After a decade of loyalty to the Apple Watch, making the switch to a different smartwatch ecosystem is no small decision. The Amazfit Balance 2, priced at £299.99 in the UK, presents itself as a compelling alternative that promises exceptional battery life, comprehensive fitness tracking, and dedicated golf features. After 20 days of real-world use, here’s an honest assessment of whether this premium multisport watch delivers on its promises.
First Impressions: Size and Build
Coming from the smaller Apple Watch models, the Balance 2’s 47mm case with its 1.5-inch AMOLED display is noticeably larger. This initial adjustment is real—the watch feels substantial on the wrist, and it takes a few days to become comfortable with the increased profile.
However, this larger size brings tangible benefits. The generous screen makes everything remarkably easy to read and interact with. A simple turn of the wrist reveals the time and all key metrics instantly. The sapphire glass screen reaches up to 2,000 nits brightness for excellent visibility in any lighting condition, including bright sunlight on the golf course.
The watch comes with two straps—a black strap for those preferring a subtle, professional look, and an orange strap for a sportier appearance. The orange option adds vibrant personality whilst maintaining comfort during both daily wear and athletic activities.
Battery Life: The Game Changer
If there’s one feature that fundamentally transforms the smartwatch experience, it’s battery life. Amazfit claims up to 21 days of typical use, and whilst real-world results came in at 15 days before reaching the 8% warning, this is nothing short of revolutionary for anyone accustomed to nightly charging routines.
For Apple Watch users who have spent years charging every single night, the freedom of 15 days between charges is genuinely liberating. No more anxiety about forgetting to charge overnight. No more choosing between wearing the watch to bed for sleep tracking or having enough battery for the next day.
This extended battery life enables continuous sleep tracking. Being able to wear the watch comfortably to bed every night without battery concerns means comprehensive sleep pattern data that simply wasn’t practical with the Apple Watch’s limited battery life.
Daily Use: Fitness and Health Tracking
Whilst the Balance 2 boasts over 170 sport modes, its real strength lies in excellence as a daily health and fitness companion. The watch excels at the fundamentals:
Heart Rate Monitoring: The BioTracker 6.0 sensor provides continuous, accurate tracking throughout the day and night, offering valuable insights into cardiovascular health and recovery.
Step Counting: The watch makes hitting that daily 10,000-step target feel achievable and rewarding, with clear progress tracking that motivates movement.
Sleep Tracking: Perhaps the most valuable feature, the comprehensive sleep monitoring provides detailed insights into sleep patterns, quality, and recovery. The ability to wear the watch comfortably all night without battery concerns means consistent, actionable sleep data.
Golf Features: GPS and Course Navigation:
The Balance 2 includes dedicated golf functionality with access to over 40,000 course maps worldwide. The GPS tracking provides accurate front, middle, and back yardages, along with hazard information useful for course management and club selection.
However, there’s an important caveat: courses must be downloaded to the watch via the Zepp app before arriving at the golf club. Unlike some dedicated golf watches that automatically detect courses, the Balance 2 requires pre-planning. Forgetting to download beforehand means no GPS functionality until you can connect to the app—a lesson learned the hard way.
For golfers who prefer using a rangefinder for precise pin distances, the Balance 2 serves as an excellent companion device, providing general yardages and hazard information whilst the rangefinder handles precision work.
The Zepp App Experience:
The Zepp app serves as the command centre for all data collected by the Balance 2. The interface is intuitive and well-designed, making it easy to dive into detailed metrics or get quick summaries of daily activity.
The sleep tracking interface deserves particular praise, presenting complex sleep data in an accessible, understandable format. The app clearly shows sleep stages, duration, quality scores, and trends over time.
Whilst the Balance 2’s capabilities extend far beyond basic fitness tracking—with features for runners, swimmers, strength trainers, and even scuba divers—the app never feels overwhelming.
Comfort and Wearability:
Despite its size, the Balance 2 sits comfortably on the wrist and doesn’t create any issues during the golf swing. The lightweight construction and well-designed strap system ensure the watch stays securely in place without feeling restrictive.
All-day comfort is excellent, and the watch transitions seamlessly from workout sessions to professional environments to casual wear. The orange strap adds personality whilst the overall design maintains enough sophistication for any setting.
Value Proposition:
At £299.99, the Amazfit Balance 2 positions itself in the premium smartwatch category, competing directly with offerings from Apple, Samsung, and Garmin. Compared to the Apple Watch, which requires frequent replacement due to battery degradation and offers significantly shorter daily battery life, the Balance 2 represents exceptional value.
The combination of sapphire glass protection, 10 ATM water resistance, comprehensive health tracking, extensive sport modes, and extraordinary battery life creates a package that justifies the investment for anyone serious about fitness tracking or simply wanting a reliable, feature-rich smartwatch.
Final Verdict:
After 20 days of real-world use, the Amazfit Balance 2 has proven itself to be a genuinely impressive smartwatch that successfully challenges more established brands on both features and value. The transition from Apple Watch was easier than expected, with the superior battery life and comprehensive health tracking quickly demonstrating their value.
The watch isn’t perfect—the requirement to pre-download golf courses is inconvenient, and the larger size takes some adjustment. However, these minor inconveniences are vastly outweighed by the benefits of extended battery life, excellent fitness tracking, and versatile sport modes.
The Balance 2 is an excellent choice for Apple Watch users seeking better battery life, fitness enthusiasts engaging in multiple sports, golfers wanting GPS functionality alongside general smartwatch features, anyone prioritising sleep tracking, and value-conscious buyers wanting premium features without the absolute premium price.
For anyone considering a premium smartwatch in 2025, the Balance 2 deserves serious consideration. It delivers on its promises, offers genuine value at £299.99, and proves you don’t need to sacrifice features or quality when looking beyond traditional smartwatch leaders. The experience over these 20 days has been sufficiently positive to warrant continued use, and for anyone seeking a well-rounded, reliable, feature-packed smartwatch with genuinely impressive battery life, it’s an easy recommendation.
Dan Hendriksen, PGA Professional