this video just stands out pleasantly from many other 'reviews' here. Some like to talk for minutes about how they take the watch out of the box, but you provide real, usable facts here.
Wonderful video! You might also like the Apple Smartwatch Case at www.asorockwatches.com/collections/smartwatch-case ⭐ Made specifically for 44mm Apple watches (Series 4, 5, 6, and SE) (for now). ⭐Pre-order today and save 35% OFF retail. (Ships out 1st week of December)
@@Dcrainmaker I got Apple Watch Series 1 and Im trying to connect to bike in gym I tap my watch and nothing show up it’s because series 1 don’t have as got series 7??
Wow…. This video took me by surprise. Direct, to the point and concise rather than talking endlessly about the feature set. Directly to what matters. Thank you.
Jeez. Quick to have a video up! Nice work Ray! The accuracy improvements are exciting I just wish they improved the battery life… at all! I love how they tote “all day battery life” when by definition a day is 24 hours 😂
Exactly. Compared to Garmin's days/weeks/months battery life (depending on the model), not even lasting 24h is a bit pathetic, regardless of what features it has.
@@mitchjames9350 Fenix 6 estimates 21d with bluetooth off and 14d with it on - this obviously goes down as you use GPS, which I do a lot, but I still usually get 10d on a charge. I also have the instinct solar and, with enough sun, that can theoretically last at least a month on one charge - mind you, mine hasn't seen enough sun to prove that 😬
Just a note to say you're doing a great job. The effort and care you've put in to gather real world data and then to show and explain in a meaningful way is fantastic. Please keep at it! Lot of love from Australia.
I just got the series 7 a week ago. The workout tracking and sleep tracking has been great so far. I’m a fairly casual gym goer, about an hour of working out a day every weekday, and for that use, it’s fantastic.
Surprisingly, no time target here. For some videos like the GoPro ones I do, but for this one I wasn’t worried about packing new details in…because…umm…there’s not much new. 🤣
@@Dcrainmaker that's it then, it's just your Style 😂. About the features, I was genuinely surprised by the gps and HR accuracy. The day apple watch supports power meters and gets lte support in NL I won't have reasons any longer to go without the superior smartwatch functionalities compared to my fénix 6.
I was considering getting the SE2 as my first Apple Watch, but decided to get the non-cellular Nike Series 7 instead. Reasons included always on, dust resistance, non-plastic back and fast charging. I think I made the right decision, even though it was more expensive.
As a long time Fenix user (since 3) is it possible to use a Apple Watch for normal wear and Fenix for workouts… and merge that data? Instead of having steps split and workouts?
Yes, you can. I use Run Gap app for syncing workouts. It is really great! Syncing steps to Garmin connect from your AW works as well, but only in a cumbersome and limited way. You'd need to manually upload you steps every night as it is not possible to share steps from previous days, at least I have not figured out a way how to. From what I have read I understand that this issue is deliberately caused on Garmin's side as they do not want (for an unknown reason to me) external step metrics in their system (?).
Just ordered mine as a replacement /add on to Fenix 5, I hope charging will not be very annoying. What I am really waiting for is great fitness tracker, not a watch, something more “stealth” (like this ring but much better), and a nice elegant watch (I am health tracker freak, hr and stress and sleep is a must to track for me)
@@Ohmygodbruh If you're already happy with your (I"m assuming) Garmin's stress tracking there's no reason to switch. But just for reference, apps like Training Today and Athlytic do a very good job of translating the HRV data the Watch is already collecting into something similar to body battery and Whoop's strain/recovery.
I’m definitely more interested in a sports watch than a smart watch, but still…with this accuracy, 8-min charging, and the abundance of apps for your sport(s), I am not sure why I’d choose the Garmin Venu 2S over this one since I have an iPhone. I was planning to buy the Venu 2S but looking for it to go on sale because I don’t think it’s worth the $400 price tag. But maybe the Apple Watch 7 is.
@@jabraham08 I’ve been biking and running A LOT with Apple watches for the last five years and not even scratched any of mine. I’ve been jumping on the steel with sapphire every year and it’s really worth it
@@DeeKay1911 agree with you, it is difficult to scratch it. the problem is if inadvertently your apple watch is struck faceup with hard surface, it will break. If you live in congested places it is very much possible and mine broke :( .
I'd love to see you do an article on how to live with multiple watches, for example, an Apple Watch for business/office/day-to-day wear, then a Garmin for events/sports/hiking etc. How to sync the data up to retain a consistent record of your activities etc.
@@Nonixification I’m hoping *someone* has a solution for this and if anyone can, DCR can! I’d to be able to keep my Garmin metrics up to date, but use my Apple Watch too for work/office times.
Exactly the same struggle here... I have tried so many "syncing apps" (lately mainly RunGap), but a lot of health metrics still fall through the cracks, so the only way really seems to be wearing both watches... I currently wear F6 Titanium (24/7) and I am really tempted to buy the AW7, but I cannot picture myself wearing both watches. Plus my main sport is swimming and although there are apps which can (supposedly) do drill mode, the user exprience with Garmin is way better. First world problems - what to do?! :-)
Luckily I did not have a fall outside that was serious, but shortly after I got it, I was up in the mountains, snowed in, and with a power outage, when my granddaughter wanted me to find a solution for something. I headed into my room without a flash light and tripped. Hard fall. A bit later, luckily, I happened to see that my watch was asking if I was OK, or if it should call Emergency Services. I’m hearing impaired, but luckily saw it and quickly learned to tell my watch I was OK! Great reviews, thanks!
I agree- to get the best of both worlds, get an inexpensive AppleWatch for the 22 hours a day you aren’t working out and then get the GPS sports watch of your choice for your workouts.
@@FitOneTech You can use 3rd party smartphone apps to sync everything to one platform. That said, for training I like to keep my data separate as I find almost no value in the health metrics with regards to running performance.
You're in The Netherlands! Hi from a Dutchie! Always watch your reviews on the watch, and finally opted for the Series 7. Have you always been in Holland or this was a coincidence :)?
Hahah the bit of the video where you talk about gps and show the track on the map, I was like: oh thats funny, they do have a Ronald Mcdonald house in the US. And then i was like…. Oh wait , this is NL 🤣 i couldn’t hear anything in your talking !
Ok so it sounds like not enough reason to upgrade from my series 5 yet, GOOD NEWS! I'm currently wearing the red FR745 on my left and my series 5 on my right and getting funny looks once in a while by people that don't know our struggle.
I upgraded from series 5, mostly because of the upgraded HR sensor to v3 (happened on series 6 watch). But I’m finding the larger screen really pleasing. YMMV
Great video! I first learned about you while looking for my first running specific watch and ended up buying a Garmin Forerunner 235 when it first came out because of reading your article online. To this day, I’m still rocking the 235 for both my runs and my day-to-day activities. It still does what I need it to do. Just came on here to say I didn’t realize you’ve expanded to UA-cam so good on you and thanks for this video. When I decide to look for another wearable, your channel will definitely be the first place I look for reviews. Needless to say, new subbie here.
OMG DC Rainmaker!!!! Read DC's reviews for years and based nearly my purchases on his indepth and thoughtful reviews, though this is the first video I've seen so didn't recognise him. Got a few min in and thought 'This guy is as good as DC Rainmaker; only to realise...
I'm trying to choose a watch. I'm a dedicated runner who lives in Colorado. I don't see how a touch screen works when you're wearing gloves. I want dedicated buttons to start new laps or pause and resume. The only watch that seems to bridge the gap between dedicated running watch and smart watch is the Garmin Venu 2. It has 2 dedicated buttons for start and lap. Anyone else have suggestions?
You compared it to the SE Ray but what about compared to the series 6? Is the 7 a worthy upgrade if you already have a series 6 ? From a sports perspective? Ie GPS tracking and HR data?
I almost did a test vs the Series 6, but there’s virtually no reason to upgrade except the slightly faster charging. The display is hardly noticeable in real life. That said, I’ll probably do a workout tomorrow vs the Series 6 and include it in my written review data set.
@@Dcrainmaker thank you! Very curious for the results. Thanks for everything you do, always a thumbs up and subbed with notifications. Now where is that KICKR bike version two?? 😉
@@Dcrainmaker Is there anywhere to see a list of essential sports apps for the AW, I have Workoutdoors and Training Today, both great, would like some more.
Gave up my garmin for an Apple Watch a year ago. I’ve even completed an iron man with an Apple Watch (granted I used two). I much prefer the look of the garmin, but I much prefer data accuracy. With the apps downloaded to the Apple Watch I use, I get better and more accurate data. The heart rate tracker is second to none too. I miss not charging daily and as soon as apple create a longer battery Watch I think it will be game over for the others, unless you’re not with iOS of course.
WorkOutDoors is a pretty decent app that offers more in depth information compared to the native workout app. I used a Garmin forerunner 735xt for a year and switched to an Apple Watch. Granted the AW battery isn’t superior compared to the Garmins but the accuracy I’ve found is way better and it’s lasted for a couple of half marathons. Bearing in mind I use my AW purely as a sports watch with notification / message settings turned off. Best move I’ve done so far.
Off all the things I take from this video, the main thing is that Whoops data is genuinely bad. Not sure how a device that’s supposed to be all about heart rate can simply suck as a heart rate monitor
Great review, I would love a video where you show how to collect all the apps (nuts) to get to a garmin Suunto type on Apple Watch, I have a baro9 and tempted by Apple but frustrating part is not everything is on one place it’s easier simpler with the Suunto
I’ve recently gotten back in running pretty hard after about a 7 month hiatus. I used a Whoop 3.0 for 18 months, but recently switched from Android to iOS and I could not for the life of me get the Whoop to stay connected to the iPhone. I eventually gave up, and have been without any sensor data for a couple months (real bummer). Now I’m heavily considering getting the Apple Watch 7, and I thought this was a great review that really covered the use cases I was looking at it for. Thanks!
The one thing stopping me getting an Apple Watch (and I do want one) is the swimming functionality. As far as I understand, unlike my Garmin 910 (!) The Apple won’t give me swim interval alerts e.g. if I wanted to do a 2k swim by swimming 4 x 500m it can’t give me an alert every 500m to tell me when to rest. If I’ve got that wrong it would be great to know. Thanks for the video.
Thank you John. I have been researching AW, Garmin Vivioactive, etc. 🤔 I cannot get ANYONE to answer my specific question. I am an amateur swimmer, not a triathlete. I own a MasterSpa Trainer 15 D, which has 4 powerful jets that produce a current that allows me to swim “ in place”. I had been using my older Fitbit Versa Lite to try to track my HR, distance, etc. But, this watch had no swimming feature although it was supposedly waterproof. Apparently not, as its screen popped off during my swim! Do you have any suggestions? I am leaning toward a Garmin of some sort…. Thank you! Happy swimming! 🏊🏻♀️ Thank you, DC for a review, but I do wish you would answer my question. 🤨
@@pennykennedy4915 Hi Penny, I don’t know for certain but I’m not sure any swim watch will work in an endless pools. Smart watches need to be told the length of pool you are swimming in and then uses an accelerometer to identify when you turn and therefore complete a length. As there’s no turning in an endless pool this principle obviously won’t work. Good luck!
Gosh I am new to your channel and am searching for a fitness tracker/watch that is good for Both a woman, and a serious athlete. I am currently training for a competitive show so I do everything from weights, to circuit and running outdoors. Your review has been the most comprehensive for all of the products I’m considering right now. I also love the fact that you test for a month, not just a few days.
Why Apple refuses to increase overall battery life is beyond me, although I’m sure this is part of their grand scheme/plan (probably next year?). The vast majority of Apple Watch users want this. On the other side of the fence, the Garmin users want the Fenix 7. Two companies with different approaches, both fanbases clamoring for different things. I just bought a Fenix 6 sapphire. Though I can appreciate it, my life is too connected to Apple. I don’t run 100 mile races. It’ll probably be going back. Maybe a cellular version series 7 🤔
Yeah, I'm surprised on the battery. There's really nobody that said "we need it 70% brighter indoors", nor anyone that said "I want the screen 20% bigger". Everyone said: Can we get longer battery life?
I, too, would hope for 1.5-day battery life, chiefly because once the battery degrades, that gets closer to 1-day battery life. I reckon in Apple’s thinking that the next step up is 5-day/one-week battery life. So they just spec the watch to be charged daily and instead add other features. It seems to me their target is to have a useful always-on display before they tackle longer battery life. And probably they also prioritize adding more sensors higher than substantially increasing battery life.
No joke... I have a type of "patent process" on items that would increase Apple Watch battery life by volumes. I went to them with this - they were not interested. As of now it is in the patent process, and still very well protected against "borrowing", Should have a full patent soon.
im not sure if this was addressed in your other videos. do you disconnect your iphone from the apple watch when you test the watches? such as turn of bluetooth in the apple watch. if not the apple watch will use the iphone gps over the apple watches gps to save battery for the apple watch.
I'm sad the Samsung Galaxy watch 4 didn't want to sync up, I was watching for that test. ☹️ I know wear os 3 is new, though, hopefully not a regular problem. It worked for your other review. If you get it working, can you post an update?
Really useful video albeit the watch 8 came out this week so I guess I should look at that. Really interesting that the whoop seems poor, given how expensive it is as a subscription. Thanks.
Great video. I do have a question regarding the Nike Apple Watch… I mainly want to use the watch for fitness. Would be more viable to get the Nike edition from Apple or is the general release Apple Gen 7 watch?
I mainly need a heart rate monitor. Another video also confirmed the apple watch does a great job with HRM. I don't want to wear a chest strap. I'm a hiker but have also been a private apple consultant many years. I have a garmin satellite communicator but think apple watch would be better for me for HRM and other fitness info. The series 7 is about $400, so a bit cheaper than garmin too. Only thing is garmin watch's battery lasts a lot longer than apple watch. But I'll have a power bank with me, so not too big a deal.
I’ve found that Apple Watch GPS data is more reliable/accurate than my Garmin 530 when mountain biking in heavily wooded areas. What app are AW users using for cycling power?
Thanks for the great review Ray. Have been confused for a long time between Apple Series 7 & Garmin Forerunner 745 and your reviews have definitely helped!
The back sensor unit of Fenix 7 always leaves a "cut" to my skin near the wrist bone. Although I'm super satisfied with the design and functionality of it, this "cut" (or say "burn"?) keeps reminding me my Apple Watch..
Dude! I also have this. I have been searching the internet for people who also experience this problem but couldn’t find anything! I have tried the 7 as well as the 7x but the sensor just really digs into my skin leaving marks. I guess the 7 series just isn’t for me… I currently have the 5x and I don’t have this problem with this model. I also really like the design of the 7 but it’s uncomfortable as hell. So i am going to try the Fenix 6 with the old hr sensor…
@@sicka2 So I reviewed the same sensor aera of the other watches I owned, and both Suunto 9 Peak and Apple watch have a much bigger and rounder design which might reduce the pressure of the skin (p=F/S)
@@hankwang2412 I now have the Apple Watch and what you are saying is true. The bigger surface area and rounder design of the sensor is more comfortable !
I sincerely question the accuracy of the VO2 meter readings from Apple. I've seen the results vary considerably to any other reading taken with any other device.
i'm actually surprised DC didn't cover this in the video tbh with how thorough he is with the reviews Would have been nice to see these comparisons to other watched for accuracy: - vo2 - heart rate in general - sleep (quality, automatic detection) - Blood oxygen levels - general activity metrics like calories burned, distance, heart zone - ekg - stroke count / SWOLF - pool length detection accuracy - maybe every throw in fitness+ in there as a bonous - stress monitoring (HRV) - body resources / body battery - recovery time - altitude accuracy - cadence - how long the battery actually lasts when doing a GPS activity (connected to the phone and offline) These are all the things except for EKG that i care about in a sport/fitness watch along with the gps mentioned in the video. Sure it won't be perfect, and they use proprietary algorithms/wrist not the best spot to get the info from, but it would be cool to see how accurate it is or how precise it is compared to something like a garmin watch.
How is apple watch for hiking? I lose connection with my iPhone all the time and I'm wondering if there's any difference with the watch? Also, I was assuming I would have to download the AllTrails app and/or download maps to the watch? I need the map as I tend to get lost.
Would you recommend this watch for someone who does a lot of skiing/snowboarding/mountain biking/running/walking? I currently have a Garmin Vivoactive 3 and I'm looking to upgrade but I really love Garmin's features and stats and I wonder if Apple will give me as much information and be as interesting. I love other features that Apple has that Garmin has not.
I haven't had the opportunity yet to try the Apple Watch Ski tracking features, but they do seem to be a more simplified version of what Garmin has. In general though, yes, its tough in that if you like stats, Garmin is better there. But for day to day wear, Apple is better.
the garmin sports watch with smart features and the apple smart watch with sports features, a lot of people don't think about it :) I take garmin for sports, only. :)
Hello sir, i'm planning to purchase Apple Watch 7 so, how accurately this watch counts our steps ?? while Outdoor walk, Mountain or normal Cycling, Running, and other workouts & please share your opinion if you have use these workouts and how were the results ? because i've gained weight in this Work From Home. ( Waiting for your Response. Thank you for these explanation. )
Another watch I will not get. I like my polar ignite. I'm good for a while. I value long lasting battery over many features. My polar gets me 3-5 days. I don't like notifications.
I used series 1 and I want for upgrade Apple Watch and I want see more data on Apple Watch and I joined gym which series I get from series 1 to series ? Sports and fitness
Mine keeps pausing my workouts at will. Weather it’s a outdoor walk are a weight training session in the gym. Sometimes it records only 1 minute and pause it….. other times 5min etc
Hi. İm usually running in athletic stadyum and İm using Huawei watch but Huawei measures wrong every 100 meters. Sample: every 100 meter showing 90 meter. So i want a watch but it has to measure perfect. Which one is better in this video?
this video just stands out pleasantly from many other 'reviews' here. Some like to talk for minutes about how they take the watch out of the box, but you provide real, usable facts here.
Thanks!
Yea but I want to know how that cellophane feels ‘in the hand’.
🤪
Wonderful video! You might also like the Apple Smartwatch Case at www.asorockwatches.com/collections/smartwatch-case
⭐ Made specifically for 44mm Apple watches (Series 4, 5, 6, and SE) (for now).
⭐Pre-order today and save 35% OFF retail. (Ships out 1st week of December)
This is why I love him. He just gets into it. Love it 😍
@@Dcrainmaker I got Apple Watch Series 1 and Im trying to connect to bike in gym I tap my watch and nothing show up it’s because series 1 don’t have as got series 7??
Wow…. This video took me by surprise. Direct, to the point and concise rather than talking endlessly about the feature set. Directly to what matters. Thank you.
Thanks!
Jeez. Quick to have a video up! Nice work Ray! The accuracy improvements are exciting I just wish they improved the battery life… at all! I love how they tote “all day battery life” when by definition a day is 24 hours 😂
Thanks! Indeed, Apple’s all-day definition does give one pause. Though at least in real-life it lasts a “real” day or so.
@@Dcrainmaker plus the new fast charging.
Exactly. Compared to Garmin's days/weeks/months battery life (depending on the model), not even lasting 24h is a bit pathetic, regardless of what features it has.
@@savagedriver1967 which Garmin does that.
@@mitchjames9350 Fenix 6 estimates 21d with bluetooth off and 14d with it on - this obviously goes down as you use GPS, which I do a lot, but I still usually get 10d on a charge. I also have the instinct solar and, with enough sun, that can theoretically last at least a month on one charge - mind you, mine hasn't seen enough sun to prove that 😬
Just a note to say you're doing a great job. The effort and care you've put in to gather real world data and then to show and explain in a meaningful way is fantastic. Please keep at it! Lot of love from Australia.
...what he said :-)
I just got the series 7 a week ago. The workout tracking and sleep tracking has been great so far. I’m a fairly casual gym goer, about an hour of working out a day every weekday, and for that use, it’s fantastic.
tbh i wouldnt use sleep tracking its been proven to be dangerous because of radioactivity
@@colby.lifts08 LOL
@@rfec26 it is how do u think it knows how ur sleeping lmao
@@colby.lifts08 I'm sure it's the uranium dude 🤣
@@rfec26 ua-cam.com/video/tAyJxauK4wE/v-deo.html ok 🤣 u are so oblivious
You're in a hurry to hit your target time from the start 😂. Don't worry, we love your videos being long 😉😉
Surprisingly, no time target here. For some videos like the GoPro ones I do, but for this one I wasn’t worried about packing new details in…because…umm…there’s not much new. 🤣
@@Dcrainmaker that's it then, it's just your Style 😂. About the features, I was genuinely surprised by the gps and HR accuracy. The day apple watch supports power meters and gets lte support in NL I won't have reasons any longer to go without the superior smartwatch functionalities compared to my fénix 6.
Such a great, comprehensive review on all the components and metrics that matter to me as a runner. Awesome job!
I was considering getting the SE2 as my first Apple Watch, but decided to get the non-cellular Nike Series 7 instead. Reasons included always on, dust resistance, non-plastic back and fast charging. I think I made the right decision, even though it was more expensive.
Great in depth video, We see how much better a buy the Apple watch SE is for the price.
As a long time Fenix user (since 3) is it possible to use a Apple Watch for normal wear and Fenix for workouts… and merge that data? Instead of having steps split and workouts?
My question too.
Ditto here w/Fenix 6
Yes, you can. I use Run Gap app for syncing workouts. It is really great!
Syncing steps to Garmin connect from your AW works as well, but only in a cumbersome and limited way. You'd need to manually upload you steps every night as it is not possible to share steps from previous days, at least I have not figured out a way how to. From what I have read I understand that this issue is deliberately caused on Garmin's side as they do not want (for an unknown reason to me) external step metrics in their system (?).
Just ordered mine as a replacement /add on to Fenix 5, I hope charging will not be very annoying. What I am really waiting for is great fitness tracker, not a watch, something more “stealth” (like this ring but much better), and a nice elegant watch (I am health tracker freak, hr and stress and sleep is a must to track for me)
And looks like my wife is getting it as there is no 24 stress tracking, pairing with Zwift is hell
@@Ohmygodbruh If you're already happy with your (I"m assuming) Garmin's stress tracking there's no reason to switch. But just for reference, apps like Training Today and Athlytic do a very good job of translating the HRV data the Watch is already collecting into something similar to body battery and Whoop's strain/recovery.
@@NoxDineen tx, after two weeks I used to it :) I will definitely check apps you are recommending
I’m definitely more interested in a sports watch than a smart watch, but still…with this accuracy, 8-min charging, and the abundance of apps for your sport(s), I am not sure why I’d choose the Garmin Venu 2S over this one since I have an iPhone. I was planning to buy the Venu 2S but looking for it to go on sale because I don’t think it’s worth the $400 price tag. But maybe the Apple Watch 7 is.
apple watches are fragile due to their design. lot easier to break than people imagine. Repairing glass is almost same as buying a new watch.
@@jabraham08 I’ve been biking and running A LOT with Apple watches for the last five years and not even scratched any of mine. I’ve been jumping on the steel with sapphire every year and it’s really worth it
@@DeeKay1911 agree with you, it is difficult to scratch it. the problem is if inadvertently your apple watch is struck faceup with hard surface, it will break. If you live in congested places it is very much possible and mine broke :( .
My Apple Watch went through a full wash cycle in the washer and then dryer…..thought it would surely be dead……still worked.
It seems like there is pretty much no reason to upgrade from a Series 6. Hopefully Series 8 is a full redesign.
I'd love to see you do an article on how to live with multiple watches, for example, an Apple Watch for business/office/day-to-day wear, then a Garmin for events/sports/hiking etc. How to sync the data up to retain a consistent record of your activities etc.
You cant, you have to choose. Or you gonna miss out important daily data metrix, like garmin bodybattery.
@@Nonixification Or you wear an Apple Watch on one wrist and a Garmin on the other like I do! Yes I look like a geek, but I like that!
I'm in the same boat. The Garmin's body battery is a biggie for me. And pretty accurate.
@@Nonixification I’m hoping *someone* has a solution for this and if anyone can, DCR can! I’d to be able to keep my Garmin metrics up to date, but use my Apple Watch too for work/office times.
Exactly the same struggle here... I have tried so many "syncing apps" (lately mainly RunGap), but a lot of health metrics still fall through the cracks, so the only way really seems to be wearing both watches... I currently wear F6 Titanium (24/7) and I am really tempted to buy the AW7, but I cannot picture myself wearing both watches. Plus my main sport is swimming and although there are apps which can (supposedly) do drill mode, the user exprience with Garmin is way better. First world problems - what to do?! :-)
Luckily I did not have a fall outside that was serious, but shortly after I got it, I was up in the mountains, snowed in, and with a power outage, when my granddaughter wanted me to find a solution for something. I headed into my room without a flash light and tripped. Hard fall. A bit later, luckily, I happened to see that my watch was asking if I was OK, or if it should call Emergency Services. I’m hearing impaired, but luckily saw it and quickly learned to tell my watch I was OK! Great reviews, thanks!
I agree- to get the best of both worlds, get an inexpensive AppleWatch for the 22 hours a day you aren’t working out and then get the GPS sports watch of your choice for your workouts.
How do you manage that data on two different watches
@@FitOneTech You can use 3rd party smartphone apps to sync everything to one platform. That said, for training I like to keep my data separate as I find almost no value in the health metrics with regards to running performance.
You're in The Netherlands! Hi from a Dutchie! Always watch your reviews on the watch, and finally opted for the Series 7. Have you always been in Holland or this was a coincidence :)?
Just looked back through your older videos and I can't believe I hadn't noticed it before (facepalm)
I think the accuracy is dialed in so early, because it’s the first time they are reusing the exact same chip from the previous year.
No they used the same chip from the series 4 for the series 5 what you talking about bro?
Can I pair this watch as a heart rate monitor with my Wahoo ELMNT ?
Just ordered my series7. I’m so exited to use it!
Hahah the bit of the video where you talk about gps and show the track on the map, I was like: oh thats funny, they do have a Ronald Mcdonald house in the US. And then i was like…. Oh wait , this is NL 🤣 i couldn’t hear anything in your talking !
Man, you're still the best at this. LOVE your videos
Due to all the effort you made, I clicked like!
I just ordered a 7 as an upgrade from a 2..seeing this, not sure I feel so good about buying it now LOL
Until Apple start supporting ANT+, they will never break the sport market…
what an extensive, detailed, well planned out review! well done my guy!!! Garmin and Apple Watch chick here. I go through my phases 😂
Ok so it sounds like not enough reason to upgrade from my series 5 yet, GOOD NEWS! I'm currently wearing the red FR745 on my left and my series 5 on my right and getting funny looks once in a while by people that don't know our struggle.
Is the S5 also red? Double red is the way to go!
@@Dcrainmaker looks like I’ll be ordering a red band ASAP.
I upgraded from series 5, mostly because of the upgraded HR sensor to v3 (happened on series 6 watch). But I’m finding the larger screen really pleasing. YMMV
This is a real review, best one i’ve seen 👏🏼👏🏼
"Battery life has been improved no %" 🤣
This is a "next gen feature"
You have the best reviews. Thank you
Great video! I first learned about you while looking for my first running specific watch and ended up buying a Garmin Forerunner 235 when it first came out because of reading your article online. To this day, I’m still rocking the 235 for both my runs and my day-to-day activities. It still does what I need it to do. Just came on here to say I didn’t realize you’ve expanded to UA-cam so good on you and thanks for this video. When I decide to look for another wearable, your channel will definitely be the first place I look for reviews. Needless to say, new subbie here.
OMG DC Rainmaker!!!! Read DC's reviews for years and based nearly my purchases on his indepth and thoughtful reviews, though this is the first video I've seen so didn't recognise him. Got a few min in and thought 'This guy is as good as DC Rainmaker; only to realise...
I'm trying to choose a watch. I'm a dedicated runner who lives in Colorado. I don't see how a touch screen works when you're wearing gloves. I want dedicated buttons to start new laps or pause and resume. The only watch that seems to bridge the gap between dedicated running watch and smart watch is the Garmin Venu 2. It has 2 dedicated buttons for start and lap. Anyone else have suggestions?
If you had to pick one fitness watch for say triathlon which one would you buy? I own a Garmin Edge 1000 for my bike with the older HR strap.
I’d probably go with something like a Garmin FR745, since you’re already in the Garmin scene.
You compared it to the SE Ray but what about compared to the series 6? Is the 7 a worthy upgrade if you already have a series 6 ? From a sports perspective? Ie GPS tracking and HR data?
I almost did a test vs the Series 6, but there’s virtually no reason to upgrade except the slightly faster charging. The display is hardly noticeable in real life. That said, I’ll probably do a workout tomorrow vs the Series 6 and include it in my written review data set.
@@Dcrainmaker thank you! Very curious for the results. Thanks for everything you do, always a thumbs up and subbed with notifications. Now where is that KICKR bike version two?? 😉
Like the video! Apple Watch always here prevents me to switch to Garmin lol…
Thanks Ray, as always great content. Love the squirrel and nuts analogy!
Thanks!
@@Dcrainmaker Is there anywhere to see a list of essential sports apps for the AW, I have Workoutdoors and Training Today, both great, would like some more.
Gave up my garmin for an Apple Watch a year ago. I’ve even completed an iron man with an Apple Watch (granted I used two). I much prefer the look of the garmin, but I much prefer data accuracy. With the apps downloaded to the Apple Watch I use, I get better and more accurate data. The heart rate tracker is second to none too. I miss not charging daily and as soon as apple create a longer battery Watch I think it will be game over for the others, unless you’re not with iOS of course.
Can you please recommend fitness apps for Apple Watch ? I just got my first watch ever thank you
WorkOutDoors is a pretty decent app that offers more in depth information compared to the native workout app.
I used a Garmin forerunner 735xt for a year and switched to an Apple Watch. Granted the AW battery isn’t superior compared to the Garmins but the accuracy I’ve found is way better and it’s lasted for a couple of half marathons. Bearing in mind I use my AW purely as a sports watch with notification / message settings turned off. Best move I’ve done so far.
Off all the things I take from this video, the main thing is that Whoops data is genuinely bad. Not sure how a device that’s supposed to be all about heart rate can simply suck as a heart rate monitor
Ummm, the intro b-roll . . . . hot-damn
See…every once in a while I use the toys… 🤣
@@Dcrainmaker - And you’ve had this for a month. #bigtime I’d ask you about the upcoming Mavic but I can wait. . . . Tap tap tap. I think I can wait.
What are your thoughts about the cellular vs Wi-Fi only model? As a runner, the cellular seems like a nice luxury.
Great review, I would love a video where you show how to collect all the apps (nuts) to get to a garmin Suunto type on Apple Watch, I have a baro9 and tempted by Apple but frustrating part is not everything is on one place it’s easier simpler with the Suunto
I liked this video bc you seem like a good guy and asked for it
I’ve recently gotten back in running pretty hard after about a 7 month hiatus. I used a Whoop 3.0 for 18 months, but recently switched from Android to iOS and I could not for the life of me get the Whoop to stay connected to the iPhone. I eventually gave up, and have been without any sensor data for a couple months (real bummer). Now I’m heavily considering getting the Apple Watch 7, and I thought this was a great review that really covered the use cases I was looking at it for. Thanks!
If you are an iPhone user the watch is incredible value as an overall smart watch.
Thank you for all this work! Great data.
Thanks - appreciate it!
The one thing stopping me getting an Apple Watch (and I do want one) is the swimming functionality. As far as I understand, unlike my Garmin 910 (!) The Apple won’t give me swim interval alerts e.g. if I wanted to do a 2k swim by swimming 4 x 500m it can’t give me an alert every 500m to tell me when to rest. If I’ve got that wrong it would be great to know. Thanks for the video.
Thank you John. I have been researching AW, Garmin Vivioactive, etc. 🤔 I cannot get ANYONE to answer my specific question. I am an amateur swimmer, not a triathlete. I own a MasterSpa Trainer 15 D, which has 4 powerful jets that produce a current that allows me to swim “ in place”. I had been using my older Fitbit Versa Lite to try to track my HR, distance, etc. But, this watch had no swimming feature although it was supposedly waterproof. Apparently not, as its screen popped off during my swim! Do you have any suggestions? I am leaning toward a Garmin of some sort…. Thank you! Happy swimming! 🏊🏻♀️ Thank you, DC for a review, but I do wish you would answer my question. 🤨
@@pennykennedy4915 Hi Penny, I don’t know for certain but I’m not sure any swim watch will work in an endless pools. Smart watches need to be told the length of pool you are swimming in and then uses an accelerometer to identify when you turn and therefore complete a length. As there’s no turning in an endless pool this principle obviously won’t work. Good luck!
Gosh I am new to your channel and am searching for a fitness tracker/watch that is good for Both a woman, and a serious athlete. I am currently training for a competitive show so I do everything from weights, to circuit and running outdoors. Your review has been the most comprehensive for all of the products I’m considering right now. I also love the fact that you test for a month, not just a few days.
Would be nice to see elevation comparison of the gps data also.
I would love to see it VS the Venu2
Would be nice if you also show which gadgets (like action cams) you can control with the Apple watch vs Android watch.
One watch to rule them all 😜
Why Apple refuses to increase overall battery life is beyond me, although I’m sure this is part of their grand scheme/plan (probably next year?). The vast majority of Apple Watch users want this. On the other side of the fence, the Garmin users want the Fenix 7. Two companies with different approaches, both fanbases clamoring for different things.
I just bought a Fenix 6 sapphire. Though I can appreciate it, my life is too connected to Apple. I don’t run 100 mile races. It’ll probably be going back. Maybe a cellular version series 7 🤔
Yeah, I'm surprised on the battery. There's really nobody that said "we need it 70% brighter indoors", nor anyone that said "I want the screen 20% bigger". Everyone said: Can we get longer battery life?
I could replace my 51 mm Garmin 6 IF AW was providing the same amount of info on any given activity.
I, too, would hope for 1.5-day battery life, chiefly because once the battery degrades, that gets closer to 1-day battery life.
I reckon in Apple’s thinking that the next step up is 5-day/one-week battery life. So they just spec the watch to be charged daily and instead add other features. It seems to me their target is to have a useful always-on display before they tackle longer battery life. And probably they also prioritize adding more sensors higher than substantially increasing battery life.
@@Dcrainmaker Although I’d say that these are useful features to a lot of people, e. g. elderly where size matters for different reasons.
No joke...
I have a type of "patent process" on items that would increase Apple Watch battery life by volumes. I went to them with this - they were not interested.
As of now it is in the patent process, and still very well protected against "borrowing", Should have a full patent soon.
Great review. Just what I needed covering details others don't show. Happy subscriber!!
I can't imagine having to charge a watch everyday! I'll stick with my Garmin and Fitbit trackers.
Fantastic review style, love the graphs! A black background and thicker lines would treat my screen so much better
Garmin FTW but this is still cool. Lol I say this as a (thankful) owner of, both, the Series 7 and a Garmin Fenix 6
Any idea when we will see the Fenix 7.
Lots of work, lots of thought- great review, thank you
I wish you showed the series 7 display in direct sunlight… can you see it vs how a Garmin looks in the sun (which is excellent)?
im not sure if this was addressed in your other videos. do you disconnect your iphone from the apple watch when you test the watches? such as turn of bluetooth in the apple watch. if not the apple watch will use the iphone gps over the apple watches gps to save battery for the apple watch.
Excellent, how do it compare to Apple Watch 6
Awesome mate. Great research and well compiled video.
You are very professional ...great review!
I'm sad the Samsung Galaxy watch 4 didn't want to sync up, I was watching for that test. ☹️ I know wear os 3 is new, though, hopefully not a regular problem. It worked for your other review.
If you get it working, can you post an update?
Dude great metrics!
Love your videos
🙂
Really useful video albeit the watch 8 came out this week so I guess I should look at that. Really interesting that the whoop seems poor, given how expensive it is as a subscription. Thanks.
great video, very informative and useful. Thanks a lot!
Great review! Thank you for such a honest in depth review.
Great video! Thanks 🙏🏻
I would never notice the size difference if not in direct comparison
Indeed.
Great review
Great video. I do have a question regarding the Nike Apple Watch… I mainly want to use the watch for fitness. Would be more viable to get the Nike edition from Apple or is the general release Apple Gen 7 watch?
I mainly need a heart rate monitor. Another video also confirmed the apple watch does a great job with HRM. I don't want to wear a chest strap. I'm a hiker but have also been a private apple consultant many years. I have a garmin satellite communicator but think apple watch would be better for me for HRM and other fitness info. The series 7 is about $400, so a bit cheaper than garmin too. Only thing is garmin watch's battery lasts a lot longer than apple watch. But I'll have a power bank with me, so not too big a deal.
Thank you for sharing this information
Apple Watch can be placed into separate cases for protection and has mag charger unlike Garmin click in charger
I’ve found that Apple Watch GPS data is more reliable/accurate than my Garmin 530 when mountain biking in heavily wooded areas.
What app are AW users using for cycling power?
maybe the apple line did not won't to be associated with the other lines on the GPS lol
My wife has an ebike and I am about to give her my Series 6. I can’t find any information how it know you’re on an ebike. Any insight to this?
If it would broadcast my heart rate to my Garmin 830 cycling computer I would get one, but it doesn’t without a third party device. No sale.
Thanks for the great review Ray. Have been confused for a long time between Apple Series 7 & Garmin Forerunner 745 and your reviews have definitely helped!
The back sensor unit of Fenix 7 always leaves a "cut" to my skin near the wrist bone. Although I'm super satisfied with the design and functionality of it, this "cut" (or say "burn"?) keeps reminding me my Apple Watch..
Dude! I also have this. I have been searching the internet for people who also experience this problem but couldn’t find anything! I have tried the 7 as well as the 7x but the sensor just really digs into my skin leaving marks. I guess the 7 series just isn’t for me…
I currently have the 5x and I don’t have this problem with this model.
I also really like the design of the 7 but it’s uncomfortable as hell. So i am going to try the Fenix 6 with the old hr sensor…
@@sicka2 So I reviewed the same sensor aera of the other watches I owned, and both Suunto 9 Peak and Apple watch have a much bigger and rounder design which might reduce the pressure of the skin (p=F/S)
@@hankwang2412 I now have the Apple Watch and what you are saying is true. The bigger
surface area and rounder design of the sensor is more comfortable !
I sincerely question the accuracy of the VO2 meter readings from Apple.
I've seen the results vary considerably to any other reading taken with any other device.
i'm actually surprised DC didn't cover this in the video tbh with how thorough he is with the reviews
Would have been nice to see these comparisons to other watched for accuracy:
- vo2
- heart rate in general
- sleep (quality, automatic detection)
- Blood oxygen levels
- general activity metrics like calories burned, distance, heart zone
- ekg
- stroke count / SWOLF
- pool length detection accuracy
- maybe every throw in fitness+ in there as a bonous
- stress monitoring (HRV)
- body resources / body battery
- recovery time
- altitude accuracy
- cadence
- how long the battery actually lasts when doing a GPS activity (connected to the phone and offline)
These are all the things except for EKG that i care about in a sport/fitness watch along with the gps mentioned in the video.
Sure it won't be perfect, and they use proprietary algorithms/wrist not the best spot to get the info from, but it would be cool to see how accurate it is or how precise it is compared to something like a garmin watch.
How is apple watch for hiking? I lose connection with my iPhone all the time and I'm wondering if there's any difference with the watch? Also, I was assuming I would have to download the AllTrails app and/or download maps to the watch? I need the map as I tend to get lost.
Would you recommend this watch for someone who does a lot of skiing/snowboarding/mountain biking/running/walking? I currently have a Garmin Vivoactive 3 and I'm looking to upgrade but I really love Garmin's features and stats and I wonder if Apple will give me as much information and be as interesting. I love other features that Apple has that Garmin has not.
I haven't had the opportunity yet to try the Apple Watch Ski tracking features, but they do seem to be a more simplified version of what Garmin has. In general though, yes, its tough in that if you like stats, Garmin is better there. But for day to day wear, Apple is better.
@@Dcrainmaker Alright thank you for the answer! 😊
the garmin sports watch with smart features and the apple smart watch with sports features, a lot of people don't think about it :) I take garmin for sports, only. :)
@@robertsimondj Sure it's an idea but I don't really want to carry 2 watches all the time 😕
Callular option alone makes it worth it for me
Great review!
This review 🔥 🔥 🔥
This is such an amazingly in-depth review of the Apple Watch for running and activity tracking. Thank you!
Nice video. How do you get to see the routes you walked/run on a map?
Have you ever tested the watch for open water swimming?
Great video ! keep it up please
Hello sir, i'm planning to purchase Apple Watch 7 so, how accurately this watch counts our steps ?? while Outdoor walk, Mountain or normal Cycling, Running, and other workouts & please share your opinion if you have use these workouts and how were the results ? because i've gained weight in this Work From Home. ( Waiting for your Response. Thank you for these explanation. )
I want Garmin battery and features (epix2) to marry Apple watch display - too much to ask I know. But I can dream!!!
thanks and i put the playback on 0.75, you speak faster then your shadow 😁
Nothing beats the Fenix range from Garmin. Apple is a nice watch but for sport. It’s no fenix.
Another watch I will not get. I like my polar ignite. I'm good for a while. I value long lasting battery over many features. My polar gets me 3-5 days. I don't like notifications.
I used series 1 and I want for upgrade Apple Watch and I want see more data on Apple Watch and I joined gym which series I get from series 1 to series ? Sports and fitness
Mine keeps pausing my workouts at will. Weather it’s a outdoor walk are a weight training session in the gym. Sometimes it records only 1 minute and pause it….. other times 5min etc
Hi. İm usually running in athletic stadyum and İm using Huawei watch but Huawei measures wrong every 100 meters. Sample: every 100 meter showing 90 meter. So i want a watch but it has to measure perfect. Which one is better in this video?
As always thank you for a great review