Apple Watch Ultra vs Garmin || 10 Key Differences
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- čas přidán 19. 05. 2024
- Ten key differences between the Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin. Which Garmin? In this video we use the Forerunner 955, Epix Gen 2 and Enduro 2 to compare what Garmin has to offer to the Apple Watch Ultra.
Best place to buy:
Apple Watch Ultra: amzn.to/3mNKr2J
Garmin FR 955: amzn.to/41Y1Bum
Garmin Epix Gen 2: amzn.to/3l89CMN
Garmin Enduro 2: amzn.to/405ijX7
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Music for this video was from Epidemic Sound : bit.ly/epidemicsoundRef
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Some of these links are affiliate links, if you purchase gear with these links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my channel and allowing me to continue to make triathlon content! - Sport
Here's the best place to buy:
Apple Watch Ultra: amzn.to/3mNKr2J
Garmin FR 955: amzn.to/41Y1Bum
Garmin Epix Gen 2: amzn.to/3l89CMN
Garmin Enduro 2: amzn.to/405ijX7
Affiliate links goes to helping support the channel. Thanks!
Your video quality has improved so much, just love watching your videos
Thanks Run Geek! I’m working on it. I think it’s sometimes hard to see the progress. Or getting better requires failing in public which is fun. 😬
We’ll get there. Hope all is well with you.
Holy. Cow. Man this video is AWESOME! The title or detail screens, background music, videography, and all was so so good!
Wow, thanks! I'm not so sure about it but it's different. 🤷♂️ Hope all is well in NC!
@@mlegrand yes man - the font styles and transitions- just fantastic. Love the new font and title screens - and lord the videography of each watch
Great video Matt. Had fun watching this one! I echo the other comments…loving the special effects and quality
Thank you so much! It’s one of those learning in public kind of situations which can be difficult 😬. But I think I’ll just keep pushing on. Hope you’re doing well. I’ve been loving your channel lately. Keep up the great work. 👌
Yoohooo….. Matt’s video on Sunday evening. Loved that wild Wild West/Good Bad Ugly (ish) theme as background music. Very well shot video. Loved the thumbnail. Touched all of the major differences. Keep them coming mate. Cheers.
Thank you so much Pavan! I like the Wild West music but I feel I should have mixed it up a bit more here. It’s all a big learning process. Thank you for all the support 👌
Nice comparison. I would love to see a breakdown between Garmin Connect vs Apple Health. That’s a huge difference IMO in Garmins favor. Much more useful, relevant info.
Yeah, I agree. the Garmin Connect app is pretty good. The comparison really drives home the difference in performance vs health metrics. Thanks Peter. 👌
Downside with Garmin Connect is that you need service to “upload” your activity to the phone. So if you are backpacking with no service, and finish your hike for the day…you need to get back to service so it can upload to Connect servers and then it shows up in the app. Huge flaw in the app
Apple is actively holding back anything that’s not an Apple Watch. That’s really the only downside to Garmin Connect and it’s not even Garmins fault.
Just used my new Garmin Epix 2 for skiing 3 days straight. Tracked my total mileage, speed, mapped runs, and total vertical ft skied. It was amazing. Loved having it.
Was the battery pretty much crushed after three days of tracking skiing? I'm guessing that's getting towards the limit. I get about 5-6 days but that's only using GPS for about an hour per day.
@@mlegrand I did charge it after each day ( mainly out of habit from my AWU I just sold). It was at 3 days of life after a full day of tracking.
@@mlegrand Thanks for sharing - Thats impressive that Epix with an hour GPS a day does last for 5-6 days . Apple ultra would have died the versy second day .
You hit a lot of great points. I love using mine for swimming but there are some features that I really miss that Garmin has but not enough to make me use a Garmin. Great video as always, Matt 👍
My Uncle is a serious swimmer and he’s the same as you. Not switching away from Apple even though he’s had Garmin in the past. It’s good to have options. 👌
So both of you are saying apple is better for swimming
@@Primetime_dads - Personally I prefer Garmin for swimming. I’m able to set it in drill mode for drills and splits are more precise with buttons. The AW is more of a ‘set it and forget it’ device. Which is fine but it doesn’t cover what I want to see after a workout. It’d be great if they used that action button on the Ultra for swim splits 🤞
I’d like to make a video comparing both specifically for swimming. Niche video 😆
@@mlegrand 👌👌👌
great video. I ended up selling my AWU and went with a Whoop band instead. The fact that there are less distractions ended up being amazing for me. Every time my watch went off id end up picking my phone up anyway so i was always doing double the work and not even realizing it. Whoop 4.0 has been amazing to use and that app is FANTASTIC.
I actually haven’t ever tested a Whoop strap here on this channel. That’s awesome that it’s working well for you!
@@mlegrand you should definitely consider they are amazing and it’s the best fitness app I’ve ever used. I can get you a free month I think through my link if interested let me know.
As usual excellent video and content. The next watch to go for Garmin is Fenix 8x Oled.
Thanks! Yeah, that'll be a very interesting watch to checkout from Garmin. Highly likely. I just got to find a way to get back in Garmin's good graces so they'll let me review their watches. 😬 Thanks Alex!
Very nice comparison, I also enjoyed the ending outtake. Thank you Matt!
Wow, you made it all the way to the end? I need to start adding more funny outtakes or some other creative bonus content to reward the people who make it till the end of these videos. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
You’re welcome and thanks for taking the time to respond.
@@kingjustice1831 - I actually really enjoy the comment section of each video. It’s fun learning about all the people who watch. 👌 Have a good weekend King Justice!
Thanks Matt - you too!!
Please allow me to add one (maybe 2) more thing(s).
Cellular functionality has become a bigger deal to me than I would have originally thought when I started wearing fitness oriented watches.
I don’t like to run with my phone and I have always worn a fitness watch so Garmin’s lack of a cellular option is “no go” for me.
I run a 10k every day before work (typically around 3:30 am) and so safety is pretty high on my list.
One morning I was almost (bark no bite) attacked by 2 dogs who left their fenced in area to come at me, but I yelled “hey” really loud and they turned around. Finally, for obvious reasons I have to be on more of an alert than other sun-up times of the day and the cellular option gives me peace of mind that I could summon help if needed.
Thanks!
Your endurance comment was funny 😁 Guess that will apply to me too. Will look forward to Garmin's calculations? 🤔 Thank you for the video.
Hopefully I can work on picking up the speed a little bit as the weather warms. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Really great video. Very practical information and really helped me to get I. The correct frame of
Mind about these devices. Thank you
Glad it was helpful Paul! Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Loved the music choices. Felt like a Tarantino movie 😊
Yes!!! It was fun to find 10 songs with that same vibe. Kind of a western duel kind of sound. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Excellent video!! But please do a comparison with 965 to Ultra.
I would love to. Currently Garmin doesn’t have any 955s that I can buy or borrow. I’ll try to get one as soon as possible and do a review and comparison. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Matt, Ku ise (Yoruba for well done). Lovely Video
One thing people overlook is the number of metrics you get with Garmin. This is one area where Garmin blows the competition to smithereens. It is the major reason I had to part with my Ultra - Now use the Epix.
Very interesting. Is there anything you miss about the AWU?
Hey Matt! Great video as always! If you get to the Birmingham area let me know and we can train at Oak Moutain. As i have said before, I prefer Garmin for everything swimming. I prefer a standalone bike computer (Garmin) for cycling. But the Apple Watch Ultra holds its own on the run. If I had to choose one watch for running it would be the AWU. If I forget my Garmin in my bag, then I can use my AWU for anything. My AWU is my daily watch while I am at work or hanging out. I will strap on my Garmin 935 if I am certain I am swimming or doing a triathlon.
I will 100% come join you at Oak Mountain at some point. I used to do my long runs there back when I worked at the Trak Shak. Sounds like your Garmin/AWU set up is pretty ideal. It's the best of both worlds. Thanks Ezra!
Big advantage for Garmin on cross-country skiing; the higher end Garmin watches including 945, 955, 965 have XC ski dynamics when used with the appropriate Garmin heart strap, and these can tell the difference between skate skiing and classical. This enables the Garmin to measure power in skiing as well as with running. As nearly as I can tell Apple has the hardware.....if they'll just get there on the software. But they'd have to up their game on both Watch OS and pairing with some kind of external sensor, probably a heart strap that would support the kind of running dynamics that the higher end Garmin watches can get out of the HRM-Pro and Pro plus.
That is very interesting. I don't skate ski but I'd be willing to try it just to test out those dynamics. Thanks for posting this dblissmn!
I have an apple watch ultra for a half marathons and my training and I feel it is a good smartwatch. however, there is something that Garmin has that apple doesn't have yet: Functions out of the box. IN the Apple watch I need to adjust to get the best of it, in Garmin, it's just put on my wrist and start running, a lof of good interactions with the Garmin connect and better battery life. I want to return to Garmin, with the new Forerunner 965.
Keep me posted on if you switch back and what you think. I’ll be very curious. I think you like it but miss some of the smart watch features.
I went back-and-forth between Garmin and Apple and the conclusion is that now I will wear both the watches and have the best of both worlds
I'm with you and I don't know many people who are rocking the two brands. You'll have to keep me posted as to what you think between the two. 👌
Great video :) I was curious about the different betwen Apple and Garmin regarding the features on Garmin that requires a subscription on Apple. I had seen some talking that there's a difference and that even make them go back to Garmin. From what is say in your video I can see with some iphone owners are more and more looking into the Appel watch but I still find the attitude of blocking competition by Appel not cool on the smart watch features.
Yeah, the blocking is very very frustrating. Thanks so much for checking this one out Yanick!
Great video. Your voice reminds me of Nikki Sixx (California/ Seattle).
Wow, thank you! I actually grew up in Alabama but now I live close to Portland Oregon.
Had a Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire for 2 years. Just switched to the Apple Ultra and couldnt be happier. While the Garmin was nice and the Uconnect app showed lots of info, having to open the app to download data was a pain, also small stuff like having to open the app so the temperature/weather on my watch would update was also annoying. For some reason I also took off my Garmin before bed every night. With the Ultra, I leave it on constantly, battery life is great, and I find it alot more useful since it works great hand in hand with the Iphone. Not needing my phone when I run or hike is a huge plus! Messaging, taking calls, and being able to control spotify (without having to download songs on the watch) is amazing. Glad I made the switch
I hate the Garmin Spotify syncs. It seems to take forever on my watches. It’s not a huge deal as I tend to listen to the music on my iPhone and almost never from my Garmin or Apple Watches. But your feedback is fantastic. I think it’ll help others that are trying to figure this stuff out. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
You don't need phone either with Garmin. Apple battery life is ridiculous poor.
@@janiriekkinen401 not THAT poor. I have a 6 (not ultra), and it lasts at least a full day with some extra percentage left. is it less than garmin? yes. Is it too short? no. I charge it every day, so it doesn't bother me at all. people talk like it lasts only a couple of hours, but it last enough to make it practically indifferent.
@@janiriekkinen401 no, it’s not “ridiculously poor” and more importantly IMO Apple does not have even close to the battery decay as Garmin does. After like 2 years the Garmins I’ve had last about half their battery life they started with. Overpriced overpromised and under delivered is my experience with Garmin
@@SoftTofu123 One day😅 it's that good in your opinion? Garmin lasts two weeks.
I think garmin is very focused on what an athlete needs and pretty much perfects it in that regard.... whereas apple watches feel like a phone extension....
Exactly. This is probably how I should have described it in this video. Thanks Andy!
The AWU without third party apps would be a pointless ”sports watch” at that price !
Seems a bit strong. Might not be as super focussed, but with great accuracy and UI it’s a pretty great sports watch - and for the 98% of the day where you don’t run, it kicks the Garmin pretty effectively
… small correction… an apple phone extension, it has no value for non-apple phone users. That’s still more then 70% of the total phone market.
Actually… not perfect.
While Garmin has monster athletic features, all of those are driven by extrapolating core health & wellness data the watch collects. The issue for Garmin is they have a rather poor algorithm. That means you get a more flawed estimation of the essential health data influencing your morning report, body battery, training readiness, etc.
If the watch is to help you make athletic advances as much as you can, doesn’t that entire mission come into question since the entire athletic features set is built on data that has notably lower-grade accuracy?
Home lab tests have shown that most high-end Garmins perform worse in this area than even modest Huawei sport watches.
Thus, the trade-off becomes this: way poorer health + fitness data, a rich athletic feature set, phenomenal battery life & limited smartwatch capability vs. Industry leading health + fitness data accuracy, very deficient athletic feature set, POOR battery life, & exceptional smartwatch capabilities for daily living.
If you want to see some examples catch Garmin tests vs the rest on The Quantified Scientist’s channel.
For me personally it comes down to three points. The weight and comfort of the Garmin FR feels great (vs my AW7). I don’t take it off when going to bed. I sometimes also forget that I am wearing it. The second point is the battery life. Once I used my AW for a one day hiking trip and the battery died. With the FR I don’t even think about taking the charger/cable with me when going out for the weekend. The third and my main issue is the display and input method. On a rainy day my AW was under the sleeve but since it got wet the AW changed screens like I would interact with it. Therefore I am a fan of buttons. And I also prefer the lower distraction time when using them. Touchscreens require always more of your focus time. Coming to the display technology I don’t like the AW (and probably the EPIX) because of the light emitting. In the dark it is annoying. For example bringing my kids to bed the room gets light up. Of course I could disable always on but then it would take an extra ‘second’ when looking at the watch at a glance. And since I have an office job where I stare most of my time at a display it feels like a relief for me when looking on the MIP display of the Garmin.
Very good points. I think both buttons and MIP transflective displays are underrated. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Like👌
Great video👍
Huge thanks Norvyn! Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Love your channel. Got a new sub
Right back at you!!! I was lost in your channel content for hours tonight. Really high quality work. 👏
@@mlegrand much appreciated man. Keep it up 👍🏻
6 months ago i would of said apple ultra but after having Garmin 965 i believe Garmin is better . I’m getting way more battery life out of Garmin than the Apple Watch . With the Apple Watch ultra I’m lucky to get 2-3 days before it needs charging which is disappointing . Also the price plays a part the Apple Watch is about $400-$500 more expensive than Garmin 965 . It’s the first Garmin watch I’ve bought and more likely wont be the last .
Great feedback Richard! I have both of these watches also now and they are very different types of devices for sure. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Great video on production and content as other people have said. I'm a causal runner and a techy, I currently have a ForeRunner 235, I haven't really had a need to upgrade which says something about the Garmin, it still does great but there are some new features out there that had me looking for a new watch and as an iphone user was between the Apple and FR 965. Based on the video and really on a lot of the comments, I think I am going to stick with the Garmin. I'm not completely sure about the new screens on the Garmin but I like having buttons and I don't really need a bunch of apps. I see you have a 965 2 months later video so I will be jumping over there next!
I think it’d be an excellent upgrade for you. Let me know what you end up with and how you like it. 👍
Hi Matt, which ones do live tracking with mapping with data eg splits so family can follow along (all without needing a phone in support)
Garmin used to make a 945LTE that was ideal for this exact purpose. I can't figure out why Garmin isn't adding LTE to more devices. I just figured it'd be an option on all of them by now. 🤷🏻♂️
Not just your video but in general haven’t seen a lot of commentary on multi sports functionality such as downhill skiing or weights/strength training. Any insight anyone has would be appreciated
I've used both the Apple Watch Ultra and the Garmin for weights/strength training. The Garmin will try to keep track of Reps and then you enter in the amount of weight. I find it a bit too over complicated for what I get out of it. I haven't tested downhill skiing but I know the Garmin will automatically count runs based on the change in altitude. Best of luck and keep me posted on what you figure out. Thanks 👍
For Golf there are some Apps for the Apple Watch with similar features like Garmin provides. BUT you always need a payed subscription on the Apple Watch.
That seems to be the same on some of the recovery metrics that come by default on the Garmin. 🤔 Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I am looking for a good smart watch with all the options....must have good golf feature also and the other health monitoring....plus good day to day watch for steps / distance etc.........curious on your recommendation or anyone else with some advice.....cheers all from Canada
The 965 from Garmin or the AW Ultra might be interesting to consider. The Garmin has a lot of built in gold functionality but the Apple Watches would have more individualized apps that might be even better depending on what you’re working on within the game. There’s also some new Apple development tools for analyzing your golf swing that might be interesting in the future. I’m personally not a golfer but hopefully something in here helps. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand thx for the response...cheers
Way better battery, mapping & navigation ( big selling point) , creating training programs and courses, training readiness, Pace pro, Climb pro, HRV readings, Performance condition, Real-time stamina, body battery, Training status ( acute vs chronic )..... Yeah, sadly I could continue the list for many more things. Garmin is WAY ahead. Ive had both, and right now there is no competition. Apple is a fantastic smart-watch and Garmin is the superior Fitness watch.
Good feedback Morten. Thanks for posting this.
I have both devices, for me Garmin is superior. I also dont live in the United States and apple doesn't have the race or track options available to me in my country. The apple watch is the best smart watch on the market (for daily use), but from an athletics perspective its been highly disappointing compared to the Coros or Garmin for example. I run fairly competitively and having to manually put in my workouts on the Apple watch is so time consuming and frustrating, that alone makes me not want to use it for workouts. while I'm out and about though its hard to argue against the apple watch (ultra). Since I don't use the ultra for fitness anymore, I likely could have downgraded to a regular apple watch for similar features and saved some money. Hind sight is 20/20 though
100% agree with your feedback here. I still think that Ultra is a great every day device. You could have saved money but it'll probably last a really long time due to the better materials that it's made out of. Best of luck with running. Is it track season? Or are you more of a road runner?
@@mlegrand I’m a half marathoner and 10k runner so (road runner). Just started my season and placed 4th in my last race, last weekend. I didn’t want to slander the Apple Watch at all, it’s a great piece of tech, but I just find entering my track/speed/repeat and tempo work on the Apple Watch fitness functions are so manual and laborious. I think apple does have the bandwidth to takeover the fitness game, but I just think they have the North American casual consumer market in a bind rn, so there’s no incentive to match the Coros or garmin apps from an analytics standpoint.
Hello,
To be honest with you I’m more frustrated than ever. I’ve the epix 2 and the AWU and can’t decide which one should I keep. The Epix gives more data but it’s not accurate at all while the AWU is the best accurate watch in the market in every aspect (sleep tracking, heart rate, Vo2 max, Spo2...). With which one should I go ? I’ve no idea. I’ve been watching tons of videos, reading tons of comments and getting tons of confusions. Please help 🙏🙏🙏
The Epix should be similar in accuracy to the AWU for GPS tracking. They are both very accurate. The battery life is also a little better on the Garmin but I think you're leaning towards the AWU so I think that's the one you should keep. Keep me posted on what you do. 👌
@@mlegrand Thank you for the answer. Honestly I'm leaning to the Epix 2 and I would like to keep it but since I watched this video czcams.com/video/YJRUW0azIqk/video.html and compared it to this one czcams.com/video/dDtt98gJjrY/video.html I've changed my mind. May be you've more information than I have. I really appreciate your reply.
Thank you!
@@bilal7217 - I love Rob's channel. (@TheQuantifiedScientist) He is such a great guy. I think he'd tell you that sleep stage accuracy tracking is pretty tricky and we shouldn't place too much trust in any wrist based wearable at this point. But in my test, Apple seems to do very well at sleep tracking and heart rate tracking depending on activity type. I would let the decision come down to whether you want more of a smart watch or more of an endurance sports watch. These two watches are still very different in that regard. Best of luck Bilal!
I’m curious on how the AWU/AW and Garmin watches heart rate monitor compares to a dedicated heart rate sensor such as a chest strap.
Dedicated HRM chest strap is typically the way to go for the most accurate results. Both Garmin and Apple have been doing an excellent job recently. These wrist based optical heart rate monitors are more or less accurate depending on the sport. Things like running and biking aren't too difficult but swimming and tennis or handball are extremely difficult. The watches have to find the HR rhythm amongst all the noise. The chest strap is looking for the electrical signal from the heart.
Quantified Scientist did comprehensive experiments. Most modern smart watches from well known companies are very accurate. Some are better than the others. apple watches, for example, are practically indistinguishable from the chest strap. People talk about noises and stuff, but modern algorithms are pretty good at denoising. Having said that, I find that watches are more prone to fitting of the device. I personally find the chest strap to be better fitting due to its flexibility. my wrist is quite boney-y, so the sensor doesnt seem to sit flat quite well, unless i make it tight. So I'd say that watch sensors are more inconsistent among users than the chest strap
@@SoftTofu123 - Keep in mind that optical wrist-based heart rate monitor's accuracy is going to be very sport specific. Modern algorithms are good at de noising certain sports and not others. Running is my 'middle of the road' test. Easy for most major manufactures but a complete dumpster fire for others. Switching to a sport like handball and there's not a watch on the market that can denoise.
@@mlegrand true, but how many people do stuff like handball? Most people run, swim, and/or cycle. Based on other resources and what most people do for exercise, it's safe to say that for the general population, optical sensors are perfectly accurate enough. Also, could you share data to support your claims such as "swimming and tennis or handball are extremely difficult"?
@@SoftTofu123 - So true. I don't think anyone is wearing a wrist based optical HRM during hand ball. I don't even think watches are allowed but I don't actually play the game. I just remembering a study (I think done by Polar) of which sports were the best and worst for an optical HR sensor and hand ball came out as the worst.
One more comment, I can't help but make because I've been thinking how well said:
"Don't think you'd use a flashlight on the watch? Well then you'd be wrong" haha
I continue to wrestle with the fact that I will never be able to use another Watch that does not include a flashlight like this - it's indispensable
I’d love it if Garmin (or anyone) would just make this a standard on all watches going forward. 🤷🏻♂️
@@mlegrand I know - would make Watch buying much easier bc now I'm limited to 3 choices for the rest of my life (enduro/F7X/tactix) haha
Fenix reads my power meter data that sealed the deal for me...
Yes, most of the Garmin watches will handle bike inputs extremely well. It’s a huge help. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Just wish Apple would bring support for my country Denmark when it comes to Apple fitness +
Yeah, I'm surprised it's taking so long. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
You missed out mentioning the Garmin Marq. It’s offers higher duarability and better materials then the Ultra ;-).
@@mlegrand I think it’s verry difficult to compare watches in the context of providing buying advice. I wonder how manny people actually base their buying decisions on specs, in particular when buying a watch. The reason I called out the marq, is because in the beginning of the video you refer briefly to the AWU being slightly more scratch resistant the garmin. This is I think not the case comparing against a garmin Marq, who has a higher grade Safire and titanium then the AWU. Another advantage is it’s display is domed, not flat. The domed watch face makes it look not only more premium, but also makes it easier to quickly check time by glancing.
@@krisvanaut - I'd have to re-watch that part but I think I would have said that the AWU is more scratch resistant than Garmin's low end devices but that it's similar to Garmin's higher-end watches. Sapphire in particular is resistant to scratches. But you're right about there being different grades of sapphire. I think Garmin does tend to use a pretty high grade. I wasn't aware that the Marq series of devices used a higher grade sapphire than Epix or Fenix watches. I've never actually had access to one of those watches to review but that's good to know. 👌
@@mlegrand hi, it’s not higher grade then the epic series, but higher grade then the apple ultra, who is using lower grade Safire ( jerry rigs everything did a test on that). The remark on titanium is more about the looks and finish of the tatanium used. The AWU has a “rough” gray surface ( its not nicely polished to reduce manufacturing cost). The Marq titanium is more polished and looks more like metal, that’s because the titanium itself has more vanadium alloy + more effort has been taken to give it a premium finish.
@@krisvanaut - I did watch that Jerry Rigs everything episode. It was a good one. I also have a diamond checker and checked the sapphire on the 955/Epix 2/ Enduro 2 and Ultra. It'd be fun to take a look at those Marq devices some day. Maybe some day 🤷♂
Golf is another area where Garmin wins hands down. 48,000 courses available at no extra cost, as well as shot tracking, club tracking, green contours, etc.
I can't speak much to Golf. I should probably get out there and do some testing. ⛳️ I do love how much Garmin provides without a subscription fee. Thank goodness there's one company not diving deep into that mess. Thanks for dropping down here into the comments section Bradley. 👌
Matt amazing video. I say Garmin from an android. I'm going to get solar one once this my fenix 3 dies
You're getting great value out of that Fenix 3 👌 Do you think you'll get a Fenix 7 solar? Or maybe a 955? Hope training is going well. 👍
@@mlegrand hopefully the 8 solar.. But we see. I'm getting back in shape slowly
@@bonn1771 - Good call. 👍
Really feels like Garmin is for the person that takes sports seriously and apple is for an active smart watch user. However tech wise I'd guess apple has the potential to upgrade more so new apps and upgrades could narrow that gap for serious athletes. Someone else likened the apple ultra to an SUV. Yes they're marketed as off-road machines but really for most people they're just good looking cars for the usual road usage
I love that SUV analogy 👌 Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
This is spot on
I’ll watch because your video is top notch but for sports watch alone. Nothing is even close to the garmin. Look wise idk who would want an apple watch on their wrist. It’s weird looking like a brick. I like the conventional round watch style
I made this Apple Watch review April fools joke video a while back making fun of square watches. 🤦♂️ And the AW Ultra sticks up even higher on the wrist compared to other Apple Watches.
A square watch is better for showing text on the watch - it doesn’t get cut off awkwardly
@@rgmALC that’s what a phone is for I don’t need that on my watch
@@dnice362 I guess…then you are carrying around 2 devices instead of one - or constantly getting your phone if a text/email/phone call comes in.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
03:38 🎛️ Buttons on Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin:
05:03 💤 Sleep and General Health Tracking:
07:32 🏊♀️ Apple Watch Ultra for Swimming:
08:14 💦 Garmin Swim Activity Features:
08:28 🏊♀️ Swimming Features and Differences:
11:25 🔋 Battery Life Comparison:
13:43 💡 Display Brightness and Features:
15:22 ⌚ Operating System and Smartwatch Features:
Made with HARPA AI
This is awesome. Thanks for doing this!
The visual effects are incredible. You said they were a time suck last time, is it a matter of getting to know the system or even once you kow the system, they're still a time suck?
Say....do you think the tempered glass screens are worth while for watches to protect against scratches? I haven't seen any on your videos...just curious.
The machines are learning us!!!
DAMN- do you sleep that well normally? I've never scored that highly!! (I know the sleep metrics aren't always that accurate - but DAYUM)
"Real swimmers don't wear watches" I love that conclusion. This made me laugh.
How does Apple know where all the tracks are in the USA!?!?!?
I don't want to play this game, but the 17 hour Iron Man time cut off sounds fun...
200 nits is BRIGHT!
"If you think you wouldn't use it, you're wrong." I love that line - you do a great job with your videos, anticipating questions and what your audience might say. It is like having a conversation with you.
I took a big plunge and tried the auto flight modes on the drone....HOLY FLIPPING COOL BATMAN. I'll FB message you the (very short) clips!
XOXO
I think those screen protectors are worth it. What’s cool is you can even use them after a scratch and the sticky side will often fill in the scratch and the screen protector makes it look new. 👌.
Your watch is probably fine. It’s a durable beast.
I had them both, I think apple is more convenient for running and everyday use, I only wear garmin when I play golf
Are there any amazing Golf apps for the Apple Watch? I’m guessing there might be some interesting options when WastchOS 10 drops in a few months. 🤔
Very happy i upgraded from the Apple watches to Garmin.
Anything you miss? What do you like about the Garmin? I think some people will miss the smart features 🤷🏻♂️
@@mlegrand Garmin just clicks for me. While Apple didn't help to stimulate for a healthier lifestyle, is see Garmin is able to do that. But above all, the possibility to create your own trainingsetups, the more advanced feedback for exercising and superlong battery are the gamechangers for me.
Being able to escape the vendor Lock in from the Apple system is also a nice plus.
What about the Apple Watch v Garmin 965 Matt?
At the time of posting this, I didn’t have the 965. My full review of the 965 should be out next week. 🤞
@@mlegrand great stuff, looking forward to it 😎
Took a week to compare Apple Watch ultra and Garmin Epix pro, finally bought Epix.
Things I didn’t like about apple even though I am an Apple Watch user for a long time.
1. The dial design. I am not a fan of rectangular type watches
2. Apple watches are for people who want an extension from their phone (Since the phone does everything why you want a watch to do the same?)
3. It looks good on girls arm than boys.
4. Battery
Basically, I only take advantage of health and Apple Pay with the apple watch the rest are useless for me.
As I run , cycle and play multiple sports Garmin is the best option.
Great feedback! I agree the AW has a ton of advantages but the Epix is fantastic. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand You are welcome.
Besides, I have been using chronograph dials (Analogue) for over a decade, I still have one but use only in the formal occasions. When I switch from a proper watch to Apple Watch it feels really wired on my hand though. I believe this problem is solved now 😀.
It is worth noting that heart rate readings on Ultra not only drops many times during a workout (happened at running and cycling) but also shows a huge difference when comparing with Garmin Sapphire Solar's HR readings. There is a long thread on Apple Communities discussions where everyone has been complaining about random dropping heart rate during workouts since Ultra was made available for buying . I don't trust the Ultra anymore for what it promised.
Most of my data has been extremely good with the AWU. This watch will not show HR data when it doesn't have good contact with the skin. I have noticed a few high reading just on my last few runs which seems odd. Not sure what's going on there. It'd probably be best to compare it to a chest strap or a chest strap and another optical wrist HRM. Any HR watch will need to be worn tight and up away from the wrist joint if possible. Keep me posted on what you're seeing. Thanks Cristian!
@@mlegrand Hi Matt! I tried everything but hr readings drops several times during each and every workout! I was hoping it was a software issue but even Os 9.5 didn’t solve the issue! I am really frustrated as overall is a very good watch, it does many things but fails to perform as it should do ! Yeah, the only thing is to use a band strap across your chest!
@@dcristian969 - Is your data on Strava or anywhere public?
Great video, man! I hope Apple doesn't wipe out the sport watch companies, but I'm not sure they can sustain.
Keep in mind Apple Watches only work with iPhones. So about 30% of global market. Garmin should be ok but your question is still super valid because it'd be hard to take a huge 30% hit to your market share. I'm sure Garmin's high end watch category is seeing a slight hit due to the AWU. 🤷♂️ Thanks for checking this one out Emilrux!
@@mlegrand not sure how much of that “70%” of the global market are buying expensive watches. Of the people who can afford them and want them, Apple is surely far more than 30% of that group. The Apple Watch is already the best selling watch. These other companies’ days are numbered
Better, if it had emergency satellite communication like the iPhone 14 that’s what I would like to see in the ultra-watch
That’s a great suggestion. I wonder if that’s something they’re working on 🤔 Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Let's be honest, the 0815 hobby athlete doesn't need all the information from a Garmin watch. You can tell for yourself whether you are fit for training or not. It is really interesting for a competitive or professional athlete. As a hobby athlete, I have therefore decided to go to the AWU. Simply because the harmony with the smartphone is perfect. If I put my phone on silent, the clock is silent too. If the display is unlocked and I get a message, the watch remains silent. I can mute the alarm on my wrist. With various apps I can also record an afternoon nap. The biggest shortcoming of the Garmin watches - as a shift worker, the sleep analysis is useless. I don't understand why it hasn't been possible to install a manual sleep recording here for years.
I've thought the same thing. Just let us do a manual entry for naps or whatever. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
What about heart rate accuracy for swimming
I typically test HR accuracy for running because swimming is so hard for all wrist based optical heart rate sensors. There's so much movement in the wrists. If I had to guess just based on wearing both of these watches frequently when swimming, I'd say the Apple is more accurate. But again, sports like swimming, tennis or handball are going to be very inaccurate for watch HR monitors.
@@mlegrand got ya 👌 thanks man
I hate switch watches for my day to day life. Because of that, apple watch takes the cake. My rucks only last an hour or 2 so it’s plenty capable for me. Kinda cool to see how far apple has come in the smartwatch realm.
Apple seems to be pushing it. They seem to care about this endurance activity group of users. We’ll see how things gos in the future but it might be interesting. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
What a shame Apple ULTRA watch the battery life is sucks else ( I would never have considered buying an EPIX ).
Any smartwatch, battery is paramount , what's the point of having a dead watch on your wrist majority of the time .
Thanks for the great review .
I’d love to see a better battery life but at least Apple has improved this watch’s battery life. I get 2-3 days which is a lot better than having to charge every day. I was originally really hoping to see Apple get to 6-7 days. I still think there’s room for Apple to do a medium mode with half the brightness and an extra day or two of battery life. 🤷🏻♂️
@@mlegrand certainly agree with your comment .
With Always On Display (AOD), the Apple Watch Ultra can only go for approximately 18 hours. The Garmin Epix 2 can go for 6 days with AOD. So, it is not a 2-3 with Apple and a 6 days with Garmin in that comparison. With AOD turned off with both watches, Apple can go 2-3 days while Garmin Epix 2 can go 16 days. [Edited to fix my third sentence, which did not start with a capital letter.]
I’m just giving my rough numbers after having used these devices for a while. I use each in AOD mode. I do have both go into their sleep mode at night so as not to wake me but the numbers I quote are my experience with battery life of each. I typically wear the AWU on the right wrist and the Garmin on left. I also do about an hour of activity per day which is harder on battery life. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Nothing beats Garmin!
It’s a great option for sure!
4 things disqualifying AW for me: battery life, inability to quickly operate with skiing gloves on, lack of configuring options, the fact that I use Pixel phones 😉
That's a pretty hard no. 😂
Outstanding video, both in content and production. I think there is often an assumption that health tracking accuracy is equal between Garmin and Apple, but Apple is far more accurate - it’s not even close. That touchscreen, however, if often too fiddly for outdoor sports.
Apple is pretty impressive with their health tracking metrics. But Garmin's newer devices aren't too bad either. Thanks for checking out this video Doug.
Gamin has the ability to edit your distances, Apple doesnt. Example, you do a treadmill run or trail run, treadmill distance/train real distance is 2.0 miles, Garmin watch says you ran 2.1 miles, you can edit the Garmin watch distance to the correct 2.0 miles right on the watch at the end of the activity and it will adjust the pace accordingly. Whatever the apple watch say is what goes, no editing. So if you Apple says 4.7 miles on a 1.5 mile up hill run thats what itll be logged as.
Yeah, good point. There are so many little differences between the two. I should have mentioned this one. I also wish it was easier to work with exported data on the Apple Watch. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
For meee personally it’s about GPS accuracy and I have to be honest here. I want to LOVE Garmin but. Recently I have done Marathon:
Garmin 6s Pro recorded 42.35 km
Apple Watch 7 recorded 42.25 km
And I have to say that the Apple Watch was like 98% spot on with the kilometres markers. Hopping to try multiband GPS garmin like 255 or 955.
Garmin's newer watches and are very accurate when it comes to GPS. I'd say very similar to Apple. I test these brands against each other on every single run, one on one wrist and one on the other. Each day is different but for the most part Apple and Garmin both have extremely good GPS accuracy.
For me, garmin is better only for hikes. My epix 2 was so inaccurate with climate, altitud, hrv related, etc., than I ended up with an Apple Watch ultra after. Now I only use the epix for hikes since the map and the ability to use gox routes is excellent. Apple is better for everything else I do. Only one app subscribed for recovery and fun, Gentler Streak.
I’ll have to check that app out. Thanks for posting this feedback Miguel! 👌
I am an Android User, so the AWU is no option. but when we compare, for me personally i miss Wireless charging on the Garmin watches. The new 965 from Garmin is nice but you have to Stick in a cable to Charge in 2023? 😢
I really really thought the 955 would have wireless charging, ECG and AMOLED. Seems like that *might have been enough to justify the name change and version bump. Goes to show how much I know. 🤦♂️
@@mlegrand I think for an Amoled, ecg and Wireless charging watch, we have to wait for the Epix Gen 3.
Garmin golf is worth the difference alone. Competitive leisure activities matter too.
I don't personally golf but I'm sure it's good. I bet there is some sort of decent app on the Apple App store. 🤷♂️
Seim training is defintely the worst part of Apple Watches.
For those who train intervals during training, Garmin is unbeatable. Apple should use the action buttons for that.
100% agree. The action button could be a bit more customizable based on what’s being displayed. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Great video, as always! I’ve long looked into the differences when I got my first triathlon watch. Biggest problem for me was the poor swimming functionality of the Ultra. Rest wasn’t recorded on the native app, and tracking the split times all suffered as a result. I didn’t want to pay for other swim apps for the following reason.
The next issue was lack of integration between health, activity tracking and recovery. The Ultra has several apps that can try to mimic Garmin’s all-in-one ecosystem but it only can do so in segments. Garmin wraps it all up quite nicely such that you know how your bike affected your overall load which affects your swim which impacts your readiness etc.
Gotta say though that the biggest plus for the Ultra is the ability make calls and send texts without a phone. That is a feature that is most sorely missing from Garmin.
Titanium is not supposed to be more solid or scratch-resistant than stainless steel, only lighter.
Would you say the durability of those two metals is about the same or is stainless steel a bit more resistant to dents or anything? Thanks HighSeas!
@@mlegrand I just typed "stainless steel titanium" on Google and in the first two results :
"Titanium is softer, and it’s generally more prone to scratches."
"While stainless steel’s Brinell hardness varies widely depending on alloy composition and heat treatment, it is generally tougher than titanium."
For watches' bezels, maybe the coating can improve titanium's resistance?
@@highseastrader4190 - no idea 🤷🏻♂️ But it’s interesting to see what materials companies pick and choose to save weight and the consequences. Thanks for googling that for me. 😆 👌
yes yes yes Garmin But the main reason for a smart watch - Direct Phone Calling feature
I almost don't like calling these Garmin watches Smart Watches. I feel like calling them sports watches might be better terminology. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
The slow responsiveness of the Garmin is always a blessing in disguise, because that weaker CPU draws so little power that the watch can go for a month between recharges. This is life or death when you are on the trail, your phone battery died due to extreme cold, your power bank is dead for the same reason, yet your Garmin has been kept warm next to your skin, and with its offline maps and LONG battery life, you can find your way even if its a many day trail. The Apple watch would be useless here because if your battery bank is dead, it can only go so far before its dead like your iphone is.
Yes! I do think that Garmin might be slowing the clock speed of the CPU way down until a user interacts with it. But that'd be a question for a Garmin engineer. I'd love to interview one on the channel some day. That'd be super interesting. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I guess Apple has to work on two major points: native maps and giving guidance. The AW is really capable but all these sport metrics are lacking an answer to the "so what?" which Garmin perfectly translates into recommendations for e.g., training and rest. I don't know what Apples long term goal or target market is, but outsourcing almost everything to third party apps is not a good move in my opinion. The funny thing is that Apple could change all that in seconds. I am really excited for the WWDC and a new version of watchOS, but its all speculation and hope. I feel that Apple is not even interested in giving guidance for serious sports ambitions and rather focuses on health / lifestyle kinda sporty people which is not wrong in itself but considering how the AW Ultra is advertised i feel misled.
100% agree. And Apple could change a lot of that at WWDC Withings WatchOS 10. I think that OS will be very telling as to the direction Apple is heading. We’ll see. 🤷🏻♂️
Clearly the Apple Watch is the best, if Garmin needs a whole range of watches to beat it.
I’m not sure there’s a ‘best’ but maybe a best for you. Apple is clearly a smarter smart watch. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
There’s no walking mode on Garmin?
There is a walking activity type for Garmin. It’s similar to their running activity mode.
@@mlegrand thanks for your reply 🙏
apple watch is a battery killer..no need to talk its market watch.. garmin is a beast guys..
Some of the Garmin Watches are extreme beasts. I’ve been wearing the Garmin Enduro 2 a lot lately and it just keeps on keeping on. Thanks for the comment Joe!!! 👍
“Don’t let your diamond ring scratch your watch screen” these are truly rich people issues 😂
For sure!!! 😆
For a watch that’s based around outdoors/fitness/action sports/etc. Apple will never beat Garmin.
It’s kind of Garmin’s thing isn’t it? It’s still interesting to see Apple make headway in that direction. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
For people who are focused on health tracking and have that lifestyle get a garmin. For people who want a phone extension get AWU
Good feedback for people to hear if they’re confused on these watches. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Sold my Apple Watch and decided to stick with my Garmin Forerunner 745 due to the constant pricing increases, bad battery life, and ugly shape of the AW
What you don’t love the square look? 😆
Thanks for the feedback Toshi!!!
I think Apple Watch ultra is un comparable to Garmin. Its like comparing key to a master key or a bakery to a whole supermarket
Good point Reggie. They are very different watches. I tried to compare them in this video anyway. Apple’s marketing team seems to have made an effort to make the Apple Watch Ultra appear as more of an endurance outdoor specialty device, which is typically Garmin’s focus. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Why are we even comparing. It's not in the same league or meant for the same purpose.
It’s just the comparison that people are curious about. Seems like a lot of people are switching from one brand to the other at the moment. Let me know if there’s a different topic you’d rather me cover and thanks for the feedback!
But see I am a diver and the ultra at 800$ is better than the decent mk2 ti at 2000$
That's good feedback for people to be aware of. I don't do any diving so I'm not a good judge on that topic. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I bought the Garmin Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar. It's the next day and I want to return it, full of regret. But I'm in Thailand and there is no return policy here. Turning on the GPS and hearing the Atari quality sound, the ancient menus. I am coming from an Apple Watch 7. Anyone that reads this, if you are used to the level of tech of an Apple Watch, going to Garmin is like going to an ancient flip phone. I HATE IT! If I could return it, I would. I tried to sell it hours later for $300 less than I paid and no bites on FB marketplace. Run, but don't run using this, RUN FROM THIS.
Wow, so sorry that you're stuck with this watch. I know a lot of people would be eager to take this off your hands. E-Bay maybe? I tell a lot of Apple users that if they switch to Garmin they'll miss a lot of what Apple has to offer. It's a hard switch. I have had a few people switch away from the Apple Watch Ultra for Garmin devices and not regretted it. Everyone is different. 🤷♂️
Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
As Matt said, whether the switch is good or not is very dependent on the individual and what they selected vs what they actually need. It seems you needed the smartwatch first priority instead of it being secondary to sport. I have had an Apple Watch 6 for a long time. When looking for an upgrade, I did a lot of research and chose a Garmin Epix 2. I don't regret it. I rarely use the smartwatch features. I certainly don't rely on them. I never used the Apple Watch for music. I have ear buds for that, which have much better sound quality. I also like the buttons on the Garmin and the screen being disabled during activities so I don't accidentally change something. Though I still have my AW6, my Garmin is my daily wear. And, as an added benefit, I don't have to worry about platform lock in.
@@mlegrand This looks like a fake comment. Some other guy said nearly the exact same comment, right down to using the word “Atari” in the review.
Im happy i changed my Apple Watch for a Garmin. Best decision ever. Now my watch can be used while more than one day out of home.
@@Malvasala Yea, but you can't answer your phone on the garmin, respond to emails, voice search, download more than a tiny selection of apps, change the music, search the web and a ton of other things. My Garmin Fenix 7x Solar is nice, but it's missing so much I have to wear an Apple Watch Ultra on my other rist like a huge douche. But I do and I bought about 10 matching wrist bands so make them at least not look as bad when I have one on each hand.
In five seconds, I could see that you were bias to Garmin 😂
Super biased. I’m guessing you didn’t stick around too long but I talked about many things that the AWU does better than Garmin. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I bought the Fenix 7x Sapphire Solar in Thailand where I couldn't immediately return it, which is what I would have done. It's such an old feeling tech solution, like an Atari on my wrist. I have never felt so much regret as buying this Fenix 7x. These two watches aren't even in the same league and for $1000? What a joke. Avoid the pain of regret or I'll sell you mine cheap if you want to find out for yourself.
I actually have looked at getting a Fenix 7 more specifically for military duty. Interesting you felt it was so dated feeling, was that mostly from UI and use aspects?
@SmartByTravel - I have a feeling you'll be able to find a buyer for that Fenix 7X. A lot of people love that watch. Obviously, it's very different than an AWU but I love the built in flashlight. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand It's growing on me now that I've figured out I really need to use this more with the phone to see what it's doing. I listed it with my receipt that it was one day old for 40% less than I bought it and no bites on several marketplaces. So, I just took it down and will keep it. The level of tech isn't what I am used to but I like the body battery, HRV and some of the things I am discovering. I've had an apple watch for many years and this was just very different but it's cool in it's own way. Thank you for the reply and the video.
@@SmartByTravel - Keep me posted on what you end up doing with it and if it grows on you a bit. It might be one of those situations where it only gets used for travel or hikes. It's still a shame that you're a bit stuck with the device. 😬
@@mlegrand Thank you for following up, that is really nice of you. You know, it is starting to grow on me. Some stats are kicking in over time such as HRV and although this watch was harder for me to learn, now I understand it. I like the little morning update and the body battery. This is definitely a better zombie apocalypse or expedition watch (sorry, I've been watching too much "The Last of Us". My wife says the bigger watch looks better too. I'm feeling a bit better, thank you :)
At the end of the day, apple watch is a poser wannabe. Garmin far superior in every regard
I personally wouldn’t put it that way. The Apple Watch does an impressive job at a lot of things but Garmin has some strong history in outdoor sports activities.
If you are woke then the Apple watch is for you, but if you are a real man or a real woman Garmin is the real thing!
Oh no, what if I have both? 🤷🏻♂️
the only ultra about apple watch is the heavy price and ultra bad battery,,lol the other thing is using apple watch touch display in the rain..lmao..goodluck with that without the buttons like garmin and almost every other sport watch..lmao apple watch is a show off gadget for office guys not sports people..lol
Ha! 😆
Yeah, rain is this things worst enemy. I once tried to start a triathlon race in the water and it was a nightmare. I almost had to get out of the water and get a towel. I barely got it going. 🤦♂️
@@mlegrand that's why real fitness watches have buttons.. Apple watch is just another poor attempt in being pro😂😅
Apple watch have ridiculous poor battery life. That's big deal.
Yeah, it’s a big deal but it’s interesting, people who have had previous versions of the AW rave about how great the battery life is on the AW Ultra. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I hate apple ! its a brand closed, expensive. I'll be always for open source projetcs and devices
Open source is hard to find for watches. Is Wear OS open source?