The Gear Fit 2 Makes Workouts a Breeze
Samsung artfully bridged the gap between smartwatch & fitness band with the release of the Gear Fit 2. This fitness tracker offers a stylish companion to any Android owner who wants to get active. After testing it extensively it’s safe to say that this is one of the best wearables we have seen from Samsung. The Korean giant has come a long way from the bulky designs of previous Gear smartwatches. Now that the Gear 2 has a slimmer curved design, fitness lovers finally have an attractive option to help monitor their workouts. At $179 this smartwatch is an affordable workout buddy that’s packed with useful features.
Gear Fit 2 Offers Golden Features for Fitness Lovers
When it comes to fitness junkies, they will be hard-pressed to find a better tracking tool than the Gear Fit 2. It’s the next evolutionary step to the original Gear model. The new release is equipped with a sexy design that will seduce even the most hesitant buyer. Its 1.58 inch curved touchscreen display no longer sticks out from the band. This gives the Gear Fit 2 a sleek look that’s reminiscent of Microsoft’s Band 2. The screen is also slightly wider which artfully showcases an edge to edge display.
Confronted with the improved aesthetics, the Gear Fit 2 looks like it came from another company. The top half is made of metal will the bottom is made of sturdy plastic. It sports two buttons on the side, a heart rate sensor on the bottom & 2 small connectors for its charging stand. Luckily the charging stand is a little larger than the original so it’s harder to misplace. The band is made from the same plastic material as the last model, & you can easily disconnect it from the sides of the device. This design celebrates simplicity, which is a welcome change from Samsung’s outrageously complex forays into wearables.
Unsurprisingly, the Gear Fit 2 also sports improved tech specs. It runs on a dual-core 1GHz Exynos 3250 processor and boasts 512MB of RAM. Samsung’s new release also has full GPS tracking, 4GB storage for music & a barometer sensor for stair workouts. The driving force behind the Gear Fit 2 is Samsung’s Tizen OS. This is the same hardware used in their smartTV’s and the Galaxy Gear 2.
All this improved hardware gives fitness buffs a ton of new options. The AMOLED screen is fully customizable, letting you display the amount of calories burned, steps taken & monitor your heart rate all from the home screen. It supports 15 types of workouts ranging from cycling to yoga. The extra storage allows you to send locally stored music directly to your headphones. You can upload up to 1,000 songs from your smartphone so your workout has a constant soundtrack. Its GPS tracking allows you to map out runs so you can find the perfect route.
One of the main factors to a good fitness band is battery life, & the Gear Fit 2 doesn’t disappoint. While Samsung claims that its 200mAh batter lasts three to four days, it really lasts around two & a half with all the features on full blast. This gives you plenty of time to get in all the exercise you need without being stuck waiting for it to charge.
At the end of the day Samsung made a laundry list of improvements. They succeeded in creating a gorgeous fitness tracker at a competitive price. The only notable downsides are the exclusive compatibility with Android smartphones & its health apps pale in comparison to some of its competitors. While it’s a great addition to any workout, it’s definitely not a game changer since the market is flooded with viable alternatives.