Design and Build

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 is presented in the dimensions of 40mm and 44mm options with an aluminum cover that has a thickness of 11.2mm (40mm) and 11.0mm (44mm), respectively. The gadget in the 40mm version of the set is 25.9g heavy, while the 44mm variant weighs 30.3g. The colors that are being sold are Black, Silver, Pink Gold (40mm), Black, Silver, Green (44mm). It has a 130–200mm wrist size and has a digital touch bezel, two side buttons, and interchangeable 20mm bands. Its Gorilla Glass DX+ front is IP68 water and dust resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) and MIL-STD-810G certified which is lightweight and with a stylish design. However, some consumers think that it is not as high-end as a stainless steel finish which Galaxy Watch 4 Classic possesses.

• Aluminum or stainless steel chassis, 10.9mm depth
• Digital touch bezel, two side buttons
• Gorilla Glass DX+ front
• IP68 water/dust resistance, MIL-STD-810G
• Interchangeable 20mm bands

Galaxy Watch Active 2 Display

The Active 2 presents a Super AMOLED display with 360 x 360 pixels resolution at 364 PPI for both 40mm and 44mm options. It provides a maximum of 1000 nits of brightness, maintaining the always-on feature, and still using less power. The screen size of the Active 2 is more compact than that of the Galaxy Watch 4. However, it is vivid and users laud it for that. It is marked as a right choice for fitness tracking due to its sharpness. Nevertheless, what the users said is that it ranks dimmer in performance compared to the Galaxy Watch 6.

• Super AMOLED, always-on
• 40mm/44mm: 360 x 360, ~364 PPI
• Up to 1000 nits
• Gorilla Glass DX+ protection
• Smaller than Galaxy Watch 4

Performance and Software

Made by the Exynos 9110 CPU unit (1.15GHz, dual-core, 10nm) with 768MB RAM (Bluetooth) or 1.5GB RAM (LTE) and 4GB storage, Active 2 is upgradeable to 5.5 from Tizen OS 4.0 to improve the system's local services. It not only works on Samsung Health, Bixby, and the predefined apps but is void of the app ecosystem provided by Wear OS. W920, which is Galaxy Watch 4's model of a chipset, is faster than the chipset found in the Active 2. It has its fans but is acknowledged to have limited access to apps.

• Exynos 9110, dual-core, 10nm
• 768MB/1.5GB RAM, 4GB storage
• Tizen OS 4.0 (up to 5.5)
• Samsung Health, Bixby
• No Wear OS

The Exynos 9110 handles fitness tracking well, but Tizen OS limits app variety compared to Galaxy Watch 4.

Sensors and Health

In the list of smart sensors that Active 2 has, one can find a heart rate monitor, and after a future release, ECG, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, and light sensor. Its functions support ECG (electrocardiogram), blood oxygen level (SpO2 through a future upgrade), sleep, and stress state awareness, but it doesn't have the sensors for body composition or temperature checks. Users are satisfied with the tracking facilities it provides, with a remark of ECG - it can be used only with Samsung phones.

• Heart rate, ECG, blood oxygen
• Sleep tracking, stress monitoring
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer
• Ambient light sensor
• No temperature sensor

Battery and Charging

The Active 2 model has a battery life of about 40 hours with a 247mAh (40mm) or 340mAh (44mm) battery. It comes with a battery that supports wireless charging (0–100% in only ~2 hours) via a magnetic charger. In practical tests, with always-on display enabled, the watch gives a good 24–30 hours of battery life. The battery for the Galaxy Watch 4 can last longer. However, users mention that their watches require frequent charging periods.

• 247mAh (40mm), 340mAh (44mm)
• ~40h (normal), ~24h (always-on)
• Charging: 0–100% in ~2h
• Magnetic charger
• No fast charging

Connectivity

The Active 2 supports Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n, 2.4GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS (GLONASS, Galileo, BDS), NFC, and LTE (cellular models, $399+). It includes a microphone and speaker for calls. Connectivity is reliable but lacks dual-band Wi-Fi or Bluetooth 5.3. Users praise GPS accuracy but note slower data transfer than Galaxy Watch 4.⁷

• Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Bluetooth 5.0
• GPS, LTE (cellular models)
• NFC, Samsung Pay
• Microphone, speaker playback
• No Wi-Fi 6

Pricing and Availability

Launched at $279.99 (40mm, Bluetooth, aluminum), the Active 2 began sales on September 27, 2019, via Samsung, carriers, and retailers. LTE models add $120, and stainless steel models start at $349.99. Discontinued in 2020, it’s available refurbished for ~$100–$200. Users find it a lightweight fitness tracker but less versatile than Galaxy Watch 4.

Design and Build

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active, available in a 40mm size, features an aluminum chassis with a 10.5mm depth. It weighs 25g and comes in Black, Silver, Rose Gold, and Green. It fits 130–200mm wrists, with a digital touch bezel, two side buttons, and 20mm bands. The Gorilla Glass 3 front offers IP68 water and dust resistance (up to 1.5m for 30min) and MIL-STD-810G compliance. Users praise its minimalist design but note it’s less durable than the Active 2.¹⁰

• Aluminum chassis, 10.5mm depth
• Digital touch bezel, two side buttons
• Gorilla Glass 3 front
• IP68 water/dust resistance, MIL-STD-810G
• Interchangeable 20mm bands

Galaxy Watch Active Display

The Watch Active features a Super AMOLED display with 360 x 360 pixels (40mm, 1.1 inches, ~364 PPI). It offers up to 1000 nits brightness with always-on functionality. The display is smaller than the Active 2’s and less protected. Users find it vibrant for workouts but note its smaller size limits readability.¹¹

• Super AMOLED, always-on
• 40mm: 360 x 360, ~364 PPI
• Up to 1000 nits
• Gorilla Glass 3 protection
• Smaller than Active 2

Performance and Software

Powered by the Exynos 9110 (dual-core, 1.15GHz, 10nm) with 768MB RAM and 4GB storage, the Watch Active runs Tizen OS 4.0 (upgradable to 5.5). It supports Samsung Health, Bixby, and basic fitness tracking but lacks ECG and Wear OS apps. It’s slower than the Active 2. Users find it sufficient for workouts but limited for smart features.¹⁰

• Exynos 9110, dual-core, 10nm
• 768MB RAM, 4GB storage
• Tizen OS 4.0 (up to 5.5)
• Samsung Health, Bixby
• No ECG or Wear OS

The Exynos 9110 is adequate for fitness tracking, but Tizen OS restricts app support compared to Galaxy Watch 4.

Sensors and Health

The Watch Active includes a heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, and ambient light sensor. It supports heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and stress monitoring but lacks ECG, blood oxygen, or temperature sensors. Users value its lightweight fitness tracking but note fewer features than Active 2.¹¹

• Heart rate, stress monitoring
• Sleep tracking
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer
• Ambient light sensor
• No ECG or blood oxygen

Battery and Charging

The Watch Active offers ~45 hours of battery life with a 230mAh battery. It supports wireless charging (0–100% in ~2 hours) via a magnetic charger. Real-world use yields 24–36 hours. Battery life is slightly longer than Active 2’s but shorter than Galaxy Watch 4. Users report daily charging for heavy use.¹²

• 230mAh battery
• ~45h (normal), ~24h (always-on)
• Charging: 0–100% in ~2h
• Magnetic charger
• No fast charging

Connectivity

The Watch Active supports Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n, 2.4GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS (GLONASS, Galileo, BDS), and NFC. It lacks LTE. It includes a microphone and speaker for Bixby and calls. Connectivity is less advanced than Active 2’s Bluetooth 5.0. Users report stable GPS but note no cellular option.¹⁰

• Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Bluetooth 4.2
• GPS, NFC
• Samsung Pay
• Microphone, speaker playback
• No LTE

Pricing and Availability

Available for purchase at $279.99 (40mm, Bluetooth, aluminum), the sale of Active 2 started on September 27, 2019, through Samsung, carriers, and retailers. The LTE models are an additional $120, and the stainless steel models start at $349.99. By the end of 2020, the watch had been discontinued, and now you can buy a refurbished one for a price of $100–$200. People get it as a fitness tracker with a lightweight weight and that it is less useful compared to the Galaxy Watch 4.