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

Summary

This video tackles the common dilemma of choosing between an Apple Watch and a Garmin for fitness and smartwatch needs. It compares design, user interface, activity profiles, GPS accuracy, heart rate sensor accuracy, and battery life, highlighting the strengths of each brand. Apple Watches excel as smartwatches with a vast app ecosystem, while Garmin dominates in fitness tracking and battery longevity. The verdict? It depends on whether you prioritize smart features or fitness-focused capabilities.

Takeaways

• 🍏 The Apple Watch offers smartwatch capabilities with cellular connectivity and a wide range of apps, while the Garmin watch is more focused on fitness tracking.
• 💰 Both Apple and Garmin offer a range of models at different price points, from budget-friendly to high-end options.
• 📐 Garmin provides a variety of watch sizes and models catering to different activities and preferences, while Apple offers fewer models with some size variations.
• 🔄 Apple Watches have a consistent user interface across all models, similar to an iPhone, while Garmin's UI varies by model and prioritizes health and fitness data.
• ✋ Apple Watches primarily use a touchscreen interface, with some models offering additional buttons for specific functions, whereas Garmin Watches often rely on physical buttons for navigation.
• 🏞 Garmin excels in navigation with built-in offline maps and advanced route guidance, a feature that Apple Watches have started to incorporate but with some limitations.
• 🏃 Both brands offer a multitude of activity profiles for various sports and exercises, but Garmin may have more niche options for specific activities.
• ❤️ The accuracy of heart rate sensors varies between models, with the latest Garmin Gen 5 and Apple Watch Series 9 offering ECG capabilities.
• 🔋 Garmin watches are known for their superior battery life, lasting from days to weeks on a single charge, whereas Apple Watches typically require daily charging.
• 🛠 The Apple App Store provides a vast selection of apps to enhance the functionality of the Apple Watch, while the Garmin Connect IQ store focuses more on watch faces and data fields.
• 🏅 Ultimately, the choice between an Apple Watch and a Garmin watch comes down to personal preference, with Apple catering to smartwatch users and Garmin to fitness enthusiasts.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is comparing Apple Watch and Garmin watches, focusing on their features, suitability for different users, and deciding which one to choose based on various factors.

What are the three different models of Apple Watches mentioned in the video?

The three different models of Apple Watches mentioned are the Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2.

How does the video describe the variety of Garmin watches compared to Apple Watches?

The video describes Garmin watches as having a wide variety of models at different price points and for different activities, while Apple Watches have a simpler lineup with fewer models and more focus on smartwatch capabilities.

What factors does the video suggest considering when choosing between an Apple Watch and a Garmin watch?

The video suggests considering factors such as design and size options, user interface preferences, activity profiles, GPS and heart rate sensor accuracy, app availability, and battery life.

How does the video address the user interface differences between Apple Watch and Garmin watches?

The video explains that Apple Watch has a consistent user interface across all models, resembling an iPhone, while Garmin watches have varying interfaces depending on the model, with some prioritizing health and fitness data and others focusing on smart functions.

What is the video's stance on GPS accuracy for beginners choosing between an Apple Watch and a Garmin watch?

The video suggests that for beginners, GPS accuracy should not be a major concern as most recent generation watches from both Apple and Garmin are quite accurate.

How does the video compare the heart rate sensor accuracy between Apple and Garmin watches?

The video indicates that both Apple and Garmin watches have improved heart rate sensor accuracy, with the latest generation sensors offering additional features like skin temperature and ECG. However, individual factors can affect accuracy, so it may vary from person to person.

What is the video's opinion on battery life for Apple Watch Ultra 2 compared to Garmin watches?

The video states that Garmin watches generally have a significant advantage in battery life, with some models lasting up to a month on a single charge, while the Apple Watch Ultra 2 can last 2 to 3 days, and other Apple Watch models typically last about a day.

How does the video summarize the target audience for Garmin watches?

The video summarizes that Garmin watches are designed for fitness and wellness-focused individuals, particularly those who are avid runners, cyclists, climbers, or trail runners.

What is the video's final recommendation for choosing between an Apple Watch and a Garmin watch?

The video's final recommendation is that the choice between an Apple Watch and a Garmin watch should be based on personal preference, lifestyle, and specific use cases, as both have their strengths and can be customized with apps to suit individual needs.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Choosing Between Apple Watch and Garmin

The video starts by addressing the common dilemma of whether to choose an Apple Watch or a Garmin watch. The host aims to provide a deep dive into the differences between these two types of watches, focusing on their suitability for different users. The discussion will cover aspects such as smartwatch capabilities, fitness focus, design, user interface, activity profiles, and battery life. The host emphasizes that there are no bad options, but the choice depends on individual needs and use cases.

05:00

💡 Design and Size Options

This paragraph discusses the design and size options available for both Apple and Garmin watches. The host highlights that Garmin offers a wide range of models at different price points, which can be confusing, while Apple has a simpler lineup with fewer models. The focus is on how the size and form factor of the watches can affect the user's comfort, especially depending on wrist size. The host also notes the difference in aspect ratio between the round Garmin watches and the rectangular Apple watches, and how this might influence the user interface experience.

10:01

🔍 User Interface and Interaction

The host compares the user interfaces of Garmin and Apple watches, noting that Garmin's interface can vary between models, while Apple's is consistent across all models. The discussion covers how users interact with the watches, with Apple relying heavily on touchscreen and offering a hybrid of buttons and screens, while Garmin excels in tactile button-based interfaces. The host also mentions the differences in ease of use, especially in outdoor conditions, and the customization options available on each platform.

15:02

🏃‍♂️ Activity Profiles and Recording

This section delves into the activity profiles and recording capabilities of both Apple and Garmin watches. The host points out that Apple offers a wide range of activity profiles and third-party apps for additional options, while Garmin provides niche activity profiles and more detailed fitness metrics. The paragraph also touches on the navigation and mapping features, where Garmin is noted for its advanced offline mapping capabilities, and Apple's reliance on phone-based mapping.

20:03

📊 Accuracy and Battery Life

The final paragraph addresses the accuracy of GPS and optical heart rate sensors in both Apple and Garmin watches. The host generalizes that most recent models from both brands are accurate enough for beginners and that differences in accuracy are minor. The discussion then shifts to battery life, where Garmin is highlighted for its superior battery performance, lasting from days to a month on a single charge, compared to Apple's shorter battery life, typically lasting a day.

Keywords

💡Apple Watch

Apple Watch refers to a line of smartwatches designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. It is a key part of the video's comparison, representing the smartwatch category with capabilities beyond fitness tracking, such as cellular connectivity and a wide range of apps. The script mentions different models like the Apple Watch SE, Series 9, and Ultra 2, highlighting their varying price points and functionalities.

💡Garmin

Garmin is a brand known for its GPS technology and wearable tech, particularly multisport watches. In the video, Garmin represents the dedicated fitness watch segment, with a focus on specialized features for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. The script discusses various Garmin models, emphasizing the brand's range and specialization in fitness tracking.

💡Smartwatch

A smartwatch is a wearable device that combines timekeeping with computerized features, often with connectivity to smartphones. The term is used in the script to describe the Apple Watch's capabilities, which include smart features like app integration, text messaging, and music streaming, setting it apart from traditional fitness watches.

💡Fitness Watch

A fitness watch is a type of wearable technology designed primarily for tracking physical activity and health metrics. The script positions Garmin watches as fitness watches, with a focus on detailed health and fitness tracking, as opposed to the broader functionality of smartwatches like the Apple Watch.

💡GPS Multisport Watches

GPS multisport watches are specialized fitness devices that track various sports activities using GPS technology. The script uses this term to describe a category of watches that are designed for different types of athletes and sports, with capabilities that often exceed those of standard fitness watches.

💡User Interface

The user interface (UI) refers to the point of interaction between a user and a device. In the script, the UI is discussed in the context of how one interacts with the Apple Watch and Garmin watches, highlighting differences in design and functionality, such as touchscreen vs. button-based navigation.

💡Activity Profiles

Activity profiles are pre-configured settings within a fitness or smartwatch that optimize tracking for specific types of exercises or sports. The script mentions that both Apple and Garmin watches offer a variety of activity profiles, allowing users to select the most relevant for their workout, enhancing the accuracy and relevance of the data collected.

💡Optical Heart Rate Sensor

An optical heart rate sensor is a device that uses light to measure the number of heartbeats per minute. The script discusses the accuracy and capabilities of optical heart rate sensors in both Apple and Garmin watches, noting differences in technology and features like the inclusion of ECG in some models.

💡Battery Life

Battery life refers to the amount of time a device can operate before needing to be recharged. The script contrasts the battery life of Apple Watches, which typically require daily charging, with Garmin watches, which are highlighted for their longer battery life, an important consideration for users who want minimal charging frequency.

💡Mapping and Navigation

Mapping and navigation refer to the ability of a device to provide geographical information and guide users to their destinations. The script discusses the advanced mapping and navigation features of Garmin watches, which include offline capabilities, versus the mapping features of Apple Watches, which are noted to be less robust and dependent on the phone's presence.

💡Third-Party Apps

Third-party apps are software applications developed by parties other than the original equipment manufacturer. The script explains that while both Apple and Garmin watches support third-party apps, the Apple Watch has a much larger ecosystem, allowing it to fill in gaps in its native functionality with a wide range of apps, whereas Garmin focuses more on watch faces and data fields.

Highlights

The video aims to help viewers decide between an Apple Watch or a Garmin watch, focusing on the differences and use cases for each.

Apple offers three models at different price points: the Apple Watch SE at $249, Series 9 at $399, and the Ultra 2 at $799.

Garmin provides a wide range of models and price points, starting at $249, with features tailored to specific activities like running or hiking.

Garmin watches are often siloed into categories such as adventure, running, and wellness, offering specialized features for each.

Apple Watch emphasizes smartwatch capabilities with cellular connectivity and a wide range of apps, while Garmin focuses on fitness tracking.

Design and size options vary between brands, with Apple offering different case sizes and Garmin providing smaller versions of larger models.

Garmin watches typically have a round design, whereas Apple Watches have a rectangular shape, affecting screen real estate and aesthetics.

The user interface on Garmin watches varies by model, with some prioritizing fitness data, while Apple's interface is consistent across all models.

Apple Watch relies primarily on touchscreen interaction, with the Ultra 2 introducing an additional action button for specific functions.

Garmin watches often use a button-based interface, allowing for tactile control and disabling of the touchscreen for simplicity.

Apple Watch integrates tightly with the iPhone, offering apps for messaging, music, and phone calls directly from the wrist.

Garmin watches prioritize health and fitness data, with features like body battery, training readiness, and recovery metrics.

Both Apple and Garmin have app stores, but Apple's offers a broader range of apps, while Garmin focuses on watch faces and data fields.

Apple Watch and Garmin both offer a variety of activity profiles, but third-party apps on Apple can provide additional options.

Garmin excels in navigation and mapping with built-in offline maps and advanced route guidance, surpassing Apple's capabilities.

GPS accuracy is generally reliable across recent models of both Apple and Garmin watches, making it less of a concern for beginners.

Optical heart rate sensor accuracy can vary due to factors like tattoos and skin color, with both brands offering ECG on select models.

Battery life is a key differentiator, with Garmin watches lasting from days to weeks on a single charge, while Apple Watches typically last a day.

The choice between Apple Watch and Garmin depends on whether the user prioritizes smart features or fitness and wellness tracking.

Transcripts

okay today we're going to tackle that

age-old question that I get asked on a

routine basis from friends and family

and here on YouTube in the comments

which one should you go for an Apple

Watch or a Garmin this is going to be a

deep dive let's talk about it this video

is designed for the person just starting

to explore the options when it comes to

GPS multisport watches smart watches

that sort of thing and one of the

questions that you'll quickly realize

when you're getting into this mess is

that it's really hard to decide which

way to go should you go for an Apple

Watch with all the Smartwatch

capabilities and cellular connectivity

and apps or should you go for something

like a Garmin which is a little bit more

focused on being a fitness watch rather

than a smartwatch now truth be told

there are no bad options here all the

watches I have on the table here are

really nice the thing is when it comes

to either a Garin or an Apple Watch

there's always going to be a sacrifice

there's going to be pros and cons to

both and it's really going to boil down

to your specific use case as to which

one's right for you now my goal in this

video today is to run through all the

differences all the variables and try to

help you decide which one is the right

tool for the job and keep in mind as we

go through this that I'm not going to be

talking about specific models in general

we're going to keep this pretty high

level so we can actually get through

this video so looking at my table here

you can see there's a lot of garments on

the left side of the screen here and

that's because Garmin makes a lot of

different watches at a lot of different

different price points it's very

confusing now if we look at the right

side of the table here it's it's much

simpler I've got two apple watches out

of the three current models that are

available from them they've got the base

model which is the Apple watch SE coming

in at

$249 that's retail price then the middle

of the road would be the Apple Watch

series 9 which comes in at around

$399 and then finally the most expensive

option would be the Apple watch Ultra 2

which comes in at $800 or $799 here in

the USA keep keep in mind that's not

sale pricing that's going to vary

wherever you are in the world so Apple

basically offers three different models

at three different price points and

within those three different models

there's even more variables like a

stainless steel version of the Apple

Watch series 9 versus the aluminum and

cellular versus versus non- cellular and

all of that will change the pricing

accordingly on the other hand if we go

over to the Garmin side of things Garmin

just makes a lot of different models for

example they have watches starting at

$249 like this Vivo active 5 I have here

but on the same token they also have the

Garmin Foreigner 165 which again is $249

both watches are the same price they

just vary in what features are offered

so on the Vivo active 5 for example it's

more of a wellness device while on the

Gman forigner 165 it's more designed for

runners the point I'm trying to get at

here is you're going to notice in the

Garmin camp that there's going to be

silos there's going to be like Adventure

oriented watches like this Garmin

Instinct 2x here that's going to going

to be lumped in with something like the

Garmin epics Gen 2 or the Phoenix 7

these are all like hiking outdoor style

watches that can sort of do it all then

there's the forer lineup which is the

Garmin forigner 265 or the 965 I'm

wearing here which are more in the

running lineup and then there's Wellness

devices like the Garmin venue series I

have here or the Vivo active 5 I have

here which are more designed to help

with like day-to-day wellness and

fitness and the moral of the story here

is that both apple and Garmin offer

devices ranging from $250 all the way up

to like ,000 so it's really gonna depend

on your budget and what you're looking

for okay I hope that helps hey there

quick Interruption if you're finding

this video fun or helpful or

entertaining or anything please consider

going down and giving me a thumbs up and

subscribing to my channel down below so

you don't miss more videos for me in the

future I'd really appreciate that also

make sure to check out the links in the

description to the products I'm showing

in this video and over to my merch store

where you can get a pretty sweet hat

like that all right let's move on moving

right along into the next topic let's

talk about design and size options and

the form factor so again between these

two different brands there's going to be

various sizes to choose from and that's

going to be important depending on the

size of your wrist for me for example I

have 16.5 cm circumference wrist and

this is the Garmin Foreigner 965 which

comes in at 47 mm in diameter however if

I was to take the Garmin Epix Pro 51 mm

here you can see it's quite a bit bigger

it's a much chunkier watch and on my

wrist it's a little bit big and that's

really going to boil down to your

personal preference and how big your

wrists are and the nice thing about

Garmin is that they actually make small

versions of most of their bigger watches

for example there's a 265 and then a

265s which is 42 mm in diameter when it

comes to sizing when we jump over to the

Apple side of things you do have some

sizes to choose from there as well if

you go with that Apple watch SE or an

Apple Watch series 9 both of those

models do have two different size op

options to choose from now this one here

is an Apple Watch 45 mm form factor and

you can see on my 16.5 cm circumference

wrists it fits me pretty well now

jumping all the way up to the Apple

watch Ultra 2 here this watch only comes

in one size form factor and that is 49

mm so it is quite a bit bigger than the

smaller Apple watches but then again

it's still not like crazy bulky for my

size wrist so I can wear this day today

without a problem the other thing to

consider when it comes to size though is

the form factor or the aspect ratio of

the watch where Garmin are typically

round for the most part they do have one

square watch but generally all of their

modern day watches are round this is the

Epic Pro 51 mm on the left here while

apple on the other hand makes

rectangular watches there are some pros

and cons to both for me I do like the

look of a standard round watch however

the Apple watch does provide a little

bit more screen real estate because of

that square shape design moving right

along into the next top topic let's talk

about the user interface between Garmin

and Apple watch and how they differ the

user user interface on the Garmin

watches will vary depending on the model

that you purchase you can see here I've

got a 4Runner model and an epics model

but if I scroll down between these two

models the user interface like looks a

little bit different it's very similar

but like the animations are slightly

different now on the Apple side of

things the user interface across all

Apple watches is the same you could have

an Apple Watch series 5 or like a really

old Apple watch it'll look nearly

identical to how this Apple watch Ultra

2 looks when you're using it and

scrolling through the menus the next

thing I want to talk about is actually

interacting with these watches and how

that differs between Apple and Garmin as

well so for example on the Apple watch

it basically leverages the touchcreen

for everything you do not everything

we'll talk about that in a minute but

most things you do on the Apple watch

you're going to need to use the

touchscreen for example if I'm scrolling

through the menu here and I want to

select I don't know the sleep app for

example there's no button here to select

that particular thing I can't just like

push a button on the side here to select

sleep I have to physically tap on sleep

and that will open the app not a huge

deal but if you're out on a hike or a

run for example and you've got wet

sweaty hands using a touchcreen can be a

little bit of a hassle on the other hand

on the Apple watch Ultra 2 for example

you do get an extra button on this watch

and as you can see on the side here this

orange button that they call the action

button can be mapped to various things

so for me I've actually map that to

launch my my workout activities so I can

click on that it'll open up the workout

app now I can choose run for example

again I can't just select run by using a

button I have to physically tap on it

but now that I'm in there I can actually

use the the action button to start my

workout as you can see there it just

started I can Mark a segment with that

button and I can even pinch two buttons

at the same time to pause my workout

however I can't end my workout with

buttons I still have to swipe over and

click the end button physically there to

end the workout so as you can see it's

kind of like a hybrid of using buttons

and screens to get things done now if we

go over to the Garment side of things

that's where things are a little bit

simpler so if you're looking to use more

of a tactile button-based user interface

that's where Garmin excels so as you can

see here if I scroll through this epics

Pro I can do everything with the buttons

I can go into my last activity there

click on that now I can scroll down and

I can look into different activities I

can open up the maps from that activity

or look at my heart read zones

everything on this watch can be done

from the buttons and not only that I can

actually disable the touchscreen

entirely if I don't want to use it again

though this is going to vary depending

on what Garmin watch you choose for

example the Garmin venue 3 here which is

more of like a smartwatch Wellness watch

kind of situation only has three buttons

on the side so you can't do everything

on this watch from the buttons on this

Garmin occasionally you will need to use

the touchcreen so it's going to boil

down to what model you choose if it's an

epics or a 4Runner it can be completely

button based and touchcreen based if

it's a venue 3 or a Vivo active then

you're going to have to use the

touchcreen for most things and if you

have an instinct series that's where

there's no touchcreen at all and you

will be using the buttons for absolutely

everything confused yet I am too let's

move on now let's talk about the actual

user interface between Apple and Garmin

because they are very very different so

on the Apple watch it could be an Ultra

2 a series 9 a series 8 series 7 they're

all kind of the same their user

interface is quite different it's

basically like having an iPhone strapped

to your wrist if I dive into my app menu

here you can see that it's really

reactive and there's lots of animations

and colors and everything just looks

really nice the controls are super

smooth there's no delay no lag no

waiting for anything to happen this is a

really Snappy user interface however in

here you'll find things like you know

Apple music or messages to check your

text messages you can scroll down and

you can open up the phone app to make a

phone call right from the watch without

even having your phone on you you can

open up Apple photos and look at recent

photos you took with your iPhone and it

ties into the Apple ecosystem really

tightly so if you get a text message on

your phone it's going to pop up on here

instantly you can reply to your text

messages from your watch you can stream

music to your watch using cellular data

again just keeping this pretty high

level to keep things moving I'll just

summarize the Apple watch by saying it's

a lot like your phone just really tiny

and strapped to your wrist now jumping

over the Garmin watches here here that's

where the user interface is a little bit

different because if you scroll down

you'll notice that the Garmin watches

prioritize your health and fitness over

everything else so the first thing you

see are things that will assist you in

your health and fitness here we've got a

weather widget then we've got the sunset

and sunrise widget but if I scroll down

you'll see my weekly mileage here this

is my last activity which was running

you'll see uh Health which will show me

my body battery which is a metric used

to try to help you identify how much

energy you have left in your day you've

got my sleep data there my heart rate

throughout the day my HRV status that's

heart rate variability that'll let you

know how your HRV is doing from dayto

day and whether or not it's declining or

going up you've got your step count and

your spo2 data there as well but it

doesn't just end there with like

wellness data if I scroll down you've

also got things like your estimated V2

Max here this is a good gauge on your

Fitness level and how your training is

helping your Fitness improve if I back

out of there I've even got things like

the hill score and then there's this

metric here called training readiness

which is one of my favorite metrics on

Garmin watches if I dive into this you

can see it says my training readiness is

moderate and if I scroll down it shows

all the factors that play a role into my

training readiness so that's my sleep my

recovery my HRV status my training load

my sleep history my stress history and

all those things roll up into that one

score that is training readiness to help

you identify how ready you are to take

on more training on a given day and then

on the the garments you do have tools

like training status and training status

will basically aggregate all of your

recent activities and let you know if

it's improving or productive to your

Fitness or decreasing or you know

straining your Fitness level because

you're overtraining or you're not doing

enough to be clear even though the Apple

watch doesn't present all the same data

that the Garmin do front and center

right on the watch itself it still does

collect all of that data including your

sleep your daily Wellness your step

count and even more advanced metrics

like the V 2 max for example and that's

all viewable within the Apple Health app

however it's still missing features like

body battery and training load but

that's where third-party apps come in to

sort of fill the gaps so even though the

Apple watch prioritizes smart functions

like phone calls and text messages and

streaming and all that stuff it can do a

whole lot more because the Apple App

Store has thousands of apps that you can

download to your Apple watch there's

just about an app for everything

imaginable I have an app on mine to like

open up my garage doors so like I said

the appw watch doesn't prioritize the

health and wellness data like right off

the bat but if you download an app like

athletic or Elite HRV they can get the

job done too in a very similar way to

Garmin watches they're just doing it

with a third-party app and that's kind

of what Apple does with everything Apple

basically gives you the foundation which

is the Apple watch itself with a really

slick looking user interface and then

they rely on thirdparty developers and

apps to kind of fill in the gaps for

what you want to do jumping back over to

the Garmin watches here there is an app

store for Garmin as well it's called

connect IQ or Garmin Connect IQ the

difference here is that on Garmin

Connect IQ first of all there's a lot

less offerings there there's not a lot

of thirdparty Developers for Garmin but

if you are looking for a watch face

there are thousand thousands of them you

can download to your watch another thing

you can download is data fields and data

fields are little Snippets of

information that can show up during an

activities so if you're out on a run and

you want a data field to show your

elevation data on a little graph you'll

probably find that on the connect IQ

store and that just allows you to

customize your activity data Pages what

you actually see when you're out on a

run so to summarize the Apple App Store

with the Apple watch there's a ton of

apps out there thousands of them to do

just about everything you can imagine

where on the Garmin Connect app store

it's really focused on watch faces and

some simple apps along with data fields

moving along to the next topic let's

talk about activity profiles and

recording activities with the Apple

watch and the garments so again this

ation will tie into Apps a little bit as

well because you know for the most part

I like to use the built-in default app

for working out from Apple which does

have a lot of activity profiles from

indoor running outdoor running and

everything in between you can even go

down and click add workout and you'll

see things like badminton bar basketball

soccer dancing American football archery

you name it apples probably got it

there's a lot of activity profiles here

for just about everything now the nice

thing about Apple is that if it's

missing an activity profile you can

probably find an app for that so if

you're somebody who's like playing

pickle ball or something and you

couldn't find that in this list you'll

probably be able to find a pickle ball

app on the App Store to fill that Gap

and another nice thing about the Apple

App Store is that there's thirdparty

apps for recording activities like

workout doors which is one of my

favorites for example it costs like five

bucks and it's a way better workout

experience compared to the native

built-in workout app on the Apple watch

in my opinion at least because it does

have built-in mapping and navigation

when you're out on your trail run or

hike which I find really valuable again

there's just a lot of flexibility when

it comes to the Apple watch and the App

Store there's a lot more you can do

there now on the Garment side of things

again there are a ton of activity

profiles to choose from within the

workout app here so if I scroll down

you're even going to see things like

soccer and football American football

basketball baseball team sports but more

simple things like running and cycling

as well and then on top of that you will

find you know crazy things like X

edition if you're climing climbing Mount

Everest this particular activity profile

will only ping a GPS satellite every few

hours to conserve battery life so you

can go on a super long hike without

killing your battery so there's more

like Niche activities I think on the

Garmin side of things where the Apple

watch is a little bit more basic when it

comes to activity recording and on the

activity tracking side of things let's

talk about navigation and mapping if you

are a hiker a trail Runner somebody who

goes off the beaten path and you want to

navigate around by using your watch

instead of getting your phone out every

2 seconds that's where it's sort of a

landslide victory for Garmin because

they have built-in offline maps that are

for your entire region so if you need to

find a waypoint you can look it up right

on your watch tap on it click go and

it'll actually give you turn BYT

directions without a cellular connection

to wherever you're trying to get to and

the mapping and navigation on Garmin is

really Advanced on the Apple side of

things it does have mapping and

navigation in fact a little while ago

they introduced offline mapping and

navigation to the Apple Watch series

however the offline mapping relied on

your phone I don't know why they did

this but instead of having the maps

downloaded right to the watch you still

needed your phone on you even if you're

like in the back country looking up a

map on your watch that being said if you

are used to something like Google Maps

or Apple Maps for example the mapping

experience on the Garmin watches can be

a little bit frustrating because as you

can see it's not like crazy fast

responsive it's a little bit laggy and

that's just the case because these

watches have a slower computer inside

slower Graphics handling and because of

that it's a little harder to navigate

through the mapping totally usable once

you get used to it but it is something

to consider if you're used to like an

Apple Watch or navigating on your phone

for example and finally on the topic of

navigation and mapping one more thing I

should mention is that it gets a lot

more confusing on the Garmin watches as

to which ones have mapping and which one

don't for example if you buy the Garmin

Vivo active 5 here this watch has no

mapping or navigation despite being a

Garmin watch but if you buy something

like the Garmin Foreigner 265 here this

has bra basic breadcrumb navigation

which means you'll be able to see a

little squiggly line of where you've

gone so far you'll be able to use that

line to get back to the beginning of

your activity but you won't have any

context around you you want to have a

base map that will show you like other

Trails or waterways or roads or anything

like that and then finally you do have

the Garmin Phoenix the epics the Garmin

forer 965 here and all these watches do

have that full-blown color mapping

capabilities so again it's important to

focus in on what product you're actually

looking at from Garmin and what features

you need and now that we've talked about

the activity tracking apps let's talk

about accuracy how accurate are the GPS

antennas on these watches and what kind

of tracks can you get from any of these

watches including all these other

garments I have here so instead of going

through every single model and telling

you how accurate or inaccurate it is I'm

just going to generalize this and say

that if you're a beginner looking to get

into a Garmin or an Apple Watch I

wouldn't even worry about GPS accuracy

at this point most of the watches on the

table here have something called dual

band multi-band multi signal

multifrequency it's a nice way of saying

that they're some of the most accurate

on the market and yes some are better

than others for example I've had really

good luck with the Apple watch Ultra 2

the Garmin forer 965 here the Epic Pro

are all really good when it comes to GPS

accuracy but largely all the watches I

have here are pretty good and if you buy

a recent generation Garmin or Apple

watch I would not worry about GPS

accuracy again there's going to be some

Nuance there like some are better than

others but if you're just getting into

this it's not something that's going to

really matter to you with GPS accuracy

out of the way let a good segue into

Optical heart rate sensor accuracy

because of course all these watches do

have a heart rate sensor on the back of

them however they're not all created

equal and that's where things again get

a little bit confusing on the Garment

side of things because they've had so

many different heart rate sensors

throughout the years now for the purpose

of this video we're just going to focus

on their latest generation of heart rate

sensors and here I have the Gen 5 sensor

on the left on this epics Pro and on the

right we have the Gen 4 heart rate

sensor there are some differences

between the two on the New Gen 5 sensor

there's a couple of new features for

example the Gen 5 sensor can pick up

your skin temperature while you're

sleeping throughout the night and that

can determine whether or not you're

coming down with something and getting

sick or even if you're overtraining the

Gen 5 heart rate sensor also has ECG or

electrocardio built-in while the Gen 4

heart rate sensor does not now in my

testing so far both of these sensors

have performed really well but again

there are a lot of variables that play

into accuracy with Optical heart rate

sensors from having tattoos to the color

of your skin to how dense the hair is on

your skin there's a lot that plays a

role in it so something that works well

for me might not work well for you all I

can do here is share my opinion and what

I've seen in my testing so far jumping

over to the Apple watch side of things

of course they do have Optical heart

rate sensors as well and if you buy an

Apple watch Ultra 2 or the Apple Watch

series 9 these will come equipped with

ECG or electroc cardiogram built in just

like on the Garmin gen5 sensor another

weird thing that happened on Apple watch

is that they were actually sued by a

company called Massimo a little while

ago they kind of blew up and they ended

up having to remove the feature of their

spo2 sensor or blood oxygen saturation

sensor from the back of the watch and

they did that from a software level if

you had a watch prior to this it would

still work and if you buy a used watch

with it enabled it'll still work for you

but if you go out to like Apple store or

Best Buy or whatever you're not going to

have that feature so again just keep

that in mind is it useful for everybody

some people yes but for me I never

really use the spo2 feature so I'm not

really worried about it and when it

comes to heart rate sensor accuracy from

both Garmin and Apple watch which one is

better well again this is kind of go

going to go back to the conversation I

had with GPS accuracy if you're just

getting into this and you're not

somebody who's going to be looking at

every little nitty-gritty detail you

know looking at every run or ride in

analyzing that heart rate track the

accuracy is not going to be something

you're even going to notice and the

final Topic in this video that we have

to talk about is going to be battery

life that's where Garmin is basically a

landslide Victory when it comes to

battery life because most of these

watches I have here will last you on a

single charge you know 5 days up to 30

days without even batting an eye they

they're really good in terms of battery

life now if we go over to the Apple side

of things that's where things get a

little less impressive because something

like the Apple Watch series 9 the series

8 the series 7 that'll last about a day

on a single charge so with these watches

you will need to charge them up every

single day to keep using them and on the

Apple watch Ultra 2 here you can get two

to three days out of it it has a much

bigger battery but again not super

impressive when you compare it to

something like the epics Pro 51 here

which can go about a month on a single

charge that's using it regularly for

runs as well okay with all that being

said with all those topics out of the

way which one is right for you and like

I said at the beginning of this video I

can't really answer that for you however

I can summarize in my opinion who these

two watches are designed for so on the

Garmin side of things Garmin are really

designed for Fitness and Wellness

focused people at their Forefront if

you're somebody who's an avid Runner

cyclist climber Trail Runner whatever

the Garmin watch is probably going to

suit you a little bit better than the

Apple watch on the other hand if you are

somebody who's very active maybe you are

a runner you're running a few times a

week but you also want a really useful

Smartwatch you don't want have to bring

your phone with you everywhere you want

to play back music to your earbuds phone

free and take and make phone calls

without having your phone on you that's

where the Apple watch is a really

compelling option because it does a lot

more as a smartwatch compared to a

Garmin but it's not quite as Fitness

focused first compared to a Garmin with

that said though that's not to say one

is better than the other or one can do

things that the other one can't because

again with the Apple App Store you can

download an app for just about

everything there's so many apps out

there to fill the gaps and with enough

apps on the Apple watch Ultra 2 you can

basically have the same functionality

between both watches and at the end of

the day it's really going to boil down

to your personal preference and which

one's right for you all I'm trying to do

here is lay out the facts and share my

opinions on who is right for these two

watches and hopefully hopefully that

helped you in some way okay that was a

lot that was a long- winded video and

I'm sorry for the dense nature of this

video but it had to be done I tried to

answer all the questions I'm sure I

missed some out there but hopefully you

found it helpful and if you did find it

helpful please consider going down and

giving me a thumbs up and subscribing to

my channel down below so you don't miss

more videos from me in the future I

would really appreciate that and while

you're down there checking out those

product links also check out the other

links down there which go over to my

other social media accounts like my

podcast my Instagram and my merch store

where you can buy some sweet merch like

this including the chase the summit

Nightfall hat and and the dad Pace hat

you like what I did there it's pretty

nice and with that friends that

concludes this video I hope you found it

helpful and uh I'll see you in the next

one bye

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