Active 2 Amazfit's round, steel-bezelled smartwatch under £100

What is new about the Amazfit Active 2?

Amazfit announced the Active 2 at CES on 6 January 2025, and its press release said global sales would follow in February. Which? lists the UK release as February 2025. The headline change from the first Active is the shape: the square, Apple Watch-like case has gone, replaced by a round 44 mm watch with a stainless steel bezel that looks much more like a traditional watch. Amazfit UK sells the standard version on a black or red silicone strap at £99.90, and a Premium version with a leather strap, sapphire glass and NFC payments at £129.90. This page covers the standard Black Sport Silicone version.

Inside, Amazfit has fitted its BioTracker 6.0 heart rate sensor and says its new PulsePrecision algorithm brings heart rate accuracy up to the level of the pricier T-Rex 3. It has also added a barometer for altitude, an ambient light sensor, offline maps with turn-by-turn directions, and support for Bluetooth sports sensors. The Zepp Flow voice assistant can start workouts and, on Android, reply to messages.

How big is it, and how will it wear?

Amazfit lists the case at 43.9 x 43.9 x 9.9 mm without the sensor base, and the standard version weighs 29.5 g without its strap. Advnture weighed it at 40 g with the silicone strap. The 1.32 inch AMOLED screen runs at 466 x 466 pixels, and Amazfit quotes a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, which matters for reading maps in sunshine.

The silicone strap uses 20 mm quick-release pins and fits wrists from 135 to 195 mm, according to Amazfit, so very large wrists may need a longer aftermarket strap. Advnture noted that the strap tucks its spare end under itself against the skin, so you may need to fasten it a notch looser than usual. TechRadar also found it did not sit quite flush on the wrist.

What does it track, and how long does the battery last?

Amazfit quotes up to 10 days of typical use, up to 5 days of heavy use, 19 days in battery saver mode and up to 21 hours of continuous GPS. Charging takes about two hours on a magnetic base. Advnture reports charging it three times in three weeks, and TechRadar said the battery held up to Amazfit's claims.

There are more than 160 sports modes, including a HYROX race mode and a strength mode that tries to count reps and sets automatically. TechRadar found the strength feature clunky. GPS uses five satellite systems, and Advnture found its tracks accurate alongside other watches, though it described the navigation as breadcrumb-style rather than full topographic maps. On heart rate, Advnture found average readings ran a little high against other watches, while maximum heart rate matched. Sleep, HRV, a daily Readiness score and the Zepp Coach training plans are all included, and the Zepp app adds an AI coach that can build a running plan.

How well is it built?

The bezel is stainless steel and the middle frame is polymer. On the standard version the screen is tempered glass with an anti-fingerprint coating; sapphire is kept for the Premium version. Water resistance is 5 ATM, which covers swimming, and Advnture noted that the watch ejects water from its speaker after a swim. The steel bezel is the detail that lifts it above most smartwatches at this price, and the main reason it can pass for a normal watch with a shirt.

Is it good value against its rivals?

The nearest rival is in Amazfit's own range. The Bip 6, at £79.90 on Amazfit UK, has a bigger square screen and longer quoted battery life, but an aluminium frame and a more obviously gadget-like look. The Active 2 Premium costs £30 more and adds sapphire glass, a leather strap and contactless payments through Zepp Pay. If you want to pay with your watch, that upgrade is the only route in this range.

TechRadar placed the Active 2 below the Apple Watch SE and Garmin Forerunner 165 on price while matching them on many features. At £99.90, it combines a steel bezel, a bright AMOLED screen, offline maps and GPS in a way that few watches under £100 do.

What is the catch?

There are three. First, no NFC on this version: payments need the £129.90 Premium. Second, the screen is tempered glass rather than sapphire, so it will scratch more easily than the Premium's. Third, the software is less polished than Garmin's or Apple's, with a smaller app selection and a strength mode that reviewers found awkward. Amazfit has also since launched the Active 3 Premium, so check whether the newer model's extras are worth the difference. For a round, smart-looking watch with real fitness features under £100, those are fair trade-offs.

“The steel bezel does more for the Active 2 than any sensor upgrade: it finally looks like a watch.”