All You Need To Know Samsung Galaxy Watch Series 2

We’ve decided to offer the Active 2 our Editors’ Choice because it finally includes an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) and has been updated to include many of the same health features as the more costly Galaxy Watch 3.

It’s a great choice for those who want a smartwatch that works with both Android and iOS. Here is our analysis that was first released in September of this year. After a year of waiting, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active 2 now has ECG, joining the ranks of the Apple Watch, Fitbit Sense, and the most recent Galaxy Watch 3 from Samsung.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Series 2

The Samsung Watch Active 2 was released in 2019 for $249 (£249, AU$549), however its main health feature was not activated until later. The Samsung Health Monitor app now includes the ECG app, which has earned FDA certification in the United States.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Series 2: Price and Availability

On sale from September 27, 2019, the Samsung Watch Active 2 is offered in your choice of three hues and two sizes (40mm and 44mm). Both can be purchased as standalone Bluetooth/Wi-Fi devices or in combination with LTE (through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon).

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 Bluetooth models come in at $249 for the 40mm and $269 for the 44mm. The 40mm model with LTE costs $399, while the 44mm variant costs $419. The LTE variants are available in black, gold, and silver, while the Bluetooth/Wi-Fi models come in aqua black, cloud silver, and pink gold.

The MapMyRun app is a focal point of the Under Armour special edition of the watch. Black and Bluetooth equipped versions may be purchased for $279 and $299, respectively.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Series 2: Design

In terms of design, the Samsung Watch Active 2 is the most aesthetically pleasing smartwatch I’ve used. Case sizes range from 40 to 44 millimeters, just as the Apple Watch Series 5.

In contrast to Apple’s rounded square, Samsung’s round display is reminiscent of an antique wristwatch. With a leather band, the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is dressy enough that I wouldn’t feel out of place wearing it to a wedding or a formal dinner.

On the other hand, when I’m going somewhere fancy, I never wear my Apple Watch. After trying out the 40-millimeter Pink Gold Bluetooth Galaxy Watch Active 2 with a light pink sport band, I was quite pleased with the quality of the device overall. The band does not slide around when running and is soft enough to wear to bed.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Series 2: Display

Samsung’s Galaxy S8 already has an always-on display, so Apple’s new Series 5 feature is old news. The Samsung Watch Active 2 offers two display modes: always-on for maximum visibility, and wrist-raise activation for longer battery life.

The new watch face differs most noticeably in its digital spinning bezel. Before the Galaxy Watch Active, older Samsung smartwatches could be navigated by physically twisting the bezels. The newer model has a digital substitute for that compass feature.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Series 2: ECG App

Samsung’s inclusion of an electrocardiogram sensor in the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is a direct challenge to Apple’s ECG app.

After more than a year of being inoperable, the ECG monitor on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is once again functional. If you want your watch to be able to record ECG data, you’ll need to install an update.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Series 2: Fitness Features

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 now features run-coaching from Samsung, with a selection of seven programs to help you build stamina or speed. The second was my pick. Both audible (via the watch’s speaker or, with a direct Bluetooth connection, using a set of headphones) and tactile (through vibration) indications are provided.

It wasn’t just about going as fast as you can, so the guided program for improving speed was very helpful. Both the warm-up and cool-down lasted 5 minutes, for a total of 10 minutes. The watch would warn me to slow down if I started out too quickly. I want to give these tools a longer test drive to gauge their true usefulness.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Series 2: Sleep Tracking

The Active 2 of the Galaxy Watch continues the original’s sleep tracking without totally draining the battery. For almost a week, I wore the watch to bed and found the Fitbit’s sleep-tracking dashboard just as interesting as the breakdown of light, REM, and deep sleep.

I was hoping the watch’s built-in sleep tracking would be more precise, but it fell short. My watch misread the time one night and informed me I went to sleep at 3 a.m., when in reality I had gone to bed at around midnight.

The watch’s estimation of my bedtime seems off, given that I have a talent for going asleep quickly and staying asleep. On another occasion, before turning in for the night, I disabled the watch’s always-on screen by setting it to Goodnight mode.

The sleep widget on the watch itself appropriately recorded my sleep the next morning, but the data would not sync to the Samsung Health app.

Conclusion

The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is a stylish smartwatch with an ECG sensor authorized by the FDA for the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, as well as built-in sleep tracking, sophisticated fitness tracking, and above-average battery life. Samsung is clearly the best in terms of design. You’ll want to wear this smartwatch everywhere, not just during workouts.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is a great alternative to the Watch Active 2, as it incorporates all of the Watch Active 2’s functions into a design focused on everyday living and even has a tactile rotating bezel. The Galaxy Watch Active 2 is a stylish wristwatch featuring an ECG sensor authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation.

It also tracks sleep and advanced workouts. Samsung is clearly the best in terms of design. You’ll want to wear this smartwatch everywhere, not just during workouts. The Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 is an improved choice because it incorporates all of the Watch Active 2’s functions into a design focused on everyday living and includes a real, mechanical bezel that can be rotated.