The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro aims to challenge Garmin's dominance in the running watch market, and according to a six-week review by TechRadar, it comes remarkably close on performance—but stumbles on comfort. Priced at $499.99 USD, the watch offers premium materials, excellent battery life, and AI-driven training plans, yet its bulky 15.6mm thickness and large sensor bump make it uncomfortable for extended wear. TechRadar notes that while Garmin should keep an eye over its shoulder, it remains the go-to brand for runners.
Specifications and Build Quality
The Cheetah 2 Pro features a bright 1.32-inch AMOLED display with 466 x 466 px resolution, covered by scratch-resistant sapphire crystal glass. The case is made from grade 5 titanium alloy, giving it a premium feel. However, the watch measures 48mm wide, 15.6mm thick (including the heart sensor), and weighs 45.6g without the strap. It has a plastic bezel and is water-resistant to 5 ATM.
| Component | Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro |
|---|---|
| Price | $499.99 USD / £449.90 UK / $729 AUS |
| Dimensions | 48mm wide, 15.6mm thick |
| Weight | 45.6g without strap |
| Case/bezel | Titanium case, plastic bezel |
| Display | 1.32-inch AMOLED, 466x466 px |
| GPS | Dual-band, 6 satellite systems |
| Battery life | Up to 10 days heavy use, 20 days typical |
| Connection | Bluetooth, BLE 5.3, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM |
Price and Availability
The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro costs $499.99 USD / £449.90 UK, a 50% increase over the original Cheetah Pro. Amazfit justifies the jump with high-end hardware: a titanium bezel, sapphire crystal lens, and up to 20 days of battery life. According to TechRadar, this makes it more affordable than the Garmin Forerunner 970 while offering an impressive set of features for the price.
Performance and Features
TechRadar reports that the Cheetah 2 Pro delivers spot-on GPS tracking using dual-band, six-satellite systems. It tracks comprehensive health data, including 24/7 heart rate, blood oxygen, and skin temperature, and generates a daily 'Readiness Score' for monitoring fatigue. The watch includes AI-driven structured training plans and adaptive workouts. Offline color maps with automatic rerouting and point-to-point route planning are present, but implementation is lacking finesse—panning and zooming are laggy due to limited hardware.
Comfort and Design
The major drawback is comfort. The 15.6mm thickness and large sensor bump make the watch uncomfortable to wear for long periods. TechRadar notes that this is a significant issue for a running watch intended for daily use. The display is super-sharp and bright, but the overall bulk detracts from the experience.
Competition with Garmin
According to TechRadar, the Cheetah 2 Pro competes admirably with Garmin's top-range alternatives but does not hit the same heights. Amazfit has closed the gap in terms of features and accuracy, but Garmin remains ahead in dedicated running tools and comfort. The review concludes that Garmin needs to keep an eye over its shoulder, but Amazfit still has a long way to go.
"The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro is a premium, highly accurate running watch with high-end titanium and sapphire materials, exceptional battery life, and robust AI-driven structured training plans. In terms of performance, it delivers spot-on GPS tracking, comprehensive health metrics, and great day-to-day smartwatch features, but unfortunately it's held back by a bulky, uncomfortable 15.6 mm thickness and slightly laggy offline map performance." — TechRadar Verdict
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