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Garmin dominates the working watch market, at the same time as runners have an growing variety of different choices to select from, together with Suunto and Coros. I’ve lengthy been a devoted Garmin consumer, however I wished to provide one among these rivals a good shake, so for about six weeks (together with the complete month of July), I made a decision to check out how nicely a Coros might function my important working watch.
So I set my each day put on Garmin Forerunner 265S apart in favor of a Coros Tempo 3 and Tempo Professional, swapping between them because the temper struck me. Whereas I did not come out of it a convert, I did study rather a lot. Here is what I liked and hated—or a minimum of discovered irritating—alongside the way in which.
How I began the change from Garmin to Coros
I usually use Garmin to retailer all my private working knowledge. (For some people who is likely to be their Strava account, however mine is form of a rubbish pile of knowledge, as many of the watches I take a look at for opinions sync their knowledge to it, which suggests a bunch of my runs are double- and even triple-logged there.)
I made a decision that, for the size of this take a look at, I’d solely use the Coros app, and never Garmin. (When the take a look at was over, I synced my runs again over to Garmin so I’d nonetheless have correct knowledge after I trying again at my month-to-month and yearly totals.)
Earlier than I might begin the experiment, I wanted to maintain my sneakers. I’ve three pairs in rotation, and I take advantage of the Garmin app to trace their mileage. One in all my pairs has over 900 miles, and I’m making an attempt to get it to 1,000 simply out of stubbornness and spite, so correct monitoring is essential to me.
I regarded up every shoe’s mileage within the Garmin app, then added it to the Coros app with the suitable beginning mileage. (Coros perk: I used to be capable of set my path sneakers because the default for path runs, and my street sneakers because the default for normal runs. Garmin solely allows you to set one shoe because the default for all sorts of runs.)
I arrange Coros to sync to Strava, and disconnected Garmin from Strava. I additionally familiarized myself with the Coros coaching hub, an internet interface for downloading and analyzing run knowledge that is much like Garmin Join’s net model. If I had been switching completely, I’d have exported all my run knowledge from Garmin and imported it into the Coros hub. Coros has step-by-step directions for doing that right here.
The Coros and Garmin fashions I in contrast
Each Coros and Garmin supply a number of fashions of working watches, and options fluctuate from mannequin to mannequin. My on a regular basis Garmin is a Forerunner 265S, and I additionally typically use a Forerunner 570. These served as my important reference factors for evaluating options, since they’re strong choices in the course of the product vary. (I’m additionally accustomed to a number of different fashions, together with the entry-level 165, and the barely older however nonetheless wonderful 255.)
On the Coros facet, I had two watches to play with: the smaller, lighter, and barely older Tempo 3, and the considerably newer and fancier Tempo Professional.
Right here’s my finest stab at rating these fashions, from essentially the most primary to essentially the most full-featured:
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Garmin Forerunner 165 ($249.99): an entry-level watch with a vivid AMOLED touchscreen however no dual-band GPS. Among the extra superior analytics are additionally lacking. One dimension (43 mm).
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Garmin Forerunner 255 (round $240 as of late; initially $349.99): Extra options than the 165, and extra correct GPS, nevertheless it has the older type reflective MIP display screen. Is available in small and huge sizes (41 and 46 mm).
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Coros Tempo 3 ($229): Just like the 255 in each options and show sort (MIP). The Tempo 3 has a touchscreen, although, whereas the 255 requires buttons for navigation. One dimension (42 mm).
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Garmin Forerunner 265 ($449.99 however typically on sale): Like a 265 however with an AMOLED touchscreen. Is available in small and huge sizes (42 and 46 mm).
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Garmin Forerunner 570 ($549.99): Like a 265 however with voice calling, warmth acclimation, and another handy options like automated end line trimming. AMOLED touchscreen. Is available in small and huge sizes (42 and 47 mm).
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Coros Tempo Professional ($349): Doesn’t have the voice options or a few of the analytics of the Garmin 570, nevertheless it does have onboard maps, which aren’t accessible on any Garmin watches in its value vary. AMOLED touchscreen. One dimension (46 mm).
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Garmin Forerunner 970 ($749.99): Like a 570 however with maps and an LED flashlight. AMOLED touchscreen. One dimension (47 mm).
The Coros Tempo 3 is a bit more primary than the Garmin 265 and 570 I’m used to, and the Coros Tempo Professional is arguably a little bit nicer—primarily as a result of it has maps, which turn out to be useful on my path runs.
Now that we’ve bought our bearings, let’s go for a run.
Accuracy and different fundamentals are wonderful on each Garmin and Coros
I do know that my job is to uncover the minute variations between totally different fashions of health tech, however truthfully, for many functions any of the watches will do the job. If the world solely had Coros, you wouldn’t miss Garmin, and vice versa.
I do know from reviewing each units of watches intimately that they each make wonderful working watches. Let’s slender down the secure to only the Forerunner 570 and the Coros Tempo Professional. Right here’s what I already know:
Each watches have wonderful GPS accuracy. On paper, that’s as a result of they hook up with a number of networks and have dual-band capabilities for higher accuracy amongst timber and buildings. In the true world, I do know they’re good as a result of I’ve pored over maps after working with each, and so they all observe my precise path very intently.
Each watches have good coronary heart charge accuracy. An optical sensor won’t ever be excellent, however anytime I’ve a great cosy match on the watch, I get coronary heart charge readings which can be practically equivalent to what I get from a chest strap, my gold normal. I’ve typically discovered that bigger watches don’t match me as nicely, thus giving barely glitchier knowledge. This might be a minor caveat to the Tempo Professional, which solely is available in a bigger dimension. (The Tempo 3 is smaller, and the 570 is available in two dimension choices.) That mentioned, I nonetheless get good readings from each of those.
You possibly can pair a chest strap to both watch. In case you’re so enthusiastic about accuracy that you simply care in regards to the refined variations between watches that each one do the job nicely, what you actually need is to pair {an electrical} (not optical) chest strap. The entire Garmin and Coros watches I’ve examined can pair to just about any chest strap available on the market. I take advantage of a Coospo.
Each shows are legible in just about all lighting situations. AMOLED watches present their very own gentle. They’re nice in dim to medium situations, and OK in vivid daylight. MIP watches mirror brilliantly in vivid daylight, endure a bit in shadow, however can be utilized with a gesture-triggered backlight at nighttime. The Tempo 3 has a MIP display screen, and the Tempo Professional and the 570 are each AMOLED. If you wish to dig into the variations between these show sorts, I’ve an in depth breakdown right here. Backside line, each are good.
With the fundamentals taken care of, let me inform you in regards to the issues that stood out to me as new and totally different (both in a great or unhealthy approach) between Coros and Garmin.
Hated: Coros can’t management the music on my telephone
I’ve by no means cared for onboard music on a working watch. I’m going to carry my telephone with me anyway (for security, if nothing else) so I don’t must retailer music on the watch. Many Garmin watches, together with the 570, can obtain playlists from Spotify (though they cannot stream straight). Coros can solely play MP3 recordsdata that you have loaded onto the watch.
Once I’m listening to music on my telephone, the watch has one operate: I like having the ability to see what music is enjoying from the watch, particularly if I’m shuffling a giant playlist. Garmin can do that and not using a downside, and gives controls to pause, play and skip; so can the Suunto Run I examined. However these two Coros watches can solely play their very own music, not show or management what my telephone is enjoying.
Liked: Coros provides you maps at a a lot lower cost level than Garmin
Throughout my summer time of Coros, I ended up doing a variety of path working. The paths are shady and relatively cool when it’s sizzling in every single place else, and the native path working group had a enjoyable problem going. To take part, I’d obtain GPX route recordsdata created by the group, and comply with them by means of the woods.
The entire Garmin and Coros watches I discussed above can do primary navigation. The method is identical on each manufacturers: obtain a route file in your telephone, use the share button to “open” it within the Coros or the Garmin app, save the route, after which inform the app to ship the path to your watch. Once you begin a run, you may choose a saved path to comply with.
With the fundamental show (on the Forerunner 570 and beneath, or on the Tempo 3), you simply see a line on a black background displaying the route you’re presupposed to comply with, a distinct coloration of line displaying the place you truly went, and a marker displaying the place you might be proper now. On the 570, for instance, the route is pink and my very own path is white. In order I’m working, I simply need to look down at my wrist, and so long as the pink and the white traces are monitoring collectively, I’m on the best path.
On this view, neither watch is aware of the place the paths truly are. I’ll get an “approaching proper flip” alert when the trail I’m following turns proper, whether or not or not I’ve an choice to go another approach. If the path branches into two forks, and my path is kind of straight ahead, the watch doesn’t know I’m making an attempt to decide, and gives no assist.
On a watch with maps, you get extra assist. It nonetheless might not know the entire trails within the space, however a minimum of it’s straightforward to inform if you’re presupposed to cross a street or cross a giant apparent landmark like a pond. The Tempo Professional is a $349 watch that provides you full-color maps proper in your wrist. Within the Garmin world, you don’t get that function on a brand new watch until you splurge on a Forerunner 970, for $749.99, greater than twice the worth of the Tempo Professional.
What do you assume to this point?
Hated: Coros pauses the run after your exercise is completed
It is a tiny, itsy micro-peeve that I’m nearly embarrassed to notice right here for a way minor it’s, however MY GOD COROS CAN’T YOU LEAVE THE ACTIVITY RUNNING AFTER THE WORKOUT FINISHES??? Garmin spoiled me for this.
Let’s say you’re utilizing a Garmin to trace a structured exercise that covers 3.5 miles or so. After you end the exercise, you jog an extended cooldown since you’d like so as to add some extra mileage to your day, so why not? Garmin simply begins a brand new lap when the exercise finishes, in order that if you get to the top of the run for the day—let’s say you went 5 miles—you will see a 3.5 mile exercise and a 1.5 mile cooldown logged in the identical exercise.
Coros, against this, pauses the exercise when the exercise finishes. On a number of events I heard the end-of-workout beep and thought nothing of it. I stored working, having fun with my cooldown, solely to understand 5 or 10 minutes later that my final 5 or 10 minutes of working hadn’t been logged in any respect.
If I had been educated on Coros and moved to Garmin, this wouldn’t hassle me. However coming from Garmin, I stored forgetting that I wanted to renew my exercise after it “completed.” I misplaced some miles in my monitoring. I’m mad. That’s all.
Liked: Coros’s coaching standing feels much less insulting
Right here’s one other subjective one: I like Garmin’s coaching standing, however principally as a result of I chase the fun of incomes a “productive” standing, and get disenchanted each time it tells me I’m simply “sustaining.” (I wish to get a great grade in Garmin, one thing that’s each regular to need and potential to attain.)
Garmin’s harsh judgements are the stuff of memes, nevertheless it does sting typically to be instructed that your onerous work isn’t transferring the needle. Coros additionally has a coaching standing function, with comparable phrases, however they appear to be outlined in a different way.
Right here’s Coros’s rationalization of its coaching standing phrases. “Sustaining” continues to be in there, however I didn’t see it present up on my watch fairly often. Extra typically, I’d get “optimized,” offered I’d been working fairly onerous. That rationalization from Coros additionally reveals how one can take a look at your coaching standing in a number of other ways from the coaching hub dashboard: In case your load impression is greater than your base health, you’re doing fairly good. Garmin doesn’t have graphs like this, or a minimum of, nothing really easy to entry and browse.
Finally, does this have an effect on my coaching? Not likely. However I discover Coros’s method extra attention-grabbing and extra encouraging.
Hated: Coros doesn’t have an app retailer
Garmin’s ConnectIQ retailer is a spot to search out watch faces, but in addition little mini-apps to do particular jobs. Most individuals gained’t obtain many apps, however if you want one, it’s very cool to have the ability to seize the best one.
For instance, to make use of the Core temperature sensor that I’m utilizing to watch my warmth tolerance, I went to Garmin’s ConnectIQ retailer and downloaded the information discipline created by the builders on the firm that made the sensor. I did need to manually add it to the actions the place I wished to trace my temperature, however then it was there. I might see my core temp, pores and skin temp, and warmth pressure index all on one display screen, and this knowledge was logged in my exercise outcomes.
The Core sensor additionally works with Coros, however not practically as nicely. I can view my core physique temperature through the run, however not pores and skin temperature or warmth pressure index. (The warmth pressure index is essentially the most helpful to me, and I missed having it accessible at a look.) There isn’t any solution to obtain an app for extra performance.
There are nonetheless loads of watch faces and helpful instruments constructed into the Coros app and the units themselves, however it will be good if there have been third-party prospects on the market too.
Liked: Coros watches lock the show in a nicer approach
The Tempo 3 and Tempo Professional each have a scroll wheel. Each of them, by default, use a display screen lock that requires you to both maintain within the scroll button, or—my choice—scroll the wheel one full flip earlier than having the ability to do something on the watch.
I just like the scroll model. I simply begin scrolling up, and because the watch unlocks, I can preserve scrolling and see my widgets, which is usually what I’m unlocking the watch to test. (You possibly can flip off this lock when you don’t need it.) You possibly can nonetheless see the time whereas it’s locked or when you’re within the means of unlocking.
Garmins, then again, don’t have fairly the identical function. You possibly can activate the system lock, however then any time you faucet the display screen or push a button, the time disappears and also you see a message telling you to unlock the system. You too can set a shortcut to show off the touchscreen, which is helpful when you preserve bumping it if you don’t imply to.
I just like the Coros model higher.
The underside line
Garmin and Coros each make nice watches. I used to be neither disenchanted nor excited to return to Garmin on the finish of the month. I’m glad the exercises gained’t finish with out me urgent a button anymore, and I like that I’ll be simply capable of see what music is enjoying. However I’ll miss the maps on the Tempo Professional, and the kinder and extra clear coaching standing.
