Price and specifications of Samsung Galaxy Watch Active advantages, disadvantages, and a comprehensive explanation

Overview

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active is a smartwatch designed for fitness enthusiasts and tech-savvy individuals alike. Announced in February 2019 and released in April of the same year, the device has made a significant mark in the wearable tech market. With its sleek design, robust build, and host of features, the Galaxy Watch Active is more than just a time-keeping device. This article will delve into the detailed specifications and features of the watch, providing a comprehensive understanding of what makes it a top choice for many users.

Design and Build

One of the first things you notice about the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active is its sleek and modern design. The watch has compact dimensions of 39.5 x 39.5 x 10.5 mm, making it comfortable for all-day wear. Despite being a smartwatch, it weighs just 25 grams, contributing to its comfortable fit. The body of the watch is designed without a SIM slot, emphasizing its focus on connectivity through other means such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Display

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active comes with a Super AMOLED display, known for its vibrant color reproduction and deep contrasts. The screen size is 1.1 inches, with a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels, offering sharp visuals with a pixel density of approximately 302 pixels per inch. To protect the display, Samsung has opted for Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which provides robust defense against scratches and minor impacts.

Performance

At the heart of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active is the Exynos 9110 chipset, built on a 10 nm process. This is complemented by a Dual-core 1.15 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU and a Mali-T720 GPU. This combination provides enough power to run the Tizen OS 5.5 smoothly, ensuring seamless user experiences, whether you're checking notifications, tracking workouts, or using apps. The watch includes 768MB of RAM and 4GB of internal storage, which while limited, is sufficient for the smartwatch function it serves since it doesn’t support card slots for additional storage.

Operating System

The Galaxy Watch Active operates on Tizen OS 5.5, a choice by Samsung that aligns with its ecosystem of devices, allowing for a smooth and integrated user interface. Tizen OS supports a wide range of apps and watch faces, enabling users to customize their experience to better suit their needs and preferences.

Health and Fitness Features

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active places a strong emphasis on health and fitness. Armed with a variety of sensors, including an accelerometer, gyro, heart rate monitor, and barometer, the watch is equipped to provide detailed health metrics and insights. These features make it an excellent companion for fitness enthusiasts looking to track their physical activity and health vitals accurately.

Connectivity

The connectivity options on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active include Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.2, and NFC. The GPS functionality, which includes compatibility with GLONASS, GALILEO, and BDS, enhances its capability for outdoor fitness tracking, ensuring accurate location data. Despite lacking a cellular option, these connectivity features ensure it pairs well with compatible devices for a full feature set.

Battery Life

The watch is powered by a 230mAh Li-Ion battery, which cannot be removed. This battery size, while seemingly modest, is optimized alongside the hardware to provide a full day of usage. Charging is convenient with support for wireless Qi charging, allowing for hassle-free energy replenishment without cumbersome cables.

Sound and Multimedia

The Galaxy Watch Active includes a loudspeaker, though it lacks a 3.5mm audio jack. This limits the direct audio output options but does allow for Bluetooth audio devices to be paired for auxiliary functionalities such as music playback and call notifications, provided they are executed through the paired smartphone.

Price and Availability

Available in multiple color options such as Silver, Black, Rose Gold, and Sea Green, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active offers aesthetic flexibility to match personal styles. The model number for this watch is SM-R500, and at launch, it was priced around 210 EUR, making it a competitively priced option within its segment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active is a compact, feature-rich, and aesthetically pleasing smartwatch. It strikes a balance between functionality and form, catering well to fitness enthusiasts and general users interested in smart technology. Its solid design, efficient performance, and plethora of sensors for health tracking make it a notable contender in the smartwatch arena. Though limited in some aspects like storage and lack of cellular connectivity, its benefits and competitive pricing provide substantial value to its users.