T3c

I'm in the same boat. I've been a Garmin user for over ten years, but lately I'm alienated because of their prices combined with lack of effort on their part. Forerunner 970 is one of the laziest products in my recent memory. Given that 970 is not an option for me mainly due to its high price and shorter battery life, I've been looking for alternatives. My first choice a few months ago was Amazfit Balance 2. This, combined with their Helio strap looks like a great combination. But that's where company strategy comes into play. There are rumors for another version of Balance 2 that has yet to be announced, a "Balance 2 runner" with titanium elements. Time passes by, no official announcement yet and there goes the customer. Race 2's screen looks incredible even on the video reviews. It looks very well built, its design is very nice and its battery life looks promising. I couldn't care less for the music on the watch, NFC contactless payments would be nice to have but not a deal breaker and its price is on the verge of acceptable for me, €600 for the titanium version is the absolute limit I'm willing to pay for such a device. A band is really useful for me, I like wearing normal watches. So, I'll wait a few months more, my 965 is more than capable. I'll see if Amazfit will make an announcement and if not, then I'll be back to Suunto after more than 15 years, my last one was T3c!