Every time I write a comparison, I try to wear the watch which I haven’t worn for a while.
In this case, it’s the Samsung Galaxy Watch/Active 2.
The Galaxy Watch is an amazing watch and really love it. I like the Galaxy Watch for its rotating bezel which is one of the best features of Galaxy smartwatches.
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 doesn’t have a rotating bezel but it’s one of the best designed everyday watches out there.
The Ticwatch C2 and the Galaxy Watch Active 2 are very similar in target market. They are designed as everyday watches with a goal of being stylish, modern and “cool”.
The Galaxy Watch itself looks like it’s meant to be more rugged and durable. Unlike the Active 2, it does not have a thick bezel in which the screen is recessed into.
The Active 2 has a flat screen that’s flush with the top of the watch. It also has a curved-edged screen, mimicking the top-end smartwatches in the Samsung range.
But overall, these two watches seek to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. So which watch would I like to wear every day?
Related: Ticwatch S2 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch/Active 2 | Ticwatch E2 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch/ Active 2 | Samsung Galaxy Watch/Active 2 vs Ticwatch Pro | Ticwatch C2 vs Fitbit Versa 2 | Ticwatch C2 vs Polar Vantage V | Ticwatch C2 vs Apple Watch Series 5 | Ticwatch C2 vs Ticwatch E2 | Ticwatch C2 vs Fossil Gen 5 Carlyle | Ticwatch C2 vs Ticwatch S2 | Ticwatch Pro vs Ticwatch C2 | Ticwatch C2 Review
FYI, thanks to AI imagery software, we’re able to create very specific fashion and hairstyle examples to illustrate the points being made. In some cases, imagery is exaggerated to hammer home the point.
Tizen OS vs Wear OS
Both watches have a different operating system. That’s great because each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and depending on what you want to do, you might find one more appealing over the other.
The Ticwatch C2 comes with the ubiquitious Wear OS by Google while the Samsung Galaxy Watch/Active 2 comes with Samsung’s own Tizen OS.
Tizen’s strength comes from its superior integration with Samsung smartphones. It’s just so easy and smooth. Whereas the Wear OS brings OK integration across all smartwatches but where it really shines is in the trickle-down features that come from Google’s massive technological prowess.
Voice assistant
Google’s technology prowess can be experienced in its voice assistant.
Google Assistant leaves Samsung’s Bixby in the dust. It has more capabilities, it’s much easier to use and it can do much more than Bixby.
Bixby is limited by the apps you have. For example, its calculator can understand commands such as “two plus two” and so Bixby routes commands to it and gives you an answer.
Google Assistant is a bit different. Ultimately, you can ask Google anything and if it doesn’t find an appropriate app to route it through, it will search the web. Google also has a wider range of apps that it can use to process your commands, such as Google Maps.
Google Assistant is also superior in its interpretation of speech. Where Bixby would make annoying mistakes such as mistaking “four” for “for”, Google has a higher rate of comprehension.
Winner: Ticwatch C2
Texts and Emails
As a result of Google understanding speech better, the TIcwatch C2 becomes more useful in replying to texts.
On both the Galaxy Watch/Active 2 and the Ticwatch C2, you can receive notifications of new messages, and emails. You can reply as long as you are paired to an Android.
Google’s superior interpretation of speech shines here, again. Both systems have a speech-to-text reply function and you will do much better with the Ticwatch C2 than the Samsung Galaxy Watch/Active 2.
If the goal of the speech-to-text function is to reduce tedium of tapping on a small screen, then using the Ticwatch C2 will result in more accurate sentences. Samsung’s speech interpretation is unfortunately poorer.
That said, you could also reply by using a pre-composed reply, or using a keyboard or hand writing letters. This is great for quiet environments when speaking is frowned upon. Ultimately, I would probably just take my smartphone out at this point.
A bonus with the Samsung Galaxy Watch/Active 2 is that if you are paired to a Samsung smartphone, you can read your text and email logs, just like an Apple Watch paired with an iPhone.
To be honest, that is a nice-to-have but it isn’t very useful if you have a smartphone nearby.
Winner: Ticwatch C2
Having a speaker and its implications
The Ticwatch C2 has a microphone but no speaker.
That means you can’t get any audio feedback from the Ticwatch C2. For example, Google Assistant is able to read out its responses on smartwatches with a speaker, but not on the Ticwatch C2.
The additional function of a speaker on the Samsung Galaxy Watch/Active 2 allows Bixby to read its responses. As well, you can also make phone calls from your phone.
It might seem quite ridiculous to have a chat on your smartwatch, but I have honestly found it to be very convenient. With this feature, you won’t have to dig your phone out from tight jeans pockets, or search it out from under the sheets. Call quality has proven to be good too.
Winner: Samsung Galaxy Watch/Active 2
NFC
The Samsung Galaxy Watch/Active 2 and Ticwatch C2 both have NFC chips that allow you to use contactless payment through Samsung Pay and Google Pay respectively.
Winner: Tie
Battery Life
Battery life on both watches are about the same. It will last a maximum of two days with the always-on screen turned on and if you avoided use of the internal GPS.
Winner: Tie
Apps
Google has a much bigger app store with many more apps than the Galaxy Store.
That means that you can find more apps to extend the capability of your Ticwatch C2 than your Galaxy Watch/Active 2.
In particular, I really like the Ticwatch C2’s ability to use Google Maps. It’s a pared-down version of the desktop and smartphone app but still serves its purpose as a navigation tool
You can download other Google apps such as Google Keep. Google Translate comes as standard on Wear OS devices.
Winner: Ticwatch C2
Sports
I much, much prefer the Samsung Galaxy Watch/Active2 over what the Ticwatch C2 offers.
Samsung smartwatches come with Samsung Health which is a more well-rounded health app.
Both the Ticwatch C2 and the Samsung smartwatches can do similar tasks such as track your heart rate, steps and workouts, but Samsung Health goes further. It can track your sleep, water intake, caloric intake and even menstrual cycle.
Both smartwatches are waterproof enough for swimming, although Ticwatch C2’s website recommends you switch out the leather strap before taking it underwater.
Both smartwatches have an integrated GPS. The Ticwatch C2’s internal GPS takes a few minutes to get location data, which can be as frustrating as waiting for water to boil while watching it. The Galaxy Watch/Active 2 is much faster.
Verdict
It’s a real dilemma here because both smartwatches have their own advantages.
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch/Active 2 bring a much more refined design and user experience than the Ticwatch C2. Its Samsung Health is also class leading as well as the convenience of having a speaker makes this a premium, everyday smartwatch.
The Ticwatch C2 is a more entry-level smartwatch but with the technical prowess of the Wear OS. I think having Google Assistant and Google’s fantastic speech-to-text functions really brings much convenience to the user.
Between the two, I’d go for the Galaxy Watch/Active 2, especially since I use a Samsung smartphone. It’s just a better smartwatch overall, But you can’t go wrong with the Ticwatch C2 either and it’s also more affordable.