Garmin Lily 2 Active Review: Small Size, Big Performance

The Garmin Lily 2 Active represents a significant evolution in the women’s smartwatch market, delivering robust fitness capabilities in an elegant, compact package. Despite being marketed as a modest update to the Lily 2, this latest iteration packs substantial improvements that position it as a serious contender in the crowded smartwatch landscape. After extensive testing and research, I’ve found that the Lily 2 Active strikes an impressive balance between style and substance, offering features typically reserved for larger, more utilitarian devices while maintaining a design that works for everyday wear.

Design and Build Quality: Fashion Meets Functionality

The Lily 2 Active maintains the sleek aesthetic that made the original Lily series popular but adds thoughtful refinements that enhance both style and usability. At just 38mm in diameter and 11mm thick, this circular smartwatch is one of the most compact GPS-enabled wearables on the market today. Weighing a mere 29g, it’s notably lighter than competitors like the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy watches, making it comfortable for 24/7 wear.

The anodized aluminum case gives the watch a premium feel, while the patterned lens creates a distinctive look when the display is inactive. Unlike most smartwatches that broadcast their technological nature at all times, the Lily 2 Active’s screen appears as an elegant patterned surface when not in use, transforming into a functional display only when activated. This design choice means it pairs just as well with business attire or evening wear as it does with workout clothes.

The 240 x 201 pixel display isn’t the highest resolution available in the smartwatch market, but it’s crisp enough for the watch’s compact size at 170 PPI. One of the most significant physical improvements over previous Lily models is the addition of two physical buttons for easier navigation, especially appreciated during workouts when touchscreens can be finicky with sweaty fingers.

The Lily 2 Active comes in several attractive colorways, including silver with purple jasmine, green, and gold with a “bone” color strap. The switch to standard 14mm quick-release bands (versus the proprietary bands of earlier models) is a welcome improvement that opens up a world of third-party strap options.

Key Specifications

• Display: 25.4 mm x 21.3 mm (1″ x 0.84″), 240 x 201 pixels

• Case: 38mm anodized aluminum, 11mm thick

• Weight: 29g

• Water resistance: 5 ATM

• Connectivity: Bluetooth, GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou

• Sensors: Heart rate, Pulse Ox, accelerometer, ambient light

Feature Set: Punching Above Its Weight Class

Despite its diminutive size, the Lily 2 Active incorporates an impressive array of features that rival much larger smartwatches. The most significant upgrade from the standard Lily 2 is the addition of built-in GPS, eliminating the need to carry your phone during outdoor activities.

Health and Fitness Tracking

The Lily 2 Active shines in its comprehensive health monitoring capabilities:

• 24/7 heart rate monitoring

• Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) measurement

• Sleep tracking with detailed sleep stages and sleep score

• Stress tracking based on heart rate variability

• Body Battery energy monitoring

• Respiration rate tracking

• Women’s health tracking for menstrual cycles and pregnancy

• Heart rate variability (HRV) tracking for recovery insights

• Nap detection

• Health Snapshot feature

• Incident detection for potential falls or accidents.

Activity Tracking

The watch supports more than 30 sport profiles, including:

• Running, walking, and cycling with GPS tracking

• Swimming with advanced metrics

• Strength training

• HIIT workouts

• Yoga and Pilates

• Dance fitness with specific dance styles

• Indoor rowing

• Golf

• Skiing and snowboarding

• Paddle sports.

The addition of Garmin Coach allows users to follow structured workout plans, particularly beneficial for running training. The watch also now supports pairing with external sensors like heart rate straps, foot pods, and cycling sensors, dramatically expanding its capabilities for serious fitness enthusiasts.

Smart Features

While prioritizing health and fitness functions, the Lily 2 Active doesn’t skimp on smart capabilities:

• Smartphone notifications

• Weather updates

• Calendar integration

• Garmin Pay contactless payments

• Find My Phone feature

• Music controls (though no onboard music storage)

• Customizable watch faces.

Performance Analysis: Impressive Reliability in a Small Package

During my month-long testing period, the Lily 2 Active consistently delivered solid performance across key metrics. The built-in GPS acquired signals quickly (typically within 4-10 seconds) and maintained accurate tracking during outdoor activities. GPS accuracy compared favorably with much more expensive models, including the Garmin Fenix 8 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, with only minor deviations even in challenging environments like dense tree cover.

Heart rate monitoring accuracy is generally excellent for daily tracking and most workout situations. During steady-state cardio activities like jogging or cycling at consistent efforts, the optical heart rate sensor was nearly indistinguishable from readings obtained via dedicated chest straps. However, during high-intensity interval training with rapid heart rate changes, I noticed occasional lag in detecting quick spikes, typically by just a few seconds. For those prioritizing absolute heart rate accuracy during intense workouts, the ability to pair external heart rate sensors is a welcome addition.

Sleep tracking proved particularly impressive, rivaling the accuracy of dedicated sleep trackers. The watch consistently detected sleep onset and wake times accurately, and its breakdown of sleep stages aligned well with how rested I felt each morning. The sleep score feature provides a helpful at-a-glance assessment of sleep quality, though detailed metrics require viewing the Garmin Connect app.

Battery life exceeded expectations, consistently reaching 8-9 days of standard use, including sleep tracking and a few GPS-enabled workouts per week. This is nearly double the battery life of the standard Lily 2 and far superior to most competitors in the smartwatch space. A one-hour GPS workout typically consumed about 10-12% of battery capacity, allowing for multiple tracked activities between charges. This extended battery life is a significant advantage for those who prefer not to charge their devices frequently.

User Experience: Intuitive with Room for Improvement

The Lily 2 Active offers a generally intuitive interface, though with some limitations inherent to its compact design. The touchscreen responds well to deliberate inputs but can occasionally miss lighter swipes. The addition of physical buttons significantly improves the user experience, particularly during workouts when precise control is essential.

The watch face doesn’t automatically illuminate when you raise your wrist—you need to press a button or tap the screen to wake it. While this approach conserves battery, it does require an adjustment period compared to watches with always-on or raise-to-wake functionality.

The Garmin Connect app serves as the command center for the Lily 2 Active, offering detailed insights and customization options. The app’s interface prioritizes function over form; it’s not the most visually stunning fitness app, but it excels in data presentation and analysis. The customizable dashboard allows you to prioritize the metrics most important to you, from heart rate and stress to steps and sleep.

Setup is straightforward, with clear prompts guiding you through the initial pairing process. The watch works equally well with Android and iOS devices, though Android users may appreciate the ability to respond to text messages directly from the watch, a feature unavailable to iPhone users due to Apple’s platform restrictions.

Critical Assessment: Strengths and Limitations

Strengths

The Lily 2 Active excels in several areas:

1. Size and Comfort: Its compact, lightweight design makes it one of the most comfortable smartwatches available, especially for those with smaller wrists.

2. Battery Life: With up to 9 days between charges, it significantly outperforms most smartwatches on the market.

3. Comprehensive Health Tracking: The breadth and depth of health metrics rival much more expensive devices.

4. Built-in GPS: Independent location tracking eliminates the need to carry a phone during outdoor activities.

5. Aesthetic Design: The hidden display and elegant styling make it appropriate for all settings, from gym to office to formal events.

6. Value: At $299, it offers impressive functionality for a lower price than many competing smartwatches with similar features.

Limitations

Despite its strengths, the Lily 2 Active has several noteworthy limitations:

1. Display Limitations: The lack of an always-on display option may frustrate some users, and the monochrome screen lacks the vibrance of OLED alternatives.

2. No Music Storage: Unlike some competitors, it can’t store music for phone-free listening during workouts.

3. Limited Advanced Sports Features: While comprehensive for general fitness, it lacks some advanced metrics found in dedicated sports watches.

4. Touchscreen Responsiveness: Some users may find the touchscreen occasionally unresponsive, particularly during intense activities or in wet conditions.

5. Limited Third-Party App Support: Unlike Apple or Wear OS smartwatches, the Lily 2 Active doesn’t support third-party applications.

Comparative Analysis: How It Stacks Up

The Garmin Lily 2 Active occupies an interesting position in the smartwatch market, competing with fitness trackers and full-featured smartwatches alike.

Vs. Apple Watch Series 10: The Lily 2 Active offers a more traditional watch aesthetic, significantly longer battery life (9 days vs. 1-2 days), and a smaller, lighter form factor. However, the Apple Watch provides a more vibrant display, music storage, cellular connectivity options, and a broader ecosystem of third-party apps.

Vs. Fitbit Charge 6: The Lily 2 Active features a more refined, watch-like design compared to Fitbit’s band-style approach. The Garmin offers built-in GPS and more robust sports tracking, while the Fitbit has a slightly lower price point and the ability to sync heart rate data to gym equipment.

Vs. Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2: The Lily 2 Active provides longer battery life (9 days vs. 5 days) and more comprehensive health tracking features. The Samsung offers a more vibrant AMOLED display and broader third-party app support through Wear OS.

Vs. Standard Garmin Lily 2: The Active model adds built-in GPS, additional sport profiles, physical buttons, longer battery life (9 days vs. 5 days), and support for external sensors, justifying its $50 price premium.

Ideal User Profile and Recommendations

The Garmin Lily 2 Active is ideally suited for:

1. Active women seeking style and substance: Those who want comprehensive fitness tracking without sacrificing aesthetic appeal.

2. Individuals with smaller wrists: Anyone who finds traditional smartwatches too bulky or uncomfortable.

3. Health and wellness enthusiasts: People prioritizing comprehensive health metrics and insights over entertainment features.

4. Battery life maximizers: Those who value extended time between charges over flashier display technology.

5. Outdoor fitness enthusiasts: Users who appreciate built-in GPS for accurate tracking of runs, rides, and hikes without carrying a phone.

For the best experience with the Lily 2 Active, consider these recommendations:

• Invest in additional quick-release bands to match different outfits and activities

• Customize your data screens before workouts to display your most relevant metrics

• Take advantage of the Garmin Coach feature for structured training programs

• Use the Health Snapshot feature regularly to track trends in key health metrics

• Experiment with different watch faces to balance information density with battery life

Conclusion: Small But Mighty

The Garmin Lily 2 Active represents a significant step forward in women’s smartwatch design, successfully balancing style, functionality, and performance. Its comprehensive health tracking capabilities, built-in GPS, impressive battery life, and elegant design make it a compelling option for active individuals who want a device that transitions seamlessly from workouts to work to social events.

While it lacks some features found in larger, more expensive smartwatches (like music storage and third-party apps), these omissions feel like reasonable trade-offs for its compact size and extended battery life. The improvements over the standard Lily 2—particularly the addition of GPS, physical buttons, and longer battery life—justify its slightly higher price point.

For those seeking a smartwatch that looks like jewelry but performs like a serious fitness tracker, the Garmin Lily 2 Active hits the sweet spot. It demonstrates that powerful technology doesn’t need to look like technology, offering a sophisticated alternative to the predominately tech-forward aesthetic that dominates the smartwatch market.

Specifications at a Glance