Which is Proper For You?

Many, many…many runners succeed in out to me questioning what’s the foremost distinction: Apple Watch vs Garmin? They have already got an Apple smartwatch and aren’t certain in the event that they wish to transfer to a complete new GPS watch to trace their runs.

I imply the Apple Watch has GPS, so what’s the deal?

In truth there are some beautiful large variations between a health tracker and a GPS working watch.

However which of the ones options in truth issues to you is a wholly other tale. I don’t assume it has to do with health point, I believe it merely is an issue of what smartwatch options are key for you should you’ll be dressed in all of it day lengthy or simply want it for health.

A number of the primary variations Garmin vs Apple Watch:

• Garmin needs to be a part of each and every aspect of your lively existence, all of the efficiency metrics it is advisable ever need, monitoring each and every imaginable recreation, Apple Pay, tune, monitoring your menstrual cycle, and different diversified options
• Apple needs to be the most efficient smartwatch to be had, which does observe your workout routines however isn’t in truth targeted to your workout routines the best way a Garmin watch is. Alternatively, they’ve attempted to modify that with Apple OS 9 and the creation of Apple Watch Extremely (that I’ve additionally one at a time written an in-depth evaluation about). Apple now additionally contains menstrual biking monitoring with their newest Apple Watch 8.

When you’re searching to buy your first GPS wait for working, take a look at my submit on GPS watch errors to not make, so that you don’t finally end up getting greater than what you want and spending more cash than essential.

This side-by-side comparability must can help you higher perceive the other options and slender down your alternatives.

Apple Watch vs Garmin: Watch Lineup

The Apple Watch is likely one of the hottest smartwatches in the marketplace. Apple’s wearables observe your workout routines, can help you use third-party apps, and feature huge, transparent shows.

Plus, this could be one thing you’re extra interested by should you’ve already invested within the Apple ecosystem. So let’s check out their present lineup:

Apple Watch Lineup

You’ll be getting the similar elementary set of options due to the iOS on all of the Apple Watches.

• Apple Watch Sequence 8: The Sequence 8 is Apple’s newest wearable, introduced in fall of 2022. It has the similar top of the range construct and design because the Sequence 7 but additionally has crash detection and complicated well being sensors. This could also be the primary Apple Watch to characteristic menstrual cycle monitoring for ladies in keeping with frame temperature measurements.
• Apple Watch Sequence 7: Despite the fact that the Apple Watch Sequence 7 didn’t considerably support upon the Sequence 6, it did introduce a bigger show and larger sturdiness. Alternatively, its efficiency and battery existence stay unchanged from the former model.
• Apple Watch SE 2: The corporate additionally launched the Apple Watch SE 2 within the fall of 2022 together with the Sequence 8, and that is the second one era of its price range watch lineup. This system improves upon the capability of the Apple Watch SE through incorporating a more moderen CPU and a method this is useful when the battery is low. It’s a just right price range smartwatch however lacks the extra subtle sensors just like the SpO2 and ECG displays.
• Apple Watch Extremely: Apple’s preliminary push into the journey marketplace is the Apple Watch Extremely, a much more pricey watch which priced at $799. The Apple Watch Extremely has the longest unmarried price battery existence within the lineup, together with explicit options for athletes and out of doors fans. Plus it boasts the biggest and maximum sturdy show of the lot.

Apple Watches don’t go through vital adjustments through the years, so the differences between every sequence are minimum. The one exception is the Apple Watch Extremely, which is designed for an excessively form of buyer.

However, Garmin provides all kinds of sports activities watches, from AMOLED-equipped smartwatches to multisport health watches with an emphasis on battery existence. Let’s glance extra into one of the primary Garmin watches for runners:

Garmin Lineup

Whilst maximum have options that lead them to a Garmin Smartwatch, some are indubitably extra geared to athletes and a few extra to the on a regular basis health tracker.

• Garmin Venu 2 Plus: The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is a complicated smartwatch. It expands at the earlier Venu 2’s health and well being monitoring purposes, including on-wrist telephone calls and voice assistant capability. It additionally has a wonderful AMOLED show, on-device tune garage, and strengthen for increasingly more third-party apps.
• Garmin Venu Sq 2: The Garmin Venu Sq 2 is a superb possibility if the Garmin Venu line appeals to you however you’re on the lookout for one thing a little bit more cost effective. This new model of the Venu Sq is the cheap, square-shaped smartwatch with a vibrant AMOLED display screen, correct center fee tracking and GPS, and a long lasting battery. You additionally be able of going with the Song model if you wish to concentrate to tune out of your wrist.
• Garmin Forerunner 265: The Garmin Forerunner sequence is likely one of the perfect alternatives for runners. This sequence has one thing for each and every runner, from budget-friendly gadgets just like the Forerunner 55 to all-in-one gadgets just like the Forerunner 955. The 265 is my cross to working watch at the moment and it contains a wide variety of smartwatch options.
• Garmin Fenix 7 sequence: The Fenix 7 sequence from Garmin is likely one of the perfect multisport smartwatch cash can purchase. Those top class watches are supposed for devoted athletes who spend maximum in their time coaching Plus, it’s even to be had in sun fashions.
• Garmin Enduro: My non-public pick out for someone doing numerous lengthy distance path working or multi-day racing.

If you need a whole comparability of those, checkout my article at the perfect Garmin watches for runners.

As you’ll be able to see, there are lots of other choices in terms of each Apple Watch and Garmin, so let’s damage down the options extra in an effort to in finding the person who’s best for you.

Apple Watch vs Garmin Function Comparability

Even essentially the most elementary of health trackers as of late come with the similar options corresponding to center fee observe, tempo, distance, calorie monitoring, and lap serve as.

The place those two vary is within the high quality of the era this is targeted to your health.

Beginning at $399 for the latest Apple Watch price is on par with many upper-end GPS watches, in order that’s the place nearly all of the characteristic comparability will center of attention.

Prior to now it is advisable get the Apple Watch Sequence 3 for $199, which is identical to or simply above the entry-level Garmin 55. However as of 2023, it’s lately no longer to be had on Apple’s site.

So should you occur to come back throughout it and need an entry-level Apple Watch, you’ll be able to undoubtedly test it out. An alternative choice is the Apple Watch SE2 which begins at $249 and will also be purchased from Apple at once.

Whilst I generally tend to inspire our runners to get a Garmin, working trainer Nick Klastava (a perfect rapid marathon runner himself) says he continuously is going out in his Apple Watch. He’s additionally no longer as Kind A as numerous us :).

He concurs it’s more difficult to get splits and a few knowledge, however offers you the fundamentals on all the ones simple runs.

I’ve performed a complete Apple Extremely Overview one at a time. I’ll point out it beneath, however it’s the one Apple with a just right GPS sign, then again it’s a lot pricier.

Garmin vs Apple Watch: Job and Health Monitoring (Winner – Apple)

Apple and Garmin have two of the most efficient wearable platforms in terms of well being. Without reference to the system you choose, it is possible for you to to trace numerous metrics and use a number of sorts of job profiles.

All the most up-to-date fashions of Apple Watches and Garmin watches have the potential to watch a person’s steps, distance traveled, lively and resting energy burned, flooring climbed and elevation, depth and lively mins, resting and lively center fee, blood oxygen saturation, center fee variability (HRV), VO2 max, sleep tracking , and pressure ranges.

Each platforms even have options which can be distinctive to them. ECG displays are constructed into Apple Watches starting with Sequence 4. Apple additionally has a characteristic known as AFib Historical past that shall we customers see what their center charges were doing over a protracted time frame.

Apple additionally has a characteristic known as Aerobic Restoration, which can be utilized together with the Well being app to your smartphone to measure your restoration time and development after actions like strolling, working, or mountaineering.

In this day and age, handiest the Garmin Venu 2 Plus helps ECG recordings. Maximum Garmin gadgets can observe your Frame Battery, or how a lot power you will have left in keeping with how lively you’ve been, your center fee variability (HRV), your pressure ranges, and drowsing patterns. This is helping other people, particularly athletes, plan when to coach and when to relaxation.

Garmin vs Apple Watch: Middle Fee Tracking (Winner – Garmin)

In this day and age, maximum GPS watches include both strap-based or wrist-based optical center fee displays.

Optical center fee displays are identified to offer erroneous effects because of recording random actions (which is why I in truth switched to the upgraded wrist founded HR monitoring with the Polar GPS watches).

As I discussed above, each techniques observe your resting center fee throughout the day and evening in addition to file your lively center fee as you workout. The vast majority of wearables can simply observe resting center fee, so neither platform sticks out on this regard.

Each platforms will provide you with a warning in case your center fee readings throughout state of no activity are abnormally prime or low. Each the Apple Watch and the Garmin gadgets will observe your center fee zones, in addition to your moderate and most center fee, when you workout.

The Apple Health program additionally supplies a center fee restoration graph upon getting finished your exercise.

With that being mentioned, having talked with many runners who use Apple’s HR they in finding it’s beautiful just right at relaxation, however no longer extraordinarily dependable at the run.

I had problems with the Apple Watch falling by the wayside mid-run, whilst a Garmin would possibly merely have moments the place it spikes.

And should you’re questioning if Apple’s perfect wait for working (aka Apple Watch Extremely) carried out any higher on it, then sadly the solution to this is no.

On more or less 80% of my runs, the HR would merely drop a couple of miles in after which pop up once more a while later. That is very irritating, and it wasn’t only a drawback with the display screen, as a result of whilst trying out once I seemed on the HR knowledge from the run later, there have been large gaps.

Thankfully, you’ll be able to pair these kinds of watches with a chest strap, which is the most efficient way to download correct readings anyway.

Garmin vs Apple Watch: Way of life Monitoring (Winner – Apple)

Each manufacturers observe wellness-related knowledge like sleep metrics and center fee all over the day.

Alternatively, Apple in point of fact specializes in being the most efficient smartwatch, so you’ll be able to do A LOT extra from the watch like responding to the textual content messages you obtain.

Apple is in point of fact pushing that they have got added two new options:

• Blood oxygen readings – principally can inform if you’re getting unwell
• Electrocardiogram readings – wait for center rhythm irregularities

Pulse Ox is to be had in upper-end Garmin watches as smartly. I’ll be truthful, it’s a characteristic that hardly will get used until you will have a selected well being factor or are at altitude.

Curiously, Apple Watch Sequence 8 and Apple Watch Extremely each now even have menstrual cycle monitoring in keeping with frame temperature readings that those watches are in a position to. In order that’s some other factor that Apple has added to its lineup to compete with firms like Garmin.

What About Song Control on Garmin vs Apple Watch?

Apple and Garmin watches make it simple to sync your Spotify playlist (no longer all Garmin fashions, however maximum.)

Or each watches will can help you get started, prevent, and skip songs which can be taking part in to your telephone from the watch. That is my non-public choice not to absorb area at the watch, however it’s additionally a receive advantages in an effort to load a couple of songs to your Apple Watch from Apple for the ones instances while you would possibly lack a just right connection.

Garmin vs Apple Watch: Sleep Monitoring (Winner – Garmin)

On the subject of sleep, Apple and Garmin each supply distinctive tactics to sleep monitoring. Previously, Apple’s sleep tracking was once rather elementary compared to different sleep trackers in the marketplace.

However with the discharge of watchOS 9, Apple now provides customers additional information on their wrists, such because the levels in their sleep.

However, Garmin watches are already a number of the maximum dependable and actual sleep trackers that are actually to be had. They observe how lengthy you sleep, how continuously you get up, and what levels of sleep you undergo, after which come up with a rating within the morning that displays how smartly you slept.

You’ll get a few of these options with Apple’s watch with third-party apps.

Garmin vs Apple Watch: GPS Accuracy (Winner – Garmin)

For me that is the most important Apple Watch Vs Garmin factor that issues.

On the subject of which watchmaker reigns in monitoring, the Garmin goes to win in keeping with the serious center of attention they’ve had on GPS for years. Additionally they makes use of a couple of satellites, which means that extra accuracy (GPS, Galileo and GLONASS).

Whilst the Apple Watch 8 sequence is way more correct than previous variations, many other folks nonetheless in finding it no longer as correct as Garmin and as a protracted distance runner that issues!

Believe doing a ten mile to determine you in truth handiest ran 9.5 otherwise you ran 11! I’ve had this occur to various runners in our staff, who discovered the Apple Watches simply by no means controlled to be totally correct or constant.

**The one exception to that is the Apple Extremely, which makes use of extra satellites and a few further tool to lend a hand make sure you’re getting higher GPS even in downtown spaces. So it’s in truth extra correct than Garmin.

The speculation is that should you blip out, it’s going to nonetheless know the way a ways you’ve long past as a result of it’s going to be mindful your stride, tempo, and so forth.

Learn extra concerning the settings activate to make it paintings in my entire information to Apple Watch Extremely for runners since that’s in truth no longer a characteristic that’s on through default out of the field! The object to remember is that you simply’ll must pay much more for the Extremely to get a characteristic that’s to be had on maximum Garmin watches for round $500 much less.

Garmin vs Apple Watch: Show (Winner – Garmin)

Each Garmin and Apple watches have a just right transparent show with a cast watch face that shouldn’t scratch or crack more often than not.

However the Apple watch handiest provides 10 possible fields of information to show, whilst even essentially the most elementary Garmin has 27 fields and upgraded fashions have two times that.

The monitors at the Garmin will also be changed by way of the Garmin Attach app, which incorporates a ton of different add-ons as smartly.

• For me the display screen customization is very large.
• I wish to simply see my HR, my present tempo, distance, and so forth.
• Possibly all you in point of fact wish to know at the moment is how a ways and how briskly, which the Apple will display.

Garmin vs Apple Watch: Watch Have compatibility (Winner – Tie)

Every other necessary comparability round display screen measurement is how the watches are compatible. The Apple Watch works smartly on small wrists, which is one explanation why many generally tend to veer clear of conventional GPS watches.

Alternatively, Garmin provides an S sequence in lots of fashions, which is smaller and designed to suit a smaller wrist whilst having all of the similar options of the style as the unique.

Moreover, the Garmin Fenix and Venu are designed to be that nicer-looking watch you’ll be able to put on all day lengthy.

In the case of Apple Watch Extremely, it’s necessary to notice that it handiest is available in one measurement and it’s beefier than your usual Apple Watch. However I for my part discovered no problems with the are compatible, due to the velcro strap. However sure, it does glance noticeably larger on smaller wrists like mine.

Garmin vs Apple Watch: Indicators (Winner – Apple)

The latest Apple Watch has audio indicators which is able to come thru your headphones to replace you on tempo, distance or if you’re forward of a function tempo you put. This isn’t the ding {that a} Garmin does, however precise audio offering you an replace with explicit numbers.

Whilst all of the Garmin fashions can ding or vibrate with every mile, handiest the Fenix 6 and above lately have audio activates. Some other folks like to have that audio in order that they aren’t checking their watch.

• All Apple and Garmin fashions come with good telephone notifications
• Apple makes responding to messages from the watch more uncomplicated
• Maximum Garmin and Apple permit for tune controls

Garmin vs Apple Watch: Watch Battery Lifestyles (Winner – Garmin)

Whilst few runners desire a working watch to closing them 24 hours with all options became on, you’re much more likely to have that occur with the Garmin.

The latest Apple Watch can run with you as much as 6 hours on a complete price, essentially the most elementary Garmin is going 20 hours.

So should you’re pushing for that first 5 plus hour marathon it received’t reduce it between the time attending to the beginning, and so forth. The one exception to that is the Apple watch extremely which is able to last as long as 36 hours on usual smartwatch mode and 12 hours on GPS mode.

However the truth of the subject is that even if the Extremely is best, its battery existence continues to be horrible in comparison to that of many Garmin gadgets. If you need an eye fixed that you’ll be able to use with out being worried about battery existence, get a Garmin.

In day by day utilization mode, even essentially the most elementary Garmin is going as much as 7 days and higher fashions as much as 14 days between fees. That’s rather an important distinction while you examine it to near to any Apple watch style that’s lately to be had.

Garmin vs Apple Watch: Mapping and Navigation (Winner – Garmin)