Samsung Gear 2 vs Samsung Gear Live

Although the screen (320x320 pixels) is not as easily readable in sunlight as other smartwatches like the Pebble with its e-ink display. The Gear 2 is still designed to be used outside and the AMOLED display provides other advantages over e-ink displays. Smartwatches with e-ink displays cannot use a camera or many apps that the Gear 2 can.

The Gear 2 features a standalone music player with 4 GB of space and the ability to connect to a bluetooth headset. This is an improvement over the Galaxy Gear and the Pebble smartwatches that can only control your phone's music player.

The infrared sensor allows the Gear 2 to use Samsung's WatchOn app to control your TV.

The Gear 2 also gets an upgrade from the 800MHz single core of the original Galaxy Gear. This upgrade will likely allow for more powerful apps and more software upgrades.

The 2 megapixel camera is a slight improvement from the Galaxy Gear and a useful addition to a smartwatch. Although the position of the camera makes it impossible to have a video chat on your wrist.

Although the battery is not as long lasting as the Pebble smartwatches. Three days is still far better than charging the original Galaxy Gear every night and not too inconvenient.

Watches are as personal as clothing, but most people are likely to own only one smartwatch. The Gear 2 provides a solution with interchangeable straps even after you buy it. This was not possible on the original Galaxy Gear because the camera was built into the strap.

The Gear 2 has the usual fitness Features like a pedometer and a fitness mode. But the Gear 2 like the Galaxy S5 includes something unique, a heart rate sensor.

Currently the heart rate monitor works with Samsung's S-Health app. The heart rate monitor itself works good, but the app is somewhat clunky and there aren't that many features to speak of except for tracking your heart rate over time. Hopefully it will be compatible with third-party apps that build on it.

The Gear Live has a clear 320x320 sAMOLED display, with rich blacks that blend with the bezel. It may be slightly harder to see the information in direct sunlight.

Submerging the watch in water might not be a good idea, but it won't stop working due to rain or if you spill your tea on it.

Unlike other Android Wear smartwatches available currently, this has an aluminum body.