AsSamsung gears up to start selling its new round-faced smartwatch in Malaysia this week, DNA"s Keith Liu reviews the Gear S2 smartwatch to and tells us it's worth wearing.
Verdict Pros Bright, sharp display Rotating bezel is the best wearable feature yet Not limited to Samsung handsets Cons Tizen is limiting Expensive for what you get Poor, slow voice search Key Specifications Review Price ÂŁ Circular watch face Rotating bezel thick 360 x 360 AMOLED touchscreen 3G option with e-SIM technology NFC for mobile payments 2-3 days battery life Tizen OS dual-core processor 4GB internal storage 512MB RAM S Health support IP68 certified dust- and water-resistant Wi-Fi Bluetooth Optical heart-rate sensor Wireless charging 250mAh Li-ion battery What is the Samsung Gear S2? Samsungâs back catalogue of smartwatches has been, to put it mildly, poor. The vast array of Gear-branded wearables have been bulky, ugly and running an operating system devoid of killer features and decent apps. The Gear S2 hopes to change this. Iâm happy to report that in pretty much every area it achieves this. The Gear S2, with its circular display, is the first in the series that actually looks good. Instead of simply following the crowd, Samsungâs headline rotating bezel results in a smartwatch thatâs the easiest to navigate yet. However, by failing to opt for the constantly improving Android Wear OS, and instead choosing to stick with Tizen, Samsungâs Gear S2 feels hamstrung in many areas. Samsung Gear S2 â Design and rotating bezel Smartwatch manufacturers are no longer happy to make only a single model, instead churning out multiple varieties at varying prices. Apple started the trend, and Samsung has continued it. Related Best fitness trackers The Gear S2 is available in three versions the standard, more sporty model that Iâm using, and a slightly classier one called the Gear S2 Classic; a 3G enabled smartwatch will arrive later. I canât comment on the pricier Classic ÂŁ299, but the standard model ÂŁ249 looks and feels superb. It isnât in the same league as Huaweiâs Watch, but itâs one of the better smartwatches on the market. The circular display is surrounded by a metal bezel, with two clicky buttons. Thereâs one for jumping back a step and another for heading to the homescreen. Both buttons sit on either side of a microphone on one side of the smartwatch. The Gear 2 isnât overly thick either, sitting only off my wrist. While the Classic model has a standard 22mm watch strap, this version uses a proprietary connection, so itâs unlikely that youâll be able to swap out the rubber strap for one your own. I like the strap, and it fits in with the more sporty look of the watch. It doesnât become overly hot and sweaty during extended workouts and itâs comfortable enough to wear for extended periods. Unfortunately, it isnât particularly durable mine has already picked up a small tear. The overall look of the Gear 2 is certainly more fitness watch than one youâd match with a suit, but this isnât necessarily a bad thing. Related Apple Watch review The most notable design feature on the Samsung Gear 2, however, is the rotating bezel. This is the main method by which you navigate the Tizen OS, and in my opinion itâs truly fantastic â itâs easily the best way Iâve found so far to jump around menus on a wearable. It turns smoothly as you twist it around, providing a satisfying click instead of just spinning endlessly. Both Apple with its Digital Crown and Android Wear makers with their touchscreen-lead approach should take note. It isnât perfect, though. You canât press down on the bezel to select an item â even though naturally it really feels like you should be able too â so you still have to use the touchscreen for that. Buy Now Samsung Gear S2 at from ÂŁ190 Samsung Gear S2 â Display Samsungâs smartphone panels are the best in the business, so it shouldnât really be a surprise to find that the AMOLED display used here is probably the best on a smartwatch to date. Itâs in size, with a 360 x 360 resolution that makes it hard to pick out individual pixels unless you get up really close. Colours are rich and vivid, while the black backgrounds are inky and blend nicely into the bezel. Viewing angles are great too, but outdoor visibility could be better. Being an AMOLED panel, it can be put into an ambient mode. This means it will continue to display the time and only burst into life when you flip your wrist and look directly at it. An always-on clock is a vital feature that ensures smartwatches donât resemble a computer on your wrist; itâs something Apple Watch severely lacks. Brightness isnât an issue either, but the lack of an auto-brightness setting means youâll be constantly altering it manually. This isnât ideal, and certainly noticeable when itâs dark and the whole watch lights up. Thanks to the rotating bezel, you interact with the watch much less through the small touchscreen, but itâs still responsive to the touch. A couple of features short of perfect, then. Samsung Gear S2 â Performance and Battery Life Referring to the performance of a watch can still seem slightly odd, but as proved by the first-gen Moto 360, it can be a real problem. I can safely say it isnât an issue on the Gear S2. The dual-core Exynos 3450 processor paired with half a gig of RAM is pretty standard on a smartwatch, and it provides plenty of oomph to keep the watch feeling smooth and fast. Battery life, like performance, is also on a par with the majority of 2015 Android Wear devices â and slightly better than the Apple Watch. With the always-on mode turned on, the 250mAh cell can easily make it through the day and on until lunchtime the following day. Switch that off and the Gear 2 will keep going for about two full days. Personally, Iâd rather have slightly shorter battery life and always have the clock visible, but the option to turn it off is there if you want it. If youâre all about battery, Iâd still recommend the Pebble Time Steel. Charging is via the supplied wireless dock â itâs the spitting image of Motorolaâs Qi cradle â and my Gear S2 can go from 0% to full in less than hour. Slightly annoying is the fact that there isnât a way to power up the watch without the dock, but at least itâs a sleeker solution than those pesky charging adapters supplied with previous Gear watches. Samsung Gear S2 â Software and fitness features So far, things are looking pretty rosy for the Gear S2. It has a comfortable, sporty build, impressive display and performance and battery that are good â if not anything to worry the competition. Itâs a shame then that Samsung chose not to complete the package by opting for a more capable OS. Instead, the Gear S2 is severely limited by the Tizen operating system. Iâll start with the bits I do like. For once, Samsung has made something that doesnât disappoint in the looks department. The selection of watchfaces â which range from digital ones to those built for apps such as ESPN and Bloomberg â are attractive and customisable, and the general UI is slick. As you scroll through your homescreens, widgets display handy information such as the current weather, your step count and current heart rate. Theyâre a little slow to update â the music one takes an age to show the current song Iâm listening to, for example â but on the whole theyâre easily accessible and handy tidbits of information that work well on a smartwatch. Thereâs also a good selection of fitness features, all tied together by Samsungâs S Health app. An accelerometer tracks your movements throughout the day, while the heart-rate sensor takes constant readings. The lack of GPS will put off those looking to ditch their dedicated running watch, though. An IP68 rating means youâll be able to submerge it in of water for 30 minutes, and Iâve used it in shower without any issues. I find the heart-rate monitor here to give much more accurate readings than Android Wear watches, which often fluctuate massively between readings, and the step-tracking is as good as a dedicated wearable such as the Misfit Shine. The real problem with Tizen is the utter lack of apps. Now, while I donât want apps on my smartwatch that I have to open, I do want them throwing up handy information â and to be there when itâs more convenient than whipping out my phone. Apps such as Citymapper, Uber, Google Maps and so on make sense on a wearable, but the Gear S2 app store is a barren wasteland. Aside from an overly US-centric ESPN app, I havenât really been able to find something that I want to download and install. Not good. With the Gear S2 costing a pretty pricey ÂŁ249, Iâm not sure why developers would bother building apps for this platform rather than focusing on Watch OS and Android Wear. This could be a serious problem for the longevity of the Gear S2. Notifications â the bread and butter of any decent smartwatch â are also hit and miss. Connected to a Nexus 6P, HTC One A9 and Moto X Style â all at different times, obviously â buzzes of new alerts were constantly a good second or so behind the phone. And when they did come in, they were too quick to disappear from the watch. I was left wondering what that last buzz was about until I headed into the notifications section. S-Voice, Samsungâs alternative to Google voice search and Siri, is another disappointment. Itâs limited in what it can do â it wonât even let me quickly create a note. When it does work â calling a contact, for instance â itâs slow. The Tizen experience is frustrating. It looks good, but limited app support is a bleak sign for the future and the poor voice integration is a shame. If Samsung really is so against using Android Wear, it needs to find a way for developers to choose its platform instead. Should you buy the Samsung Gear S2? The Gear S2 is a good smartwatch, but the limited Tizen operating system stops it from being a great one. At least Samsung didnât make it exclusive to Galaxy handsets; the Gear 2 will work with any Android device with of RAM or above. The build, display and the fantastic rotating bezel â the cleverest input method on a watch yet â are all impressive and itâs Samsungâs best wearable, but itâs not better than anything running Android Wear. That could change if Tizen takes off, but judging by previous devices running the OS, this is unlikely to happen. Poor voice search, the on-occasion dodgy notifications and lack of customisation on the cheaper model also make the Gear 2 more difficult to recommend. Samsung has improved plenty with the Gear S2, but it just isnât quite enough. Buy Now Samsung Gear S2 at from ÂŁ190 Verdict A well-built smartwatch with a great screen, but itâs let down by a lack of support and the half-baked Tizen operating system. Trusted Score
TheGear S2 might be a feature-rich smartwatch, but its predecessor is nothing short of a wearable smartphone. Its curved and spacious 2.0-inch rectangular display is the polar opposite of the
Farwell, Android Wear. Hello, Tizen. Samsung's latest smartwatch abandons the Android Wear OS in favor of the company's homegrown Tizen OS, which proves to be a smart choice indeed. The Samsung Gear S2 $ has a user-friendly interface that's worlds easier to use than Android Wear. And the watch itself has a great design that combines the round face and stainless steel case of a traditional timepiece with a futuristic, rotating bezel that makes navigation even easier. But there's still some room for Tizen to grow, as a dearth of apps and weak voice recognition keep the Gear S2 from nabbing a higher score. Pricing and Design The Samsung Gear S2 comes in two flavors There's the regular Gear S2 for $ and the $ Gear S2 classic. The regular Gear S2 comes with a black or white silicone wristband, while the classic model has black leather strap. No matter which version you choose, the watch face is made of matte stainless steel. We reviewed the $ model, with a white band and a silver face. You Can Trust Our Reviews There are also 3G versions of each watch available with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon service. Pricing and availability will vary according to carrier; T-Mobile, for instance, offers the option to add the watch to your plan for $5 per month. Similar Products The standard Gear S2 model is extremely comfortable and light on the wrist, with a simple clasp and an adjustable buckle to stay in place. No matter which model you choose, you're sure to be happy with the watch's most distinguishing feature, a rotating bezel. Similar to the digital crown on the side of the Apple Watch $ at eBayOpens in a new window , you physically turn the bezel around the watch face like a dial in order to make selections. It's precise, quick, and feels very satisfying to use thanks to the little clicks it makes. The watch also has a Back button in the two o'clock position, and a Home button in the four o'clock position. The Home button brings you to the default watch face or to your main app library if you're already at your home watch face. The Back button brings you back one step in whatever app you're in. Of course, you can also tap your way through the interface without bothering with the bezel. I'll discuss navigation more in a bit, but the Gear S2 is the most easily navigable smartwatch I've tested. Left to right Apple Watch, Samsung Gear S2, Moto 360 The Gear S2's round watch face measures inches around, inches thick, and weighs ounces. The Huawei Watch at AmazonOpens in a new window , by comparison, is slightly larger at inches wide, inches thick, and ounches. The Motorola Moto 360 , meanwhile, meastures inches wide, inches thick, and ounces. The variations might seem slight on paper, but you can really feel a difference on your wrist. The watch is rated IP68 for water-resistance, which means it can withstand splashes at the sink, but you shouldn't take it to the beach or in the shower. DisplayThe Gear S2 has a circular Super AMOLED display with a 360-by-360-pixel resolution that works out to a sharp 302 pixels per inch. It doesn't get quite as bright as the Huawei Watch, but I was always able to see it outside, even with the brightness set to low. The screen is not always-on by default, but there is an option to do so if you wish. Without it on, the screen still activates quickly when you life your wrist, and it never accidentally turned on in my testing, which is very helpful for conserving battery. The screen turns off fast, thoughâafter about five secondsâwhich can get a little annoying when you're trying to read an email, text, or CNN headline. However, a quick tap or turn of the bezel keeps the screen activated. Samsung uses an ambient light sensor to adjust brightness depending on surroundings, without the "flat tire" effect that cuts off the Moto 360's circular display in a horizontal line at the bottom. It's also easy to adjust the brightness on your own just swipe down on the display and tap the Brightness setting. I didn't detect any prismatic screen aberration here like I did on the Moto 360, unless you count some very slight reflections of light around the edge of the bezel. The watch can be paired with Bluetooth devices, including headesets or speakers for music playback, or mobile devices that run Android or later. Unlike Pebble or Android Wear devices, there is no iOS support. To start the pairing process, you need to download the free Samsung Gear Manager app on your Android device and follow the simple on-screen instructions. I easily paired the Gear S2 with a Samsung Galaxy S6 $ at AmazonOpens in a new window . Once connected, you have a number of options at your command, like customizing the watch face, managing apps and notifications, and sending music files to the watch, which comes with 4GB of internal storage. Features, Performance, and TizenThe Gear S2 has an accelerometer, a barometer, a gyroscope, proximity sensors, and a heart rate sensor. Unlike the Sony SmartWatch 3 $ at AmazonOpens in a new window , there is no GPS, but there is Wi-Fi, which extends the range of the watch when connected to a wireless network. The heart rate sensor here works better than the one in the Huawei Watch or the Moto 360 by automatically measuring your heart rate throughout the day. By default it checks in about five times per day, though you can adjust it to check more or less frequently. You can also check manually, and it lets you know whether your heart rate is average when you're resting, in a state before exercise, or after exercise. The watch reported resting numbers in the low-to-mid sixties while sitting in a relaxed state, which is on par with measurements taken by the Huawei Watch. The watch counts steps and detects when you're exercising or resting for too long, similar to the Apple Watch. You can also keep track of the amount of water or caffeine you've been drinking. And you can install the Nike+ running app for more detailed fitness analysis. However, like I usually advise, you probably want to go with a dedicated fitness tracker rather than a smartwatch if fitness is your primary concern. The Misfit Flash Link $ at AmazonOpens in a new window is great if you're on a budget, while the Fitbit Charge HR $ at AmazonOpens in a new window is worth the splurge. Powered by a dual-core 1GHz processor and 512MB of RAM, the Gear S2 uses Samsung's proprietary operating system, Tizen. It has the best user interface for a smartwatch yet, though it does have one annoying flaw. For some reason, the Gear S2 doesn't go back to the app you were previously using after it goes to sleep. Instead, it goes back to the default watch face every time it wakes up. That can be frustrating if you want to keep reading a story, or reply to a text when suddenly the screen shuts off from inactivity. Thakfully, the watch keeps images and headlines loaded in news apps when you finally return to them. The strength of Tizen lies in its layout, which is a pleasure to navigate. Turning the bezel or swiping to the left brings up any notifications, which you can tap to open or swipe up to dismiss. Swiping or turning the bezel to the right brings up the main menu for Apps, a list of favorite contacts, Settings, or the S Voice assistant. Keep swiping or rotating the bezel and you can see a whole collection of apps around the perimeter of the screen, as if they were numbers on a watch face, including the calendar, heart rate monitor, music playback control, pedometer, or whatever other apps you want to include. It beats swiping through endless vertical lists and cards like in Android Wear. However, you still have to tap on the touch screen to make selections. It would've been nice to be able to push the bezel in to make selections, but since your fingers are already on the watch anyway, it's not a big deal. Unfortunately, Tizen's selection of third-party apps is weak compared with Android Wear, Apple, and Pebble. There are no music streaming services besides Samsung's Milk Music, little in the way of fitness apps besides Samsung's S Health, and nothing when it comes to note-taking apps or popular social media like Facebook or Twitter. There are some useful apps available, like Bloomberg, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and Yelp, but Samsung needs to lure many more companies if it wants to compete. And although watch apps aren't available, you can still receive and respond to phone notifications from Facebook, Google Hangouts, and Twitter on the Gear S2 with a robust set of options. You can choose from some short, canned phrases or send an emoticon. You can also respond with voice-to-text, though unfortunately this feature is hit-or-miss; I never reached a point in testing where I felt like I could rely on it to quickly send an accurate message. Surprisingly, the Gear S2 also offers a phone number pad-style keyboard with three letters assigned to each number so you can type out messages. It's a slow process, but predictive text helps things along. A friend texted me some good news and I was able to type in "Wow, that's great! Congrats!" fairly easily. Don't expect to take calls on the Gear S2, though. You can use it to dial a call, but you'll have to take out your phone or put on a Bluetooth headset if you want to take things any further. Battery life is relatively excellent. Samsung promises up to three days of use, which is accurate if you keep the display set to power off automatically. With it set to always-on, the watched lasted for nearly two days, which is still better than any other smartwatch with a color display I've tested with the exception of the Pebble Time, which can last for about a week, albeit with a much dimmer, lower-resolution display. The Gear S2 can also be set to go into Power-Saving mode, which turns the screen monochrome when you're running low on battery. It charges with an included magnetic dock and micro USB cable. ConclusionsThe Samsung Gear S2 should certainly sit alongside the Apple Watch and the Pebble family as one of the better smartwatch options on the market. It sports a sleek design, a user-friendly interface that blows the confusing Android Wear out of the water, very good battery life for a smartwatch, and a unique, rotating bezel. Unfortunately, a paltry selection of apps holds it back, especially when Apple and Pebble have so many to choose from. And underwhelming voice recognition ultimately makes the Apple and Pebble watches easier to use. I'd certainly choose the Gear 2 over Android Wear options like the Huawei Watch and the Moto 360, but it's a harder pick from there. The Apple Watch remains the smartwatch for dyed-in-the-wool Apple users, with a reliable heart rate sensor that works as you exercise, NFC so you can pay without flashing your credit card, the best selection of third-party apps, and an intuitive interface similar to that of the Gear S2. But our Editors' Choice remains with the Pebble family, which we highly recommended to smartwatch newcomers. The original Pebble is inexpensive, is compatible with both Android and iOS, and works with many useful apps. The Pebble Time $ at AmazonOpens in a new window adds a color screen and reliable voice-to-text messaging. Or you could wait for the Pebble Time Round, which is the Pebble Time with a traditional round watch face. The Samsung Gear S2 is definitely an intriguing new option, but it's worth waiting for the second generation. Pros Sleek design. Nice display. Useful rotating bezel. Intuitive user interface. Good battery life. View More Cons Weak app selection. Spotty voice recognition. Pricey. The Bottom Line The Samsung Gear S2 smartwatch has great software and a thoughtful design going for it, but a paltry app selection and finicky voice recognition hold it back. Like What You're Reading? Sign up for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top product advice delivered right to your inbox. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
SamsungGear S2. Kembali lagi pada Samsung Gear S2. Smartwatch ini menampilkan edisi klasik dengan gaya desain konvensional namun bergaya sporty dengan tali yang terbuat dari bahan silikon yang bisa dilepas, dan berarti dapat pemiliknya dapat menggantinya sesuka hati.TechRadar Verdict Despite still looking and feeling more like a tech lover's device, and the lack of a strong developer community, at launch the Gear S2 was by far Samsung's best smartwatch. It's still a solid option for Android users but the Samsung Gear S3 definitely offers more. Pros +Smart round design+Innovative rotating bezel+Tizen OS is polished Cons -Slow voice control-Too few high quality apps-Lacks customisation options Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure youâre buying the best. Find out more about how we test. Update The Samsung Gear S2 is still a fine choice if you're an Android user, but there are a few reasons that you may want to consider the Samsung Gear S3. The Gear S3 features a larger battery, has GPS built-in and offers a bit more RAM than the Gear S2. If those features are crucial to you, you may want to redirect your attention to Samsung's newer wearable almost three years since its initial release, Samsung has released a large software update the overhauls its general user interface. You'll also find improvements to how it handles workouts on the screen, making information like heart rate and pace easier to parse at-a-glace while you're getting review In the past Samsung had a scattergun approach to wearable design, releasing numerous devices with varying form and functionality. It was great if you were looking for something different to the all-too-similar Android Wear devices, but with hindsight, Samsung's first attempts weren't very the Gear S2, Samsung offered up a much more cohesive, well thought out approach. It's clear without even touching the second of three generations of the Gear watch, that the company practically went back to the drawing board to craft a wearable truly worth your looking at the Gear S2, it's obvious that Samsung has learnt from its past successes and failures. It's much more wearable than their previous attempts, it looks good and it's comfortable. More importantly the updated Tizen OS has been perfectly tailored to a smartwatch screen, with perhaps the best user interface I've seen on a smartwatch, making excellent use of the tactile rotating also, however, leads to one of the devices biggest downfalls - it remains an immature developer platform, and it still lacks apps. But for now, let's look at the previous Samsung wearables, you don't need to be a Samsung phone user to use the Gear S2. The Gear S2 is compatible with most Android phones and iPhones too. You'll find exact device compatibility information further on in this Gear S2 price and release dateThe launch price was set at ÂŁ $ around AU$428, and it was competitively priced against the Apple Watch and Moto 360 when it first came you can buy the Gear S2 for around ÂŁ219 $150, AU$ which is more than ÂŁ100 cheaper than the Gear S3, Gear Sport and Apple Watch Samsung Gear S2 features a fully circular Super AMOLED touchscreen measuring in diameter. That makes it smaller than the displays on the Gear S3, Huawei Watch and Moto 360. Despite having a smaller screen than its rivals, it doesn't impact usability, at no point during my testing did I feel limited by the device really impresses with a really high resolution of 360 x 360 pixels. Thanks to the relatively small screen, this gives a pixel density of 302ppi, matching the 42mm Apple Watch's retina pixel density really stands out when putting the Samsung Gear S2 next to other circular smartwatches of this generation including the new Moto 360 and LG Watch Urbane. It's visibly much sharper, and clearer as a my opinion - and that of the TechRadar team in general - that circular displays are more aesthetically appealing than the square displays of the Apple Watch and Sony Smartwatch 3. It just looks more like a traditional, analogue watch. In terms of functionality, it's hard to make a case for it being better or claims the sAMOLED that's not a typo, the S stands for Super reflects one-fifth as much sunlight as regular AMOLED displays. I didn't have any problems viewing the watch in direct sunlight, usually keeping to the eighth brightness level out of ten. As it's AMOLED, the colours look lovely and a noticeable gap between the display and the top layer of glass on the screen. You'd think this has a negative effect on viewing angles, particular in sunlight, but that is not the case. It does make the watch appear a little more retro like ambient mode on Android Wear, the Gear S2 has an 'always on' screen option. In this mode the screen will dim after several seconds of inactivity, however, the time will still be displayed with a reduced interface. It's a useful feature that allows you to view the time without needing to raise your arm and flick your wrist to wake the screen, as with the Apple Watch, though it does reduce battery and comfortThe Samsung Gear S2 continued the trend for attractive smartwatch design following the lead of the Apple Watch, Moto 360 and Pebble Round. A mantle that's been carried on by the multitude of smartwatches launched since the S2 arrived circular Gear S2 comes in two models, the standard model, reviewed here, and a 'Classic' one. The standard Gear S2 features a rubber strap, and a sporty aesthetic, while the Classic has a design which pays homage to more traditional timepieces, with a leather two models also have different dimensions, with the sporty model measuring x x mm, and the Classic a slightly smaller x x mm. I'd say they're an optimum size, and although some of the dimensions are larger than that of some rivals, the Gear is less bulky overall, and feels smaller as a result. If you're already a regular watch wearer, male or female, the size of the Samsung Gear S shouldn't be an watch weighs 47g, so is comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and doesn't feel like a dead weight on your wrist. If you prefer your watch big and chunky however, you may wish to look lack of customisation options costs the Gear S2 some design marks. The Apple Watch, and Moto 360 via Moto Maker allow a huge range of design choices to make a watch personal to the wearer. In comparison, Samsung only offers the Gear S2 in white or Classic is only available with a black leather strap, too, but it accepts any 22mm watch strap, allowing you to customise it with any third party the more sporty S2 features a proprietary locking mechanism, which very few accessory manufacturers have decided to adopt, so not the end of the world that Samsung has included so few personalisation options, but it does seem like a decision that's counter to the more personalised way wearables are Samsung Gear S2 isn't a particularly premium feeling device, it's certainly no match for the Huawei Watch or Apple Watch, but the rubber strap and metal casing feels durable and well design doesn't look cheap, it's understated and looks good, just in a slightly utilitarian kind of in the office think the Gear S2 looks more like a tech product than a watch. Personally, I like the fact it doesn't try to copy a traditional watch design, it looks futuristic, but not overly Samsung Gear S2 features two buttons on the right-hand side of the device. These act as a home button, and a back button. They're well positioned, making them easy to press, although, as they're identical, learning which button does what might take a main control of the Gear S2 is hidden in plain sight - the rotating metal bezel. It's not an exaggeration when I say this bezel is one of the best things that has happened to smartwatch user experience. It's better than Apple's Digital Crown, for a start. It works in a similar way to Apple's controller, scrolling through various menus and information pages, but the bezel feels much more intuitive, and very tactile, with a pleasing click the rear of the watch you'll find a centralised optical heart rate monitor, and two mechanisms for releasing the straps. Despite these clips being on the rear of the device, there's no chance of accidentally unlocking the straps. They're in place very Samsung Gear S2 is rated IP68, which means it's dust and water resistant. You could happily wear it in the shower or during torrential rain. Current page Introduction, price and design Next Page Interface, specs and performance Most Popular