The main difference between the Galaxy Watch Active 2 and its predecessor comes with the presence of LTE, digital bezel, ECG tracking – all now available on the Active 2 which is lacking on the Active.

• Design


The appearance of the Galaxy watch active 2 is much similar to its predecessor. Except that the Active is slightly smaller than the 40mm version of the Active 2, its slightly slimmer, and weighs a bit less than its successor. Although, the difference in sizes between the 40mm Active 2 and its predecessor is quite insignificant.

The 44mm version of the Active 2 with 1.4 inches display will allow you to see more at a glance than you would on the Active.

However, one of the main features introduced on the new Active 2 is the reintroduction of the much loved rotating bezel found on some Samsung smartwatches. But this time instead of the physical bezel, it’s a digital touch-sensitive bezel that makes navigation quite a bliss on the new sets of Galaxy Watch Active 2.

Also, customizing and defining your style is now easier as you can now customize your Galaxy Watch Active 2 watch face to your outfit with the My Style1 color extraction algorithm which is available in the Galaxy Wearable app. You simply take a photo of your outfit, choose from five different color patterns, and your watch face changes in seconds. This feature is however only available on Samsung and Android devices.


• Media


The Galaxy Watch Active 2 comes with new social media features that include the introduction of apps like social media viewers that allow you like a post, share, and engage. There’s also Youtube which allows you watch video clips right on the Active 2.


• Fitness Tracking


While the Galaxy Watch Active is actually a comprehensive fitness tracker with 39 sport modes preloaded, the new Galaxy Watch Active 2 is however more equipped than its predecessor to track your active life.

It has almost the same sensors as the Active, except that the Heart rate sensor is now more advanced and smarter to give rapid and more accurate readings. Out of the 39 preloaded sport modes on the Active 2, it can auto-detect and track 7 of these activities, unlike its predecessor which can auto-track less than that.

ECG sensor has also been incorporated on the Active 2 – it’s the first in the rich collection of Samsung smartwatches to have this feature. Perhaps a more worthy competitor against the Apple Watch 4 which also has ECG tracking. With ECG you can detect atrial fibrillation – a form of irregular heart rhythm which can be fatal if left undetected and treated.

The Active 2 has 7 running programs that allow you to track your running pace in real-time – A nice deal for pro runners.


• Cellular Connectivity


The Galaxy Watch Active 2 now has cellular connectivity unlike its predecessor. So, with the Active 2 you can now make and receive calls on the go allowing you to stay connected to all that matters to you with internet connection.

LTE editions are only available in stainless steel version (44mm and 40mm), and Samsung had stated it’ll be available at AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Verizon starting September 27, 2019.


• Battery Life

Battery life hasn’t changed that much. Although you should expect the LTE edition of the Active 2 to have a shorter battery life than the non-LTE edition. Otherwise, the slight difference in battery capacity doesn’t warrant significant difference in the battery life of these two.
Both the Galaxy active 1 and 2 will last just about 2-4 days on regular usage.