Review of Galaxy Watch Active 2 - the main competitor of Apple Watch among smartwatches

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The device has received a steel version and a classic design.

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is an improved version of the Galaxy Watch Active, released in early 2019. Samsung watches not only show the time or track activity, but also act as full-fledged wrist communicators, replacing the smartphone in a number of scenarios.

Round dial and touchscreen bezel

The gadget from Samsung repeats the features of a mechanical watch. This is manifested in the round shape of the device, the classic dial, buttons and even the strap.

The fresh model received a new version of the steel case. It is slightly heavier than aluminum and shines.

And this is how the aluminum modification looks like in black (there are also options with silver and pink shades):

Watches made of different materials are equipped with appropriate straps: the Galaxy Watch Active 2 has leather made of steel, and the aluminum version has a modest fluoroelastomer bracelet.

The fastening has not changed, which means that the new models can be worn with the old straps.

Galaxy Watch Active 2 is sold in two sizes: 40 and 44 mm. When choosing, you should proceed only from personal preferences: the screens and interface of clocks of different sizes are identical, the modifications are equally convenient to use. The difference in display diameter is only 0.2 inches - that's about 5 mm.

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is controlled by two mechanical buttons on the right side of the dial and a touch screen. It responds correctly to swipes and taps and almost does not collect stains. In addition, the bezel is equipped with a circular regulator, making it easier to flip through the settings menu and the list of applications. We saw a similar solution on the 2018 Galaxy Watch, but there the rotating bezel was mechanical.

Galaxy Watch Active 2 features

Here's a quick list of what the Galaxy Watch Active 2 can do:

• Show notifications. So you can be in touch without taking your smartphone out of your pocket. When syncing with a Samsung device, you can respond to notifications right from the watch screen.
• Track your activity. Calories burned and time on the move are displayed on a separate screen.
• Consider the time spent in a dream. If you don't take your watch off at night, the Samsung Health app will show you how much you slept and if your sleep was restless.
• Keep training statistics. Moreover, in 40 modes - from running and cycling to the bar.
• Replace wallet. The watch's NFC chip enables contactless payments via Samsung Pay.
• Be a wrist translator, voice diary, flashlight, calculator or whatever. It all depends on the apps you download from the Galaxy Store.

The interface in the Galaxy Watch Active 2 migrated from its predecessor and took over most of the functions. We talked about them in more detail in the Galaxy Watch Active review.

Animated and customizable watch faces

When turned on for the first time, the watch shows a classic dial with arrows and two widgets: weather and heart rate. The decor is minimalist and looks nice. The carousel of the many Galaxy Watch dials does not suit your face, so you can stop at this option.

Other preset watch faces can be found in the app.

More in the Galaxy Store. The store is available both in the app and on the watch itself.

Differences from Galaxy Watch Active

There are only three really important differences: the touch-sensitive bezel, the steel version of the new watch and the price. Slightly changed design and the addition of non-working ECG and LTE sensors do not pull serious innovations. Recall that the LTE-module installed in steel versions works with eSIM - a standard that is not yet supported in Russia. The ECG function is still being tested.

If you already own a Galaxy Watch Active, you shouldn't upgrade. If you are just looking at your first smartwatch, you can choose any version. The cost of the Galaxy Watch Active is 16,990 rubles, while the prices for the Active 2 start at 19,990 rubles.

Which is better - Galaxy Watch Active 2 or Apple Watch Series 5

These are completely different devices. Below are the key differences.

• Design. Galaxy Watch is round, Apple Watch is rectangular. A matter of taste and habit.
• Dials. Apple Watch users are limited to a set from the developer, while the Galaxy Watch can be set to watch faces from the app store.
• Built-in memory. The Watch Active 2 has only 4 GB of memory, a significant part of which is occupied by the system. The latest generation Apple Watch received a whopping 32 GB of ROM. This place is reserved for the music library. Both competitors can stream tracks to Bluetooth headphones without a smartphone.
• Voice assistant. In Apple Watch - Siri with all its pros and cons, and in the Galaxy Watch - Bixby, which does not work in Russia. A point in favor of Apple.
• Autonomy. Apple claims 18 hours of operation for all its watches, while Samsung claims 43-60 hours depending on the version. The Galaxy Watch is really more tenacious, but not so much: it will last a couple of days with moderate use, if you remove the gadget at night.
• Animation. After the Apple Watch, Samsung's watches feel sluggish. It's not about the lack of power, but the animation scripts. For example, the screen does not go out immediately after closing it with the palm of your hand, and the notification is shown a few seconds after vibration. Perhaps this will change with software updates.
• Price. The most affordable version of the Galaxy Watch Active 2 will cost 19,990 rubles, the Apple Watch Series 5 - 32,990 rubles.
• Compatibility. Apple Watch is friendly only with iOS devices, and the full potential of the Galaxy Watch opens up with smartphones running Android, in particular Samsung. In this case, you can connect the Galaxy Watch to the iPhone, but you will lose some of the functions. The most annoying loss is contactless payment via Samsung Pay.

Although Samsung and Apple watches are in the same device category and have the same features, it is not very accurate to compare them. And you don't have to choose between them - it's better to just look at your smartphone.

Specifications

• Dimensions: 40 and 44 mm.
• Material: aluminum or steel.
• Aluminum modification colors: 40 mm - vanilla (pink), licorice (black) and arctic (silver); 44 mm - "licorice" and "arctic".
• Dimensions: 40 x 40 x 10.9 mm; 44 × 44 × 10.9 mm.
• The weight: 40 mm - 26 and 37 g, 44 mm - 30 and 44 g depending on the material.
• Display: 40 mm - 1.2 inches, 360 × 360 pixels, Super AMOLED; 44 mm - 1.4 inches, 360 × 360 pixels, Super AMOLED.
• Straps: replaceable, 20 mm.
• Strap included: fluoroelastomer for aluminum and leather for steel versions.
• Battery: 40 mm - 247 mAh, 44 mm - 340 mAh.
• CPU: Exynos 9110, 1.15 GHz.
• Platform: Tizen + Wearable OS 4.0.
• Built-in memory: 4 GB.
• RAM: aluminum version - 768 MB, steel - 1.5 GB.
• Wireless interfaces: Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi b / g / n, NFC, GPS. The steel version has LTE.
• Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, heart rate sensor, microphone.
• Protection: IP68, MIL ‑ STD ‑ 810G.
• Charger: wireless, from included docking station or smartphone with reversible charging function.

Outcomes

If the 2018 Galaxy Watch was a conservative accessory for respectable gentlemen, then the Active series has become more affordable and versatile - this watch is minimalist and fits any wardrobe. The Active 2 model has few changes compared to its predecessor, but costs a little more.

Galaxy Watch Active 2 will suit those who already use a Samsung smartphone and are looking for a versatile smartwatch for daily tasks and hobbyist workouts.

Here are the prices for the different modifications:

• aluminum: 40 mm - 19,990 rubles, 44 mm - 24,990 rubles;
• steel: 40 mm - 26 990 rubles, 44 mm - 31 990 rubles.