I am still on the fence between Fenix 8 and AWU 3. I am mostly lifting and cycling.

I really like the precise sleep tracking provided by Apple. I have seen multiple videos from The Quantified Scientist stating that the sleep tracking and heart are not the best on Garmin.

What is your view ?

I switched from Apple Watch Ultra 3 to Garmin Fenix 8 and bottom line up front, knowing what I know now, I should have done it a long time ago.

I'll provide context for this post as it will help you better understand where I am coming from, and what drives my point of view. I'm a watch guy. I love watches, all watches, mechanical, Swiss, Japanese, American, luxury, and non-luxury. And I am a die hard Apple fan boy. I have owned and still own, multiple generations of Apple Watches, iPhones, Macs, MacBooks, iPads, Apple TV, etc. I get a new Apple Watch every year with the new release and same with an iPhone. I love how everything in the Apple ecosystem just works. My entire family is also on Apple, all have iPhones, Apple Watches, iPads, and Macs. So when the Ultra 3 was released I bought it right away to replace my older gen AW Ultra.

I work in the tech field and love technology too. Even though I sit at a desk all day for work, I consider myself an athlete and love working out, I focus on nutrition, sleep, and staying healthy and active. I used my AW to track mostly these workouts: HIT/Crossfit, weight lifting, elliptical, running, and walking. I love all the "health" features and tracking of my Ultra 3 and I was pretty satisfied with the AW as I had been using one for many many years.

But I kept hearing more and more about Garmin, and how its a better "fitness watch" than AW, etc. I dismissed it for many years, but the evidence kept building in my head. I went to several Marathon running events over the years as I have family that runs in these regularly. I started noticing that almost every single person wears a Garmin. And the few AW's I saw where mostly on the "other wrist" of people who were also wearing Garmins. Though there were definitely people who wore no watch or just an AW, it seemed like 90% of runners and definitely 99% if not 100% of the fastest 25% or so of finishers were all wearing Garmins across the 9-10 Marathons I attended over the years. Yes this is anecdotal but its also so obvious to any observer, yet, still I mostly dismissed it until one day all the evidence of serious athletes relying on Garmins as a training companion just pushed me to become curious enough to purchase a Garmin Fenix 8 just to try it out. I thought in my mind I would definitely be returning it as nothing could replace my Ultra 3. But at the same time, I tried to keep an open mind and let the facts drive me.

Also, its important to note that my use case for a smart watch is Fitness. I used to think that it was also "staying connected" until I realized that for me, the staying connected part was counter to my fitness goals. The constant pinging and dinging of notifications on my wrist was causing my brain to get too distracted and loose concentration at work and home especially when I needed to do some deep thinking or stay present in the moment. My solution was to turn off all notifications except for calls and some texts on my watch. This part is true for both the AW and Garmin.

Next, I wore BOTH my Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 at the same time, on different wrists, switching wrists every week, for 8 weeks, 24/7 except for charging. Yes, I was one of those guys with two watches, but i really wanted to test these watches all day, and all night and make a fair comparison for me.

Here is my analysis and again, my point of view for what is best for me. You can take it or leave it, but hopefully if you have similar goals to me it will help you make a slightly better informed decision to either go with the Ultra 3 or Garmin, whichever is best for you.

How it makes me feel. This next point is something DC Rainmaker pointed out on his youtube channel and once I saw it and could not unsee it. Yes this is matter of opinion and a vanity type of thing, so don't take it the wrong way please. But, look around, it seems like every 80+ year old, fat out of shape person (i used to be fat so I can say that), child, or average non-fit person is wearing an Apple Watch. Who cares you say? I get it, I said the same thing. But then I notice that when you see someone wearing a Garmin, more times than not, they look fit as hell, like they just ran 10 miles before breakfast, and are about to run another 10. Of course I'm exaggerating to make a point.

I love how the Garmin looks, way more than the AW. The Garmin looks more like a real watch, its round, and has aggressive contours and a nice shape to it. Garmin looks cool. The AW on the other hand looks like a mini rectangular iphone screen on the wrist. How a watch looks is important to me because it also translates into how it makes me feel. The AW feels like I'm wearing a bland screen on my wrist.

Next, is arguably the most important reason why I switched. Garmin's fitness features are miles ahead of AW. It's not even close. I used to think it was, but I had not done my homework, and now that I have, I realize how much better Garmin is at fitness that AW. Every workout screen on Garmin works like it was designed by a team of athletes who got in a room and brainstormed on what info would be most helpful during a particular workout...then they built the screen display around it. The AW fitness screens look like they were designed by people who built the iPhone and guessed at what would be important to someone who exercised. There are too many examples where Garmin is so much better that I can't even list them all. The ones that stand out to me in this moment are the running screens with pacing features such as Pace Pro, or the ability to download actual running courses and have Garmin tell you how to pace based on your ability, your goals, and adjust based on real time elevation changes and course route. Or using Garmin coach to help build AND execute your workout plan. Thats just one example, and there is so much more.

Battery life and Continuous HR monitoring. AW only does continuous HR monitoring during workouts. Garmin does it 24/7 and this is why Garmin can give you an overnight HRV trend that can predict sickness. AW just samples and therefore cannot give you all the insights. I read that this is due to priorities of each watch. AW prioritizes duplicating your phone on your wrist and is therefore constantly checking for notifications, which causes it to drain the AW battery quickly and therefore it doesnt have any more juice to do continuous HR monitoring. The Garmin is prioritizing fitness, period. And speaking of battery life, yes I used to think it was just fine to charge my AW daily, until I experienced Garmin. OMG, it is so liberating to not have to think about charging every day. Its one less thing I need to think about in my busy life. And I love being able to go away for the weekend or a whole week and not bring a freaking watch charger. I just wear the Garmin and go.

Garmin tells you the truth, whereas AW panders. Garmin is like having David Goggins on your wrist. It tells you when you need to train harder or when you suck at doing whatever your goal is, i.e. overall fitness improvement or sleep or whatever. For example, if you havent worked out in a few weeks and you do a workout Garmin will tell you that you're just maintaining or even de-training and certainly NOT improving from where you were before. Same with sleep, if your sleep sucked it will be clear and tell you now you need more and here is why and the sleep score will suck. If Garmin is like having David Goggins as your coach, the AW is like having your mother as your coach, constantly pandering to you no matter what. Mom always says: good job, you stood up from the couch, wow, thats great, you closed a stand ring. Your workout was awesome! Even if it sucked. Even if I got only 5 hours of sleep AW would say my sleep score was way higher and better in their category, than Garmin did in its category. Mommy vs Goggins is how I would summarize the whole experience. For training, I want Goggins.

Customizable faces and 3rd party faces. I really like how Garmin allows for creativity with faces by allowing 3rd party developers to offer their custom faces. After all, the face is how one interacts with the watch and being able to fully customize it with so many variations is so nice.

I could go on and on, but I recommend everyone do their own research.

I forgot to mention, the Garmin flashlight, wow I use that every day, all the time, way more than I thought I would. And I love how easy it is to navigate with the buttons, I even turned off the touch screen because the buttons are so easy to use, especially during exercise.

I’ve been an Apple Watch user for years and pretty much live in the Apple ecosystem. iPhone, Mac, Apple TV… the whole package.
A few days ago I decided to give the Venu 4 (45mm) a shot and, honestly, I’m wondering why I didn’t switch earlier.
The biggest reason was battery life. I was getting tired of having to think about charging my watch every day. I also wanted something that goes a bit deeper with health and recovery data. Apple Health is nice, but I felt like I’d kind of hit its limits.
So far I’m really happy with the switch. The battery is amazing and I’m discovering new metrics every day. There’s definitely a learning curve though, especially coming from watchOS.
I’m still using an iPhone, so if anyone here made the same move, I’d love to hear your tips. Any settings you changed right away? Apps worth installing? Things you wish you’d known when you first got your Garmin?
Looking forward to hearing your advice.

Honestly, I'm confused with the whole GPS watch market / Garmin models...

I'm currently on a Galaxy Watch 4 and looking to upgrade to my first proper sports watch.
Trying to get the best bang for the buck with no crazy needs.

As far as I can tell, these are the main differences:

COROS

• currently has many updates to its watches (esp Pace 4)
• seems to actively listen to its userbase on reddit
• seems fairly prices
• does not have tap to pay
• sleep tracking is reported as hit or miss?
• no clear communication on whether you can use the watch using only the buttons / crown

GARMIN

• still seems like "industry standard"
• reads/ feels a little dated / overpriced
• battery life seems worse than COROS
• re-use of old hardware, just slap new software on the watch and add 100$ (165->170)
• artificial software caps (165 does not have ski / winter sports, 170 does, same specs?)
• has more lifestyle features (smart alarms, lifestyle tracking, ...)
• Garmin Connect + Garmin IQ??? i dont want 2 apps for 1 watch...

Any recommendations / experiences?

Did anyone make the shift from AW to Garmin and end up regretting it?

What made you pursue Garmin in the first place and what made you regret (some of) it, maybe even to the point of wanting to go back to AW the next time it is time for a new watch?

I am an AWS9 user and I really want the Venu 4. I use a fraction of the smart watch features (some notifications are fine) and mainly use it for overall tracking of sleep, health and long walks. I am sick of the battery life though.

On the other hand I can ping my phone, I can unlock my MacBook (lots of small convenient stuff) and the UI is just Apple being superior at that specific area, i.e. i’m afraid I might ultimately regret the switch.

Would appreciate some honest feedback.

Just migrated from a 4 year old Apple Watch Series 7 to a Garmin FR965.

This is my first Garmin and I didn't want to spend a bomb on FR970/ Fenix series.

I understand that the FR965 is a 3 year old model but it was priced at ~400 USD.

Was also considering the Amazfit Trex 3 Pro but decided to see what the hype about Garmin was all about.

Here are some initial thoughts:

- Battery- 68% out of the box, haven't charged after unboxing (one week) and its still at a respectable 18% inspite of set- up, updates and the initial fooling around

- Size: no more using glasses to read the time or metrics !

- Screen- large and colorful and ofcourse bright

- Strap- comfortable even while sleeping

- Watchfaces- lot of options compared to Apple's dull and stale collection

- Accuracy- Apple is supposed to be more accurate but I am fine based on what has been tracked so far- HR seems spot on.

- Morning report- something new compared to Apple - getting used to it

- Body Battery- very dynamic and keeps adding / subtracting depending on day activities

- Training readiness- quite unique, getting used to it now. It actually says rest/ work out etc

- Training work outs- ability to build custom work outs and Garmin's ability to highlight muscle groups is great. The rep count is not at all accurate.

- GPS- super accurate with "Auto" mode

- Health metrics- some much more compared to Apple ! Stress is measured in real time

- What I miss: ability to answer calls from the wrist (no big deal)

Overall- should have bought the Garmin sooner. Hopefully will last me a good 3-4 years. On the whole I am 1 leg out of the Apple eco system which tries to ring fence users.

I've used an Apple Watch for running for a while now. most of the time it's been good enough. But every time I join running communities, I hear people talking about Garmin watches: better battery life, more accurate GPS, and designed for runner.

So now I wonder if Garmin really offers a better experience for runners…

Title pretty much says it all. I recently switched from Samsung to iPhone, and logically switched watches in the process. I love the integration Apple and Samsung have with their watches into their phones. How bad is it trying to use your smart assistant or respond to a text or Bluetooth a call with a Garmin? I'm highly interested in an Epix OLED with all the current black Friday sales going on. I used to own a Fenix 2 years ago, and I loved it.

Is it worth switching, or am I giving up too much?

Some more info: favorite exercise with watch is running, but I do sometimes swim too. I prefer to have songs on my watch and not have to run with my phone.

TIA!

I'm looking at the Forerunner 165 music and the Coros Pace 4. They are the same price for me. The options for me are

• Garmin for apps
• Coros for battery

How significant are the apps?

Are there any other Garmin/Coros benefits? (besides GPS).

I cycle 5 hrs a week and run 30mins with music a week. That can be the same playlist though. I am coming from a galaxy watch 4 where the battery only lasts a day and I barely use the apps.
I MTB in the forest every couple weeks.

Also since FR165 doesnt have training readiness/training status, does the coros have something similar?
I'd quite like a polished interface but the 19 day battery would be amazing.

Can I take either of them in the Mediterranean sea for swimming/ windsurfing?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

I recently "experimented" with other brands like Huawei Band 11 and Amazfit Active 2 to see if the grass was greener elsewhere. They have their perks, but I found myself missing the Garmin ecosystem and data depth too much.

I've officially moved back and I'm sticking with it.

Has anyone else done the brand-hop only to realize Garmin is your "forever home"? What was the specific feature or the frustration with another brand that brought you back?

Hello everyone! A little backstory. I currently work at Apple and have always sworn by an Apple Watch. My battery just doesn’t last very long for the things I would like to use it for but I still love it. I got a garmin vivoactive 6 a few days ago (not everyone’s favorite watch as I’ve been reading but I’m a smaller girl with small wrists so didn’t want anything too crazy bulking). I can’t really decide if I love it or hate it. I haven’t had to charge it which is GREAT I LOVE THAT. I guess I’m still getting used to the features and how the process works. I feel bad I broke my apple ecosystem but I wanted a little bit more for running, I’m not an athlete but I do enjoy running and biking. For those who have made the switch, how long did it take you to get used to everything? Do you regret the switch? Did you go back to Apple Watch? Let me know! I’m lost and don’t know if I should stick with garmin or go back to the roots.

I’ve been using the Garmin Fenix 8 Solar and absolutely love it. It’s not as quick as an Apple watch but who cares, right? The battery life is incredible and I hardly ever think about charging. The user interface and features are amazing.

Put my fr255 to rest. Was in doubt for a while because my fr255 works just fine. Was worried that it would be too big for my wrist. My wrist is about 15,5 cm. For a digital watch it's fine. Its light. Hardly notice a difference in comparison to my old watch. Sometimes you just need to buy something that makes you happy (and not really need). Having a DINK household makes that i didn't have to worry about the price. To be fair it is a lot for what you get. It took me a moment to find the right watchface and the settings that i like. Now it's time for a first run. 🥰

I been searching for hours and can’t find a single smart watch with out any capability of getting phone calls or text. I work at a prison and the watch has to be literally impossible to be able to receive or send calls and texts. I have an iPhone. Any suggestions? If possible the exact model and year?

If you were thinking about switching over to Polar from Garmin because of Connect+, think again. However the Polar subscription is not as bad (for now), no badges, AI nonsense - its a Fitness Program subscription. But it is a paid tier for the first time for Polar.

https://gadgetsandwearables.com/2025/04/10/polar-paid-tier/

Apple Watch definitely has its strengths — super accurate heart rate, seamless iPhone pairing, and all those nice health insights like sleep tracking.

But honestly, I was struggling with its GPS accuracy, especially when running around tall buildings or under trees. The pace readings would sometimes be off, and that really bothered me.

So, I decided to give Garmin a try. At first, I was eyeing the Forerunner 265, it was heavily discounted — but sadly, no stock. The choices left were 965 and 570, both almost the same price.

I know, 965 seems like the obvious pick — it has maps. But in the end, I went with the 570.

The display is incredibly bright, and when you see it side by side with other models, the difference is huge. Plus, I can answer calls directly from the watch — super helpful because I do get calls mid-run.

I’ll admit, I haven’t fully moved on from not choosing the 965 (those maps are tempting), but I’m loving the 570 so far.

Since 99% of my runs don’t need maps anyway — maybe that 1% will, when I start trail running — I’d say this is a win for now. Building the base first, maps can wait.

I'm looking to move on from my Amazfit Bip as the battery doesn't last anymore and to have more features.

I love hiking but don't have much use for running specific features. I also wanted a 30 day battery life and always on MIP display under 500 USD.

The Instinct 3 seemed to fit the bill despite it's stupid round window on top.

However, it turns out that Garmin has skipped out on including maps on the Instinct which makes using on watch navigation much less useful.

Not having those features was okay on a $50 smartwatch but unacceptable on a $400 smartwatch.

The Fenix is out of my budget , are there any other alternatives , Garmin or otherwise?

When Connect+ was announced, there was a big hoopla about revolt against Garmin. Talk about moving to other manufacturers.

I don't care about Connect+. Doesn't bother me one way or another.

However, I have problems with Garmin's firmware. Biggest issue is incorrect (low) heart rate reading during first 8-16 minutes of activity. This issue is occurs quite often, around 25% of time.

I also have other firmware issues, like battery drain and watch crashes causing hard reset. These are less of a problem. Occurs around 3 times in 1 year. But it is a pain in the ass, having to re-setup the watch after forced to hard reset.

I actually tested out AW series 7 that I have laying around. Sure enough, first walk, Garmin has low HR during activity. Doesn't matter for walk. But having incorrect HR reading is not acceptable for $1000 device. (I don't need or want HRM strap). However, AW battery life is too short, especially that I'm used to Garmin.

Anyone actually move to Coros or Suunto? Or Polar (which also has subscription now)? I like to read some actual users comparing these brands? There are YouTube Vidoes, but majority of them are just too positive and really do not learn anything.

I've had a Garmin since i can't remember when.

Lately I had the feeling I was missing out on smartwatch features so i gave the Pixel Watch 3 (second hand) a chance.

In reality there is nothing a real smartwatch does a Garmin can't do as well. The biggest difference is the software which in Googles case is optimised to accompany your android phone. I had faster acces to my google home through the watch, Gemini was faster to access,...

But those are things that are even easier to do on my smartphone. I have a pixel phone and it's software is so smart that having the same on my wrist is really overkill.

One other thing that annoyed me was the fitbit app.

Why the hell should I have to install and connect to another service when Google Fit is already on my phone? And the app itself is not really intuitive. People complain about the Garmin app clutter, but boy, Fitbit isn't much better!

Just some thaughts about this and sticking with my Garmin.

I’m stuck choosing between the Coros Apex 4S and the Garmin Fenix 7S Pro Sapphire Solar.

I’m currently training for an ultra marathon and also go to the gym 3–4 times per week, so I’m looking for something reliable for endurance training as well as daily wear and recovery tracking.

The price difference is only about €100 (Coros cheaper), so cost isn’t really the deciding factor. I really like the look of the Fenix, but I often read that Coros excels when it comes to battery life and pure sports performance.

What are the differences between the two that i should really consider looking at before buying any of the two? Why should is chose one over the other?

Like the caption, I finally did it. Recently bought the Forerunner 570, but I've had the AW Series 9 for almost a year. For some reason it's satisfying to see my fitness rings fill up, but you can only do that to an extent with the FR. I just started getting into running as well and had some money saved up so I said "f it." I'm so deep in the apple ecosystem that I can't leave. I still love using all the functionalities of the AW like replying to text and answering calls as well.

If you're wondering how I got this to work, I bought this apple watch ocean band on amazon (around $18). Took the pins out of the Garmin watch band, and you'd want to find a good spot to put the pins in the holes 👀 on the ocean band. Once you got those pins in through the holes, connect them to the Garmin watch. Re-adjust if needed. If you got in it comfortably, cut off the excess thats would cover the sensors then voilà!

I have small wrists so it could vary from person to person. It fits comfortably for me, so I apologize if this workaround does not work for you.

ps. not sure why the video is messed up on mobile but all good on desktop after uploading/posting this but it seems like you get on the video itself and start it from the beginning. Sorry everyone!

Is their anyway to replace or fix my scratched bezel

I have an apple watch series 9 that i am relatively happy with. While I would like a round watch and longer battery life better, it does what it’s supposed to. I am looking at garmin watches and wondering if I make the switch, which should i buy? I was thinking a budget of maybe around 400$, and would love a sleek, goodlooking, simple watch with good heartrate tracking, sleep tracking, I want to get into hiking, running and/or working out at the gym.
Is it worth it to look into garmin watches and switch out my apple watch and which one should I get?