For Apple users, the Apple watch is the default and the best smartwatch for them. In each iteration, the watch is getting better. Even the latest Apple Watch Series 5, Apple has made the watch more stable and user-friendly

For android users, there are plenty of options. There are smartwatches Fitbit, Garmin, and almost every Android OEM have their own smartwatches now, so picking one is very difficult. Each smartwatch has its unique features but there isn’t any all-rounder that can give you all the best features in one pack. When Samsung released its first Samsung Gear devices back in 2013 it is not even close to the best smartwatches at that time. But with the latest Samsung smartwatch active 2, we get a near-perfect android smartwatch.

Small Changes in the Design

Just six months after the original Samsung Smartwatch Active, Samsung has decided to update its smartwatch. There are only small updates, so if you already own the previous model, then you can simply skip this one. Here is the list of what’s new in the active 2

• A rotating touch bezel instead of the physical dial it had in the previous model
• Two sizes are available now 40mm and 44mm. With the removal of the physical dial, the watch screen looks a bit bigger.
• Built-in LTE (if you want)
• Built-in ECG (still it is not active. Maybe it will be active in a few months)

Removing the physical dial makes the watch look less bulky and lightweight than the previous model. To give you a similar feeling of the rotating dial, Samsung has added haptic feedback to the touch bezels. The Tizen OS (Samsung’s smartwatch interface name) has been tuned well for this rotating touch bezel interface.

Speaking of Tizen OS, it is snappier and smooth to respond. I never expected a Samsung skin to be this smooth, but this one is buttery smooth. The only thing that might annoy some users is all the interface controls and scrolling actions can only be done via the touch bezel. You can add shortcut widgets for your favorite controls and app to avoid continuously stirring your watch screen.

Improved Sensors

Samsung galaxy active 2 can track a whole lot of workout types, almost it can track 39 types of workout out of the box. So you no need any third-party applications to help you track your workouts. When you start walking for above 10 minutes, it tracks your pace and steps automatically.

Samsung has improved the accelerometer sensitivity by two times so you get more precise results in automatic tracking. Another improvement in Active 2 is it has eight sensors to measure your heart rate, in the previous model we have only four sensors. Hence, we get more accurate results in Active 2. If you are a swimmer then you will like this feature in Active 2; now it can auto-detect swimming.

Not Showing Enough Data

If you are planning to use the smartwatch for hardcore activity tracking and to have better insight into your activity, the Samsung fitness app doesn’t show that much data. For example, if you are doing yoga the Samsung Active 2 will simply measure the duration and the pule. On the Garmin smartwatch, you can log stress levels and respiration. From a $200+ smartwatch, I expect more sophisticated information about the workout. All these can be fixed via a software update, but only Samsung knows when it will happen.

Things That Might Annoy You

No device is perfect, that’s why at the beginning of the post I’ve told that the Samsung galaxy Active 2 is a near-perfect android smartwatch. Here are a few things that Samsung has missed in this smartwatch.

Not enough battery life – on average use, the smartwatch will last for a day. But if you push the Active 2 really hard, it won’t last long. For example, if you are using the 40mm GPS model for outdoor activity without your smartphone and playing music on your smartwatch the battery will drain quickly. If you are having a smartphone with a reverse wireless charging option like in the latest Galaxy flagship devices, you can quick-charge your Active 2. On the 44mm model, the battery is slightly better but when you use LTE, the result is almost the same.

Women’s Health Tracking – Almost all major smartwatch manufacturers are giving women health tracking options. From the Apple Watch Series 5, Apple is also giving this option. I hope, Samsung will add this feature in the next update.

Bixby Voice – Over the past couple of years the AI Assistants have evolved a lot and they sound almost similar to a human voice. After listening to Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri, the Bixby sounds a bit like a robot. If you are using the pacing coach option in the Active 2 device, the Coach’s voice is the Bixby’s voice. When you are doing hardcore exercises and you are very focused on your workout, this voice will definitely annoy you.

The base GPS model 40mm Samsung Galaxy Smartwatch Active 3 starts from $279.99 and the top 44mm LTE model costs around $450. Now we also have the aluminum and stainless steel material options. In a nutshell, Active 2 is a good smartwatch for day to day regular usage, especially if you are having a galaxy device, this is the best option. For hardcore activity tracking and fitness, you can look for other devices like Fitbit and Gramin.