Less than six months have passed since Samsung introduced the Galaxy Watch Active to the public. And so
Design
Let's start, according to tradition, with what the watch looks like— from design. The appearance is exactly the same as the first generation, but there are some changes. If you remember, older versions of Samsung accessories are equipped with very convenient mechanical rotating frames for improved navigation through the interface. Watch Active 2 takes a completely new approach to a useful feature. The thin black bezel around the display is now touch sensitive and mimics the functionality of the rotating bezel from the previous version. The watch now provides pleasant haptic feedback as you glide along the smooth edge.
According to the manufacturer, functionalityremained the same, but it allowed to maximize the screen size. As before, the digital bezel now rotates clockwise and counterclockwise to help you navigate the OneUI on your watch.
The second global difference from the first versionSamsung Galaxy Watch Active is that the watch is now available in two different sizes — 40 mm and 44 mm. Plus, each of these two versions comes in two different styles: a sportier version and a premium version with a stainless steel case and a leather strap.
Another cool new feature — Thisthe ability to choose the color of the dial to match your everyday outfit. You can simply take a photo of yourself using your Galaxy phone, and the wearable's MyStyle algorithm will extract key colors and apply them to the current watch face. Very cool and relevant!
Features & Functions
Key advantage of the new Samsung Galaxy WatchActive 2 — the presence of an ECG (electrocardiogram) sensor, which allows the watch to measure the activity of your heart, like the latest generation Apple Watch. In addition, the watch is capable of tracking your daily activity, supporting a total of 39 activities, seven of which are launched automatically — running, walking, cycling, swimming, rowing machine, elliptical and dynamic training.
There is a feature that helps you keep track ofpace of running. Samsung also claims that the sensors on the back of the wearable device are improved and now get the required performance much faster than the previous generation Watch Active watches.
Watch Active 2 is now more independent,than the previous generation. The smartwatch comes with LTE connectivity, allowing you to use it without the need to pair it with your phone. In addition to this, Samsung has also included real-time voice and text translation between 16 different languages (Arabic, Chinese, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese). The version without LTE will, of course, be lower in price.
But if you decide to use the Galaxy WatchActive 2 paired with your phone gives you more connected features and functionality than before. For example, you'll be able to control your phone's camera and take photos, start recording videos, view your footage on your watch, switch between the front and rear cameras, and even view your photos right from your wrist.
Specifications
Galaxy Watch Active 2 runs on dual coreExynos 9110 chipset clocked at 1.15 GHz and equipped with 768 MB of RAM. Models with LTE support receive up to 1.5 GB of RAM for improved performance. Regardless of the model, you also get 4GB of built-in storage for storing music, photos, and other files.
The 44mm version of the watch is equippedA 1.4-inch Super AMOLED display, while the smaller model has a 1.2-inch display. Both displays have the same resolution of 360×360 pixels and are covered with Gorilla Glass DX+. The older version has a 340 mAh battery, the younger — 247 mAh.
How is it different from the Galaxy Watch Active?
If you are the owner of the first version of Galaxy Watch Active, for sure, the question will arise in your head whether it is worth changing the old watch to a new version. Not at all necessary. The following is a comparison table.
Galaxy Watch Active
Galaxy Watch Active 2
Galaxy Watch Active 2 LTE
The size
40 mm
40mm/44mm
40mm/44mm
Dimensions
39.5 x 39.5 x 10.5T, 25 grams
40 x 40 x 10.9T, 26g / 44 x 44 x 10.9T, 30 grams
40 x 40 x 10.9T, 37g / 44 x 44 x 10.9T, 44 grams
Housing
aluminum
aluminum
stainless steel
Display
1.1″
1.2″ / 1.4″
1.2″ / 1.4″
Resolution
360 x 360
360 x 360
360 x 360
CPU
Exynos 9110, 1.15GHz
Exynos 9110, 1.15GHz
Exynos 9110, 1.15GHz
Ram
768 MB
768 MB
1.5 Gb
Memory
4 GB
4 GB
4 GB
Battery
230 mAh, wireless charging
247mAh / 340mAh
247mAh / 340mAh
Connection
Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC
A-GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/Beidou
Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC
A-GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/Beidou
Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC
A-GPS/GLONASS/Galileo/Beidou
Sensors
Heart rate sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Barometer
Heart rate sensor, ECG, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Barometer, Light sensor
Heart Rate Sensor, ECG, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Barometer, Light Sensor
Colors
Silver, black, rose gold, sea green
Silver, Black, Gold
Silver, Black, Gold
Other
5ATM IP68/MIL-STD-810G
5ATM IP68/MIL-STD-810G
5ATM IP68/MIL-STD-810G
Price and sales
And the most interesting thing — this is the cost of the Galaxy Watch Active 2. The start of sales of the new product is scheduled for September 27. Prices are shown below:
Galaxy Watch Active 2 (40mm, Bluetooth) $279
Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm, Bluetooth) $299
The price of versions with LTE is not yet called.
Pre-orders will start on September 6th. Anyone making a reservation for a new device will receive a free Samsung wireless portable battery as a bonus.