Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro vs Garmin CIRQA: Which Should You Buy?

Overview

These two devices are not really competing for the same buyer. The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro is a premium running watch built for competitive and serious recreational runners who want GPS, race metrics, and titanium construction. The Garmin CIRQA is a screenless health band built for continuous physiological monitoring, recovery tracking, and athletes who already own a watch. Comparing them directly only makes sense if you are deciding which category of device to buy first.

Specs at a glance

GPS: Cheetah 2 Pro has multi-band GNSS onboard. CIRQA has no GPS chipset.
Display: Cheetah 2 Pro has a full watch display with sapphire crystal. CIRQA has LED indicators only.
Heart rate sensor: Both use wrist-based optical PPG sensors measuring blood volume via light. Neither uses electrical impulse measurement.
SpO2: Both include optical blood oxygen monitoring.
Skin temperature: Confirmed on CIRQA. Not confirmed on Cheetah 2 Pro from available sources.
Altimeter: Cheetah 2 Pro has a barometric altimeter. CIRQA has no altimeter.
Wear position: Cheetah 2 Pro is wrist only. CIRQA supports wrist or upper arm (bicep).
Price: CIRQA is $199. Cheetah 2 Pro sits in a higher tier, exact price not confirmed in available sources but positioned above mid-range Amazfit products.

GPS and tracking accuracy

The Cheetah 2 Pro uses multi-band GNSS and was tested against Garmin, Polar, and Stryd reference devices. However, the detailed GPS accuracy numbers from The5kRunner review are behind a paywall and cannot be cited with confidence here. What is confirmed is that the reviewer considered the running dynamics output serious enough to benchmark against a power meter, which is a reasonable signal of credibility.

The CIRQA has no GPS at all. It relies on a paired phone or watch for location data. For heart rate accuracy specifically, the CIRQA performed well in a HYROX simulation, matching the Whoop MG, Amazfit Balance 3, and Fitbit Air within one beat per minute, and outperforming a Garmin HRM 600 chest strap in that session. That is a strong optical PPG result under high-intensity conditions. The Cheetah 2 Pro's HR accuracy data is not available from accessible sources.

Battery life

Specific battery figures are not confirmed in available sources for either device. This is a real gap in the data. The Cheetah 2 Pro's battery life will be shaped by GPS mode usage, which is typical for running watches. The CIRQA, with no screen and no GPS, would be expected to run longer in continuous monitoring mode, but no confirmed hour figure exists to cite.

For athletes: who wins?

Running and racing: Cheetah 2 Pro. It has GPS, a barometric altimeter, running dynamics, and sapphire construction. The CIRQA cannot replace a running watch.
Trail running: Cheetah 2 Pro by default. Multi-band GNSS and altitude tracking are necessary for trail use. The CIRQA is irrelevant in this context.
Triathlon and multisport: Cheetah 2 Pro was tested across running, cycling, and swimming. The CIRQA has no GPS and no display, so it cannot function as a primary multisport device.
Recovery and continuous health monitoring: CIRQA. Its purpose-built design, bicep wear option for stronger ANT+ broadcast, and no-subscription-fee model at $199 make it a direct and financially honest alternative to Whoop. It performed accurately in high-intensity gym conditions.

Verdict

If you need a GPS running watch, the Cheetah 2 Pro is the relevant device here. The CIRQA is not a running watch and should not be bought as one. If you want passive recovery and health tracking, especially if you already own a GPS watch, the CIRQA at $199 with no subscription fee is a serious option worth considering over Whoop. The two devices serve different functions, and the honest answer is that most serious runners need neither to replace the other. Buy the Cheetah 2 Pro if you need a primary training device. Buy the CIRQA only if continuous health monitoring is the specific gap you are filling.