With today’s launch of the Amazfit Active 3 Premium, Zepp Health has officially pivoted the Active series. While the Active 2 was a stylish, general-purpose smartwatch, the Active 3 Premium is a precision tool built specifically for structured running and hybrid training.
At a Glance: Key Specifications
| Feature | Amazfit Active 2 | Amazfit Active 3 Premium |
| Launch Date | January 6, 2025 | February 26, 2026 |
| Price | ~$129 | $169.99 / €169.90 |
| Display | 1.32″ AMOLED (1,000 nits) | 1.32″ AMOLED (3,000 nits) |
| Lens Material | Tempered Glass | Sapphire Glass |
| Controls | 2 Physical Buttons | 4 Physical Buttons |
| Battery Life | 10 Days (Typical) | 12–13 Days (Typical) |
| Storage | Limited | 4GB (Music & Offline Maps) |
1. Design: Built for Action, Not Just Aesthetics
The most striking change in the Active 3 Premium is the move to four physical tactile buttons.
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Active 2: Used a sleek 2-button setup meant for casual navigation.
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Active 3 Premium: Designed for athletes who need to lap, start, or stop workouts without relying on a touchscreen (crucial for rainy runs or sweaty hands). It also upgrades to a Stainless Steel frame and Sapphire Glass, making it significantly more rugged.
2. Display: Unrivaled Visibility
The Active 3 Premium features a massive jump in brightness. At 3,000 nits, it is double the brightness of many high-end competitors and significantly outshines the Active 2. This ensures your pace and heart rate data are crystal clear even in the harshest afternoon sun.
3. Intelligence: Training vs. Tracking
While the Active 2 was great at tracking what you did, the Active 3 Premium is designed to teach you how to train.
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Offline Maps & Navigation: The Active 3 Premium introduces built-in 4GB storage for offline maps and music. It supports turn-by-turn navigation and automatic rerouting—features absent on the standard Active 2.
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Advanced Metrics: New for the 3 Premium are “pro-level” metrics usually reserved for the Cheetah or GTR series, including Lactate Threshold, Running Power, and Ground Contact Time.
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BioCharge™: The new BioCharge sensor on the Active 3 Premium provides deeper energy-level monitoring to help entry-level runners avoid burnout.
4. Connectivity and AI
Both watches utilize Zepp Flow™, but the Active 3 Premium ships with the latest version integrated with Zepp OS 4.0. This allows for more complex voice-to-text replies and deeper integration with third-party platforms like TrainingPeaks, Strava, and Runna.
The Verdict: Should You Upgrade?
The Amazfit Active 2 remains the “fashion-forward” choice for those who want a slim, stainless steel watch for daily health monitoring and casual gym sessions.
The Amazfit Active 3 Premium is for the person who has started taking their fitness seriously. With sapphire glass, offline maps, 3,000-nit brightness, and 4-button navigation, it is effectively a “lite” version of a professional marathon watch for a fraction of the price.
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