(checked 2026-10-10)Small sample: 433 ratings. The Amazon title says 'Active 3' without 'Premium', but its specs (stainless steel frame, sapphire glass, 1.32-inch AMOLED, 4 GB) match Amazfit's Active 3 Premium page.
Tom's Guide's best smartwatch overall: about a week-plus of battery, Garmin-like running features, offline maps and a sapphire screen for around $140, on any phone. It lacks the safety alerts, apps and polish of Apple and Google watches, and heart-rate tracking struggles on hard efforts.
Top complaints
- Limited smartwatch features
Tom's Guide says you don't get the emergency alerts, on-watch calls or third-party apps of Apple and Google watches. Runtesters calls the ecosystem weaker, with a smaller app store, payments not available everywhere, and less polished watch faces and music support.
- Heart rate struggles on hard efforts
Runtesters says heart rate is good overall but falls behind during high-intensity runs. Amazon's summary says customers note accuracy issues, especially with high-intensity heart-rate monitoring. Runtesters also notes it has only single-band GPS.
- Battery short of the 12-day claim
Tom's Guide got just over a week, about eight days, against Amazfit's 12-day claim. Runtesters says GPS battery life seems shorter than advertised and that it needs a proprietary charger.
- Few style options and phone hiccups
Tom's Guide's only listed con is the lack of 'feminine' style options despite being aimed at women; it comes in black, navy and white. Amazon owners report mixed experiences with compatibility.
What owners love
- Exceptional value
Tom's Guide calls it 'unbelievably good value', with functionality close to an Apple Watch at about half the price and no required subscription. Amazon owners also praise the value.
- Garmin-like running and offline maps
Tom's Guide says the running features are almost as detailed as a Garmin's and clearly explained. Runtesters highlights free offline maps with turn-by-turn navigation, a beginner workout library, and support for external heart-rate straps.
- Long battery, premium materials
About eight days in Tom's Guide testing, with a stainless steel frame and sapphire glass (Amazfit, Runtesters). Amazon owners praise the battery life.
- You want fall detection, health alerts or third-party apps
- You do high-intensity interval training and need precise heart rate
- You want dual-band GPS
- Budget buyers who want serious fitness tracking
- Week-long battery life
- People who switch between iPhone and Android
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Tom's Guide: Best smartwatch overall (updated 2026-09-21): fitness tracking to rival Garmin at half the price of Apple or Google, but without their smart and safety features.
- Runtesters: A 'pretty solid' watch for beginners more than serious runners. The cons are single-band GPS, weaker heart rate at high intensity, and limited training analysis.