Amazfit Active smartwatch review

The Amazfit Active is the latest addition to the Amazfit line of budget-friendly fitness trackers, and just like its older siblings, it has much to offer. This GPS smartwatch is feather-light,  comes with a wide range of tracking features and handy apps, and promises a whopping 30-day battery life ― it is not common to see such a complete package under $150. The Amazfit Active seems to be punching way above its weight, but does this neat fitness tracker perform when put through its paces?

It sure seems so. This smartwatch measures your steps, heart rate, heart rate variability, body temperature, blood oxygen and breathing rate, as well as your sleep quality and stress level. It can also track 120 sports activities, and even guide you to peak performance thanks to its AI-powered coaching apps. If our previous experiences with Amazfit products are anything to go by, the Amazfit Active could even earn a spot in our roundup of the best fitness trackers around. 

To find out whether the Amazfit Active is worth investing in, we tried it ourselves. For over a month, we thoroughly tested the watch, looking at its functionality, ease of use, durability and design. Here is what we found. 

Amazfit Active smartwatch review

Amazfit Active: Design

• Lightweight, compact build
• Soft, comfortable straps
• Plastic-feeling frame

The Amazfit Active smartwatch is available in three color options: Midnight Black, Petal Pink and Lavender Pink. The first two come with silicone straps and folding buckles, and both weigh 24 grams each. The Lavender Pink, on the other hand, features a faux leather strap and classic pin buckle and is just three grams heavier. It is not common to see a smartwatch weighing so little. To put it in perspective, the 45mm Apple Watch Series 8 weighs 51.5 grams ― nearly twice as much.

Here, we tested the Amazfit Active in Petal Pink, and we found the design to be a bit hit-and-miss. We were impressed by its lightweight, compact and unobtrusive build, making the Amazfit Active easy on the wrist and comfortable to wear round-the-clock. We also liked the buttery soft strap. A pleasure to wear, it remained firmly in place without ever irritating the skin. However, its pale pink shade was dull and unappealing to us. We also noticed stains and dust appeared more visibly on the strap than on other straps we've reviewed.

We also had some reservations about the frame of the Amazfit Active smartwatch. Made of aluminum alloy, it feels predominantly plastic to the touch and appears rather delicate. In all fairness, our Amazfit Active did not get scratched or damaged in any way during our tests. However, we only wore it in relatively mild conditions and mostly indoors. We suspect this smartwatch may not be sturdy enough to pull its weight when participating in extreme sports and heavy manual tasks. 

Amazfit Active: Display

• Detailed, colorful and easy to read
• Easy to personalize 
• The touchscreen lacks some responsiveness

The crisp AMOLED 1.75-inch display is one of the better features of the Amazfit Active smartwatch. We liked how detailed, colorful and easy to read it was, and that, despite a glassy surface, it remained free from fingerprints and dust. However, the reflective screen produced some annoying glare ― something to take into consideration if you tend to train or work under bright artificial lights. 

We also liked that the display was easy to personalize. The Amazfit Active comes with several built-in watch faces, and there are dozens more available to buy or download for free in the Zepp store. Widgets can be moved around as needed, and you can turn on and off any relevant notifications. 

The touchscreen, on the other hand, seemed to lack some responsiveness. The bulky layer of tempered glass made swiping between widgets and apps somewhat laborious. We did get used to it after a while, though.     

Amazfit Active: Features

• Plenty of health-tracking features
• Up to 120 sports modes
• A wide array of apps
• Some features require a subscription

The Amazfit Active does a good job both as a fitness tracker and smartwatch for daily errands. Its sensors can detect movement and measure heart rate, heart rate variability, body temperature, breathing rate and blood oxygen. Based on these data points, it can then assess other health metrics, including sleep quality, stress levels and training load.

Just like its pricier sibling Amazfit Balance, this smartwatch gives you a morning Readiness Score ― a measure of the body’s post-exercise recovery and energy levels, on a scale from one to 100. This single stat takes into account sleep resting heart rate, sleep heart rate variability, breathing quality and body temperature during the night. Simply put, the higher your Readiness Score, the more recharged you are for the new day. We liked this practical and easy-to-understand tool, and found it to be a good source of insights into our sleep routine. 

The Amazfit Active can track up to 120 different sports activities, including indoor cycling, pool swimming, baseball and Zumba dance. You can access your weekly and monthly fitness snapshots in the Zepp Fitness app, while the Zepp Coach app will generate personalized workout plans to suit your needs and abilities. And thanks to a built-in microphone and speaker, you can set the Amazfit Active smartwatch to read your performance stats in real-time, without you having to raise your wrist. It also allows you to share your activity to Adidas Running, Strava, Komoot and other online communities. 

Moreover, this smartwatch comes with GPS navigation, compass, Bluetooth connectivity and the Alexa voice assistant. It can also make and receive calls to your phone. Lastly, Amazfit Active features a wide range of handy apps, from a calendar and calculator to breathing exercises and a menstruation cycle tracker. Most apps are free to download from Zepp Store. However, some apps and app features ― the AI-powered chatbot in the Zepp Coach app, for example ― are hidden behind a paywall. 

Amazfit Active: Performance

• Quick and easy to set up
• Exceptional battery life
• Accurate health tracking features
• The strength training feature may be inaccurate

The Amazfit Active smartwatch is quick and easy to set up. Just like in other Amazfit wearables, all you have to do to pair the device with your phone is to scan a QR code displayed on the watch face. You will then be shown a quick yet comprehensive tutorial on how to navigate the interface. During our tests, our Amazfit Active watch did not lag or freeze, giving a smooth performance even during power-intensive tasks, and seamlessly connected to all of our devices. 

We were also impressed with its battery life. Our Amazfit Active lasted 27 days on Battery Saver Mode, with consistent moderate to heavy daily use. We have not even had the chance to fully assess its lifespan on the highest GPS settings ― it has been nearly a week now, and our watch is still alive and kicking. To top it up, Amazfit Active charges exceptionally quickly, with less than 1.5 hours needed to get a full battery.

The health tracking features in Amazfit Active appeared accurate. For one of the workouts, we wore both the watch and a chest-strap monitor, and both of the devices recorded very similar trends in heart rate. Our Amazfit Active was also good at picking up our breathing rate and steps, and for the most part, it correctly identified our stress levels, the length of our sleep and the times we were awake. 

Workout tracking features were also relatively accurate. We found our Amazfit Active did a particularly good job at assessing pace, distance, jumps and stroke rate, proving to be a good companion in the gym and when hiking. On the other hand, its strength training feature did not perform well at all. Our Amazfit Active routinely underestimated or miscalculated reps, and all sets had to be switched manually.   

Amazfit Active: User reviews

Amazfit Active was a new model at the time of writing this review, so there were not many user reviews out there yet. However, the ones that we found appeared positive. For example, Amazfit's customer reviews rated the Amazfit Active at an impressive 4.6 out of 5 stars, with two-thirds of buyers giving it a full five stars. Positive reviews praised this smartwatch for its long battery life, bright display, ease of use and functionality. As one user commented, “All the features I would want from the Apple watch at 1/3 of the price. Highly recommend it!”.

It is difficult to discern the rating on Amazon since the reviews for Amazfit Active are crunched together with reviews for the Amazfit GTS 4 Mini. However, the reviews that mentioned Amazfit Active specifically seem to be overwhelmingly in favor.

Negative reviews are rare, and they tend to focus on poor connectivity between the watch and Zepp app. One user also noted that the screen on the Amazfit Active is easy to scratch.

Should you buy the Amazfit Active?

✅ With exceptional battery life, great performance, compact design and a wealth of features, the Amazfit Active smartwatch makes a great budget-friendly option for those focused on tracking and improving their exercise performance. It is also comfortable and looks fairly good on the wrist.

❌ However, the Amazfit Active smartwatch may fall short of expectations for fans of high-octane outdoor activities and extreme sports. This smartwatch has not been designed to withstand harsh conditions, and would likely not perform well. If the plasticky exterior is a deal-breaker for you, you may be better off finding a different model.

If this product isn't for you

If you are looking for a smartwatch with similar features and price tag to the Amazfit Active smartwatch, but would rather invest in a more established brand, check the Garmin Vivosmart 5. This fitness band is light, comes with a bright display and boasts up to 7 days of battery life.

Alternatively, try the Fitbit Sense 2. This sleek-looking watch combines bold design with ease of use and advanced tracking features, without breaking the bank.

Amazfit Active: How we tested

We spent a month testing the Amazfit Active smartwatch, assessing its design, features, battery life, connectivity with third-party devices, and ease of use. We wore it at night, during the day and while doing low- and high-intensity workouts. 

We also evaluated the accuracy of some of its tracking features. For example, we compared the heart rate readings from our Amazfit Active to measurements obtained with a chest-strap heart rate monitor.