I did not expect this Amazfit watch to match my Garmin in functionality - but it delivered
ZDNET says the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro comes surprisingly close to Garmin-level functionality while adding premium materials and strong battery life.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
The review says Amazfit's Cheetah 2 Pro is a much more polished runner-focused smartwatch than its predecessor, with titanium, sapphire glass, a bright AMOLED display, and features that make it competitive with Garmin and Coros models. The author found it useful across activities beyond running, including golf, rowing, walking, and biking.
This watch is like a very fancy toolbox for exercise. It can track lots of sports, lasts a long time, and even has a tiny flashlight, but it costs more and some extra stats need a paid plan.
Analysis
What ZDNET found
Matthew Miller tested the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro over several weeks and used it for multiple activities, not just running. He says the watch is positioned as a runner-focused device, but it supports more than 170 activity types, and in his testing it handled rowing, walking, biking, and golf.
Hardware and battery
The review highlights a premium build for Amazfit: titanium, sapphire glass, an integrated LED flashlight, microphone and speaker support, and a bright 3,000-nit AMOLED display. Battery life was another strong point. Amazfit says GPS use can last up to 31 hours, and Miller says that with workouts about every three days, he went roughly two weeks between charges.
Features that stood out
Golf support appears to have improved meaningfully since 2025, with faster access to hazards, target, and pin distances, plus manual zoom and a map view that changes as the golfer approaches the green. Miller also liked the flashlight, noting that it now supports both white and red light modes and can be customized per workout type for safety alerts.
The trade-offs
ZDNET's main complaints are the price and a premium subscription requirement for advanced analysis. At $449.99, the Cheetah 2 Pro is not cheap for Amazfit, even if it competes with more established sports watches from Garmin and Coros. The review also notes that the watch is aimed at runners first, so some buyers may be paying for training features they do not use.
Key points
- ZDNET says the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro feels much more premium than earlier Amazfit sports watches.
- The watch supports more than 170 activity types and was tested across running-adjacent activities and golf.
- Battery life was strong, with the reviewer getting about two weeks between charges in typical use.
- Golf features and the flashlight were among the standout improvements.
- The main downsides are the $449.99 price and the need for a premium subscription for advanced analysis.
If Amazfit keeps improving this line, it could become a real alternative for people who want Garmin-like features without buying Garmin. The watch's strong battery life, premium materials, and improved sport features suggest Amazfit is closing the gap.
The high price may make the watch harder to justify, especially for buyers who already trust Garmin or Coros. The extra subscription for advanced analysis could also weaken the value proposition even if the hardware is strong.
