Samsung Smart Watches Compared: Galaxy Gear vs Gear 2 vs Gear 2 Neo

UPDATE: Both Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo can still make voice calls with a built-in speaker phone in the watch body.

Samsung has just announced its latest Smart Watches, the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo ahead of the Samsung Unpacked 5 event. You would have noticed that Samsung has dropped the “Galaxy” moniker from its name as the new wearable devices are running on Tizen OS instead of Android. So what else is new?

In terms of processor, the 2 new Gears are running on a faster dual-core 1GHz processor while it retains the same 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage. The camera on the Gear 2 is bumped up to 2.0MP from previously 1.9MP, and it shoots a higher 1920×1080 photo resolution. Video recording remains unchanged with a maximum of 720p HD. The Gear 2 Neo being an affordable version lacks a camera but it also comes with a IR LED which acts as a remote control and a built-in Heart Rate sensor that’s also present in the new Gear 2.

On the previous Galaxy Gear, the smart watch is capable of making phone calls with a built-in speaker phone on the strap buckle. This time around, they have removed the speaker phone feature in the Gear 2, so calls have to be made via Bluetooth headset or on the paired smart phone.

To prepare for unexpected wet moments, the new Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo now comes with Water & Dust resistance. It is rated at IP67 which should allow it to be submerged under 1 metre of water for 30 minutes.

Overall the 2 new smart watches are slightly bigger at the front but they are overall thinner at 10.0mm versus the previous Galaxy Gear of 11.1mm. The battery capacity is slightly smaller as well at 300mAh, which is 15mAh less than the predecessor.

Among the 3, the Gear 2 Neo is the lightest at 55 grams, followed by Gear 2 at 68 grams while the original Galaxy Gear is the heaviest at 73.8 grams. For comparison sake, the Pebble Smart Watch is still significantly lighter at 38 grams while the premium Steel version weighs 56 grams.

Check out the full comparison table after the break.

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