Design & Build: Modern Minimalism vs. Classic Chronograph
The Amazfit Balance and GTR 4 cater to distinctly different aesthetic philosophies. The GTR 4 embraces a timeless, classic watch design. It features a circular 46mm aluminum alloy case with a prominent, fluted crown on the right side, reminiscent of luxury mechanical timepieces. Its bezel is narrower, allowing the display to take center stage. It’s a watch that looks equally at home with a business suit as it is with athletic wear, though its larger case size may be imposing on smaller wrists.
In contrast, the Amazfit Balance adopts a more modern, minimalist, and arguably more unisex approach. It utilizes a 46mm lightweight polymer case with an aluminum alloy bezel, making it significantly lighter (35g vs. the GTR 4’s 44g) for all-day comfort. Its design is smoother, with a single streamlined button and a hidden crown that functions as a second button. The Balance feels more like a contemporary health and fitness device, prioritizing lightweight comfort over classic horology. Both watches feature crisp 1.43-inch AMOLED displays with 466×466 resolution and always-on functionality, though the Balance boasts a slightly higher peak brightness of 1500 nits for better outdoor visibility.
Health & Wellness Monitoring: The Balance’s AI Edge
This is the category where the Amazfit Balance establishes a clear generational lead, introducing features not found on the GTR 4.
- Zepp OS 3.0 and Zepp Coach: The Balance runs on the newer Zepp OS 3.0, which introduces the groundbreaking Zepp Coach. This AI-powered feature provides personalized running coaching, creating tailored plans based on your fitness level and goals, offering dynamic pacing guidance during runs, and delivering detailed post-workout analysis. The GTR 4, on the older Zepp OS 2.0, lacks this AI integration, offering more standard fitness tracking.
- Body Composition Analysis: This is the Balance’s flagship health feature. Using Bioelectric Impedance Analysis (BIA) through electrodes in the crown, it can measure metrics like body fat percentage, muscle mass, water percentage, and protein mass. This provides a far more comprehensive picture of your health beyond weight alone. The GTR 4 is limited to basic heart rate, SpO2, and stress monitoring.
- Readiness Score: Leveraging its new dual-band GPS and upgraded BioTracker 5.0 PPG sensor, the Balance provides a daily Readiness Score. This metric analyzes your sleep, heart rate variability, and activity to recommend how hard you should train or if you need recovery. The GTR 4 offers a PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) score, which is a great holistic health metric, but it doesn’t offer the same specific daily guidance as the Readiness Score.
- Sleep Monitoring: Both watches offer detailed sleep staging (light, deep, REM, awake) and sleep score analysis. The Balance, however, adds a new Sleep Coach function that provides actionable advice to improve sleep quality over time.
The GTR 4 is no slouch, accurately tracking heart rate 24/7, blood oxygen levels, stress, and women’s health. But the Balance represents a significant leap forward in proactive, AI-driven health management.
Sports & Fitness Tracking: Precision and Power
Both watches are exceptionally capable fitness trackers with over 150 built-in sports modes. The core difference lies in the accuracy of their sensors and the intelligence of their software.
The Amazfit GTR 4 is equipped with the excellent BioTracker 4.0 PPG sensor and a dual-band circularly-polarized GPS antenna. Its GPS performance is highly accurate, quickly acquiring signals and maintaining a stable lock even in challenging urban environments with tall buildings.
The Amazfit Balance upgrades both key components. It features the new BioTracker 5.0 sensor, which promises improved heart rate accuracy, especially during high-intensity interval training where rapid BPM changes can confuse older sensors. More significantly, it includes Dual-Band L1+L5 GPS. This technology uses two frequencies to significantly improve location accuracy and reduce signal drift, especially in dense cities or under tree cover. For runners and cyclists seeking the most precise route and pace data, the Balance has a clear technical advantage. The inclusion of Zepp Coach on the Balance further widens the gap, turning the watch from a passive tracker into an active running partner.
Battery Life & Charging: The Marathon vs. The Sprint
Amazfit watches are renowned for their battery life, and both models deliver, though with a trade-off.
The Amazfit GTR 4 is a battery life champion. Under typical usage (enabling always-on display, notifications, and 30-minute workouts daily), it can easily last 7 days. With more conservative settings, pushing past 10-14 days is achievable. This is its major selling point for users who despise frequent charging.
The Amazfit Balance, with its more powerful sensors (BIA, dual-band GPS), brighter display, and faster processor, consumes more energy. Its typical battery life is rated at a respectable 5 days with standard use. However, engaging dual-band GPS or the body composition scan regularly will reduce this further. It also features faster magnetic charging. The Balance sacrifices a few days of ultimate endurance for a more feature-rich, power-hungry experience.
Smart Features & Ecosystem: A Near Tie
Both watches run on the Zepp OS, providing a smooth, responsive experience free from the lag that plagues some Wear OS devices. They offer a robust set of smart features:
- Notifications for calls, texts, and apps (with quick replies on iOS only).
- Offline music storage (
2.3GB~3GB on Balance) for Spotify, Deezer, and others. - Bluetooth phone calls directly from the watch.
- Voice assistant support (Amazon Alexa on both, with the Balance adding Zepp’s own voice assistant).
- NFC for Zepp Pay (region-dependent).
- Find My Phone and weather apps.
The Balance, with Zepp OS 3.0, offers more watch faces and slightly more polished animations, but the core smart experience is virtually identical and highly capable on both devices.
Specification Comparison Table
| Feature | Amazfit Balance | Amazfit GTR 4 | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case Material | Polymer + Aluminum Alloy | Aluminum Alloy | (Subjective) |
| Weight | 35g (lighter) | 44g | Balance |
| Display | 1.43″ AMOLED, 466×466, 1500 nits | 1.43″ AMOLED, 466×466, ~500 nits | Balance |
| Health Sensor | BioTracker™ 5.0 | BioTracker™ 4.0 | Balance |
| Unique Health | Body Composition, Readiness Score | PAI Score | Balance |
| GPS | Dual-Band L1+L5 GPS | Dual-Band Circularly-Polarized GPS | Balance |
| AI Coaching | Zepp Coach | Not Available | Balance |
| Battery Life | Up to 5 days (typical) | Up to 7-14 days (typical) | GTR 4 |
| Water Resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM | Tie |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 | 5.0 | Balance |
| OS | Zepp OS 3.0 | Zepp OS 2.0 | Balance |
The Verdict: Choosing Your Champion
The choice between the Amazfit Balance and GTR 4 is not merely about which is better, but which is better for you.
Choose the Amazfit Balance if:
You are a health enthusiast or a serious runner/cyclist who wants the most advanced metrics. The Body Composition analysis, Dual-Band GPS for pin-point accuracy, AI-powered Zepp Coach, and daily Readiness Score make it a comprehensive health and fitness platform on your wrist. You value cutting-edge technology and actionable insights over maximum battery life.
Choose the Amazfit GTR 4 if:
You prioritize classic watch aesthetics and unparalleled battery life above all else. It remains an incredibly powerful smartwatch with excellent GPS and health tracking capabilities that surpass most competitors in its price range. If you want a watch you can forget to charge for a week or two and that looks like a traditional timepiece, the GTR 4 is an outstanding value and a proven performer.