Forget the Garmin Forerunner 970 — Here's why the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro could leave the competition in the dust

Move over, Garmin Forerunner 970, there’s a new premium smartwatch for marathon runners nipping at your heels. The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro offers many of the same pro-level design specs, training tools, and holistic features found on Garmin’s $750 flagship running watch, for $300 less.

The list includes dual-band GPS, a titanium alloy case, a sapphire crystal glass, an ultra-bright AMOLED screen, a built-in LED flashlight, support for 170+ workout modes, personalized training plans, advanced recovery metrics, and more.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro smartwatch.

Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro: Key features

• Titanium alloy case and sapphire crystal glass screen
• 2.32-inch AMOLED touchscreen with 3,000 nits max brightness (same as Apple Watch Ultra 3)
• Dual-band GPS antenna
• 20 days of battery in smartwatch mode; 31 hours with full GPS tracking
• Support for offline maps with turn-by-turn navigation
• Custom training plans with advanced workout and recovery metrics, including VO2 Max, Training Load, and Training Effect
• Onboard speaker and microphone for Bluetooth calls
• 32GB onboard storage for music, podcasts, and maps
• $449 and available now

Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro: Price and availability

The Cheetah 2 Pro is available now directly through Amazfit for $449. It ships on a perforated rubber strap that kind of reminds me of an old-school skin diver watch strap.

Additionally, according to the Amazfit site, a snazzy-looking green nylon strap will be offered separately for the Cheetah 2 Pro at a later date.

Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro: Design and build quality

The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro is roughly the same size as the Garmin Forerunner 970; however, it weighs nearly 8 grams less than the pricier competition. Both devices sport sapphire glass, which is tougher than hardened mineral glass found on more affordable smartwatches.

Unlike the Forerunner 970, the Cheetah 2 Pro features a comparably tougher-built titanium alloy case design versus reinforced polymer (plastic). You get an LED flashlight tucked into the top of the case on either model, both of which also boast a red light mode.

The Cheetah 2 Pro combines touchscreen functionality with four physical buttons, which look extra grippy and easy to access, even while, say, running.

Max screen brightness is 3,000 nits, which is brighter than the screen on the Forerunner 970, and should make it even easier to view in direct sunlight.

Water resistance is 50 meters, the same as the flagship Forerunner. This is enough for short surf-level swims but not high-impact water sports or diving.

Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro: Fitness and training tools

Arguably Amazfit's most advanced running watch to date, the Cheetah 2 Pro offers nearly all the same heady training and recovery metrics you'll find on the best Garmin watches, including VO2 Max, Training Load, and Training Effect.

It also provides structured workout guides, personalized training plans to help you prep for an upcoming running-based event, and workout recovery recommendations.

Despite being a hardcore running-centric watch, the Cheetah 2 Pro supports over 170 workout types, including some darn nuanced options like tug-of-war and snow shoveling.

Dual-band GPS promises accurate location tracking even under obstructed skies, while Amazfit's latest-greatest health sensor array should provide precise heart rate data, sleep tracking reports, women's health insights, and more.

Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro: Smart features

Like the Forerunner 970, the Cheetah 2 Pro boasts an onboard microphone and speaker, allowing you to take calls from the wrist via a Bluetooth-paired smartphone.

You also get 32GB of onboard storage to store music and/or podcasts for offline listening without a paired phone. That storage can also be used to download and save free navigational maps, also for offline use.

These maps feature turn-by-turn directions; however, the overall usability lags behind Garmin, based on my experience testing the maps' functionality on the also-new (ish) Amazfit Active Max.

Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro: Battery

When it comes to battery life, on paper, at least, the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro has the Garmin Forerunner 970 beat. When using full GPS to track an outdoor workout, the Cheetah 2 Pro promises up to 31 hours of use per charge (69 hours in GPS power save mode). The Forerunner 970, meanwhile, lasts for 26 hours with full GPS tracking.

In standard smartwatch mode, Amazfit says the Cheetah 2 Pro should be good for up to 20 days per charge, compared to 15 days for the Forerunner 970.

Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro: Outlook

On paper, the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro has an awful lot going for it. Simply put, it offers the specs, tech, and build quality of far pricier flagship models, at a cost that, while far from cheap, is going to potentially tempt a lot of folks away from the Garmin Forerunner series.

Ultimately, the question is, will the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro perform with as rock-solid reliability across the board as the best Garmin watches of 2026? We plan to get one in for thorough testing to find out. Stay tuned.

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