On February 20, Samsung introduced a new sports smart watch. They arrived exactly 6 months after the release of one of the best smartwatches to date. Active did not become a replacement for any model, but simply expanded the line of smartwatches of the South Korean technology giant.
Let's compare these two models and see how they are similar, how they differ, and which one to choose. Let's start with the technical specifications.
Comparison of Samsung Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Watch Specifications
| Model name | Samsung Galaxy Watch | |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Tizen 4.0.0.3 | Tizen OS 4.0 |
| CPU | Exynos 9110 | Exynos 9110 |
| Screen | 1.1" AMOLED display, 318 ppi, 360×360 pixels resolution | Super AMOLED touch in 1.2" (42mm) and 1.3" (46mm) sizes. Resolution 360*360 pixels |
| Memory | 768MB RAM + 4GB ROM | |
| Battery capacity | 230 mAh (QI wireless charging) | 472 mAh or 270 mAh |
| autonomy | 3-4 days of use | 3 to 7 days, depending on the model |
| GPS | A-GPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou | A-GPS / Glonass |
| NFC | There is | There is |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, ambient light sensor, heart rate monitor | |
| Connections | Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC, A-GPS/Glonass | Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi, GPS / Glonass, LTE (optional) |
| Protection | 5ATM + IP68 / MIL-STD-810G | 5ATM |
| Safety glass | Corning Glass Gorilla Glass 3 | Crystal Corning Gorilla DX+ |
| Color | Silver, black, rose gold, marine green | Rose gold, black, black silver |
| Dimensions and weight | 39.5 x 39.5 x 10.5 mm, 25 grams | 46 x 49 x 13 mm and 63 grams, or 41.9 x 45.7 x 12.7 mm and 49 grams |
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Watch: Design
It is in design that the two models differ the most. Galaxy Watch is available in two case sizes: 42 and 46mm, in three colors: rose gold, black, silver case and black frame. The dimensions of the smaller model are 41.9 x 45.7 x 12.7 mm, with a weight of 49 grams, the dimensions of the larger one are 46 x 49 x 13 mm with a weight of 63 grams.
Galaxy Watch Active is more compact and lighter, so it will appeal to girls and users with small wrists. This model comes in one size: 39.5 x 39.5 x 10.5 mm and weighs only 25 g. The choice of colors is slightly larger than the previous model: Delicate Powder, Deep Sea, Black Satin and Ice Silver. Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active and the Galaxy Watch have detachable straps, so they can be easily changed to a different color or material.
Samsung has stripped Watch Active of its "calling card" - a rotating bezel, which is very popular with many users. This made it possible to visually reduce the dimensions of the watch and significantly reduce the weight. Due to the abandonment of the bezel, the manufacturer had to significantly change the user interface, making it more minimalistic and easier to use.
It is impossible to say with certainty which of these models has the best design. Both look great, and it all comes down to personal preference. For sports and fitness lovers, the Galaxy Watch Active is probably the best option, and the Galaxy Watch is more of a versatile, “urban” gadget.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Watch: Specifications
Both models are equipped with Super AMOLED screens with a resolution of 360 * 360 pixels and support for the Always-On function. Screen sizes vary. The Galaxy Watch has a 1.3-inch or 1.2-inch panel in 46 and 42 mm versions, respectively, while the Watch Active has a 1.1-inch panel. Unfortunately, the frames around the screen are still quite large, so much usable area “disappears”.
As for the hardware characteristics, both models are identical here. Both received a dual-core Exynos 9110 processor with a frequency of 1.15 GHz, 768 MB of RAM and 4 GB of internal memory.
The Watch Active battery is inferior in capacity to the Galaxy Watch batteries. The declared autonomy that a 230 mAh battery can offer is 3-4 days. This autonomy was achieved by reducing the screen size and optimizing the Tizen 4.0.0.3 operating system, which relies heavily on black colors in the interface. This allows you to turn off the screen pixels when displaying black colors, and therefore get more battery life.
By comparison, the 42mm version of the Galaxy Watch can last up to 3 days on a single charge of its 270mAh battery. The 472 mAh battery in the large case allows you to use the watch without charging up to 7 days.
Both models are equipped with GPS, NFC, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Galaxy Watch Functions and features
In contrast to the design, there are few differences between these models in the body and sports tracking section. They can track 39 different exercises, six of which are automatically tracked, measure heart rate, track sleep and stress levels, and more.
Main functions of Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Watch
- Monitor 39 activities, set daily goals and monitor progress.
- Vibration activity reminder.
- Automatic workout detection.
- Advanced sleep monitoring.
- Daily calorie monitoring (water, caffeine and food intake).
- Assessment of the level of stress.
- Relaxing exercises.
- Continuous activity monitoring (steps, calories burned, distance traveled, hours of sleep, heart rate, etc.).
- Pool and open water swim tracking support (Galaxy Watch Active will support swim tracking in May).
- Support for third party apps: Strava, Under Armor, MyFitnessPal, Endomondo and more.
One of the most significant innovations offered by the Galaxy Watch Active that the Galaxy Watch does not have is blood pressure measurement using an app called My BP Lab, which was developed by Samsung in collaboration with the University of California. While this app is in testing phase, it will be available in 5 countries: USA, Canada, Singapore, Australia and Germany.
Galaxy Watch Active and Apple Watch Series 4 It should not be ruled out that if the testing goes well, then soon a similar feature may appear on the Galaxy Watch with one of the future updates. By the way, the My BP Lab application can be used not only in watches, but also in Samsung smartphones. In smartphones for measuring pressure, data is taken from the camera.
As for the “smart features”, the Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Watch are also almost identical:
- Contactless payments with the Samsung Pay payment system thanks to the built-in NFC chip.
- Bixby virtual assistant with support for voice commands.
- Wi-Fi b / g / n + Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity.
- Installing additional applications and watch faces.
- Quick replies to text messages with emoji support.
- Synchronization of calendar events.
- Notifications for calls, apps and text messages.
- Do not disturb mode.
Price, availability and conclusions
The Galaxy Watch Active is already available for pre-order on the manufacturer's official website for $199.99. Officially, the watch will go on sale from March 8 in many countries. The Galaxy Watch hit the market with a price tag of $330 for the smaller version and $350 for the 46mm variant.
Which one to choose is up to everyone. Both models are great, but the Galaxy Watch Active is more suitable for fitness enthusiasts due to its compactness and light weight. Plus it costs a lot less.
We wrote in more detail about the characteristics and functions of Watch Active in, about Galaxy Watch in.
Samsung galaxy watch active detailed review and specifications
The most detailed review on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active! This new Samsung smartwatch does not feature the signature rotating bezel. Samsung has abandoned the use of touch navigation. The Gear Sport's tracking is also more accurate than its predecessor's and adds a pretty serious health tracking feature.
Gone is Samsung's rotating bezel, one of our favorite dust-collecting features on any smartwatch. What explains his omission? We haven't really gotten a clear answer, but it seems to come down to reducing the bulk and keeping the subtlety in the Active.
Galaxy Watch Active key features
- 40 mm case
- 230 mAh battery
- Tizen 4.0
- Exynos 9110 Dual Core 1.1GHz
- 768MB RAM
- 4 GB memory
- GPS / GLONASS
- Water resistance 5ATM
- NFC for Samsung Pay
- 20mm interchangeable straps
In terms of physical bezels, the Galaxy Watch Active still has an impressive size. I wish they made it a touch sensitive rotating bezel because it's important enough to make the watch display look small. You can tell the Tizen is built with a rotating bezel in mind because there are still some oddities here.
For example, when you want to open an application, you must double-tap. You click on it to select it and then you click again to open it. It's definitely more cumbersome than rotating the panel and clicking. Elsewhere there are two buttons. One returns and the other goes to your watch face. There are 14 of them and they look great on the 1.1-inch 360 x 360 full color display.
Aside from the lack of a large display, the Galaxy Watch Active is different in that it is very light. It weighs 25g and is easy to put on your wrist. It's so light that it's easy to forget you're wearing it, which is a far cry from the bulkiness of the Galaxy Watch.
CHILD'S TRACKING WATCH WITH PHONE
Active is also releasing new bands that look more like the Apple Watch than previous Samsung watches. They even have a small cutout that allows you to pierce the band, just like the Apple Watch Sport.
In terms of design, it doesn't look as catchy as the Galaxy Watch. They have curved sides and are smooth, and it would look pretty featureless were it not for Thiesen's signature on the display. The watch is beautiful and pleasant to wear, no worse than the Apple Watch or Fitbit Versa.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active: features and fitness
For the most part, the Galaxy Watch Active has the same features and functionality as the Galaxy Watch. The biggest differences between the two are the lack of a rotating bezel and the thinner size of the Active.
However, now there is blood pressure tracking. This is done through the My BP Lab app, a partnership between Samsung and UC San Francisco. Samsung warns against knowing your blood pressure beforehand as a baseline, so it's not clear how effective blood pressure tracking can be - especially when set against the Omron Heart Guide, which has an actual cuff to measure your blood pressure.
There is not much new in the functionality and suitability of the equation. Samsung has gone ahead and tweaked a lot of the user interface so you can see more of your status at a glance. The watch can still auto-detect running, cycling, and dynamic workouts. There's still GPS and 5ATM and water resistance too. There are also guided breathing functions and a variety of tracked activities to choose from.
The nice thing is that they use Qi wireless charging. If you have a new Galaxy S10, you can use Wireless PowerShare to charge your Galaxy Watch Active without having to carry a charger around (Samsung claims the Active's 230mAh battery will give you two days of battery life).
Last update: 2 months ago
(46)
Samsung was one of the first to develop the smartwatch market and has been experimenting with its devices for a long time, trying to understand what a convenient and functional smartwatch should look like. You can remember, at least Galaxy Gear 2 with built-in camera or Galaxy Gear S with a huge screen, a diagonal of 5 cm.
As a result, the company managed to come up with a revolutionary solution, which has no analogues on the market. Rotating bezel has become a hallmark of all smartwatches from Samsung.
Today we will take a closer look at the new Samsung Galaxy Watch Active, the main feature of which is the absence of the beloved bezel for controlling the device.
To be honest, the expectations were high. After all, in fact, the company stopped radically updating its line of watches after the release of the Galaxy Gear S3. The Galaxy Gear Sport is in many ways a step backwards. Announced in August 2018, the Galaxy Watch model, except for the design and lack of MST technology, did not differ at all from its predecessor.
And here we have the Galaxy Watch Active. For whom were they created? For what reason can someone prefer a novelty to more functional, albeit older, models (Gear S3 or Galaxy Watch)? We will try to answer all these and many other questions in this review.
First, let's list the brief characteristics of the Galaxy Watch Active:
- Dimensions: case 39.5mm, thickness 10.5mm, weight 25g
- Display: 1.1″ Super-AMOLED with 360×360 resolution (pixel density 302 ppi)
- Materials: Corning Gorilla Glass 3, aluminum case
- Strap: standard 20 mm
- CPU: Exynos 9110 (2 cores @ 1.15Hz)
- Memory: 4 GB main and 768 MB RAM
- Antennas: NFC, GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi
- Moisture protection: yes, 5 ATM or 50 meters + MIL-STD-810G
- Sensors: heart rate monitor, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer and light sensor
According to the characteristics, this model is very much like the Samsung Galaxy Sport smart watch, announced in the summer of 2017. Nothing fundamentally new here, unfortunately.
Review of Galaxy Watch Active. Appearance and usability
Appearance is the main (if not the only) change compared to previous models. After almost 4 years, the company decided to continue experimenting with design, and this time it is simply impossible not to notice the similarity of the Galaxy Watch Active with the Apple Watch. This is how many imagined the Apple Watch in a round case:
The watch has a minimalistic design. In fact, this is a small smooth aluminum "washer", covered with glass, under which a small display is located. There is no bezel or other pronounced design elements here. The strap has become very convenient, since now its end does not hang out, but neatly hides inside:
This is a complete copy of the design of the Apple Watch strap with a slightly different clasp.
Continuing the analogy with the "apple" product, we should note the new charger. Samsung has changed its design for the first time in years, copying the Apple Watch charger:
This amount of borrowing in terms of design is a bit disappointing (showing the company's inability to come up with something original), although it makes the product more convenient in some ways.
By the way, about convenience. As already mentioned, Samsung has deprived the new model of the main control element - the bezel. However, the watch interface itself has not undergone any changes. This suggests that either the decision to remove the bezel is temporary (and it will return in future models), or spontaneous, and the company simply did not have time to adapt the watch control to gestures.
As a result, we see, for example, a list of applications, which is very inconvenient and illogical to scroll left or right with swipes, since the principle of scrolling is based on the use of the bezel (all icons scroll in a circle, repeating the rotation of the mechanical bezel):
Users of previous watch models with a bezel will be very uncomfortable at first, because even after a week of daily use, they constantly want to turn the missing bezel to scroll through the menu or set the timer. Of course, you can get used to everything, but why was it necessary to remove such a good solution?
Do not forget that the bezel played an important role in terms of protecting the screen from physical damage. On all previous models, the display was slightly "recessed" relative to the bezel, and this particular design element took on any blow. Scratching or even breaking the screen of the new model has become much easier due to the absence of such passive protection.
As for the other controls, namely the side buttons Back And Home, everything remains unchanged:
By the way, due to the lack of a bezel, another inconvenient moment appeared. If earlier it was possible to control the watch without touching the screen (we received a notification - we scrolled through the entire text with the bezel and returned back with a mechanical button), now it has become not so convenient to combine swipes across the screen with pressing mechanical buttons. After scrolling the text by moving your finger across the screen upwards I intuitively want to swipe from left to right to return back. But, alas, such a gesture is not supported.
Traditionally, on the back of the case there is a heart rate sensor, and a little to the right is a service connector:
The distance between the ears is 20 mm. Any strap of this size will fit the watch. The complete rubber strap is quite pleasant to the touch, it can be removed very easily:
The watch box also contains an additional strap for larger wrists.
Speaking of size, the Galaxy Watch Active is a very compact watch. With a weight of 25 grams, you simply do not notice them on your hand. And with no bezel and a streamlined design, the watch fits under shirt cuffs or tight sweater sleeves with no problem. In this regard, the novelty has become much more convenient than previous models.
And, of course, the main question is whether the Galaxy Watch Active can be worn by men or is it a purely women's watch? Here's how they look on a man's wrist, with a circumference of 17 cm:
If you have a larger wrist, it is better to try on the watch before buying, as they look really tiny. The photo on the Internet does not convey the actual size. But be that as it may, for the traditional "mechanics" the size of 39-40 mm is a classic men's watch.
As for girls, Galaxy Watch Active will look very elegant on a woman's wrist:
For comparison, here's what the previous Galaxy Watch looks like in 42mm:
Summing up a little, it should be said that the new smartwatch causes mixed feelings. On the one hand, the Galaxy Watch Active has become less convenient in terms of management. On the other hand, they are more comfortable in terms of daily wear.
Review of Galaxy Watch Active. Smart watch features
If you have previously used Samsung smartwatches (starting with the Galaxy Gear S3), then you will be completely familiar with all the new features. The clock works, like all previous models, running the Tizen 4.0 operating system.
So, what can the Galaxy Watch Active do?
Training records
One of the significant advantages of these watches is their ability to automatically detect workouts (running, walking, cycling, etc.). If you are engaged in some activity for at least 10 minutes, the watch goes into tracking mode. In the general list of all classes, such workouts will be marked auto:
For example, after walking, the smart watch will automatically generate a detailed report that will indicate the distance traveled, calories burned, average and maximum walking speed, pace, and even the weather:
It is also possible to start workouts manually. In this case, more than 30 types of exercises will be available to you, including lunges, deadlifts, bench presses, ab swings, push-ups, curls and much more:
In most strength exercises, you can adjust the number of sets and repetitions. The watch will count them automatically, suggesting a short break between sets. When you connect Bluetooth headphones to your Galaxy Watch Active, you will also hear voice prompts. Before doing a certain exercise for the first time, the watch will show information on how to perform it correctly:
After completing a workout, the report can be viewed both on the watch itself and in the Samsung Health app:
Here you can find detailed information about the activity, including average and maximum heart rate, total repetitions, time, etc.
In addition, the watch is equipped with a GPS antenna, which means that you can record tracks of your runs or walks without the participation of a smartphone (if you want the GPS on the watch to turn on even when workouts are automatically detected, you must enable the corresponding option in the watch settings). In such a report, there will be a lot of additional information about the training, including ascents and descents (both maximums and detailed graphs) and the route:
Pulse and stress
The watch is equipped with an optical heart rate monitor and is capable of measuring heart rate in 3 modes: continuously, every 10 minutes and on demand. There is also a proprietary function - measuring the level of stress:
More detailed reports can be viewed in the Samsung Health app:
The principle of operation of this function is based on . If in the same Apple Watch you need to interpret the variability indicators yourself, then the Galaxy Watch Active produces a ready-made result. It is important to note that the longer you use the Continuous Stress Measurement Analysis feature, the more accurate its results are (because it takes time to understand how the body behaves in different situations, including sleep or exercise).
If within 60 minutes the watch has not recorded a single step, the Galaxy Watch Active screen will prompt you to do a little warm-up:
Pushing a button Yet, you can choose the type of warm-up. The watch will automatically count the number of repetitions in each of the exercises. A very convenient and useful option for those who have a sedentary job!
Widgets
In addition to watch faces and applications, Samsung watches support widgets. These are small applications that do not require launching and constantly display some information on the screen.
To view widgets, you need to swipe the watch face to the left (make a swipe from right to left):
You can add new widgets (there are about 20 available out of the box on the watch), delete or change the order:
In addition, additional widgets can be downloaded from the official Galaxy Store apps and watch faces.
The big advantage of widgets, as mentioned earlier, is precisely the speed of work - there is no need to wait until the application starts and displays the information of interest. Also, right from the widget, you can perform certain actions, for example, enable / disable the alarm clock or start a workout.
dials
Galaxy Watch Active out of the box contains 13 watch faces for every taste and color - from strict classic to funny, with cartoon animation:
Some of them support customization - you can change the color, style and type of information displayed. The dials themselves are made very high quality, the graphics are at a high level. If their number is not enough for you, a huge number of both paid and paid ones are available in the Galaxy Store app store:
Notifications
The main function of any smart watch and fitness bracelet is notification of new events, including incoming calls and event reminders. The watch works well with this. Despite the reduced display size compared to previous models, reading text on the watch screen is quite comfortable:
You can also reply to messages in one of the ways that are convenient for you: template answers, text input with gestures, using the keyboard or voice dictation:
Among all these methods, the most stable one is keyboard input. Voice recognition is simply disgusting (both in terms of speed and quality of recognition itself). As for entering text with gestures (you write a letter on the screen with your finger, and the watch automatically recognizes it), you can use this method if you adapt.
There is also a huge selection of emoticons:
As for whether you can view the message history on the watch, it all depends on the availability of applications. If such an application is available for Tizen, you can fully work with messages.
Other features
The functionality of the watch depends, again, on the number and quality of installed applications. Out of the box, the watch can:
- Play music (both from a smartphone and directly from the watch, transmitting sound to wireless headphones)
- Create reminders
- Display the weather with a detailed forecast for the next 5 days
- Work with an alarm clock (there is no smart alarm clock)
- View and reply to SMS messages and email
- Display world time
- Work with the calendar
Expand the functionality of the Galaxy Watch Active with new applications, a huge number of which are available both for free and paid in the Galaxy Store app store. In addition, the watch supports .
Review of Galaxy Watch Active. autonomy
The battery capacity of the watch is 230 mAh. They charge for a long time - from one and a half to two hours. During the same time, you can charge a smartphone with a battery capacity of 15 times the watch battery.
If you use a reverse charge instead of a complete charge (as on the Galaxy S10 or Huawei Mate 20), then the charge time is doubled:
How long can a watch run on a single charge? It all depends on the number of functions used. If you turn on all the sensors (constant measurement of heart rate and stress level, NFC, Wi-Fi), then the watch is unlikely to last two days. With AOD enabled (Always On Display or a constantly working screen), the operating time is reduced by another one and a half times.
If you turn off Wi-Fi, NFC, heart rate and stress measurements, do not use the AOD mode, then the watch, at best, will last up to 3 days.
The battery life of the Samsung Galaxy Watch (previous model), despite the larger screen, is better than the new one.
If you're looking for a watch that won't have to worry about charging for at least one week, the Galaxy Watch Active will definitely disappoint you. On the other hand, this watch in terms of autonomy is no different from the new 40 mm Apple Watch model.
Review of Galaxy Watch Active. Answers on questions
Before proceeding to the conclusions, I would like to briefly answer the questions that a potential user of the novelty may have:
- Can I shower or swim with the Galaxy Watch Active?
However, do not forget that the manufacturer's warranty in any case does not cover damage caused by water ingress. If it breaks, you will have to pay for repairs.
— Can the Galaxy Watch Active be used with an iPhone? Will everything work?
Yes, the watch can be connected to iPhone. However, keep in mind that if you use the Galaxy Watch Active with an iPhone, you will encounter a number of limitations, namely:
- It is impossible to reply to any notification from the watch. Only viewing is available. Moreover, when the Bluetooth connection is broken, notifications will not be received via Wi-Fi (as is the case with Android smartphones)
- You can't download music to your watch directly from iPhone
- You cannot send SMS from the watch or reply to incoming messages
- Contactless payments will not be available for hours
- If you remove the watch, it will still continue to notify you of new events and calls.
- Although you can install additional apps on your watch from iPhone, their number will be limited. Not all applications from the Galaxy Store on Android are also available on the iPhone
In all other respects, there is no difference in the work of the clock with the iPhone and Andorid.
— How to connect Samsung Galaxy Watch to iPhone?
To do this, you need to download the official Samsung Galaxy Watch app from the App Store. Then turn on Bluetooth on the iPhone, launch the installed application and follow the simple instructions on the iPhone screen.
— Why does the Galaxy Watch Active incorrectly calculate the passed floors?
Indeed, the watch can count the number of floors, but it does not always do it accurately. Sometimes the watch reports a successfully completed goal by floor even while walking in the park. This is due to the fact that the watch uses a barometric altimeter. That is, the height is determined by the pressure drop. And pressure, as you know, can change for various reasons.
- Can I connect wireless headphones to the watch and listen to music directly from the Galaxy Watch Active?
Yes, the watch supports the connection of a headset or Bluetooth headphones. The watch also has 4 GB of storage for music, photos and apps. By downloading music to your Galaxy Watch Active, you can go for a run without your phone.
- Is it possible to answer a call directly from the watch?
If wireless headphones are connected to the watch or smartphone, then when you pick up the handset on the watch, the call will be redirected to the headset. Otherwise, picking up the phone on the clock, you still have to talk on your smartphone. Unlike previous Galaxy Watch, the new one is not equipped with a speaker.
- Can the watch measure the pulse continuously?
Yes, as mentioned above, the watch supports 3 types of measurements - once every 10 minutes, continuously and manually. At the same time, the continuous measurement of the pulse increases the charge consumption.
— How to set up a smart alarm on Galaxy Watch Active?
No fitness bracelet or smartwatch from Samsung, including the Galaxy Watch Active, supports smart alarms. Considering how disgustingly the watch determines the phases of sleep, the absence of this function becomes justified.
As for the work of a regular alarm clock. By setting the wake-up time on the smartphone (in the standard application Clock), in the morning, both the alarm clock of the smartphone and the clock will work (that is, the devices work synchronously). If you add a new alarm only on the clock, the smartphone will not ring.
- Does music control only work with a standard Samsung player or can third-party applications be used?
On the other hand, we see a reduced autonomy, the inability to answer a call directly from the watch, the control has become not as convenient and understandable as before. Why the new model came out in only one size is also not clear.
This watch can be safely recommended for purchase to people for whom design is much more important than functionality. If you want to have a convenient and inconspicuous accessory that, in addition to displaying the time, will report incoming notifications and take into account your activity, wake you up in the morning in silent mode and display the current weather, the Galaxy Watch Active will be an excellent choice.
If you own a previous watch model from Samsung, there is no point in changing it to the Galaxy Watch Active. This is a step back in terms of convenience and functionality. The only reason to change the model can only be the size and design of new items.
Girls can definitely recommend Galaxy Watch Active for purchase. These are the best women's smart watches from Samsung (unfortunately, they cannot be called the best among all manufacturers, since the Apple Watch is better in everything, from convenience to functionality).
25 Submit
Thank you very much for your feedback!
Aesthetic, not brands, customizable, informative in notifications.
Minuses
Fast battery life (no more than 2 days - depends on the watch face), inconvenient charging, weak Bixby assistant who thinks for a long time, the doctor questioned the heart rate sensor, the "lift sensor" does not always work, not a smart interface, multi-factor confirmation of payment via Samsung Pay .
Review
I've been using the watch for about a month. They are sexy and definitely useful. I constantly read notifications from them, sometimes I sleep in them for information about a dream. I switch music even when I use a third-party player on my phone! In addition, this is a stylish gadget, a cloud of free dials in the company store for every taste. However, there were some negatives as well. If you take them to pay for purchases with your phone "look how cool I am", then this is not very convenient. First hold the "back" button, then enter the PIN code, wait for the application to download and then click on the "pay" button, only after that you will be able to pay by the clock. And so, to come up and pay "on the go" - it will not work. And so I wanted to add points of coolness. Gets out to charge this device through proprietary charging. Because it is small and very slow! You will definitely need two hours to charge! And, of course, discharging the device also leaves its mark. With some dials, where Always On Display takes up more surface, the full discharge occurs in a little less than a day and a half, while on others, the watch can live up to 2 days. Guys, are you kidding me? Seriously? At least 3 days were done without recharging. The therapist questioned the reliability of the heart rate sensor when she measured her pulse with her hands, but the tonometer agreed with the accuracy of the watch. So this feature is questionable. I am not an expert. Bixby takes a very long time to respond, I think. And the whole interface, in general, is not smart. But basically I don't care, because I use the clock mainly for notifications. I don't know about you, this is my first watch. Actually the first real watch. And I liked them. But the price is too high.
Live photos
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
Contents of delivery
- Charger with integrated cable
- Instruction
- Strap S/M
| Specifications | |
| Colors | Delicate Powder, Deep Sea, Black Satin, Ice Silver |
| Dimensions and weight | 40 mm, 39.5×39.5×10.5 mm, 25 g |
| Display | 1.1" (28mm) 360x360 Full Color AOD Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 |
| Strap | 20 mm (replaceable) |
| Battery | 230 mAh |
| CPU | Exynos 9110 Dual core 1.15GHz |
| OS | Wearable OS 4.0 based on Tizen |
| Memory | 768MB RAM + 4GB internal storage |
| Connection | Bluetooth®4.2, Wi-Fi b/g/n, NFC, A-GPS/GLONASS |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, heart rate sensor, light sensor |
| Charger | WPC based wireless |
| Protection | 5ATM + IP68 / MIL-STD-810G |
| Compatibility | Samsung, other Android devices: Android 5.0 or higher, RAM 1.5 GB or higher iPhone: iPhone 5 and above, iOS 9.0 and above |
Positioning
Samsung consistently creates watches according to the canons of the watch industry - different models for different audiences. This means that it is not so much the shape of the watch that changes - as before, it has a round dial - but the case dimensions, design and cost are subject to variations. A variety of watches to suit all tastes and budgets means finer adjustment to the market and people's tastes. One size and look cannot satisfy everyone, this is a clear antithesis of the Apple Watch, where there is no smell of diversity. Functionally, all watches from Samsung remain at about the same level - they have maximum features without any restrictions.
In 2018, Samsung released the Galaxy Watch, two watch models with a diameter of 46 and 42 mm, the first clearly echoes the Frontier, the second is aimed at a female audience. Both models turned out to be extremely successful and are in stable demand. The Active model complements them.
Samsung has been committed to updating the software of its devices for at least a few years. Coinciding with the release of Watch Active, there was a major update for the Frontier, which went on sale at the end of 2016. This is the best demonstration that Samsung has reconsidered its approaches to the market.
The Watch Active is clearly the most inexpensive offering in the company's lineup, and is an entry-level model, as can be seen from the absence of a rotating bezel on the dial. And the execution is much simpler, which does not mean at all that they are worse. Smaller screen diagonal, which leads to a small case size and runtime. The Gear Sport looks like the outgoing model, it was higher class at the time of its appearance, but now it is cheaper and in some ways even more interesting. But you need to understand that they choose such an accessory as a watch primarily for design, and nothing else. And the choice here is very simple - like or dislike, there can be no other way.
Design, sizes, straps
The Active model comes in four body colors - black ("black satin"), emerald ("deep sea"), pink ("delicate powder"), silver ("silver ice").
The metal body with a chrome sheen in every color plays well in the light.
The strap width is 20 mm, you can use any straps, including third-party straps. Installation does not raise questions, pull back a small lever, and the strap is removed.
See how many different silicone straps this watch has today.
The hand in such a strap does not sweat, it can be washed. In a word, whatever one may say, but some pluses. The kit comes with an additional strap size M, it is the same color as the main one (not two halves of the strap, but only one - both parts were supplied earlier).
The fastening of the strap is usual, it does not cut into the hand, and most importantly, the watch is very light, they are practically not felt, this is a huge plus. The weight of the watch is 25 grams, which is quite a bit.
Despite the rather frivolous appearance, this watch has applied military-standard shock protection, the name Active is fully justified, as there is support for the MIL-STD-810G standard. In addition, it is indicated that the watch can dive, they can withstand immersion up to 50 meters (5 ATM). Bathed in the watch several times, no problems found.
With a dial diameter of 40 mm, this is the smallest watch from Samsung. And this is one of their advantages, they are very small and cool, the girls from Active are delighted. The size of the watch is 39.5x39.5x10.5 mm. Someone compares them with the ancient Moto 360, but here the thickness of the body is much more comfortable, it does not protrude. Under a shirt or sweater, such watches are invisible.
On the inside, you can see a sensor that measures the pulse, it is hidden behind the glass. Everything is standard here, the inside of the clock is well implemented.
Unlike previous watches in the collection, there is no swivel bezel here, all control is carried out by fingers and two keys on the right side surface. Each button has a different coating, they can be distinguished even by touch, which is nice.
Ergonomics of the watch is excellent for a woman's hand, they are lost on a man's hand. This is exactly the watch for girls, and outwardly extremely successful.
Display
Screen 1.1 inches, resolution - 360x360 pixels. Until recently, the minimum diagonal was 1.2 inches, there were no complaints, everything is also convenient here. Screen type - SuperAMOLED, it is perfectly readable in the sun, there is an automatic brightness control.
The AlwaysOn Display function is supported, that is, the screen can work all the time! A watch with an always-on screen will easily last more than a day (if night mode is on, then two days). The screen is covered with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3. From the additional chips - you can turn on the increased sensitivity of the screen in the menu, then it will support pressing with gloves.
Battery
The Li-Ion watch has a 230 mAh battery. Samsung claims about 2-3 days of work with active use, but a lot depends on scenarios, the number of notifications and screen brightness. At maximum brightness, the clock will last for two days with the screen on intermittently. At 60% brightness, it will be two and a half days of work. With AlwaysOn Display turned on - up to a day and a half (subject to night mode, which is activated automatically and the clock falls asleep). If you turn off all synchronization options, the watch can work with an always-on screen for weeks. Fine-tuning notifications and synchronization will give you the opportunity to use the watch for as long as you need. Time of continuous playback of music from memory - up to 8 hours. Talk time is about 2 hours.
Desktop charger wireless (WPC standard), full charge time is about 2 hours.
The simplification of charging is due to the fact that this is the most inexpensive watch. They can also be charged from any tenth generation smartphone, which is convenient.
For those who do not use the watch for outdoor training, it makes sense to turn off GPS, accurate positioning, as it drains the battery.
Communication options
Bluetooth version 4.2. The device has NFC, it works for both Samsung Pay and other applications, for example, you can pair an NFC headset with a watch. But if we are talking about Samsung Pay, then it should be noted that Samsung abandoned the MST technology (support for old bank terminals, magnetic stripe emulation). Statistics inside Samsung says that in most countries there is a transition to conventional NFC terminals and adding this technology was redundant.
The watch has Wi-Fi b / g / n, this is the preferred technology for connecting to a smartphone or communicating with it, the energy consumption when transferring notifications or files is lower here, everything happens faster.
The built-in GPS supports A-GPS, as well as GLONASS, the determination of coordinates does not raise questions, and this function is optimized, the watch in this mode shows record values of operating time. But here it all depends on your settings, with the screen always on, the operating time will obviously be several times lower.
Hardware platform
The watch remained almost a complete cast of previous models, it has 768 MB of RAM (this is enough for the eyes, I have never seen something slow down or applications crash), 4 GB of internal memory (here you can upload your pictures or music). It uses a dual-core Exynos 9110 processor with a clock speed of 1.15 GHz, it is slightly faster than the previous generation.
The watch is equipped with the following sensors: acceleration, gyroscope, barometer, pulse sensor.
Separately, I note the presence of hardware GPS / GLONASS, respectively, there is a full-fledged navigation right in the watch, without a companion smartphone. Maps, as before, Here.
The SOS function allows you to send your coordinates and a message to the given numbers, this was not the case on previous models. Also, within an hour, your location will be available to your emergency numbers.
Interface, work with the clock, pre-installed programs
Here is Tizen 4.0.0.3 and the first version of OneUI, do not confuse it with the interface on smartphones, here it is closer to the Circle UI of previous watches, but the rejection of the rotary bezel and gesture control, apparently, forced the interface to be renamed.
The circular menu for applications can be accessed by pressing the bottom button, access to the level up is carried out by the top button. Your applications are located in the menu, and there may be several circles with them. You sort by yourself, where and how to place labels, so that it is convenient for you.
Having found the desired item, icon, you click on it, then you can scroll the page.
You can change the font size in the settings, there are three scaling options.
Pay attention to how the default watch faces look, each of them can be further customized, changing colors, for example, from black to white and vice versa.
Notifications come to the watch in the usual manner, plus there is S Health (the watch can measure steps, pulse (both constantly and on request). Automatic detection of what you are doing works better, this is not only a software, but also a hardware function.
There is an interesting thing in S Health, now you can compete with your friends, which of you will take the most steps. And the watch has a widget that shows your progress.
The S Voice function is now called Bixby, but, unlike smartphones, it supports input in Russian (only input, you won’t be able to talk to the assistant). The quality of text recognition is at the level of Frontier, there are no differences here.
Dealing with the watch is very easy, but there are questions about how to view the gallery (photos become round), and the gallery view is painfully similar to the cloud of icons on the Apple Watch. Although there is 4 GB of memory inside, only 200 photos from the gallery can be copied to the phone.
The navigation works on the Here maps, everything is quite simple, including showing routes (on foot, by bike or by car, with approximate travel times). Nothing special, it is unlikely that such navigation will be in demand among ordinary people.
Music can be controlled directly from the watch, and you can also download your songs to the watch's memory. If desired, you can connect a wireless headset directly to the watch, then you will not need a phone to listen to music.
The app store is available right on the watch, meaning you can download apps directly, which is a very, very good thing, the watch is completely independent of the smartphone.
Smartphone App – Galaxy Wearable
When setting up your watch for the first time, you need to pair it with your smartphone; you cannot set up the watch without such a connection.
I have loaded on the new watch all the applications from the old watch, as well as the settings, which is nice. An archive of settings and content is created for your watch in the cloud or on your smartphone.
Many settings are duplicated with the clock, but it's easier to work with them on the big screen, and it's more pleasant. But there is nothing that is unique to the application, except for transferring music to the watch, as well as photos from the gallery (you can set automatic transfer, but the pictures themselves are unlikely to be important to you on the watch). Look at the application, I will not describe all its features.
Impression
Samsung turned out to be an excellent watch for girls - small and bright, the target audience perceives this product with a bang. The price of the watch is 16,990 rubles, which is very good at the time of release. Technically, this is the same watch as the Galaxy Watch, there is no difference in the filling, only a smaller screen.
I repeat that you can and should choose a watch only based on the design, whether it suits you or not. There is Gear Sport in this category, they can also be called women's (conditionally, since they will suit men, including young people), but they are larger and they have a swivel bezel. The price is 13,990 rubles.
The main competitor for the Galaxy Active is the Apple Watch, based on the price of this Series 3 38 mm, their price starts at 23,380 rubles. Aluminum case, controversial quality protective glass - all this is Apple Watch. And they certainly don't work with any Android smartphone, while the Galaxy Active works with the iPhone and any other devices.
In the bottom line, I want to note that the watch turned out to be interesting, it will have good sales in its category, despite the fact that this is an assortment offer. For those who share the tastes of the crowd and like to be in uniform, there is an Apple Watch with the same design (it is worth buying AirPods to complete the look of a person with a unique taste). For the rest, there is a variety of Galaxy watches, where each model has its own design, created for its target group. Look at this watch in real life, compare and think what you need.
P.S. During 2019, the software on all Samsung watches will begin to receive updates - so, there will be support for sleep phases, plus automatic detection of swimming styles and the like. A major update is planned for summer 2019.
