We recently learned that Google has acquired Fitbit for $2.1 billion, a huge boost for the tech giant's floundering Wear OS and its fitness cred. It remains to be seen how well the next generation of Google's watches perform, but as of now, Samsung's Tizen-based watches remain the kings of Android. Similar to the Apple Watch, the OS is smooth, intuitive and an aesthetic winner, while hardware designs often outshine the Android competition. Following the first Galaxy Watch Active from earlier this year, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 now comes in two sizes (and two metals) with an LTE option and external speaker, growing from a compelling smartwatch to the Android watch of the year. From a design perspective, it's a cut above the Apple Watch with a sleek round form factor and traditional lugs, looking more like an actual watch than a slab of tech. If you're an Android user and want the best wrist-worn experience, this is definitely it. Let's take a closer look.
Design
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 comes in two sizes, comparable to the Apple Watch, with 40mm and 44mm cases. The 40mm model (the one I'm reviewing) sports a 1.2-inch OLED display, while the 44mm model has a 1.4-inch display. It might not sound like a huge difference on paper, but the larger screen is much more expansive. The smaller screen isn't cramped, however, and is actually the same size as that on the earlier 42mm Galaxy Watch. The new models also bring back the rotating bezel, a differentiating feature on many Samsung models, but this time it's capacitive. Instead of turning a physical bezel like before, you simply glide your finger around the outer edge of the screen to navigate. It works surprisingly well and I'm torn as to which method I prefer. It also results in a cleaner, simpler aesthetic, although I personally prefer the look of the older Galaxy Watch 42mm (below at right).
The display resolution is 360 x 360 pixels, resulting in a very sharp 364 ppi. It's also very bright and easily seen in direct sunlight. I set the brightness level at 4 (out of 10) and never felt it was too dim. Like all modern OLED displays (this one is Samsung's Super AMOLED), colors pop and blacks are super deep, and the always-on display subtly shifts around to avoid burn-in. There's a thick border around the display, which was effectively masked by earlier physical bezels, but it leaves necessary space for the virtual counterpart. The aluminum case comes in black, silver and gold with silicone straps, and there are stainless steel models coupled with leather straps that add a bit of luxury. In the US, only the LTE models are stainless steel, but that's not the case in all markets. The face is durable Corning Gorilla Glass DX+ with an excellent oleophobic coating. All models are also IP68 rated for water and dust resistance.
There are two buttons on the right side with the top serving as a back button and the bottom either sending you back to home or to the app drawer (hold for a second to power off). A microphone sits between the two. The elongated top button is also used for an ECG function (electrocardiogram), which is something only the Apple Watch sported until now. Working in tandem with the bottom heart rate sensor, it indicates if you have a normal sinus rhythm or atrial fibrillation (heart beating in an irregular pattern). Unfortunately, the feature isn't yet activated and won't go live until early 2020. If you hold the top button, it will also pull up Samsung Pay (you can pay directly from the watch via NFC). An external speaker is centered on the left side and allows for phone calls directly on the watch and other benefits, such as listening to Spotify (you should probably stick with bluetooth earbuds) and audible notifications.
The back of the watch features a heart rate monitor and the included charger fills the tank via a wireless magnetic puck. Keep in mind that a wall plug is not included, just a charging cable with a standard USB-A end. You can either plug it into a computer or use your phone's wall adapter. The strap also features quick release levers for easy removal without tools.
Hardware
| Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 | |
|---|---|
| Announced | August 2019 |
| Released | September 2019 |
| Display | 1.2" Super AMOLED (360 x 360), 364ppi |
| Processor | Exynos 9110 |
| RAM | 1.5GB |
| Internal storage | 4GB |
| Battery | 247mAh |
| Charging | Wireless magnetic charging puck (no wall plug included) |
| Software | Tizen wearable OS 4.0 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, NFC, GPS, optional LTE |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, heart rate, barometer, light sensor, natural language commands and dictation |
| Measurements | 40mm diameter or 44mm diameter |
| Colors | Black, silver or gold (in aluminum or stainless steel) |
Software and Performance
Similar to Wear OS, there's not much that differentiates one Tizen-based watch from another. My older Galaxy Watch 42mm offers an almost identical software experience to the new Galaxy Watch Active 2. As mentioned earlier, this one does pack in more features than the Galaxy Watch Active it replaces, including an external speaker to take/receive phone calls, an option for LTE connectivity and an ECG monitor. An option for a larger 44mm model also brings it in line with Apple's twin offerings. Navigating the software is fluid and intuitive, and there are enough features in Tizen 4.0 to eclipse Wear OS.
Simply swipe to the left for notifications, which you can respond to via voice, keyboard or handwriting recognition. Swipe to the right for a host of handy widgets you can place, including a calendar, weather, contacts, health and fitness, alarms, app shortcuts, music and more. Just like on your phone, you can tap a widget to dive deeper into the app. You can also slide your finger around the screen's outer border to navigate with the virtual rotating bezel.
Pressing the bottom button (from home) will launch the app drawer, which is arranged around the screen's perimeter. You can swipe right or left to browse through your app pages, or use the capacitive bezel. Swipe down from any screen to reveal quick settings and push and hold on the home screen to change/customize your watch face. And between what's preinstalled and the Galaxy Store, you have a seemingly unlimited amount of watch faces to choose from. There's also a new feature called My Style that can match your outfit with the watch face. Taking a picture of your shirt, pants, etc. via the Galaxy Watch app will create a handful of patterns matching the color. It's a fun idea, but I honestly never used it.
Health and fitness are a big focus for the new watch (there's a reason it's called Active). Common staples are here, like step counting, heart rate monitoring and calories burned. There's also a workout monitor to track activities like running, swimming, cycling and more. Seven exercises are automatically tracked, including walking, running, swimming, cycling, rowing, elliptical training and dynamic workouts. I was able to accurately track reps of multiple workouts – bench presses and bicep curls, for example. An audible ping sounded after every rep, keeping me on track and surprisingly more motivated. Sleep monitoring and water intake tracking are also onboard. There's integrated GPS and Spotify, and music can be saved directly on the watch. Both are ideal for workouts, particularly walking, running or cycling.
In addition to Spotify, third-party apps are decent if not scattershot. There are both YouTube and Twitter apps that work fairly well, although both are limited in functionality. You can only like and retweet in Twitter, for example. There's also a fully functional Samsung web browser, allowing for web versions of Instagram, YouTube, Google and more, among other browsing fun. It's tiny, hard to see, ridiculous and awesome all at once. I'm a big fan.
With the optional LTE enabled, you can leave your phone behind and stay completely connected. Calls, texts and emails are easy, while keeping up with social media is doable, if not a bit cumbersome. You'll probably miss the big screen, but the fact that it's not needed can be practical (mostly). If you're going on a hike or spending a day at the mall, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 with LTE will track your steps and other fitness goals, allow you to pay with NFC, take calls and respond to texts/emails, and Google which product has the best reviews, all without your phone. Oh, and there's Bixby to handle voice commands. It works reasonably well, but delays and misinterpreted words are a bit too common. Stick to relatively short phrases, text messages and email replies, and it's a satisfying experience. Wear OS with Google Assistant has the edge on this one.
Battery
Battery life is often a low point with smartwatches, but the 247mAh battery in Galaxy Watch Active 2 shines. If you're not a fitness buff, handling notifications, taking some calls and playing Spotify won't kill the battery in a day. Two-day battery life is not out of the question and actually common with light usage. If you track exercise for an hour or more, and/or rely heavily on LTE, it should still get you through a full day and night. Of course, it's possible to kill the battery in less than a day, but I suspect most users won't experience that.
As mentioned before, charging is done via a wireless puck, but any compatible Qi wireless charging pad will work. Samsung's Wireless Charger Duo is a cool option to charge both your phone and watch simultaneously. And if you have a Galaxy S10 or Note 10 variant, you can wirelessly charge the watch from the back of your phone. Cool stuff.
Conclusion
Samsung's Galaxy Watch Active 2 works on iOS, but functionality is limited. You can't even respond to notifications. If you're rocking an iPhone, get an Apple Watch. Plain and simple. If you're an Android user (you should be, of course), the 40mm or 44mm Samsung is the best smartwatch you can buy. There are compelling Wear OS models out there from luxury watch brands like Tag Heuer and Montblanc, and both Fossil and Skagen have very nice, affordable options. None of them, however, can match Tizen's fluid, cohesive experience. And the slick simplicity of this hardware is the closest thing you'll get to an Apple Watch, and it's even round to boot. When comparing Android tablets to iPads, Apple generally wins, but that's no longer the case with smartwatches. Samsung's latest can go toe-to-toe with the best from Cupertino. Couple this with a Galaxy S10 or Note 10, and you arguably have the best dual mobile experience available.
Looking at prices, WiFi versions retail for $279.99 (40mm) and $299.99 (44mm), while stainless steel LTE versions retail for $429.99 (40mm) and $449.99 (44mm). Comparing this to the Apple Watch 5, WiFi versions retail for $399 (40mm) and $429 (44mm), while stainless steel LTE versions retail for $699 (40mm) and $749 (44mm). The differences are both substantial and eye-opening, and reinforce how down to earth the Galaxy Watch Active 2 prices are. Apple's 44mm LTE variant starts at a whopping $300 more than its Samsung counterpart. That difference alone would buy a 44mm WiFi Galaxy Watch Active 2. Wow!
You can purchase WiFi and LTE models at Samsung.com, Best Buy, Amazon and participating carriers (among other outlets). You'll have to pay a monthly fee of around $10 for LTE access, but it'll be worth the freedom for many (see your carrier for details).
