Samsung Gear Fit2 quick review – a smart bracelet with GPS and a curved Super AMOLED display

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More than two years ago Samsung announced its smart bracelet – Gear Fit. It was received with great interest but we must not forget that back then wearable tech was making its first steps on the market. Now that they have their place under the sun, they want to increase their market share. More and more big and not so big manufacturers joined this interesting game.

Somewhat late or not that much, Samsung now have a second generation of their Gear Fit bracelet and it’s namely this product that will be the subject of our review today. Gear Fit2 has preserved the Super AMOLED display but brings many improvements, as expected. For example, there is an integrated GPS, which means that you won’t have to carry your phone with you when training outside so as to make use of all measurements related to your location.

Also available is a Gear app, of course, which can be installed on your smartphone or tablet in order for you to enjoy all the features GearFit 2 brings. Before this, however, you need to check if your device meets the requirements – Android 4.3 or newer for Samsung Galaxy models, and Android 4.4 or newer for other devices. Another requirement valid for either case is 1.5 GB of RAM.

If you are interested in Samsung GearFit 2, you can check its price and availability here: http://amzn.to/2bD1vSj

Contents


Video presentation

Here is the official video announcement of GearFit 2 by Samsung.

Design and construction

Gear Fit 2’s design strongly suggests that the smart device is meant mostly for sportspeople. It uses a rubber band whose internal surface is uneven so as to better fit your wrist even when it’s wet. The outer side of this band is covered with patterned texture. On one of the ends there are 10 holes so that it can be used on all wrist sizes. You will be pleasantly impressed by the fact that you can pin and unpin it quite easily and can be performed single-handedly. At the same time, once pinned it remains stable and reliable, and will not accidentally come off.


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There are several sizes you can choose from – small (125-170 mm) and large (155-210 mm). As you might expect, the bigger size carries more weight – 30 grams vs 28 grams. On the left side of the bracelet there are two hardware buttons, which are slightly protruding and easy to press. The upper one is slightly larger and is used to take you back to the previous menu. Additionally, the other one is the Home button and it brings you back to the Home screen irrespective of which menu you are in, and can be used to launch the main menu. too.

Furthermore, the device boast water-resistance but its certificate is IP68, which means that it’s water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for as long as 30 minutes.

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Battery

Gear Fit2 comes with a 200 mAh battery and, according to Samsung, this will ensure up to 5 days of standby mode and 3-4 days of normal usage. Our impressions are that the device can hold up for 2 to 3 days of normal usage. However, users who are more active might need to charge it more frequently, especially if they wish to make good use of the GPS. The manufacturer states that the battery can endure for 9 hours with GPS turned on. Anyway, the charging process is possible thanks to a small docking station with a USB cable that attaches to GearFit2 with the help of magnets. The battery takes around one hour to fully charge.
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Display

In comparison to the first Gear Fit generation, which featured a 1.84-inch display, the current version has a slightly smaller 1.5-inch screen. However, the 432 x 216 p resolution has been preserved and you can expect higher image detail. If we have to be precise, the pixel density of this display is 322ppi. Another important feature is the presence of a Super AMOLED panel that brings high brightness and contrast, and solves the problems with visibility when outdoors. Of course, the display is curved and this makes it more ergonomic and it stays perfectly around your wrist. Additionally, Gorilla Glass 3 protects it from scratches or shocks that can be frequently experienced, since it’s a device that you tie around your wrist.


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Specs sheet

  • Integrated GPS tracks your route, distance, and speed in real time
  • Integrated heartbeat sensor can monitor your state day and night
  • Automatic activity tracker – automatically recognizes the type of activity without you having to switch the sports mode
  • 1.5″, curved Super AMOLED display
  • Resolution of 216 x 432 p
  • Customizability according to your taste: several design choices with different colors and settings
  • Super lightweight and comfortable to carry
  • Two sizes: small (125 – 170 mm) and large (155 – 210 mm)
  • Diameter (LхW): 51.2 х 24.5 mm
  • OS: Tizen
  • CPU: 1GHz dual-core
  • RAM: 512MB
  • Storage: 4GB
  • Sensors: HR sensor, accelerometer, gyro sensor, barometer
  • Battery: 200 mAh
  • Battery life: up to 5 days of standby; 3-4 days of normal usage; 9 hrs with GPS turned on
  • Water and dust resistant (IP68)
  • Weight: 28 grams (Small) or 30 grams (Large)


Menus and features

Apart from displaying the time, the home screen also gives you information about steps, climbed stairs, calories, pulse and anything that you want. There is a dedicated dial for a given measurement. You can easily change a dial by long pressing on the current one. Apart from choosing from the pre-installed dials, you can download some other as there’s a great variety out there.

Swipe to the right, and this will take you to the notifications menu. Via the Gear app you can select the apps you want to receive notifications from, and there are some other related settings, too.

All other submenus are available when you swipe left. The first of them is the one about consumed calories throughout a day. By touching the screen you will access a more detailed statistics for the last 24 hours.

Following is the submenu with exercises. It allows you to choose the type of activity and target (time, distance, calories, etc.) You can also choose whether to use GPS data or not, and how often to receive directions.

If you continue swiping left, the next menu to appear is the one about the number of steps you’ve made in a day. Apart from numbers, you get an interesting triangular graphics that is gradually filled until you reach the daily target. By entering this menu, you will find a second statistics about the entire week, as well as the option of creating a target.

After that, there comes a submenu dedicated to the stairs you’ve climbed, although the bracelet can’t measure altitude. You will find the same statistics and options as in the previous menu.

As it was mentioned, the bracelet has an integrated heartbeat sensor on its back. It allows you to not only measure your heartbeat at any time or at automatically over a given period of time.

Finally, there is an option to add a menu to the home screen. An example is the one that monitors the water and caffeine income or the one about the competition between you and your friends.

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Drop-down menu

By swiping down, you will  launch the drop-down menu that has shortcuts to several main features. They include battery info and whether your phone is connected to the bracelet. Additionally, you will find screen brightness settings and an option to turn on a Do not disturb mode, as well as music player controls.

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Settings menu

By pressing the so called Home button, you will enter the internal menu. It features all aforementioned features plus a settings menu. It has different options such as activation of an Always on mode, assigning a function to launch when the Home button is double pressed, lifting your wrist to light up the screen, locking the bracelet with a PIN code, launching a Power saving mode that can significantly save battery life by limiting some functions (disabling Wi-Fi and notifications, for example). Also, the settings menu allows you to turn on automatic activity recognition and active time recording. You will also find general display settings, vibrations, and connectivity settings.

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Samsung Gear app

From the initial launch of the bracelet, you will be invited to download the Samsung Gear app. It features several submenus. In Watch faces you can change the dial layout, and download new suggestions. Additionally, Notifications allows you to adjust different settings related to the notifications received by the bracelet. Apps layout has all available apps and functions in the watch, and you can uninstall or choose one to be among the first to appear in Gear Fit2. Also, Send music to Gear gives the chance to send certain songs from your phone to the bracelet. Further on, there is a settings menu and Find my Gear that will make Gear Fit2 vibrate so that you may easily find it (in case there is a connection between the devices). Last but not least, you can also access the online Samsung app store.


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Verdict

Even though the market for wearable tech has grown and offers much more options than ever before, when a manufacturer such as Samsung comes up with a new product, there is no chance that it won’t attract attention. Gear Fit2 is a smart bracelet meant mostly for users who do sports frequently, and it informs one about all standard measurements related to one’s activity. An important additional is the presence of a GPS, which allows one to receive information about one’s location without the need of it being connected to a smartphone. Also present are the options for controlling a musical player, and a heartbeat sensor.

We have marked battery life as an issue but the truth is that our expectations weren’t that high. Placing a big battery in a small and light smart bracelet is often a problem for various manufacturers. What’s more, the product in question features a Super AMOLED display and an integrated GPS, so the durability test is more than formidable. On the other hand, it’s very nice that the charger is quite convenient and can charge Gear Fit2 within a reasonable period of time.

If you are interested in Samsung GearFit 2, you can check its price and availability here: http://amzn.to/2bD1vSj

Pros

  • Convenient design, small size and light weight
  • Curved Super AMOLED display with good image detail, high brightness and contrast
  • Pleasant and intuitive interface
  • Convenient Samsung Gear app that ensures easy control of the bracelet
  • Ability to receive notifications from your smartphone
  • Integrated GPS that gives detailed info about your activity, even when not connected to a phone
  • Heartbeat sensor


Cons

  • Not a very durable battery

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