I used the 735xt for 4 years before upgrading to the Epix. Had it for a few weeks before the AWU was announced. I debated between the two for a LONG time and decided to return the Epix and get the AWU. It was love at first sight! The integration with the Apple Ecosystem, the smart features, and accurate pool swimming mode (my main issue with Garmin). But after about 2 months, I started to miss the Garmin. I do triathlons and train around 10-15 hours a week, I do a few long trail runs each year, and wear my watch all the time. As good as the AWU was, it wasn't a true sports watch to me. 1- Pausing the workouts even with the two buttons is a nightmare, especially here in Alberta (Canada) with long winters when I'm wearing layers and thick gloves outside 2- Putting workouts into the watch is so complicated 3- I downloaded the Athlytic app on the watch but what I see and how I feel don't match. I do a hard run workout and the watch says I'm 100% recovered??? 4- Initially, the battery life was fine but eventually, having to charge the watch every couple of days became annoying. 5- I do ski touring and there is no mode for that, so I had to put it into hiking mode There are just a lot of small things that a true sports watch does way better. I ended up selling the watch for a loss and going back to the Epix. AWU might be the best watch for someone who wants smart features but also exercises for fun. But if you are a serious athlete, don't make the mistake I made and stick to a true sports watch!
Same here, waring the Garmin FR955 and AW6 simultaneously, AW HRV flukes are throwing off Athlytics metrics, making them meaningless. If you actually need actionable metrics, it is garmin. (I love my AW, but need a Garmin.)
About the pricing, it's really relative. In the US, Ultra costs 800 USD and Epix2 1000 USD. In my country it's exactly opposite - Ultra costs 1000 EUR and Epix2 840 EUR. So a very big difference, from market to market obviously, which may lead to a different value for money ratio.
Very happy with my Epix, having switched from 945. That said, Ultra is the first Apple Watch I'm even slightly interested in. So it's a great first step from them which means that in ~3 years, when I'll be looking to switch from my Epix there will hopefully be a much more capable Ultra. Garmin still has the advantage for most of us outdoor people, but Apple is seriously catching up.
Same here bro. Hell I just ordered one. I have serious doubt on looks and toughness compared to fenix 6x I have for 3 years now plus you have to download a bunch of apps to get even close to Garmin - for me thats a golf app a nav app a fishing map etc but dude Cell phone - on your wrist.. I work construction and run so basically im always outside and normal cell phones dont survive. Garmin like u have are bullet proof. Gamin would kill it with cell. I'd pay $1500...paying $800 to try this experiment apple ultra but somehow I have feeling it'll fail first piece of rebar I bump into. I'd much prefer Garmin move into cellular space rather than apple watch try and be a garmin. But it is what it is.
I had an Apple Watch 6 but I felt like I was missing out so I bought the Venu which has everything I want to plus a nice battery then I saw how they were marketing the Apple Watch Ultra and thought that this would be the watch for me. I got mine 2 days ago and boy the ecosystem is great how everything works. As far as tracking I haven’t been able to do anything yet im very sick at the moment with Covid but from the little things I saw it has more than the Venu but also less than the Venu in terms of what it tracks (details for biking for example)
I still have my gen 1 & 2 Forerunners in my junk drawer so I have been using Garmin devices for a while. I was reluctant to switch to the Apple ecosystem, but when I started, there was no stopping. Despite using a Fenix 7 currently, I’ll be getting the Ultra soon. Since I don’t schedule my years around running and triathlon events anymore, the Ultra has more advantages than any offering Garmin has. Just take Garmin & Apple Pay for instance, I can only put on one bank’s debit & credit card on it. My existing 3+ year old Apple Watch is hosting practically all my debit and credit cards. With the cellular service which is not available on my Fenix, I will be leaving behind the Fenix back home even more often after the Ultra arrives and will probably not get another Garmin wrist device ever again. @aimless1700, it will be interesting to hear your experience with the Ultra since its titanium shell should be able to take it. It’s the screen that can be questionable.
I’m not sure if you covered it, but as an AW user, I really wish Apple would build out a desktop app like Garmin Connect for the computer. I think that is a serious differentiator between Apple and Garmin. If you’re a Strava user, maybe some of this is mitigated by that desktop site, but it’s nowhere near as detailed as the Connect site.
Being into hiking and climbing really think at this time I will stick with Garmin and their maps with the extended battery life. I do welcome the competition from Apple though and hope they can help keep the prices down on these devices. All in all great comparison review.
@@ChristianRunsNY one thing he mentioned. And is wrong about. Is map. If you Apple Maps. It shows directions on words and arrows. But if you use google maps. It actually shows the map. Even my 1st Apple Watch did this
I liked my Apple Watches but it is a mini smart phone. As a teacher who sees kids addicted to phones and then reflects on my own smart phone habits, it isn’t a good combo. Garmin’s limited smart watch functions are a good thing in my book. I wish Garmin could make their Fenix/Epix more stylish. I like the quick fit bands and I like the round watch face, but I don’t always like the “rugged” look of it. Give me a stylish Fenix.
I have been using Fenix6 for 2+ years and now I have bought Apple Watch Ultra. First of all I am so amazed by the number of features in the Ultra, I can't even compare this huuuuge difference between Apple and Garmin in terms of smartness, usability for a daily life. After using Fenix for a pretty long time I still forget what one or another button does and what button should I hold to open some menu. Fenix also doesn't propose me to start tracking activity if I forget to do so and there's no option to enable it (other cheaper Garmins have this option) and this is kinda weird. Being a little stupid Garmin is still a very good watch with the big advantage of a long-lasting battery. I won't sell my Garmins but will use them much more rarely than Apple.
I have had my Watch Ultra since Friday and sure, it’s not Garmin battery level, but I am getting 48-60 hours easily with cellular service, and lots of notifications and workouts, Always on Display. It’s exceeded Apple’s marketing of 36 hours and then some. Fantastic device. It’s more of an extreme sport-smartwatch with a ton of smartwatch capability (probably the most), whereas the Garmins are legit extreme sport watches with some smartwatch capability.
This is a really good summary, and I concur - it's the reason I'm going from Garmin to the Ultra - the garmin is phenomenal, but I don't need that level of performance. I also want to get back into SCUBA so there's that... when I can afford it though, so probably in about 5 years 😅😂
"whereas the Garmins are legit extreme sport watches with some smartwatch capability", and i would add a "definitely not a "fluid OS/screen" which is for me the most important thing in a touch screen (cars, phones, etc.)... i just hate screen "flickering" :S
@@ChaseTheSummit As an example yesterday, I had 13 hours on wrist time, and was down to 78%. Extrapolating from there, and the watch not doing anything overnight, it could definitely hit 60 hours. Today I did a 42 min workout, and I’m at 12.5 hours on wrist and am down to 76%. Remarkable battery life given everything else the Apple Watch Ultra can do, really well. Not to mention power a 2000 nit display.
Thanks for the in-depth review. I have the Apple Ultra with always on display off, and average about 30% of battery usage a day, which calculates to about a little over 3 days of battery life on a full charge.
That's great! Thanks for sharing! My 48 hours of measured use includes 30 minutes of GPS activity per day as well so that's probably where our numbers differ.
@@ChaseTheSummit sorry I was not trying to say that your estimates were wrong just wanted to point out what I am getting…which is a welcome surprise coming from an Apple Watch. Just wish they had on board topo maps.
soooo.. what happens when the Apple watch is out of cellphone range?? Maps kaput? ... Just a breadcrumb trail circa 1990 Garmin 12 GPS, I guess (only far worse....)
@@jeremyfreeman4810 I have an Epix gen2 as well, and it certainly points out the Ultra’s limitations with mapping & battery life. But, with the extended battery life of the Ultra you do see the limitations of the Epix as well such as the integration into the apple ecosystem, like responding to texts, answering calls, having cellular on the watch itself. I myself am still amazed at the battery life of the Epix or fenix and what those watches can accomplish and do! It’s just nice to see that Apple has finally figured it out that outdoor enthusiasts exist and we are an important subset of the watch market.
Great video. For me, the Ultra reveal was the first time that I ever even considered getting an apple wearable. For a few days, I watched previews for the ultra and was liking what I was seeing...except for the battery life. Then I discovered the Epix and decided it made much more sense to upgrade my fenix 3 to an epix and I couldn't be happier. The Ultra definitely seems like the best smartwatch on the market, but the wealth of information coupled with the insane battery life that Garmin provides is simply in another class. For an outdoor/fitness enthusiast, the Epix really is a no brainer.
Great video! The exact comparison I needed! In the end I went with the Epix since I’m replacing a Fenix 5 and thus invested in the Garmin ecosystem. That combined with lack of ANT+ sensors and not as integrated training features. It was not an easy choice though. I originally bought a garmin watch to use it for training and for training the Garmin line is still superior it seems, especially after watching your comparison! Thank you!
I bought both! I use the Apple Ultra for daily around home and town use. I will use the Garmin for outdoor trips such as multiple day long fishing trips, hikes, etc where daily charging is not possible. I really do wish the Garmin had a cellular option built in though as that would be a huge plus not having to carry your phone also! Thats a big win for Apple on that part.
It’s a big win for Apple because they block Garmin from being able to have cellular. They keep their system closed to lock people in. You can’t even respond to text messages on Garmin b/c of Apple. They are in litigation all over the world for this. Once they’re forced to open up then we will see what Garmin can really do.
@@Chris-gq8ev not true at all. I subscribed to the yearly plan and paid $29.99 for the year. It’s $3.99/month for the monthly plan. Athlytic is a great app a d gets better every new version. I hope Dave reviews it on his channel. That having been said, I’m buying an Epix 2 to compare with my AWU. I miss several of the features Dave and commenters here have mentioned. All Apple has to do is develop their software; but they are stubborn and slow to release big new features.
Excellent comparison! I got my Ultra in today and I'm already in love. The screen size is so much more useful and nicer than my Series 6. I also like it more than my Fenix 6X Pro Solar.
Great review. Think the Ultra is a interesting addition to the sports watch market. Version 2 and 3 of the Ultra may well be a real threat to Garmin, but for the moment Garmin is still king (forgive me Suunto) in the fitness field.
I've owned both and they are both fantastic. I lean ultra but only because it fits my lifestyle slightly better. If I had the money I'd have both though lol.
CHase I know I've said this before but this channel and your work keeps getting better and better. I told DC the other day we're spoiled by you, Des, DC and others in this small community. Hell I lift weights and hike and still watch every video lol
first apple watch i bought and loving the ultra so far. i'll likely stick with my suunto 9 peak for any backcountry runs that really need navigation, but for 99% of my workouts, the ultra will do the job and then some
Just did a 4 day backpacking trip in the Sequoia Forest with an Epix. The navigation features on the Garmin just can't be beat. And the battery life is just not there with the Apple Watch. So much as I'm tempted gonna stick with Garmin for now.
The Apple Watch has HRV-tracking presented in a time based diagram. 13:08 You mention and show the Garmin's "new HRV feature" but fail to mention that the Apple Watch has that. You also at 13:31 state "I wish that I had something like that on the Apple Watch UItra." It does. In addition there are 3rd party apps, such as Training Today, which will show a color coded readiness to workout based on the Apple input data.
I do show apples HRV tracking graph. What I wanted to point out is that Apple doesn't provide any feedback on the results. They simply display your HRV over time and expact you to translate that into useable data. Garmin uses HRV status to tell you when your HRV has dropped/elevated or become unbalanced from day to day and it provides useful information in plain wording on what happened. I'm fully aware that third party apps can help here and I'll have a follow up video on some of my favorite apps. Thanks for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit Yes, Tracking Today does what Garmin provides. I think it would have been much, much clearer, and less biased, if instead of only saying "I wish that I had something like that on the Apple Watch Ultra" you would've added "...and there are apps that can assist you with precisely that." Furthermore, by only showing the Garmin watch, and showing the sleep app, but not the HRV, on the Apple phone the visual representation together with your wording implies it's a feature that only the Garmin has. You do mention that Apple does HRV, but the visual support is not presented, so it's easy to miss. Finally, I believe Apple needs to leave room for third party apps, and not provide everything themselves. I do appreciate both your videos and your replies, there's a lot of good stuff here. I am looking forward of your review of usable apps!
Hey Dave. In my case i will stick with the Enduro 2. What Apple has done with the Ultra is interesting but I still want a super capable fitness watch rather than an iPhone on my wrist.
One of the best features of Apple Watches in general is the integration with the entire Apple ecosystem. I can control my music library on my computer, control my Apple TV, find any of my Apple devices, ping my phone if it’s somewhere in my room, control my AirPods, etc. The integration alone is worth enough where I wouldn’t switch to any other smartwatch.
@@votdfak I use mine quite a bit throughout the day and have to charge once every 1.5 days which I don’t mind. If you adjust some settings it adds quite a bit of time
Great review I have to say! Kudos for this one. You clearly lined out, especially at the end, what the sole purpose of each device is. Something rarely done by all these reviews. Also nice dive into the sheer amount of data delivered by Garmin in the Connect app vs Apple and the lack of compatibility of Apple devices with BT and ANT+. Important parts that rarely ever are looked at in these comparisions. Clearly comes from someone who knows what to look at and what he talks about. Thumbs up.
Exactly.. the fact that you can't connect the Apple heart rate monitor with a Garmin bike computer is one huge incentive / circumstance to move to Garmin. I need a separate hrt monitor meanwhile, which is less slick than using my watch as a monitor of course.
@@ketle369 and with titanium case and with sapphire glass and with bigger and more resistent digital crown and with new fully customizable action button. These are "hard" features that the series 8 simply hasnt.. the new softwares are only the pin of the iceberg.. the watch body itself is completely different..
If Apple were to integrate something like body battery/woop then they've got my future watch order. The UX and visual appeal of the Apple is a winner. Great unbias and really detailed review though Dave - thanks 🙌
I am an Apple user through and through but sold my AW in favour of the Epix. Solely based on the fact that Apple doesn’t bother to bring the software to a level where you don’t need 5 subscriptions to cover fitness data interpretation, navigation app and advanced activity tracking apps. Garmin just includes all of this out of the box. I’m sure that Apple will improve on this in the future, but it will probably take 3-4 more Watch os updates
I have both, and the Apple experience is a lot of fun IMO, first time Apple Watch owner, long time Garmin owner. But 2 days of battery is annoying. If they could have hit 5 days, then the competition would be more fierce. I'm still torn between what I'll keep, but the Garmin does sport data so well. And I show 20 grams heavier on the Apple which I do notice. I love I can use the Garmin as a bike computer if I need. More of a backup since I have a dedicated computer, but nice to have it. Also, I like the body battery feature of Garmin, hopefully Apple adds that into the Watch OS. It's tough, but for the price, I'd definitely lean Apple. It is weird they are considerably less. I like the cellular which is more important on my bike rides or adventures. Hate carrying a phone.
Although the Ultra is less expensive initially, if you use the cellular data, that will add $120 to $240 to the cost annually, so the pricing is much closer in real world.
@@diy_Lab New update on Epix puts it at up to 15 days battery life. I've gone back to it and abandoned the Apple Watch Ultra. It's just the better sport watch. One ecosystem, no jumping through multiple apps.
Nice review! I am just getting into triathlons. During my training I am using an older Apple Watch to at least track my heart rate. I do love how I can check messages and return calls directly from my watch without my phone. I am going to take a gamble on upgrading to the Ultra because I am already in the Apple Ecosystem and I am hoping they will continue to improve it! For being a beginner in endurance training I will try out the Apple Ultra.
Marathon / half training / scuba diving / mtn biking / road biking / hiking. I power hiked rim to rim at Grand Canyon, with my Apple Watch 6, GPS, and still had battery left. Was waiting on this unit for a while!
Great review, you provided a really good balance between both watches. I wear a Garmin Fenix 6X, and think it’s great for what I do, (bike, outdoors and gym work) and has about 21 days between charges, (with mild use) I would like a more capable smart watch,for the day to day, so the Apple Watch ultra may be a good pick up . It’s also the first Apple Watch I’ve been interested in, since their release. If they added solar at some stage, and added more specific workout and body health data, it’d be a great option I reckon I’ll keep the Garmin for fitness and have the Apple Watch ultra as a day to day smart watch, because, why not. 😊
Great as always, Dave. Great comparison. My trail loop Ultra is about a month away but excited to get my hands on it. Will be very interesting to see what the next few iterations of the ultra will hold.
Awesome review, I totally agree. I was interested in the Ultra, ended up purchasing it and using it for 3 days before returning it and getting the Epix Gen 2. Main thing for me was that I missed the Garmin app and the recovery stats that Garmin offers me. AW tracked my workouts and gave me data but did nothing regarding recovery data such as body battery or training status. Also, the complications on the AW face only update every 15 minutes! So step counting was a pain. Also for me the square face was just super uncomfortable. I’m in love with my Epix after just a few days. I got the base model and it’s awesome. The screen is amazing, 5 buttons for controlling the watch, extremely long battery life, and amazing GPS. Despite the fact that the AW has milultiband GPS and the base Epix does not, I have found the base Epix to track my location during workouts much more accurately then the AW did so that’s kind of interesting. If you want a smartwatch where you can check your email, make phone calls, order your coffee, and start your car all from your watch then go for the AW. If you want a more rugged, sport / training focused tank of a watch with maps and awesome data and trend recording then go for the Garmin. Just my opinion though.
Nice review, only thing you have missed is that there is NO app for diving on apple watch. Oceanic + is not ready yet and will have paid subscription model. Currently there are only few information, which are not sufficient for divers.
while true garmin also does not have much to do to stay one step ahead, get that LTE in and refine the UI for making calls and receiving messages and if they can keep or extend the battery life they will stay one step ahead, apple i feel just have the design nailed down, they are always desirable as jewelry as much as anything else so im not sure what garmin can do to compete with that and stay with a traditional garmin design.
@@jinx20001 the problem is the Apple Watch retains the features that makes the regular one so good. Apple does what it does best. If you’re looking for a better Apple Watch that does more and is still usable as a smart watch. Plus the Apple Watch is $100 cheaper than the garmin but if we are talking the sapphire models it’s $200 cheaper. If you have an iPhone it’s a no brainer. If you don’t then I probably wouldn’t even get a watch honestly lol
ah here it is, was hoping for the comparison, have a sub. I do own an epix but heavily considered the watch ultra, it does seem a step behind when it comes to the nitty gritty, a lack of depth. Its clear the apple watch is still designed with some simplicity in mind rather than outright depth of information. ordinarily that's an advantage for apple but not in a watch designed to give you that information you expect. I know its like beating a dead horse but the battery life is such a big advantage, i cant remember the last time i looked at my watch and actually wondered if it needs charging i just throw it on periodically, i know i can sleep with it for days and never really worry about if its charged enough for the next day it just always is. I also quite enjoy knowing the watch will likely last a very long time, the battery life means it has few charge cycles a year rather than an apple watch which most will charge daily which will mean that battery degrades faster. That will lead to battery life loss, obviously if you lose a day off the apple watch after a year or 2 you are going to notice. Not only will it take much longer for the garmin to lose a day of longevity it will also be way less noticeable if at all going from 16 days to 15 days if you turn the AOD off. Really im trying to convince myself the epix is the one but in reality i am still very tempted by the apple watch ultra, i just think id regret it every time i wake up and wonder if i need to charge it before the day ahead.
Great review and comparison. I switched from an Apple Watch Series 5, to the Epix 2 a few months ago and I’ve been completely happy with it. Yes, Apple has the easier to use user interface and apps, plus connectivity, but the thing I couldn’t take was having to charge every day. Plus, I really wanted to get back to a classic round watch that has a more masculine look, which the Epix has in spades. Hopefully the competition will push both brands to make improvements that will benefit us all.
Great review...I've had the Epix now for a few months and I must say it is awesome. It has got tons of training and exercise features, which I only used a fraction thereof. The battery life of the AW is still a bit of a let down in comparison to the Epix. However I like where apple is going..good looking watch as well. I am an android user, so it is really sad that Apple is not coming to the party. I personally will buy the AW but am not a IPhone fan...Sorry Apple
Very informative! I would love an Ultra but couldn’t/wouldn’t utilize any of the it’s added features. Aesthetically, I prefer the Ultra’s shape, look, brightness, and siren. Thanks for the detailed comparison.
They are two completely different animals meant for different people. Garmin is a fantastic fitness tracker and an ultimate sports watch and coach with outstanding battery reserve and some smart features. Apple Watch is a personal assistant/smart phone extension that can do moderate training routines. Great for most people to do some sports and stay active. I have both Apple Watch 6 LTE and garmin 955. They are very different. For sports - garmin is unbeatable. Garmin coach built in forerunner series can actually teach you to run properly.
The Ultra is a beefed up AW standard. To me its what the AW needs to be with regards to screen size and battery life. I am not getting anywhere near the battery life you are, but if I can get through a full day without having to charge that's good enough for me. I use a lot of apps though and use my watch frequently. All said, I am absolutely happy with the AW Ultra. I travel a lot and I am loving the crisp interface which is easy to view on the fly (yes I have old man vision now) and solid feel. My wrists are on the small side but I couldn't care less - the AW Ultra is smaller than my Fenix 6. The AW and Garmin have different use cases as you thoroughly point out, but those who have an AW and live in the Apple ecosystem won't be disappointed.
Only thing keeping me fro Switching from apple ultra to garmin is my Apple Music. So easy. But I do keep thinking about it and watching these videos. Lol. Yours are some of if not the best I’ve seen. Well done and thank you!
I went with the Ultra this time! And I love it! With the white Alpine Loop it looks stunning. It’s just the perfect combination of an everday watch and a sports watch…😍
@@buymac if you were a real athlete you would understand I’m need my watch to always hold a strong charge and not die on me when I really need it. I need my watch keep track of my sleep and not thinking I got 10 percent. I work out 7 days I travel and cycle my garmin watch gives me 19 days of charge. The watch has never died on me. The Apple Watch good luck I owned all of them. I would always forget to charge that hunk of junk. If your not an athlete please don’t reply.
@@buymac and let’s go of heart rate monitor shit barely holds i cycle thousand of miles I need that shit to be accurate. Garmin is for fitness. Apple Watch is just a mini phone on your wrist you don’t need.
@@MrDman973 Apple Watch is fully charged while you take a shower. It is not an issue unless you are on multiday adventures. I have a 5 year old banged up basic Apple Watch and it works just fine for tracking sleep and daily exercise. What it lacks is mapping and battery life on multiday trips.
I bought myself an apple ultra, I use it for everyday activities. It's great to have everything on hand, from messages, calls, pictures, notifications... It's useful and in nature it has everything from exercising, tracking physical activities and so on... Garmin is a watch that is intended for work ..simple and functional..I have both of them, it's hard for me to decide on one of them because both of them have their advantages that make it easy to love them.. I would say that together they form one perfect watch.
Going with the Ultra just to avoid having to take my phone on daily runs (podcasts, texting, etc.) now that it has dual gps.. Might keep the Fenix in case I need it for some long adventure, but daily runs will be Ultra!
Great review. I was an AW user until the Epix 2. Loved the Epix 2 for its battery life and fitness tracking ability. Not charging for a week at a time is awesome and the speed the Garmin charges is waaaay faster than even the AWU. I was even more into the body battery feature + very accurate sleep tracking. Was also super impressed by the built-in maps (which I never used unfortunately because I usually have a Garmin bike computer w/ a larger screen). Epix 2 definitely is NOT a smart watch since all that Apple will allow 3rd party device makers do is mirror phone notifications. I switched to the AWU because smart watch features are more handy in my day-to-day life - I don’t NEED the week long battery life (although nice to have) and also don’t NEED the built in map capability bc I’m not trekking or hiking (I ride mountain bikes 4 days a week, run on a Peloton treadmill, or lift w/ a Tonal the other days of the week). I really miss the body battery and sleep tracking on the Epix though…
Hi, thank you and I would almost write the same. I am still waiting for my AWU, but found out a way on how to still have the famous body battery and stress indication. I am using in parallel the small Garmin Vivosmart 4 device (not the 5 as this is a bit too large) which I use for sleep tracking as well. I am not using any of the smart functions (like messaging) because I also have the Garmin bike computer - I only use the heartrate ant+ sensor though. Best of both worlds. I charge the standard Apple Watch overnight and the garmin only once per week. In that way I have the best of both worlds...
Great video as i am trying to make this exact decision at the moment. Just out of interest - what is the watch that you are wearing in the video? and is this your everyday wear? Thanks
As an avid backpacker and hiker, the Epix 2 has been fantastic, and the lack of maps is a deal breaker. I have not had issues with the software, and I always carry my phone (iPhone - it's my camera, phone, big display, computer...) so I don't really need more than basic smart phone features, (convenience of not having to remove my phone from my pocket). I do like the idea of leaving my phone at home for a run but strapped to my waist, it doesn't seem to be too big a deal. I really like Garmin Pay and could care less, but a buddy of mine uses AmEx which is not supported by Garmin at this time. Finally, I only charge my watch once a week and it is always ready - I can't emphasize that enough. Finally, I don't think those who've tried to use their touch screen in the rain understand just how important more buttons are. I'll re-evaluate with Watch 9 Ultra!
Fortunately you can get apps for mapping like WorkOutdoors or GaiaGPS but they're not quite as functional as the Topoactive maps on Garmins yet! Hopefully development will be pushed now that the Ultra is available.
@6:40 Garmin probably limited the flashlight so some fools wouldn't turn it on high and leave it until the battery or screen bakes. It limits the " I took my watch camping and now it doesn't work" complaints.
Thanks for another excellent video Dave!!! Could you or someone comment on their experience with software reliability? I’m unsure between the two. I’d prefer Garmin but I heard a lot of bad things about their software. I have an AW5 and besides the terrible battery life, the good thing is that it always works.
So far both platforms have been rock solid the only issue I've had with the Apple Watch Ultra is with the Compass app not always recording a backtrack course when I need it.
I’ve owned three Garmins and the easiest one to own for me was the Instinct. I had issues with it syncing with Strava, but it always eventually did it. I also had issues with the weather being updated - you have to open Garmin connect and sync the watch to get it going each day it seemed. Also, any 3rd party screens that you download to other garmin watches like the Fenix series or the Venu (my other fav) were really cool sometimes, but felt like I had to constantly manage them to keep them going. All that said, battery life is so much better on Garmin. Not just going three or four days without charging, but the fact that you’re still at like 58% at that time and you plug it in for like 20 minutes and it’s back to 100% is just hard to beat.
For native operations dependent on the Operating System and core device functionality, the software would certainly weight best in favor of the Apple Ultra. For instance connecting to Bluetooth or WiFi will be a far better experience than the Garmin Epix 2. In fact the Garmin is limited to 2.4GHz WiFi so it's very slow to transfer data (maps), unless you utilize Garmin Express. IMO the best use-case situations for the Epix 2 is the superior battery life (size) since it doesn't require the functionality for cellular service and has more space to connect to external Garmin-compatible devices. And of course the user experience requiring mapping on the Epix 2 is a huge plus. But if you're primarily looking for all the app benefits (thousands of programs) in the Apple ecosystem, the solid end-user experience and fantastic customer support, Apple products are legend and have a good resale value when new gadgets come out in coming years.
When it comes to the Epix, it's almost a no-brainer to choose the Sapphire/Titanium version for the double the storage and the multiband since if you're going to spend nearly a thousand dollars or a thousand, might as well get the titanium over the steel and the sapphire over the DX for only $100.
I just ordered my Apple ultra based upon the apps I’ll be using for surfing, following and watching my sessions where I surf, SUP paddling, snowboarding, fishing, mountain biking and trail hiking for camping and fishing.
Wow, that's a lot of great info. 😎 Thanks. Maybe I missed it. I know you can configure the Epix 2 from your phone. Can you do that with the Ultra, and or only from the watch? Also, I hate the closed Apple system where if you want the Ulta watch, you need to have an iPhone. Good for marketing l guess.
Going ultra. There is more spots progress on the iPhone to make up for what’s not on the watch itself. I also like the phone 📱 / texting. I can’t read the watch maps well enough to take advantage. If I go off the grid I use the farming 700i, not a watch. I was on the fence but I think I’m going Apple Watch ultra. Thank you. Great video.
These newer Garmin's particularly the Epix with it's super high res display make mapping much more useful but yeah a full handheld is probably more effective!
I tried the Ultra, just didn't love the way that it wore, so I went back to Series 8 steel/sapphire. For every day use, it's all that I need. And when I'm hiking or out on gravel rides in the mountains, it's the Epix that's coming with me. I realized I was trying to use 3rd party apps to fill in for nav things that are excellent on the Epix out of the box. So, for me, it's both Apple Watch and Epix, but the normal Series 8 is the AW of choice for me.
@@Dannyv1987 Best Buy online. You just have to find the right combo in stock. I got the white ocean band, because really, it's easier to find different bands than the watch!
Very good comparison. Without outdoor maps, the new Apple Watch Ultra is simply a smartwatch and not a sports watch for athletes, as Apple advertises. When trail running in the Alps, for example, I want to run a planned route with a gpx track. Unfortunately, that is not possible with the Apple Watch Ultra. I don't want to run somewhere and then back the same way. In Germany, both watches cost the same with 999€. So I will probably switch from my Garmin 5x to the Epix 2.
You can easily run planned routes on GPX files on apple watches with many apps. Workoutdoors is great for this. Thats the whole point of a smartwatch - the OS supports applications
Sure there are applications. But from a 1000 € watch that is advertised for outdoor sports, something like that should be installed out of the box. I like Garmin that there is an app where everything can be seen / found and not that I need different apps. My opinion. Maybe that comes with the Ultra 2 or Watch os 10
After 4 x Fenix watches I have the Ultra… The Watch is Great, but I really Miss the garmin App and Body Battery, etc. I have the feeling that Here Apple should do really an Update!!! For My it would be Great to have a 51 mm epix with LTE and the HR Sensor of the Apple Watch 🙂 Thanks for the Great Video!
Great review and comparison between the two “top of the line” watches. For me though, the Apple Watch Ultra fills my needs and it’s the one I ordered and got. I consider myself an outdoor enthusiast. I alternate between city running and road biking daily, changing my running and biking routines only slightly. I do travel often so on my trips I’m exclusively an outdoor runner. However I do no extreme sports, triathlons, biathlons, ultra-races, etc. where the battery advantage of the Garmin watch is a win. So the AW ultra with its winning combination of solid build, smart watch capabilities, stellar sensor accuracy and improved sports support fills all the boxes for me. The Apple software update ecosystems is also an incredible enticement as I can imagine future updates will make the AWU far more useful than it is now. So to summarize: the data collection capabilities of the AWU in combination with the analytical features of Strava on my iPhone answer my holistic exercise needs quite well. For others, the Garmin Epix 2 or other Garmin watches will fortunately fill their needs where the AWU may not. So all of us will be happy in the end with whatever choice is best for each of us.
Great video as always. For me, I have given up on my Epix Gen 2 and gone to the Ultra. I am getting about 2.5 days of battery life, but the charging is very quick. As you say, with always on display, the Garmin doesn’t really get more than about 3 to 4 days - and what a waste not to use always on display! I really don’t use the very detailed tracking metrics. As to mapping, let’s not kid ourselves - the Garmin has built-in maps, but they are terrible to use and very difficult to read on the move. The only thing I really really really really miss is body battery. that thing is incredible - and even managed to diagnose me with Covid before I had symptoms (okay, it didn’t make the diagnosis, but it told me I was getting ill!)
it sounds a little bit like you are trying to justify your purchase to me, but hey dont we all, im the same with my epix. what i dont agree with is the ''its a waste to not use always on display'' i completely disagree, i dont think the display should be on when you are not looking at it, that's where the waste is and the reason its a waste is because its an oled display and oled displays burn away by design, they have a finite life and the longer the pixels are lit the quicker they dim and that's where burn in comes into play, burn in is literally the pixels dimming and it looks like a shadow on the display. The very worst thing you can do to an oled display is leave it on, especially when you are not looking at it. i own an LG C1 TV and that has shown some burn in for me in under a year and its irreversible. do yourself a favour, switch AOD off if you can on the watch, the battery will last much much longer, the display will last much much longer and it still looks absolutely great on your arm. but hey its your watch, just change your watch face regularly if AOD is your thing and at least the exact same pixels dont stay lit all year round literally burning away.
@jinx20001 nope, no need to justify my purchase. My use case was clear from the details in the Apple product promo and I have longed disliked the Garmin UI, which needs so much work. Sorry to hear about your TV. The Epix uses dimming (which is not burn in) and pixel shift (a commonly used technology to prevent burn in) to stop it burning in. And yes, thanks, I know that battery life is longer with AOD off. I chose to keep it on for convenience and because raising your wrist does not always activate the screen when off. Also 3-4 days battery life is just fine for me, just as the 2-3 days on the Ultra is also good enough for me!
I would disagree on the map topic. With the high resolution OLED display on the Epix the maps are VERY useable and extremely nice to have when you're in the back country trying to determine if you need to take a left or right turn at a trail junction. But yeah... That's probably just my use case. Fortuantely there are apps on the AW that can provide useful map data!
@@ChaseTheSummit it’s interesting you think that. I’ve not used the Epix for running (town runner) but we do a lot of wild walking and use the OS maps in the UK on the phone, which are so much more detailed. Of course, it might be an unfair comparison given the screen size difference between watch / phone. I had wanted to use the Epix maps for that but it just didn’t work
Great video, for me I’m going to get the Ultra, as my exercise is moderate, walking, swimming, I already have a Garmin GPS for hiking, just makes more sense for me to go with the Ultra for the every day functionality, with the addition of the durability and sport tracking
Wow. You’re knowledge on these watches is amazing. Extremely informative. Thank you for this video - it’s obvious you put a lot of time and effort into your presentation. I currently own the Series 7 Apple Watch and don’t really see a need to get the Ultra or even the 8. Your video helps others make informed decisions. One question, is there a particular reason why the Garmin has noticeably more battery life than the Apple? Again, thank you so much.
The simple answer to Garmin lasting longer is that it essentially "does less stuff". For example an Apple Watch has a 1800Mhz CPU while a Fenix 7 has a 166Mhz CPU simply because it doesn't make phone calls, have fancy graphics, text messages, super bright display, etc... It comes down to them being different tools for different jobs. The Apple Watch Ultra is an amazing smartwatch. The Garmin's out there are amazing sport watches optimized for that purpose. Thanks for watching!
that was a great review. Not doing the heavy duty back packing so the Ultra works for me but if I was doing the heavy duty back packing I would grab the Garmin. Really helpful and great to share the info with others
I think it’s fare to say Garmin is more focused on exercise where as Apple is more general health and wellness. Apple overall does more smartwatch things whereas Garmin is designed to be a workout aid. This is a sign of a healthy market with real competition, with all the competing companies pushing each other forward.
@@savagedriver1967 Well, the Apple Watch has an highly responsive display, lots of tools for developers to build apps and the App Stores has nearly 30000 Apple Watch apps which can do anything. Even the things that are missing at first like advanced sleep data, there is an app for that. Games, podcasts, streaming music, reading news, meditations, taking notes, public transport maps, advanced maps navigation, live voice translators, live financial market tracking stocks, forex, crypto. Literally anything someone can think of and fits in the watch screen.
Excellent review, I stick with the Apple Watch Ultra for day to day and for occasional outings without reaching the professional I choose the Amazfit T Rex 2 with the update it is already possible to add routes. Regards
Went with Epix. No matter how good AWU is as a smartwatch, Garmin really kills it with one advantage - way superior battery life. Imo, wristwatch should live more than a few days, otherwise it is just a gimmick. 2nd thing is mapping. One thing nice about the AWU is the ability to answer calls and send texts, but this cannot be compared with Epix advantages above.
I agree with a lot of the comments. I had a Samsung Watch 6, but after a while decided having a sub-phone on my wrist just wasn't what I wanted and bought the Garmin 965 which has the same functionality as the Epix. I now have enough connectivity in case of big messages etc but the Garmin gives me all the exercise and healthcare info that really matters
In a comparison like this, it's worth considering the apps available for each. Garmin is a lot more limited, so it might make sense to primarily compare it with built-in apps. The Apple Watch on the other hand leverages so many high quality apps to provide additional functionality, while keeping the included features minimal.
For sure, that would be a much more complicated video lol. This is more of the "out of the box experience" comparison where Garmin gives you a lot of tools (for free) with the hardware. Apple needs a lot or apps to meet the same standards in terms of wellness/sport tracking.
Great video, thanks for all the details and the bookmarked timeline. It makes it easier to go back and check on specific details. An additional thought is that the offline mapping and extra battery life is a safety feature (and security blanket) that the current AWU can’t provide. I went hiking with my young daughter with my Fenix 6 Pro and my Apple iPhone and, when she wanted to explore new trails, my iPhone had no cell reception but my Fenix was tracking our location live with its multi-day battery. After exploring, we then took the shortest route back to familiar grounds as guided by the Fenix. The iPhone, substituting for the AWU, did not give confidence to have that outing and allow my daughter to explore. (And for what it’s worth, we also had safety gear, water etc. and had lots of sunlight, just in case, on these well travelled and marked routes).
Great video. @6:44 when it comes to the UI of the Apple Watch in general, you can switch between that app grid view where it looks like a spider web, or have it looks cleaner like a normal list, and can also dock your favourite ones, so it's easier / faster to navigate. When it comes to starting a run with the GPS, don't forget your watch faces are highly customizable, and can have it so you can begin a run quickly without having to go through a few screens, like it seemed you were mentioning was a nuance to you. Unless I misunderstood what you were saying.
Does the apple watch provide voice or vibrate at every mile? Thinking about getting the Apple watch ultra. Maybe the work outdoors app doea that? Right now using the Coros Pace 2 and need an upgrade.
Grabbing a series 8 soon coming from a series 6 to tide me over until the Apple Watch ultra 2 comes out - you think it’ll be a 3 year window refresh for the AWU?
I'm curious to see the release cadence for Ultra in the future. I feel like it likely won't be yearly... Or maybe next year they'll introduce more colors? A Black or Product Red version?
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
Easily the best video I’ve seen on this subject. You’ve made me less worried about the choice I’ve already made! Phew! You are 100% correct. It depends. I’ve been on the fence, and I’d love some of the features the Garmin has, specifically for biking. However! The most useful thing for me from a smart watch is going to be the ability to leave my very big, very expensive, and rather easily broken iPhone at home. So yes I’ll miss out on some data which I would really enjoy, but the ability to ditch my phone and ride, whilst still being able to contact people on the fly is something I’m really looking forward to. Apple Watch ultra arrives tomorrow 🎉
Let me just say, "I've been a loyal Apple fanboy since the very first iPod, iPhone, and watch, including all their computers." However, I have worn a Garmin Epix Gen 2 every day since getting it three months ago and don't plan on taking it off for anything else right now. I do wildlife photography walking trails every weekend, and the GPS with battery life is a no-brainer for me.
I used the 735xt for 4 years before upgrading to the Epix. Had it for a few weeks before the AWU was announced. I debated between the two for a LONG time and decided to return the Epix and get the AWU. It was love at first sight! The integration with the Apple Ecosystem, the smart features, and accurate pool swimming mode (my main issue with Garmin). But after about 2 months, I started to miss the Garmin. I do triathlons and train around 10-15 hours a week, I do a few long trail runs each year, and wear my watch all the time.
As good as the AWU was, it wasn't a true sports watch to me.
1- Pausing the workouts even with the two buttons is a nightmare, especially here in Alberta (Canada) with long winters when I'm wearing layers and thick gloves outside
2- Putting workouts into the watch is so complicated
3- I downloaded the Athlytic app on the watch but what I see and how I feel don't match. I do a hard run workout and the watch says I'm 100% recovered???
4- Initially, the battery life was fine but eventually, having to charge the watch every couple of days became annoying.
5- I do ski touring and there is no mode for that, so I had to put it into hiking mode
There are just a lot of small things that a true sports watch does way better.
I ended up selling the watch for a loss and going back to the Epix. AWU might be the best watch for someone who wants smart features but also exercises for fun. But if you are a serious athlete, don't make the mistake I made and stick to a true sports watch!
Same here, waring the Garmin FR955 and AW6 simultaneously, AW HRV flukes are throwing off Athlytics metrics, making them meaningless. If you actually need actionable metrics, it is garmin. (I love my AW, but need a Garmin.)
Thank you. You answered my identical internal debate. I'll keep my Epix. Cheers.
Muchas gracias, tenia mis dudas pero me has ayudado mucho.
About the pricing, it's really relative. In the US, Ultra costs 800 USD and Epix2 1000 USD. In my country it's exactly opposite - Ultra costs 1000 EUR and Epix2 840 EUR. So a very big difference, from market to market obviously, which may lead to a different value for money ratio.
Very happy with my Epix, having switched from 945. That said, Ultra is the first Apple Watch I'm even slightly interested in. So it's a great first step from them which means that in ~3 years, when I'll be looking to switch from my Epix there will hopefully be a much more capable Ultra.
Garmin still has the advantage for most of us outdoor people, but Apple is seriously catching up.
Same here bro. Hell I just ordered one. I have serious doubt on looks and toughness compared to fenix 6x I have for 3 years now plus you have to download a bunch of apps to get even close to Garmin - for me thats a golf app a nav app a fishing map etc but dude Cell phone - on your wrist.. I work construction and run so basically im always outside and normal cell phones dont survive. Garmin like u have are bullet proof. Gamin would kill it with cell. I'd pay $1500...paying $800 to try this experiment apple ultra but somehow I have feeling it'll fail first piece of rebar I bump into.
I'd much prefer Garmin move into cellular space rather than apple watch try and be a garmin. But it is what it is.
I had an Apple Watch 6 but I felt like I was missing out so I bought the Venu which has everything I want to plus a nice battery then I saw how they were marketing the Apple Watch Ultra and thought that this would be the watch for me. I got mine 2 days ago and boy the ecosystem is great how everything works. As far as tracking I haven’t been able to do anything yet im very sick at the moment with Covid but from the little things I saw it has more than the Venu but also less than the Venu in terms of what it tracks (details for biking for example)
I still have my gen 1 & 2 Forerunners in my junk drawer so I have been using Garmin devices for a while. I was reluctant to switch to the Apple ecosystem, but when I started, there was no stopping. Despite using a Fenix 7 currently, I’ll be getting the Ultra soon.
Since I don’t schedule my years around running and triathlon events anymore, the Ultra has more advantages than any offering Garmin has. Just take Garmin & Apple Pay for instance, I can only put on one bank’s debit & credit card on it. My existing 3+ year old Apple Watch is hosting practically all my debit and credit cards. With the cellular service which is not available on my Fenix, I will be leaving behind the Fenix back home even more often after the Ultra arrives and will probably not get another Garmin wrist device ever again.
@aimless1700, it will be interesting to hear your experience with the Ultra since its titanium shell should be able to take it. It’s the screen that can be questionable.
My thoughts exactly!
I’m not sure if you covered it, but as an AW user, I really wish Apple would build out a desktop app like Garmin Connect for the computer. I think that is a serious differentiator between Apple and Garmin. If you’re a Strava user, maybe some of this is mitigated by that desktop site, but it’s nowhere near as detailed as the Connect site.
You can use interval icu or runalyse or nöliö 😉
I agree with you 100% I would stick to the Apple Watch if they can get up to speed with Garmin
Being into hiking and climbing really think at this time I will stick with Garmin and their maps with the extended battery life. I do welcome the competition from Apple though and hope they can help keep the prices down on these devices. All in all great comparison review.
yeah my Garmin Fenix 7 its not even close its almost funny
@@bull5919 the Apple Watch is 2022. The garmin looks like and runs like it’s 1995. Lol
@@123.7M what a fatuous, ignorant comment.
@@123.7M Honestly it just looks like it caters to people who want tech over performance.
@@ChristianRunsNY one thing he mentioned. And is wrong about. Is map. If you Apple Maps. It shows directions on words and arrows. But if you use google maps. It actually shows the map. Even my 1st Apple Watch did this
I liked my Apple Watches but it is a mini smart phone. As a teacher who sees kids addicted to phones and then reflects on my own smart phone habits, it isn’t a good combo. Garmin’s limited smart watch functions are a good thing in my book. I wish Garmin could make their Fenix/Epix more stylish. I like the quick fit bands and I like the round watch face, but I don’t always like the “rugged” look of it. Give me a stylish Fenix.
I have been using Fenix6 for 2+ years and now I have bought Apple Watch Ultra. First of all I am so amazed by the number of features in the Ultra, I can't even compare this huuuuge difference between Apple and Garmin in terms of smartness, usability for a daily life. After using Fenix for a pretty long time I still forget what one or another button does and what button should I hold to open some menu. Fenix also doesn't propose me to start tracking activity if I forget to do so and there's no option to enable it (other cheaper Garmins have this option) and this is kinda weird. Being a little stupid Garmin is still a very good watch with the big advantage of a long-lasting battery. I won't sell my Garmins but will use them much more rarely than Apple.
I have had my Watch Ultra since Friday and sure, it’s not Garmin battery level, but I am getting 48-60 hours easily with cellular service, and lots of notifications and workouts, Always on Display. It’s exceeded Apple’s marketing of 36 hours and then some. Fantastic device. It’s more of an extreme sport-smartwatch with a ton of smartwatch capability (probably the most), whereas the Garmins are legit extreme sport watches with some smartwatch capability.
This is a really good summary, and I concur - it's the reason I'm going from Garmin to the Ultra - the garmin is phenomenal, but I don't need that level of performance. I also want to get back into SCUBA so there's that... when I can afford it though, so probably in about 5 years 😅😂
Well I guess that solves my issues😂
"whereas the Garmins are legit extreme sport watches with some smartwatch capability", and i would add a "definitely not a "fluid OS/screen" which is for me the most important thing in a touch screen (cars, phones, etc.)... i just hate screen "flickering" :S
You're getting 60 hours with always on dispaly? I'm not getting anywhere close to that.
@@ChaseTheSummit As an example yesterday, I had 13 hours on wrist time, and was down to 78%. Extrapolating from there, and the watch not doing anything overnight, it could definitely hit 60 hours. Today I did a 42 min workout, and I’m at 12.5 hours on wrist and am down to 76%. Remarkable battery life given everything else the Apple Watch Ultra can do, really well. Not to mention power a 2000 nit display.
Thanks for the in-depth review. I have the Apple Ultra with always on display off, and average about 30% of battery usage a day, which calculates to about a little over 3 days of battery life on a full charge.
That's great! Thanks for sharing! My 48 hours of measured use includes 30 minutes of GPS activity per day as well so that's probably where our numbers differ.
@@ChaseTheSummit sorry I was not trying to say that your estimates were wrong just wanted to point out what I am getting…which is a welcome surprise coming from an Apple Watch. Just wish they had on board topo maps.
I am getting two weeks in gesture mode on Epix 2. 3 days is just not enough.
soooo.. what happens when the Apple watch is out of cellphone range?? Maps kaput? ... Just a breadcrumb trail circa 1990 Garmin 12 GPS, I guess (only far worse....)
@@jeremyfreeman4810 I have an Epix gen2 as well, and it certainly points out the Ultra’s limitations with mapping & battery life. But, with the extended battery life of the Ultra you do see the limitations of the Epix as well such as the integration into the apple ecosystem, like responding to texts, answering calls, having cellular on the watch itself. I myself am still amazed at the battery life of the Epix or fenix and what those watches can accomplish and do! It’s just nice to see that Apple has finally figured it out that outdoor enthusiasts exist and we are an important subset of the watch market.
Great video. For me, the Ultra reveal was the first time that I ever even considered getting an apple wearable. For a few days, I watched previews for the ultra and was liking what I was seeing...except for the battery life. Then I discovered the Epix and decided it made much more sense to upgrade my fenix 3 to an epix and I couldn't be happier. The Ultra definitely seems like the best smartwatch on the market, but the wealth of information coupled with the insane battery life that Garmin provides is simply in another class. For an outdoor/fitness enthusiast, the Epix really is a no brainer.
Great video! The exact comparison I needed! In the end I went with the Epix since I’m replacing a Fenix 5 and thus invested in the Garmin ecosystem. That combined with lack of ANT+ sensors and not as integrated training features. It was not an easy choice though. I originally bought a garmin watch to use it for training and for training the Garmin line is still superior it seems, especially after watching your comparison! Thank you!
I bought both! I use the Apple Ultra for daily around home and town use. I will use the Garmin for outdoor trips such as multiple day long fishing trips, hikes, etc where daily charging is not possible. I really do wish the Garmin had a cellular option built in though as that would be a huge plus not having to carry your phone also! Thats a big win for Apple on that part.
That’s exactly what I did, I like the notifications on the ultra, but like the trail features on epix
It’s a big win for Apple because they block Garmin from being able to have cellular. They keep their system closed to lock people in. You can’t even respond to text messages on Garmin b/c of Apple. They are in litigation all over the world for this. Once they’re forced to open up then we will see what Garmin can really do.
I've found Athlytic to be a decent replacement for Garmin's training readiness metrics. Not quite as good as on my Fenix 7, but not terribly far off.
I’ll have to give that a shot!
@@ChaseTheSummit Please do, as i just found out athlytic and not sure what’s what
My friend looked into this app but to get all features it $36 a month!
@@Chris-gq8ev not true at all. I subscribed to the yearly plan and paid $29.99 for the year. It’s $3.99/month for the monthly plan. Athlytic is a great app a d gets better every new version. I hope Dave reviews it on his channel.
That having been said, I’m buying an Epix 2 to compare with my AWU. I miss several of the features Dave and commenters here have mentioned. All Apple has to do is develop their software; but they are stubborn and slow to release big new features.
@@exilio2690 yes, my friend realized later it was the yearly charge in Canada, not monthly.
Excellent comparison! I got my Ultra in today and I'm already in love. The screen size is so much more useful and nicer than my Series 6. I also like it more than my Fenix 6X Pro Solar.
Same here
Great review. Think the Ultra is a interesting addition to the sports watch market. Version 2 and 3 of the Ultra may well be a real threat to Garmin, but for the moment Garmin is still king (forgive me Suunto) in the fitness field.
For sure!
Epix for me. Off hiking in Albania, off-grid for 6/7 days. Epix battery life and navigation tools are what i need
I've owned both and they are both fantastic. I lean ultra but only because it fits my lifestyle slightly better. If I had the money I'd have both though lol.
CHase I know I've said this before but this channel and your work keeps getting better and better. I told DC the other day we're spoiled by you, Des, DC and others in this small community. Hell I lift weights and hike and still watch every video lol
Thanks Austin!
@@Seahawks1976 lol same with me. I don't do half of the things but I still watch every video 😂
first apple watch i bought and loving the ultra so far. i'll likely stick with my suunto 9 peak for any backcountry runs that really need navigation, but for 99% of my workouts, the ultra will do the job and then some
Just did a 4 day backpacking trip in the Sequoia Forest with an Epix. The navigation features on the Garmin just can't be beat. And the battery life is just not there with the Apple Watch. So much as I'm tempted gonna stick with Garmin for now.
The Apple Watch has HRV-tracking presented in a time based diagram. 13:08 You mention and show the Garmin's "new HRV feature" but fail to mention that the Apple Watch has that. You also at 13:31 state "I wish that I had something like that on the Apple Watch UItra." It does. In addition there are 3rd party apps, such as Training Today, which will show a color coded readiness to workout based on the Apple input data.
I do show apples HRV tracking graph. What I wanted to point out is that Apple doesn't provide any feedback on the results. They simply display your HRV over time and expact you to translate that into useable data. Garmin uses HRV status to tell you when your HRV has dropped/elevated or become unbalanced from day to day and it provides useful information in plain wording on what happened. I'm fully aware that third party apps can help here and I'll have a follow up video on some of my favorite apps. Thanks for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit Yes, Tracking Today does what Garmin provides. I think it would have been much, much clearer, and less biased, if instead of only saying "I wish that I had something like that on the Apple Watch Ultra" you would've added "...and there are apps that can assist you with precisely that." Furthermore, by only showing the Garmin watch, and showing the sleep app, but not the HRV, on the Apple phone the visual representation together with your wording implies it's a feature that only the Garmin has. You do mention that Apple does HRV, but the visual support is not presented, so it's easy to miss. Finally, I believe Apple needs to leave room for third party apps, and not provide everything themselves. I do appreciate both your videos and your replies, there's a lot of good stuff here. I am looking forward of your review of usable apps!
Hey Dave. In my case i will stick with the Enduro 2. What Apple has done with the Ultra is interesting but I still want a super capable fitness watch rather than an iPhone on my wrist.
One of the best features of Apple Watches in general is the integration with the entire Apple ecosystem. I can control my music library on my computer, control my Apple TV, find any of my Apple devices, ping my phone if it’s somewhere in my room, control my AirPods, etc. The integration alone is worth enough where I wouldn’t switch to any other smartwatch.
Integration is great, battery life is shit. That's why I left AW after 3, 5 and 6 SS.
@@votdfak I use mine quite a bit throughout the day and have to charge once every 1.5 days which I don’t mind. If you adjust some settings it adds quite a bit of time
The ecosystem is pretty sweet!
@@ChaseTheSummitNo it isn't 😂
Great review I have to say! Kudos for this one. You clearly lined out, especially at the end, what the sole purpose of each device is. Something rarely done by all these reviews. Also nice dive into the sheer amount of data delivered by Garmin in the Connect app vs Apple and the lack of compatibility of Apple devices with BT and ANT+. Important parts that rarely ever are looked at in these comparisions. Clearly comes from someone who knows what to look at and what he talks about. Thumbs up.
Exactly.. the fact that you can't connect the Apple heart rate monitor with a Garmin bike computer is one huge incentive / circumstance to move to Garmin. I need a separate hrt monitor meanwhile, which is less slick than using my watch as a monitor of course.
I have the Apple Ultra and noticed they have auto pause when cycling now!!! Huge for me.
Seeing the massive improvement from apple watch series 1 to 5 i hope the Ultra series 5 will be even more amazing than the series 1 ultra
Will not happen as Ultra really is Apple Watch 8 with more battery and some extra software.
@@ketle369 and with titanium case and with sapphire glass and with bigger and more resistent digital crown and with new fully customizable action button. These are "hard" features that the series 8 simply hasnt.. the new softwares are only the pin of the iceberg.. the watch body itself is completely different..
Went for Epix. And really think it's the right choice (at least for me!)
If Apple were to integrate something like body battery/woop then they've got my future watch order. The UX and visual appeal of the Apple is a winner.
Great unbias and really detailed review though Dave - thanks 🙌
I am an Apple user through and through but sold my AW in favour of the Epix. Solely based on the fact that Apple doesn’t bother to bring the software to a level where you don’t need 5 subscriptions to cover fitness data interpretation, navigation app and advanced activity tracking apps. Garmin just includes all of this out of the box. I’m sure that Apple will improve on this in the future, but it will probably take 3-4 more Watch os updates
I have both, and the Apple experience is a lot of fun IMO, first time Apple Watch owner, long time Garmin owner. But 2 days of battery is annoying. If they could have hit 5 days, then the competition would be more fierce. I'm still torn between what I'll keep, but the Garmin does sport data so well. And I show 20 grams heavier on the Apple which I do notice. I love I can use the Garmin as a bike computer if I need. More of a backup since I have a dedicated computer, but nice to have it. Also, I like the body battery feature of Garmin, hopefully Apple adds that into the Watch OS. It's tough, but for the price, I'd definitely lean Apple. It is weird they are considerably less. I like the cellular which is more important on my bike rides or adventures. Hate carrying a phone.
The Apple Watch is doing a software update soon to get the low power mode in order to get it up to 60 hours I believe
Thanks for sharing!
Although the Ultra is less expensive initially, if you use the cellular data, that will add $120 to $240 to the cost annually, so the pricing is much closer in real world.
Hi. Can you tell us about Garmin battery life please? Thanks
@@diy_Lab New update on Epix puts it at up to 15 days battery life. I've gone back to it and abandoned the Apple Watch Ultra. It's just the better sport watch. One ecosystem, no jumping through multiple apps.
Nice review! I am just getting into triathlons. During my training I am using an older Apple Watch to at least track my heart rate. I do love how I can check messages and return calls directly from my watch without my phone. I am going to take a gamble on upgrading to the Ultra because I am already in the Apple Ecosystem and I am hoping they will continue to improve it! For being a beginner in endurance training I will try out the Apple Ultra.
Thanks for a great video, Dave. You and Des released almost exactly the same video on the same day. Crazy.
Lol, I think it was kind of a race to the finish line on this one because of how requested it was! Thanks for watching!
Marathon / half training / scuba diving / mtn biking / road biking / hiking. I power hiked rim to rim at Grand Canyon, with my Apple Watch 6, GPS, and still had battery left. Was waiting on this unit for a while!
Great review, you provided a really good balance between both watches. I wear a Garmin Fenix 6X, and think it’s great for what I do, (bike, outdoors and gym work) and has about 21 days between charges, (with mild use)
I would like a more capable smart watch,for the day to day, so the Apple Watch ultra may be a good pick up . It’s also the first Apple Watch I’ve been interested in, since their release. If they added solar at some stage, and added more specific workout and body health data, it’d be a great option
I reckon I’ll keep the Garmin for fitness and have the Apple Watch ultra as a day to day smart watch, because, why not.
😊
My Dilemma 🤨 is exactly this video. I got the Apple Watch Ultra but still feel like I need the Garmin....any further insight would be helpful.
Great as always, Dave. Great comparison. My trail loop Ultra is about a month away but excited to get my hands on it. Will be very interesting to see what the next few iterations of the ultra will hold.
i went to costco and they had a ton of ultra green loops. i got one.
Good to mention: both AWU and Epix 2 Sapphire are 999 euro in Europe. Nice review !
Awesome review, I totally agree. I was interested in the Ultra, ended up purchasing it and using it for 3 days before returning it and getting the Epix Gen 2. Main thing for me was that I missed the Garmin app and the recovery stats that Garmin offers me. AW tracked my workouts and gave me data but did nothing regarding recovery data such as body battery or training status. Also, the complications on the AW face only update every 15 minutes! So step counting was a pain.
Also for me the square face was just super uncomfortable.
I’m in love with my Epix after just a few days. I got the base model and it’s awesome. The screen is amazing, 5 buttons for controlling the watch, extremely long battery life, and amazing GPS. Despite the fact that the AW has milultiband GPS and the base Epix does not, I have found the base Epix to track my location during workouts much more accurately then the AW did so that’s kind of interesting.
If you want a smartwatch where you can check your email, make phone calls, order your coffee, and start your car all from your watch then go for the AW.
If you want a more rugged, sport / training focused tank of a watch with maps and awesome data and trend recording then go for the Garmin. Just my opinion though.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Nice review, only thing you have missed is that there is NO app for diving on apple watch. Oceanic + is not ready yet and will have paid subscription model. Currently there are only few information, which are not sufficient for divers.
As for today: Epix. But what people at Garmin should be really afraid of is AW Ultra 2....
I feel the exact same way
Totally agree. With some software tweaks the Ultra could become something special!
while true garmin also does not have much to do to stay one step ahead, get that LTE in and refine the UI for making calls and receiving messages and if they can keep or extend the battery life they will stay one step ahead, apple i feel just have the design nailed down, they are always desirable as jewelry as much as anything else so im not sure what garmin can do to compete with that and stay with a traditional garmin design.
@@jinx20001 the problem is the Apple Watch retains the features that makes the regular one so good. Apple does what it does best. If you’re looking for a better Apple Watch that does more and is still usable as a smart watch. Plus the Apple Watch is $100 cheaper than the garmin but if we are talking the sapphire models it’s $200 cheaper. If you have an iPhone it’s a no brainer. If you don’t then I probably wouldn’t even get a watch honestly lol
No, apple don't work that way. They get all the suckers to buy and then release what you really want.. that's how apple rolls
ah here it is, was hoping for the comparison, have a sub.
I do own an epix but heavily considered the watch ultra, it does seem a step behind when it comes to the nitty gritty, a lack of depth. Its clear the apple watch is still designed with some simplicity in mind rather than outright depth of information. ordinarily that's an advantage for apple but not in a watch designed to give you that information you expect. I know its like beating a dead horse but the battery life is such a big advantage, i cant remember the last time i looked at my watch and actually wondered if it needs charging i just throw it on periodically, i know i can sleep with it for days and never really worry about if its charged enough for the next day it just always is. I also quite enjoy knowing the watch will likely last a very long time, the battery life means it has few charge cycles a year rather than an apple watch which most will charge daily which will mean that battery degrades faster. That will lead to battery life loss, obviously if you lose a day off the apple watch after a year or 2 you are going to notice. Not only will it take much longer for the garmin to lose a day of longevity it will also be way less noticeable if at all going from 16 days to 15 days if you turn the AOD off.
Really im trying to convince myself the epix is the one but in reality i am still very tempted by the apple watch ultra, i just think id regret it every time i wake up and wonder if i need to charge it before the day ahead.
Great review and comparison. I switched from an Apple Watch Series 5, to the Epix 2 a few months ago and I’ve been completely happy with it. Yes, Apple has the easier to use user interface and apps, plus connectivity, but the thing I couldn’t take was having to charge every day. Plus, I really wanted to get back to a classic round watch that has a more masculine look, which the Epix has in spades. Hopefully the competition will push both brands to make improvements that will benefit us all.
Epix 2 Garmin > All. Can't tell you how happy I am with mine. I've had soo many sport watches, from analog, to digital. This Epix 2 is just perfect.
Great review...I've had the Epix now for a few months and I must say it is awesome. It has got tons of training and exercise features, which I only used a fraction thereof. The battery life of the AW is still a bit of a let down in comparison to the Epix. However I like where apple is going..good looking watch as well. I am an android user, so it is really sad that Apple is not coming to the party. I personally will buy the AW but am not a IPhone fan...Sorry Apple
Very informative! I would love an Ultra but couldn’t/wouldn’t utilize any of the it’s added features. Aesthetically, I prefer the Ultra’s shape, look, brightness, and siren. Thanks for the detailed comparison.
They are two completely different animals meant for different people.
Garmin is a fantastic fitness tracker and an ultimate sports watch and coach with outstanding battery reserve and some smart features.
Apple Watch is a personal assistant/smart phone extension that can do moderate training routines. Great for most people to do some sports and stay active.
I have both Apple Watch 6 LTE and garmin 955. They are very different. For sports - garmin is unbeatable.
Garmin coach built in forerunner series can actually teach you to run properly.
That's why the AWU is pointless. For a personal assistant/smart phone extension that can do moderate training routines I can buy a regular AW S8/7.
@@matatoto9805totally agree. Having had Forerunner 955 for a while I don't want another huge watch like the AWU
Garmin just needs to add texting features and call taking. It already has the health metrics within the app that many hardcore users love
The Ultra is a beefed up AW standard. To me its what the AW needs to be with regards to screen size and battery life. I am not getting anywhere near the battery life you are, but if I can get through a full day without having to charge that's good enough for me. I use a lot of apps though and use my watch frequently. All said, I am absolutely happy with the AW Ultra. I travel a lot and I am loving the crisp interface which is easy to view on the fly (yes I have old man vision now) and solid feel. My wrists are on the small side but I couldn't care less - the AW Ultra is smaller than my Fenix 6. The AW and Garmin have different use cases as you thoroughly point out, but those who have an AW and live in the Apple ecosystem won't be disappointed.
I'm getting an easy 2 days with always on display turned off, default settings, and around 30 minutes of GPS activity per day. Thanks for sharing!
Only thing keeping me fro
Switching from apple ultra to garmin is my Apple Music. So easy. But I do keep thinking about it and watching these videos. Lol. Yours are some of if not the best I’ve seen. Well done and thank you!
I went with the Ultra this time! And I love it!
With the white Alpine Loop it looks stunning. It’s just the perfect combination of an everday watch and a sports watch…😍
are you still pleased with your decision ? I think i am going to go withAWL
Absolutely and it’s by far the best Apple Watch ever… I’m currently using it with the apple link bracelet and that way it’s super chic😍😍
Great review Dave. Been sticking with my instinct over an Apple Watch, but wow! The Ultra is tempting.
Apple can catch Garmin one day. But this day isn't today.
They're certainly closing in!
Trying if they don’t fix the battery life Apple Watch is trash 🗑️
@@buymac if you were a real athlete you would understand I’m need my watch to always hold a strong charge and not die on me when I really need it. I need my watch keep track of my sleep and not thinking I got 10 percent. I work out 7 days I travel and cycle my garmin watch gives me 19 days of charge. The watch has never died on me. The Apple Watch good luck I owned all of them. I would always forget to charge that hunk of junk. If your not an athlete please don’t reply.
@@buymac and let’s go of heart rate monitor shit barely holds i cycle thousand of miles I need that shit to be accurate. Garmin is for fitness. Apple Watch is just a mini phone on your wrist you don’t need.
@@MrDman973 Apple Watch is fully charged while you take a shower. It is not an issue unless you are on multiday adventures. I have a 5 year old banged up basic Apple Watch and it works just fine for tracking sleep and daily exercise. What it lacks is mapping and battery life on multiday trips.
I bought myself an apple ultra, I use it for everyday activities. It's great to have everything on hand, from messages, calls, pictures, notifications... It's useful and in nature it has everything from exercising, tracking physical activities and so on... Garmin is a watch that is intended for work ..simple and functional..I have both of them, it's hard for me to decide on one of them because both of them have their advantages that make it easy to love them.. I would say that together they form one perfect watch.
Going with the Ultra just to avoid having to take my phone on daily runs (podcasts, texting, etc.) now that it has dual gps.. Might keep the Fenix in case I need it for some long adventure, but daily runs will be Ultra!
Plus, I am a bit tired of the Garmin’s UI.. while the simplicity is what helps the battery life, it looks like it was coded in COBOL 40 years ago.
Leaving the phone behind is pretty awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Will be purchasing the Epix 2, the map features are the deciding factor, not a runner, but avid hiker and kayaker
Great review. I was an AW user until the Epix 2. Loved the Epix 2 for its battery life and fitness tracking ability. Not charging for a week at a time is awesome and the speed the Garmin charges is waaaay faster than even the AWU. I was even more into the body battery feature + very accurate sleep tracking. Was also super impressed by the built-in maps (which I never used unfortunately because I usually have a Garmin bike computer w/ a larger screen). Epix 2 definitely is NOT a smart watch since all that Apple will allow 3rd party device makers do is mirror phone notifications. I switched to the AWU because smart watch features are more handy in my day-to-day life - I don’t NEED the week long battery life (although nice to have) and also don’t NEED the built in map capability bc I’m not trekking or hiking (I ride mountain bikes 4 days a week, run on a Peloton treadmill, or lift w/ a Tonal the other days of the week). I really miss the body battery and sleep tracking on the Epix though…
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Hi, thank you and I would almost write the same. I am still waiting for my AWU, but found out a way on how to still have the famous body battery and stress indication. I am using in parallel the small Garmin Vivosmart 4 device (not the 5 as this is a bit too large) which I use for sleep tracking as well. I am not using any of the smart functions (like messaging) because I also have the Garmin bike computer - I only use the heartrate ant+ sensor though. Best of both worlds. I charge the standard Apple Watch overnight and the garmin only once per week. In that way I have the best of both worlds...
Great video as i am trying to make this exact decision at the moment. Just out of interest - what is the watch that you are wearing in the video? and is this your everyday wear? Thanks
As an avid backpacker and hiker, the Epix 2 has been fantastic, and the lack of maps is a deal breaker. I have not had issues with the software, and I always carry my phone (iPhone - it's my camera, phone, big display, computer...) so I don't really need more than basic smart phone features, (convenience of not having to remove my phone from my pocket). I do like the idea of leaving my phone at home for a run but strapped to my waist, it doesn't seem to be too big a deal. I really like Garmin Pay and could care less, but a buddy of mine uses AmEx which is not supported by Garmin at this time. Finally, I only charge my watch once a week and it is always ready - I can't emphasize that enough. Finally, I don't think those who've tried to use their touch screen in the rain understand just how important more buttons are. I'll re-evaluate with Watch 9 Ultra!
Fortunately you can get apps for mapping like WorkOutdoors or GaiaGPS but they're not quite as functional as the Topoactive maps on Garmins yet! Hopefully development will be pushed now that the Ultra is available.
@6:40 Garmin probably limited the flashlight so some fools wouldn't turn it on high and leave it until the battery or screen bakes. It limits the " I took my watch camping and now it doesn't work" complaints.
I'm assuming they did this due to burn in. Probably the same reason the Apple Watch won't stay 100% bright for very long before it dims back down.
Thanks for another excellent video Dave!!!
Could you or someone comment on their experience with software reliability?
I’m unsure between the two. I’d prefer Garmin but I heard a lot of bad things about their software.
I have an AW5 and besides the terrible battery life, the good thing is that it always works.
So far both platforms have been rock solid the only issue I've had with the Apple Watch Ultra is with the Compass app not always recording a backtrack course when I need it.
Awesome thanks for the answer!
I’ve owned three Garmins and the easiest one to own for me was the Instinct. I had issues with it syncing with Strava, but it always eventually did it. I also had issues with the weather being updated - you have to open Garmin connect and sync the watch to get it going each day it seemed. Also, any 3rd party screens that you download to other garmin watches like the Fenix series or the Venu (my other fav) were really cool sometimes, but felt like I had to constantly manage them to keep them going.
All that said, battery life is so much better on Garmin. Not just going three or four days without charging, but the fact that you’re still at like 58% at that time and you plug it in for like 20 minutes and it’s back to 100% is just hard to beat.
Thanks for your feedback!!
For native operations dependent on the Operating System and core device functionality, the software would certainly weight best in favor of the Apple Ultra. For instance connecting to Bluetooth or WiFi will be a far better experience than the Garmin Epix 2. In fact the Garmin is limited to 2.4GHz WiFi so it's very slow to transfer data (maps), unless you utilize Garmin Express. IMO the best use-case situations for the Epix 2 is the superior battery life (size) since it doesn't require the functionality for cellular service and has more space to connect to external Garmin-compatible devices. And of course the user experience requiring mapping on the Epix 2 is a huge plus. But if you're primarily looking for all the app benefits (thousands of programs) in the Apple ecosystem, the solid end-user experience and fantastic customer support, Apple products are legend and have a good resale value when new gadgets come out in coming years.
When it comes to the Epix, it's almost a no-brainer to choose the Sapphire/Titanium version for the double the storage and the multiband since if you're going to spend nearly a thousand dollars or a thousand, might as well get the titanium over the steel and the sapphire over the DX for only $100.
I just ordered my Apple ultra based upon the apps I’ll be using for surfing, following and watching my sessions where I surf, SUP paddling, snowboarding, fishing, mountain biking and trail hiking for camping and fishing.
Wow, that's a lot of great info. 😎 Thanks. Maybe I missed it. I know you can configure the Epix 2 from your phone. Can you do that with the Ultra, and or only from the watch?
Also, I hate the closed Apple system where if you want the Ulta watch, you need to have an iPhone. Good for marketing l guess.
Going ultra. There is more spots progress on the iPhone to make up for what’s not on the watch itself. I also like the phone 📱 / texting. I can’t read the watch maps well enough to take advantage. If I go off the grid I use the farming 700i, not a watch.
I was on the fence but I think I’m going Apple Watch ultra. Thank you. Great video.
These newer Garmin's particularly the Epix with it's super high res display make mapping much more useful but yeah a full handheld is probably more effective!
I tried the Ultra, just didn't love the way that it wore, so I went back to Series 8 steel/sapphire. For every day use, it's all that I need. And when I'm hiking or out on gravel rides in the mountains, it's the Epix that's coming with me. I realized I was trying to use 3rd party apps to fill in for nav things that are excellent on the Epix out of the box. So, for me, it's both Apple Watch and Epix, but the normal Series 8 is the AW of choice for me.
If the next gen ultra (or a software update) brings mapping, then I'll go with that, but for now... it's a two horse race!
Yea bro it's the apple watch series 8 for regular use and for workouts I'll use my fenix 7 solar sapphire
After watching Dave's other video... the Series 8 went back and I bought another Ultra. Couldn't help it!
@@ZachGrabill where did u get the ultra I’m having a hard time finding one in stock
@@Dannyv1987 Best Buy online. You just have to find the right combo in stock. I got the white ocean band, because really, it's easier to find different bands than the watch!
Very good comparison.
Without outdoor maps, the new Apple Watch Ultra is simply a smartwatch and not a sports watch for athletes, as Apple advertises.
When trail running in the Alps, for example, I want to run a planned route with a gpx track. Unfortunately, that is not possible with the Apple Watch Ultra.
I don't want to run somewhere and then back the same way.
In Germany, both watches cost the same with 999€.
So I will probably switch from my Garmin 5x to the Epix 2.
You can easily run planned routes on GPX files on apple watches with many apps. Workoutdoors is great for this. Thats the whole point of a smartwatch - the OS supports applications
Sure there are applications. But from a 1000 € watch that is advertised for outdoor sports, something like that should be installed out of the box. I like Garmin that there is an app where everything can be seen / found and not that I need different apps. My opinion.
Maybe that comes with the Ultra 2 or Watch os 10
Thankfully apps can fill in the void but it would be nice if it was built in out of the box.
After 4 x Fenix watches I have the Ultra… The Watch is Great, but I really Miss the garmin App and Body Battery, etc.
I have the feeling that Here Apple should do really an Update!!!
For My it would be Great to have a 51 mm epix with LTE and the HR Sensor of the Apple Watch 🙂
Thanks for the Great Video!
Check out the Athlytic app. It sort of mimics some of the wellness features on a Garmin.
Great review and comparison between the two “top of the line” watches. For me though, the Apple Watch Ultra fills my needs and it’s the one I ordered and got. I consider myself an outdoor enthusiast. I alternate between city running and road biking daily, changing my running and biking routines only slightly. I do travel often so on my trips I’m exclusively an outdoor runner. However I do no extreme sports, triathlons, biathlons, ultra-races, etc. where the battery advantage of the Garmin watch is a win. So the AW ultra with its winning combination of solid build, smart watch capabilities, stellar sensor accuracy and improved sports support fills all the boxes for me. The Apple software update ecosystems is also an incredible enticement as I can imagine future updates will make the AWU far more useful than it is now. So to summarize: the data collection capabilities of the AWU in combination with the analytical features of Strava on my iPhone answer my holistic exercise needs quite well. For others, the Garmin Epix 2 or other Garmin watches will fortunately fill their needs where the AWU may not. So all of us will be happy in the end with whatever choice is best for each of us.
Thanks. I will go with the Epix.
Great video as always. For me, I have given up on my Epix Gen 2 and gone to the Ultra. I am getting about 2.5 days of battery life, but the charging is very quick. As you say, with always on display, the Garmin doesn’t really get more than about 3 to 4 days - and what a waste not to use always on display!
I really don’t use the very detailed tracking metrics.
As to mapping, let’s not kid ourselves - the Garmin has built-in maps, but they are terrible to use and very difficult to read on the move.
The only thing I really really really really miss is body battery. that thing is incredible - and even managed to diagnose me with Covid before I had symptoms (okay, it didn’t make the diagnosis, but it told me I was getting ill!)
Am getting the Apple Watch ultra for same exact reasons. For over $1000 Garmin epix2 user experience is terrible
it sounds a little bit like you are trying to justify your purchase to me, but hey dont we all, im the same with my epix.
what i dont agree with is the ''its a waste to not use always on display''
i completely disagree, i dont think the display should be on when you are not looking at it, that's where the waste is and the reason its a waste is because its an oled display and oled displays burn away by design, they have a finite life and the longer the pixels are lit the quicker they dim and that's where burn in comes into play, burn in is literally the pixels dimming and it looks like a shadow on the display. The very worst thing you can do to an oled display is leave it on, especially when you are not looking at it. i own an LG C1 TV and that has shown some burn in for me in under a year and its irreversible. do yourself a favour, switch AOD off if you can on the watch, the battery will last much much longer, the display will last much much longer and it still looks absolutely great on your arm.
but hey its your watch, just change your watch face regularly if AOD is your thing and at least the exact same pixels dont stay lit all year round literally burning away.
@jinx20001 nope, no need to justify my purchase. My use case was clear from the details in the Apple product promo and I have longed disliked the Garmin UI, which needs so much work.
Sorry to hear about your TV. The Epix uses dimming (which is not burn in) and pixel shift (a commonly used technology to prevent burn in) to stop it burning in.
And yes, thanks, I know that battery life is longer with AOD off. I chose to keep it on for convenience and because raising your wrist does not always activate the screen when off. Also 3-4 days battery life is just fine for me, just as the 2-3 days on the Ultra is also good enough for me!
I would disagree on the map topic. With the high resolution OLED display on the Epix the maps are VERY useable and extremely nice to have when you're in the back country trying to determine if you need to take a left or right turn at a trail junction. But yeah... That's probably just my use case. Fortuantely there are apps on the AW that can provide useful map data!
@@ChaseTheSummit it’s interesting you think that. I’ve not used the Epix for running (town runner) but we do a lot of wild walking and use the OS maps in the UK on the phone, which are so much more detailed. Of course, it might be an unfair comparison given the screen size difference between watch / phone. I had wanted to use the Epix maps for that but it just didn’t work
Great video, for me I’m going to get the Ultra, as my exercise is moderate, walking, swimming, I already have a Garmin GPS for hiking, just makes more sense for me to go with the Ultra for the every day functionality, with the addition of the durability and sport tracking
No one needs to tell me that I’m “Unproductive”! Hello Apple Watch Ultra.
😂
Wow. You’re knowledge on these watches is amazing.
Extremely informative. Thank you for this video - it’s obvious you put a lot of time and effort into your presentation.
I currently own the Series 7 Apple Watch and don’t really see a need to get the Ultra or even the 8. Your video helps others make informed decisions.
One question, is there a particular reason why the Garmin has noticeably more battery life than the Apple?
Again, thank you so much.
The simple answer to Garmin lasting longer is that it essentially "does less stuff". For example an Apple Watch has a 1800Mhz CPU while a Fenix 7 has a 166Mhz CPU simply because it doesn't make phone calls, have fancy graphics, text messages, super bright display, etc... It comes down to them being different tools for different jobs. The Apple Watch Ultra is an amazing smartwatch. The Garmin's out there are amazing sport watches optimized for that purpose. Thanks for watching!
@@ChaseTheSummit Makes sense.
Thank you so much for replying!
If apple can deliver similar battery life using more efficient hardware and new software modes, it will kill Garmin overnight
Dziękujemy.
Wow thanks!
that was a great review. Not doing the heavy duty back packing so the Ultra works for me but if I was doing the heavy duty back packing I would grab the Garmin. Really helpful and great to share the info with others
and.... 5 month after I made the comment below, I finally got Ultra... LOVE IT!
I think it’s fare to say Garmin is more focused on exercise where as Apple is more general health and wellness. Apple overall does more smartwatch things whereas Garmin is designed to be a workout aid. This is a sign of a healthy market with real competition, with all the competing companies pushing each other forward.
I'd love for someone to actually list these smartwatch things that the AW supposedly does and that Garmin supposedly doesn't do.
@@savagedriver1967 Well, the Apple Watch has an highly responsive display, lots of tools for developers to build apps and the App Stores has nearly 30000 Apple Watch apps which can do anything. Even the things that are missing at first like advanced sleep data, there is an app for that. Games, podcasts, streaming music, reading news, meditations, taking notes, public transport maps, advanced maps navigation, live voice translators, live financial market tracking stocks, forex, crypto. Literally anything someone can think of and fits in the watch screen.
just 1 question. Does Garmin track sleep and body battery on iPhone? thank you.
Excellent review, I stick with the Apple Watch Ultra for day to day and for occasional outings without reaching the professional I choose the Amazfit T Rex 2 with the update it is already possible to add routes. Regards
Went with Epix. No matter how good AWU is as a smartwatch, Garmin really kills it with one advantage - way superior battery life. Imo, wristwatch should live more than a few days, otherwise it is just a gimmick. 2nd thing is mapping. One thing nice about the AWU is the ability to answer calls and send texts, but this cannot be compared with Epix advantages above.
It’s about time that Garmin gave us all running power without additional devices 😭
Waiting for that firmware update! It seems like everyone else is doing it with the on-board sensors!
Stryd will always be better, as provides tons more.
@@michaliskanakakis2348 But you need a subscription for it though, so nay for me there.
I agree with a lot of the comments. I had a Samsung Watch 6, but after a while decided having a sub-phone on my wrist just wasn't what I wanted and bought the Garmin 965 which has the same functionality as the Epix. I now have enough connectivity in case of big messages etc but the Garmin gives me all the exercise and healthcare info that really matters
In a comparison like this, it's worth considering the apps available for each. Garmin is a lot more limited, so it might make sense to primarily compare it with built-in apps. The Apple Watch on the other hand leverages so many high quality apps to provide additional functionality, while keeping the included features minimal.
For sure, that would be a much more complicated video lol. This is more of the "out of the box experience" comparison where Garmin gives you a lot of tools (for free) with the hardware. Apple needs a lot or apps to meet the same standards in terms of wellness/sport tracking.
Chase the summit wut do u prefer the epix gen 2 or the apple watch ultra or the fenix 7
They're both awesome for different reasons.
@@ChaseTheSummit yes but I want to know wut watch do u use the most and wut would u recommend the most for workouts
Great video, thanks for all the details and the bookmarked timeline. It makes it easier to go back and check on specific details. An additional thought is that the offline mapping and extra battery life is a safety feature (and security blanket) that the current AWU can’t provide. I went hiking with my young daughter with my Fenix 6 Pro and my Apple iPhone and, when she wanted to explore new trails, my iPhone had no cell reception but my Fenix was tracking our location live with its multi-day battery. After exploring, we then took the shortest route back to familiar grounds as guided by the Fenix. The iPhone, substituting for the AWU, did not give confidence to have that outing and allow my daughter to explore. (And for what it’s worth, we also had safety gear, water etc. and had lots of sunlight, just in case, on these well travelled and marked routes).
Great video. @6:44 when it comes to the UI of the Apple Watch in general, you can switch between that app grid view where it looks like a spider web, or have it looks cleaner like a normal list, and can also dock your favourite ones, so it's easier / faster to navigate. When it comes to starting a run with the GPS, don't forget your watch faces are highly customizable, and can have it so you can begin a run quickly without having to go through a few screens, like it seemed you were mentioning was a nuance to you. Unless I misunderstood what you were saying.
"First", that's what the cool kids say right?
I think the rule should be: Touch screen watches should be able to operate 100% with buttons if needed.
Does the apple watch provide voice or vibrate at every mile? Thinking about getting the Apple watch ultra. Maybe the work outdoors app doea that? Right now using the Coros Pace 2 and need an upgrade.
I ended up getting both watches. They're really nice and look badass!
Grabbing a series 8 soon coming from a series 6 to tide me over until the Apple Watch ultra 2 comes out - you think it’ll be a 3 year window refresh for the AWU?
I'm curious to see the release cadence for Ultra in the future. I feel like it likely won't be yearly... Or maybe next year they'll introduce more colors? A Black or Product Red version?
I have the series 8 and my fenix 7 solar sapphire so I’m good with these
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
I have been battling between the two and you made it easier for me thanks
Easily the best video I’ve seen on this subject. You’ve made me less worried about the choice I’ve already made! Phew!
You are 100% correct. It depends. I’ve been on the fence, and I’d love some of the features the Garmin has, specifically for biking.
However! The most useful thing for me from a smart watch is going to be the ability to leave my very big, very expensive, and rather easily broken iPhone at home.
So yes I’ll miss out on some data which I would really enjoy, but the ability to ditch my phone and ride, whilst still being able to contact people on the fly is something I’m really looking forward to.
Apple Watch ultra arrives tomorrow 🎉
Nice video!
I came from the Fenix 7 and the Enduro 2 and now have the Apple Watch Ultra. For me battery is enough for me.
Let me just say, "I've been a loyal Apple fanboy since the very first iPod, iPhone, and watch, including all their computers." However, I have worn a Garmin Epix Gen 2 every day since getting it three months ago and don't plan on taking it off for anything else right now. I do wildlife photography walking trails every weekend, and the GPS with battery life is a no-brainer for me.
I have ordered an Ultra. I think for a smart watch a square screen is better. I also prefer it being cellular too.
What's the watch you are wearing during this excellent video?
Forerunner 955 as I recall!
14:26 there Are apps for that on The Apple Watch
There certainly are.
theres an app for everything, and if theres not you can make your own
My wrist is like yours 165 mm. Should you recommend a trail S/M or M/L sized wristband for the Apple Watch Ultra?
S/M fits mine better