tldr; Amazfit's premium play. AI readiness scores gimmicky but hardware solid. Competes with Garmin Venu at lower price.
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Best praise vs top criticism for Amazfit Balance
“You're definitely not alone in this situation it's tough trying to balance a loved one's independence with their safety, especially when they live alone. I went through the same thing with my dad, who also insisted on staying in his house well into his 80s. After a few health scares, we realized it was time for a medical alert system that could give him freedom and us peace of mind. In our experience, the most important features were fast emergency response, ease of use, and coverage both at home and on the go. Some systems are great if the person rarely leaves the house, but since your aunt is still active, you’ll want something with GPS tracking and a mobile component. There are wearable devices now that look like regular smartwatches or pendants, and they can detect falls automatically—which is huge if someone gets knocked out or can't press a button. The system we ended up choosing for my dad had a base station for home use and a wearable pendant that worked anywhere with cellular coverage. Setup was straightforward, maybe 15–20 minutes max, and we didn’t have to deal with any complicated tech stuff. One thing to look out for is whether the system has a monthly monitoring fee and what exactly it covers. Some advertise low up-front costs but then hit you with activation fees or extra charges for GPS or fall detection. Definitely read the fine print. Also, make sure to test the range and reliability early on. We did a few trial runs just to be sure the alert reached the monitoring center quickly and that they responded in under a minute. It helped reassure my dad, too, knowing that someone was actually on the other end and ready to help. If your aunt values her independence, having a discreet, all-in-one device she can wear without feeling like she's broadcasting her age or health status can make a big difference in whether she actually uses it. Portability and ease of charging will matter more than you might think—especially if she’s out and about often. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, but getting real-world feedback from others really helped us narrow it down. Hope you find something that works well for her!”
“I recently had the same situation. Was deciding between Garmin Venu 3, Amazfit Balance and Huawei Watch GT5. Garmin Venu 3: imho the software and the build quality are not worth the initial release price of 500€. Loved the fitness tracking and so but the software and build quality were a no go for me. So my decision was between Amazfit and Huawei. I went for the Huawei because of the - imho - better build quality, optics and the little bit smoother software. But don't get me wrong, the Amazfit Balance is a freakin good deal for (in my case) 169€”
796 Reddit opinions analyzed • Last updated 2/24/2026