A $170 smartwatch that guided my recovery and running training

The Amazfit Active 3 Premium sells for $169.99 and builds on last year’s Active 2 with stronger materials and more running-focused features. It’s compact, with a 20mm band and a vibrant 3,000-nit AMOLED display, making it a good fit for runners starting out and anyone who wants a smaller, high-quality smartwatch.

Hardware includes sapphire glass, stainless steel construction and four physical buttons that are handy when running in rain or sweat. The watch supports advanced running metrics such as lactate threshold, recovery data and training load, and it offers offline mapping and Zepp Coach training plans directly through the Zepp app.

The reviewer used the Active 3 Premium to manage a slow comeback from hip bursitis, finding the guided plans preferable to jumping into something like a half-marathon that might have set back recovery. Zepp Coach walks users through questions to tailor plans, and the app can also connect third-party training plans from Runna, TrainingPeaks and Intervals.icu.

amazfit, active 3, amoled display, sapphire glass, stainless steel, zepp coach, lactate threshold, training load, offline mapping, hip bursitis