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Technical information
Supported application Sleep Monitor
Brand Samsung
Wireless communication standard Bluetooth Colour Pink Gold
Connectivity technology Wireless, Bluetooth
Operating system Tizen
Human interface input Touchscreen
Screen size1.35 Inches
Water-resistance level Waterproof
Band material type Silicone
About this item
Intelligent wellness: using multiple sensors and real-time data, the Galaxy Watch Active2 is a lifestyle and health partner on your wrist
Automatic workout detection: the real-time Running Coach allows you to set a target and prompts you to keep on track
Timeless design: both thin and light, its elegant round body features an enlarged display and unique digital bezel that offers a modern twist on a classic design
Suit your style: snap a picture of your outfit and Galaxy Watch Active2 will put together a watch face to match¹
What's in the box: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 Bluetooth aluminium watch with silicone strap, wireless charger, user manual
Costumers Product Reviews
Pros
I’ve been using this watch for just over a week now and am very pleased with it.
Unlike much of Samsung’s target market, I have no interest in using it for sports or health, apart from the pedometer. I wanted a decent smartwatch for emails, news, Twitter etc and this looked like the best option. I chose the 44mm face with its larger screen.
Which version to get?
It was far from easy deciding whether to get the 4g (lte) or Bluetooth version, but was much helped by a review from Andrew Martonik, ‘Should you buy a Samsung Galaxy Watch with LTE?’ (can’t provide the link, sorry) who pointed out there are few benefits and much additional cost with the 4g. As I don’t always have my phone with me, I’d hoped I could slot in a pay as you go sim, but the watch does not take a sim at all, so it would mean another phone contract. So I went for the wireless version.
Charger
It came with a dinky little charger, a magnetic disc about the size of the watch itself, though I was sorry to see the charging cable was only one metre long. This is a real issue as most of my sockets are at floor level, so the watch hardly reached a table or work surface to charge. It doesn’t take long to charge (a couple of hours maybe) and the charge lasts about two days, which is fine. I ordered a Samsung wireless charger as a spare, but this did not work for the watch, though it was ok for a phone. I’ve been advised that Aieve watch chargers work fine, so will order one.
Pairing the watch
It was very easy to pair the watch with my phone. I’m an old hand at pairing these things as have had a Samsung smartwatch before.
Watch faces
There are a bunch of watch faces of course, and you can set up the watch to be always on, and adjust its brightness. There’s even a subdued light ‘theatre mode’ so you can be especially considerate to other audience members.
While I was keen to try out the style watch face, which matches your outfit, I soon lost patience with it. It offers you about 6 variants on your outfit or the default version. One was a rather nice changing palette of pinks and yellows but none of the others was to my taste. While you can choose the one you want, with one touch of the watch it’s gone, and you have to toggle through the rather naff spiky and jazzy patterns it displays. So I’ve given up and gone back to my old favourite, ‘Mr time moon flow’, which shows a moving daytime sky, and in the evening, the moon and clouds with a digital display. Very pretty, though it bizarrely reverts to analogue when resting.
Apps
The Galaxy Store has a range of apps to download and customise, though it’s fair to say the choice is limited, and many are geared to sports and health, plus no end of Bible apps.
I was able to set up email very easily and it also pulled over my calendar and contacts. Great! It took a bit of fiddling before I could find the settings for the pedometer, and in particular, set my target number of steps. Got there in the end.
So far I have not located the news app I had on my old watch, which I liked as it pulled news from a variety of sources. But I have got CNN and the New York Times. No British publications as yet.
The watch comes with a torch (flashlight if you’re American) and a calculator, which is great.
There is a very handy feature for protecting your watch in water. I’ve managed to ruin a previous watch by swimming with it, so am very pleased with this.
Another very exciting facility is a translation app with quite an array of languages. I haven’t tried it yet, but it does sound great.
I have not tried out Samsung pay as yet, and am not sure where this is accepted.
I’m still browsing the store for apps of interest. I’ve downloaded a few games or puzzles, including jewel crush, which I like though annoyingly it has a sound you can’t turn off, tic tac toe (noughts and crosses) and a photo puzzle.
I was able to download Google maps, and am quite thrilled with it. As you’d expect, it finds your location, and you can have a choice of terrain or satellite views, among others. You can search for a destination, though inputting text is a palaver (more below). Once you have your destination, you can go to directions, and choose which option, ie walking, car etc. Then a very American voice gives you directions! It’s also possible to manoeuvre the map to your destination.
Inputting text
Inputting text is indeed a faff, as the watch is not big enough for a qwerty keyboard (none offered anyway) so you have to spell out the word by choosing bunches of three letters, ABC, code, etc. Invariably it chooses the wrong letter, but thankfully there’s a top menu with the choices there. So it does takes a while. To date, I’ve needed to use this ‘keyboard’ for a google map search and to reply to text messages.
I have got Twitter. Another reviewer warned against the Twitter app in the Galaxy store as it’s a third party, but am using it nonetheless and I do like it. You can see tweets, obviously with some manoeuvring on a small screen, and you can like and retweet. I don’t think you can compose and send your own tweets on the watch, and indeed, this would be torturous.
Watch strap
Finally, the watch strap. It’s fine! I’d been a bit wary of a buckle style, just for security, having had a watch lifted off my wrist once, but it’s much better than expected. Cleverly, the tongue of the strap tucks in, so it would be quite a challenge for another person to get it off you. Needless to say, you can set up security, ie pin or pattern lock, on the watch itself, which of course is recommended.
Cons
Such a shame. Having ditched my iPhone some time ago I thought this was going to be a worthy replacement for my apple watch. Sadly it is not even close to 1st gen apple watch in terms of app choice and integration.
Also do not buy if you want to use with Strava.
Sent mine back.
Get your watch on Amazon click here https://amzn.to/38Opafp
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