an amazfit balance because Garmin was too expensive and i absolutely love it. would highly recommend looking into it apple isn't super accurate for much besides steps and heart rate. and whoop has mixed results

Depending on what features we are talking about, Garmin Venu 3 and Amazfit (Balance, TRex) both are delivering strong battery.

I’ve been using the Forerunner 970 since the day it launched, and I have to say—it’s been one of the most reliable fitness watches I’ve owned. I run almost every day, usually 3.5 to 4 miles, and in all that time I’ve only had the watch crash once. Sleep tracking? Spot on every single night. There hasn’t been a single day where it failed to track. That kind of consistency is what makes me stick with Garmin. What I also love is the overall look and feel. The watch is comfortable enough for all-day wear, and the OS/UI is simple and intuitive. That might not sound flashy, but when you’re checking data every day, simplicity matters more than fancy animations. For comparison, I also own an Amazfit Balance. On paper, it has a much richer UI. But in practice? I find it frustrating. Something as basic as checking my training readiness or sleep score takes too many taps and swipes. It looks “pretty,” but it’s not functional. That’s why it sits in my drawer unused while the Forerunner is on my wrist 24/7. Now, about the recent Fenix 8 Pro launch—I see a lot of people freaking out about the price. Here’s my take: Garmin’s lineup is huge. You can start with an entry-level watch like the Forerunner 55 or 165 at around $150 (often even cheaper with deals), and go all the way up to the MARQ series that runs $3,000+. The Fenix 8 Pro is just one model in between. If you think it’s overpriced, that’s fine—skip it. There are so many other options that cover different budgets and needs. Personally, I don’t want my watch to be a mini-smartphone. I already carry my phone everywhere. I just want my watch to nail fitness tracking—runs, recovery, sleep, HR, VO₂ max—and not get bogged down with bloatware or unnecessary “smart” features. Garmin, for me, hits that sweet spot. So yeah, I’m really happy with the Forerunner 970. It’s reliable, simple to use, and does its job extremely well. As for Garmin’s pricing across models—I honestly don’t get the outrage. If one model feels too expensive, there are plenty of others to choose from.

I have both the Balance and the Watch Pro 2. Got the balance recently after being frustrated with the Watch Pro 2 disconnecting constantly on my iPhone 15. Balance is solid in that. Plus, the app sucks and still isn't remotely closely to Zepp app. Balance, while having so many features that I don't use, is future proofed with software updates and constant upgrades to the UX. Very happy with it

Amazfit Balance works great for me. Fantastic battery life

Thanks for the review. I've been using Fitbit versa 2 lite for 5 years and I ust got an Amazfiy Balance to test out but might try this as well. Weak haptics will be a deal breaker for me however, as I use my watch to wake up in the morning.

Excellent review! So...... I currently have a BIP 6 and a Balance. I'm looking at an Active 2 or an Active 2 square. I'm actually leaning towards the square. I never thought I would like a square style, but after using the BIP, I really like it. More so than round. BIP doesn't do skiing. Also, it hasn't done well for me swimming. Balance mostly works well, except I don't like the crown because it gets accidentally turned under my ski jacket. Balance works great for swimming. My main sports are skiing, swimming, walking/hiking and cycling. I don't find maps on the balance or BIP to be that useful because of slowness and no way to create onboard routes. I also don't need that much storage because I don't load music directly on the watch. I guess the biggest question is, swimming? Do you feel like this one will be good for swimming. I know you didn't feel like it for the BIP. The Balance has worked well for me swimming. I know this doesn't have the better GPS like Balance, but people have said it seems pretty good. The question is, is it good enough for skiing? I know you can't answer some of this, these are just things going through my mind, trying to decide on another watch.

I was an avid Garmin user myself and recently purchased the Bip 6 and Balance. Both watches cost significantly less than any Garmin I've purchased. Like you, I've used many different brands; Apple, Samsung Garmin etc. Amazfit really stands out amongst them all right now. Great quality at low prices. Fitness metrics are spot on. I will say Amazfit's GPS accuracy is not as good as Garmin but gets the job done. The Zepp app is fantastic. Especially food tracking. Every watch and OS has their shortcomings and Amazfit is has its quirks. I do look forward to future updates and refinements from the company. I will keep my Garmin watches and utilize them for hiking adventures as I don't fully trust Amazfit's maps.

I like the OnePlus Watch. Appearance, size and weight ticks all boxes. But I can't retire my AmazFit Balance still gets 2 Weeks of battery life, with everything turned on. It Has all the workout routines I need and it's accurate. It runs Zepp OS, don't really care and both Android & IOS Zepp apps are feature rich. I've never had a single issue with the Balance.

I got the new Amazfit Balance for the long battery life recently and have been really disappointed. It's a nice looking and feeling watch with the shittiest UI. All these crap screens and metrics I don't want - I literally just want my heart rate and sleep and steps like a Fitbit but they make it stupid hard to view. Feels like the smartwatch cartel all got together and decided to make it impossible to have a decent UI/UX without a monthly fee.

My Amazfit Balance gives me forehand, backhand and serve counts (Just fun stats, I guess) It is also one of a few watches I have seen with body composition measurement, which may be useful for gym goers who want to keep track of body fat percentage https://preview.redd.it/npoz9l3ck8ze1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=b493d371e375a508bb3108712d11a83acf9e1314

Okay, das ist suboptimal. Die Amazfit Balance lade ich 1-2x die Woche, für eine Stunde am Nachmittag... :) Ich hab das Display aber auch aus, per Default.

Could be fake reviews. Amazfit (by Xiaomi) are legit and very cheap as well.