Test report on the Coros Apex 2: A compact adventure watch

The Coros Apex 2 and 2 Pro launched around the same time in 2022. The Apex 2 currently costs £349, while the Apex Pro 2 costs £449. So which is the best Coros running watch?

When it comes to running, training, performance, health, and navigation tools, the more expensive Apex Pro offers the same features as its non-Pro brother. You’ll pay a £100 premium for some upgrades, including a larger, higher-resolution screen, longer battery life, more storage and dual-frequency GPS. The latter is intended to improve accuracy, but it didn’t outperform the Apex 2 in our tests.

Both watches feature titanium bezels and cases as well as hardened sapphire crystal displays. The Apex Pro 2 features a larger bezel, also weighs over 10g heavier and has a 22mm band compared to the Apex 2’s thinner 20mm band.

The Apex 2 has a slightly cheaper feel than the Apex Pro 2. It’s slightly faster than the Vertix. But it’s also a little more subtle.

When you weigh these two watches against each other, it boils down to this: Since GPS performance is largely the same, the Apex 2 Pro is hard to beat unless you really want a slightly larger screen, longer battery life, or prefer that Recommend appearance. The Apex 2 offers similar performance at a cheaper price.

The Apex 2 uses higher quality materials than some competitors at the same price, including a more robust sapphire crystal display and a titanium bezel and case. At just 42g (with a nylon strap) and a 1.2-inch display, it’s also a lighter, more compact and more comfortable alternative to some of the more dated watches like the Vertix 2, Garmin Fenix, Epix and Enduro. But it’s a bit more robust than the Garmin Forerunner 265 and Foreunner 965.

If you like having a lot of in-game stats during your runs, you may want more screen space than the Apex 2 offers. Things can get a bit cramped on the smaller screen. The screen is also darker and less punchy than newer AMOLED displays. But that’s a sacrifice you’re making for the extended battery life.

Overall, the Apex 2 is well made and looks good, with the smaller bezel adding some subtlety – good if you’re looking for an adventure-ready watch that’s a little less flashy than the largest alternatives.

When it comes to tracking capabilities, Coros’ EvoLab suite of running insights and training tools continues to grow. It now competes strongly with Garmin in the breadth of its recordings, although the presentation isn’t quite as clear.

Another big innovation is the integration of an ECG sensor. This allows you to take conscious HRV measurements with the crown, which some experts recommend instead of continuous HRV.

The navigation tools are the same as the more expensive Apex 2 Pro and Vertix 2. They’re well-equipped, although you don’t get real-time routable maps like the top-end Garmin watches.

Coros’ EvoLab suite of running insights and training tools is comprehensive.

On paper, the lack of dual-frequency GPS is the other big omission, especially when compared to the Apex 2 Pro and Vertix 2. But even without it, GPS performance is comparable to that of the more expensive Apex 2 Pro.

In our testing, it achieved virtually the same level as the Apex 2 Pro in terms of overall distance and real-time speed response. During a half marathon race test, the Apex 2 covered 13.11 miles, while the Apex 2 Pro covered 13.3 miles and the Garmin Enduro 2 covered 13.19 miles.

When it comes to optical heart rate performance, like most optical sensors, the Apex 2 sensor sometimes lagged and couldn’t keep up with rapid or large changes in intensity during interval sessions. Sometimes it was difficult to reliably measure rest times. But it still matched up well with the more expensive Apex 2 Pro.

The Apex 2 stays true to the Coros tradition of offering long battery life. On paper, the Coros Apex 2’s battery life offers 13 days of daily use, including up to 40 hours in full GPS mode. With all-systems tracking, the time drops to 25 hours. The Garmin Forerunner 965 lasts 31 hours in GPS mode and 22 hours in All Systems mode.

The battery life was impressive in the test. A 3-hour workout in All Systems GPS mode consumed 11%, practically well over the stated 30 hours. The average overnight battery drain was just 1%, and it lasts about two weeks on a single charge and a decent amount of GPS training.

The Coros Apex 2 is a good multi-sport all-rounder with a comprehensive range of run tracking, training insights, health tools and the best navigation tools from Coros. In terms of GPS accuracy and heart rate, it’s on par with the more expensive Apex 2 Pro and probably offers better value for money. If you want a less heavy adventure watch on your wrist, it’s a reliable, lighter alternative to the Vertix 2, although it’s not fully featured enough to compete with the Garmin Enduro and Fenix ​​series.

Buy the Coros Apex 2

Since the introduction of the Apex 2, the competition at this price point has become fiercer. If you don’t mind cheaper materials and a bigger watch, the Coros Pace Pro now probably offers even better value for money in the Coros range, with a better screen, longer battery life and identical sensors and features – at least for runners.

The Suunto Race S (£349) now also offers longer battery life with a more powerful AMOLED screen, dual-frequency GPS and similar navigation tools at a cheaper price.

If you want a more premium titanium finish, the Suunto Race S Titanum (£395) is another good alternative. Even the larger 1.4in Suunto Race screen (£389) is worth a look.

Then there’s the Polar Vantage M3 (£349) – a newcomer with an AMOLED screen, dual-frequency GPS and a competitive 30-hour GPS battery life, extended in power-saving modes.