As one of the global leaders in the booming smartwatch market, Samsung continues to iterate on its popular wearable devices lineup. With advanced fitness tracking capabilities and integration with their Galaxy smartphones, the Korean electronics giant gives Apple Watch stiff competition.
Samsung‘s range of smartwatches target diverse audiences ranging from athletes to executives. With so many strong options on offer, buyers face tough choices. I‘ll tackle one of the most common dilemmas: how to decide between two of Samsung‘s top-rated smartwatches – the premium Galaxy Watch 3 versus its fitness-focused predecessor, the Galaxy Active 2.
I‘ve tested both watches extensively, so read on for my in-depth comparative analysis of all the key specs and features side-by-side to help determine the right match based on your needs and priorities!
Setting the Samsung Smartwatch Stage
First, some quick background for those less familiar with Samsung‘s wearable device evolution over the past few years.
The company introduced its Galaxy Watch series in 2018 to compete directly against the Apple Watch while leveraging their leadership on the Android smartphone side. The original Galaxy Watch landed as a leading contender with its sharp circular display plus intuitive rotating bezel for navigating the interface.
But Samsung also maintains a separate portfolio of Galaxy Active watches tailored more towards fitness. The lightweight Galaxy Active 2, launched in September 2019, tracks activity via built-in GPS without a connected phone while also delivering smart notifications.
The Galaxy Watch 3 arrived in August 2020 as the 3rd generation of Samsung‘s premium smartwatch line, now with advanced health sensors like ECG while retaining the iconic rotating bezel design.
With so many overlapping features, let‘s examine how the Watch 3 and Active 2 compare for buyers weighing up these two compelling options.
Watch Design & Display Showcases
The first difference that jumps out is in the aesthetics and build.
The Galaxy Watch 3 exudes premium touches like the physical rotating bezel plus high-grade stainless steel case and soft interchangeable leather/silicon bands. You can further customize the look via unique watch face themes.
It ships in two sizes:
- 41mm case (45 x 46.2 x 11.1mm)
- 45mm case (45 x 46.2 x 11.1mm)
Weighing 48.2g and 53.8g respectively, the Watch 3 feels solid on the wrist while retaining a slim enough profile for comfort wearing 24/7. Add water resistance up to 5ATM/IP68 rating and this watch can keep up with daily life.
Conversely, the Galaxy Active 2 sports a more pared back rugged look befitting its fitness positioning. It features an aluminum composite frame with silicone bands (plus secondary stainless steel/leather options). You can augment sporty appeal through downloadable watch faces.
The Active 2 likewise releases in two sizes:
- 40mm case (40 x 40 x 10.9mm)
- 44mm case (44 x 44 x 10.9mm)
Tipping scales at just 26g/30g each, the smaller/lighter Active 2 should appeal to workout warriors. Matching 5ATM waterproofing gives it similar durability.
As for display tech, both watches actually deliver near identical specs:
- Stunning 1.2" and 1.4" Super AMOLED touchscreens
- Equal 360 x 360 pixels resolution
- 1000 nits peak brightness for excellent outdoor visibility
- Corning Gorilla Glass protection (DX on Active 2, DX+ on Watch 3)
So while the Watch 3 stands out on upscale aesthetics, the Active 2 holds its own with a vivid, highly responsive display ideal for health metrics and notifications. The flatter screen may also prove less prone to reflective glare during athletic use. Still, few smartwatches can match this duo‘s beautiful circular displays regardless of environment.
Health & Fitness Superpowers Go Head-to-Head
Now we turn attention to arguably the most important arena of competition between the Galaxy Watch 3 and Active 2 – their bio-sensing and activity tracking skills.
Both watches pack an array of onboard sensors to gather health metrics 24/7:
- Optical heart rate monitor
- Accelerometer
- Gyroscope
- Barometer
- Ambient light sensor
Combining these sensors with automatic workout recognition, Samsung‘s proprietary tracking software lets you monitor steps taken, calories burned, floors climbed and more. The watches even detect less vigorous movement liked standing to motivate non-exercise activity.
When it‘s time for dedicated training, built-in GPS allows the watches to map outdoor runs, rides and other workouts without carrying a smartphone.
So for all-day fitness monitoring and training essentials, buyers can feel confident in either model. But drilling deeper reveals meaningful advantages for the Galaxy Watch 3.
Chief among the upgrades are new ECG and SpO2 sensors exclusive to the Watch 3 allowing you to:
- Screen for cardiac arrhythmia via on-demand ECG readings checking for atrial fibrillation. While not a medical device replacement, this can provide valuable heart health insight.
- Measure blood oxygen saturation levels to help identify potential conditions like sleep apnea based on drops in O2 while resting.
These two add-ons represent must-have health sensors for users focused on vital sign monitoring. And they can literally save lives by catching issues early.
Samsung also enhanced the Watch 3‘s capacity to automatically detect a fall then provide on-screen access to emergency contacts and services. Again, this plays an important role for higher risk groups like the elderly.
For athletes, another advantage is the Watch 3‘s new running coach feature offering in-workout guidance to hit target pace/times while tracking VO2 max running performance.
The Active 2 remains highly capable as a daily activity monitor and training companion thanks to GPS integration plus wrist-based heart rate variability sensing. But the Galaxy Watch 3 seizes the edge for buyers prioritizing health tech and running performance.
Battery Benchmarks: Daily Charging Still Required
Battery life represents an area most smartwatch makers still struggle to crack. While incremental gains arise yearly, routine overnight charging remains necessary for both the Watch 3 and Active 2 to keep them ticking daily.
The Galaxy Watch 3 utilizes:
- 247 mAh battery (41mm)
- 340 mAh battery (45mm)
Samsung claims roughly 1.5-2 days runtime on the smaller model and 2-3 days on the larger Watch 3 edition based on blended usage patterns involving fitness tracking, notifications, etc.
Turning workout mode with continuous GPS can trim runtimes down closer to 5 hours or less as this places huge strain on batteries. Minimizing features usage outside of basic health tracking extends longevity towards the higher estimates.
Over on the Galaxy Active 2:
- 247 mAh again (40mm)
- 340 mAh (44mm)
The technical battery capacities match their Watch 3 counterparts, and consequently so do the functional runtimes – roughly 1.5-2 days blended (maybe an extra 6-12 hours thanks to a lighter health tech load).
Both watches charge from empty to full in about 2.5 hours using the included proprietary wireless charging dock.
So no real determinative differences on the battery and charging front. I recommend budgeting daily recharging sessions for either watch to keep them powered on 24/7. The good news is their power efficiency still keeps pace with – or slightly exceeds – competing smartwatches.
Connectivity and Features Face-Off
Ensuring your new smartwatch properly communicates with your smartphone and networks at large is pivotal. Samsung loads both these watches with the latest connectivity options.
You‘ll find virtually identical specs shared across the board here:
- Bluetooth 5.0 – maintains a stable link to iOS/Android phones
- WiFi b/g/n – enhances data transfers when Bluetooth won‘t cut it
- NFC – enables contactless payments via Samsung Pay
- Smartphone synchronization – install apps from Google Play/Galaxy Store plus gain personalized insights through Samsung Health
No matter which model you choose, you can install apps to enhance functionality like music storage, news/weather widgets, partner training platforms like Under Armour and more. This keeps the watches continuously useful beyond mere activity tracking of step counts.
Notifications from smartphone apps also display on your wrist so you needn‘t pull your phone constantly. Customizable vibrations and alert tones keep things discreet if desired.
Now where we see divergence is again with the Galaxy Watch 3 introducing some upgrades:
- eSIM cellular connectivity – uses your existing phone plan to enable untethered access to data and calling networks. Far simpler to setup than previous LTE models.
- More storage at 8GB internally (versus just 4GB on the Active 2) – this allows you to stash additional apps, songs and images.
The Galaxy Active 2 (in LTE variants) does also offer standalone cellular network access. But Samsung‘s newer eSIM solution on the Watch 3 makes keeping the watch linked to phone services while roaming truly hassle-free. And extra baseline storage gives power users more local capacity for apps and multimedia.
If staying perpetually connected even sans phone matters to you, the Watch 3 now leads in this regard.
Pricing Showdown Reflects Enhanced Features
Given its razors-edge focus on fitness, you may expect the Galaxy Active 2 to be cheaper…and that holds somewhat true. However these watches both reside at the higher end of smartwatch pricing given their premium construction and packed feature sets.
Upon launch, the Galaxy Watch 3 41mm originally retailed around $399 (bluetooth model) and the larger 45mm at $429.
The Galaxy Active 2 debuted mildly cheaper at $279 for the base 40mm and $299 for the 44mm size.
| Model | Launch Price | Current Price |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Watch 3 (41mm) | $399 | $299 |
| Galaxy Watch 3 (45mm) | $429 | $329 |
| Galaxy Active 2 (40mm) | $279 | $249 |
| Galaxy Active 2 (44mm) | $299 | $269 |
Street pricing has come down predictably on both watches since release a couple years back. But key is that buyers still pay a premium around $50 or more to step up to the Watch 3 based on its enhanced health sensors and connectivity.
You‘ll also spend an additional $50-100 for cellular LTE variants of either watch. And Samsung offers premium metal link bands pairing with the Watch 3 driving the price ceiling over $500.
But weighed against competitive offerings from Apple, Fitbit, Garmin and other smartwatches, Samsung‘s duo delivers immense value. The watches last years with proper maintenance, continually upgrading via firmware updates.
If budget tightly contained closer to $250, the Galaxy Active 2 becomes the pick. But for buyers able to stretch towards $300, I believe the well-rounded Galaxy Watch 3 proves worth the extra outlay.
Verdict: Galaxy Watch 3 Claims the Close Victory
While both watches shine as all-purpose smart wearables, the Galaxy Watch 3 seizes the edge for buyers that can afford the higher ticket price.
You sacrifice virtually none of the fitness tracking flexibility or smartphone connectivity offered by the Galaxy Active 2. Yet the Watch 3 gives you those coveted upgrades like the rotating bezel for easier navigation, ECG heart monitoring and blood oxygen tracking in a more upscale metal-and-leather design.
I‘d only recommend the Active 2 at this stage for:
- Shoppers on tighter budgets closer to $250
- Fitness enthusiasts wanting a lighter tracker for high intensity workouts
- Buyers satisfied with just core health & activity sensors
In my experience testing dozens of smartwatches over the past decade, paying more yields meaningful feature diversification and build quality improvements. The Galaxy Watch 3 epitomizes this, leveraging Samsung‘s engineering might to push the boundaries of what wrist wearables can achieve.
While stylish and capable in its own right for fitness, I believe most buyers benefit more from the Galaxy Watch 3‘s versatility as both a premium smart accessory and vital health guardian. If your budget allows, this remains the ultimate Samsung smartwatch package.
