COROS and Garmin are two huge names in working watches. Should you’re available in the market for a brand new watch, they in all probability have one which’s best for you.

On this article, we’ll examine the COROS Apex 2 vs. Garmin Forerunner 255. COROS is understood for its battery life, and the Apex 2 doesn’t disappoint. However Garmin is the market chief in working watches, and the Forerunner 255 is presumably the perfect they’ve ever launched.

So which one could be the perfect to your wants?

Let’s have a look at each intimately, facet by facet, so you possibly can determine which one is perhaps your new working gear.

Fast Comparability

The Apex 2 and Forerunner 255 are available in at across the identical value and are made for runners searching for an economical but feature-packed watch that performs nicely and appears good.

Each are wonderful selections, particularly if in case you have a model desire between the 2. Nonetheless, the Garmin Forerunner 255 has just a few extra issues going for it than the Apex.

It contains a barely bigger display screen with a greater decision than the COROS Apex 2, that includes damage-resistant glass.

Different options that place the Garmin simply forward of the COROS embrace small options like an irregular coronary heart charge warning, name management that means that you can mute or reject a name in your wrist, and Garmin Pay, which helps you to pay for issues with the watch.

However don’t let that make your thoughts up too rapidly. The COROS has an especially sturdy watch face produced from sapphire glass. It additionally connects to GPS sooner, which might be the deciding issue for some. In fact, it additionally has COROS’ very good battery life and an extended guarantee. COROS has additionally established itself as a model that continuously updates the firmware, which means an extended time frame earlier than it turns into out of date.

However each watches are wonderful selections, so preserve studying for an in depth comparability.

Overview

Apex 2

The Apex 2 is the upgraded model of COROS’ Apex. It’s necessary to notice that it is available in two variations—the Apex 2 and the Apex 2 Professional. The Professional contains a barely bigger display screen and higher battery life.

Each are available in just a few totally different colours and have COROS’ nylon band, versus a silicone band. This lightens the watch and reduces potential issues for these delicate to silicone.

COROS states that these watches are for “coaching and trailblazing,” which suggests they’ve wonderful coaching options for runners and cross-trainers but additionally have capabilities for different out of doors actions like snowboarding, climbing, or canoeing.

Forerunner 255

The Forerunner 255 is the upgraded model of Garmin’s Forerunner 245. It’s necessary to notice that it is available in two variations—the common Forerunner 255 and the 255S.

Each variations have a music and non-music version, and you may select from extra colour choices than the COROS. All of them include the usual, interchangeable Garmin silicone band.

The Forerunner 255 has a number of way of life options that make it an amazing alternative for many runners who wish to do cross-training however are extra on the whole life metrics.

Dimension and Show

Apex 2

The Apex 2 contains a 1.2-inch LCD show with 240 x 240 pixels decision. The Apex 2 Professional has a 1.3-inch display screen at 260 x 260 pixels.

Each of them have a touchscreen, though it’s solely utilized in maps—you continue to have to make use of the buttons or the crown to scroll by way of menus or widgets (COROS has stated an replace is deliberate to repair this). You may as well flip the touchscreen characteristic off fully for those who want.

You may select from a variety of watch faces. Some watch faces additionally can help you change their colour for additional customization.

Forerunner 255

The Forerunner 255 has a 1.3-inch display screen. In addition to being barely bigger than the equal COROS, it’s additionally larger in decision, at 260 x 260 pixels. The smaller S contains a 1.1-inch display screen at a decrease decision of 218 x 218 pixels.

There’s no touchscreen characteristic on both of those watches, however contemplating it’s solely minimally used on the COROS, this isn’t an amazing loss.

One of many issues we like about this watch is that you would be able to select a watch face from an enormous library, however the thrilling half is that a lot of them are customizable. This implies you possibly can select which knowledge components you wish to be displayed on the face, which is nice for individuals who wish to see sure metrics on the go.

Battery

Apex 2

COROS is method forward of most working watches when it comes to battery life. The Apex 2 provides an excellent battery. You’ll rise up to 17 days in smartwatch mode, 45 hours in commonplace GPS mode, and 30 hours in all-systems mode.

Word that the battery life comes on the expense of minute-by-minute coronary heart charge monitoring and HRV monitoring at evening. It takes a bit underneath two hours to cost totally.

The Apex 2 Professional has a barely bigger battery, enhancing its battery life. If battery life is what you’re after, then you definitely’d be higher off with the Professional. It provides as much as 75 hours of GPS battery life and an prolonged smartwatch battery life.

Forerunner 255

The Forerunner 255 additionally has an improved battery in comparison with its earlier model, that includes as much as 14 days of battery in common smartwatch mode. In GPS mode, you possibly can anticipate round 30 hours, which is considerably shorter than the COROS however nonetheless greater than the earlier model of this watch.

Naturally, listening to music, utilizing the PulseOx often, or monitoring knowledge each hour of the day will cut back the battery life.

The 255 S is barely smaller, providing you with round 12 days in smartwatch mode and 26 hours in GPS-only mode. Just like the COROS, you possibly can anticipate it to cost totally inside two hours.

{Hardware}

Design

Apex 2

Chrome steel on the quilt and PVD-coated titanium alloy on the bezel make the watch’s exterior scratch-resistant.

Together with Sapphire glass on the shows, this development makes the Apex watches exceptionally sturdy and water- and dust-resistant.

These watches characteristic three buttons on one facet of the face; the center doubles up as a rotating crown. This additionally means that you would be able to put on the watch on both wrist with the buttons on the within, stopping unintentional presses.

Forerunner 255

This watch is pretty powerful, that includes a fiber-reinforced polymer bezel. On the show, you’ll discover Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which is damage-resistant and provides quite a lot of sturdiness to this watch. It’s additionally water resistant and dust-resistant.

There’s a sturdy silicone band that’s interchangeable. The Forerunner 255 options 5 buttons, three on one facet and two on the opposite.

Sensors

Apex 2

The Apex 2 has an optical coronary heart charge monitor that may observe HR underwater. And in addition has a coronary heart charge put on detector to enhance accuracy. There’s additionally a pulse oximeter and electrocardiogram sensor—ECG—which isn’t appropriate for medical use however is an fascinating metric.

You’ll additionally discover a barometric altimeter, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a thermometer, and a compass. Its redesigned GPS antenna can be suitable with all 5 main satellite tv for pc techniques, and the Professional contains dual-frequency GNSS help.

By way of sensors it helps, you possibly can hyperlink up coronary heart charge sensors, working energy pods, and biking energy and cadence sensors.

Nonetheless, whereas the Apex 2 watches help Bluetooth Sensible sensors, there’s no ANT+ help. Garmin makes use of ANT+ so if in case you have any previous Garmin sensors mendacity round, they aren’t suitable with the Apex.

Forerunner 255

You’ll discover Garmin’s Elevate V4 sensor on the Forerunner 255, that includes two units of LED lights—inexperienced for coronary heart charge and pink for pulse oximeter.

Garmin’s sensor additionally measures respiration charge, blood oxygen ranges, and stress, which contributes to the Physique Battery perform.

The barometric altimeter is a brand new characteristic on the 255 for extra correct elevation monitoring. It additionally has a compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, and thermometer.

This watch helps GPS, Glonass, and Galileo satellite tv for pc techniques, in addition to multi-frequency positioning—essentially the most reasonably priced watch to supply it. Finally, this implies the watch will probably be extremely correct whereas working exterior.

Options

Maps and Navigation

Apex 2

The Apex 2 and Professional include free maps. They’re preloaded on the Professional, however must be downloaded on the two utilizing a pc.

Whereas these watches haven’t any turn-by-turn navigation, they’ve options like Checkpoint, Again-to-Begin navigation, Deviation Alert, and touchscreen-enabled map management.

You may add your personal maps to the watch in GPX file format or ship programs from Strava or Komoot to the watch by way of the COROS app. You may maintain as much as 10 programs on the watch concurrently. Sadly, the app has no method to construct your personal programs.

Forerunner 255

There’s no method to load maps onto the Forerunner 255, which can be disappointing for some.

Regardless of this, you will discover each breadcrumb navigation and turn-by-turn instructions on this watch, which is enjoyable. Sync up with routes in Komoot or Strava, or you may make your personal in Garmin Join.

Actions

Apex 2

The Apex 2 sequence options over 30 sports activities profiles constructed into the watch. It’s technically constructed for runners, so the working options are wonderful. Nevertheless it additionally contains a number of different profiles geared towards out of doors actions. Right here’s a fast checklist of our favorites:

• Run
• Indoor run
• Observe run
• Path run
• Hike
• Mountain climb
• Bike
• Indoor bike
• Open water
• Pool swim
• Rowing
• Ski
• Snowboard
• XC Ski
• Health club cardio
• Triathlon

Forerunner 255

The Forerunner 255 additionally tracks many several types of actions, making it appropriate for lots of various customers. Our favorites embrace:

• Run
• Observe Run
• Treadmill
• Bike
• Bike Indoor
• Pool Swim
• Open Water Swim
• Triathlon
• Extremely Run
• Path Run
• Hike
• Ski
• Snowboard
• XC Basic Ski
• Row
• Power
• Cardio
• HIIT
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Stair Stepper

This watch will even provide Each day Instructed Exercises, primarily based in your common exercises and your altering health ranges.

Coaching Aids

Apex 2

The COROS Apex 2 is right for runners because of a variety of coaching metrics. You may as well use COROS Evolab, their coaching platform, free for all COROS customers.

You may observe quite a lot of statistics on this platform, in addition to put collectively your personal complete coaching program. There are additionally pre-programmed coaching plans you possibly can choose, and as a bonus, you possibly can observe Eliud Kipchoge’s coaching on this system!

Probably the greatest issues about COROS is the flexibility to measure working energy from the wrist while not having an exterior energy meter. That is unusual on most working watches however extraordinarily useful.

Evolabn’s post-workout instruments are wonderful and supply perception into your restoration, serving to you make higher selections relating to tomorrow’s exercise.

You’ll be capable to see your VO2 max estimates, threshold zones, coaching load and fatigue readouts, effort tempo, and a race predictor. You may as well get exercise alerts for cadence, tempo, energy, coronary heart charge, and extra.

A number of third-party apps, together with Strava, Stryd, Komoot, and Apple Well being, are additionally supported.

Forerunner 255

The Forerunner 255 features a vary of coaching aids particularly for runners. These embrace coronary heart charge zone coaching, restoration time suggestions, and improved interval coaching options.

You’ll get entry to downloadable coaching packages and superior exercises, in addition to a helpful Race Widget, which counts down the times to your upcoming race and makes solutions to your exercises main as much as it.

The Race Prediction widget can be a helpful characteristic, indicating what occasions you possibly can anticipate in numerous distances primarily based in your present health degree and exercise stats.

Then there are issues like Coaching Load, Coaching Standing, Coaching Impact, VO2 Max, digital associate, course steerage, and a number of different options.

Garmin’s new coronary heart charge monitor tracks coronary heart charge variability, a vital metric for restoration. This helps the watch to offer steered exercises that may speed up your coaching and provide help to attain your objectives sooner.

Well being Monitoring

Apex 2

COROS’ Apex 2 watches have pretty correct sleep monitoring, when it comes to what time the wearer falls asleep and wakes up. It’s not clear how correct the sleep phases are, however they appear to be fairly on par with others.

Whereas there may be an ECG sensor on this watch, it’s merely a suggestion to your coronary heart charge variability standing, which is necessary in restoration. This isn’t a medical gadget, but it surely can provide perception into how train impacts these with coronary heart situations.

It additionally tracks what number of steps you’re taking throughout the day, flooring climbed, and lively minutes all through the day.

Forerunner 255

The Garmin Forerunner 255 provides extra health-related metrics than the COROS does. Its Physique Battery characteristic provides you an general vitality studying primarily based in your train and sleep high quality.

One thing else we like is Depth Minutes. Once you’re working or doing different actions, you won’t pay a lot consideration to it, however the characteristic lets you observe your every day exercise and ensure you get your CDC-recommended quarter-hour per week.

Sleep rating provides you some wonderful insights into your sleep high quality, and a helpful Morning Report provides you an outline of your sleep, the anticipated climate for the day, and a steered exercise primarily based in your earlier day’s train and your sleep.

Different well being monitoring options embrace stress monitoring, a step counter, 24/7 coronary heart charge monitoring, and blood oxygen measurements. Girls may observe their menstrual cycle and being pregnant.

Different Options

Apex 2

The common Apex 2 has 8 GB of storage, whereas the Apex 2 Professional has 32 GB. One factor we fairly like about this watch is that it’s suitable with GoPro and Insta360 cameras, so adventurers can join and management their cameras from afar.

There’s additionally a “Discover My Cellphone” and “Discover My Watch” characteristic, so you will discover the misplaced merchandise simply for those who lose one however have the opposite.

You’ll get cellphone notifications in your wrist, though you gained’t be capable to reply calls or messages. Though there’s no music streaming software on the COROS, you possibly can load MP3 recordsdata onto the watch to take heed to with Bluetooth headphones.

Forerunner 255

Each Forerunner 255 and the 255S have 4 GB of storage, quite a bit lower than the COROS. You may obtain about 500 songs onto the watch, from Spotify or Deezer.

Just like the Apex, you will get cellphone notifications in your wrist, which is helpful, though you have to your cellphone to answer to messages and reply calls. This watch additionally has a “Discover My Cellphone” characteristic.

One of many options the Forerunner has that’s forward of the COROS is Garmin Pay. That is handy and secure.

Concerning security, Garmin is forward of issues with its LiveTrack, Incident Detection, Incident Alert, and Help options.

Abstract

Each the COROS Apex 2 and the Garmin Forerunner 255 are wonderful watches. These two are a number of the finest new releases to come back out not too long ago, and it’s a troublesome determination to decide on between them!

We really feel that the COROS Apex 2 hasn’t had a lot of an improve from the unique Apex. The Garmin Forerunner 255 has had a big replace and now options nearly every little thing you would need in a well-priced watch.

We advocate the COROS Apex 2 for working and doing different out of doors actions on the facet. The Apex 2 is the best way to go for those who worth battery life. And Evolab is a wonderful characteristic that runners will love—if it’s adequate for Eliud, it’s a great platform!

Alternatively, Garmin lovers will adore the brand new Forerunner 255. Full of a lot of the options of the 245 at a value level on par with the COROS, it’s a no brainer for individuals who desire a full-featured Garmin that lasts an honest period of time earlier than needing to be charged.

Should you’ve been a devoted COROS or Garmin consumer, these two watches could make you query your loyalty. COROS Apex 2 vs. Garmin Forerunner 255 is a tougher alternative than we initially thought, however each are nice watches.