I'm biased. There's no denying it. I'm a Samsung guy.

I'd like to think I give credit where credit is due, but come on, everybody has a favourite brand.

But now I've admitted how one-eyed I am, it's really important you believe me when I tell you the world's first faultless wearable has finally arrived. (Oh my god, I think I just basically said, "Next Is Now." I've been brainwashed!)

 

The Samsung Gear S2 is a truly remarkable thing. But first, some history...

Over the past couple of years I've worn more than my fair share of smart watches, and I've copped my fair share of flack for it too. Admittedly most of them looked pretty ridiculous, like something out of an old movie about the future. What's worse, many of them didn't really do much - certainly not enough to justify making your wrist look like such a nerd.

Battery life has also been a constant niggle, as people resent having to charge their wristwear too often. What's more, the various charging accessories involved have usually been cumbersome to use and in some cases, almost impossible to attach.

And yet, I persisted. So did Samsung.

They were relatively early players in the wearable market. 2013's Galaxy Gear was certainly innovative, perhaps too innovative. The camera embedded in the band was not only over the top and unnecessary, it made a device that already looked clunky and oversized seem even more so.

Meanwhile, Android Wear devices started to appear from various manufacturers - appealing because of their universal compatibility with any Android phone, but offering much less functionality than the Samsung-only devices.

Samsung fired back with the Gear 2 (and Gear 2 Neo) - more streamlined than the Gear... but not much. Still square, still nerdy.

Some round-faced Android Wear options surfaced. The Moto 360 was still too big and had that weird flat-tyre thing going on at the bottom of the screen. Then LG's G Watch R almost nailed it. Finally a smart watch that looked just like a watch. What a great idea.

Still just another Android Wear device though, so on the inside, the same as all the others.

Samsung lost the plot again with the Gear S. This was the first watch with its own sim card so it was effectively a phone on your wrist. Unbelievable functionality. Trouble was, it was the size of a phone on your wrist. Maybe the design team was away that day.

2015 and suddenly the smart watch market has really gathered momentum. Apple finally got their act together and gave their acolytes something to wear. Nifty little magnetic charger, nice interface option using the winder, but still big, square and ugly.

Activity trackers are everywhere, ranging hugely in price, quality and functionality.

Wearables have finally gained main-stream acceptance.

More recently, the Huawei Watch has wrapped up the same old Android Wear operating system in some seriously fashionable design options, with a serious price tag to match - but they do look fabulous.

Then, the one I'd been waiting for.

Samsung's design team came back from their holiday and presented us with perfection.

First up, the Gear S2 actually looks like a watch - a very nice watch too. The standard model comes in dark grey or silver, with a grey or white sports band. (Other band colours are also available) While the Classic is slightly smaller with a leather strap you can change out with any similar sized band.

The casing is a very classy stainless steel with a brushed finish and the first thing you'll notice is how streamlined the whole package is - just like any "normal" watch.

The next thing you'll notice is how comfortable the Gear S2 is to wear. Unlike some wearables with heart-rate monitors that poke into your wrist, this watch has a completely smooth glass back that settles snugly against your skin. I found the sports strap soft yet secure.

One of the many unique features separating the Gear S2 from the rest of the pack is the rotating bezel around the edge of the screen. This, combined with the go-back and home buttons on the right-hand side can be used for easy navigation, if you find dealing with a touch screen this small is a bit fiddly. Everybody who's used this watch loves, loves, LOVES the bezel controller. There seems to be something very intuitive about using a circular interface to operate a round device.

Like Samsung's previous watches, the Gear S2 still relies on the Tizen operating system, which has it's pros and cons. I've found apps designed for Tizen are generally more advanced and more interactive than the way Android Wear merely ports existing phone apps across to your wrist. On the downside, the selection of Tizen-based apps available on the Samsung Gear app store is extremely limited, compared to the ever expanding range you'll find for Android Wear devices on the Play store. In saying that, I wouldn't be put off by the lack of selection - you'll find what is there works very well indeed and from previous experience, it won't be too long before app developers come to the party and jump on the Gear S2 train. (I'm talking to you, Endomondo)

Apps already installed on the Gear S2 include a very stable media controller, which you can open with a double-click of the home button. There's also a shortcut to the media controller when you swipe down the home screen. This gives you quick access to brightness and do-not-disturb controls too, as well as battery level and connection displays.

Another great feature smart watch users have been waiting for is the ambient light sensor. Until now, to read your watch outside you had to manually ramp the brightness up, tricky if you're already outside in the sun and can't read your watch! Now, the Gear S2 does that for you. This means I never have to set my brightness level higher than 2 or 3, a real battery saver.

The heart rate monitor is the most reliable I have used on any watch to date. As I mentioned earlier, it works perfectly without protruding an uncomfortable bump into your wrist. In terms of compatibility with fitness apps other than Samsung's limited S Health, at the moment this is restricted to Nike+ Running, which is even MORE limited. I'm sure this will improve over the next few months. (Right, Endomondo? Hint, hint)

But perhaps the greatest new feature the Gear S2 brings to the table is its wireless charger. It just works. The charger is a small stand which holds the watch magnetically. Simple as that. Doesn't matter which way up. You can basically throw the Gear S2 in the general direction of the charger and it'll snap into place. Coolest thing ever. You'll get pretty good battery life too, around 36 hours on a full charge.

There are just 2 things I miss from my trusty old Gear 2 Neo. The Gear S2 has no IR Blaster, so I can't use it to adjust the volume on my telly or change channels on my Sky decoder. And I can't actually take phone calls on it like a secret agent. The Gear S2 doesn't have a speaker, so phone conversations would be pretty one directional. (There is a 3G option available in other regions that does take calls, but at the time of writing, it isn't on sale in New Zealand)

I don't want to finish on those 2 tiny downers though, because the Gear S2 is easily the best smart watch I have encountered. It's comfortable, reliable, has great functionality, good battery life and easily the best-designed charging setup ever.

The really good news is, you can now pair it to almost any phone running Android 4.4 or above. Welcome to the club, guys.

And I can change the strap to a red one. What more could you ask for?

 

Click here for more information on the Samsung Gear S2