Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 Black 40mm Aluminum
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According to our smartwatch expert
The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2 Black 40mm Aluminum stands out thanks to its minimalist and refined design. The watch case has a blue glow and not completely black. You can use this Active 2 for phone calls, as it's connected to your phone via Bluetooth. You can receive messages and answer them from your wrist. With the touch edge, you can easily scroll through all the apps or get more in the Galaxy Store. You can add Uber, Google Maps, or Strava, for example. Thanks to the independent music player, you can store music on the watch. Pair headphones via Bluetooth and listen to music for extra motivation during a workout. With the ECG heart rate monitor and the blood pressure monitor, you also get accurate insight into your health. You can easily check your health data in the Samsung Health Monitor app.
Note: the Active2 doesn't always work well with iPhones. Depending on the model and IOS version, you might not be able to respond to messages or use the Samsung Health app.
Note: a charger adapter isn't included. Do you want to charge the watch via a socket? Use the adapter of your phone charger or order a charger adapter separately.
This watch is suitable for a wrist circumference of 15 to 17cm.
Compatible with operating system | Android, iOS | |
|---|---|---|
Recommended for wrist circumference | 15 - 17 cm | |
Type of heart rate measurement | ECG heart rate measurement, Optical heart rate measurement | |
Required iPhone model | iPhone 5 or later | |
Independent music player | ||
Width | 40 mm |
5 stars
862
4 stars
819
3 stars
42
2 stars
3
1 star
1
User friendliness
Battery life
Wearing comfort
Design
Options
The Active 2 is my first smartwatch. My expectations were high given its price and (the expertise of) the brand. This review is therefore somewhat critical, but don't get me wrong, I am definitely satisfied with the watch!
In general The design is great and the wearing comfort is good. The display is also fine. Bright enough, beautiful colors and the touchscreen works accurately. Although a higher resolution would certainly be noticeable, but perhaps not very necessary given the purposes of the watch. In addition, you now save some battery with the current resolution. And regarding this battery: I see in many reviews that the watch only lasts a day, but in my case this is a lot more. I have the feeling that I use the watch quite intensively (regular always-on display and continuous heart rate measurement turned on) and consume about 40% battery per day. I only charge the watch during a shower and sometimes also during breakfast, depending on how far the watch is charged (which also goes smoothly).
Functionalities The main question for me was how useful the functionalities would really be and how well/accurately they would work. My conclusion is that everything works fine in general, but there is still a lot to be achieved by means of. software improvements. Receiving messages is nice, but not replying. I bought an app that converts Dutch speech into text. The app works very accurately, but unfortunately you can't use punctuation, which means you always have to answer in 1 long sentence. So if I want to answer, I grab my phone earlier because it works easier. WhatsApp media cannot be opened on the watch. So photos can't, and voice memos can't be listened to either, while the watch does have a speaker. I also tested a navigation app but it didn't work. While I think this would be a nice addition. Suppose you want to use your navigation on your bike, it is inconvenient (and forbidden) to look at your phone. Using earphones in Google Maps on speech doesn't work very well either, I know from experience… A well-functioning navigation on your watch would be a perfect solution in my opinion. Also for walking. Then YouTube, which works well but I never use it because the display is impractically small. I don't use Spotify because my bluetooth earphones connect faster to my phone and the operation can be done with the earphones. A similar app like Shazam is also available, but the reviews were very bad. Because you have to pay for the app, I have not tried this.
personalize It may sound negative, but I am very happy with the watch. Especially because the watch can be extensively tailored to your preferences. The notifications are simply super handy and you can set which notifications you want to receive. I also decorated the settings panel completely personally. This way I can easily switch on the theater mode (= vibration off, screen no longer lights up automatically), sleep mode (= vibration off, except alarm) and always-on display. I use this a lot. The calendar reminders are also nice, the timer (I use it more often than I thought) and the overview of the weather forecast, which I also have on my 'watch face'. You can easily set up the watch face on the Galaxy Wearable app, which is also very user-friendly.
monitoring Then about the 'Active' part of the watch. I find this super easy to keep track of. Steps, stairs, heart rate, sleep and all the notifications you get about it. For example push notifications or achievement notifications. The pedometer works very accurately, as does the heart rate measurement (which was also my least expected). However, it is a mistake that when you continuously measure your heart rate, this is displayed in the Samsung Health app. You cannot zoom in, so you can never easily see the course of your heart rate during, for example, a sports session of an hour. After all, the timeline is always 24 hours. In addition, when I start exercising, I have to set in advance that my heart rate is measured continuously, because otherwise my 'active time' will not be measured accurately. My sleep is also monitored. Nice to see, but unfortunately works less accurately than hoped. Every night gives roughly the same results in terms of deep/light sleep while some times I sleep much better than others. In addition, the time that you lie in bed from the moment you just woke up is also counted as sleep. Only when the sleep mode is switched off or when you get out of bed, the sleep is ended.
In summary, the watch is fun and certainly useful, but steps can still be taken in the field of software. Contactless payment, open WhatsApp media received, Shazam, navigation, a clearer Samsung Health app, sleep monitor improvement and possibly Google assistant (since Bixby still works uncomfortably) could make the watch more valuable.
Despite the critical review, I would recommend the watch for interested parties, since I cannot name a watch with more functions than the Active 2. In addition, I am convinced that the watch will last for years, given the hardware. And let's hope for the software improvements!
Jelle Hess
18 November 2019
Automatically translated from Dutch
Subtle, simple but powerful smartwatch with sports functions. Very light around the wrist and not too bulky. That was a requirement for my thinner wrists. There are many holes in the watch strap so you can easily find the right size.
The screen is very bright, colorful and easy to read. Good quick response time and easy to navigate.
I think one of the top functions of the watch is that you can answer messages and phone calls on the watch itself without your smartphone. (You must stay connected with your smartphone). You can type messages with a mini keyboard like the mobile phones used to have, via speech, predefined quick responses or choose an emoji (very subtle during meetings at work ;))! You can also answer phone calls via your watch (which is less subtle during meetings!). Is especially nice if your smartphone is often in a handbag or is not at hand.
The watch has built-in speakers where you can even listen to Spotify (quite loudly)! Speaking of music, you can also connect to a headset via the watch so that you don't even need your smartphone to exercise. You can even put numbers on the watch.
I use sleep tracking and the breathing exercises every day. The reminder to move every hour is subtle, motivating and very welcome at my sedentary job.
Together with S Health, there are achievable daily goals to set. What bothered me about my previous sports watch was that the daily goal was almost unachievable for me and that was not motivating. Now I get to it almost daily and I know it will build up over time. Goals should remain achievable depending on your situation.
I easily and quickly keep track of whether I have enough water every day and whether I am staying below my coffee limit (the working person, huh). They are small things but support your daily health quite well. All in all, I find these support functions very useful for people with a desk job. Every hour there will be a subtle notification that you need to get up, if you do, motivational feedback will come back.
For sports, you can add 4 shortcuts to your favorite sports on the sports widget and quickly record your training via there. Heart rate is nicely and accurately tracked. I have little experience with location determination because I mainly work out in the fitness. The watch also automatically registers walks.
There is also a lot of choice between dials and you can adjust the watch to your own liking. There are features like flashlight, sleep mode, do not disturb, and "find my phone". Timers, stopwatches and alarms, voice memo, weather, calendar, ...
In terms of battery, you should certainly charge it every 2 days with normal and intensive use. I usually do this when I get back from work because I want to be able to track my sleep at night. Charging usually takes 2 hours. It would have been nicer if the watch could last longer without charging, but it is doable given the functionality you get in return.
Tldr: Good choice if you are looking for a sports watch with many smartwatch functionalities that support your daily life.
Nele Custers
12 October 2019
Automatically translated from Dutch
Easy to set up and use. Nice and sleek look. Look great even when you're not exercising.
Charlotte Verschueren
27 September 2019
Automatically translated from Dutch
Product number | 836064 | |
|---|---|---|
Manufacturer code | SM-R830NZKAPHN | |
Brand | Samsung | |
Warranty | 2 years | |
Processing of your defect | Via Coolblue | |
Old product returned for free |
Compatible with operating system | Android, iOS | |
|---|---|---|
Required iPhone model | iPhone 5 or later | |
Operating system | Samsung Tizen | |
Guaranteed support with updates | Unknown |
Watch case color | Blue | |
|---|---|---|
Watch case material | Aluminum | |
Watch case shape | Round | |
Width | 40 mm | |
Depth | 10,9 mm | |
Weight | 26 g | |
Size watch case | Average | |
Recommended for wrist circumference | 15 - 17 cm | |
Total storage capacity | 4 GB | |
Water resistance | 5 |
Watch strap material | Plastic | |
|---|---|---|
Watch strap color | Black | |
Closure type | Buckle | |
Interchangeable watch strap | ||
Compatibility watch strap | Universal |
Screen type | AMOLED | |
|---|---|---|
Always-on display | ||
Data display | Digital | |
Touchscreen | ||
Color screen | ||
Type of glass | Gorilla glass |
Wireless charging |
|---|
Internet connection options | WiFi only | |
|---|---|---|
Bluetooth | ||
ANT+ | ||
Independent music player | ||
Music controls | ||
Built-in microphone | ||
Built-in speakers | ||
Call options | [Answer calls], [Call indepedently], [Call stores contacts] | |
Smartphone notifications | Notifications, Receive messages, Send messages | |
App installation possible | ||
Camera operation | ||
NFC | ||
Contactless payment |
Speedometer |
|---|
Heart rate measurement | ||
|---|---|---|
Heart rate zones | ||
Heart rate sensor | Integrated pulse sensor | |
Type of heart rate measurement | ECG heart rate measurement, Optical heart rate measurement | |
Heart rate measurement moment | Continuously | |
Notification exceedance heart rate zone | No | |
Irregular heartbeat notification | ||
Heart rate measurement under water |
Skin temperature sensor | ||
|---|---|---|
Oximeter | ||
Blood pressure monitor | ||
EDA sensor |
Recommended for sports | Biking, Fitness, Outdoor, Running, Swimming | |
|---|---|---|
Adjust sport profiles | ||
Save personal records | ||
Measure fitness age | ||
Recovery advice | ||
Interval training | ||
VO2 max measurement | ||
Automatic pausing | ||
Measures minutes of intensive training | ||
Measures average speed during activity | ||
Lap counter | ||
Race prognosis | ||
Measures step distance | ||
Measure running cadence | ||
Measures swimming distance | ||
Measures swimming speed | ||
Swimming lap counter |
Built-in GPS receiver | ||
|---|---|---|
Global satellite navigation system | GLONASS, GPS, Galileo | |
GPS application | Navigation, Route registration |
Compass | ||
|---|---|---|
Altimeter | ||
Type of altimeter | Barometric | |
Accelerometer | ||
Thermometer |
Fall detection | ||
|---|---|---|
Alarm function | ||
Emergency button | ||
Geofencing |
