Samsung SmartTag 2 review: find anything in the 'Galaxy'
Samsung's answer to the Apple AirTag Bluetooth tracker
If you’re seeking peace of mind, the Samsung SmartTag 2 tracker can find anything in the galaxy. I was able to attach this small Bluetooth tracker to my keys and slip it into my luggage then locate them using my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Z Fold 5.
This is Samsung’s answer to the Apple AirTag, but it has extra perks. I can reverse the tracking to find my phone, press a button to trigger home automations, and pinpoint my lost items in an arrow-filled Augmented Reality thanks to ultra-wideband support and Samsung’s SmartThings Find network. Maybe the best feature of the SmartTag 2 is that it can last up to 700 days before it needs a fresh battery.
Finding precious items is well worth $30 for most people, and the fact that this tag comes with a large keyhole ring and slim design means you don’t necessarily need extra accessories to attach it to a bag loop or even a pet collar. This tracker works as soon as you unbox it – as long as you have a Samsung phone.
Review score: 5/5
🏆 Editor’s Choice Award
Pros
✅ 🗺️ This tracker can find keys, purses, luggage, etc anywhere in the world
✅ 😸 Large keyring hole & slim design means it can fit on pet collars
✅ 📶 Ultra-wide band support to use AR to pinpoint you to your tag
✅ 💦 IP67 water and dust residence
✅ 🏠 Button for home automation and finding your phone
✅ 🔋 700 days of battery life and it’s easy to change the watch-sized battery
✅ 💰 Only $30 for each tracker – it can be a lifesaver
Cons
❌ 🟦 Samsung’s answer to Apple’s Airtag is meant for Samsung phones
❌ 📐 This form factor won’t fit in a slim wallet
Samsung SmartTag 2 review testing
🧳 Attach to anything. I use trackers for everything, from the usual items (my keys and my luggage) to novel items (every jacket and backpack) to my obscure items (my garment bag and an extra for Airbnb keys). With the keyhole ring design, pet collars can use the SmartTag2 without additional accessories needed. I just wish there was a credit card-sized version for my slim wallet.
🗺️ Find anywhere. Samsung’s SmartThings Find network is vast thanks to the sheer number of Samsung devices out there in the world. They can help you locate a lost item anonymously. It’s why Samsung’s (and Apple’s) approach over the Tile network is superior. Most of the time, I’m just looking for my keys in my home. But when things are really lost, that’s where the reach of the SmartTag 2 network is priceless.
🎯AR seeking. One trick Samsung has over Apple is most new Galaxy devices allow you to turn on the camera and get an augmented reality overlay to point you in the right direction of your lost item. The UI will even display dots to tell you the SmartTag location. It’s not just a map and a compass arrow (although those are here too).
📱🐝 Phone buzzer. The SmartTag 2 has a button that does a variety of things, but easily the most helpful one is double-pressing it to make your phone ring. It’s a useful feature you would otherwise need a connected smartwatch to trigger. This is a feature we tested in Tile trackers and may come to Apple AirTags 2… in 2025.
🏠 Automation on press. That same button can also be programmed to trigger two other effects tied to your SmartThings Routines with either a single or long press. You could for example long press the button to activate your home security system or program a single press to switch your phone to Do Not Disturb mode.
🔋Battery life. The battery life on the SmartTag 2 is rated for 700 days on powering saving mode and 500 days normally. That’s way more than the 365 days you get with Apple AirTag. That means you can use a smart tag for almost a full two years before you have to worry about replacing its coin battery. Of course, that long battery life will probably get shorter if you’re constantly using it as a command fob.
🎨 Only two colors, but many accessories. Your color choices are white or black for the SmartTag 2, however, there are accessories like the official silicon case that spice up the colors and add an extra key ring. Black, blue, white, mint and lavender offer a protective silicon case. In the future, I’d love to see a potential SmartTag 3 or its cases match the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra colors for even more cohesion.
Should I buy the Samsung SmartTag 2?
If you still haven’t decided, let us basically tell you if you should get it
Yes, if…
✅ 😬 You’re like me and lose everything everywhere all at once
✅ 📱 You own a Samsung phone to use the SmartThings Find network
✅ 🐝 You also lose your phone a lot and want to buzz it from a SmarTag
✅ 🧳 You travel a lot where the risk of lost items or theft is greater
No, if…
❌ 🙄 You’re just sooo perfect and never lose anything
❌ 🟦 You don’t have a Samsung phone (get an Apple AirTag or Tile instead)