I didn’t expect this Amazfit watch to match my Garmin in functionality – but it worked

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In 2024, I tested the Amazfit Cheetah, a smartwatch with a heavy focus on runners. Two years later, we see a much more beautiful and premium watch in this cheetah 2 pro Also targeted at runners. The new watch costs $150 more than its predecessor, but it competes directly with watches like the Garmin Forerunner 570 and the Coros Apex 4.

Too: I tested the best sports watches in 2026: Here are the latest and greatest watches, no matter your budget

While the Cheetah 2 Pro is marketed towards runners, it can track over 170 activities. Since I’m currently dealing with a hip injury, I couldn’t run extensively and focused on other activities, including indoor rowing, walking, biking, and golf.

on the green

Amazfit has a select few watches that support golf, and the last Amazfit model I tested for this sport was the Amazfit Balance 2. Amazfit has significantly improved support for the Golf since 2025 with quick swipes to view distances to hazards, target and pin positioning, and manual zoom support.

The map view adjusts as you get closer to the green, and getting into each shot is more intuitive than before. I went out early last week and had my best performance to date on a local par-3 course, the Cheetah 2 Pro provided the guidance I needed to keep focused on my game.

Too: This low-end smartwatch brand recently gained one of my favorite Garmin features — and wow

The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro is one of the more expensive watches available from Amazfit, thanks to its sapphire glass display, titanium build, integrated LED flashlight, microphone/speaker, and GPS battery life of up to 31 hours.

In my normal use with activities every three days, I was able to last two weeks between charges on the large 540 mAh battery. The Amazfit Balance 2 is similar but lacks an LED flashlight, while the T-Rex 3 Pro is larger and more robust.

light up the night

I’ve praised watch manufacturers for dedicated LED flashlights, and it’s now such an essential feature that I always carry a watch and use it daily. I’ve used it to find some tees and a ball marker hidden in my bag on the golf course, I’ve used it to help rebuild a toilet and get it properly sealed, and I use it with a red light at night to help out my old dog who can’t sleep through the night.

Amazfit has improved the functionality of the LED flashlight beyond a simple toggle, allowing it to switch between white and red light modes. Like Garmin, you can now customize the LED flashlight for each workout type in the Safety Light setting. In this setting, you can specify the LED light mode and colors so that it shines on your wrist to make drivers and others aware of your presence.

The watch is easy to navigate thanks to its four large physical buttons and responsive touchscreen. You can also use Zepp Flow offline voice controls to quickly open apps, switch modes, start a workout, and more. The Zep Coach feature is a great way to set up a personalized running or cardio plan that measures your daily activity metrics around the clock.

accuracy and optimization

Runners will appreciate the long battery life, support for advanced training programs like TrainingPeaks and Runna, a vivid display, and the lightweight 43mm size, which makes it comfortable to wear 24/7. The dual-band, multi-frequency GPS has proven to be very accurate, and turn-by-turn offline navigation ensures you’ll always stay on your route and find your way home.

Also: I compared this Amazfit to my $1,300 Garmin for outdoor tracking, and it was surprisingly close

Quick access to key data on a smartwatch is important to me. Some watch faces display multiple complications that can be acted upon simply by tapping. Metrics, Activity Launch, and other utilities are easily launched directly from the watch face, and that’s exactly what I need, rather than endlessly swiping and scrolling around the watch face.

Some features in Zepp Aura require a subscription, which costs $70/year. (The service often goes on sale, so it might be worth waiting for.) Weekly sleep reports, sleep health assessments, advanced performance analytics, and premium discount content are included. Zepp Aura Subscription Service.

The Zepp smartphone app is very capable, but can also be overwhelming with extensive data and customization options to customize your Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro experience.

ZDNET’s shopping advice

Because of the size, great form factor, and long battery life, the Amazfit Balance 2 has been my favorite Amazfit watch so far. With a dedicated LED flashlight, long battery life, and premium titanium and sapphire glass Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro My new daily driver. I’ll be back running soon and can’t wait to see what this new watch can do to help me train for the next half-marathon.