The Amazfit Active 2 is a budget-friendly smartwatch that offers features usually found on premium models. It has a touchscreen, heart rate sensor, sleep tracking, and GPS—all the basics we expect. However, it also includes a built-in speaker and microphone, offline maps, an altimeter, and even a sapphire lens in the premium version.
With a starting price of $129 for the premium version and $99 for the standard, this smartwatch seems almost too good to be true. The big question is: Does it actually deliver on these features? How accurate are the health-tracking functions? And is this a smartwatch you can rely on daily?
To find out, we put the Amazfit Active 2 through real-world testing, including running, cycling, weight training, and everyday use. In this review, we’ll break down its design, display, performance, battery life, and overall value to see if it truly stands out in the budget smartwatch category.
Design & Build Quality
The Amazfit Active 2 looks more expensive than its price tag suggests. The stainless steel bezel with engraved tick marks adds a premium touch, while the matte-textured back reduces fingerprint smudges.
The watch has a 44mm case, which is a comfortable size for most users. It’s also lightweight at just 30 grams and only 9.8mm thick, making it easy to wear all day, even while sleeping.
The premium version features a sapphire lens, which is much more scratch-resistant than the tempered glass on the standard version. It also has an IP68 water resistance rating, meaning it can handle splashes and dust but isn’t suitable for deep water use.
Navigation is done through a touchscreen and two physical buttons. While the touchscreen is very responsive, it sometimes feels too sensitive, leading to accidental swipes.
Overall, the Amazfit Active 2 has a solid build, a comfortable design, and a few premium touches that make it stand out in the budget category.
- Read also:
- Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED Vs. Solar, Which is Right for You?
- Garmin Fenix 8 Solar vs. Enduro 3: Which Solar-Powered Sports Watch Is Right for You?
Display: Bright & Sharp, But Needs Refinement
The 1.32-inch AMOLED display is vibrant, offering deep contrast, sharp visuals, and great color accuracy. The 2,000-nit peak brightness makes it easy to read even in direct sunlight.
However, the auto-brightness adjustment is inconsistent. Indoors, it works fine, but outdoors, it doesn’t always adjust properly, sometimes staying too dim. This means you’ll often need to manually adjust brightness in bright conditions.
The display supports always-on mode, which is useful but drains battery faster. There’s also a slight delay when interacting with the screen during workouts, requiring a double-press action to pause activities, which can be frustrating.
Despite these quirks, the Amazfit Active 2’s display is one of the best you’ll find at this price point.
Smartwatch Features & Connectivity
The Amazfit Active 2 works with both Android and iOS devices, offering features like notifications, call handling, and quick replies. However, there are some differences between Android and iOS functionality.
Apple users can receive text notifications but cannot reply, due to Apple’s restrictions. Android users, on the other hand, can respond to texts using quick replies, voice dictation, or even an on-screen keyboard.
The built-in speaker and microphone allow you to take calls directly from the watch. The sound quality is decent, making it a useful feature, especially when your phone isn’t within reach.
The watch also includes Zep Flow voice control, allowing users to start timers, workouts, and more using voice commands. However, this requires an internet connection, as the processing happens on your phone.
Music lovers should note that there is no onboard music storage, though the watch does allow music playback control for your phone.
Overall, the smartwatch features are solid, but Android users will get a better experience than iOS users.
Fitness Tracking & Sports Features
The Amazfit Active 2 supports over 150 workout modes, including running, cycling, swimming, and weight training.
It features heart rate and blood oxygen (SpO2) tracking, along with automatic workout detection. The strength training mode can count reps and let you manually input weight for a more detailed workout log.
The built-in GPS works well, taking 5-10 seconds to connect to satellites. However, sharp turns during cycling can cause minor tracking inaccuracies.
Heart rate tracking is good for steady workouts but struggles during high-intensity training (HIIT) and outdoor cycling, sometimes overestimating heart rate spikes.
For hikers and runners, the altimeter helps track elevation changes, adding useful data for outdoor activities. While not perfect, the Amazfit Active 2 offers a well-rounded fitness tracking experience at a budget price.
Sleep Tracking & Readiness Score
The Amazfit Active 2 automatically tracks sleep stages, giving users a sleep score based on rest quality. However, the accuracy of sleep tracking varies, sometimes misjudging wake-up times.
The Readiness Score, which analyzes sleep, heart rate variability (HRV), and recovery, tends to overestimate recovery levels. It often gives high scores even after poor sleep or intense workouts.
Although the raw data is useful, the insights from the sleep and readiness tracking need refinement.
- See also:
- Garmin Instinct 3 vs. Instinct 2/2X: Is the Upgrade Worth It?
- Garmin Instinct 3 vs Instinct 2 Solar: | Which One Should You Get?
Battery Life & Charging
Battery life is one of the Amazfit Active 2’s biggest strengths. With moderate use, it lasts 5-7 days, and even with always-on display enabled, it still manages around 4 days.
Charging is done via a magnetic puck, but the required USB-C cable is not included, which is an inconvenience. For a budget smartwatch, battery life is excellent, outlasting many competitors.
Amazfit Active 2’s Pros & Cons
Pros:
Premium build quality with a stainless steel bezel
Bright AMOLED display with great visibility
Built-in speaker and microphone for calls
Offline maps and GPS for outdoor activities
Long battery life (5-7 days on average)
Supports external heart rate monitors
Cons:
Inconsistent sleep tracking & readiness score
No onboard music storage
Auto-brightness adjustment needs improvement
Final Verdict: Is the Amazfit Active 2 Worth It?
The Amazfit Active 2 offers an impressive set of features at an unbeatable price. With a premium design, AMOLED display, built-in GPS, and a speaker for calls, it stands out as one of the best budget smartwatches available today.
While sleep tracking and HRV analysis need improvement, the overall fitness tracking, battery life, and smartwatch functionality make it a solid choice.
If you’re looking for an affordable smartwatch with great features and long battery life, the Amazfit Active 2 is highly recommended.
Frequent Questions (FAQs)
1. Is the Amazfit Active 2 worth buying?
Yes! The Amazfit Active 2 offers excellent value for money with offline maps, a bright AMOLED display, long battery life, and a premium design at a budget-friendly price.
2. How accurate is the Amazfit Active 2 for fitness tracking?
It performs well for general fitness tracking like heart rate, step counting, and GPS tracking, but heart rate accuracy struggles during high-intensity workouts.
3. Can you answer calls on the Amazfit Active 2?
Yes! The built-in microphone and speaker allow you to take and answer calls, but the watch must be connected to your phone via Bluetooth since it does not have LTE.
4. Does the Amazfit Active 2 have music storage?
No, the watch does not have onboard music storage but lets you control music playing on your phone via Bluetooth.
5. How long does the Amazfit Active 2 battery last?
The battery lasts up to 10 days with normal use and around 5 days with heavy usage (always-on display and GPS enabled).
6. Can you use the Amazfit Active 2 with an iPhone?
Yes, it works with both Android and iPhone, but text replies and smart notifications are limited on iOS due to Apple’s restrictions.
7. Does the Amazfit Active 2 support wireless charging?
No, the watch charges via a magnetic USB-C charger, but wireless charging is not supported.
- Related content:
