Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro Review: Running Tests vs Garmin and Polar

The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro is the brand's most serious running watch in three years, and it shows. Titanium case, sapphire glass, and a price tag that climbed 50% over its predecessor. Amazfit is no longer playing budget.

The5kRunner tested it across running, cycling, and swimming with Garmin and Polar as reference points, plus Stryd for power data. That kind of multi-discipline, multi-reference testing matters. A watch that nails GPS on a track can still fall apart in a pool or under tree cover on a trail ride.

On the wrist, the optical PPG sensor reads blood volume changes through light to estimate heart rate and HRV. That is the same approach Garmin uses on the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 965, and Polar on the Vantage V3. How the Cheetah 2 Pro processes that raw signal into useful recovery metrics is where Amazfit has historically struggled. Three years away from the premium segment is a long time to close that gap.

For triathletes and runners considering a move away from Garmin's ecosystem, the Cheetah 2 Pro arrives at a moment when Coros is eating into the mid-range and Apple Watch Ultra 3 owns the crossover crowd. Amazfit needs clean GPS tracks, honest training load data, and a battery life that doesn't embarrass itself next to a Fenix or Epix.

Not a perfect comeback. But Amazfit built something worth testing. Full results from the5kRunner are worth reading before you commit.