Amazfit’s smartwatch range combines fitness features with budget pricing.
Zepp Health’s watches combine long battery life and broad fitness tracking, but buyers face limited apps, storage constraints and three years of software support.
Amazfit smartwatches offer lower prices and long battery life, but their software limits access to popular apps. The Bip 6 costs as little as $80, while some models last up to 25 days per charge.
Chinese company Zepp Health makes the range for users from casual wearers to serious athletes. However, buyers must weigh those savings against storage limits on some models and a less intuitive software experience.
What Amazfit smartwatches offer buyers
The range includes square designs such as the Bip 6 and Active 2 (Square), which resemble Apple Watches. Meanwhile, round options include the Active Max and the outdoor-focused T-Rex 3, which has a Garmin-like appearance.
Phone compatibility is another advantage: the watches pair with both iPhones and Android devices. As a result, users can keep their watch when switching between those phone platforms.
Fitness features include more than 100 sports modes, covering running, strength training, gardening and Tai Chi. The range also offers heart-rate, sleep and temperature tracking, alongside GPS features.
Zepp Coach provides AI-powered coaching, while other integrations include Bluetooth calling and Alexa command support. There is also no subscription tier for the data the watches track and report.
Compared with basic fitness trackers, the watches offer larger screens for checking information and controlling features. Their battery life also gives buyers an alternative to devices that need more frequent charging.
App restrictions and support limits
However, the proprietary Zepp OS does not offer the same third-party app access as Wear OS. Users instead get a limited selection of productivity apps and games through the Zepp Store.
The watches integrate with fitness platforms including Strava, TrainingPeaks, Komoot and Runna. But they lack access to Google Wallet, Google Maps, Uber, Starbucks, Gmail and banking apps.
There is no Spotify app either, although users can control music playing on their phones. Alternatively, a remote app can mirror Spotify on the watch.
Navigation also presents a trade-off, with software and a companion app that can feel less intuitive. Terms include PAI, a personal activity score, and Biocharge, which functions as a readiness score.
Storage capacity varies, and limited space can create problems when saving workout data or apps. The Bip 6, for example, has 512MB of storage.
Finally, Amazfit provides three years of software and security support for its watches. They continue working afterwards, but that support window matters for buyers planning several years of use.
