Amazfit is quickly becoming one of the more intriguing players in the smartwatch game. After impressing us in September with its Apple Watch Ultra competitor, the Amazfit T-Rex 3, the company has now announced the Amazfit Active 2 at CES 2025.
The Active 2 is one of the more affordable options in Amazfit's range, but certainly does not give that impression. I've had a chance to use the Active 2 before it hit the market, and so far I'm impressed with what I'm seeing.
A sleek design and quality display
Joe Maring / Digital trends
Unlike the T-Rex 3, a large and bulky watch designed for outdoor enthusiasts, the Active 2 is marketed as a 'lifestyle smartwatch' with a much smaller and more accessible design. Compared to the first Amazfit Active, which had a square Apple Watch-like display, the Active 2 has a round design that looks more like a wristwatch than a fitness wearable. The matte aluminum frame looks good, as do the notches and numbers on the bezel around the screen. There's no rotating crown like on the Apple Watch, but you do get two physical buttons, both of which can be assigned to custom shortcuts/apps of your choice.
Joe Maring / Digital trends
The display is a 1.32-inch AMOLED panel that can reach a peak brightness of 2,000 nits – the same brightness level as the Apple Watch Series 10. There's also an ambient light sensor for automatic brightness adjustments, something that wasn't available on the Active 1.
The standard version of the Active 2 uses regular glass, but if you opt for the premium version of the watch it will be upgraded to sapphire glass. I've been using the premium model for a few days now, and while I don't have the standard version to compare it to, the sapphire crystal feels fantastic. It is slightly curved in the middle and it feels very nice to run your finger over it. The screen quality is also excellent: easy-to-read text, vibrant colors and an always-on display mode.
Many improved health/fitness features
Joe Maring / Digital trends
In terms of health and fitness, the Active 2 has a really robust offering. It can track more than 160 different exercise modes and detect 25 exercise types automatically. There's a new HYROX race mode plus a 'smart' strength training mode that can automatically track sets, reps and rest times – perfect for strength training in the gym. The runner in me is especially interested in offline map support, which lets you download maps with route files for turn-by-turn navigation when you're running and without your phone.
Amazfit says the heart rate sensor in the Active 2 is much improved compared to the Active 1. The Active 2 has improved heart rate and sleep algorithms, matching the accuracy of the more expensive T-Rex 3. Also new is a barometer, which allows you to exercise such as skiing.
Available training modes on the Amazfit Active 2.
Activity widget on the Amazfit Active 2.
What else do you get? Amazfit's Zepp Coach feature is present for “personalized training and running plans”, as well as a daily readiness score. There is also sleep registration, blood-oxygen registration, cycle registration and a skin temperature sensor.
What makes this all even better is the battery life. Amazfit promises a battery life of up to 10 days with 'normal use'. Whether it delivers on that ten-day promise remains to be seen, but even if it's only halfway there, it'll still be better than any modern Apple Watch and Wear OS smartwatch.
Amazfit Active 2 price and availability
Joe Maring / Digital trends
The Amazfit Active 2 is available for pre-order now and will be widely available in February. The standard version costs $100 and, in addition to the regular glass over the display, comes with one silicone band in the box. Choose the premium version and you get a vegan leather strap And a silicone strap in the box, plus the sapphire glass display – all for just $130.
The Amazfit Active 2 syncs with the Zepp companion app, which is available for both iOS and Android. In other words, whether you have an iPhone 16 or Google Pixel 9, you can use the Active 2 just fine.
I haven't had enough time to fully review the Amazfit Active 2, but my first impressions of the watch are positive. The hardware is very nice and the watch is incredibly comfortable. The screen looks great, the interface is responsive and the number of built-in health features is impressive. How the watch performs in daily use remains to be tested, but if Amazfit can deliver on what the Active 2 promises on paper, we can expect something special.
