Garmin Lily 2 Active
Highest scored product for this feature based on supporting review evidence.
Highest scored product for this feature based on supporting review evidence.
Balances feature score, supporting reviews, and overall product strength.
Has the broadest review evidence for this feature.
Strongest overall product among items with scored evidence for this feature.
Button controls are a unanimous strength because they make workouts and navigation much easier than touch-only Lily models.
Pros: health tracking accuracy, blood oxygen tracking
Cons: ECG functionality, onboard music storage
Button controls were consistently praised for intuitive navigation, glove/rain usability and reliable interaction during activity.
Pros: GPS accuracy, app ecosystem
Cons: ECG functionality, calorie tracking usefulness
Button controls were a major strength, especially for workouts, gloves, sweat, rain, and avoiding touchscreen reliance.
Pros: smartphone notifications, watch face quality
Cons: music controls, Wi-Fi connectivity
Button controls were a highlight, with glove-friendly operation and tactile, easy-to-feel buttons.
Pros: display quality, brightness
Cons: onboard music storage, size options
Physical button controls were praised as reliable and satisfying, with the touchscreen-button blend described as the best of both worlds.
Pros: contactless payments, reliability
Cons: onboard music storage, watch face quality
The crown and button controls earned positive notes for haptics, precision, and practical control over functions like the flashlight.
Pros: step counting accuracy, menu navigation
Cons: voice assistant quality, contactless payments
Button controls are a major strength, with reviewers praising four buttons, tactile feel, glove or sweat usability, and easier navigation without touch.
Pros: pairing reliability, brightness
Cons: Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity
Button controls are a standout usability feature, especially for workouts, with praise for tactile clicks and mid-activity control.
Pros: GPS accuracy, charging speed
Cons: ECG functionality, voice assistant quality
Button controls were strongly praised, especially for wet hands, sweaty workouts, swimming, and glove use.
Pros: charging speed, GPS accuracy
Cons: ECG functionality, smartphone notifications
The physical button was widely praised as a major usability improvement over the Versa 3's capacitive or squeeze-style controls.
Pros: pairing reliability, user interface
Cons: third-party app support, music controls
Button controls were a standout: the functional rotating crown, haptics, and shortcut controls earned broad praise.
Pros: blood oxygen tracking, step counting accuracy
Cons: LTE connectivity, calorie tracking usefulness
Button controls were a highlight, with the rotating crown, clicky buttons, and haptics repeatedly praised.
Pros: contactless payments, battery life
Cons: voice assistant quality, LTE connectivity
Button controls are mostly praised for mechanical feel and easier navigation, though one reviewer disliked accidental crown/button triggers.
Pros: contactless payments, pairing reliability
Cons: LTE connectivity, call handling
Button controls were a major strength, especially during workouts, gloves, movement, and wet conditions.
Pros: outdoor visibility, charging speed
Cons: LTE connectivity, call handling
Button and gesture controls were a strength, especially the Action button and touch-free gestures.
Pros: app ecosystem, watch face quality
Cons: cross-platform compatibility, size options
Button controls were a clear upgrade over the S42, with reviewers calling the second button easier, more intuitive, and better for navigation.
Pros: user interface, brightness
Cons: wellness insights, charging convenience
Button controls were praised for being genuinely useful on a watch this cheap.
Pros: wellness insights, Bluetooth connectivity
Cons: contactless payments, third-party app support
Button controls were highly rated, especially the rotating crown, tactile buttons, shortcuts and haptic feedback.
Pros: fitness tracking accuracy, display quality
Cons: voice assistant quality, LTE connectivity
The physical button is one of the clearest upgrades, repeatedly described as easier, more reliable, and more functional than the previous haptic or capacitive control, with one reviewer finding it...
Pros: pairing reliability, durability
Cons: music controls, Wi-Fi connectivity
Button and gesture controls were widely praised, especially Double Tap, Wrist Flick, the Digital Crown, and side-button shortcuts.
Pros: app ecosystem, operating system experience
Cons: cross-platform compatibility, ECG functionality
Button controls were usually praised for tactile use in wet, cold, or active conditions, even though separate lag complaints affected software response.
Pros: water resistance, health tracking accuracy
Cons: contactless payments, onboard music storage
The larger rotating crown and buttons were usually praised for smoother, easier navigation, although one reviewer found input not fully precise.
Pros: menu navigation, battery life
Cons: ECG functionality, voice assistant quality
Button controls were one of the clearest positives, with reviewers praising the sharper, textured, glove-friendly feel.
Pros: materials quality, recovery insights
Cons: contactless payments, music controls
Button controls were praised in hands-on review for their large, textured feel and good appearance.
Pros: workout tracking variety, flashlight usefulness
Cons: blood oxygen tracking, ECG functionality
Physical buttons were usually praised for workout control, though one reviewer found button integration imperfect in menus.
Pros: resume later function, brightness
Cons: safety features, activity auto-detection
Button controls are generally well-liked, with reviewers praising the raised button, simplicity, and tactile workout controls.
Pros: software smoothness, comfort
Cons: LTE connectivity, voice assistant quality
Button controls were mostly a strength because they were grippy, responsive, and useful during workouts, though a few reviewers needed adjustment or hit the wrong button.
Pros: workout tracking variety, activity auto-detection
Cons: onboard music storage, blood oxygen tracking
Button controls are generally praised, especially the action button and revised crown placement, with only minor control caveats.
Pros: reliability, battery life
Cons: LTE connectivity, flashlight usefulness
Button controls were repeatedly praised as intuitive, sturdy, tactile, polished, and useful alongside the touchscreen.
Pros: pairing reliability, reliability
Cons: size options, call handling
Button controls were mostly praised for texture and feel, but dive-rated buttons created mixed feedback from users who preferred older tactile clicks.
Pros: wellness insights, build quality
Cons: LTE connectivity, band quality
The crown controls were simple and sometimes satisfying, but the lack of touch input made some interactions slower or more menu-driven.
Pros: Bluetooth connectivity, pairing reliability
Cons: third-party app support, contactless payments
Button controls were mostly praised as precise, dependable, and better for workouts than touch, despite occasional comments about mushiness.
Pros: running power support, fitness tracking accuracy
Cons: contactless payments, smartphone notifications
Button controls were generally useful, with the rotating crown, shortcut button and customizable controls helping navigation.
Pros: software smoothness, durability
Cons: voice assistant quality, LTE connectivity
Button controls were a strength overall, with reviewers liking the tactile layout, responsiveness, vibration feedback, and ride usability.
Pros: workout tracking variety, build quality
Cons: blood oxygen tracking, onboard music storage
Button and crown controls were mostly praised for fluid scrolling, haptics, and quick navigation, though a few reviews wanted more mappable buttons or disliked side-button behavior.
Pros: outdoor visibility, pairing reliability
Cons: calorie tracking usefulness, materials quality
Button controls were useful and reliable, preserving full control when touch is unavailable, though one reviewer wanted a more tactile click.
Pros: stress tracking, customization options
Cons: menu navigation, companion app quality
Button controls were polarizing but mostly positive: many liked reliability during workouts, while some found the buttons numerous or squishy.
Pros: durability, cross-platform compatibility
Cons: stress tracking, app ecosystem
Button controls were mostly praised for workouts, water use, and avoiding accidental touches, though the button-only approach may not suit touchscreen-first users.
Pros: step counting accuracy, fit
Cons: blood oxygen tracking, charging convenience
Button controls were praised for premium haptics and easier, quicker operation than earlier Fenix buttons.
Pros: workout tracking variety, pairing reliability
Cons: size options, companion app quality
Buttons were widely liked for speed, texture, glove use, and firm clicks.
Pros: recovery insights, build quality
Cons: contactless payments, onboard music storage
Button controls were a strength overall, especially the crown and physical buttons for running, gloves, sweat, and menu movement, though one reviewer wanted more buttons.
Pros: comfort, value for money
Cons: contactless payments, Wi-Fi connectivity
Button controls were widely praised for workout reliability, tactile feedback, and the larger Run button, though one reviewer disliked squishy secondary buttons.
Pros: step counting accuracy, third-party app support
Cons: ECG functionality, LTE connectivity
The rotating crown and button controls are generally liked for tactile feedback and navigation, though one reviewer wished for more button functionality.
Pros: step counting accuracy, display quality
Cons: voice assistant quality, contactless payments
Button controls are generally useful and easy, though one reviewer still noted a learning curve.
Pros: recovery insights, GPS accuracy
Cons: software smoothness, fitness tracking accuracy
Buttons were consistently praised as tactile, easy to use during workouts, and a dependable alternative to touch controls.
Pros: water resistance, workout tracking variety
Cons: LTE connectivity, ECG functionality
Button controls were broadly praised for glove use and tactile feedback, though some reviewers still preferred a crown or different interface logic.
Pros: operating system experience, materials quality
Cons: contactless payments, onboard music storage
Button controls were mostly praised for simplicity, glove usability, and feel, though one reviewer wanted a five-button layout.
Pros: battery life, durability
Cons: resume later function, ECG functionality
Button controls are mostly praised for predictable wet/glove use, though a few reviewers found the buttons harder to press or slower than touch controls.
Pros: customization options, charging speed
Cons: onboard music storage, voice assistant quality
Button controls were generally strong, with praise for buttons, haptics, lockout, and the larger dial, though one reviewer found the crown fiddly during runs.
Pros: resume later function, durability
Cons: watch face quality, call handling
The crown and button controls were often praised for tactility and haptics, though a few reviewers wanted better sizing or deeper integration in the interface.
Pros: workout tracking variety, user interface
Cons: Wi-Fi connectivity, onboard music storage