The Apple Watch 5 and the Galaxy Watch Active 2 are no doubt two of the best smartwatches on the market. Each of these two is packed with lots of features and spot some of the most sophisticated designs you can find. While the Watch 5 is compatible with only iOS devices, the Active is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. In this comparison, I compare the Apple Watch Series 5 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 specs and features to see what the differences are and which is a better smartwatch.
Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm) vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm): Specs Comparison
| Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm) (LTE) | Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm) (LTE) | |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
ABOUT DEVICE |
||
| Device name | Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm) (LTE) | Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm) (LTE) |
| Device type | Sport/Fitness smartwatch | Classic/Fitness/Standalone smartwatch |
| Predecessor | Apple Watch Series 4 | Samsung Galaxy Watch Active |
| Successor | N/A | N/A |
| Date Released | September, 2019 | September, 2019 |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
WHERE TO BUY |
||
DISPLAY |
||
| Display size | 1.78 inches (44mm) | 1.4 inches (44mm) |
| Display type | LTPO OLED | Super AMOLED Full color |
| Display resolution | 448 x 368 pixels (44mm) | 360 x 360 pixels |
| Pixel density | -- | -- |
| Display always-on | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | Touchscreen 1 button plus Digital Crown with haptic feedback |
Touchscreen, 2 physical buttons Digital rotating bezel |
BODY |
||
| Shape | Rectangular/curved | Circular |
| Casing material | Stainless steel Aluminum Titanium Ceramics |
Stainless steel |
| Strap material | Elastomer | Leather |
| Bezel Material | Ceramics | Glass |
| Weight | 47.8g (LTE) | 42 grams (Stainless steel, without straps) |
| Color(s) | Black Silver Gold (Aluminum & Stainless steel) Black Silver (Titanium) White (Ceramics) |
Sliver, black, gold (stainless steel) |
| Dimension | 44 x 38 x 10.7 mm (44mm) 40 x 38 x 10.7 mm (40mm) |
44 x 44 x 10.9mm (44mm) |
| Strap size | 125 - 210mm | 20mm |
| Screen protection | Sapphire crystal glass | Corning Gorilla glass DX+ |
| Durability test | MIL-STD-810G | |
| Waterproof rating | Yes, IP68, 5ATM | Yes, IP68, 5ATM MIL-STD-810G |
CLOCK FEATURES |
||
| Time/Date | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm | Yes | Yes |
| Stopwatch | Yes | Yes |
MEMORY |
||
| RAM | 0.768GB | 1.5GB LTE |
| Internal storage | 32GB | 4GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No |
MEDIA |
||
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Camera | No | No |
| Music streaming | Yes | Yes |
CONNECTIVITY |
||
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth v5.0 | Bluetooth smart v5.0 LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth calling | Yes | Yes |
NOTIFICATIONS |
||
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes |
| Reminder | Yes | Yes |
CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
||
| Network Technology | 2G/3G/4G | GSM/HSPA/LTE |
| SIM | e-SIM | Yes, e-SIM |
FITNESS TRACKING |
||
| Steps | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes |
| Calories | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes, (App) | Yes |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max. | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes |
| Swim tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Menstrual cycle tracking | Yes | No |
| Blood pressure | No | Yes |
| ECG Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Blood oxygen | No | No |
| Preloaded sport modes | Yes | Yes |
PLATFORM |
||
| Operating system | WatchOS 6.0 | Tizen OS 4.0 |
| CPU | Dual core | Dual core 1.15GHz |
| GPU | PowerVR | -- |
| Chipset | Apple S4, 64bit | Exynos 9110 |
SENSORS |
||
| GPS | A-GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO/QZSS | GPS/Glonass/Beidou/Galileo |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Barometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | No |
| Pulse Ox. | No | No |
| Altimeter | __ | -- |
| ECG | Yes | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes, (App) | No |
| Ambient light | Yes | Yes |
OTHER FUNCTIONS |
||
| Interchangeable straps | Yes | Yes, 20mm |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Assistant | Yes | Yes |
| Compatibility | iPhone 5s+ iOS 12+ |
Android 5.0+ & RAM 1.5GB+ iPhone 5+ and iOS 9.0+ |
| Payment system | Apple Pay | Samsung pay |
| Companion app | Apple watch APP | Samsung Gear app |
BATTERY |
||
| Battery type | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery |
| Battery capacity | -- | 340mAh |
| Est. battery life | Standby:2 days+ Mixed usage: 18 hrs+ |
Standby :5 days+, Mixed usage: 2 days+ |
| Charging mode | Magnetic charging | WPC based wireless charging |
| Charging duration | About 1-2 hours | About 1-2 hours |
BOX CONTENTS |
||
| Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm) | Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 | |
| Straps | Small and large straps | |
| Magnetic charging cable + USB adapter | Wireless charger | |
| Quick start guide | Quick start guide | |
Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm) vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm): Video Comparison
Apple Watch Series 5 (44mm) vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 (44mm): The Differences
- DESIGN
- STORAGE
- BATTERY LIFE
- FITNESS TRACKING
The design of both the Watch 5 and Active 2 look very decent, stylish, compact, and lightweight. Exactly what a smartwatch should be. The first difference you’ll spot between these two is the shape. If you like a traditional watch that much, then the Active 2 circle shape will be a great choice, while the Watch 5 looks more sporty and geeky.
Watch 5 has a bigger 1.7 inches display that allows you to see more compared to the Active 2 with a 1.4 inches. The display on both watches looks very vivid, bright, and pleasing to watch.
Both the Active 2 and Watch 5 are available in two materials; aluminum and stainless, although the Watch 5 is also available in titanium and ceramics. The aluminum model of the Active 2 weighs a little less than that of the Watch 5. Another difference is the way you can navigate any of these two, while the Active 2 features a digital rotating bezel, the Watch 5 doesn’t have this feature, but the digital crown offers a click-like feel as you scroll. This is in addition to the touch support and physical buttons.
The bottom line, both the Active 2 and Watch 5 have some of the most outstanding designs.
The Active 2 has a storage capacity of 4GB which compared to Watch 5 32GB is very small.
The Active 2 floors Watch 5 as far battery life is concerned. While you can get about a day with Watch 5, Active 2 can go up to 2 days or more. That’s more battery life to see you through the day.
As per fitness tracking, each of these two smartwatches is fitness-focused and loaded with many activity tracking features that are sure to help you achieve more fitness goals.
Both of these watches will track your heart rate, calories, steps, distance, stress, fitness level, and more. Mind you, the Watch 5 doesn’t track sleep on its own, you’ll need to use a third-party app to achieve that. Active 2 has ECG tracking that was recently cleared in South Korea. It also has blood pressure monitoring cleared which the Watch 5 lacks.
On the other hand, the Watch 5 features menstrual cycle tracking, incidental fall detection, and preloaded maps which the Active 2 lacks.
Which is Better?
It’s hard to give a clear verdict between these two, probably because these are two of the best on the market. However, Watch 5 seems like a more sophisticated smartwatch, but I personally will go for the Active 2.
In all, if you own an iPhone, the Watch 5 remains your best bet, while the Active 2 remains the best smartwatch for android phones as far as I’m concerned.