Garmin Lily 2 Review: Compact, Elegant, Smartwatch for the Style-Savvy

In a nutshell

Garmin has decided to add two new variants to the series in 2024: the Garmin Lily 2 and the Garmin Lily 2 Classic. The primary difference between them is the strap material. The Lily 2 comes with a silicone band, while the Classic features a nylon or Italian leather band. The Classic also includes a contactless payment system, Garmin Pay.

Differences aside, the 2024 Lily 2 series will cater to a more segmented audience. I can see the Garmin Lily 2 Classic suiting the needs of people who seek knowledge about health vital signs and desire more control over workouts and daily activities but prefer to incorporate these features in a more versatile design. This is a smartwatch for those who prioritize a compact, lightweight, and elegant design without sacrificing usability.

Moreover, Garmin is well-known for its easy desktop data management, providing accessible sharing and analytical overviews of fitness data, which sets it apart from many other brands. On the downside, it lacks features like HRV monitoring and a built-in GPS, which could be a dealbreaker for some, but this is understandable given the device's price point.

The Lily 2 starts at $249, while the Lily 2 Classic costs $299. At the moment, Garmin is offering both models with a $50 discount.

Design & Display

The Garmin Lily 2 Classic smartwatch is a blend of function and form. The new aluminum case makes the device more sophisticated and durable, and its small size makes it easy to fit on any wrist. With its swappable bands, you can effortlessly switch up your style to match any outfit or occasion, making this smartwatch a fashion chameleon. You can swap out the bands for nylon, Italian leather, or silicon if you want something more sporty .

Pros:

• Compact design—customizable bands and a sleek aluminum case.
• High-contrast display—visible indoors and outdoors.

Cons:

• No Always-On Display (AoD) option.

The smartwatch's display offers a unique patterned design for each version and color. Although I didn't find the engraved patterns, like the floral one, to be my personal design choice, the display itself boasts high contrast and visibility, performing well both indoors and outdoors. There's no AoD option here, the display remains hidden when not in use and can be activated through movement or a double tap.

However, navigating the Garmin Lily 2 Classic is intuitive and user-friendly, thanks to the combination of a responsive touch screen and a haptic button at the bottom. We can easily swipe through the information of each widget and tap to access more detailed data, ensuring that vital information is always just a touch away.

Additionally, the haptic button provides a quick way to return to the home screen. There are some watch face options available, but don't expect more than the basics in this regard. Despite the lack of an always-on display mode, the Lily 2 Classic's design and functionality make it a compelling choice for those looking to blend fashion with essential smartwatch features.

Software & Compatibility

The Garmin Lily 2 Classic boasts a range of smart features accessible directly on the smartwatch display or through the Garmin Connect app. The watch is a convenient tool for managing messages, your calendar, daily activities, and contactless payment because it seamlessly integrates with both Android and Apple devices .

Pros:

• Seamless integration with Android and Apple devices.
• Safety features included.
• Supports Garmin Pay.

Cons:

• -

Garmin smartwatches, including the Garmin Lily 2 Classic, do not support Google or Apple apps natively. Garmin devices run on their proprietary operating system, which is optimized for fitness tracking and smart features like notifications and Garmin Pay, but does not allow the installation of third-party apps from the Google Play Store or Apple Store. While some features like notifications and calendar syncing work seamlessly with Android and Apple devices, you won't find native support for apps such as Google Maps or Apple Pay on Garmin watches​.

For those who prioritize safety, the Lily 2 Classic offers live tracking and an assistance feature that sends notifications to your emergency contacts in case of accidents, leveraging your phone's connection and GPS for accurate location tracking.

As with Withings, Garmin also offers a dashboard accessible via a browser on your computer—and I'm a huge fan of this, since it makes everything easier to analyze on a big screen, download, and share. As a US company, Garmin uses AWS cloud support, which can be a bummer for those living outside the US. On the one hand, your data will be accessible across multiple devices, but this typically means that the data is not processed solely on the device itself. In other words, the data is likely being synced and stored in the cloud.

• Stay healthy, stay secure: Protecting your health data for a safer tomorrow

Finally, the Garmin Connect app user experience is very intuitive and offers many layers of data to analyze and learn from. This is my first experience with Garmin devices, and I couldn't be happier. Furthermore, the Privacy and Security Policies are easy to find and written in a user-friendly manner. However, this is something I expected from a well-established company like Garmin.

Wellness & Fitness Features

The Garmin Lily 2 Classic is packed with a comprehensive suite of health and fitness features. It tracks your steps, total walking and running distance, heart rate, estimated calorie burn, and a unique metric called intensity minutes, which measures the time spent doing vigorous exercises .

Additionally, it monitors your blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and body battery to provide insights into your overall wellness. The watch supports 18 different training profiles, including unique timers for HIIT workouts.

Pros:

• Comprehensive health tracking.

Cons:

• No built-in GPS.
• No external sensor compatibility.

Heart rate monitoring is powered by Garmin's PPG sensor, and offers accurate readings during workouts like running and biking when compared to the Apple Watch Series 9 (review), my device of reference. And while it does not pair with external heart rate sensors, the built-in sensor provides reliable data.

The GPS functionality relies on your connected phone's accuracy, as the Lily 2 itself does not have an onboard GPS chipset. While the hardware of the Lily 2 Classic may be limited, the software compensates for it.

Before diving into specifics about indoor and outdoor activities and sleep tracking, I want to highlight Garmin's impressive approach to fitness and activity. Notably, Garmin does not require a subscription to offer users courses, pre-prepared trainings, and even plans for improving pace for marathons and races.

Indoor activities

The Garmin Connect app provides detailed indoor running metrics that definitely enhance the workout tracking experience. It records essential data such as distance, average heart rate, pace, total time and calories burned, but sometimes I feel that it is more generous than what I get on my other tracking devices regarding calories used.

The app also offers visual charts for pace, heart rate, and cadence, providing an in-depth analysis of your performance. For indoor running, you can calibrate the distance by editing the final measurements, ensuring a more accurate analysis.

Personally, the more attention I dedicate to analyzing my training, the more I learn and understand how to improve it. So, at the end of the day, even though I understand that these are only approximations of reality, I still feel that this comprehensive data helps me monitor and improve my indoor running sessions effectively.

Outdoor activities

Garmin’s outdoor workout tracking feature excels in providing detailed and accessible metrics for activities such as running and cycling. The interface displays comprehensive data, including distance, heart rate, pace, and calories burned, with clear and concise charts for pace and heart rate analysis.

Users can seamlessly navigate through various sections like overview, stats, laps, and charts. The visually engaging and intuitive design makes it easy to track performance and gain valuable insights to improve workout routines. You will have all the necessary information at your fingertips if you like to have a holistic approach to your training, like I do.

As mentioned, the Lily 2 Classic relies on the connected GPS of your phone since it doesn't have a built-in GPS, which can be inconvenient for those who prefer to run without their smartphone. Additionally, it lacks on-device music storage and cannot connect directly to Bluetooth headphones. On the positive side, it offers an extensive array of data for your training sessions, providing valuable insights to help improve your performance.

Sleep tracking

The Garmin sleep tracking feature provides a comprehensive array of data for evaluating sleep quality. It offers insights into various sleep metrics such as sleep score, resting heart rate, body battery, and sleep stages, including deep, light, REM, and awake moments.

The detailed sleep score factor and graphs and charts make it easy to understand trends over time. Users can examine daily averages and get a more profound understanding of their sleep habits and overall health. And from what I can tell, my sleep score mostly matches my mood. 

Menstrual cycle tracking and ovulation prediction

The Garmin menstrual cycle tracking feature offers a comprehensive and user-friendly interface. The main screen provides a clear visual representation of the current cycle day, phase, and related information. Users can log symptoms, add notes, and access detailed advice based on the current phase.

• Unveiling the Differences: Apple vs. Samsung Menstrual Health Features

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Garmin provides dietary recommendations based on the menstrual cycle phase. This is especially noteworthy because I usually rely on another app for such information.

The calendar view allows for easy tracking and editing of period dates, while reminders help manage cycle-related tasks. The app's design is intuitive, with vibrant icons for logging symptoms and straightforward navigation to access historical data and trends, making it a valuable tool for personal health monitoring.

Battery Life

The Garmin Lily 2 Classic is marketed as having a battery life of up to five days with auto brightness enabled. However, in practical use, I typically achieve around three days of battery life. This is with the brightness set to level 7 and frequent long biking sessions. It is possible to reach the full five days with less intensive workouts and by using the auto brightness feature .

This flexibility allows users to tailor their device's settings based on their daily routines and exercise habits, making it adaptable to different lifestyles.

Pros:

• Up to 3 days on a single charge.

Cons:

• -

Charging the Garmin Lily 2 Classic is a relatively quick and straightforward process using its USB-C clip-on charger. From a completely depleted battery, it takes approximately 40 minutes to reach 60% charge. In just one hour, the battery can be charged up to 87%, and it takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes to achieve a full 100% charge.

For such a small device, I would expect faster charging times, to be honest. However, within 40 minutes, you will have more than enough energy for continuous use throughout the day, and this is still a convenient time window.

Key Features