Apple Watch vs Garmin for Runners - Don't Waste Your Money!

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Apple Watch Series 9

Apple Watch SE

Apple iPhone 15 / 15 Pro

Garmin Epix Pro

Garmin Instinct 2X Solar

Garmin Forerunner 965

Garmin Forerunner 265 / 265s

Garmin Forerunner 165

Garmin Venu 3 / 3S

Garmin Vivoactive 5

Garmin HRM Pro Plus ECG Sensor

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Chase the Summit
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00:00 - Intro / Overview
01:22 - Price / Models / Options
05:58 - User Interface / Features
12:15 - Apps / App Stores
14:25 - Activity Tracking / Profiles
16:23 - Navigation / Mapping
18:37 - GPS / Heart Rate Accuracy
22:07 - Battery Life
22:54 - Which one is right for you?

[iMDN]

Very happy with my Garmin Venu 3, I do the odd hike, have started running, and play a few sports a week. Not to mention the battery would last a week if I stretched it out. Zero complaints so far!

[adellapigna]

Not interested in a smart watch, I just wanted something to track my running and cycling. Notifications and distractions are hell on my phone, they’ve got no place on my wrist.

[TrailBlazer]

I was really loving the Forerunner 955 or even 965, their formfactor is IMO perfect. Clean and sleek, not too much of a bezel. But it was your video or another reviewer maybe that compared it to the Fenix line and boy the maps interaction was like night and day. This is one of my main buying points so I had to admit defeat with the Forerunners and that put me into the Fenix Pro line. Which are out of my budget... So after many videos and articles I think the Suunto Race is actually the best bang for your buck between Multi band GPS and maps/offline maps and navigation. Yes its lacking in areas, yes I still think Garmin is the best option overall but for a limited budget, they arent really cutting it. You go from reasonable to expensive really fast just to get a few extras

[ghouse]

Apple Watch Ultra for 2 years, i just got a garmin epix pro yesterday for my bday. It’s been great. I love it so much.

[WhatAboutTech]

I will switch once I can get cellular on a garmin, only bring my Ultra and headphones when running.

[rgulatr]

i don´t see myself switching from Garmin to Apple Watch until Apple puts at least 7-10 Days Battery Life in their watches.

[applerunner]

After using the Apple Watch Ultra for 2 years, I have come to the conclusion that the answer is : BOTH! I love the smarts, integration and breadth of functionality of the Apple Watch (and I could not live without them), but I have concluded that the running specific functionality of the AW is unreliable for serious runners. Lots of small issues which add up to a big one. The wheel is sometimes hard to rotate, the action button sometimes does not work, random screen touches (eg when wearing a jacket), using different gestures to start, pause and stop a workout, Lack of maps / directions, not being able to use GymKit with workouts. The number of times that I have inadvertently terminated a workout, progressed through a workout or lost data in a race has been frustrating. So I now use the Ultra for most things and have a Coros Pace 3 for running specific features and a reliable backup.

[cristobalbalenciaga]

Apple just announced some new features for the apple watch. Training load and something that resembles whoop recovery and garmins body battery. And it actually looks amazing.

[michaelalbrecht]

What I like about my Apple Watch 8 is that I can go for a road run and not have to lug my phone with me I wish garmin would release a cellular version of a watch

[JasonRaneses]

I’m back with an AWU 2 from an Epix Pro for the second time now. And wouldn’t you know it, it’s easy to get drawn back both ways depending what you’re optimizing for.

There’s currently not a front runner that covers best in class as a smartwatch, activity tracker, and wellness device for most people.

Apple will likely get there in a few years.

[brentjohnson]

I currently have an Apple Watch. Battery life is the single most annoying feature of Apple Watch. I have had it for only a couple of years and like the recording of activity and the challenges between other Apple Watch users. I was recently on a cruise and wading into the ocean in the Bahamas killed the watch for a few days. I wasn’t too concerned since I was already looking at Garmin. I am an iPhone user and Garmin watches generally don’t integrate well with those phones. I have come across a Venu 3 which will allow me to make calls or texts based on the voice assistant. In my research I have found the compare option on the Garmin website to be useful. Thanks for your video.

[jaimealonsocardin]

A very important thing is apple watch only works with iphone. For example in spain android is almost 80% of smartphones. For android users is an easy decision. Garmin watches dont force you to be with androir or ios.

[hsi-linwei]

Bought my first Apple Watch in 2018, and used more than four, changed to Garmin Fenix 7 Pro this year, nice for me.

[Tritiuminducedfusion]

Apple Watch for the casual fitness person and overall functionality... Garmin for fitness enthusiasts. My only gripe with Garmin is the distance tracking is a tad off, and Apple's overall functionality is a bit more seamless. I don't see messages on my Garmin (not a huge issue for me as i dont want to talk to people while I'm working out anyway).

[David-nxvm]

I wore an Apple Watch for five years, and the battery life went from bad (1 day-ish when new) to horrible (~5 hours). When the Enduro 2 was 45% off on Amazon Prime Day, it was a no brainer. Color maps, flashlight, solar charging, 28 day battery life are game changers. I knew I was going to replace the Apple Watch with a Garmin, just wasn’t sure which one until the Enduro 2 went from $1099 to $599 on Prime Day.

[JasonRaneses]

Awaiting your thoughts on the updates from WWDC.

Battery life on the AWU will still be an issue, however it looks like we'll be seeing wellness features reminiscent of Garmin, Whoop, et al without needing to use third-party apps.

Plus proper offline maps in activity mode? Quoted from the keynote -- “…turn by turn directions for walking and hiking routes you’ve created."

Give us tooling to build routes, or at minimum, GPX import and I'd be happy. WorkOutDoors is awesome in this regard already, but if it was built into watchOS even better.

[GotDamBoi]

If you're an athlete first and a tech person second, get a Garmin. If you're a tech person first and a athlete second, get an Apple Watch

[dnice]

I had a Fenix 7 and went to an Apple Watch ultra 2. Need the smart watch capabilities of the smart watch for 3 months. My impressions were good with the running aspect of it but I missed how easy it was to use garmin for fitness and running, it’s a fitness watch first and Apple is smartwatch. Needless to say I went back a Fenix 7 and I’ll never use anything else. Also idk how much this matters I love the style of the garmin, not so much the style of the Apple Watch

[ZeRo--]

I will say this once and for all: both are capable watches, and both will meet 95% of the needs of any user. Short of a 100 mile race, both will handle anything you throw at them.

That said, I own both an Ultra 1 and an Epix Pro 47. Happy with both and love both.

[davidrlifts]

I like the form factor and snappiness or the apple ultra, but battery like of epix or fenix is so good.