Amazfit Balance 3 tested for HYROX

The 5K Runner’s Aug. 5 review of the Amazfit Balance 3 focused on a narrow question that most sports-watch reviews only touch indirectly: whether a watch built around HYROX can do useful race-day work, not just log another mixed workout. (the5krunner.com) The site said it tested the Balance 3 on HYROX race modes, recovery features, GPS and heart-rate accuracy, and compared results against Garmin, WHOOP and Polar in field use. (the5krunner.com) Amazfit has leaned into that framing for months. The company’s U.S. site says the Balance 3 includes HYROX training plans, virtual pace simulations and post-race analysis, and says users can pair Stryd footpods to get real-time indoor pace during HYROX Race Mode. (us.amazfit.com) Amazfit also says it is HYROX’s official wearable partner. ### What exactly was being tested here? HYROX races combine 1-kilometer runs with eight functional workout stations, which means a watch has to do more than capture distance and average heart rate. The 5K Runner’s HYROX-focused coverage around the Balance 3 has centered on whether the watch can track station-by-station effort, pace transitions and recovery in a format that matches the event. (the5krunner.com) The June 19 simulation test on the same device gives the clearest window into that approach. In that session, the reviewer ran a 16x (4+1) HYROX simulation and logged data alongside a Polar reference, a Whoop MG and an hDrop sweat sensor, then examined heart-rate bias, sweat-loss estimates and the workout screens inside the Zepp app. (us.amazfit.com) ### How did the Balance 3 compare on heart rate and GPS? The 5K Runner wrote on June 19 that the Balance 3’s heart rate was “around 3 bpm high” in that HYROX simulation, with one cadence-lock incident. (the5krunner.com) That is not a lab test, but it is the most specific published benchmark in the site’s Balance 3 HYROX coverage. A separate June 24 cycling test from the same outlet said the watch delivered near-chest-strap heart-rate accuracy over 108 kilometers in hot conditions, while GPS was described as good in open terrain and weaker on tree-lined descents. (the5krunner.com) An earlier June 17 run in Stockholm compared the Balance 3 with a Garmin Forerunner 970 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 on GPS and heart rate. Outside that publication, Gadgets & Wearables said in July that a 7.5-kilometer side-by-side run showed the Balance 3 trailing a high-end Garmin by about 30 meters, with heart rate and cadence also close. (the5krunner.com) ### Why do Garmin, WHOOP and Polar matter in this comparison? Garmin, WHOOP and Polar are the benchmarks because they each own a different part of the training-data market. Garmin is the default comparison for GPS watches, Polar is commonly used as a heart-rate reference in field testing, and WHOOP is associated with recovery and strain tracking. (the5krunner.com) The 5K Runner’s comparison matters because HYROX athletes often piece those functions together across multiple devices. Amazfit’s pitch is that Balance 3 can pull more of that into one watch. (gadgetsandwearables.com) The company says HybridCharge energy tools, Zepp app analysis and HYROX-specific modes are meant to connect training load, readiness and race execution without a subscription. ### What does this say about the watch, not the marketing? The Balance 3 appears to be strongest when the question is whether Amazfit has built a credible HYROX-specific toolset into a mainstream sports watch. The official product page points to race-mode pacing and post-race analysis, while The 5K Runner’s published tests show the reviewer checking whether those features hold up against familiar Garmin, Polar and WHOOP benchmarks in real workouts. (the5krunner.com) The remaining gap is breadth, not direction. The most detailed public numbers so far come from simulations and individual field sessions rather than a large set of race results or repeated controlled trials. (us.amazfit.com) ### Where can readers see the next layer of evidence? The 5K Runner’s Aug. 5 review page includes race-mode screenshots and benchmark discussion, according to the story briefing, and the site’s HYROX tech hub continues to collect watch, heart-rate strap and footpod testing around the sport. Amazfit’s product page also lists the HYROX Race Mode and Stryd support features the review was checking in practice. (us.amazfit.com) (the5krunner.com 1) (the5krunner.com 2)