Best answer: Yes! The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is water-resistant to 5 ATM, which means it's can withstand splashes, rainfall, showering, and even swimming.
- Just keep swimming: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 ($279 at Amazon)
Swim your heart out
The Galaxy Watch Active 2 was designed with durability in mind. The 5 ATM rating means it's water-resistant in depths of up to 50 meters. It's suitable for low velocity and shallow water activities, so you can take it swimming. However, it's not suitable for high-pressure water activities. It's also IP68 and MIL-STD-810G-certified, so it's been tested against various conditions, including drops from 4.9 feet, extreme temperatures, shock/vibration, low pressure/high altitude, along with its ability to withstand dust, dirt, and sand.
As you might recall, its predecessor was released less than a year ago with the promise of a swim tracking feature to be released shortly after. Our prayers were finally answered in July with a software update that gave us automatic swim tracking, a new low heart rate alert, much-needed Bixby improvements, and more.
Considering that the Galaxy Watch Active 2 is quite similar to the original in terms of activity tracking, you can expect a lot of the same when it comes to the swim tracking feature as well. This means that you'll still be able to choose between indoor and outdoor pool swimming and even set your pool length before you get started.
You can enable the water lock mode to prevent accidental touches on your screen as you swim. It'll also disable the always-on display and wake-up gestures. When you're done with your swim, simply press and hold the home key to turn off water lock mode.
Keep in mind there are still some restrictions to having a waterproof smartwatch, even with a 5 ATM rating. Samsung warns users that the smartwatch isn't intended for use while scuba diving. Additionally, you should not expose the device to an excessive, sudden change in air temperature or water temperature. After swimming in freshwater, be sure to dry the device with a soft, clean cloth. After swimming in the ocean, rinse it with freshwater and then dry it with a clean cloth.
Water resistance when you need it
Swimmers will love having a fitness smartwatch that can go in the pool plus track their workouts in the water. Even if you're not much of a swimmer, we can all appreciate a watch that's able to handle an unforseen splash here and there.
