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Amazfit Balance 2: One minute review

Two years after the original Amazfit Balance was released, Amazfit has now released its follow-up, the Amazfit Balance 2. The new release represents a solid upgrade with a distinct focus on durability, battery life, and enhanced sensors/features. In real terms, that means a bigger battery, superior water resistance, a brighter display, a faster chipset, dual speakers, and sensor upgrades.

The watch itself is pitched as a multi-sport training partner. Direct competitors include the Garmin Venu 4, the Coros Pace 4 or the Huawei Watch GT 5.

With such fierce competition in the market, we're unlikely to see the Amazfit Balance 2 featuring in our best running watches guide, but that doesn't mean it's not worthy of consideration, as evidenced by our four-star rating.

The single most impressive feature of the watch is the multi-week battery life. With many watch alternatives forcing customers to choose between features and battery life, the Balance 2 delivers a flagship-level experience with remarkable longevity. This means less charging anxiety and better continuous tracking, especially for multi-day trips or long activity periods.

In terms of software, the addition of Zepp Flow AI is a significant step forward. Watches, for a long while, have supported voice assistants such as Amazon Alexa, Siri or Garmin’s native voice assistant, but these have required specific rigid commands. Zepp Flow AI, along with the most recent wave of Android watches which now use Gemini on Wear OS 6, understands and responds to conversational, natural speech.

Despite these upgrades, it’s a long way off the Apple Watch Ultra 3 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 as a smartwatch. But it’s not really looking to compete on the same plane. The Balance 2 is a middle-of-the-market smartwatch that is looking to push what is possible for under $300/£300.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Amazfit Balance 2: Specifications

Component

Amazfit Balance 2

Price

$299 USD / £299 UK / $479.99 AUS

Dimensions

47.4mm wide, 12.3mm thick

Weight

42g without strap

Case/bezel

Aluminum alloy and fiber-reinforced polymer

Display

1.5-inch AMOLED (480x480px)

GPS

Dual-band (L1 + L5) with support for GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BDS, QZSS, Navic

Battery life

Up to 10 days of heavy use, or 21+ days of typical use

Connection

Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, NFC

Water resistance

10 ATM

Amazfit Balance 2: Price and availability

• $299 USD / £299 UK / $479.99 AUS
• Sits comfortably in the middle of the market
• An impressive feature set considering the price

At $299 USD / £299 UK / $479.99 AUS, the Balance 2 sits comfortably in the middle of the smartwatch market. It’s more expensive than the Amazfit Active 2 ($99 / £99.98 / AU$149.99) but not as pricey as the Garmin Venu 4 ($450 / £450). In terms of features, specs, and price, the Balance 2 is probably most comparable with the Samsung Galaxy Watch8.

The Balance 2 offers a respectable set of features considering its sub-$300/£300 price tag, but it's not as mature or refined as the Garmin Venu 4. If you care deeply about advanced fitness analysis and reliable structured workouts, then you'll want the more premium Garmin. If, on the other hand, you care little for these more advanced fitness tracking features, then the Balance 2 serves up a reasonable alternative with an equally impressive display and fantastic battery life.

Value score 4.5/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Amazfit Balance 2: Design

• Small and lightweight design
• 1.5-inch AMOLED display with 2,000 nits brightness
• 10 ATM (100-meter) water resistance

The Balance 2 offers a classic circular watch design. In terms of materials, there’s an aluminum alloy alongside a fiber-reinforced polymer case, and this blend of materials is about as premium as you're going to get at this price point, similar to the Garmin Vivoactive 6. .

The watch is 47.4mm wide and 12.3mm thick. It also weighs a minimal 42g without the strap. As a result, the Balance 2 sits comfortably without overpowering the wrist muscles or looking unnecessarily bulky. I'm looking at you, Huawei Watch Ultimate 2. The orange silicone strap creates a gorgeous contrast with the black case while delivering the added benefits of water resistance, a comfortable feel, and easy cleaning after a sweaty run.

The Balance 2 boasts a 1.5-inch AMOLED display, which is protected by highly scratch-resistant sapphire glass. This is a significant upgrade over the standard tempered glass of its predecessor and means users don't have to worry while engaging in some activities which might damage the watch. Maybe most impressive is its peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits, which puts it towards the elite end and equal with the Apple Watch Series 11. As a result, I had no problems using the watch even under direct sunlight, not that there was a huge amount around during winter in the UK.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

For those engaging in water sports, the Balance 2 offers substantial ruggedness with a 10 ATM (100-meter) water resistance rating. This goes beyond standard swimming and showering, making it suitable for high-speed water sports and even shallow scuba diving, which is an impressive level of durability for a smartwatch positioned outside of the ultra-premium or dedicated dive watch category.

The watch includes a digital crown for tactile scrolling through menus, although it feels a little on the cheap side. Additionally, dual speakers and a microphone contribute to the design, enhancing the ability to take clear Bluetooth calls and use the Zepp Flow AI voice assistant.

Design Score: 4/5

Amazfit Balance 2: Features

• Zepp Flow AI for natural voice controls
• 21-day battery life
• Improved sensors and dual-band GPS

With a middle-of-the-range set of health and fitness tracking features, I was actually more intrigued by the Zepp Flow AI, which offers a natural way to interact with the watch. Through natural language, it is possible to engage the watch, perform health queries, and control activity tracking. I didn't have to memorize a set of predefined commands but could instead treat it like I treat any other AI engine, such as ChatGPT or Gemini.

Then there's the advertised 21-day battery life that is possible with typical usage. This is an upgrade from 14 days in the original Balance and reduces the need for regular charging. The three-week battery life drops to around 10 days with heavier usage, or if you want to perform continuous GPS tracking, then you'll get 33 hours. For real-world results, I get into battery performance in the next section.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

In terms of sports and health tracking, the Balance 2 incorporates a newer BioTracker 6.0 PPG optical sensor, which Amazfit claims has a specific benefit on the accuracy of measured heart rate and sleep data. There's also dual-band GPS, which is known for its higher accuracy and improved reliability, especially in challenging environments like cities or dense forests.

The Balance 2 features 32GB of onboard storage, which is essential for anyone wanting to exercise, navigate routes and listen to locally stored music without needing their phone with them.

Features Score: 4/5

Amazfit Balance 2: Performance

• Exceptional battery performance
• Accurate tracking
• Solid and reliable GPS

Let's begin with one of the best-performing elements of the Balance 2—the battery life. I had no problems achieving the advertised 21 days of battery life when using the device to track the occasional workout alongside regular health checks. When I increased my GPS use and switched over to the Always-On Display, the battery life dropped to just a week, but that’s still very impressive. Whatever your smartwatch habits, the Balance 2 is streets ahead of more powerful watchOS or Wear OS alternatives such as the Apple Watch or Google Pixel Watch, making it more like Garmin or Coros: a top low-power choice for multi-day hiking, long cycle rides, or more demanding adventures.

As for charging, the proprietary charging cradle has a USB-C attachment. During testing, I only had to recharge the watch a handful of times, but when I did, I was able to achieve 0 percent to 100 percent in a little under two hours. Faster recharging is available on other smartwatches such as the OnePlus Watch 3, but Amazfit has opted, instead, for a steadier power delivery to preserve the battery's long-term health.

In terms of tracking performance, Amazfit has updated the BioTracker from version 5.0 to 6.0 which boasts significant improvements in terms of accuracy, certification, and Zepp OS support. The watch delivered accurate heart rate and blood oxygen readouts with comparison tests run on the demonstrably accurate Huawei Watch Ultimate 2.

Additionally, the watch features an improved six-satellite GPS system with a new Huangshan 3 chipset and upgraded antenna and signal processing. In real terms, the watch locked onto a strong signal as soon as I moved out of my house and maintained it while tracking through a number of tricky environments, including a built-up city, forest area, and rural areas. To test accuracy, I compared a number of bike rides and runs against onthegomap.com and my benchmark-accurate smartwatch, the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2. I found the Balance 2 to be accurate with very little drifting, even when traveling long distances.

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

Map interaction left a lot to be desired, unfortunately. Despite the upgraded chip, the Balance 2 struggled to render high-resolution maps and labels in real time. The presence of a lag meant I quickly lost interest in using the map feature.

The watch is powered by Zepp OS 5, which is one of the most fluid and responsive operating systems I've experienced. I also loved using Zepp Flow, which is the AI-driven voice assistant. With it I was able to perform actions hands-free, including starting and stopping workouts, as well as interact with notifications. This was a big time saver and super handy at times when I couldn’t easily operate the watch’s menus.

As good as the Balance 2 is for health and fitness tracking, it's seriously let down by its lack of third-party apps such as Spotify, Apple Maps, and Strava. Even Garmin has integration of sorts with apps like Spotify via the Garmin Connect IQ store. This lack of deep ecosystem integration means that the watch remains largely isolated from everything else you might interact with on a daily basis. There's also no LTE/cellular option, which means it's unable to work independently from your phone.

Performance score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Amazfit Balance 2: Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

A sub $300/£300 smartwatch with specs to match.

4.5/5

Design

A good-looking design that utilizes mid-range materials for a semi-rugged look.

4/5

Features

A respectable set of features with improved sensors and dual-band GPS.

4/5

Performance

Outstanding battery life, accurate tracking, and reliable GPS.

4/5

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)Amazfit Balance 2: Should I buy?Buy it if...

You want a watch that will just keep on going

With a 21-day typical usage battery life, the Balance 2 is a fantastic performer.

You need accurate health tracking

With Amazfit's latest BioTracker 6.0 PPG sensor, the Balance 2 delivers reliable metrics.

Don't buy it if...

You value a rich app selection

The Zepp OS app store is very limited, and you might find that your favorite apps are missing.

You need an LTE/Cellular Option

As a result, your phone must remain near you if you want to receive calls and text messages and benefit from data synchronization.

Also consider

Garmin Venu 4

The perfect blend between a dressy smartwatch and a fitness tool. We love the accurate metrics, the smart design, and the new health tools.

Read our full Garmin Venu 4 reviewView Deal

Huawei Watch GT 5

This is Huawei's best mid-range offering so far and a smartwatch that covers all the bases with accurate tracking and measurements thanks to Huawei TruSense. Designed for casual exercisers rather than devoted runners.

Read our full Huawei Watch GT 5 reviewView Deal

How I tested

I wore the Amazfit Balance 2 for over a month, and in that time I measured almost every single health metric available on the watch. Some of these I tracked over a number of days so that I was able to build up a reasonable picture of the watch's accuracy over time. I also wore the watch while carrying out a range of different exercises, including running, cycling, and walking. During these tests I checked the accuracy of health metrics and GPS using the Huawei Watch Ultimate 2, which has itself been tested against the Apple Watch Ultra series.

First reviewed: February 2026

The Amazfit Balance 2 delivers outstanding battery performance alongside excellent tracking, as well as a capable AI assistant.

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SJCAM C400: one-minute review

The SJCAM C400 is an ultra-compact action camera that comes with an optional handle accessory, transforming it from a tiny wearable cam into a handheld vlogging setup. Starting at around $160 / £155 (without the handle), it undercuts the latest offerings from DJI and Insta360 by a significant margin — but unfortunately, you get what you pay for.

The camera itself is charmingly small and lightweight, making it easy to wear on a pendant or fix to a hat for POV filming. It includes a built-in touchscreen, which is a huge boon compared to similarly sized rivals like the DJI Osmo Nano or Insta360 Go cameras, which lack this feature.

When slotted into the handle, the C400 takes on a whole new character, becoming a comfortable handheld vlogging camera with a rotatable screen that works for both horizontal and vertical content, with the added benefit of an extra battery.

However, image quality is where the C400 seriously stumbles. Despite supporting 4K at 30fps and various video modes, the footage is poor, with an odd combination of over-sharpening and under-detail, plus prominent muddy digital artifacts. Still photos don't fare much better, with detail falling off drastically towards the frame edges. When compared directly to footage from an Insta360 GO Ultra or DJI Osmo Nano, the difference is stark — and it becomes immediately clear why those cameras cost a little more.

Audio quality doesn't help matters. While the built-in microphone copes indoors or in calm conditions, it struggles with wind noise, and there's no option to connect an external mic.

The digital stabilization works, but in an artificial way that draws attention to itself, while enabling horizon leveling drastically reduces resolution. There's also no built-in waterproofing or magnetic mounting — both missed opportunities on a camera this size.

On the plus side, battery life is impressive, with the camera managing around 190 minutes of 4K recording on its own, and much longer when docked in the handle.

In short, the C400 offers an appealingly compact form factor and decent battery life at a bargain price, but its poor image and audio quality make it hard to recommend unless budget is your absolute priority. I'd recommend checking out one of my recommended alternatives in my best action cameras and best vlogging camera guides.

The core camera unit is small and lightweight, and unlike its rivals has room for a functional touchscreen on its front (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)SJCAM C400: price and availability

• Priced from $159 / £153
• Sold with and without handle
• A range of accessories is available

The SJCAM C400 is available in three bundles: the C400 Pocket (just the camera with no handle or accessories); the C400 (which includes the handle); and the C400 Vlogging Bundle (which includes the handle, a mini tripod, a pendant mount, a 64GB microSD card and a carry case). Prices vary wildly depending on the bundle and the country you're shopping in, and seem to be fluctuating too, so I would suggest shopping around to ensure you get the best price for whatever package you're after.

In terms of value the camera seems like a bargain in comparison to the latest models from rival companies like DJI and Insta360. But considering its level of performance, I think you should seriously consider spending a little more elsewhere, particularly if you value image quality.

SJCAM C400: specsSJCAM C400 specs

Sensor

1/2.8-inch CMOS

Max Resolution

24MP photos
4K 30fps footage

Weight

189g / 7oz (with handle); 54g / 1.9oz (camera only)

Dimensions

143.5 x 38.5 x 38.5mm (with handle); 68 x 32 x 25.5mm (camera only)

Displays

1.3-inch (camera); 2.29-inch (handle)

Operating Time

Camera: 190 mins
Camera + handle: 420 mins

Connectivity

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C

Storage

microSD card up to 512GB

Waterproofing

N/A

SJCAM C400: designFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

The C400 package I was sent for review has two main components: the C400 camera itself and a handle accessory that incorporates controls, an extra touchscreen, a tripod mounting thread and an additional battery.

The main C400 camera is charmingly tiny and lightweight, if not quite as small as the DJI Osmo Nano or some of the Insta360 Go editions; if you really must have the tiniest, lightest 4K action cam, the C400 isn't it. Still, for POV filming purposes I found it compact enough to wear on a pendant around my neck, or fixed to my hat, without causing any bother whatsoever.

The camera unit has a small touchscreen (which is a huge boon – you don't get one on the DJI Osmo Nano or Insta360 Go), built-in microphone, microSD card slot for storage, and a tiny button that handles power and shutter duties. Sadly, unlike some rivals, it doesn't include a magnet for fixing it easily to metal surfaces, which is a missed opportunity.

Another missed opportunity is waterproofing, which I'd expect on a small action camera. Sadly, it's not mentioned anywhere on the spec or features sheet, although an optional waterproof case (with a 30m depth rating) is available.

The optional pendant mount also includes a magnetic clip add-on for the C400. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

When the C400 is slotted into the handle it takes on a whole new character, transforming from mini cam into a handheld vlogging camera somewhat reminiscent of the DJI Osmo Pocket series. The handle has a pleasingly comfortable design, and its good-sized rotatable screen caters to both horizontal and vertical content, and it also gives recording time a boost with its own supplementary battery.

I preferred using the camera in this arrangement than on its own, due to it being easy to hold and control – even if it clearly lacks the physical gimbal-based stabilization of DJI's Pocket range.

Additionally, it works as a wireless remote control for the camera, with a range of around 30 feet.

A quick word on the companion app: it's pretty good! Once it was installed and I'd established a Wi-Fi link between the C400 and my iPhone, I was able to remotely control the camera and download photos and videos wirelessly. Getting the phone and camera linked up the first time was a bit of a struggle, but once the connection was set up I was able to simply re-connect by scanning a QR code on the camera's screen.

SJCAM C400: PerformanceFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

The camera supports 4K video capture at up to 30fps, 2K at up to 60fps, and 1080p at up to 120fps (for slow-motion playback), plus H.264 and H.265 compression, a 'wide dynamic range' mode and a high-bitrate recording option.

Despite selecting all of these in an attempt to see the C400 performing at its best, I found image quality to be disappointingly poor even in good outdoor lighting, and even worse indoors.

You can view my sample video below to get a clearer picture (no pun intended), but the image seems to me to be a curious mix of being simultaneously over-sharpened and under-detailed, with distracting, muddy digital artifacts very prominent.

Still photos didn't impress either, with detail falling off massively towards the edges of the frame – and there's a huge amount of wide-angle distortion that doesn't appear to be correctable outside of post-production manual tweaking.

The two forms of digital image stabilization on offer — general and horizon leveling — do work, but they do so in an artificial way that really draws attention to the fact that they're working. Using horizon leveling also reduces the resolution quite drastically.

When compared to the videos straight out of an Insta360 GO Ultra or DJI Osmo Nano, the difference is stark – and it's immediately clear where that extra money goes.

Audio quality is passable in calm conditions, but as my video illustrates, the built-in microphone doesn't cope well with wind noise at all — and there's no way to connect an external microphone to better capture sound. So vloggers may have to record their audio separately, then sync it in post-production, which is hardly the sort of simplicity you'd hope for.

There's better news on the battery life front, at least, and I was impressed by the C400's stamina. To test it, I set video quality to 4K at 30fps and left the C400 (without its handle) recording. It managed to capture around 190 minutes of footage before the battery died. When docked inside the handle, it of course lasts even longer, and in my test it lasted 420 minutes in total.

Should I buy the SJCAM C400?

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Buy it if...

You want a super-cheap compact action camera
The C400 is about as small and light as action cams come, and much cheaper than new alternatives from DJI and Insta360.

You need a small camera with a screen
The C400 is tiny, but still makes room for a decent-sized touchscreen on its front — something you won't find on pricier rivals.

Don't buy it if...

You’re particular about image quality
The C400's image quality is not its strong point, and if you want to create polished, professional-looking content, you're better off with a DJI or Insta360 alternative.

You want a well-stabilized vlogging camera
Don't confuse this with a DJI Pocket, despite how it looks on its handle. There's only electronic stabilization here, and it's not particularly convincing.

SJCAM C400: also consider

Insta360 Go Ultra

The latest model in the long-running Go series of ultra-compact action cameras, the Ultra is a little larger than some of its predecessors, but makes up for it with its superb 4K 60fps (or 30fps in Active HDR) footage. It's surprisingly capable in low light, and waterproof to boot.

Read our in-depth Insta360 Go Ultra review

DJI Osmo Nano

Despite being DJI's first serious attempt at an ultra-compact action camera, the Osmo Nano is a waterproof modular marvel with stabilized 4K 60fps video that excels for sports and vlogging, and even supports 10-bit D-Log M. It's pricier than the C400, but still cheap for what it offers.

Read our in-depth DJI Osmo Nano review

How I tested the SJCAM C400

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

• I tested the camera for a week
• I used it for vlogging and capturing photos, assessing image quality on my phone and laptop
• I tested all its features and various accessories

I tested the SJCAM C400 for around a week, using it to record videos and photos both handheld and using some of the accessories included with my review sample. The sample was supplied by SJCAM, and included not only the camera and handle, but a waterproof case and range of mounting options such as a magnetic pendant. I tested all its main functions including electronic image stabilization and battery life, before transferring all photos and videos to my iPhone and subsequently MacBook Air for close inspection.

First reviewed February 2026

The SJCAM C400 has a pleasingly versatile design, but its performance leaves a lot to be desired

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