Samsung Gear S2 vs Moto 360 (2015): second generation smartwatches leading the pack

By Dondi Tiples, Christian Post Contributor Wednesday, September 09, 2015

Both the Samsung Gear S2 and the second generation Moto 360 were introduced during the 2015 Berlin IFA last week, launching a major tech battle of the smartwatches.

In terms of design, the Gear S2, available in three variants of Bluetooth only, 3G, and a Bluetooth only Classic, comes with changeable wrist straps in rubber or leather, and two physical buttons. It features an interface navigable by rotating the smartwatch's circular bezel.

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The Moto 360 (2015), like the Gear S2, offers both a classic and a sports iteration, but with a number of wristband options, including a stylish double strap. Moto 360 offers users two sizes, the small one for women, and the larger one for men. Motorola's wearable comes with only one physical button.

The Gear S2 has a 1.2-inch 360 x 360 resolution battery-friendly AMOLED display, with a 302 pixel density and a crisper display compared to the Moto 360's 360 x 325 resolution LCD screen with a 233 ppi. Both smartwatches are touch responsive, with the Gear S2's rotating bezel aiding users to rapidly swipe through screens.

Software-wise, the Gear S2's comes out on top with its Tizen OS interface presenting a number of screens, and its Back button and app drawer simplifying navigation with speed and intuitiveness. It also works on devices running Android 4.4. On the other hand, Moto 360's Google Android wear version 1.3 presents Live Dials and interactive custom faces, displaying changing information without users needing to launch any apps.

The Gear S2's 1 GHz dual-core CPU supported by 512 of RAM and 4GB of internal storage is topped by the Moto 360's 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 400 chipset with the same RAM and local storage numbers. However, the Gear S2 does have e-SIM support, allowing users to receive and make calls without a smartphone or Internet connection. It also has NFC to support Samsung Pay.

Both smartwatches have batteries which are geared to last for a minimum of two days, with the Gear S2 accessorized with a wireless dock, and the Moto with a wireless charging dock and an battery managing ambient light sensor.