Samsung Gear Fit2 vs FitBit Alta vs Fitbit Blaze vs Apple Watch
Samsung’s latest fitness wearable promises fitness and fun, but how does it compare?
Fitness wearables as a concept are nothing new, so in order to stand out, they’ve got to do something innovative – unless of course manufacturers abjectly wish to chase the lowest possible asking price.
Samsung has just announced two new fitness-centric products; the Gear IconX fitness headphones and Gear Fit2 activity tracker.
As its name suggests, the Gear Fit2 is a successor to Samsung’s previous Gear Fit device, which sold itself largely on its curved display screen, which was a novelty at the time it launched back in 2014.
To keep up with today's wearable competition, the Gear Fit2 adds waterproofing, features an embedded GPS module and automatic activity tracking. None of that is overly groundbreaking though – Fitbit is the most prominent name in that particular arena, so how does the Gear Fit2 compare against the Fitbit Alta or Fitbit Blaze trackers, the Microsoft Band 2 or the Apple Watch?| Model | Samsung Gear Fit2 | Fitbit Alta | Fitbit Blaze | Microsoft Band 2 | Apple Watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 1.5in curved AMOLED | Not stated, OLED | 31.75mm | 32mm AMOLED | 38mm/42mm |
| Band options | Black, Blue or Pink, Small or Large Bands | Black, Blue, Plum, Teal, Small, Large or XL Bands | Rubber, leather, metal | Rubber | Rubber, leather, metal |
| Battery | 200mAh, 4 days | 5 Days | 5 days | 2 days | 18 hours |
| GPS | Yes | No | via connected phone | Yes | via iPhone |
| Heart rate sensor | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apps? | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Calling ability | No | No | No | No | Yes, when paired with iPhone |
| Price | $US179 | $199.95 | $329.95 | $379 | $499-$24,000 |
Samsung hasn’t announced local Australian pricing as yet for the Gear Fit2, although a statement issued by the company indicates that it does intend to release it here at some point. Based on US pricing, we’d expect to see it retail for around $275 or thereabouts.
Samsung Gear IconX: Wireless and Fitness tracking combined
If you don’t fancy wearing a band on your wrist, Samsung’s other announced fitness wearable comes in the form of Bluetooth enabled headphones. Unlike most Bluetooth headphones, however, there’s no band that goes around your skull.
Instead, the Gear IconX headphones are just two simple, battery-powered buds that come with 4GB of storage, included heart rate monitor and accelerometer, but no GPS. They’re Android only (4.4 or better) and coordinate with Samsung’s own S-Health app for activity tracking. The carrying case for the Gear IconX also acts as the battery pack to keep them charged.Again there’s no specific word on Australian pricing, although Samsung Australia has indicated they’ll hit Australian shores this year. US pricing is at $US199 for the pair, which would suggest a price of around $300 taking GST into account.
