The Galaxy Watch Active 2 and Apple Watch Series 5 remain to of the best smartwatches on the market and are also some of the best rated smartwatches. Each of these two has a top-notch design as well as many innovative features that include comprehensive activity tracking. While the Active 2 is compatible with both Android and iOS devices, the Watch 5 is only compatible with iOS devices. In this comparison post, I compare the specs and features of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 vs Apple Watch Series 5 to help you decide which is the best for you.
Please note, the Active 2 is available in two sizes; 40mm and 44mm just like the Watch 5, and each of these sizes is available in LTE and Bluetooth only. However, this comparison compares the 44mm of the aluminum model of Active vs aluminum 44mm of Watch 5. You can check out the LTE model of the Active 2 and Watch 5 Cellular.
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm) vs Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm): Specs Comparison
| Product Info |  Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm) Full Specifications, Features and Prices |
 Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm) (GPS) Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm) | (Discontinued), (GPS), Apple Watch Series 5 |
| Device type | Fitness/Classic smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Predecessor | Samsung Galaxy Watch Active | Apple Watch Series 4 |
| Successor | — | — |
| Models | Bluetooth only, LTE | Apple Watch Hermès, Apple Watch Nike+ |
| Date released | September, 2019 | September, 2019 |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.4 inches | 1.78 inch |
| Display type | Super AMOLED, Full color | 1000nit, OLED |
| Resolution | 360 x 360 pixel | 448 x 368 pixels |
| Pixel density | — | — |
| Customizable watchface | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 2 Physical buttons, Digital rotating bezel, Touchscreen | 1 Physical button, Digital crown, Touchscreen |
| Always-On | Yes | Yes |
| BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Shape | Circular | Rectangular |
| Case material | Aluminum | Aluminum |
| Strap material | Fluoroelastomer (Aluminum) | Elastomer |
| Bezel material | Corning Gorilla Glass DX+ | Bezeless, Sapphire glass |
| Strap size | 20 mm | 24mm |
| Color | Aqua-black, Cloud-silver, Pink-gold | Gold, Gray, Silver |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla glass DX+ | Sapphire glass |
| Dimension | 44 x 44 x 10.9 mm | 44 x 38 x 10.7 mm |
| Weight | 30 grams (aluminum) | 36.1g (GPS) |
| Waterproof rating | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes |
| Durability test | MIL-STD-810G | — |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth calling | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v5.0 | Bluetooth v5.0 |
| Wi-Fi | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac | Yes, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | 0.75GB | 0.768GB |
| ROM | 4GB | 32GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No |
| CELLULAR | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Network technology | None | None |
| SIM type | None | — |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| GPS | Yes, GPS/GLONASS/BEIDOU | GLONASS, GPS |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| HRM | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox. | No | No |
| Altimeter | No | Yes |
| Barometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | — | Yes |
| ECG | Yes | Yes |
| Thermometer | No | App, No |
| Ambient light | Yes | Yes |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
| Steps | Yes | Yes |
| Calories | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | (Third-party apps), Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | Yes |
| Blood oxygen | No | No |
| Blood Pressure | Yes | No |
| Stress | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Fall detection | No | Yes |
| Menstrual cycle | No | Yes |
| VO2 Max | Yes | Yes |
| Onscreen workout | No | No |
| Preloaded sport modes | 39 | Yes |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery |
| Battery capacity | 340mAh | — |
| Battery life | Regular usage: 3 days+, Standby :5 days+ | Regular: up to 18hrs |
| Charging type | WPC based wireless charging | Charging dock |
| Charging duration | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar power | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Operating system | Tizen OS 4.0 | WatchOS 6 |
| Chipset | Exynos 9110 | Apple S4 64bits |
| CPU | Dual core 1.15GHz | Dual core |
| GPU | — | — |
| MISC | MISC | MISC |
| Companion app | Samsung Gear app | Apple Watch App |
| Compatibility | Android 5.0+ & RAM 1.5GB+, iPhone 5+ and iOS 9.0+ | iOS 12.0+ |
| Payment system | Samsung Pay | Apple Pay |
| Customizable strap | Yes | 24mm, Yes |
| Voice Assistant | Yes, Bixby | Yes, Siri |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Charger, Manual, Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm), Straps | Apple Watch Series 5, Charger, Manual, Straps |
| Price |
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm) vs Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm): The Differences
- Both the Watch 5 and Active 2 has what I’ll call a very outstanding and sophisticated design. Each of these two is very slim, lightweight, and very comfortable to wear, thanks to the aluminum case material. Although, the Active 2 44mm weighs a little less than the Watch 5, a very minute difference.
- Furthermore, Watch 5 has a bigger display that allows you to see more at a glance compared to Active 2, thanks to its rectangular shape. But I personally like the Active 2 circular shape, it looks more like a real watch compared to the Watch 5 that has a geeky appearance.
- While the Active 2 features a very innovative rotating bezel, the Watch 5 comes with a digital crown as you find on many watches, but has a haptic-feedback mechanism that scrolls as you navigate the display. In all, the navigation on any of these two is seamless.
- Bixby is your voice assistant on Active 2, while Siri is to the Watch 5. Both platforms are proprietary to their respective brands. I personally think Siri is a more advanced technology than Bixby.
- While you get a paltry 4GB storage capacity on the Active 2, the Watch 5 comes with 32GB massive storage capacity. So you get to store more of your favorite tracks on the Watch 5 compared to Active 2.
- As per fitness tracking, each of these two is marketed as a fitness companion and no doubt some of the best fitness trackers you can find on the market. Each of these will track all the basics that include steps, floors, heart rate, sleep, inbuilt GPS for outdoor sports tracking as well as preloaded sport modes. Mind you, the Active 2 has a more robust sleep tracking feature compared to Watch 5 which relies on third-party apps to track your sleep. Moreover, the Active 2 features blood pressure monitoring which Watch 5 lacks for now.
Watch 5 features menstrual cycle tracking as well as robust incidental fall detection and international emergency calling feature which the Active 2 lacks. In all, each of these two is a comprehensive fitness tracker.
- The Active 2 floors Watch 5 as far as battery life is concerned. While you can get up to 2 days or more with Active 2, it’s about a day with the Watch 5.
Active 2 (40/44mm) | Watch 5 (40/44mm) | |
Display Size | 1.2 inches (40mm) | 1.65 inches (40mm) 1.78 inches (44mm) |
Dimension | 40 x 40 x 10.9 mm | 40 x 34 x 10.7mm 44 x 38 x 10.7 mm |
Weight | 26 grams (40mm) | 30.1 grams (40mm) 36.1 grams (44mm) |
Glass | Corning Gorilla Glass DX+ | Sapphire glass |
Input | Digital rotating bezel | Digital crown |
Voice Assistant | Bixby | Siri |
Blood Pressure | Yes | No |
Menstrual Cycle Tracking | No | Yes |
Battery Life with Always-on | 1 day+ (40mm) | About a day |
Which is Better?
In simple words, if you own an iPhone, the Watch 5 is your best bet (its only compatible with an iPhone after all). And if you own an Android phone, Active 2 is your best bet.
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