Amazfit Active Max

The Amazfit Active Max is a round sports smartwatch that Amazfit announced on December 30, 2025, as the newest member of its Active family. Its pitch is summed up in three words the company uses itself: bigger display, bigger storage and bigger battery. It has a 1.5-inch AMOLED screen with up to 3,000 nits, 4GB of onboard storage for offline maps and podcasts, and a rated battery life of up to 25 days of typical use, all in an aluminium-and-polymer case that weighs 39.5 g without the strap. This page is based on the published specifications and manufacturer information. It looks at the place of the watch in the range, its design and display, training and software features, battery life, who it suits and the compromises.

Place in the lineup

Amazfit launched the Active Max at $169 on its own online store and on Amazon on the announcement date. The store page shows $169.99, so the exact cents differ between sources. It sits next to the smaller Amazfit Active 3 Premium, which has a 1.32-inch screen and sapphire glass, and the Active 2 models. The manufacturer's comparison table lists the Active Max with the biggest display (1.5 inches against 1.32 inches on the Active 3 Premium), the largest battery (658 mAh against 365 mAh) and the longest typical battery life (up to 25 days against up to 12 days). The Active 3 Premium counters with sapphire glass, while the Max uses strengthened glass with an anti-fingerprint coating.

Amazfit also sells higher series such as the Amazfit Balance 3 or the rugged Amazfit T-Rex Ultra 2. For a direct comparison inside the Active family, see Amazfit Active Max vs Active 3 Premium.

Design and display

The case measures 48.5 x 48.5 x 12.2 mm, excluding the heart-rate sensor base, and the watch weighs 39.5 g without its strap. Amazfit builds it with an aluminium alloy frame and a polymer case, plus what it calls a pivoted lug structure that flexes with the wrist. The strap is a 22 mm silicone one with a classic pin buckle, and the case has two buttons and a rotor-type vibration motor. The only colour in the specification is Black. Water resistance is 5 ATM under ISO 22810:2010, meaning it is suitable for showering and swimming in a pool, but not for diving.

The display is a 1.5-inch AMOLED with 480 x 480 pixels and a density of 323 ppi. Amazfit quotes a peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits, which it says keeps data readable in direct sunlight. The glass is strengthened glass with an anti-fingerprint coating, rather than the sapphire used on the Active 3 Premium. The watch has a microphone and speaker for Bluetooth calls and voice features.

Training and software

Amazfit lists more than 170 sports modes, with automatic detection of reps, sets and rest periods for 25 strength exercises. Training support includes the Zepp Coach AI plans, including running plans for 3K, 5K, 10K, half-marathon and marathon, and metrics such as VO2 Max, Training Load, Training Effect and PAI. The BioCharge energy score, which adjusts through the day based on workouts, activity and stress, is a signature feature, and the manufacturer's release notes add HybridCharge, which combines BioCharge, LifeLoad and Training Load. The notes also mention official HYROX simulation modes added by software update. These are manufacturer descriptions of features, not independent accuracy tests.

Health tracking uses the BioTracker PPG sensor, with five photodiodes and two LEDs, for heart rate, blood oxygen, stress and sleep, plus alerts for unusually high or low readings. Navigation uses five satellite positioning systems and free downloadable offline maps, including more than 2,000 ski resorts with contour detail. Amazfit says 4GB of storage holds up to about 100 hours of podcasts, noting that the podcast feature arrived through a software update in February 2026 and that real capacity depends on file format and quality. Bluetooth calls, speech-to-text replies on Android and Zepp Flow voice commands are included. The Zepp app works with Android 7.0 or later and iOS 14.0 or later, and Amazfit says workout and recovery data are available without a subscription. Third-party services listed include Strava, TrainingPeaks, komoot, Relive and Wild.AI. The release notes show the watch receiving an upgrade to Zepp OS 6.

Battery life

The battery is rated at 658 mAh. Amazfit gives up to 25 days in typical use, up to 13 days in heavy use and up to 10 days with the always-on display. With continuous GPS the figure is up to 64 hours, and up to 22 hours with GPS and music playback. The typical-use scenario is defined in the footnotes as default brightness, a static watch face, 24-hour heart rate and sleep tracking, three half-hour GPS runs per week and a moderate number of notifications. Real life will vary with brightness, workouts and settings.

Charging is by magnetic charger. The box contains the watch with its strap, the magnetic charging head and a manual, and the store page notes that a USB-C cable is not included, so buyers need their own cable and adapter.

Who it is for

The Active Max suits people who want a large, bright screen and week-plus battery life at an affordable price: gym users who lift, runners training for races and hikers or skiers who want offline maps. The big display helps for glancing at pace and heart rate mid-workout, and the 39.5 g weight keeps it comfortable for sleep tracking. Those who want a more premium, running-focused watch may look at the Garmin Forerunner 970. Users inside the Apple ecosystem who want closer phone integration might compare the Apple Watch Series 10.

Compromises

• The glass is strengthened glass, not sapphire, and the case is aluminium and polymer, not titanium.
• Water resistance is 5 ATM, so it is not meant for diving.
• The specification lists no dual-band GPS and no storage beyond 4GB.
• Battery and podcast figures are manufacturer estimates, a podcast feature arrived by update, and the cable is not in the box.

A few practical points follow from the data. The 1.5-inch screen and 48.5 mm case make the Max one of the larger watches in the Active family, so people with small wrists should check the fit, even though the 39.5 g weight and the flexible lug structure are meant to keep it comfortable. The two-button design means navigation relies on the touchscreen and the voice features for most tasks, which some athletes with wet or gloved hands may find less convenient than a dedicated bezel or extra buttons. The 22 mm strap standard means many third-party and Amazfit straps will fit, and Amazfit lists the Max among watches compatible with its nylon and HYROX straps. Finally, because some of the headline functions, such as podcasts, HybridCharge and the HYROX modes, arrived through firmware updates, it is worth updating the watch and the Zepp app right after setup.

In short, the Amazfit Active Max is a lightweight, long-lasting sports watch with a big screen and useful offline features at a modest price. It is not the most rugged or precise model in Amazfit's range, but it covers what many everyday athletes need. See the rankings for how it places among other smartwatches on this site.