Amazfit Balance 2 Review: The Perfect Hybrid Smartwatch With 21-Day Battery Life

The smartwatch market has grown crowded, with devices competing on design, features, and battery life. Yet, very few manage to strike a true balance between rugged durability and modern lifestyle utility. The Amazfit Balance 2, priced at Rs. 24,999, sets itself apart by positioning as a hybrid that works across workouts, outdoor adventures, and everyday life.

I have been using the Balance 2 for a month, and the experience feels different from many other smartwatches I have tested. It is light enough to wear daily, strong enough to handle intense workouts, and smart enough to manage calls and notifications without pulling out a phone. But does it truly live up to its claim of being the perfect hybrid smartwatch? Let’s break it down.

Design

The Balance 2 feels surprisingly light for its 47mm size. Despite its larger body, it never feels heavy on the wrist. The aluminum chassis is sturdy, and the sapphire crystal glass covering the 1.5-inch screen adds durability.

The watch is 10ATM water resistant and has military-grade certification, making it suitable for swimming, hiking, and tough outdoor conditions. A subtle blue-tinted ring around the display gives it character. While not everyone will like the accent, it does make the watch stand out.

The included 22mm silicone straps are breathable, though attaching them takes some effort. Once secured, they sit comfortably for long wear. Controls are practical: the rotating crown scrolls through menus and doubles as a click button, while a knurled lower button serves as a back key. The crown also activates Zepp Flow AI with a long press. I only wish Amazfit had added customizable options to the lower button.

Display

A smartwatch display must work as well under direct sunlight as it does indoors. The Balance 2 handles this with its 1.5-inch AMOLED display that reaches 2000 nits peak brightness. Even on a bright afternoon, the screen is crisp and easy to read.

Thin bezels give the watch an expansive look, and the visuals are sharp. Unlike many fitness-focused watches, it includes lifestyle features such as calling and messaging from the watch itself. The dual speakers produce clear sound for calls, though in noisy environments, the experience could be better.

Software and AI Features

The Balance 2 runs on Zepp OS, a lightweight system designed for speed and efficiency. Swiping between apps, notifications, and settings feels smooth, without the lag often seen in mid-range smartwatches.

A standout feature is Zepp Flow, an AI assistant powered by OpenAI. It works with voice commands for tasks like replying to texts or checking the weather. However, the assistant struggles with real-time or complex queries. While useful for quick actions, it still needs refinement before it can replace a phone assistant completely.

Power Under the Hood

The Balance 2 is powered by 64MB RAM and 32GB storage, which allows offline music playback and smooth multitasking. Switching between apps is quick, and animations run fluidly. For a watch at this price, the performance is strong and consistent.

During testing, even with GPS tracking, Bluetooth calling, and notifications, the watch never slowed down. It runs more efficiently than some higher-priced Wear OS competitors.

Fitness and Health Tracking

This is where the Balance 2 shows its strength. With 170+ sports modes, including HYROX-specific training modes, it caters to both casual users and athletes. Dual-band GPS ensures accurate outdoor tracking.

It also covers essentials like 24/7 heart rate, stress, and sleep monitoring. Compared to Garmin, the sleep scores felt slightly generous, but they were still consistent. The Zepp app makes the data more meaningful, providing detailed insights without locking them behind subscriptions. One clever addition is AI-powered food logging, which adds a practical dimension to fitness tracking.

Battery Life

Battery life is often the deal-breaker for smartwatches. The Balance 2 excels here, delivering up to 21 days of use with typical settings. Even with always-on display enabled, I managed 10 days comfortably.

Charging is also quick, taking just an hour for a full top-up using its USB-C charger. This long battery endurance makes it far more reliable than many Wear OS watches that struggle to last beyond two days.

Verdict: A Hybrid Worth Considering

The Amazfit Balance 2 positions itself as a true hybrid smartwatch, and it largely succeeds. It blends rugged outdoor-ready durability with polished smart features and long-lasting battery life. At Rs. 24,999, it offers excellent value when compared to premium devices that cost far more but often deliver less.

However, it is not flawless. Zepp Flow still feels limited, the speaker quality could improve, and strap attachment could be smoother. Yet, these are minor when weighed against its versatility, endurance, and price.

If you need a smartwatch that adapts to different lifestyles—from workouts to office meetings—the Amazfit Balance 2 makes a compelling case as one of the best hybrids available today.