It only took Samsung six months to update the original Watch Active with the Galaxy Watch Active 2. As with its predecessor, it’s all about fitness and activity tracking. There are two size options and they boast a number of improvements over the Watch Active inside, including more sensors and bigger batteries. There’s also an LTE variant for those of you who want to leave your phone at home. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly sets the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 apart from the original.
If you’re looking for Samsung’s latest smartwatch, keep in mind that the company has since released the Galaxy Watch 3, which does everything the Watch Active 2 can do, plus a little more, with a sleeker design. It’s so good that it also landed a spot on our list of the best smartwatches.
There are plenty of other smartwatches out there, so check out the best smartwatch deals before you commit. And if you’re looking to buy a phone, check out our roundup of Samsung Galaxy smartphone deals available now.
Glasses
| Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 | Samsung Galaxy Watch Active | |
| Screen size | 1.2 inches/1.4 inches | 1.1 inches |
| Body size | 40 mm: 40 × 40 × 10.9 mm
44 mm: 44 × 44 × 10.9 mm |
40 mm: 39.5 × 39.5 × 10.5 mm |
| Resolution |
360 × 360 pixels |
360 × 360 pixels |
| Touch screen | 40mm: 1.2-inch Super AMOLED display
44 mm: 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display |
1.1-inch Super AMOLED |
| Wireless interface | Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, NFC, LTE | Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, GPS, NFC |
| Depth | 10.9 mm | 10.5 mm |
| Speedometer | That | That |
| Gyroscope | That | That |
| Ambient light sensor | That | That |
| Heart rate sensor | That | That |
| Barometer | That | That |
| GPS | That | That |
| Waterproof | That | That |
| Battery life | 247 mAh/340 mAh | 230 mAh |
| Price | From $280 | From 200 dollars |
| Availability | Samsung | Samsung |
| DT review | 4 out of 5 stars | 4 out of 5 stars |
Design and display
- 1. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active
- 2. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
We liked the minimalistic design of the original and it has been retained in its sequel. There’s still no rotating bezel, just two buttons on the right, but the Watch Active 2 supports an edge-based gesture that mimics the rotating bezel. While the original Watch Active had an aluminum case, the Watch Active 2 comes in either aluminum or stainless steel.
Although even the smallest Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is larger and heavier than the original, Samsung has made the most of the extra surface area, shrinking the bezels and packing in a larger screen. Super AMOLED is vibrant, sharp and readable even in direct sunlight. Samsung hasn’t bumped up the resolution, but the extra space will be appreciated, especially if you opt for the larger model.
There’s no difference in water resistance, with both models rated at 5ATM and IP68, but one potential durability advantage for the Watch Active 2 is Gorilla Glass DX+, which is specially formulated for clarity and scratch resistance. The original Watch Active is satisfied with the standard Gorilla Glass 3 glass.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Fitness and health tracking features
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Samsung has doubled the LED sensors in the Galaxy Watch Active 2 that are used to track your heart rate. There were four in the original Watch Active, now there are eight. Although this feature took some time to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Galaxy Watch Active 2 also takes EKG measurements on your wrist, just like the Galaxy Watch 3 and Apple Watch Series 6.
The accelerometer has also been doubled, so the Watch Active 2 can measure up to 32G, while the original only went up to 16G. The fitness tracking features are mostly the same as the original, including step counting, running tracking and sleep tracking, and all your data still goes to the Samsung Health app. While the extra sensors and added sensitivity don’t herald a lot of new features, they should ensure that the Watch Active 2 is more accurate than its predecessor.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Battery life
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
The battery capacity of the Galaxy Watch Active 2 has been increased compared to the original. While the new watches have slightly larger power displays, that extra power translates into a difference in the real world. We found that the original Watch Active could last a day with the always-on display enabled, but the Watch Active 2 could be extended to two days with light use. In fact, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 boasts more durability than other popular smartwatches including the Apple Watch Series 5. The LTE variant, which lets you make and receive calls on your wrist, inevitably has less durability.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Special features
Corey Gaskin / Digital Trends
The option of an LTE version will be welcome for some people, but other than that, the Watch Active 2 offers mostly iterative improvements like improved sensors, bigger batteries and displays, and a refined design. We’re happy to see more app integrations, including YouTube and Twitter browsing directly from the watch, and also Google Translate if you have an internet connection. While Samsung stuck with a dual-core Exynos 9110 processor and 4GB of storage, the Wi-Fi version of the Watch Active 2 has 768MB of RAM and the LTE variant has 1.5GB of RAM.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active is an excellent value at $200 and widely available, and can often be found for $169 (or less) on sale. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 started at $280 for the 40mm model and $300 for the 44mm model, though Samsung is now listing the 40mm model for $250. Similarly, online deals often drop those prices to as little as $179 upwards. LTE versions will cost you more.
Check out the best deals on other smartwatches here, and if you want a new Samsung phone to go with your smartwatch, you’ll find great deals on Samsung Galaxy smartphones here.
Overall winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Not surprisingly, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is better than the original. It actually has more in common with the superior Samsung Galaxy Watch than the original Watch Active. A larger screen, refined design, more options, more accurate fitness and health tracking, and LTE connectivity are desirable, but inevitably come at a price. If you already have a Watch Active, there’s really not enough here to convince you to upgrade, but if you’re in the market now and on a budget, then the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is the one to go for.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn