I trained with a $170 smartwatch aimed at keeping injuries at bay

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Last year, I trained with the Amazfit Active 2 — a remarkably compact watch available for under $100. The new Amazfit Active 3 Premium builds on that foundation with meaningful upgrades, making it an almost ideal sports watch for those just starting out with running. It’s also an excellent choice for anyone who wants a compact, well-built smartwatch that handles a broad variety of activities.

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Earlier in 2025, Amazfit launched the Active Max, which shares the same $170 price tag as the Active 3 Premium. The Active Max has a 3mm wider face, a simple two-button layout, and mineral glass. In contrast, the Active 3 Premium features sapphire glass and packs a bigger battery — though the Active Max actually delivers twice the battery life of the Active 3 Premium. That said, the Active 3 Premium offers a few extra running metrics and comes in a size that suits just about anyone.

When you examine Amazfit’s software, there’s very little difference in features between a $170 watch and models costing over $400, such as the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro and Cheetah 2 Ultra. The main distinctions come down to build materials, an LED flashlight, onboard storage capacity, mapping capabilities, and a handful of advanced features like in-depth golf tracking.

Designed with runners in mind

The four physical buttons on the Amazfit Active 3 Premium are a real advantage for runners who prefer not to swipe through a screen mid-run — particularly when sweat or rain makes the touchscreen less responsive. I rely entirely on buttons for all my watch interactions during runs, which is one of the reasons I appreciate the five-button setup on Garmin watches.

The Active 3 Premium is also a great fit for people with smaller wrists who prefer a lighter timepiece. The 20mm band width keeps the overall profile compact, and although the watch is slightly small for my taste, the display remains bright and sharp enough for me to read comfortably.

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The Active 3 Premium delivers essential running data such as lactate threshold, recovery status, training load, and more. I developed hip bursitis, likely from winter alpine skiing, and used the Active 3 Premium along with its built-in training plans to ease back into running gradually. The watch helped me follow a measured recovery path instead of jumping straight into a half-marathon, which could have derailed my progress.

Offline maps are also included, so you can find your way back to your starting point — a feature you won’t typically find on entry-level sports watches.

Through the Zepp app, you can quickly set up training plans using Zepp Coach, browse the extensive Zepp training library, create your own custom plans with training templates, or sync third-party plans from platforms like Runna, TrainingPeaks, and Intervals.icu. I began with Zepp Coach and appreciate how it walks you through a series of questions to build a plan tailored to your current fitness and goals.

GPS and sensor accuracy

The Amazfit Active 3 Premium connects to six global navigation satellite systems and has been reliable at tracking my position during runs and bike rides around my area. It lacks dual-band GPS, which is understandable at this price point. If you’re navigating in areas with limited sky visibility, you may notice some inaccuracies in the tracking.

Heart rate monitoring has been consistent for me during both runs and sleep. The watch also works with external sensors, so if you do activities involving a lot of arm movement, pairing a chest strap or armband heart rate monitor can improve accuracy. The watch’s compact, lightweight design also helps it sit snugly on the wrist for more reliable readings.

The Active 3 Premium can go up to a week on a charge with a couple of runs mixed in, but the 365 mAh battery is on the smaller side, so it won’t last multiple weeks like some sports watches. Amazfit claims up to 24 hours of GPS runtime, which should be more than enough for any runner considering this watch across several outings.

Keep in mind that enabling the always-on display will roughly halve the battery life, so factor that in when configuring the watch for training and everyday wear.

ZDNET’s recommendation

The Amazfit Active 3 Premium is a strong pick for anyone looking for a smartwatch to track daily activities or for recreational runners who want coaching plans customized to their fitness level and health data.

It far surpasses what you’d expect from a $170 watch, and the Atlas Blue version I tested looks stunning — with materials that give it the feel of a watch twice the price.