Samsung Galaxy Fit2 review – Budget fitness band to track basic stats with

Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 is the cheapest and most basic wearable by Samsung that you can buy right now. Aimed at those looking for a simple fitness band that doesn’t cost the earth, the compact wrist-worn device counts steps, tracks sleep and monitor heart rate for most everyday activities.

Replacing the Galaxy Fit and the Galaxy Fit e, Samsung’s Fit2 delivers a bunch of upgrades over its predecessors. For one, there’s now a higher quality AMOLED touchscreen display, which makes it easier on the eye. There is now, however, a lack of any physical buttons, which we can imagine was to obtain a more streamlined design.

Still, design improvements don’t always equate to better performance, so we're here to see how well the fitness tracker stacks up during a workout, or two, or more. Will it be allowed entry to the T3 list of the best fitness trackers? Let's find out…

Samsung Galaxy Fit2 review – Price and availability

The Samsung Galaxy Fit 2 launched in early September 2020 with an RRP of £49 / $59. However, it’s now available for a reduced price of £39 / $49 from most major retailers, including Samsung’s own website. It’s available in either black or scarlet silicone bands.

It's worth checking our Samsung discount codes to see if you can bag a saving. 

Samsung Galaxy Fit2 review – Design

When it comes to design, the Fit2 won’t be turning any heads. It looks like just about every other generic fitness band out there, boasting a thin silicone strap and a watch-like clasp couple with a 1.1in AMOLED display. On the plus side, it’s super comfortable on the wrist thanks to its compact and lightweight construction, which measures 11.1mm thick and weighs just 21g. 

Some online reviews will have you believe that this band’s strap isn’t removable, but the screen interface actually pops out, allowing you to swap the band for others in different colours. Samsung doesn’t seem to have additional straps for purchase, but there are compatible options available on Amazon if you fancy. 

The display is a little larger than its predecessor and comes with a slightly better resolution of 126 x 294 pixels. This ensures even small text is sharp enough to be seen clearly. There are also some good vibrant colours and brightness levels on offer here, which mean great viewing angles - even in bright outdoor settings. In what was obviously a battery-related decision, don’t expect any always-on display here. You’ll have to flick the wrist to power on the display for a few seconds before it switches to black again.

As mentioned earlier, Samsung has ditched the physical button on the Fit2 in exchange for a capacitive touch-sensitive button just under the display, which is used to either wake the tracker or navigates you back to the main screen. We found that it is responsive, but it is perhaps a little too sensitive to the touch and can result in you accidentally ending tracking in the middle of a workout if knocked.

We should also note that it’s water resistant up to 5ATM if you fancy wearing it in the shower or taking it for a dip - once the pools reopen, that is.

Samsung Galaxy Fit2 review – Features and performance

One of the first things we have to point out about the Fit2 is the initial setup process, which is a massive pain in the..abs. You have to set the fitness tracker up on the app before you can try any of its features, and then there’s heaps of hoop jumping involved - such as plug-in instalments, settings adjustments, permissions box ticking - before you can strap it on and start tracking your movements.

We’re aware most wearables require this, but it just feels longer and more arduous on the Fit2. Any technophobes that make a purchase are likely to struggle with it. Nevertheless, once it’s up and running then, at least you don’t need to do it again. 

Built into the Fit2’s slim frame are a bunch of sensors that do a pretty decent job of tracking workouts, steps and sleeping. There are dedicated modes for running, cycling, pool swimming and a general ‘outdoor’ workout mode, so all the basics are covered. One big disappointment here, though, is the lack of GPS. With all exercise tracking being left to the motion sensor, you’re unlikely to get the accuracy you’d find in a more expensive smartwatch, for instance. 

Still, there’s a built-in optical heart rate monitor to determine the calories you’ve burned as well as accelerometer and gyroscope motion sensors, which will track movement and automatically detect sleep if you’re wearing during nighttime. 

Each day you’ll be able to see activity stats from the Fit2, including steps, distance covered and calories burned, with additional data viewable in the Samsung Health app. You’ll also get inactivity notifications - basically, alerts telling you to move your ass - in order to to keep you motivated.

In terms of battery life, the Galaxy Fit2 sports a 159mAh capacity battery, which Samsung claims will give you around 15 days of use, on average, which extends to 21 days when in low power mode. In our tests, the wearable lasted just over a week. That was with notifications turned on, the screen at two-thirds of brightness level and one 45-minute workout per day. If you’re hoping to just use this tracker for simple features such as step counting, however, we can imagine it will last much longer. 

Samsung Galaxy Fit2 review – Verdict

The Galaxy Fit2 is a neat fitness band that offers some basic yet effective health tracking abilities wrapped up in a compact and sleek design. It also boasts some welcome improvements over its predecessor, such as a sharper, more vibrant display.

However, due to its rather limited capabilities, for instance, the lack of GPS, anyone who’s remotely serious about keeping fit will probably find the Fit2 a little inadequate. Still, that’s not who this device is aimed at. Users who are looking for a simple and easy-to-use tracker that they can slap on their wrists and measure their general activity levels throughout the day, all without breaking the bank, should be more than happy with the Galaxy Fit2.

Samsung Galaxy Fit2 review – Also consider

The Fitbit Inspire 2 is a simple to set up and use sleep tracker that also works well as an all-day tracker too. You'll need Fitbit Premium to get the most from its stats, but it's worth the investment if you're serious about seeing how stress and sleep affect your daily life.

The Fitbit Charge 5 is not a cheap fitness tracker, but for the price, you get a fitness wearable that can track ECG and stress, tells you your Daily Readiness Score, counts Active Zone Minutes and has a beautiful (albeit a bit small) AMOLED screen.