So if these two watches are so similar, why would you want to go for the Active 2 instead of the newer Watch 3? Will we get a Garmin Vivosmart 5 with Fitbit Charge 4 features? Samsung is still securing regulatory approval, so it will be enabled on a country-to-country basis. We have put them side-by-side to make the decision easier for you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Galaxy Watch 3 vs Galaxy Watch Active 2 The footprint has been increased slightly for the new smartwatch so while the Galaxy Watch Active 2 was available in 40 and 44mm sizes, the Galaxy Watch 3 is available in 41 and 45mm sizes. This sporty watch comes in two sizes, a smaller 40mm and a larger 44mm, with four subtle yet beautiful colors to choose from, including black, gold, silver, and pink. Well, it never existed. Active 2 offers a stainless steel and aluminium casing option, and due to the smaller sizes these are a bit more lightweight than Watch 3. Click here for more info. Put Galaxy Watch 3 and Active 2 next to each other and you’ll notice a few differences. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 For size, Samsung has evened things up across the range, so the bigger Watch 3 and Watch Active 2 models feature a 1.4 … As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. They are not major, but they are subtle. While the price of this watch is a substantial increase over the Active 2, it still sits on the lower end of premier smartwatches like the Apple Watch. The latest and greatest wearable from Samsung has not only iterated on the first edition, but it borrowed some of the best features from the wildly successful Galaxy Watch Active 2. Yes, the newer Watch 3 is more expensive, but if you get the 41mm Bluetooth stainless steel version, it comes in cheaper than the larger LTE Active 2. The second is very lightweight but also very pricey. When it comes to smartwatches, the smart buying advice is generally to purchase the newest device available. If you’re in two minds on which one is right for you, keep reading. Well, sort of. This Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 face-off can't make your buying decision for you, but it can point you in the right direction. Just like the Watch Active 2, which was released in November 2019, the Watch 3 will only support blood oxygen reading and electrocardiogram in some locations such as South Korea and the U.S.. The only drawback is that when your fingers are wet or sweaty, it can be a bit difficult to use this feature (and as a sports watch, your hands may be slippery when trying to use it). This includes the ability to track blood oxygen levels, fall detection, more comprehensive sleep stats, some new running features and a few more sports modes. Excited about your new Galaxy Watch Active 2 but still searching for the perfect band? You almost don't even notice that you have it on! Thank you for signing up to Tom's Guide. There’s also an Under Armour special edition model for running enthusiasts that costs $279 for the 40mm size and $299 for the 44 mm size. Xiaomi Mi Band 5 vs Mi Band 4: what’s new and different? I know that's not exactly apples to apples (or Galaxies to Galaxies), but they're not as far apart as you'd imagine. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and never miss out! NY 10036. This is particularly frustrating, as it has the sensors to do both now, and competitors have similar features enabled in other parts of the world. Prime Day deals: See all the best offers right now! What’s more, they both have a MIL-STD-810G rating so can take quite a beating. Don't let the naming convention fool you; these are both the second iterations of two of Samsung's most popular wearables. Amazon Prime Day deals are already flowing, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n, LTE (select models), HRM, electrocardiogram (ECG), accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, ambient light sensor, blood pressure monitor, Stainless steel: Mystic Bronze, Mystic Black, Mystic Silver, Blood-pressure monitoring and ECG not widely enabled yet, Blood-pressure monitoring and ECG STILL not widely enabled. There you get the options of a 45mm and 41mm chassis. The Galaxy Watch 3 is a return to 2018, complete with larger buttons and — yes— the physical bezel. This is good news for those who appreciate offline Spotify playback. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They will all track your activity and health around the clock and come with the company’s Tizen operating system. Visit our corporate site. Watch 3, on the other hand, looks more like a conventional watch. It strikes a balance of being a handy piece of tech and a fashion-forward wrist accessory. Gadgets & Wearables Ltd 2015-2020, We are an independently owned site that may receive a small commission from sales of items. The team has your best interest at heart, we care as much about your health as you do. The same is the case for blood pressure measurements. That's why it's one of our favorite Android smartwatches. The latest version of the Galaxy Watch line comes with a host of new and exciting features, including a version of fall (trip) detection, the ability to control the smartwatch with hand gestures, and new watch faces and controls. This has been all the rage over the past year or so, since its introduction on the Apple Watch. It slimmed down the design, allowing for a minimalistic-looking smartwatch that wouldn’t be a nuisance to wear during workouts. They are not major, but they are subtle. The Galaxy Watch Active 2 was released in late 2019, and the Galaxy Watch 3 in mid-2020, yet these two smartwatches share an awful lot of family DNA. Here’s how the two compare, and the biggest upgrade you'll get with the new Galaxy Watch 3. It's truly a next-generation smartwatch aiming to compete with the best from the likes of Apple and Garmin. Another small advantage the Galaxy Watch 3 will likely have over the Watch Active 2 is double the storage. But Watch 3 comes with more comprehensive sleep tracking, new running features and a few more sports modes. Active 2, on the other hand, offers the choice between 44mm and 40mm and both of these are a fraction thinner than Watch 3. Learn more. New York, If you elect to go with this wearable, you're not going to regret it. Samsung skipped a generation in names because it felt that this watch was such a leap forward in terms of performance, and we think it might be on to something. Active 2 is more streamlined, its smaller so will suit the more sporty types. As the Galaxy Watch Active 2 before it, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 packs GPS, a heart rate sensor, ECG sensor and blood pressure monitor. This is also available to Active 2, or will be in time. The similarities under-the-hood are aplenty. The Galaxy Watch Active 2 comes in two sizes: 40mm and 44mm. Both utilize the Exynos 9110 chipset and the Galaxy Watch 3 does come with 1 of RAM as standard. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. I don't see anything there to justify the conclusion - that the 3 is worth the nearly 50% price increase over the Active 2, and that the Active 2 is a glorified fitness tracker. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 has been our favorite smartwatch for Android users since it first debuted in late 2019, and it's likely to stay high on our list until the Watch Active 3 appears on the scene. As one of the best smartwatches we’ve testing this year, the the Galaxy Watch 3 has sleep tracking, advanced workout-tracking, above-average battery life and an ECG sensor for diagnosing atrial fibrillation—features which made the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 such a compelling smartwatch. There was a problem. However, the Galaxy Watch 3 costs much more — $399 — than the $279 Galaxy Watch Active 2. Unfortunately, some of the most significant health features won't be available to everyone at launch, and likely for some time to come. $399, the starting Galaxy Watch 3 price, will get you the 41mm model in either Mystic Silver or Mystic Bronze. Samsung might decide against it to keep the two devices distinct. Samsung has decided to retain the physical rotating bezel for navigating around the Tizen OS. That's a plus for those for whom falling is a concern, or if one REALLY prefers a physical rotating bezel, but otherwise why would anyone choose the 3? Then there’s the ECG functionality. The rotating bezel here is virtual, but it gives you a similar experience as on the Galaxy Watch and Galaxy Watch 3. One might wonder if this will come as a software update to Active 2 considering it has largely the same sensors built into it. That one is a more sporty take on the whole concept, but it also comes with lots of functionality packed in. But with its 18-hour cap, the Apple Watch has tempered our expectations when it comes to battery life of everyday smartwatches.