Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus review: tracking with incredible precision

Before you read this Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus review, it’s worth knowing that this is only compatible with Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets. If you use another type of handset, maybe consider the Apple Airtag or the Oppo Smart Tag.

Smart tags are the perfect companion for anyone who wants extra peace of mind. Whether it's to keep inside your luggage for a flight, to put on your runaway dog’s collar or to attach it to the set of keys you’re forever losing, the SmartTag+ pinpoints your item on a map, making it quick and easy to find. 

On your phone, you can activate the tag’s alert sound guiding you towards it with a ring. It’ll even work the other way around, you can press the button on the tag to find your Galaxy smartphone as well. For such a small, unassuming device, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus has loads of cool features. Read on to find out more.

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus review: price and availability 

Available to buy now from Amazon for £39.99 in the UK, $39.99 in the US and AU$57.39 in Australia, you can pick up the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus individually or as a bundle of two. See the widgets for more recent pricing. The base model, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag, is available for $27.72 / £24.96 / AU$44.72.  

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus review: what’s new and features 

This model improves on the base product with ultra-wideband (UWB) to improve the tracking - it gives you far more accuracy so the SmartThings app will be able to pinpoint the tag to the inch, as opposed to within feet. 

A really neat new feature that comes with UWB-support is augmented reality, it uses your phone’s camera to help visually guide you towards the location of the tag. 

You’ll also be able to use the button on the tag to control IoT devices in your smart home, and to locate your Galaxy smartphone as well. 

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus review: design and setup 

A tiny black square with rounded edges, a button in the middle and a small hole at the top to attach it to things like your keys or a lanyard, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus is a discreet piece of kit. It also comes in a Denim Blue.

Measuring 40.9 x 40.9 x 9.9 mm and weighing 14g, it doesn’t add any annoying bulk to your pocket or wallet. I had it on my keyring and almost immediately forgot it was there. One thing I did notice was that the tag was quite prone to picking up stubborn fingerprint marks, not that you would really notice that day-to-day. 

Setting up the tag was super easy. On my Samsung phone, I just opened up the SmartThings app and pressed the button on the tag. A pop up appeared with the option to Add Now, and then I just followed the simple on-screen instructions. 

Once setup is complete (it took less than 5 minutes), you can see and manage the tag in the On The Go section of the SmartThings app. It’ll also appear on the map in the Find section. 

You won’t need to replace the battery very often as it’ll last about 165 days which is around five months. Other tags have managed to squeeze in a year though, so it’s definitely not the longest-lasting you can buy. You can check the battery level in the SmartThings app. 

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus review: performance  

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is designed for low power consumption and is what the tag uses to connect to your smartphone when you are nearby. It doesn’t just rely on that though, it pairs BLE with ultra-wideband (UWB) which is another wireless communication protocol with a longer, more accurate range than Bluetooth. 

Another way the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus tracks location is by being hooked up to the SmartThings Find network which uses other Galaxy devices to help pinpoint the location, giving more possibilities and more precision. It means you’ll be able to find the tag even when it is out of range using ‘helper’ devices from the world around you. So no wonder, the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus I tested out never had a problem with finding my phone or vice versa. It’s got loads of tech packed in to help it do so. 

To actually find the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus you can use the SmartThings app to activate the alert sound, using noise to let you know where the tag is located. Similarly, by pressing the button on the tag twice, it causes your phone to ring. Very useful if you’re the type to misplace that often! You’ll also be able to see the precise location of the tag on the map in the SmartThings app. And finally, perhaps the coolest way to find the tag is using augmented reality. It uses your phone’s camera to show you how far away you are from the tag and points you in the right direction. When you are close enough, you can then use the ring to find it. If you are near enough to hear the ring, then I don’t think it helps you any more than the sound alert already did, but if you get really stuck in a rut then it’s bound to be useful.

You can set the tag to start smart home automation.  So when you press or hold the button down, you could switch on the lights as you arrived home and switch on the heater you have hooked up to a smart plug, for instance. Those smart devices do need to be set up with the SmartThings app and the tag does need to be near your phone or tablet for it to work. 

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus review: verdict 

The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus is all about precision, it goes above and beyond to help you locate your valuables. 

Personally, I loved that it works both ways so you can use it to find your phone as well as whatever you have the tag attached to, I’m forever losing mine around the house so it certainly solves that issue. And it’s a welcome surprise that Samsung has included smart home control too. 

What’s really impressive about the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus is the wealth of ways to pinpoint where the tag is, whether it be on a map, using sound or being visually guided using AR, you’ll never lose those all-important items ever again. 

Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus review: also consider 

If you are an iPhone user, then of course you’ll want to consider Apple Airtags first and foremost. But the main competitor for the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag Plus is Tile. It’s cheaper and it works no matter what smartphone you have to help you locate items on a map or using sound, but only within a range of 120m.  

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