Hands on: Samsung’s new Fitbit competitor [VIDEO]
In 2014, Samsung released the Samsung Gear Fit, an awkward fitness tracker that missed the mark. After a year spent collecting their thoughts, Samsung has finally returned with the Gear Fit 2. The concept hasn’t changed, but this time around, Samsung checked off enough boxes to make the Gear 2 a worthy competitor to top fitness bands like the Fitbit and Jawbone.
The Display
Samsung’s huge, vibrant screens have become a signature feature of their smartphones and televisions and it seems their wearables are no different. A huge 1.5-inch Super AMOLED screen adorns the front of the Gear Fit 2, curving around your wrist.
Although a bit smaller than the original Gear Fit, Samsung improved the general experience with the display on the Gear Fit 2. The display is extremely responsive and allows for you to quickly swipe between the various pages to view the most important information. Additionally, the Gear Fit 2 features haptic feedback, so whenever you interact with the display, your wrist will feel a slight buzz, letting you know when a selection has been made.
The orientation of that huge screen means content is organized vertically, something that was awkward in the original Gear Fit, but Samsung solved this go ’round. The information for each screen is displayed clearly and thoughtfully.
Design and Comfortability
This size and shape of the screen make you wonder if it’d fit properly on your wrist. Is it heavy? Does the curve match your wrist curve? This had me worried, but after trying it on, I was relieved: the Gear Fit 2 is exceptionally comfortable. Whether or not that sentiment will be maintained through rigorous workouts will have to wait until a full review.
When you first hold the Gear Fit 2, you can feel how soft the band is, and once fastened upon your wrist, it feels extremely comfortable. The Gear Fit 2 comes in two different sizes; Small and Large, and that may throw a few folks through a loop depending upon how the curve feels on your wrist.
On the right side of the new wearable, Samsung has included a “Home” and “Back” button. These may be a bit cumbersome while trying to interact with the Gear Fit 2 while running, but work perfectly once you get used to which button is which.
Finally, the Gear Fit 2 is rated with an IP68 rating for dust and water-resistance. While this won’t allow you to go for an extended swim with the Gear Fit 2, it will keep your fitness tracker safe while running in the rain, or if you get extra sweaty while working out.
Features
In a market that is growing rapidly, Samsung needed to create a new device that attempted to challenge the likes of Fitbit for the top spot in the fitness tracker world. The company did not disappoint when it comes to features that were added to the Gear Fit 2.
The device comes with the normal sensors that you would expect other fitness trackers to have, but to get that premium experience Samsung decided to go a bit beyond the rest of the pack. In addition to the gyroscope and Heart Rate Monitor, Samsung included a Barometer and, more importantly, a GPS. The addition of GPS to your fitness tracker is huge since you will no longer need your phone with you to track where you went while running.
The Gear Fit 2 also includes 4GB of storage which will come in handy if you want to leave your phone behind since you can easily load music directly onto the Gear Fit 2 and take off for a run.
Battery
One place where the Gear Fit 2 may catch some flack is in regards to the battery life. While Samsung maintains that you will be able to get “3 to 4 days” depending upon usage, this is a bit lower than other comparable fitness trackers. However, we’ll have to wait for the full review to actually put this claim by Samsung to the test.
Compatibility
Samsung finally moved away from requiring a Samsung device in order for the Gear Fit 2 to work, as it is now compatible with any Android device running Android 4.4 KitKat or above. Add in the fact that S Health is now available for non-Samsung devices, and you’ll be ready to go, regardless of which Android phone you’re rocking.
The Gear Fit 2 also will communicate with select third-party apps, such as RunKeeper, if you prefer to use that service but want to use the Gear Fit 2 as your fitness tracker of choice.
Conclusion
The Gear Fit 2 is available for pre-order starting today, with shipping starting on June 10th. At the $179 price point, you’d be hard-pressed to pass on the Gear Fit 2 if you’re looking for a fitness tracker that can do it all.
Stay tuned to Phandroid for more coverage regarding Samsung’s newest wearable, the Gear Fit 2.