Garmin's best-looking smartwatch finally gets the feature we really want
And the upgrade costs just $50 more
As Google continues to slowly kill off each and every Fitbit model, Garmin is expanding the capabilities of its fitness-tracking wearables with the Garmin Lily 2 Active.
Its predecessor, the Garmin Lily 2 is the best-looking Garmin smartwatch, with an emphasis on women's health tracking features (users can track their menstrual cycle and pregnancy and gain exercise and nutrition tips around this).
It provides Garmin’s Body Battery insights, move reminders, sleep scores, and standard fitness tracking, including steps, calories burned, and activity intensity. It also features built-in sports apps with the ability to track dance activities, and you can use Garmin Pay with the Lily 2 Classic.
However, neither the original Lily nor the Lily 2 offers an onboard GPS, requiring users to carry their smartphone for location data while working out.
The new Garmin Lily 2 Active changes that by taking the sleek, attractive design we love and adding the onboard GPS we've always wanted. Best of all, Garmin has it priced at just $50 more than the non-GPS version.
Garmin Lily 2 Active: price and availability
The Garmin Lily 2 Active is available now for $299 with three sleek styles to choose from including Lunar Gold on a Bone silicon strap, Silver on a Purple Jasmine silicon strap and my favorite, Jasper Green on a Jasper Green silicone strap.
Garmin Lily 2 Active: new features
In addition to onboard GPS, the Active model also adds a pair of physical buttons to the side of the case; the standard Lily 2 is a touchscreen-only affair. This should make it easier to operate when working out with sweaty fingers.
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The Lily 2 Active furthermore adds support for Garmin Coach, where users can get personalized, adaptive training plans based on their workout goals. The watch additionally supports a wider range of activity types, like golf, tennis and of course, pickleball.
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Dan Bracaglia is the Tom’s Guide editorial lead for all things smartwatches, fitness trackers and outdoor gear. With 15 years of experience as a consumer technology journalist testing everything from Apple Watches to instant cameras, Dan is deeply passionate about helping readers save money and make informed purchasing decisions. In 2024 so far, Dan’s tested dozens of wearables, including the latest devices from Apple, Google, Garmin, Fitbit and Samsung.
An avid outdoor adventurer, Dan is based in the U.S. Pacific Northwest where he takes advantage of the beautiful surroundings every chance he gets. A lover of kayaking, hiking, swimming, biking, snowboarding and more, he also makes every effort to combine his day job with his passions. When not assessing the GPS and heart rate accuracy of the latest Fitbit, you can find him photographing Seattle’s vibrant underground music community.