Amazfit Active 3 Premium Review: A Budget-Friendly Running Watch for Beginners

Introduction

The Amazfit Active 3 Premium from Zepp Health is pitched squarely at beginner runners, and that positioning is what makes it interesting. Priced at £169.90 in the UK and $169.99 in the US, it undercuts the Garmin Forerunner 165, the Coros Pace line, and the Suunto Run while promising a lot of running features for the money. After spending real running time with it, the short version is this: it is a smartwatch that works very well as a running watch, with a few rough edges that show up when you use it as anything else.

Who the Amazfit Active 3 Premium Is For

This is a watch aimed at people starting their running journey, but it also suits experienced runners who want something affordable. The design reflects that running-first thinking: a single 45mm case in three colour options, four physical buttons, a removable silicone strap, and a 1.39-inch AMOLED display protected by sapphire glass.

The emphasis on physical buttons is a deliberate choice. It makes the watch feel like a traditional sports watch and reduces reliance on the touchscreen, which is exactly what most runners want when they are mid-run with sweaty fingers or gloves on.

Main Strengths

The headline surprise is the feature set at this price. Sapphire glass is normally reserved for considerably more expensive watches, and its inclusion here gives the display real scratch protection that rivals just above this price point often skip.

The training library is the standout for newer runners. It is a well-presented collection of running sessions covering different abilities, complete with warm-ups and cool-downs, that adds structure without feeling daunting. If you are unsure what fartlek training is or how to build endurance, these sessions give you a clear starting point. On top of that, Zepp Health’s Coach feature powers training plans, you can build your own interval workouts, and advanced running metrics are supported.

Tracking performance has been solid. GPS results were good on most routes, and while the single-band setup is not the best available technology, it will be accurate enough for many runners. Heart rate tracking was good with occasional off readings, but pairing an external Bluetooth chest strap, such as a Polar or Garmin monitor, was easy and gives you a more accurate option when needed. Running power meters are supported too.

Battery life is another Amazfit strength. Expect up to 12 days of typical use, 7 days with heavier use, and up to 4 days with the always-on display. GPS battery reaches up to 76 hours in power-saving mode and 24 hours in the most accurate mode, dropping to 10 hours while streaming music. Day-to-day drain, including overnight, is minimal.

Things to Consider Before Buying

Nothing here is a dealbreaker, but a few things are a little short of what dedicated sport watches deliver. The smartwatch experience, while generous on features for the price, is not as polished as an Apple Watch or a Wear OS device. The app store works in a similar spirit to Garmin’s Connect IQ but is not quite at the same level, and the overall software still has some work to do.

GPS is single-band rather than dual-band, so in more challenging GPS conditions expect some drop-off compared with rivals like the Coros Pace 4. Training analysis and insights, including recovery and VO2 max metrics, felt less reliable and less refined in early runs than what Coros and particularly Garmin offer at similar prices. If deep training data matters to you, the competition gives you more.

Buying Advice

Against the Garmin Forerunner 165, an older but still very capable watch now available below its launch price, the Garmin still wins on ecosystem slickness and runner-friendliness, while the Amazfit offers more battery life. The Coros Pace 4 edges ahead on training analysis, dual-band GPS, and overall tracking reliability. The Suunto Run is another good-value option, though it lacks the free offline maps and turn-by-turn navigation the Amazfit includes.

If you can stretch the budget, the Forerunner 165 remains our pick of this group for the better combination of tracking, insights, and smartwatch experience. But if paying more for a Garmin, Coros, or Suunto is not an option, the Active 3 Premium is absolutely worth a look, especially if the price drops below around 150. Zepp Health also rolls out software features regularly, so there is life in this watch yet.

Conclusion

The Amazfit Active 3 Premium does a very good job as a running watch at a beginner-friendly price. Sapphire glass, a genuinely useful training library, solid GPS and heart rate tracking, and excellent battery life make it an easy recommendation for runners on a budget. The trade-off is a smartwatch ecosystem and training insights that are still catching up with Garmin, Coros, and Suunto. If you want the most affordable watch that still takes your running seriously, this one deserves a spot on your shortlist.