Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 Review

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. As a reminder, the LTE-module installed in steel versions works with eSIM. A standard that is not yet supported. ECG function is still being tested.

If you already own a Galaxy Watch Active, you shouldn’t upgrade. If you are just eyeing your first smartwatch, you can choose any version.. And for Active 2 start at 19,990 rubles.

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. When syncing with a Samsung device, you can respond to notifications directly from the watch screen.
• Track your activity. Calories burned and time in motion 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. Over, in 40 modes. From running and cycling to the bar.
• Replace wallet. The watch’s NFC chip allows 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.

Galaxy Watch Active 2 review. The main competitor to Apple Watch among smartwatches

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.

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

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

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 need to choose between them. It’s better to just look at your smartphone.

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.

You can find other preset watch faces in the app.

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

Round dial and touch bezel

The gadget from Samsung repeats the features of a mechanical watch. This is evident in the circular 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.

Steel body

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

Aluminium case

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

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

Galaxy Watch Active 2 is sold in two sizes: 40 and 44 mm. When choosing, one should proceed only from personal preferences: the screens and the 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 hardly collects stains. In addition, the bezel has a rotary knob, making it easier to scroll through the settings menu and the list of applications. We saw a SIMilar solution on the Galaxy Watch 2018, but the rotating bezel was mechanical.

Specifications

• Sizes: 40 and 44 mm.
• Material: aluminum or steel.
• Colors of the aluminum modification: 40 mm. “vanilla” (pink), “licorice” (black) and “arktika” (silver); 44 mm. “licorice” and “arctic”.
• Dimensions: 40 × 40 × 10.9 mm; 44 x 44 x 10.9 mm.
• 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.
• Included strap: fluoroelastomer for aluminum and leather for steel versions.
• Battery: 40 mm. 247 mAh, 44 mm. 340 mAh.
• Processor: 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.
• Charging: wireless, from the included docking station or smartphone with reversible charging function.

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 is suitable for those who already use a Samsung smartphone and are looking for a versatile smartwatch for daily tasks and amateur workouts.

Here are the 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.

The author expresses his gratitude to Samsung for the devices provided for testing.

Galaxy Watch Active2 interface and applications

The watch works on the basis of the Tizen operating system with the One UI 1.5 interface, which has become visually pleasing and more convenient to use. As with its smartphones, Samsung has used One UI on its wearables to improve the experience. Therefore, most of the shell and menu elements were redrawn, they became larger and more convenient to click on.

Swiping the dial to the right will open a screen that displays all incoming alerts.

The same gesture to the left allows you to view widgets with different information, for example, about physical activity, current heart rate, weather, calendar events, the number of cups of coffee drunk. There are almost two dozen widgets in One UI 1.5, so the user can choose them according to his taste and needs.

A swipe from top to bottom of the screen opens a panel with quick settings, almost like in an Android smartphone.

The main menu of the watch opens when you press the mechanical key on the left side, all pre-installed and downloaded applications are displayed here.

Interestingly, the Galaxy Watch Active2 can integrate into a smart home system based on the Samsung Smart Things service and if the user has devices compatible with it, for example, a robot vacuum cleaner or a washing machine, then they can be controlled directly from the watch.

Display and control

Depending on the size, the watch has a display of different diagonal, in the 44 mm version it is 1.4-inch, and in the 40 mm it is 1.2-inch. In this case, in both cases, a Super AMOLED matrix with a resolution of 360 × 360 is used. Traditionally for this type of screen, it has a very colorful picture with deep blacks and enough brightness not to fade in direct sunlight. In this case, the latter is automatically regulated by the corresponding sensor.

By default, the display on the Galaxy Watch Active2 turns off when not in use and is activated when the user raises their hand to view the time. However, you can select an option with which the screen always remains active. In this mode of operation, it reduces brightness and animation, and also reduces the number of elements displayed on the dial. But this still significantly increases the battery consumption, so if you don’t want to charge the device every day, then it’s better not to enable this option. Over, the automatic switching on of the display when raised works very well.

The watch interface is controlled via a touchscreen display and two mechanical keys located on its right edge. The upper one is responsible for a step back, and the lower one is for calling the menu and returning to the main screen with a dial. And besides that, you can assign an action to it by double clicking on it, for example, open an alarm clock or any other application.

As mentioned above, Samsung has ditched the mechanical scroll wheel, which was a pretty handy alternative to the touchscreen for navigating the interface. The Galaxy Watch Active2 uses a touchpad instead, which runs around the perimeter of the display. Touching it is confirmed by a slight vibration, which slightly compensates for the lack of mechanical click of the navigation wheel in previous models. In general, the touch panel works quite accurately. But what’s interesting is that it is disabled by default and you need to activate it yourself in the settings. Apparently, Samsung has made this navigation option for those who are switching to the Galaxy Watch Active2 from previous models, but the company is pushing completely new users to use the touchscreen.

Platform, connection and configuration

The Galaxy Watch Active2 is based on a system on the Exynos 9110 chip with a dual-core processor operating at 1.15 GHz and is equipped with 750 MB of RAM, as well as 4 GB of data storage, of which 1.4 GB is available to the user. Samsung has been using this platform for several years, starting with the Galaxy Watch, and it has managed to prove itself well. The Tizen operating system with the One UI 1.5 shell works on it very quickly and without any freezes.

As befits a smartwatch, the device has a range of sensors, including an accelerometer, barometer and gyroscope, and uses GPS, GLONASS, Beidou and Galileo for positioning. Wireless modules are represented by Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi b / g / n 2.4 GHz, as well as NFC. The latter could be used for contactless payment, but the watch works only with the Samsung Pay service, which the company never launched in Ukraine.

Formally, the Galaxy Watch Active2 can be connected to both Android and iOS smartphones, but in practice they will work best with the former. Apple restricts the running of third-party apps in the background, so the watch will often lose connection with the iPhone, which will become annoying after a while. There are no problems with Android in this regard, the main thing is that it should be at least version 5.0, and the device has more than 1.5 GB of RAM.

Galaxy Watch Active2 connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth 5.0 and for this you need to install the Galaxy Wearable app, since it is used to further customize the watch.

At the top of the app, information about the device is displayed: current watch face, battery level, projected runtime and connection. Below are the menu items with settings, with which you can change alerts, programs, widgets, sound, vibration, screen display and other watch options.

One of the perks of Samsung smartwatches has always been support for all incoming notifications, and the Galaxy Watch Active2 is no exception. The user can still independently configure which application notifications will be transmitted from the smartphone, and most importantly, they can be interacted with directly on the watch.

For example, you can not only view a new Gmail letter, but also immediately delete or archive it, and immediately reply to a message in Telegram. Over, the latter can be done in several ways at once: just an emoticon, a preset short phrase, as well as your own text, which is entered through gestures on the screen, or through a virtual keyboard.

In addition, Galaxy Watch Active2 can be used as a wireless headset and receive calls directly on it. To do this, there is a loud speaker on the left side of the watch, and a microphone is located at the top.

You can connect wireless headphones directly to the watch via Bluetooth and listen to music from them while jogging or exercising in the gym. To do this, Galaxy Wearable has an option to transfer data from a smartphone to a watch, the user can automatically sync music files with them, as well as photos.

Samsung was one of the first to use its own operating system for smartwatches, and while Google was deciding on the future of Wear OS, it was able to become one of the leaders in this market. Models such as the Gear S3 Frontier and Galaxy Watch have become very popular and today they can be seen on the wrist of not only Samsung smartphone users. However, the design of these massive models with a mechanical navigation wheel around the display was not to everyone’s liking, and the company used a more versatile appearance for its new model Galaxy Watch Active2. So let’s see how this affected the use of the watch and what they have to offer in terms of functionality.

Design

Externally, the Galaxy Watch Active2 almost completely repeats the Watch Active model, which was released this spring. In it, Samsung for the first time used a more laconic design with smooth lines in its watches and in the new model the company took the same concept as a basis.

Galaxy Watch Active2 received a round case with slightly rounded edges. The entire upper part of the watch is covered with a protective Gorilla Glass, which is slightly rounded at the edges, creating a smooth transition to the metal frame.

Samsung ditches the massive mechanical navigation wheel around the display and uses a touchpad instead.

The appearance of the watch largely depends on the selected dial and strap, and the laconic design of the case in this regard plays into the hands of the Galaxy Watch Active2.

They are very easy to transform from classic to sports.

Galaxy Watch Active2 complete set, versions and straps

The watch is delivered in a small cardboard box, inside of which there is a complete strap and a USB magnetic charging cable.

Unlike previous generations of Samsung smartwatches, Galaxy Watch Active2 differ not only in case size (40 or 44 mm), but also in materials, color and straps. A polished stainless steel version is now available for purchase with a leather strap in black, silver and gold, and an aluminum version with a silicone strap in black, gray and pink. In addition, there is also a version of Galaxy Watch Active2 Under Armor.

I tested a 44 mm stainless steel watch with a polished case and a black strap.

Each version of the watch supports interchangeable 20 mm straps with a standard fastening system.

Accordingly, if desired, the user has the opportunity to change the straps, and not only for official, but also for any compatible.

Samsung, in turn, introduced a range of additional leather and silicone straps for the Galaxy Watch Active2. I managed to try both options, and I want to note that they are made with high quality.

The leather strap, although soft, is quite dense and does not rub off quickly, and the silicone strap is pleasant to the touch and does not collect dust.

Water and dust resistant

As in the Galaxy Watch Active, the case of the new watch is protected from water and dust according to the IP68 standard, and also has a 5ATM water resistance according to the ISO 22810: 2010 standard.With the device you can safely swim in the pool or in open water, but you cannot dive. Samsung is also talking about certification according to the military standard MIL-STD-810G, with passing tests for moisture penetration, immersion in water, and also at working height. However, I note once again that the description of the MIL-STD-810G standard itself takes 800 pages and includes 29 tests, with different methods of implementation. Accordingly, without knowing the testing conditions, it is difficult to say what kind of load the watch was subjected to during certification.

Sports and fitness functions

In addition to working with alerts and apps, the watch can be used to track physical activity. They can count steps, calories burned, minutes of activity, exercise, and sleep. All data is synchronized with the Samsung Health service, which organizes them and then provides statistics, as well as recommendations.

Galaxy Watch Active2 can track different sports, both outdoors and indoors. The user can run, swim in the watch, ride a bike and do yoga.

At the same time, you do not need to take your smartphone with you, they collect data completely autonomously, determining the distance traveled, pace, calories burned and heart rate.

At rest, the watch measures the heart rate quite accurately, but during sports, a lot depends on the correct fixation of the device, it should be two fingers below the wrist and fit snugly to the body. If you follow these recommendations and there are no physiological features that can prevent the optical sensor from reading the movement of blood in the veins, then Galaxy Watch Active2 will measure the pulse almost at the level of the chest sensors.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 review

Six months after the original release, Samsung has unveiled the improved Galaxy Watch Active 2, which now comes in a variety of sizes and has several enhancements.

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 doesn’t look as toy-like as the original, costs less than the Apple Watch, and works with Android and iPhone smartphones. And although this watch lacks a proprietary rotating bezel, this “chip” remained in the form of a function, plus, the gadget is able to monitor sleep and is very comfortable to wear.

Workout and sleep tracking

The rival Apple Watch Series 5 is a cool smartwatch, but it doesn’t accurately detect workouts in automatic mode. With Samsung, this is not the case. As soon as you start classes, the watch will immediately recognize this and begin to count. As soon as you look at the screen (raise your wrist), you will see activity results over time spent on activities, calories burned, heart rate and other information.

Of course, you can start the training mode manually, and there are many different types available: cycling, running, swimming, etc. And here it is important: the heart rate monitor works well enough and gives correct readings. GPS tracking is also generally good, but GPS trackers on smartphones are better.

Of course, there is also such a popular feature as sleep tracking. The very idea of ​​putting on a watch at night, let’s face it, is frankly bad, but if you need to monitor your sleep, then there is no choice. To be fair, I will add that the watch is not strongly felt on the hand and is comfortable in bed. The sleep tracking function itself is accurate, in the morning you get information on the stages of sleep, you will find out how long deep sleep lasted, when and how many times you woke up. If the watch is on the wrist at night, the battery loses only 5% in the morning, and this is an excellent result.

Watchfaces

There are 15 preinstalled watch faces available in the menu, some of them are unusual. You can also add more options using the Galaxy Wearable app. However, the standard 15 styles are more than enough to diversify the dial; the most informative. Premium Analog, which displays almost everything at once: time, weather, battery power.

Cost and competitors

Galaxy Watch Active with a diagonal of 44 mm will cost 300; model with 40 mm screen. 280. And this is almost 100 cheaper than the Apple Watch Series 5. However, although Apple watches are more expensive, they work faster and actually do not slow down in operation, there are freezes on the Galaxy. On the other hand, Apple only connects to smartphones based on iOS, that is, to “iPhones” and there is an inaccurate mode of automatic training tracking.

If we talk about other alternatives, then the Fitbit Versa 2 cost 200 immediately comes to mind. This model has the best battery life (6 days officially, but in fact. 2 days with the screen always on), but the watch itself is less elegant and slower. If you’re looking to track your workouts, it makes sense to look towards Garmin watches that offer better battery life but are awkward to operate.

Design

Despite the fact that the name contains the word Active, the watch does not look sporty on its own: it received a classic design, an aluminum case and 2 physical buttons on the side, nothing more. The gadget is universal. You can wear it under a business suit to the office or take it with you to the gym. In both cases you will look great.

Samsung offers 2 sizes: 40 and 44 mm in diameter, the bundle comes with only one strap size. 20 mm. It is equipped with quick release pins so you can quickly and easily replace it. The strap itself is soft and comfortable in everyday use, but if you are a supporter of business style, no problem. Replace it with leather or metal (sold separately).

If you have previously used a Samsung Smartwatch, you will notice that the new Active 2 does not have a rotating bezel, and due to this, the gadget has been made more compact, lightweight and convenient. However, you can still slide your fingers around the edges of the screen to control the gadget. That is, the physical rim has been replaced by a digital one, and it works just as reliably, intuitively and SIMply. By default, the “digital bezel” function is disabled, it must be activated in the settings.

Battery

With regular use of the gadget during the day, the battery capacity drops by 3-4%, and this is when the screen is always on. Of course, in training mode, and even more so when tracking your run using GPS, the battery drains much faster.

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 offers a “good night” mode, in which the device turns off notifications and other “interference”, showing only the time. In this mode, it takes 4-5% per night, and this is with the active sleep monitoring function.

In general, when the screen is always on, 100% charge is enough for 1.5 days of the watch. That is, if you put on a fully charged watch at 8 am, then by 8 pm you have 50% of the charge left. This is slightly better than the autonomy of the competitor. Apple Watch Series 5. The latter has 40% charge in the evening.

Conclusion, pros and cons of Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2

The watch is excellent. Stylish, fits comfortably on the wrist, suitable for office and sports, the always-on display function is really useful and necessary, the autonomy is even nothing. Still, some disadvantages can be highlighted, but first, the advantages.

Pros:

• Comfortable to wear
• 2 days of battery life
• Sleep tracking
• Clean design without unnecessary elements
• Clear workout tracking

Minuses:

• Can’t quickly switch between watch faces
• Bixby is worse than Siri or Google Assistant
• Missing physical rotating bezel

Workouts

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is to some extent a sports gadget. The device supports forty different sports modes: from regular walking to triathlon.

Each activity is automatically detected by the system, and when synchronized with a smartphone, the data is sent to Samsung Health. The watch monitors the distance traveled, the number of steps, calories burned, heart rate, etc.

The device becomes a personal fitness trainer, taking over the leadership of the user’s health. It is possible to set training goals, and the watch, based on the parameters, will select the best training options.

GPS tracker locates the user’s location for outdoor workouts. There are two tracking options: regular and accurate. Normal GPS mode is moderately wasting battery power, but has less accuracy. Precise mode. Uses more power, but produces clear, correct data.

The Samsung Health app collects statistics on all of your sports activities, including exercise, workout, health, route, and more. You can compete with other users, measure your performance and share your achievements.

Calling from the Galaxy Watch Active 2

In the standard version, calls are made when connected to a smartphone. This requires signing in to Samsung Account and syncing via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

The LTE version uses the unsupported E-SIM standard. It is not available on the Russian market. In this modification, calls are made directly through the clock.

The microphone of the watch is sensitive, so you don’t need to bring it close to your face. The interlocutor will be able to hear all the words if the watch is 30-50 centimeters away from you.

Safety glass

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass DX, the previous generation of smartwatches was covered by Gorilla Glass 3.

In the settings, you can enable increased display sensitivity. This allows you to wear the watch with ordinary gloves.

Whitelight

The application will add a new application to the clock display. It will make the screen a bright source of light to replace a flashlight. The program assigns gestures for quick access, adjust the brightness, and the paid version gives you access to new functions.

Pulse

The second generation Galaxy Watch Active has increased the number of LEDs and the accuracy of heart rate measurements. Below is a comparison of the two models.

Now the accuracy of heart rate measurements on the watch is on par with chest straps:

There are three modes of operation of the heart rate monitor on Gelaxi Watch Active 2:

• Manual measurement of heart rate and stress level;
• Measuring heart rate once at a certain time;
• 24/7 heart rate and stress measurement.

With regular heart rate measurements, the watch notifies the user about the presence of diseases associated with heart rate.

Measurement of stress level (heart rate variability) is shown in the form of graphical interpretation.

The ECG (electrocardiogram of the heart) feature was announced, but is still at the licensing stage and will be added in the next software updates.

Main complaints about working with notifications

When you receive alerts, your photos may not display correctly, and you may not be able to watch videos. There is a delay in sending voice messages. There is no installation of separate clients for messengers.

Working with notifications

Viewing and interacting with notifications on the watch occurs after synchronization with a smartphone. Can view and respond to them. Numeric keypad, handwriting and voice input are present.

The mode of receiving notifications is customizable: it is possible to display it on the screen or only when wearing the device, disable duplication on a smartphone, etc. The melody and vibration for notifications are set in the settings.

For each application, a notification sound, mode (vibration melody, vibration or silent) is configured.

Facer

Application for choosing new watch faces and themes. You will see a variety of premium, quirky and stylish themes. Also available for Wear OS devices.

Appearance and hardware features

The smartwatch is supplied in an aluminum case in two versions: 40 and 44 mm. The main differences are size, battery and display characteristics. Two variants have an “older” version with LTE support, leather strap and stainless steel case.

Galaxy Watch Active 2 aluminum case colors:

• Silver;
• The black;
• Pink.

The LTE stainless steel version is available in three colors:

• Silver;
• The black;
• Gold.

The complete set is standard: a white box with a gradient logo, instructions for use, a wireless charger and the gadget itself.

Replaceable strap made of silicone, rubber or leather to choose from, matches the color of the case.

The device looks like a classic wristwatch with a round dial and mechanical buttons on the side: the first is responsible for the “back” function, and the second for the “main menu”. On the left side are the speakers, and on top is the atmospheric pressure sensor. On the back of the body there is a heart rate sensor for measuring pulse and a pressure relief valve.

There is a special edition Galaxy Watch Active 2 Under Armor for sports runners. Differences from the standard watch: exclusive design, fluoroelastomer strap, connection to Under Armor HOVR smart sneakers, six months of free MapMyRun Premium subscription and access to on-screen workouts.

How to manage them?

To navigate the menus, the watch has a touch screen and gestures, as well as two buttons on the right. There is no rotating bezel here. For those who are comfortable wearing the watch on their right hand or having buttons on the left. No problem, the case can be turned over and the display will turn over with it.

This can be done in both the watch and the Galaxy Wearable app.

Design, body materials

Compared to the Gear S3 and Galaxy Watch, the Active version has become noticeably smaller in size. Now this is not a large, frankly men’s watch, but a very neat gadget that will suit women, not only due to its dimensions, but also additional colors, among which there are light gray and pink-gold. In addition to these, standard black and dark green are also sold.

The watch case is made of aluminum, and the display is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass. The weight of the watch is small. 25 grams (without a strap) and they are absolutely not felt on the hand. The thickness of the watch is also small, and thanks to the smoothed edges, clothes with long sleeves do not cling to them. The case is protected according to IP68 and MIL-STD-810G standards. According to the manufacturer, the watch can withstand pressure up to 5 atmospheres. In the watch you can wash your hands, take a shower and swim, you can not be afraid of water penetration inside.

What the Galaxy Watch Active can do?

The watch, in fact, is a functional fitness tracker with all the necessary features: counting steps, tracking sleep, workouts and heart rate. You can also record the amount of water and coffee you drink in your food diary. The number of steps is tracked approximately correctly, I did not notice unnecessary movements registered as walking. The departure time was also recorded correctly in all cases. After sleeping, you can see the time spent in different phases, as well as its effectiveness.

In running mode, I have no special remarks about the Galaxy Watch Active, with the exception of one. When you turn on the display, the watch seemed to be recalculating the current pace every time, and not showing the one that is at the moment. It feels like the watch falls asleep when the display is turned off, and then wakes up when you raise your hand and begins to determine the pace. But, in fact, there were no problems with GPS accuracy in the end. The watch perfectly maintains communication with satellites in urban environments. The track in all cases was exactly what it really was. But why the clock does not show the correct current pace for me remained a mystery and I can only write it off as a flaw in the firmware.

There are definitely no complaints about the heart rate monitor, it tracks the heart rate well at rest and while running, and in my case, its accuracy was comparable to a chest strap. But, it is worth remembering that when exercising with weights and swimming, it will not show the correct values ​​due to the peculiarities of the technology.

You need the Samsung Health app to sync your physical activity.

Strap

The Galaxy Watch Active comes with a 20mm removable rubber strap. The watch mount is standard, so you can replace it with any other. The trench is implemented in an interesting way. Here it is not separate, but in the form of a slot in the strap, where the extra part is inserted. Thanks to this, the strap does not open and does not cling to clothing. The strap itself is very comfortable and soft. You get used to it very quickly and in everyday life you don’t even notice it, even while sleeping and running.

Display

Galaxy Watch Active is equipped with an AMOLED matrix with a diagonal of 1.1 inches and a resolution of 360×360. The display is completely round in shape, and juicy, bright and contrasting in color, which is not surprising for this type of matrix. The viewing angles are in complete order. The display is not very large in relation to the case and is surrounded by frames with a noticeable thickness, but if you choose some minimalistic dial, it is imperceptible.

The only noticeable drawback is visibility in direct sunlight. It fades in the sun, even at maximum brightness. But in all other situations, the first few gradations of brightness in the settings will be sufficient. There is an automatic brightness control and an Always On mode. The matrix is ​​covered with a protective glass with a good oleophobic coating, the finger easily glides over the display, and prints on the glass itself are almost invisible.

Equipment

The watch comes in a small package, which also has a charger with a magnetic mount and an additional part of a smaller strap for a thin wrist.

In early 2019, Samsung held a presentation. Which showed its new flagship smartphones and a number of other gadgets. One of them is the new Smart Watch aimed at sports and active lifestyle fans. Let’s see how many “Smart” Galaxy Watch Active and how “sport” they are.

Review of smart watches Samsung Galaxy Watch Active. Equipment and software

Before talking about what this little watch can do, I will focus on what is inside them. So, the clock is running under the control of Tizen, as a processor. Exynos 9110, 768 MB of RAM, 4 GB of internal memory, of which 1.5 are available to the user to store their photos and music. Both photo and audio can be uploaded to the watch only using the Galaxy Wearable app on your smartphone. This cannot be done from a computer. Only MP3 format supported for music.

Wireless interfaces include Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11n and NFC. The latter can be used for quick pairing with a smartphone and for contactless payment using Samsung Pay technology, which still does not work in Ukraine. Of course, the watch has GPS for tracking movement when running, cycling and swimming in open water.

There are no other wireless modules in them, you cannot make calls using the Galaxy Watch Active. You can use the watch as a wireless remote control to dial a number or dictate a message, but it will still go through your smartphone. You can reject an incoming call and send a message with a pre-prepared text, or dictate, or write your own. There is a small numeric keypad and support for handwriting input, but all of this is not very convenient to use. But voice input does a pretty good job of recognizing words.

The vibration motor in the watch is powerful, you always feel it both during the day and when you wake up, but the latter is very individual.