Garmin Epix 2: A Scientist’s Review.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

🔴 Affiliate* link: geni.us/Garmin_Epix_2 🟢 Instagram: instagram.com/quantified_scientist/ 🔵 Newsletter: www.robterhorst.com 🟡 Twitter: @QuantifiedRob * Affiliate (paid) links support the channel by earning me a small commission on any sale, and it doesn't cost you any more! My opinions are completely my own, and this content is not sponsored.

[@siamakdarvish4968]

The time you put into this research is respectable, thank you

[@supercrazysane]

Most of the testing done at time of this video was software version 7.2. As of Jan 23 we are now at 10.44 so to test the theory of software/algorithm accuracy we now need a retest 🙏🤓

[@sidanx7887]

Please cause I am holding off until I see better results or I will get the 965 and a better sleep detector on your channel

[@davidbraswell1481]

We shouldn’t have to wait for updates / new firmware as much as we paid for these watches they should have been right on release period. My ultra may not have the best battery but it does everything I want and it’s pretty spot on at everything !! And for the battery it’s simple I throw it on the charger every morning when I hop in the shower so a dead battery is NEVER an issue!!! And it worked out the box !!!

[@TheSwayzeTrain]

​@@davidbraswell1481 Things can be 'right on release' but every single mainstream device receives updates for a reason. Everything can be improved upon.

[@davidbraswell1481]

@@TheSwayzeTrain I like my features to work vs the money I pay for my toys

[@30mattdavies]

Still crap

[@josephsable5275]

Your channel is amazing, the actual breakdown of the data vs. anecdotal evidence from other channels is a breath of fresh air

[@masterbeen8599]

Please make a follow up review after garmin makes an Software update

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi ! Yes, I will definitely retest the Fenix after updates😊

[@From_the_mil]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist any update ?

[@Secherdk]

Would love to see if anything has changed with new firmware - it would be really nice if you could do reviews at around a year after launch. After the 955 have come out, Garmin have released new major firmware versions for both fenix 7 and Epix 2.

[@elias9049]

As a garmin watch user, I felt scammed after watching this review....I'm hoping the new firmware makes a difference 😑

[@ArvindJuneja]

@@elias9049 scamed in whqat way? this shows that updates can only fix it, nothing more nothing less, I get more angry he uses old firwmare benchmarks when he compaares it to the new watches like apple ultra

[@hieupham7656]

@@ArvindJuneja Please, mate.You may feel offended for no reason at all(except that you own it so it has to be good, a stupid way of thinking tbh) apple has never lost the war on heart rate, while Garmin and its users(most of whom never try to research anything and blindly believe in advertisements) always bullsh*t about its ability. Garmin is overrated, overpriced with mediorce accuracy on heart rate( but GPS is quite good ). If its heart rate is fixed, then it has been fixed when new gens come( like Huawei GT2 to GT3 and forward) but new gens are still trash at picking up heart rate so good luck with believing in that update. btw, in case you think i'm an apple fan, then nope. Too poor to get them and the battery is shit so i stay with Huawei

[@Ben21756]

@@hieupham7656 Have you ever had a Garmin top of the line watch? I do and from my personal experience the watches are incredibly accurate, this video is outdated...

[@hieupham7656]

@@Ben21756 So may i ask how do you know they are accurate? Don't tell me by feeling? If you only run then yeah, if not then nah. Its weight is a big problem to get accurate heart rate tracking. Btw, get a polar belt and make a comparasion video on your youtube to convince me, else i stay with my belief in the comment above

[@bilal7217]

Hello, We really appreciate the effort and time you're putting in these tests. Would you please make the test again with the latest software update 11.28. Garmin is claiming that it has fixed all the issues reported in your tests but we still have all those issues unfortunately. All the community relies on you to prove the contrary. Thank you so much again.

[@howardgould1079]

So pleased that I found this video. I have had an Epix 2 for about a month. Previously I had a much cheaper Amazfit armband. I was getting concerned about the sleep readings I was getting from my Epix - mostly "non-restorative"! Compared to the Amazfit, the Garmin showed far less deep sleep, far more awake and less REM. I personally often felt well rested from my sleep during this period. From what you found, and my experience, the Garmin algorithm seems to be lacking. For me, I feel that it may be the effect of movement during sleep - my wife says I am a restless sleeper.

[@moxiehikes]

Your videos are amazing. Thanks for all the thorough analysis. You’re making a difference from other reviewers.

[@CM-yr6vw]

I really wanted to make the Fenix or Epix work. In the end I was not impressed with Garmin's side of the fence. The frustrating part is it is all due to the bug filled software. Ended up back with my AW Series 6.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi! Agreed, you can always wait a bit with buying new gadgets if you still have a decent one. I actually like the AW6 a lot

[@davidbraswell1481]

I did the ultra never ever going back to garmin

[@EgorKarat]

This is because the Vivomove Sport has a cloud-based sleep analyzer, which is different from the one that is built locally into devices of a higher class. To verify this, test other Garmin devices with a cloud sleep analyzer, such as a cheap Vivosmart 4. The results will be the same as in the Vivomove Sport.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi EkZ! Thanks for the information! Do you have any link to a website from Garmin that described this by any chance?👍😊

[@EgorKarat]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist Hi Rob! I have even better ones. Here is your video of the published study from Garmin (2019) on their new accurate sleep algorithm: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIrYd2SgoNt3hrM. And here kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIrYd2SgoNt3hrM you wonder why your test results differ from that Garmin study. So here's the answer: you've been testing on the wrong devices. There are two types of Garmin watches: 1. The first type uses its own processor, display and firmware with its own built-in algorithm. They can work completely autonomously. 2. The second type does not have its own display for viewing sleep data, training, heart rate history and so on. To do this, he needs Garmin Connect. But, even synchronization between them and Garmin Connect does NOT work without the Internet - you can easily check it yourself. They need a cloud. Just check the Garmin forum link: forums.garmin.com/apps-software/mobile-apps-web/f/garmin-connect-web/108946/using-connect-app-without-internet-access/984760 Why Garmin insert the worst algorithm into devices? The answer is here in your other video kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6u0hZSVm8yja5I. You answered it yourself: Vivomove Sport has less sensitive to movements. And this is a drawback - it is weakly sensitive to movements and poorly sees the beginning and end of sleep. And this is a serious marketing problem for Garmin, because the user can easily check for errors in determining wakefulness, the beginning and end of sleep, but sleep phases or their duration cannot be checked (at least until the appearance of the video channel from Dr. Rob of-course). Therefore, Garmin sacrificed the accuracy of the phase detection in the new algorithms in favor of better detection of wakefulness. But algorithm of 2019 never disappeared, it was always there, in the cloud. And you found it at Vivomove Sport. And you can find it in other Garmin "cloud" watches too. I am pretty sure of this. I use two bracelets at the same time on one arm: Inspire 2 and Vivosmart 4. When I look at your sleep data from Vivomove Sport kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6u0hZSVm8yja5I, I recognize the Vivosmart 4 algorithm in them (the same smooth and wide REM phases, very thin or no awakening bars). Also, Vivosmart 4 does not always correctly determine the beginning and end of sleep (especially if you read a book before going to bed or are inactive). And this, I'm sure, is exactly the reason why Garmin abandoned the 2019 algorithm in their expensive devices. I doubt that Garmin would openly write about this. If only because no one asked about it and it would hurt his marketing policy and sales of expensive devices. I know that there is still no direct evidence, but you asked kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3u1hopmlt98p80 about versions. So this is what they are 😊 Thank you for your video channel and wish him good luck!

[@koshi8553]

GARMIN Instinct 2 ? 🙂

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Koshi! I just ordered one actually :-D

[@Intrak]

Waiting for this video. :D

[@fullturbodev]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist I would bet it will have better HR accuracy and maybe sleep tracking simply because of its lower weight :)

[@F0rask3n]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist look forward for that review

[@30mattdavies]

Just as crap

[@yvindstafsnes2027]

Excellent I really hope someone from Garmin watching this.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

I hope so too! I just got in touch with someone, so let's see if they will allow me to review future watches before release😄

[@WatchmanNiel]

I am wondering how the sleep tracking from the Apple watch compares? It doesn’t look like any wrist wearable performs exemplary in this regard…

[@cdnmember]

Another excellent review. Not worth the price for this one given the results. Suggest a followup review in a few months to see if Garmin provides a software update to improve results.

[@qwertyCandy]

Garmin Forerunner 645 user here - Garmin is generally terrible when it comes to sleep tracking, it's probably the worst thing about these watches and a very long-term problem. So I doubt it will change in a couple of months. Certainly not unless they rework sleep tracking completely, but then they would likely market it as a key feature of new models and wouldn't release it for older models as well.

[@krollpeter]

It's only a beauty accessory

[@Alkilu]

​@@qwertyCandy I have to disagree. There have already been major improvements between my Forerunner 245 ( total crap in terms of sleep tracking) and my dad's Fenix 6 pro. So Garmin is moving in the right direction. I'm relatively positive that the Fenix 7 / Epix 2 will receive the superior vivosport sleep algorithm in a few months - should it be indeed a software related issue. Garmin supports its flagships very well.

[@ThijsOost]

For me the Fenix 7 was well worth the money. Yes, the sleep analysis is bad, but that's not my main purpose for buying the watch. I bought it for activity tracking (swimming, cycling and running) and that's where the Fenix 7 is very good at.

[@davidbraswell1481]

@@ThijsOost heart tracking still sucks I sent mine back and got an Apple Watch ultra it’s a great heart tracker and with Athlytic and work outdoors the watch is fantastic! And the battery I can get three days without charging but… I throw mine on the charger every morning when I hop in the shower so it’s NEVER an issue like every non owner says lol

[@donnawetter1513]

I noticed the F7 measruring O2 to low with the widget, while in healtsnapshot it starts low for a few seconds and then settles for a realistic value.

[@Pavlos.Pavlou]

@The Quantified Scientist Which 3 Advance Health Watch are the Best for Tracking Sleep; I believe the: 1st is Apple Watch 7. 2nd is Fitbit Sense. 3rd ? I don't know.

[@markveen1373]

That a 1K$ watch has a worse heart rate sensor than a 100$ watch is kinda crazy to me. I guess they fixed it with software now?

[@fredericbrugmans8408]

Hi Rob ! Not very surprising results :) There are the same watches only differing bye display technology. But i'm kinda curious on correlation factor between watche's weight and sleep accuracy

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Frederic! Indeed, but it is always good to check. Also, it is interesting to see how consistent sleep tracking is when wearing a similar (or the same) watch. Fitbit has always been much better at this with mostly >80% agreement over all stages when wearing two watches (even when they are different models). Not sure indeed how much weight plays a factor for sleep, but an interesting concept 😊👍

[@robertphilip1832]

If Garmins performance depend on its algorhithm which I guess sample rarely to keep the outstanding battery life. I would happy if Garmin come up with an update which gives an option to switch to an alternative algorhithm which measures more often and gives better/closer results to "reality" at the expense of battery. I could live with 1-3 day battery life but I wouldn't buy something what is not accurate in something that is important for me. Now Epix is lost its value for me, right after i ordered it but before I paid it... Thank You for the video, very much!

[@eduardmoon2010]

Hi! I noticed that if the phone don't have internet access sleep is not shown at all. You need internet access, so that seems to confirm that some post-processing is done. NOTE: something curious I noticed today: I checked my sleep on my phone, like 20 mins after I woke up, I refreshed everything and I manually synced my watch with my phone, and the REM sleep was 1 h 40 mins in my case. Two hours later, I checked again, and my REM Sleep went up to 2 hours and 3 minutes!!!! My light sleep went down from 6h 54 min to 6h33m. So seems like more post-processing stuff is done after several hours!!!

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Eduardo! Indeed several people commented about this. It seems like once it is uploaded to the server it gets recalculated, or indeed, perhaps a first quick calculation is done? Not sure why you would get two different ones after uploading...

[@pah2293]

Thank you. Been waiting the review for Epix 2. Might need to reconsider buying it due to poor sleep tracking.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Thanks Pin Shang Pah !!

[@capeflatterytrail]

Great overview--I wish you would have mentioned the respiration rate feature performance, which is abysmal.

[@davesemmens9496]

Sounds like a lot of money for something that can't really compete against products 1/3 the price in some critical areas like heart rate. Really glad I found your channel and eventually went for the Huawei GT3 Pro for £240 - finding it really great to use.

[@prod.byjael]

It would be interesting to see you test the 7s to see if the smaller form factor could yield better results

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi! That would be interesting, though honestly I do not expect much of a difference, but that is just my feeling

[@prod.byjael]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist It could be related to the algorithms but it seems that smaller watches in general tend to record better results, according to your videos

[@steffenbruns652]

One thought about SpO2 measurements on watches: since this is so stable at ground level in healthy people, these comparisons do not tell much, do they? They could just show 98% all the time and would be more accurate than whatever the watches measure. Therefore, I think the only really useful comparison is when SpO2 is actually lower than normal (like on a plane in one of your previous videos). Another thing: have you considered Bland-Altman plots instead of the boxplots for comparison?

[@danm3d]

I have a Venu 2 which has the same Elevate 4.0 sensor as the Fenix 7 and Epix 2's. Recently there was an 8.05 beta firmware and since then, it seems like sleep tracking has gotten a bit worse. I've had a couple of cases where the watch incorrectly reports a sleep period while sitting and working at my desk. This was not the case in previous software versions. I definitely agree that Garmin need to up their game in terms of sleep tracking algs. Tracking maps would also be a welcome addition. Obviously this is "beta" software, however garmin say on their forum post that this is likely a final beta before release. Hopefully Garmin do continue to expand features on these new Elevate 4.0 devices. Great video as always. Thanks Rob!

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Dan! Indeed seems like the tweaked the algorithm and it became a bit too sensitive? However, it is good to know they are continuing to invest in improving this. Thanks for watching!😊

[@creativityworld6781]

I think during the indoor exercise the low signal of GPS affects the performance of the watch in heart rating as the watch keeps searching for the location and it has a logarithm of calculating speed distance along with heart rate. Just guessing

[@sunnydavies3990]

As usual Rob, great video and thanks for uploading!

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Thanks Sunny! Your support is greatly appreciated 👍😊

[@KidtipsyEthn]

Garmin has just released a new update for most of there watches that you have recently reviewed. Sleep algorithm has been updated also I wonder how this update will either improve or not improve if you test them again.

[@RadBunny2269]

And this is why I’ll stick w/ my Ultra during hiking & deal w/ charging it while at rest sections. I value the health data accuracy & I’m not one to wear a chest heart rate monitor honestly. Great review.

[@eliasbane3588]

Nice review! Two quick questions: 1)Why you think apple 7,Huawei gt3 and Venue 2 plus have the most accurate heart rate results during weight lifting? Does it have to do with the sensors? The shape? The size? What are your thoughts? 2)Any tips for better heart rate accuracy? For example what kind of straps do you find more effective for steadiness on the wrist during weight lifting? I would really appreciate your suggestions!

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi! (1) I read that Apple really invested a lot in making sure that even when worn quite loose, the watch could still measure heart rate. I suspect it is a combination of great enginering and algorithms (made possible by a lot of talent and budget). (2) I prefer the fabric straps with velcro that you can adjust to any size. For me these gives the best fit. Have a great day!!

[@hueything228]

Hello! Thanks for the review. Garmin did an update over the weekend for sleep tracking. Will you be updating this later?

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi! One of the night included was with the latest version of the firmware. It is too little data to say anything with certainty, but I did not notice any big changes

[@noweniebedzie]

Hi! I;m a great fan of your tests! Your doing a great job :) What would you say, to retest the fenix7 and epix 2 after all the software updates they applied?

[@seanlinehan1136]

Speaking from experience, no impact. I don't know why ppl think a firmware update mythically enhances standards 10 fold. No offense meant, but their firmware relies on the same algorithm they've always used, with updates accounting for bug fixes at this point. Nowhere near enough to bridge the gap created by apple money and tech0logy in the field of accuracy

[@401Bovey]

Thank you for the comprehensive review as usual. I use a venu 2 for 2 month. Overall I am satisfied with the Venu 2. But some things I want to motioned: I can confirm that the Venu 2 struggles in sleep stages REM and Deep as well. Furthermore Garmin artificial restrict functions for instance training effect and training recovery. Which data exist in venu 2 and can be read out by third party apps. The Garmin policy IMO need to be improved.

[@minervali631]

The data can be read out by 3rd party apps? What are those apps? I'm also rocking a venu 2

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Thanks for the compliment Bovey!

[@brucelin5842]

Please retest with the latest firmware thanks

[@GOLFADDICT65]

great video....I just ordered the EPIX PRO Gen 2 sapphire in 47mm....i am an avid golfer so this watch will be perfect for me ..and will also be my every day watch....cheers from Canada

[@YeaThatsTheGuy]

What about taking into account the weight and diameter of the wearable, the larger or heavier means the sensors are moving on the arm more, causing poor readings. Just a back if the napkin thought.

[@elliotclarke5685]

Could you do an updated review of the Garmin Epix 2, now that it's been out for a while and has had a number of updates?

[@sergiutelbisz1955]

Thank you for the review of these expensive watches. When I am not focused on sport specific activities I use a Galaxy watch 4 for everyday use. Since the last big update a few days past I have tested it and I have seen improvement on GPS and sleep tracking accuracy. For 4 consecutive nights since I have tested it I got very beautiful graphs of light, deep and rem stages. I constantly got at least 1 h of deep sleep (which is a very big difference from my usual 15 min ler night) and the rem stages are very clear. I can see pretty good 4 to 5 cycles. I think they did something to the algorithm besides the "animal" bases profile and sleeping coach feature. If you have the time to test the watch for a couple of nights and inform us if something really changed and it is not just me being very lucky, it would be appreciated. 😊

[@krollpeter]

My son has it. He reported the same, not perfect but much closer to reality now. Also the new features they added are pretty cool. The sleep coach is making relevant suggestions.

[@sergiutelbisz1955]

@@krollpeter yes, it is useful. Last night again I had very good measurement with 1 h and 20 min of deep sleep, 2 h and 20 min of REM and very few awake moments. I could see 4 sleep cycles. They did something to the algorithm for sure.

[@krollpeter]

@@sergiutelbisz1955 It has to many awake sections for my son. They even count moments he's turning as awake. My Huawei has too less, as we found out in direct comparison. Even if I wake up and go to the bathroom it does not show it. The Samsung is sure more than a toy after the update, unlike so many others.

[@sergiutelbisz1955]

@@krollpeter for sure. If you go to the bathroom and Huawei does not show it, it is not accurate because you are awake. My awake time since the update with GW4 went from aprox 50 mins per night to 25 now. I know that it shows sometimes a simple turn of your arm while you sleep as micro awake time but now, for me, it shows fewer moments like that.

[@sergiutelbisz1955]

But what is important is that the way I feel în the morning correlates with what is being shown. It's a start. Hope they will improve it more.

[@BfSkinnerPunk]

So, is the Garmin Epix Gen 2 all sorted out these days? (July 2024)

[@kylejosephjr]

Why aren't the two matrices at minute 5:13 just the transpose of one another?

[@-zerocool-]

I wonder if a wrist based sensor will ever match a chest based HR sensor, seems we are a ways off if they will some day

[@AdamCiszewski]

Another great review! Your doing great job. 😊

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Thanks so much! Really appreciate it 😊

[@CristianPalcau]

Great video! Thank you for all the research! Garmin Instinct 2 next?

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

For sure! Coming soon! Thanks Cristian!!👍

[@szidoniadaniel6939]

I really like your videos. And it help me decode which watch to buy. I miss the time stamps which was available in older videos! Hope you will bring it back! Great videos !!!

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi! There should be a timestamp there. Can you not see it? I added it in the description, so it should be added on the timeline...

[@szidoniadaniel6939]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist sorry it was very at the bottom and I haven't noticed! My apologies!

[@pah2293]

Did you rest the sleep tracking with new software?

[@QuinlanG]

I see there was a firmware update on 11th Feb to improve sleep tracking on the Epix 2. Was your review undertaken before or since the firmware update?

[@QuinlanG]

Sorry! Just seen you’ve answered this already. New to your channel, and subscribed now as its a great channel, so not sure if you will re-review when later firmware updates are provided??

[@jagslr]

Thanks for the very informative video. Love your approach as it's pretty hard to fool science. I've got an Epix 2 on order and should have it within the month. Do you think that accuracy can be improved by software updates or can it also be a hardware problem? I guess what i'[m asking is what percentage of an improvement to accuracy have we seen with just software updates as we are pretty much stuck with the hardware?

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Bill! Sleep tracking can be improved tremendously I suspect, as long as the sensors are of a basic quality. Heart rate tracking would take more effort to improve with firmware I think, but it is definitely still possible.

[@MichaelLefortS6]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist I just got an update for my Epix 2 a couple days ago ver. 7.24 and one of the bullet points was improvements made to on-device sleep detection and sleep staging.

[@techandco.]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist I would think of Garmin selecting the best heart sensors on the market today.... well that's not the case and I actually sent back my Epix 2, waiting for my new Tag Heuer Connected Gen 4... let's hope it has a better heart rate sensor ;-)

[@chch242]

It's time to fix the name of the Vivomove sport in the percentage agreement (it's called Vivimove in your graph). Thanks for the valuable content!

[@Jit02]

Hi Rob, Question: What are your thoughts on Redmi Smart Band Pro ?

[@brunopaynebarbosa]

It's got an update to fix the issues

[@Olivier-iv1mf]

You did an amazing work ! I was waiting so much this review ! Hopefully garmin will improve sleep tracking with an update. If they do i will definitely buy this epix2. The comparison with fenix7 was a brilliant idea :-)

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Olivier, Thanks so much!😊

[@davidbraswell1481]

Heart tracking too!!!

[@ifitrollsrideit530]

Hi Rob, do you know if there's been any improvements in the sleep tracking with the newer Garmin firmware? There's been several releases since the review and I _think_ that sleep was mentioned in the release notes.

[@30mattdavies]

There hasn’t been. It’s crap

[@chusti1054]

How can they be so bad? Garmin is one of the most important brands in sports... It's incredible that only apple watch and oura ring 3 can be reliable and used for health tracking.

[@davidbraswell1481]

So you say ……..

[@davidbraswell1481]

@@RelaxingWalks man you said it perfectly, I see the fan boy reviewers praise the hell out of these Garmin watches while bashing Apple. I had a Garmin epix sent it back then tried the fit bit sense then a sense 2 sent those back got the Apple s8 loved it but hated the battery I had to charge mine everyday so I gave it to my dad who just got out of the hospital his Apple Watch detected a fib and has saved his life I went and bought the Apple ultra and I love it it lasts me 3 days before charging. It has also detected afib on me and it was 100 % correct and I am now on meds after my heart Dr confirmed the afib from the ecg test I took on the watch while having the afib episode

[@80lives]

As an Epix2 owner I'm a bit disappointed by the results you found out. That being said, I wonder if you do follow-ups on firmware updates. I think they are very necessary as there is always room for improvement after release. You tested v.7 but now we are up to v9.33 which I hope helped the watch get more accurate and better results overall. Anyway, I think it'd be great to review the models again after 6 months or a year after release to have a truer picture of what a watch is capable of. This would even make your reviews even more trustworthy than they already seem to be. Thanks for this! Vielen Dank

[@Mierze19j87]

Also I have Epix 2. Previously Venu. Garmin has had a problem with the soft start for several years. However, the problem of heavy Garmins is their dimensions. Note that Venu 2 has much better measurements. The same goes for Huawei Runner GT, FitBit and Apple. They fit better, they shake less on the wrist. It makes a difference. However, you have to bullet Garmin on the forum with the Beta program, the more people do it, the more Garmin will find it necessary. P.S. The current software is FW 9.36. Recently, they have an amazing pace of updating. What should be appreciated. However, to start with this money, one would expect something more.

[@JPC326]

This channel got recommended to me. I have sleep apnea and im looking for a sleep tracking watch with a 24/7 SPo2 reading. My candidate so far are the Withings Scanwatch, The Garmin Venu 2 Plus, The Garmin Epix 2. The only reason I did not have an Oura ring is because of the subscription and the limited service in Canada. I'm also looking forward the new Google watch coming this year. If you have any idea and opinion on what is the best watch for this purpose it would be really appreciated !

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi! I did not test the sleep apnea functions, so it is difficult for me to judge. I think these devices do not just use SpO2, but also try to track your breathing, though I am not 100% sure of that. I think the Withings Sleep Analyzer should be able to do it based on breathing, though I am not sure if they are certified in Canada. However, I cannot really say more than what I read online, since I did not test for sleep apnea.

[@JPC326]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist That i understand, wich watch would you recommend for the best sleep tracking + sp02 ?

[@jannafrost6426]

I am not a scientist of any sort but could the differences in the sleep results be due to wearing them on the different wrists? Let’s say you’re laying on your left side and you pull your blanket up with the right hand. Wouldn’t that skew the results since your left side wouldn’t move as much? Just a thought

[@007LSV]

Thanks for the video, Could it be that the watch is just too big thus it is having hard time recording heart rate/Spo2?

[@stefanstoian2025]

I hope You will test them again after all the updates.

[@maximillianbajkay9027]

Great analytic video! Well done. Question, in terms of robustness of build, to suit activities such as hiking in rough terrain, team sports like soccer or touch rugby, would the epix 2 be a worthwhile option?

[@Chrisgames210]

Hi Rob, Great Review as always. I was wondering if you could add one reference value for the heart rate accuracy (maybe the R-value and its std. Deviation?). This way you could compare all devices in one chart just as you do with the sleep accuracy. But these are already the most informative fittness based reviews anyone could ever find. Keep up the good work 😄

[@aleksandrkravchenko9699]

Hello, could you please tell which firmware version you used for the test of Epix2? 7.2 or 7.24? As per changelog for 7.24 sleep tracking algorithm was improved. Just wandering if there is really any improvements.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Aleksandr! I mentioned this at the end. Most of the time both watches were at 7.20, but the last workouts and the single last night was at 7.24. I have limited data, but I couldn't see a clear improvement. More testing needed though👍

[@aleksandrkravchenko9699]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist Thanks for reply. 🤝

[@lengyech]

Thanks again for the review. Did you use the Garmin battery feature and the health snapshot as well? Best wishes

[@CatalinStere]

Thank you for your review. Very good job!

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Thanks for the compliment and for commenting! My pleasure!

[@MagisterVeritas]

Maybe give an overall sleep score for the watches you are testing? For example if you only sleep 10 minutes in deep sleep of 7 hours total and it records only 1 minute, that is a 10% accuracy. But deep sleep in the table is portrayed as one of four cycles and has a 25% importance, which is not really true since it is only 10 minutes out of 7 hours. In this example 10 min out of 7 hours should count only for 2.38% of the total sleep score

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Alex! Good question. I am actually not sure how the sleep score of Garmin is calculated. Yes, deep sleep is likely 10-20% of the night or so. However, the fact that you have less of it than light sleep does not make it less important for your sleep quality. If your deep sleep drops by a (relative) 50% compared to your normal levels, this would likely have a major impact on your sleep quality? What do you think?

[@Ben77769]

Thank you for an excellent review, I was really looking forward to see the sleep test of the Epix. Too bad these beautiful Garmin watches are so bad at sleep analyzing

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Ben! Happy to share my thoughts 😊. It really depends on what you want to use this watch for 😄

[@techandco.]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist But if the heart sensors sucks, then, the whole watch capability is at stake ! :-))

[@pauls_problems6527]

I'm looking for sleep tracking and heart rate monitoring accuracy but am lost in the number of choices. Any advice?

[@jacksonn7285]

@@pauls_problems6527 apple watch if you have an iphone

[@ikklepip]

@@jacksonn7285 The Apple Watch doesn’t really do proper sleep tracking yet?

[@waynehighfield2094]

Do people know when the Venue 3 will be released?

[@Ryxenru]

This was great! Especially the comparison of the similar models. Keep the data coming.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Thanks! I am experimenting with different types of tests, to make the whole picture and testing more reliable. 👍😊

[@jaroslavbenc]

hello, great review as usual, thanks for that! Just one question, any idea which watch or band actually matches EEG best when it comes to sleep monitoring ? or are all non eeg devices poised to have these results?

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi! Based on PSG, and two different EEG devices I have used as a reference, Fitbit seems to have a consistently good algorithm👍😊. Based on testing with just EEG also Whoop and Withings Sleep Analyzer do quite well. However, I doubt they will ever be quite as good as PSG/EEG, just by the nature of the measurements they can take.

[@jaroslavbenc]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist Hi Rob, thanks for your reply, really appreciate it! Re EEG devices, would you recommend Muse S? Or anything consumer-grade sub-500EUR you know of? Might be good to include the device in your affiliate links list?

[@johnMpower]

Thank you for one more good job. Can you re-test the galaxy watch 4? It received a big update during this week that (theoricaly) improve a lot of things, namely the sleep track and heart rate. You are the man, thanks.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Johny! A video on the previous version is scheduled for this Sunday (already recorded and mostly edited). However, I'll definitely revisit it later!

[@TheZanshen]

If you’re a shift worker the sleep tracking is s… . It doesn’t track if you come off nights

[@ismaelrivera1999]

Great Review. Do you have any table showing the heart rate accuracy for all the smartwatches that you have review.

[@Windsurfingaddict]

February 2023 I decided on Epix 2 due to the lovely screen and now pairing it to Garmin HRM Pro Plus Heart Rate Monitor and live the fact I can take watch off and it records to heart rate sensor then pushes it to watch and app soon as I stop the workout 🥳🥳🥳

[@ryankassel5691]

Great video as always. I appreciate the depth of the comparisons, you give great context with other watches, both from Garmin and other brands.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Glad you like them! Thanks Ryan!!

[@AI-Wrath]

So Apple Watch 7 is more accurate in detecting heart rate for work outs than Garmin epix 2

[@ErinOtten]

Hi Rob, great review! Very useful. What do you have strapped around your upper arm?

[@SirRasor]

Sooo....still the Venu 2 is the best for strength training (except from apple watches)?

[@JS-nv3nc]

Awesome review as usual. Keep it up.

[@thundergus]

You should also add the venu 2 as they are all using the same Elevate 4.0 sensor

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi! I did test that device😊. Or, where should it be added?

[@sandergrootjes]

Hi Rob, nice review again, I like your approach a lot. Benchmarking all the watches in relevant settings, great work! What do you think of the Coros watches, will they be reviewed as well? Groeten, Sander

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Sander. I briefly tested some Coros watches, but people on the channel did not seem that interested. My first impressions were mixed. They were the previous generation, and HR tracking was OK, though not great (especially for the cheaper model). From what I remember the sleep tracking was also not amazing. However, this is all based on older data from months ago.

[@jchap2953]

Will there ever be an Epix gen 2 vs Apple Watch Ultra video?

[@wlcik]

Hello, thank you for great review. Firmware 7.24 should tweak the sleep stages detection - were you on that version during testing?

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Petr! Thanks!! Just for the last night and day (Friday-->Saturday). Most of the time I was on 7.20. I briefly mention this near the end of the video😊

[@wlcik]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist ouch, sorry, I probably have not finished that one :(

[@giovani5586]

just commeting for the algorithm, gave a like before watching as always

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Thanks Giovani! That is really appreciated😊

[@ContinuouslyConfused]

Hello, Nice video. Out of a curiosity during your testing was the fenix 7 also around version 7.2? Sorry if you said this and I missed it.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi Sean! Most of the data was from 7.20, the last night of sleep and the last two cycling sessions were with 7.24 on both watches (the last weightlifting for one of the watches was also already 7.24, don't remember by heart which one)

[@jesuslovesu4714]

Do you have a recommendation for which watch tracks “calories burned” most accurately ?

[@henrilehtonen7322]

Good stuff! So it seems that all these devices are more likely miss not a hit related to WRH and sleep tracking. Ie. if you use similar devices in both wrist they are giving whatever results…

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Thanks Henri! When wearing Fitbits on different arms I got much more consistent results😊

[@henrilehtonen7322]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist would actually be quite interesting to see ie. two Gen3 Ouras / AW7s in both hands to see how consistent those numbers are. Have to hit a like button so that you get new gadgets to test 😁

[@francobellomo9979]

Very good review, when is the biostrap review coming?

[@milanpintar]

I had the same experience with the epix 2 when riding my bike last week, it was just not responding to my effort, I didn't believe my heart rate was so low. I've started to wear my apple watch series 7 althought it's the stainless steel which is a bit heavier then what's usually tested. Problem is I want to broadcast my heart rate but apple doesn't do that without an app and the iphone :( . I use a hammerhead karoo 2 bike computer which I'm loving, and they do updates every 2 weeks.

[@itsbi11y]

Excellent review - one of a kind on KZbin!

[@seamusmccartney5872]

Hey The Quantified Scientist I really love your KZbin page and all your work, quick question! What is the name of the graph you use at 9:17 for comparing Heart rate of the two devices? Trying to figure out how to do it myself on Excel.

[@3tnt396]

LOVE your reviews.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi 3TNT3! Happy you like them 😊. Thanks!

[@yeni353]

Actually I was not interested with Epix watch, but your Videos make me addicted 🤗, At the Last it is useful to mention about the other watches, what I wonder is Like sleep traking Graphik inculeded all watches you measured, could you make an Graphik that we May compare all the watches hard rate accuracy. Thanks alot...

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Haha, happy to see you like my videos! Thanks so much for commenting and watching😊

[@sandiegojoey1]

Have you ever done a comparison with the Dreem2 and a polysomnography? Are there eeg type sleep devices available to the public? Dreem no longer sells to the public and it doesn’t look like any of the devices you’ve tested so far are reliable enough to base new lifestyle sleep strategies on.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

I didn't do it myself, but there is a great paper. I made a video about it a while back. They came very close to the same accuracy as you would have when having two independent scientists score a PSG session, which is quite impressive. However, it is not perfect, though I think it is good enough to get an impression of which wearables are good and bad, as I try to estimate in these videos 😊. I would prefer to also include my other EEG device again in my testing once we get that battery fixed, because for this I can look at the raw data and score the nights myself

[@sandiegojoey1]

@@TheQuantifiedScientist one of these days you should post a "state of sleep wearables" video, just a summation of your thoughts so far, where you see this going, any predictions etc. I'm sure you know who DC Rainmaker is, he does something like this. I have questions that I like to think other might have for you too. 1. Do you see a time where a wrist device will catch up to an EEG headband? If not, do you see someone (Garmin or Apple) adding an EEG accessory? Or, do you see a standalone EEG headband like the Dreem 2 hitting the market for consumers? 2. Do you think other accessories/features can improve or enhance insights to our sleep. For example, my iPhone could monitor the noise floor in dB and record noise spikes to see if they coorelate with my sleep data from Garmin or Oura (or whomever). Likewise my smart phone can monitor the ambient light in the room such as a flickering TV etc, possible even detect the light spectrum to give a blue/red light rating. 3. Given the advancements in AI, do you see companies like Garmin and Apple using AI to do the things people like Daniel Kraft, MD and Eric Topol describe where the data already being collected offers insight and the ability to predict health problems. 4. Lastly, have you ever thought of interviewing Matt Walker (the Sleep Doc)?

[@LLe-ed4uw]

The garmin epic gen2 pro just came out with new sensor. 👀

[@milton2124]

I need to buy a smart scale and that led me to ask if at some point you have done analysis with some smart scales as well as you do with smart watches? or you know any youtube channel that is dedicated to making them would be of great help to me, thanks.

[@thetangopractice3105]

Can you please review Fenix 6? It’s less expensive than the 7!

[@ccrlll]

Hello can you please do a recommendation video for best smart watch depending on budget

[@francescogiuliano9563]

Hi, thanks for this video! Do you set the activity in the garmin, like "running" or "biking", before recording? In my experience it makes the difference

[@MeBloxboy305]

Hello rob, thanks for putting out these informative videos, they are helping me and a lot of other people make educated purchases instead of buying whatever's rated highest on amazon. What would you say is the best value smart watch out of all of the ones you have reviewed so far? I am specifically looking into something for fitness that can accurately track my heart rate as I want to start doing cardio.

[@TheQuantifiedScientist]

Hi! If heart rate is really important, I would try to find a deal on the Huawei Watch GT3. If that is too expensive, buy a chest strap that can connect to your phone, like the Polar H10 or H9 (never tested the H9 mysel, but should likely be similar to the H10)

[@ntkidding]

Hi! I love your work! Is there any chance of a ranking of the best HR monitors on smartwatchs? I live on a third world country so I can't find that many options and when I find one it's pretty expensive usually lol thanks!