I Thought Apple Could Compete with Garmin. I Was Wrong.

Turns out I was wrong choosing between the Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Epix for fitness.
#AppleWatch #Ultra #Garmin

[@xuchenglin6256]

The dilemma of “smart watches” is when you want to do something right, you can always use your phone. And in the cases when you don’t want to carry a phone, you don’t need the phone functionality, or you’ll just carry the phone. Chances are during these cases what you need is very simple, so you don’t need a sophisticated watch. You got your new fancy Apple Watch, after a lot of fiddling and wiggling, you end up doing the exact same thing with your Garmin. When you have played with these toys long enough, you’ll know it’s stupid to do everything on your watch just because it can do. Because it just doesn’t make sense. You need a map??? Why not use your phone??? Who “mountaineering” without a phone and a lot of battery banks??? Why give yourself a hard time… When all those geeky things settle done, you’ll find yourself don’t need any of these smarter things other than the basic data tracking and displaying… Actually I’m still satisfied with the old Fenix 3 if I don’t have other watches available.

[@davidbell4949]

Great comments

[@NorbReviews]

Fantastic, critical look. Testing Garmin vs Apple, too, and you’re spot on with your observations, especially when it comes to cycling. I love it as a smartwatch, and the 3rd party apps are… there… but Garmin is clearly superior for the fitness market.

[@Justgambleit]

Apple cant compete with Garmin fitness wise. Everything else sure apple Good at but the metrics to fitness Garmin all the way!😊 plus garmin screams athlete when someone wears it. When i see an apple watch user I cant take em seriously lol

[@Ju_Johnny_]

Well that's the difference - if you want a smartwatch with sport functions and some endurance you go for the Apple, if you want a sports watch with smart functions and better endurance you go for a Garmin and if you want an indestructible watch with some notifications and some sport functions you go for a G-Shock...

[@bdubs1967]

You need to get a third party app. Work outdoors is top notch. Had I not known about that app, I wouldn’t have bought the Ultra. Still have my epic, but that app is an equalizer…imo.

[@NorbReviews]

@@bdubs1967 see, I like WorkOutDoors, but it’s far from an equalizer for me. It’s a good app, but it still doesn’t match up to Garmin’s mapping or information field display capabilities: Map downloads are cumbersome, there aren’t turn by turn directions, and topographical mapping is very slow. Plus I’ve had issues, even with downloaded maps, in areas with no reception. Still, it’s good enough that I can see someone (myself) saying, “yep, I’ll save myself $200 and just get this $6 app, instead.”

[@bdubs1967]

@@NorbReviews clearly, I haven't parted ways with my Epix so I may rescind my "equalizer" with closer. The Ultra is my 1st Apple Watch and I find myself wearing it more than my Epix. But, I favor the epix on MTB rides so....yea.

[@ariomanousi]

Me and you both... 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!

[@occultsymbols]

Depends on what kinda athlete you are. If you use the Apple Watch Ultra with Workoutdoors its really good.

[@Romanliger]

Thanks for this comment 🙏🏻 very helpful and informative 💪🏼

[@damian99669]

I'm still loving my Fenix 6 after almost 2 years of use, my brother is still using my fenix 3hr that is over 5 years old. We both work in heavy industry and wear our watches all the time, and they have shown almost no signs of wear. The lack of touchscreen is something that i really like, the hard buttons work very well especially in wet environments that touch screens just don't. The maps built in have been amazing, being able to easily navigate even with no service really helps out on mountain bike trails and when i was working in remote locations it was super helpful to get between locations.

[@lizzypicardi]

I want t hat watch!

[@UABFWSS]

Long time Garmin user. Had to try the ultra and see for myself. Returned it after a week of use. Then got another, just to be sure I guess. Returned it and happily back to Garmin again.

[@victoryu7820]

Thanks for this video and your update commentary on real, long term use in a triathlon context. It’s not often someone is open about changing their mind, so that’s refreshing content. The update is extremely informative and useful for someone like me who really wants to have a good Apple Watch companion for his current existing Apple product ecosystem. I think I’ll stick with my Forerunner until the Ultra evolves thanks to your insight!

[@davidkaplan5517]

I’d rather give my money to the company passionate about fitness and not looking to eat into a new market.

[@IvyANguyen]

Maybe to sum it up in a quick sense: Apple makes smartwatches w/ athletic features whereas Garmin makes athletic watches with smart features?

[@dankspain]

You nailed it. I chose the Epix after seeing that Garmin fixed most of the issues I had with the Fenix 6 over 2 years ago. Already seeing a lot of progress for organizing my strength training, running and cycling. Also, in Europe the prices are reversed. The Epix is 800 Eur and the AW is 1000 EUR. I miss some of the smartwatch features from my older AW5 but I get much more on the training side.

[@Dk-qf8dd]

I keep my AW7 for daily use and my Fenix for fun times.

[@moto-rambler]

I quickly found out I'd need too many monthly/yearly subscriptions to make the watch useable making the watch way too expensive to own over the course of a few years so back it went.

[@bram2254]

I have te exact same experience. Had the ultra and my epix. Wanted to give the ultra a try because it’s Apple en in-line everything from Apple. It’s not only that iv been using a garmin Fenix Watch for the last 7 years that made the ultra a strange Watch. Everything I thought was normal on a sport watch was missing on the ultra. All the things you mentioned in the video. Controls are a mess with all the swiping etc. And I totally missed stress and body battery. Tried atletyc app and it was ok but don’t want more subscriptions in my live. I like the all in one package and app from garmin. It just works.

[@paulwilson3759]

Apple aren’t interested in making ‘good’ hardware, they’re interested in making ‘good enough’ hardware, then letting the devs take the slack. There was a time when they were a great company, alas that was a long time ago. Now they’re just a machine to make money, which is fine, so long as people know thats what they’re buying into ! Great videos by the way

[@Dk-qf8dd]

Been using Apple product for quite a few years and have owned several Apple Watches. When I saw the Ultra, knowing Apple’s design mantra, I stayed with my Fenix. Apple may get there however … currently it hasn’t.

[@sevamega]

May be they did not really expect them to be used as adventure watchers. In a way, they probably filled more expensive gadget niche. And adventure marketing just for the new owners to feel better and more adventurous about themselves

[@Philminator]

You look, and sound like a KZbin channel with 1.12 Million subs. I can't believe you only have 1.12K. Your voice volume in comparison to your relaxing music is perfectly balanced, and your mic on your shirt with the proper fluff ball to block out the sounds of the wind, make you sound and look like a true pro. I subbed btw, which I do rarely, as I myself KZbin full time, and generally don't have time to watch others. PS: Forgot to mention, I'm torn between Apple Watch ultra or a Fenix 7X solar sapphire. I only jog / walk, and love keeping track of my overall steps, and how much exercise I've done with the green ring, where it measures how many min you been active over a certain heart rate. I'm torn. Currently on a Series 5 Apple watch. Had a 5X Fenix years ago.

[@thomasgulden756]

To me the Epix 2 as a smart watch is underrated. As a smartwatch, is does everything, I really need: notifications about messages from my connected smartphone, viewing my daily appointments form my google calendar and get notifications, when an appointment approaches, notifications of incoming phone calls, timer, stop watch, alarms, current weather and forecast, sunrise and sunset times. I don‘t need much more from a smart watch perspective. If I want to respond to a message or answer a phone call, I would always switch to my smartphone, which I have always with me. Doing such things on a watch would be very cumbersome anyway. Would I like to listen music from my smart watch? Certainly not. On the other hand, the Epix 2 has everything, what I need to track activities and monitor the state of my body. Garmin has everything build in, including offline maps, which is the killer feature for me. And on top of that a much better battery life. I also prefer the user interface of the Epix, which is better structured and more ergonomic. And finally, I am not bound to the apple ecosystem as the Garmin watches work with IOS and Android devices equally well.

[@isaacvff]

That is your case, your need. Not for all, in my case the possibility to leave my phone at home while I am on the mountain bike is the best. I have full tracking, real SOS free, can answer messages, check my email, also offline topo maps, everything without the need to carry my phone. That is really great for me. The battery is not an issue, I can charge every two days without issue, just when I go to sleep. So, I used garmin fenix, fr and epic for about 6 years, great watches no doubt, best sportwatches no doubt, but I prefer a smartwatch thatn a sportwatch I think this is the decision point.

[@thomasgulden756]

@@isaacvff If I do sports, hiking or biking, I don‘t answer phone calls at all if possible. These activities are meant to be away from your daily business. Usually I have a biking bag, a backpack or a hip back with me, so it is easy to carry a phone with me. During activities it is enough to be notified of calls or messages, but nothing except very urgent cases would force me to answer a phone call, especially when being in the nature. Long battery life is one of the top features I want to have and in that matter the Apple Watches are still a joke. Every two days charging is no way. It is great not be free of that ant the new 52mm Epix Pro offers even more battery life than the Epix 2. I think Apple should also go into that direction. So far not much improvement there.

[@BC21beats]

I've tried almost every smart watch under the sun yet I keep going back to garmin, yeah you can't use siri or google assistant, can't really make phone calls, but there's just something so great about the simplicity, and of course the fitness suite can't be beat

[@jtt7784]

For me the Venu 2 Plus is the best of both worlds. You can read your messages on a nice amoled display, can make phonecalls, have all the garmin functionality and still get 9 days of battery life.

[@mikeylikey2306]

I agree man. It’s not cynical. It feels like Garmins are made by athletes - and Apple Watches are made by nerds in Yeezys

[@awacs-globalhawk]

Apple watches are wrist computers with sports-like function. Garmin watches are sports watches with computer-like functions.

[@HM-ul1nr]

I understand your frustration but the thing is we have choices from two awesome watches from two company who is providing awesome products for us outdoors people

[@sleepyvoyager]

They can provide every single feature that Garmin’s top line watches have and they can do it better but they won’t. You are right Because than how will they extort money from third party app developers and in the name of app store charges, or how will they cut their 30% when you buy a paid service on those app. Bullshit!!! I barely used my apple watch to take calls, send messages. Their battery died when i needed it most. Got fed up Hassle charging it everyday. I ditched my apple watch last year for Garmin forerunner 255 and was very happy with all the analysis and training plans. I bought Epix pro Gen 2 yesterday and i love it. On my wrist It doesn’t look every other rectangle apple watch or Chinese copies of apple watches.

[@neiltaylor513]

I’ve gone on other reviews video and a problem is Garmin uses are very territorial, on videos like Quantified Scientist, some are unable to accept if their Garmin are not the best at something, it’s like a comment here, "I see them with a Apple Watch and can’t take them seriously"… man get over yourself, that isn’t a good look either. People should be able to chose a device of their choice without put downs

[@ReneRivas]

Great video and it explains exactly why I am going back to my Epix Gen 2. I tried the Ultra for one month and although is the perfect smartwatch, it is not as near as complete as Garmin's Fenix line. My thoughts is that the apple watch is a seies 8 on steroids... I have had to download so many apps to make it work on the gym and for Cycling but none of the apps work as the stock ones on my Garmin. And on top of that, all those apps are paid ones, none of them are free. Hello again Garmin ❤.

[@michaelgurney3281]

Great take on the Ultra, I think it just boils down to the revenue they make from 3rd party apps. I don't think they will ever elevate any of their other built in workouts. I tried the Garmin Fenix Pro for my paddling and it was great but being out at sea I need cellular available for emergencies so went back to my apple watch.

[@reginalb124]

Yeah, it's kind of surprising they don't have any watches with inReach. I take my GPSMap 66i for situations like that.

[@TheHUhelps]

It wouldn't surprise me that within two years Garmin will be making more of their high-end watches with cellular functions. Let's hope so!

[@zj7396]

from the developer perspective, it's good for them. and competition drives innovation

[@loganlemoine]

Hey, great review, love it. Personally there’s some points I would like to share. I know that’s maybe nerdy but really like « general health » data presented daily by Garmin such as body battery, preparation to workout, sleep score rating, stress rating etc. I find it really useful to help me train when it is the right time and have more insight of my body state. What do you think ?

[@khuakhem]

Apple should see this! I’m going to return my AWU. And the reasons were completely said in this video. Actually, the Ultra is very satisfying. But it still the same AW with bigger battery, better materials.

[@Justgambleit]

Do ittt. Stay garmin bro. :)

[@ProjectileGrommet]

People who make similar decisions like yours help get AWUs into poorer hands so that’s appreciated

[@tumslucks9781]

@@ProjectileGrommet🍏⌚💸

[@fitgearhunter]

Great review! Agree w all points. Well said, well laid out, great inlay of additional video content, great background music, great sound quality. Keep it up!

[@ChrisSh1984]

Absolutely nailed it. Whilst Apple will continue to develop their smartwatches, there’s no way they would do so at the expense of the revenue generated from apps. I’ve been using Apple Watches since S2 and finally made the leap from S8 to the Garmin Forerunner. It’s not been an easy transition but I’m glad I’ve done it. With Apple Watches, they collect all this data and don’t really do anything with it unless you dig through apple health. With my Garmin, it constantly takes that same data and says “hey, why not take a rest day” or “you’re showing more stress than usual. Why not do some breath work?”. Also, it’s so nice having everything in one single app.

[@TheFolkTube]

Nice honest review from real athletes perspective without the marketing hype. As a longtime garmin user I too jumped on the ultra and as a smart watch I absolutely love it. But the need to fill gaps with 3rd party apps and the inability to use physical buttons to start / pause / stop fitness is such a disappointment. However I’m going to stay and push through this new relationship.

[@maciejbuczkowski1056]

Same here. I am just having a change of heart every 30 mins whether I should sell my epix. Did you keep the Garmin, just in case?

[@Justgambleit]

Stay garmin 😊 i almost went Ultra myself. Went from fenix 5 to now 7 and glad i did :)

[@joemichael5155]

That’s Apple wanting you to buy apps and subscriptions so they get 30% 😊

[@stedoesstuff]

The lack of maps and routes on the  watch is a huge omission and the reason I'm hanging on to my 955. The other glaring problem with all  watches is the teeny tiny font for activity metrics which can't be enlarged and I can't read while running. I can reduce down to 2 metrics per page but they remain the same size 😂. Big sighs of relief all round at Garmin.

[@MrDargonzalez]

The Apple Watch business model is like a gaming console or a laptop - you have to purchase subscriptions and apps to do the things you want. I did noticed the Apple Watch just takes snapshots of your health status (to extend battery life I think) unlike the Garmin watches which are constantly checking.

[@iMaxPatten]

Yes I wish I’d mentioned in the video that Garmin watches have 24/7 continuous HR tracking; Apple Watch even with the Ultra model only appears to check every few minutes. This results (in my experience) in significantly higher resting heart rate measurements.

[@alhambrabiker1476]

@@iMaxPatten I have Garmin Forerunner 945 and the altimeter is not showing right elevation even after doing calibration. Not that I am defending Apple Watch just saying.

[@Buttaknife]

I recently bought the Epix Gen 2 and man have I slept on Garmin. Never going back to a Galaxy or Apple watch anytime soon.

[@passionfruit9710]

I’m getting tired of having 10+ app subscriptions running and none able to see the whole picture

[@Blake00001]

I’ll summarise for you: Apple Watch is a smart watch with sports watch features Garmin is a sports watch with smart watch features You are welcome

[@TheHUhelps]

Agreed! Thank you.

[@Utubeisazzho]

Apple Watch is Apple Watch lol. Press and hold your buttons. Hard reset. Take out your battery 😂

[@stanmakowski1985]

Love this review, spot on with short comings of the apple watch. I have the Garmin fenix 6xpro and was thinking of going the apple direction but will definitely be waiting for second or third gen Apple ultra.

[@juniorsegovia116]

I have the 6x solar and the ultra and I definitely miss the battery life still but what killed me what the accuracy in trail running on the 6x. Unless I was doing something wrong

[@stanmakowski1985]

@@juniorsegovia116 since you have both, what are your thoughts on the ultra? Do you use it more than the 6x? Thanks for your opinion and insights.

[@jonathansharp1628]

I made exact same move (AW Ultra to Fenix 7). Just got so fed up of AW touch screen glitches in the rain or when running with gloves. Garmin (and buttons) just work - doesn’t get in the way of your training. Plus no contest for trail running.

[@kirbyisjaye]

Does apple watch ultra WORK when you’re in the water?!? Apple watch touchscreen doesn’t work when wet

[@ebmike8]

I had purchased both the Apple Watch Ultra and Epix months ago. In the end I returned the AW ultra and kept the Epix. I use the Epix for anything sports/fitness related and I’m still using my AW4 for everything else. Epix is still leaps and bounds better than AW minus some of the “smart” features.

[@matthiassventoest6800]

I think you were totally fair in your gripes. I think this is why I had apprehension about buying this watch. I will wait until the 2..good job

[@MarkN67]

I think the Apple Watch Ultra has its place as does the standard Apple Watch but for anyone who loves being outdoors, the Gamin beat Apple every time. The battery life is a big plus in the Garmin, I charge mine most weekends when I'm uploading my latest Topo maps and after a week of 14 walks and three visits to the gym, I've still got 15-18 days of battery life left. Being able to plan a route and then load that into my watch and have the maps is also a massive plus. AW is a great tool for indoor and urban use but it's like a fish out of water as soon as you leave those environments.

[@Adventures4vida]

yea as soon as you lose cellular the AWU isn't great. My Garmin Epix pro works great in the middle of no where. It tracks like a champ and the onboard maps and battery life, make it the clear choice for outdoor stuff.

[@SQTierHog]

Your 'rant' was not a rant. Verbal carpenter, you're hitting the nail every time. You're a million Subber easily. You were very fair to Apple. Keep 'ranting'. I'm not Apple, but YES, I even expect better than Apple. As you said, especially when their advertising was, well, embellishing! Great point. Subbed, #822 of 1,000,000. Lol. Great conversation!

[@mattmugridge8839]

I don’t entirely agree with the overall opinion on this watch. I don’t think it’s attempting to be a Garmin, just a tougher version of an Apple Watch with a few useful extra features above what other Apple Watches have to offer. Garmin can’t do a lot of what Apple Watches do either; it’s swings and roundabouts, and depends on what you want the watch for. Tonnes of KZbin reviews on the AWU can’t speak highly enough of it, particularly in its capacity for tracking fronted and being a useful watch for a multitude of sports. The fact that you can still pay for your food using it, after your triathlon, is a big Bonus. Most countries in the developed world don’t yet allow garmin pay unfortunately.

[@gregorylesko9466]

When the ultra was released I started thinking about the justification to upgrade from my current AW6. The AW which has cellular has been great with the native tools and functionality...Phone, txt to voice, vice versa, flashlight, etc.., siri . that allow me to keep my phone in my pocket or nearby....just not with me glued to the screen. I could not justify the $800 dollar purchase, but I did research and purchase a Garmin Fenix 6 sapphire new for $350 and I'm super happy with the buttons, functionality, battery life as I'm learning to use it more and more. I also prefer the looks of the Fenix as I have a few nice mechanical watches as well and I prefer that look of a rugged or diver design. I don't mind wearing a 2nd watch either, so I will put the apple on my other wrist if I think I'm going to need certain features that come in handy and can keep me from reaching for my phone.

[@markfelice6015]

Me too.....

[@voidreflection5935]

That's why i have switched to garmin. The Apple watch is great in collecting workout data, but Apple provides no eco-System like Garmin connect. There is still no good way to control your training. For example there are no statistics about training load or training effect. Especially for a beginnner runner like me this is extremly useful. And a strava premium membership is also not a good replacement.

[@ams914]

As someone coming from the "real" watch world (mechanical watches), I never considered an apple watch because I have no desire to charge my watch every other day or every three days, or whatever it is. The Garmin Fenix 7, however, lasts me about 17 days in between charges.

[@travelhacksbynick]

Here i am switching from Apple Watch to amazfit to fossil gen 6 to finally garmin venu sq 2 music and i hope my experiments ends. I loved the apple watch for the smrtwatch it was it lacked 3 major things- 1 no android connection, 2 poor battery life charge everyday , 3 the fitness native support and very less fitness data- you explained that -pretty well awesome video. With garmin i get all 3 issues solved it lacks the software experience,3rd party apps support but overall beats apple watch if you are a active sports person or focusing on health. So let garmin help me be in peace with my watch for next 5 years. 😊

[@petralian]

I am not convinced about the Apple Ultra. When it came out, I decided to switch from Apple watch 7 to Garmin 7x SS last week and enjoying it a lot. Looks great (both professional and sporty at the same time), works great, massive battery life + solar, lots of fitness options, cool apps. I definitely miss the Apple wallet because I could add my octopus card (Hong Kong public transport, entry card, buying stuff, etc) and microphone (really, Garmin... a microphone vs a flashlight and you went for the flashlight??)... but so far, Garmin impresses me.

[@TheKickBeck]

I'm using the fenix 7 for a year now, I can't imagine myself going back to the Apple watch.

[@Joey92]

Enduro 2 user here. As a fitness watch the ultra doesn’t even come close.

[@przemyslavpiotrovski]

Why not epix2? AMOLED vs battery?

[@Joey_-1992]

@@przemyslavpiotrovski Epix 2 great also. Just never seen the hype with Apple Watches IMO

[@foetor]

I had the Enduro 2 and sold it for AW Ultra. Happy with my decision.

[@przemyslavpiotrovski]

@@Joey_-1992 oki ;)

[@stevenlowe5313]

Agree 100%. I can't understand why a Garmin user would go to a watch with 2 days battery.

[@King-pi2zx]

Get a 255 and Edge 530 and you are setup for every Triathlon :)

[@domxem5551]

These are watches for different occasions/applications

[@DavidLandoSC]

Spot on review. I have been observing how at the beginning of many workouts the apple watch fails to record heart rate then kicks in a good minute or more in. My Fenix or Polars never had this issue.

[@coreydw1]

The only thing i have missed from the awu is the remote camera app.

[@unrealii]

Great video. Are you planning to switch back to Garmin? Apple Watch lost me several years ago when they did the following: 1) showing 1/100 sec on the stop watch. - waste of space. With a touch screen to toggle on and off, no one will ever need this precision 2) Needing to swipe to stop workouts 3) Unlocking the screen after swimming. The delay of the speaker purging the water is gimmicky and does not warrant freezing my touch screen while it does this. I noticed this a few years ago and as of last year, Watch OS still does these.

[@CharlieKnolesPlus]

Great critical look at the Apple Watch. The lack of deep integration with the action button is a real head scratcher. As is the poor underwater performance with buttons. I went scuba diving with the Apple Watch and it was very frustrating to not be able to switch modes easily and select things. Super dumb.

[@paulcelmare6926]

You forgot that 799 USD for the AW is not the final price, because you have to have an iPhone. ;) Using Garmin you can use either Android or iOS, so there is no need to spend extra money to make the watch working.

[@davitmc]

I use to have apple watch and I don’t like it and keep using G-Shock. Now I use Garmin Instinct 2 and I’m happy with my decision.

[@Diablomeister1]

its the other way round for me.. Garmin can't compete with Apple 🤣

[@NeerajGupta-fy1bv]

You, sir, deserve a million subscribers.

[@gorbioo]

Just buy Garmin, Apple is not for you. Garmin is 100 % sport watch and Apple Watch Ultra is not. You can not compare those two.

[@BillJamesWallace]

great video, thank you. I flip flopped between both but have returned to Garmin exclusively. Garmin need to be better advertising their features.

[@Adventures4vida]

I got teh Epix pro 51 mm in December and haven't taken it off since. I like my AWU as a smart watch, but I still prefer the Epix, it looks better, I like the buttons, and it makes me want to go out and exercise because the watch has so many workout features. I keep telling myself Ill use the AWU for work!

[@chrismoore1182]

2 different business models. I can respect that. At the end of the day business models aside, which is the better watch? I don’t really mind the whole, you have to buy or download an app because that’s the platform they chose. At the end of the day, which watch is more capable for working out or an athlete?

[@tingkagol]

Wait what now? Lasting a full day is impressive? I guess the emperor's got some seriously new clothes

[@fitdude]

Lack of offline maps is a glaring omission. Also I can’t believe they still don’t have Trail Running as a workout option (neither does workoutdoors app). Functional fitness would be a good one too.

[@titou4982]

WorkOutDoors App

[@donwcollins]

Good to hear an honest accurate review. Thanks!

[@CaviDS]

I have had the Ultra for almost a month and I find I really miss my Epix 2

[@namesis3137]

The background music is little annoying…. Thanks for your work and details

[@More-right-rudder]

The reason I chose garmin is I want a dumb watch which only focuses on health and outdoors. I don’t care about getting those notifications and shit. Give me bare minimum and important text and calls notification and all the best outdoor features.

[@Pete63]

I own a Fenix 6 Pro which I mainly use for skiing, hiking, open water swimming, weight training. I also have a AW series 4. I just got the AWU2 & I’ve got to say I’m disappointed. It’s basically a regular Apple Watch with a larger screen and titanium case. The marketing of it as a hardcore sports or adventure watch is just marketing. I can’t find what actual additional engineering, software or hardware, that sets it apart. I tried skiing with the AWU2 but as you say you’re Into setting up a 3rd party app (slopes) & it’s really just a pain.

[@fredericoamigo]

I love my Apple Watch for running and daily use, but for cross country skiing (which is a big deal I in Nordic countries) the Apple Watch really really sucks. That’s why I’m going to get the Garmin Fenix next time. What cross country skiers really care about is 1) how far you went 2) the gps summary of where on the map you went 3) your average pace 4) your current pace 5) heart rate zones. 6) a good battery that can endure a cold climate. This is brilliant on the garmin, crap on the Apple Watch.

[@hotelvasthorizon]

Apple doesn’t have GPS tracking for xc skiing? That’s ridiculous. I like that garmin has separate activities for skate skiing and classic skiing

[@calvee1100]

It always amuses me when an Apple users expect their Apple product to do something more than its designed to do. Apple products are BASIC! You like to game? Don't buy Apple! You like highly customizable phones? Don't buy Apple! You like to have compatibility with 3rd party software? Don't buy Apple! You are an athlete that needs to have very specific features and data? DON'T BUY APPLE!!! 🤦‍♂️

[@Betancourtdm]

Glad I went with Garmin Fenix 7x in white / blue titanium. It's amazing!

[@_thisguynico_]

I'm glad you talked about the altimeter issue I called support today about it and they told me try doing a workout and wait 24-48 hours to calibrate it.

[@trickjacko8482]

So at the end of the day the apple watch ultra is just a regular apple watch disguised as a sports smart watch

[@joshdunlap7766]

I sold my fenix 3 hr and got an apple watch. I loved the smart phone functions but agree the native workout apps are terrible on the Apple watch. That and having to charge every night (non ultra watch) led me to sell the apple watch and buy another garmin. I found the smartwatch functions were cool but the only thing I really used was viewing texts and emails, which can be done on the garmin.

[@ItsYaBoi888]

Hahahahaha that reaction when you learn that apple is second to Garmin 😧😣

[@Stonk5331]

Here is the answer to everyone of your questions: Apple Ultra 2, 3, 4, ...

[@chrisdavies6175]

I agree with your points, though you didn’t mention the biggest one - accidental interactions which pause or terminate workouts. For my use case, long ultra marathons, the Ultra doesn’t have enough battery life. But more than that, you simply can’t have an accidentally terminated or paused workout. However, what really worries me that the sport usage support on the Apple Watch is going to kill every other sports watch company (including Garmin) over the next two years. If you think about the market, the ultra crowd are a TINY fraction of users. They are effectively subsidised by those who (sensibly) just want to be healthy and not push these long distances. The current AW - all versions - is already very satisfactory for them. And I expect that over the next two years Apple will address all of the software features - leaving just shortfalls on buttons and battery life. Whilst this will be good for consumers in the short term - forcing the competitors to reduce margins - it will be terminal in the slightly longer term. Polar and Suunto will go bust and Garmin will probably stop making watches. They will probably continue to make niche watches for the ultra crowd but they will become VERY expensive and won’t have the R&D budget anymore. This is a sad outlook. To be clear, this isn’t Apple’s fault - they are doing great things. It is life.

[@Javiercav]

As a garmin watch user and an Apple user in other devices. I think that Garmin should learn from Apple software updates. Apple keeps adding the new features to old Apple Watches. But garmin forgot their user as soon as the launch of the new generation devices.

[@iMaxPatten]

They’ve been pretty good at supporting the Fenix 7/Epix series as new watches like Forerunner 955 get released

[@Javiercav]

@@iMaxPatten Fenix 7 is a 1 year old lineup. That's not supporting. Apple Watch users from several years ago got a lot of important updates of the new watch OS including the best sleep tracking of all watches for free. I have a garmin 945 and Garmin not only don't include software features that the watch sure can handle. The latest firmware added a lot new bugs and even for the ones like me inside the garmin beta program. They don't answer any of the questions and problems that the beta user post in the beta forums. Etc.

[@ericy1005]

There's a KZbin web page called Quantitative Scientist where he looks at accuracy and watches and it appears that Apple is superior to Garmin in terms of accurate sensor data. What's the point of any watch data if it's not accurate? Garmin is great at some things and I certainly am not an Apple supporter nor do I own any Apple stuff but this guy's KZbin channel really shines light on how bad Garmin and Fitbit and others are compared to Apple. Oddly Huawei has very accurate watches as well which are probably just copies of Apple in some way.

[@mrgr]

In Europe price is 1000 euros + so not so competitive

[@jarredallen]

touchscreen on any device will not work when there is sweat on it. my experience in apple watch ultra is frustrating when im running. and it's not just the altimeter that is wonky. barometer is wonky too. I use my garmin fenix 6 barometer as a warning for setting my tent when camping or finding shelter before it rained when im mountain hiking. ditched my apple ultra as a daily driver few months ago and returned to my fenix 6.

[@tommays56]

The Altimeter thing has plagued GARMIN Indefinitely and is still problematic on my 6X pro and brand new Edge Explore 2 which set altimeter to the DEM

[@Vencarter]

i got the series 7 42mm apple watch for Christmas in 2021 but man...ill cry the day my suunto traverse alpha dies, 6 years so far and still over a week in between charging : )

[@winb83]

The Apple Watch Ultra at its core is just a more rugged Apple Watch with better battery life and an extra hardware button. Is there any real software differences between the os of the Series 8 and Ultra? I doubt it. Maybe an extra watch face.

[@ychu9432]

Which Watch would you recommend for bodybuilders?

[@ExposedRoot]

Wow. I'm not in the apple ecosystem but this is an incredible perspective. Serious critical thinking.

[@georgevadnais3516]

🍎 watch = gadget, samsung galaxy watch = gadget. Garmin = real health tracker and sport watch.

[@movdqa]

I agree. But I'm with Garmin because I've been with them since 2011 and all of my data is in Garmin Connect. I am a big Apple fan and have a ton of Apple products - but I choose Garmin for fitness watch. A lot of good complaints/arguments in this video. I have heard them all from other Garmin and Apple users. Garmin is by no means perfect but it does what I want it to do. One thing that I would like is a snow shoveling workout as it's something that I do spend many hours on in the winter.

[@NervousNed67]

Yes, with an estimate of how much snow got shoveled

[@movdqa]

@@NervousNed67 That's hard to do because snow can have different weights. I'd also use snow removal for ice removal which is quite a different task but it's something that I'd like to lump in with snow removal. I also count removing snow from a vehicle which involves a number of different movements and includes removing half an inch of ice from the windshield.

[@toshitominaga3911]

Apple has enough revenue. Best to support the competition especially when their product is better. 😊

[@Pmko11]

Thanks, nice video. I have been using Apple Watch for years, changed AW7 for Garmin epics in Spring, several months ago bought AW Ultra. I am not a big sportsman and I am satisfied but sometimes I still using Epics and I think Garmin has much better functions for sports, training, activity, etc. AW Ultra are better smartwatch. It is difficult how to combine, wearing two watches sucks.

[@JJCA82]

I agree with a lot of you what you are saying but some of your criticism is one sided. Strava integration sucks but that’s Strava fault not Apple. The fact that HealthFit works shows that Strava should work. It’s sad to say that probably watchOS 10 will bring a bell lot of more options but that means waiting a whole year. It’s sad WorkOutDoors it’s amazing but it’s waaay to slow to update.

[@ievgenkurylo6878]

I bought Ultra after 2 years of s6 2 months ago and I am pleased about it. zero regrets. If you like garmin, stay for garmin. Apple is about user experience and it is marvelous with Ultra. I enjoy it every day. I also had a 244 km nonstop bicycle trip on Oct 24th wearing Ultra and tracking my activity. It worked perfectly. Just an amazing peace of tech

[@AleCardenasRealtor]

Garmin instinct and fenix are awesome, they are bulky and ulgy as a sport watch should be. Apple watch is a life style watch, maybe its ok for yoga and zumba but not much more than that..

[@SunshineFL]

I just purchased the Apple Watch Ultra 2. I’m coming from Apple Watch six and so far I’m loving it. I’m not a professional, biker cyclist runner and/or diver,however, I am very active. I workout at a local gym, I do indoor cycling. I also do indoor outdoor walking and outdoor biking. Sometimes I do go on hikes. I’ve never owned a Garmin or any other fitness watch but this watch is not just for fitness in my opinion for me. It’s also a way for me to leave my phone behind or not be on my phone as much even if it’s with me. I also like the larger display. I can see things a lot easier and of course still get my phone calls and my text messages. I do like your review but you gotta remember that not everyone is going to use this. Watch the same so no it’s not for everyone but it is for others

[@ZotmundSzele]

Garmin users knew this since the Apple Watch Ultra was announced. You don't even have to be biased. If nothing else, the battery time does not even put the Apple Watch in the same league.

[@ricardor890]

Thank You I was considering a new watch and my choices where between Garmin and Apple.

[@rob_h_7]

Apple Watch > Garmin for me all day long

[@w2best]

Yo your channel has huge potential! Good job!! 👌👌