Amazfit Smartwatch Review: Tested on the Golf Course

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Back in 2024, I had the opportunity to test the Amazfit Cheetah, a smartwatch designed specifically for runners. Now, two years on, the Cheetah 2 Pro arrives looking far more refined and upscale, still with runners in mind. It’s priced $150 above its forerunner, positioning it against rivals such as the Garmin Forerunner 570 and Coros Apex 4.

Also: I tested the best sports watches of 2026: Here are the top picks for any budget

Though the Cheetah 2 Pro is designed with runners in mind, it supports over 170 different activities. Since I’m nursing a hip injury right now, I couldn’t dedicate much time to running. Instead, I turned to other activities like indoor rowing, walking, cycling, and putting in a round of golf.

On the green

Only a handful of Amazfit watches support golf, and the last one I tried on the greens was the Amazfit Balance 2. Since 2025, Amazfit has made great strides in its golf functionality — quick swipes let you check distances to hazards, the target, and pin placement, and you can also zoom in manually.

The map view shifts as you near the green, and logging each shot feels more natural than before. Earlier this week I headed out at dawn and posted my personal best on a local par-3 course, with the Cheetah 2 Pro giving me the real-time data I needed to stay locked in on my game.

Also: This budget-friendly smartwatch brand just picked up one of my favorite Garmin features — and it’s impressive

The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro sits at a premium price point within the Amazfit lineup, and for good reason — its sapphire glass display, titanium construction, built-in LED flashlight, microphone and speaker, and up to 31 hours of GPS battery life.

With my typical activity routine every three days, I managed to stretch the hefty 540 mAh battery to a full two weeks between charges. The Amazfit Balance 2 performs similarly but doesn’t include an LED flashlight, while the T-Rex 3 Pro is bulkier and more rugged.

Light up the night

I’ve always commended watchmakers who include a dedicated LED flashlight — it’s become so essential to me that I never wear a watch without one, and I rely on it every single day. On the golf course, I used it to dig out tees and a ball marker buried in my bag. At home, it helped me tackle a toilet rebuild and get the seal just right. At night, I switch to the red light to take out my old dog who can’t make it through the night without a bathroom break.

Amazfit has expanded the LED flashlight’s capabilities beyond a basic on/off toggle, letting you alternate between white and red light. Just like Garmin, you can now set up custom LED light behavior per workout type through the Safety Light setting. This lets you configure flashing patterns and colors on your wrist to alert drivers and others to your presence.

Navigating the watch is a breeze thanks to four large physical buttons along with a responsive touchscreen. You can also rely on Zepp Flow’s offline voice control to fire up apps, toggle modes, begin a workout, and more — all hands-free. Zepp Coach is another standout, offering personalized running and cardio plans that evolve based on your daily activity data.

Accuracy and customization

Runners will love the extended battery life, compatibility with advanced training platforms like TrainingPeaks and Runna, a vibrant display, and the slim 43mm sizing that’s comfortable enough to wear around the clock. Dual-band, multi-frequency GPS has proven extremely reliable, and turn-by-turn offline navigation means you’ll never lose your route or struggle to find your way back.

Also: I put this Amazfit head-to-head with my $1,300 Garmin for outdoor tracking, and the results were surprisingly close

Having instant access to critical data matters a lot to me on a smartwatch. Some watch faces offer multiple actionable complications you can tap directly. Metrics, activity shortcuts, and other tools launch right from the watch face — exactly the kind of efficiency I prefer to endlessly swiping and scrolling through menus.

Several Zepp Aura features require a paid subscription at $70 per year. (The service frequently goes on sale, so it may be worth holding off.) Weekly sleep reports, a comprehensive sleep health evaluation, advanced performance insights, and premium relaxation content are all bundled with the Zepp Aura subscription.

The Zepp mobile app is highly capable but can feel overwhelming given the sheer volume of data and customization options available to fine-tune your Cheetah 2 Pro experience.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Amazfit Balance 2 had been my go-to Amazfit watch thanks to its size, sleek look, and long-lasting battery. But now, with its built-in LED flashlight, even longer battery life, and premium titanium and sapphire glass construction, the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro has officially taken over as my everyday watch. I’ll be hitting the pavement again soon, and I’m eager to see how this new companion helps me train for my next half-marathon.