Samsung Galaxy Watch Active, we analyze Samsung's cheap smartwatch

There are companies that continue to fight for take the scepter of the smartwatch kingdom from Apple with your Apple Watch, One of them is Samsung, for this it decided to distance itself from Wear OS (the Android version for smart watches) and has opted for its own platform with a spectacularly good result, now it is time to see the news recently launched.

We've been testing Samsung's new Galaxy Watch Active, the cheapest bet to efficiently wear a smartwatch on your wrist. So, stay with us and discover why this Samsung watch has become so famous that it is committed to bringing us the best experience on any platform.

As has happened on other occasions, our intention is to offer you the most detailed analysis possible of the product, for this we are going to address all the sections that we consider determining at the level of design, functionalities or any type of detail that you need to know to form an opinion about the future purchase. However, we invite you to take a look at the video we have made with colleagues from @Androidsis, the group's website specialized in devices that mount Android as an operating system, discover Samsung's Galaxy Watch Active, the "cheap" alternative to the Apple Watch that is here to stay. If you don't want to think about it anymore, you can buy it in this link from only 199 euros.

Design and Materials: Renovated and lightweight

At the design level, Samsung continues to bet strongly on the dial, an appearance of a standard watch that it has maintained since its first smartwatch and that clearly differentiates it from the competition. We have an aluminum device that has a Gorilla Glass on the front with a 2.5D structure to make it more bearable on a day-to-day basis. We have a 1,1-inch sphere, specifically we have 28,1 millimeters in circumference. On the right side we have the only two buttons that will allow us to physically interact with the operating system beyond the screen.

• Size: 39.5 39.5 x x 10.5mm
• Size Dial diameter: 28.1 mm
• Weight: 25 grams

More specifically we have some 39.5 x 39.5 x 10.5mm dimensions followed by a total weight of 25 grams, in fact I can say that the most surprising in the day to day of this Galaxy Watch Active is precisely its lightness. You will be able to acquire it in Spain in green, black, pink and silver, an attractive color palette for the public to which it is clearly directed.

The straps and the user interface

Definitely Samsung has said goodbye to the rotating bezel that so many lovers had in previous editionsNow to interact with the platform we have no choice but to touch the screen or go through its only two buttons. This is sometimes tricky considering its size and screen proportions.

The straps are another of its main attractions, this Galaxy Watch Active uses a standard and universal anchoring system, That is to say, you will be able to use almost any type of strap, and you will not have the obligation to go through the brand's catalog, as Apple does, for example, or else it evokes you to bet on falsifications of doubtful reliability. You can choose an endless number of styles, it will depend on your tastes and what the providers are able to offer, In the package we find a silicone strap of the color of the watch, with two sizes for all types of people and that is undoubtedly the most appropriate for sports.

Galaxy Watch Active Features

At the hardware level the reality is that this Samsung Galaxy Watch Active does not lack almost anything despite the price, at the connectivity level we have Bluetooth 4.2 low energy (we do not know why they have not opted for version 5.0) and 802.11bgn WiFi in the 2,4 GHz band. At the level of compatible features we must mention in a more relevant way is that we will be able to pay with it, since we have an NFC connection and would thus allow any procedure available with platforms like Samsung Pay. It is designed mainly for sports, so it could not be missing GPS, accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope, heart rate reader and ambient light sensor. 

The hardware that drives all these features is crowned with 700 MB RAM, accompanied by a dual-core processor, and 4 GB of internal storage that will remain at 1,5 GB once the operating system is installed, enough for a good battle of applications within the store Tizen OS, however, we are going to miss something else to store digital content such as music. Remember that we have a 1,1-inch SuperAMOLED panel offering a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels and a 230 mAh battery, a standard capacity in wearables. In terms of resistance we have IP68 certification against water and dust, supporting up to 5 ATM, so you can bathe with it and submerge it slightly in swimming pools.

User experience and autonomy

Bet This Galaxy Watch Active by the wireless charging system that has the Qi standard  It will give you the opportunity to take advantage of many features of other devices such as the reversible wireless charging of some phones. The autonomy will depend on our daily use, but you must be clear that if you use the GPS and the heart rate monitor, You will not be able to complete both days, so you will have to charge it every night. Our experience in running and cycling outings have made it quite clear to us, you will need to charge it every day and this is perhaps its main negative factor.

Regarding the experience of use, we have found correct readings at the heart rate level almost identical to other higher priced products such as those from Garmin or Apple, Tizen OS has proven to be a more than solvent operating system, It is present for example in Samsung televisions where it has swept Android TV, and now it has done the same with Google's Wear OS.

What I liked the most about it The charging system has been with a standard that will allow us to charge it in almost any situation. Where Samsung has also dominated has been in the design, the weight-material ratio and the very good quality of the screen.

Where this Galaxy Watch Active stands out the least is clearly in autonomy, although honestly, taking into account the price of the same it has cost me to find more deficiencies, to put a but I want to remember that it has no speaker. You can get him from 199,99 on Amazon,You can get it from 199,99 on Amazon,a highly recommended watch given its features and its price.