Amazfit Active Max Review: Big Performance, Budget Price

Amazfit Active Max: Bigger and Brighter

• 🚀 The Amazfit Active Max is an enlarged version of the Active 2, featuring a larger 1.5-inch display that is also significantly brighter (3,000 nits vs. 2,000 nits).
• 📏 It boasts a larger 48.5 mm case compared to the Active 2's 44 mm, offering more internal space for features.
• ⚖️ Despite the increased size, the watch remains surprisingly light due to its aluminum and plastic construction.
• 🛡️ The display is protected by strengthened glass, though it lacks the sapphire lens found on premium models.
• 💧 It comes with a 5 ATM water resistance rating.

User Interface and Storage

• 👆 Interaction relies on a touchscreen and two physical buttons: the top for apps and the bottom for sport profiles.
• ⚠️ The touchscreen is highly responsive but can be overly sensitive, sometimes leading to unintended actions.
• 💾 Storage has been significantly increased to 2 GB, allowing for more maps and music compared to the Active 2's limited 173 MB.
• 🎵 Music playback is supported for loaded MP3s via Bluetooth, but no streaming service integration is available.

Battery Life and Charging

• 🔋 Battery life is rated from 10 to 25 days, depending on usage, always-on display, and tracking features.
• ⚡ With all features enabled, including always-on display and sleep tracking, the watch consistently hit the 10-day mark in testing.
• 🚴 For outdoor activities, it offers up to 64 hours of tracking, with testing showing around 45 hours even with the always-on display active.
• 🔌 Charging is done via a magnetic puck and USB-C, though the cable is not included.

Health and Activity Tracking

• ❤️ Features include heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, HRV, sleep, steps, and calories burned.
• ⚡ The BioCharge feature provides a dynamic energy level indication throughout the day, influenced by sleep and activity.
• 🏃‍♂️ The watch offers a vast array of sport profiles, including advanced metrics for running like cadence, stride length, and running power.
• 🏋️ Strength training mode can automatically count reps and identify exercises, though exercise recognition can be inconsistent.
• 📍 GPS accuracy is generally good, with solid performance on straight sections but some corner cutting on faster turns.
• 🗺️ Mapping and navigation features allow for downloading maps and following routes with turn-by-turn directions, but not on-demand routing.
• 🏊‍♂️ Heart rate accuracy is strong for running and outdoor cycling, but showed some inconsistencies during indoor cycling and demanding workouts like weightlifting.
• 🎧 External heart rate sensors, cycling power meters, and smart bikes can be paired for improved accuracy.

Overall Value and Considerations

• 💰 At $169, the Active Max offers significant value, especially for those seeking a larger display and better battery life than the Active 2.
• 🤔 However, some features, like sleep tracking, still show room for improvement, a recurring theme with Amazfit devices.
• ✅ Despite minor software quirks and polish issues, the Active Max is a great deal for its core features and performance.