TV writer Jake Hackney sampled Amazon’s Amazfit Active Smart Watch and was surprised how it fared next to an Apple Watch
Amazfit Active Smart Watch
I’ve never really used a smartwatch and have always been put off by the high prices of those from Apple and Samsung. So when I was offered the chance to review the Amazfit Active 42mm Smart Watch, I was keen to see how it compared to the more expensive models.
The Amazfit is a budget smartwatch and fitness tracker that rivals the bigger-name brands and it’s currently on sale for £75.99 at Amazon – 23% off the usual £99 – where it’s been highlighted as an Amazon’s Choice product. According to the Amazon listing, the watch has a 1.75” HD AMOLED display and an ‘ultra-long’ 14-day battery life, with standout features including an AI-powered training coach.
It can also be used for calls, texts and music playback, as well as a range of basic functions like alarms and weather forecasts. It works with both Apple and Android devices running at least iOS 12.0 or Android 7.0, so I synced it with my iPhone 13.
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Setup was straightforward, if not a little slow to get everything synced to the app and my iPhone. Also, I’m not sure the Petal Pink watch I received is really my colour – I probably would’ve been better off with the Midnight Black model, but that’s not the end of the world.
As this was my first smartwatch, I wanted something to compare it to so I borrowed my Mum’s Apple Watch. The main thing to keep in mind is that I borrowed my Mum’s five-year-old Apple Watch Series 6, so not exactly the latest and greatest model.
Amazon has slashed the Amazfit Active Smart Watch by 23%. The device works best as a fitness tracker for monitoring steps, heart rate and more.
It’s also ideal for managing everyday tasks like calls, texts and social media notifications whether synced with an Apple or Android smartphone.
But using them side by side, I really didn’t see that much difference – at least not physically. The Apple felt a little more premium in terms of the build quality and comfort of the strap, but for the difference in price – more than £135 for a refurbished model – that’s to be expected.
The Apple also ran a little smoother when navigating the menus and apps, but in terms of functionality, I didn’t notice anything useful on the Apple that wasn’t also on the Amazfit – at least for my needs. The Amazfit syncs up with its own Zepp app, which offers hundreds of dynamic watch faces and an app store.
Some people may find the app selection somewhat limited, depending on what you want it for. It has a range of fairly basic games, utilities or workout apps, some of which also come with a small fee.
What it lacks is a wide array of apps you’d expect to find on an Apple or Samsung device, like popular apps such as Spotify or Strava. According to the Amazon listing, you can sync data from the watch to fitness apps like Strava and Google Fit, but that’s not something I tried myself.
I used the Amazfit mainly to monitor my steps and heart rate when walking the dog or exercising, and daily tasks like keeping track of messages and my calendar. For all this, it was more than adequate.
The step counter seemed mostly accurate compared to the number also registered on my phone, each type of notification – text, call, social media – came through as expected and the apps and settings were easy to access. I was also impressed with its water resistance, as the water ran straight off the watch face when I held it under the tap, with functionally not affected at all.
The battery life is also worth shouting about, because although I didn’t use it all day, every day, I only needed to fully charge it once in two weeks. So with all this in mind, is it worth the money?
If you’re looking for an all-singing, all-dancing smartwatch, the Amazfit may not be the one for you, and it may be worth investing in an Apple Watch. If that’s the case, there’s ways of doing so without breaking the bank, including spreading the cost with Sky Mobile’s £13 Apple Watch Series 10 contract.
However, if you’re after an entry-level fitness tracker to monitor things like your daily steps and heart rate, while also keeping on top of everyday tasks, and like the convenience of doing all this right from the wrist, then the Amazfit is a much more affordable and suitable option. As a fitness tracker, I can’t really fault the Amazfit at all.