Compare Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2024) vs Garmin Lily 2 Active

Reviewers generally praised automatic workout detection, saying it started or paused workouts reliably and often worked without asking for confirmation.

Only the one-year review gave opinionated evidence on antioxidant tracking, and it was lukewarm because the reviewer had barely used it and noted it was not passive.

Wear OS app access was treated as a major strength, with reviewers citing useful mainstream apps and thriving third-party support, though not every customization app remained compatible.

The app ecosystem is praised as comprehensive for wellness data and long-term health interpretation.

Band feedback was split: several reviewers liked the ease, comfort, or redesigned mechanism, while others criticized the Marine or stock band design.

Band quality is praised for comfort, quick-release swapping, and easy removal.

Battery life was one of the clearest improvements, usually landing around two to three days, though reviewers still noted it falls short of true outdoor-watch endurance.

Battery life is strongly praised, often beating or matching expectations and lasting around a week or more in real use.

Blood oxygen evidence was limited and negative, with one review finding the overnight readings unusually low versus other wearables.

One reviewer was very positive about Pulse Ox readings, saying the watch routinely matched their normal SpO2 range.

Bluetooth-related sensor connectivity drew criticism in the FTP/power-meter context, where the connection was described as spotty.

Bluetooth connectivity is viewed positively because the watch pairs easily with phones and other devices.

Brightness was widely praised, especially the 3,000-nit display and strong automatic brightness behavior in direct sun.

Brightness is generally acceptable, with one reviewer noting easy viewing, while another says the screen itself is not ultra-bright.

Build quality was a standout strength, with reviewers repeatedly calling it top-notch, excellent, solid, or tank-like.

Build quality draws criticism from one reviewer who dislikes the cheaper-material feel.

Button feedback was mixed: reviewers liked the Quick Button and tactile controls, but several missed a rotating bezel or crown-like navigation.

Button controls are a unanimous strength because they make workouts and navigation much easier than touch-only Lily models.

Call handling had limited but positive evidence, with one long-term reviewer saying calls worked well enough to use more often.

Call handling is useful for glancing at calls on the wrist without pulling out a phone.

Charging convenience was mixed: one reviewer liked infrequent charging, while others disliked losing reverse wireless charging.

Charging convenience improves because the watch uses the standard Garmin cable rather than the older Lily clip style.

Charging speed was a repeated weakness, with reviewers often reporting around two hours or saying faster charging should be expected at this tier.

Coaching evidence was limited and mixed, with strength-training voice guidance seen as potentially useful but dependent on the user’s routine.

Coaching features are well received, with reviewers praising Garmin Coach, adaptive plans, and guided structured workouts.

Comfort was highly wrist-dependent: several reviewers found it comfortable despite the size, while others said it disrupted sleep or remained hard to forget.

Comfort is one of the most consistent strengths, with reviewers saying the small, light watch is easy to forget on the wrist.

Companion app feedback was limited but negative because one reviewer disliked needing three separate Samsung apps to access full watch functionality.

The companion app is useful for setup, coaching, and deeper tracking, with one reviewer preferring it for faster, clearer health logging.

Payments were useful and reliable in the positive evidence, though one reviewer found PIN friction annoying.

Garmin Pay is considered useful and easy to set up, though one reviewer notes its value drops if a phone is still needed for music.

Compatibility was a recurring concern: reviewers praised Samsung ecosystem integration but criticized Samsung-phone-only features and Android-only restrictions.

Cross-platform compatibility is mixed because Android users get quick replies while iPhone users cannot reply from the watch.

Customization was praised for giving easy access to preferred health information and allowing users to tailor the home screen.

Customization is mixed-to-good: notifications and data views have useful controls, but watch-face flexibility is more limited than other Garmins.

Display quality was one of the strongest areas, with reviewers calling the AMOLED screen excellent, gorgeous, and among the best on Android watches.

Display quality is divisive: reviewers like the contrast and hidden-display style, but some dislike the monochrome screen or limited visual richness.

Durability was generally strong, supported by scratch resistance and long-term wear, though one reviewer noted everyday case indentations.

Durability is a concern for one reviewer, who connects the aluminum casing to easier scratching and reduced durability.

ECG evidence was limited and lukewarm, with one reviewer finding it interesting but not personally necessary.

ECG is a clear limitation: a reviewer explicitly wished Garmin had included the hardware for ECG-related features.

Fit evidence was limited but positive, with one reviewer able to get a snug, usable fit from the supplied band setup.

Fit is excellent for the intended user, especially people who want a small watch that sits comfortably on smaller wrists.

Fitness tracking accuracy was mostly positive but not flawless, with reviewers finding valid or strong data while also flagging average or sport-specific weaknesses.

Fitness tracking accuracy is a major strength, with multiple reviewers finding pace, distance, and overall workout data accurate.

Flashlight evidence was limited but positive, with one reviewer naming the flashlight shortcut as their favorite Quick Button use.

GPS accuracy drew strong agreement: multiple reviewers found routes, lock speed, and distance tracking accurate, with only some urban caveats.

GPS accuracy is one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly finding quick locks, solid routes, and close agreement with other devices.

Health tracking accuracy was mixed: some readings closely matched controls, but broader health metrics and fitness tracking drew caveats.

One review gives the broader health-tracking package a very strong assessment, describing fitness tracking as excellent within Garmin’s health ecosystem.

Heart rate accuracy was good for many runs and workouts, but several reviews found sport-specific misses, especially cycling, rowing, or rough conditions.

Heart-rate accuracy is consistently praised, with reviewers noting only minor delays or brief misses during harder efforts.

LTE connectivity evidence was opinionated around the forced LTE/cellular model, which one reviewer disliked because there was no cheaper Bluetooth-only version.

Navigation was a weak spot: reviewers liked basic Track Back or GPX-style routing but criticized missing maps and bare-minimum routing.

Mapping and navigation are mixed-to-weak: GPS mapping after workouts works, but reviewers note no detailed map display and no hiking profile.

Materials quality was praised for titanium and sapphire construction, with reviewers describing the casing and glass as premium or durable.

Materials quality is criticized by one reviewer for relying on cheaper materials.

Menu navigation was one of the weaker usability areas, mainly because reviewers missed the rotating bezel and found Tile scrolling tedious.

Menu navigation is viewed positively, with one reviewer describing swiping and app opening as smooth.

Music controls had limited but positive evidence, with one reviewer liking the ability to pause or skip audio from the watch.

Music controls work well for controlling phone playback from the wrist.

Onboard music storage is a repeated downside because the watch lacks local music even though it now has built-in GPS.

Operating system feedback was mostly positive for Wear OS completeness, though the one-year review noted a One UI update skewed some running metrics.

The operating experience may feel unusual to traditional Garmin users, but the reviewer says the approach makes sense for this type of watch.

Outdoor visibility was consistently strong thanks to the bright display, with reviewers reporting easy readability in sun and outdoor workouts.

Outdoor visibility is mostly strong in sunlight, although one reviewer found bright outdoor conditions could make it harder to read.

Pairing reliability was mixed: phone/GPS pairing could be easy or reliable, while power-meter pairing was strongly criticized.

Pairing reliability is praised across sensor use, with reviewers noting easy sensor connections and appreciation for expanded external sensor support.

Recovery insights were useful when tied to Energy Score, Wellness Tips, sleep score factors, and physical recovery context, though reviewers did not treat them as perfect.

Recovery and readiness tools are praised for helping shape training decisions and fine-tune workouts.

Reliability was mixed: some reviewers saw software or wear-detection quirks, while another only complained about a missing low-battery warning.

Reliability is positive in one review, with the reviewer saying GPS remained spot-on and did not drop.

Safety features had limited positive evidence, with the emergency siren described as loud enough to be meaningful.

Safety features are praised as reassuring for solo runs and emergency-contact situations.

Size options were a common limitation because the watch only comes in one large 47mm case and several reviewers found it bulky.

Sleep tracking accuracy was mixed: some reviewers found sleep timing and stages accurate, while others saw gaps, inflated scores, or difficulty distinguishing waking from stillness.

Sleep tracking earns strong marks overall, especially for wake/sleep timing and presentation, though one reviewer wanted more refinement in stages.

Notifications were generally useful and prompt in the scored evidence, helping the watch function as a less distracting phone extension.

Smartphone notifications are considered helpful for quickly checking messages during outdoor activity.

Smartwatch features were praised overall, especially for Samsung users, though some reviewers stressed it is still a large, premium sports-style smartwatch.

Smartwatch features are mixed: some reviewers see a well-rounded compact device, while one finds the smart-feature set limited for the price.

Software smoothness was a strong point, with reviewers repeatedly describing the interface as snappy, glitch-free, or without lag.

Software smoothness is positive, with reviewers noting smooth syncing and smooth navigation between widgets.

Step counting was acceptable but imperfect, with one reviewer tolerating discrepancies and another noting phantom steps while driving.

Step counting is described as close but slightly high, with limitations when the arm is not moving normally.

Stress tracking was weak in the available evidence, with one review calling it an afterthought and another saying it made them more stressed.

Stress tracking is viewed as a useful interpretive metric, especially because it helps explain Body Battery changes.

Design reactions were highly polarized: some reviewers loved the bold Ultra look, while others called it derivative, bulky, or aesthetically off.

Style and design are major strengths, with reviewers repeatedly praising the fashionable, subtle, non-smartwatch look.

Third-party app support was useful through Wear OS, but custom watch-face support created a notable limitation for one reviewer.

Third-party app support is positive, especially syncing workout data outward and broadcasting heart rate to other devices.

Touch interaction was mixed: the touch bezel could be excellent, but wet or sweaty workout use remained a clear limitation.

Touchscreen responsiveness is split, with one reviewer finding it very sensitive and simple, while another calls the controls finicky.

The user interface was praised by the reviewers who scored it, especially for refinement, tiles, and intuitive operation.

The user interface is praised as simple to learn and easy to swipe through.

Value was one of the most contested areas because reviewers liked the watch but repeatedly compared its $649 price against cheaper Galaxy alternatives.

Value is mixed-to-positive: many reviewers think the upgrades justify the price, while a few criticize the cost versus fuller smartwatches.

Voice assistant evidence was limited but positive when using Google Assistant instead of Bixby.

Watch faces were a highlight for several reviewers, with praise for aesthetics, data density, and wide selection.

Watch face quality is mixed, with one reviewer liking the selection and another finding the options very limiting.

Water resistance was useful for swimming and surf-style testing, but reviewers repeatedly cautioned that it is not a true dive-sports watch.

Wellness insights were mixed: Energy Score and tips sometimes felt useful or accurate, while AGEs and some readiness-style metrics were vague or inconsistent.

Wellness insights are a standout, especially Body Battery, women’s health context, sleep, stress, and overall body-awareness feedback.

Workout variety was good for mainstream exercise and multisport use, though one review noted the data-field depth still trails endurance-focused rivals.

Workout variety is broadly praised because the Active adds many sports, workout modes, and training tools for a compact Lily watch.