@@cshaw918 go for the Germine if you need it for sport, but if u need the Watch active 2 to measure ur resting heart rate then is good to go, otherwise i will advise u to stay away from the active 2
@DesFit, I echo Mohamed's comment. Great job, indeed. The most helpful review I came across so far. Which watch would you recommend for someone looking for accuracy in GPS, Heart rate and sleep tracking?
I'm pretty sure I've watched about 15 review videos for the active 2, and it's safe to say that this is by far the most complete review when it comes to fitness. Great job, sir!
YES! I do a lot of research before I buy anything I'm not familiar with... A LOT. You're In-Depth reviews is AMAZING.. REALLY appreciate it. Can't wait to see what this channel will achieve after 1mill+ subs. I feel like it will happen in the end of 2021. Good Luck Des, you're a good man, I can feel it!
Your reviews are always spot on. Clean, concise and to the point yet somehow very thorough and detailed. Very good production quality too. Keep it up man.
@Jason Dorset Mamil Cycling well at least, i got mine a few weeks ago and i compared mine to a real heart rate sensor and it was pretty accurate, there was a small gap of 2-4 bpp between them
My mind is blown, what an awesome review. Thanks for all the time and testing put into this. I've had this watch from day one, as a smartwatch it's great, but Samsung just can't get the HR right.
Just purchased, and was hoping the heart rate performance had improved. Sounds like that’s not the case. As always, a great video that addresses everything I need/want to know about a device. I very much appreciate your work, it’s so well done!
Hi Des can you revisit the Active 2 my understanding is with the latest updates heart rate tracking has vastly improved as well as other metrics thanks!
Awesome review! Keep up the high quality of work! Loved how you get as much quantitative/comparative data as possible to give as objective view of the product as possible!
I can't believe that they still did not fix the heart rate issues. This shows that their main focus is not on active people but rather on people that like to think about themselves they are active. I was developing apps on Tizen way back and in the end I stopped, because the quality of that system is same as the heartrate and their support is somewhat non existent. Anyway, thanks for great video and again very precise and well done comparison, and I can't wait for venu review ;)
This was a great review, very Thorough cant imagine why people would dislike it other than jealousy. Keep up the good work man. Look forward to your next review
Considering that at least one dislike comes within minutes of publishing the video (without enough time to actually watch it), you’re probably on the right track. Thanks a bunch!
I have a Garmin FR245 and it suuuuuuuuuuuuuucks for Treadmill running. No matter how many times I "calibrate and save" the thing gives me credit for about 60-80% of what the treadmill says I do. I'm always sure to swing the arm with the watch on and never hang on...at least with the watch hand. That's all to say, this isn't they only watch with treadmill issues. Having said that, I'm glad that I bought it over this watch after watching this review. Treadmill issues aside, I'm happy with everything else with my Garmin. Thank you for the review.
I'm inclined to believe that it's either just a "bot" or a "troll vote". You see downvotes on absolutely everything nowadays, totally without rime or reason, so it really isn't even worth notingm, in my opinion. Best regards.
Thx for the review Des! I was actually looking at the Watch Active 2 since I already have a Samsung phone, and tbh the Samsung Health app is really not bad. It's one of the best Health Tracking apps I've seen. But I'm really glad I chose the Vivoactive 3 instead of this one (the 150$ price was mind-blowing). The Weight Lifting tracking might not be great, but it sure does a better job than the Active 2, even if it's 2 years older. This says a lot about how important are the algorithms behind the sensors.
My GWA2 HR has been about as accurate as most other smartwatches when compared using a chest strap as the baseline. It's very accurate at low to moderate intensity, but less so at higher intensity training. It's been much more responsive and accurate than my Versa 2 and a little better than the Garmin Venu my friend has (we swapped to compare readings. The GPS is accurate enough for me, but I agree that it may fall short for the more serious athlete. Great Review!
"Like this course where it lost nearly a mile on a 12 mile race, which... isn't necessarily awesome" Most polite way I've heard of saying "that sucked" 😅 made me chuckle! Thanks for the thorough review though, it led to purchase for me (first smart watch in my case", so appreciate all the time you put into it!
@@aaronlanders95 it's been working really good.. I don't have another heart monitor machine at work so its hard to see how much its off, but it seems to be somewhat accurate
@@aaronlanders95 it depends on your lifestyle I guess.. if your very active it might be worth it or your just looking for a nice watch that does a number of things then I'd say yes. I've gotten really nice compliments on it besides money is made to be spent.. does no good if your saving it and not treating yourself
I chatted this evening with a rep from Samsung because I was considering buying the Active 2. I brought up the negative reviews about the tracking and the HR monitor. I asked if there was an update in the pipeline. He acknowledged that there was one. I asked if there was a timeline and he said no. I then asked about the promised ECG not being activated. He said they were still tweaking it. I asked if there was a timeline for this considering that we are close to month six and it was promised in early 2020. The reply was once again, no there none. When I told him that because of this, I would be purchasing a Garmin device, he replied, I am sorry about this". End of conversation.
Thanks for your work. Watching a lot of review videos, and heard a lot of complaints about the accuracy of this device. Your graphs helped make that pretty clear.
You don't know how beneficial this video was. I'm just ordered this for the fitness tracking (heart rate, gps) and now I'm CANCELLING it. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU JUST STOPPED ME FROM MAKING A GREAT MISTAKE.
Hey Des! I found your channel this week when I was looking for a review for the Garmin 245 and I've been binge-watching your channels all week haha. It's so interesting comparing all the different fitness/smartwatches on the market right now. I love how in depth you go with your reviews especially from a fitness POV. Although I don't have a Samsung watch (I have the Huawei watch 1 atm) it sucks how the HR sensor for this Active 2 isn't that great. I can't wait for your next review!!
hi there, I am watching this in February 2021. Thinking about getting one of those, but I wondered if any of those inaccuracies have been addressed by Samsung yet, via firmware upgrades. Thank you!!
I have the first Galaxy Active and it definitely has inconsistencies with tracking my heartrate especially when there are spikes (weight training or sprints) and there's a fair bit of sweating involved. Granted, it often does a decent job at tracking my HR but there are times when it just doesn't track at all or gives me a completely wrong number (doing 165bpm but reads 60bpm.) Great review!!
Hey. I know I'm really late and you probably won't see this but I want to say that I love your videos. I've been looking at a lot of watches because I ready to upgrade my Garmin Forerunner 35. I came across the Samsung Galaxy Active and then I found out there was a newer one. I looked up reviews on RUclips and I saw your name and it looked fimalar. You did a review over the Forerunner 935 I had before the Forerunner 35. Anyways, I lov your videos man, keep going.
Where in the settings are you finding the High Accuracy Location setting shown at 3:58? My Active 2 has only 3 options (Settings, Connections, Location, Methods: GPS & wireless, Wireless networks, GPS). I assume "GPS & wireless" provides the highest accuracy, but I do not find the setting displayed in the video.
I have both the Garmin Venu and GWA2. Wear one on each wrist to compare. For me the HR has been pretty much on par on both of them the last month. Both during excersise and rest.
Best reviewer on youtuber . The active 2 is very bad pls dont buy. If u are watching the review believe all what said without bias. The active 2 is not good for workout my has beeb returen
In regards to the heart rate sensor accuracy, a quick wipe of your towel / sleeve between the watch and your wrist every 15-20mins makes a huge dif to accuracy and made it extremely accurate. If you are an extra sweaty person maybe even more frequent.
not sure if this is an option while running :D anyway thanx for the info, will be getting mine in a couple of days :) was anything on the hear rate/gps side improved since you posted your comment?
Thanks for your comprehensive review! Was going to buy this watch but heart-rate sensor seems to be poor for my needs. Thanks for saving my money and nerves :)
@@DesFit maybe you can recommend some watches having more or less reliable heart-rate sensor for non-professional outdoor running for about $200? Would greatly appreciate your help!
Now that the active 1 received an update which adds the rotating bezel, how would you compare 1 to the active 2? I picked up a active 1 to try out with boxing day sales. $229 vs $299 for the active 2. Is it worth the $70 upcharge?
Thanks for the review! I am definitely impressed with that screen... the screen-body ratio looks great on this watch compared to a lot of others currently out! Fairly disappointed in the battery life though, I’m hoping to see longer battery life in these watches over time but it does seem to stay in that 5-7hr active GPS time... Again, great review! Thanks!
Your review is very accurate in term of HR, the active 2 is horrible, specially for resting reading, it used to give me that my HR dropped to 40 - 41 while I am sleeping , which is far from accurate.
What happened to the segment where you review this watch on its swim tracking capabilities? I was hoping to find out how good or bad it is for counting lengths/laps. Yes, no maybe coming?
Hey Des, thank you for your reviews. I’ve seen a lot of reviews on smart watches and would like your opinion. If you had to choose between the Fitbit Sense and Galaxy watch active 2, which one would you choose? Thank you
The Sense may be a better option for you but neither of those watches have stellar heart rate accuracy. To make matters worse, neither can pair to an external HR sensor natively which is needed for accurate HR for weight training. I’d consider a Garmin Venu which provides a much more feature rich fitness experience along with the ability to pair to an external HR strap
Both options are good but for your activities the SQ would do fine and be less expensive. The Venu does have a nicer display which is similar to the Sense and the Active 2.
I have been waiting for this review for a really long time, great review as usual! I'll definitely still buy this watch for its smartwatch capabilities and wait to see what Google+Fitbit are planning to do. OR I might even consider upgrading the Watch Active 2 if Samsung does improve their heart rate tracking.
Great vid...in terms of cycling...how did the watch do as far as giving real time distance and speed as you rode...is the watch able to give pace/time out loud?
Sleep tracking is very good. Almost on par with Fitbit and miles better than Garmin (which is useless in this regard). I currently own a GWA2 and the Garmin Venu trying to decide which one to keep.
@@bjrnaresterlie4049 I'm in the same situation but GW2 and Garmin vivoactive 4 instead venu. Have you decided yet? The gw2 is much nicer looking and has better UI imho but the garmin app is better for sports tracking and garmin pay is a bonus since I can't use samsung pay in my country.
@@petmach No haven't decided. My inner voice wants to keep the Venu, but it has some shortcomings that ruin it. Sleep tracking is so bad Garmin should just disable that feature. Also the rep counting during strength workouts doesn't work. Today I also noticed it's not as good as my Fitbit ionic was when it comes to auto recognizing workouts. I had a 45min football/soccer workout earlier tonight and it only recorded a 23min workout. The ionic never failed this. When it comes to the GWA2 I like it, but have started to think I don't really need a smartwatch. Lot of the features are fun the first few days, but now I have turned a lot of them off. The flashlight function is handy though. Also Samsung doesn't have a web interface which Garmin and Polar have. Battery life is also worse than the Venu. To sum it up none of them are perfect. Might check out the Polar Vantage V or the Huawei Watch GT2.
Thank you so much for the view of the altitude/trail GPS info!! We always need that kind of data for activities in Colorado. Plus I'm hoping for trail maps, if it has it. I'm comparing against my partner's Suunto watch for my next watch purchase, and its requiring a lot of research. Lol
Great review! Please keep testing sports watches with sports and fitness in mind! Everything else does not matter as long as the basic sports functionallity is not up to par!
@DesFit, thanks for the awesome review . I'm shopping for my first fitness watch. The Samsung Galaxy Active 2 looks glossy & pretty on the outside but if you can't trust the data, what the point of buying this watch for anything but time & date function?
Great job on the review...Seem like Samsung was almost there with this watch GPS was good enough ,it’s got four gigs of RAM so you can put some music on it for you runs you ,can use it for swimming but the heart rate tracking it’s less than stellar it’s a no go for me.
JESUS WHY DOES THE GPS AND HR SUCK!?!? I want this watch so bad. I based most of my runs off heart rate and would love my GPS to be accurate especially during a marathon but if this battery can't get me through 26 MI then I might as well wait for the active 4 and hopefully then they will have some changes. I'm punching the air rn. Has this has been the problem for every active to topic.
Great review as always Des. Looks like Samsung has pumped out another mediocre fitness watch. The sad part for Android users, is that this is still 2-3 times better than any Wear OS Watch for fitness tracking.
DesFit You hinted at the solution. If they could just pair with a chest/arm strap, that could solve the problem. But, neither Tizen nor Wear OS watches have that ability. Garmin watches pair so easily with external HR monitors.
@@johnmanley4528 The watch have the capability actually, there is an app, I was using back on s3 that connected to HR chest strap itself, cant recall the name, but the ability is there its just about very little programming for Samsung, so I do not really understand why, but it must be intentional that it is not implemented.
I picked one up over boxing week sales. Also grabbed a galaxy active 1 for comparison and plan to return one. One thing that's known issue with Fitbit is ghost step counting. I had nearly 2000 steps being counted today due to bumpy roads while driving.
@DesFit Is there an HIIT mode( like iwatch ) which tracks total calories with HR ? If not is there a generic mode ( like in smart bands ) which could be used during the whole gym session or any HIIT. Which tracks calories with HR.
Hi Desfit, nice review! I have some questions, pls if you can answier. First how was the active 2 for swimming? And 2 how can you export the tracking and hr with samsung health? I dont know how to activate that in my watch to know the distance in my excercises. Thx for your help! Nice Channel!
Very nice review, the most complete I've found. I'm looking for a watch that has precise GPS to track my long runs, but at the same time to be stylish. Which one would you recommend?
Thanks for the awesome review. Definitely is very informative. One question, is there no way that I can connect my cadence and speed sensors to the watch?
This is how fitness reviews should be done. Awesome job, man.
Thanks!!
@@DesFit the best reviwer. My active 2 heart rate sensor is bullshit not accurate i just put my hard earn money on a garbage thanks for the review bro
@@cshaw918 go for the Germine if you need it for sport, but if u need the Watch active 2 to measure ur resting heart rate then is good to go, otherwise i will advise u to stay away from the active 2
@DesFit, I echo Mohamed's comment. Great job, indeed. The most helpful review I came across so far.
Which watch would you recommend for someone looking for accuracy in GPS, Heart rate and sleep tracking?
Yes! such a great job I totally agree!
I'm pretty sure I've watched about 15 review videos for the active 2, and it's safe to say that this is by far the most complete review when it comes to fitness.
Great job, sir!
Thanks so much!! Glad it helped.
YES! I do a lot of research before I buy anything I'm not familiar with... A LOT. You're In-Depth reviews is AMAZING.. REALLY appreciate it. Can't wait to see what this channel will achieve after 1mill+ subs. I feel like it will happen in the end of 2021. Good Luck Des, you're a good man, I can feel it!
A million is a WAYS off but I appreciate the support!!
2:15 - I believe you and props for the extremely in-depth review!
Sure thing. Thanks!!
Crisp, in-depth and absolutely as per the title named. Great review. Truly appreciate your efforts.
Glad it helped. Thanks!
I bought one and sent it back, your review is spot on, it's a great smart watch and a terrible activity tracker.
Quite the bummer, for sure.
Your reviews are always spot on. Clean, concise and to the point yet somehow very thorough and detailed. Very good production quality too. Keep it up man.
Thanks!!
Great review, been trying to find an in depth review for this specific watch and then I found this. Great job 👍
Thanks so much!
Could you do an updated video of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2? I heard they made some software fixes
@Jason Dorset Mamil Cycling it was
@Jason Dorset Mamil Cycling well at least, i got mine a few weeks ago and i compared mine to a real heart rate sensor and it was pretty accurate, there was a small gap of 2-4 bpp between them
These are the most in-depth reviews on smart watches on RUclips. Your videos helped me choose garmin va3 with my budget. Great stuff!
Thanks! Glad the videos helped!
My mind is blown, what an awesome review. Thanks for all the time and testing put into this. I've had this watch from day one, as a smartwatch it's great, but Samsung just can't get the HR right.
Thanks a bunch!
@@DesFit I have a question could i use galaxy watch active 2 gps while running without pairing it with my phone?
@@cahyoadi4077 if you have lte on it and your plan allow it yes
Don't forget the accurate hr monitor hasn't been verified by the fda yet. I'd imagine accuracy will be a bit better when it comes out.
@@cahyoadi4077 Just saw your comment here. Yes, you absolutely can.
Been waiting for this review, ty
Just purchased, and was hoping the heart rate performance had improved. Sounds like that’s not the case. As always, a great video that addresses everything I need/want to know about a device. I very much appreciate your work, it’s so well done!
Thanks a bunch!
I just got mine today. I love it!
Hi Des can you revisit the Active 2 my understanding is with the latest updates heart rate tracking has vastly improved as well as other metrics thanks!
Yep, it would be very interesting to see an updated take on active 2, from Des.
Following for an update
I'm about to get my active 2 and would really appreciate a new review with all the updates
Awesome review! Keep up the high quality of work! Loved how you get as much quantitative/comparative data as possible to give as objective view of the product as possible!
Thanks! Glad it helped!
Definitely the best review of Active 2, good job brother👏🏽
Thanks!
I can't believe that they still did not fix the heart rate issues. This shows that their main focus is not on active people but rather on people that like to think about themselves they are active. I was developing apps on Tizen way back and in the end I stopped, because the quality of that system is same as the heartrate and their support is somewhat non existent. Anyway, thanks for great video and again very precise and well done comparison, and I can't wait for venu review ;)
Thanks for the information from someone who has experience developing for Tizen! Thanks!
This was a great review, very Thorough cant imagine why people would dislike it other than jealousy. Keep up the good work man. Look forward to your next review
Considering that at least one dislike comes within minutes of publishing the video (without enough time to actually watch it), you’re probably on the right track. Thanks a bunch!
Awesome video man! Glad I found your channel, now I have a deep review fitness (watches) reviews. This helped me understand my Samsung Watch better.
Glad it helped! Thanks so much!
I have a Garmin FR245 and it suuuuuuuuuuuuuucks for Treadmill running. No matter how many times I "calibrate and save" the thing gives me credit for about 60-80% of what the treadmill says I do. I'm always sure to swing the arm with the watch on and never hang on...at least with the watch hand. That's all to say, this isn't they only watch with treadmill issues.
Having said that, I'm glad that I bought it over this watch after watching this review. Treadmill issues aside, I'm happy with everything else with my Garmin.
Thank you for the review.
i will get this watch in my birthday! i'm very excited!:)
You always take the review to next level
Best review maker ever
Thanks for your effort
Thanks so much!!
OMG i just noticed the vanilla ice reference!! hysterical!
Ice is back with my brand new invention!
@@DesFit The children of the 80s! It wasn't all bad :)
This is fantastic. Such a good quality review.
Thanks!
A great and a very comprehensive review. Really impressed
Thanks!
Thanks man! I went ahead and ordered one. Subbed!
Thanks! I hope it works out for you.
Why would 1 person give him a dislike? Hater....if you don't want to watch then get the hell out
I'm inclined to believe that it's either just a "bot" or a "troll vote".
You see downvotes on absolutely everything nowadays, totally without rime or reason, so it really isn't even worth notingm, in my opinion.
Best regards.
you did a really good job with your review, a lot of information
Thanks Macgyver!
Thx for the review Des! I was actually looking at the Watch Active 2 since I already have a Samsung phone, and tbh the Samsung Health app is really not bad. It's one of the best Health Tracking apps I've seen. But I'm really glad I chose the Vivoactive 3 instead of this one (the 150$ price was mind-blowing). The Weight Lifting tracking might not be great, but it sure does a better job than the Active 2, even if it's 2 years older. This says a lot about how important are the algorithms behind the sensors.
What a great analysis !🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 Keep it up
Thanks! Glad it helped!
Hi! Thank you, your review was awesome!👏👏
Thanks!!
My GWA2 HR has been about as accurate as most other smartwatches when compared using a chest strap as the baseline. It's very accurate at low to moderate intensity, but less so at higher intensity training. It's been much more responsive and accurate than my Versa 2 and a little better than the Garmin Venu my friend has (we swapped to compare readings. The GPS is accurate enough for me, but I agree that it may fall short for the more serious athlete. Great Review!
Thanks!!
supeer great video ...never had anyone review so deep
Thanks!
best sporty review ive seen
Thanks!
I love you. Just amazing reviews. Keep these up. So underrated. ❤️❤️❤️
Really appreciate the in-depth reviews. Keep up the great work!!
Thanks!
"Like this course where it lost nearly a mile on a 12 mile race, which... isn't necessarily awesome" Most polite way I've heard of saying "that sucked" 😅 made me chuckle!
Thanks for the thorough review though, it led to purchase for me (first smart watch in my case", so appreciate all the time you put into it!
Sure thing. Glad it helped. Thanks!
Superb review. Noone talks about this in depth.
Thanks!!
Great video I just ordered mines and this video makes be feel better about the purchase
Hows the heart rate tracking on yours?
@@aaronlanders95 it's been working really good.. I don't have another heart monitor machine at work so its hard to see how much its off, but it seems to be somewhat accurate
@@vauricelee8640 do you think for day to day use normal walking at stuff that it's okay? And do you think £259 is worth it?
@@aaronlanders95 it depends on your lifestyle I guess.. if your very active it might be worth it or your just looking for a nice watch that does a number of things then I'd say yes. I've gotten really nice compliments on it besides money is made to be spent.. does no good if your saving it and not treating yourself
@@vauricelee8640 thank-you for your response, if I do end up buying one I will let you know
Thanks for your hard work. By doing all this you help us a lot to decide which smartwatch or fitness tracker to buy.
Thanks so much! I appreciate that comment!
Wow, excellent review! Great work and thank you for your dedication.
Thanks!!
I chatted this evening with a rep from Samsung because I was considering
buying the Active 2. I brought up the negative reviews about the
tracking and the HR monitor. I asked if there was an update in the
pipeline. He acknowledged that there was one. I asked if there was a
timeline and he said no. I then asked about the promised ECG not being
activated. He said they were still tweaking it. I asked if there was a
timeline for this considering that we are close to month six and it was
promised in early 2020. The reply was once again, no there none. When I
told him that because of this, I would be purchasing a Garmin device, he
replied, I am sorry about this". End of conversation.
Pretty sure Samsung made improvements on updates to fix your reading findings after your video. An updated video in the future perhaps?
Thanks for your work. Watching a lot of review videos, and heard a lot of complaints about the accuracy of this device. Your graphs helped make that pretty clear.
It's a shame considering it has potential.
You don't know how beneficial this video was. I'm just ordered this for the fitness tracking (heart rate, gps) and now I'm CANCELLING it.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU JUST STOPPED ME FROM MAKING A GREAT MISTAKE.
Hey Des! I found your channel this week when I was looking for a review for the Garmin 245 and I've been binge-watching your channels all week haha. It's so interesting comparing all the different fitness/smartwatches on the market right now. I love how in depth you go with your reviews especially from a fitness POV. Although I don't have a Samsung watch (I have the Huawei watch 1 atm) it sucks how the HR sensor for this Active 2 isn't that great. I can't wait for your next review!!
Thanks a bunch!
hi there, I am watching this in February 2021. Thinking about getting one of those, but I wondered if any of those inaccuracies have been addressed by Samsung yet, via firmware upgrades. Thank you!!
Following
really good job in the review. and also.. huge probs to your generell fitness. wtf.. 5km with 23.5 km/h avarage. bruh your insane
Thanks! 💪
Super deep and informative fitness breakdown for watches 👍👍 great place to know what the whole fitness hype everybody claims is all about
Thanks a bunch!!
I just subscribe you. Very nice detailed review. Appreciate your hard work to give proper review.
Why would someone dislike these QUALITY videos.
🤷♂️
I have the first Galaxy Active and it definitely has inconsistencies with tracking my heartrate especially when there are spikes (weight training or sprints) and there's a fair bit of sweating involved. Granted, it often does a decent job at tracking my HR but there are times when it just doesn't track at all or gives me a completely wrong number (doing 165bpm but reads 60bpm.) Great review!!
Thanks!
Hey. I know I'm really late and you probably won't see this but I want to say that I love your videos. I've been looking at a lot of watches because I ready to upgrade my Garmin Forerunner 35. I came across the Samsung Galaxy Active and then I found out there was a newer one. I looked up reviews on RUclips and I saw your name and it looked fimalar. You did a review over the Forerunner 935 I had before the Forerunner 35. Anyways, I lov your videos man, keep going.
Thanks! If you’re used to a Garmin, I think you’re going to be disappointed in the fitness aspects of any Samsung watch.
Hey Des , what was the firmware version you tested?
Is there have been un update since your vídeo?
Where in the settings are you finding the High Accuracy Location setting shown at 3:58? My Active 2 has only 3 options (Settings, Connections, Location, Methods: GPS & wireless, Wireless networks, GPS). I assume "GPS & wireless" provides the highest accuracy, but I do not find the setting displayed in the video.
I love it , Samsung you are the best 😍❤
Thanks for the review, disappointed in the HR sensor.
You and me both. I have to test even longer with results like this just to make sure they are valid. But thanks!
haven't watched yet, but not the comment I wanted to see
Thanks for the review. Also dissatisfied with the hr sensor.
I have both the Garmin Venu and GWA2. Wear one on each wrist to compare. For me the HR has been pretty much on par on both of them the last month. Both during excersise and rest.
@@bjrnaresterlie4049 Maybe after a software update?
You made me choose the right watch that is dude love the video 😇
Great review. Good stuff mate
Thanks!!
Best reviewer on youtuber . The active 2 is very bad pls dont buy. If u are watching the review believe all what said without bias. The active 2 is not good for workout my has beeb returen
exceptional review. I was concerned about HR accuracy and you very clearly addressed (unfortunately confirmed) those concerns.
Yup, very unfortunate. I want them to get better. Maybe next time!
You're the best! Gr at reviews!!!
Thanks!
In regards to the heart rate sensor accuracy, a quick wipe of your towel / sleeve between the watch and your wrist every 15-20mins makes a huge dif to accuracy and made it extremely accurate. If you are an extra sweaty person maybe even more frequent.
not sure if this is an option while running :D anyway thanx for the info, will be getting mine in a couple of days :) was anything on the hear rate/gps side improved since you posted your comment?
Great review
Thanks!
great review. Thanks!
Sure thing! Thanks!
Awesome to see you're in Fort Collins! Me too :)
🤙
Thanks for your comprehensive review! Was going to buy this watch but heart-rate sensor seems to be poor for my needs. Thanks for saving my money and nerves :)
Sure thing! Thanks!
@@DesFit maybe you can recommend some watches having more or less reliable heart-rate sensor for non-professional outdoor running for about $200? Would greatly appreciate your help!
COROS Pace 2 or Forerunner 45 👍
@@DesFit thanks, I watched your review about Forerunner 45 just before you wrote, hope it fits me well
Now that the active 1 received an update which adds the rotating bezel, how would you compare 1 to the active 2?
I picked up a active 1 to try out with boxing day sales. $229 vs $299 for the active 2. Is it worth the $70 upcharge?
Thanks for the review! I am definitely impressed with that screen... the screen-body ratio looks great on this watch compared to a lot of others currently out!
Fairly disappointed in the battery life though, I’m hoping to see longer battery life in these watches over time but it does seem to stay in that 5-7hr active GPS time...
Again, great review! Thanks!
Sure thing! Thank you!
Your review is very accurate in term of HR, the active 2 is horrible, specially for resting reading, it used to give me that my HR dropped to 40 - 41 while I am sleeping , which is far from accurate.
What happened to the segment where you review this watch on its swim tracking capabilities? I was hoping to find out how good or bad it is for counting lengths/laps.
Yes, no maybe coming?
great review!
Thanks!!
Hey Des, thank you for your reviews. I’ve seen a lot of reviews on smart watches and would like your opinion. If you had to choose between the Fitbit Sense and Galaxy watch active 2, which one would you choose? Thank you
What types of activities do you like to do?
@@DesFit I like to run, I walk and resistance training. I also like to use map my run but I’m not tied down to any running app.
The Sense may be a better option for you but neither of those watches have stellar heart rate accuracy. To make matters worse, neither can pair to an external HR sensor natively which is needed for accurate HR for weight training. I’d consider a Garmin Venu which provides a much more feature rich fitness experience along with the ability to pair to an external HR strap
@@DesFit awesome thank you for your input. Would you consider the Venu SQ or the Venu or is either option good?
Both options are good but for your activities the SQ would do fine and be less expensive. The Venu does have a nicer display which is similar to the Sense and the Active 2.
Love the bike helmet lamp 🙂
Thanks!!
I have been waiting for this review for a really long time, great review as usual! I'll definitely still buy this watch for its smartwatch capabilities and wait to see what Google+Fitbit are planning to do. OR I might even consider upgrading the Watch Active 2 if Samsung does improve their heart rate tracking.
Amazing review as always....thx a lot....
Sure thing. Glad it helped!
Great vid...in terms of cycling...how did the watch do as far as giving real time distance and speed as you rode...is the watch able to give pace/time out loud?
How's the sleep tracking?
Sleep tracking is very good. Almost on par with Fitbit and miles better than Garmin (which is useless in this regard). I currently own a GWA2 and the Garmin Venu trying to decide which one to keep.
@@bjrnaresterlie4049 I'm in the same situation but GW2 and Garmin vivoactive 4 instead venu. Have you decided yet? The gw2 is much nicer looking and has better UI imho but the garmin app is better for sports tracking and garmin pay is a bonus since I can't use samsung pay in my country.
@@petmach No haven't decided. My inner voice wants to keep the Venu, but it has some shortcomings that ruin it. Sleep tracking is so bad Garmin should just disable that feature. Also the rep counting during strength workouts doesn't work. Today I also noticed it's not as good as my Fitbit ionic was when it comes to auto recognizing workouts. I had a 45min football/soccer workout earlier tonight and it only recorded a 23min workout. The ionic never failed this.
When it comes to the GWA2 I like it, but have started to think I don't really need a smartwatch. Lot of the features are fun the first few days, but now I have turned a lot of them off. The flashlight function is handy though. Also Samsung doesn't have a web interface which Garmin and Polar have. Battery life is also worse than the Venu.
To sum it up none of them are perfect. Might check out the Polar Vantage V or the Huawei Watch GT2.
@@bjrnaresterlie4049 My VA3m doesn't fail at rep counting und detects the exercises very well
Thank you so much for the view of the altitude/trail GPS info!! We always need that kind of data for activities in Colorado. Plus I'm hoping for trail maps, if it has it. I'm comparing against my partner's Suunto watch for my next watch purchase, and its requiring a lot of research. Lol
Love this review
Thanks!
How do you turn high location accuracy on? It's just coming up with location and then gps or wifi as an option nothing about high location accuracy
This was the best review.. Just one question though.. Which wearable you would recommend for fitness tracking?
That’s a tough question - depends on what type of activities you like to do.
Great review cant wait for u to do the versa 2
How do you turn on high location accuracy? I cant seem to find it
Great review! Please keep testing sports watches with sports and fitness in mind! Everything else does not matter as long as the basic sports functionallity is not up to par!
Thanks!
@DesFit, thanks for the awesome review . I'm shopping for my first fitness watch. The Samsung Galaxy Active 2 looks glossy & pretty on the outside but if you can't trust the data, what the point of buying this watch for anything but time & date function?
The Galaxy Watches are great smartwatches but that's about it. The fitness performance leaves a bit to be desired. Thanks!
Great job on the review...Seem like Samsung was almost there with this watch GPS was good enough ,it’s got four gigs of RAM so you can put some music on it for you runs you ,can use it for swimming but the heart rate tracking it’s less than stellar it’s a no go for me.
what do you recommend as the best tracker? i ride bike
are these worth buying then the apple watch or the fossel smart watch??
JESUS WHY DOES THE GPS AND HR SUCK!?!? I want this watch so bad. I based most of my runs off heart rate and would love my GPS to be accurate especially during a marathon but if this battery can't get me through 26 MI then I might as well wait for the active 4 and hopefully then they will have some changes. I'm punching the air rn. Has this has been the problem for every active to topic.
Great review as always Des. Looks like Samsung has pumped out another mediocre fitness watch. The sad part for Android users, is that this is still 2-3 times better than any Wear OS Watch for fitness tracking.
Touché! ;)
Thanks John. I really thought they would have gotten it right this time. 🤷♂️🤦♂️
DesFit You hinted at the solution. If they could just pair with a chest/arm strap, that could solve the problem. But, neither Tizen nor Wear OS watches have that ability. Garmin watches pair so easily with external HR monitors.
Can’t disagree. They obviously have the money to make that happen so it’s a gigantic question mark for me.
@@DesFit Good point! Happy early Thanksgiving Des!
@@johnmanley4528 The watch have the capability actually, there is an app, I was using back on s3 that connected to HR chest strap itself, cant recall the name, but the ability is there its just about very little programming for Samsung, so I do not really understand why, but it must be intentional that it is not implemented.
Hello Thanks, the watch in one year has a lot of update of GPS and heart rates can you do an updated review for see if it's better now ?? Thanks.
Awesome review man! Would you be able to make a review on the Fitbit Versa 2?
I picked one up over boxing week sales. Also grabbed a galaxy active 1 for comparison and plan to return one. One thing that's known issue with Fitbit is ghost step counting. I had nearly 2000 steps being counted today due to bumpy roads while driving.
@DesFit Is there an HIIT mode( like iwatch ) which tracks total calories with HR ?
If not is there a generic mode ( like in smart bands ) which could be used during the whole gym session or any HIIT. Which tracks calories with HR.
Yup, there is a generic mode.
Hi Desfit, nice review!
I have some questions, pls if you can answier.
First how was the active 2 for swimming?
And 2 how can you export the tracking and hr with samsung health?
I dont know how to activate that in my watch to know the distance in my excercises.
Thx for your help! Nice Channel!
Thank you for the review.. Looks like i will be maintaining my gear fit 2 pro
Does enabling the Sensors in settings have a good effect or a bad effect?
Very nice review, the most complete I've found. I'm looking for a watch that has precise GPS to track my long runs, but at the same time to be stylish. Which one would you recommend?
the active 2 has precise gps built in
The Garmin Venu would be a good option. I’d steer clear of Samsung watches for fitness and sports accuracy.
Thanks for the awesome review. Definitely is very informative. One question, is there no way that I can connect my cadence and speed sensors to the watch?
I don’t believe there is any way to do that with this watch.