Garmin vs. Amazfit: Which Watch Performs Best for Hyrox Racing?

A recent head-to-head test during a Hyrox race—a grueling competition alternating between 1km runs and functional fitness stations—revealed significant differences in how high-end sports watches handle specialized athletic events. By wearing the premium Garmin Forerunner 970 and the more budget-friendly Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro simultaneously, the test highlighted a clear divide between raw technical capability and user-focused race integration.

While Garmin is widely considered the industry leader in running metrics, the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro proved superior for this specific race format due to its native Hyrox-specific interface. The Amazfit device comes pre-programmed with the race structure, providing intuitive on-screen icons that guide the athlete through upcoming segments. In contrast, the Garmin Forerunner requires third-party workarounds like the Roxfit app to achieve similar functionality, which can be cumbersome to configure and manage under the physical stress of a competition.

Beyond the race itself, the companion software experience further differentiates the two brands. The Amazfit Zepp app offers a more streamlined, race-centric visualization of performance data, organizing splits and station times into a logical, easy-to-read timeline. Garmin Connect, while powerful for general training, lacks this specific structural clarity for Hyrox events.

This comparison underscores a growing trend in wearable technology: specialized software integration is becoming just as important as hardware accuracy. For athletes participating in niche fitness events, the best device is often the one that minimizes cognitive load during the race, allowing the user to focus entirely on their performance rather than managing their equipment.