Coros Apex 2 — Tried, tested and reviewed
The Coros Apex 2 is a hard watch to pinpoint. It sits somewhere between the Coros Pace 3 and the Coros Vertix 2 on price, capability and size. In running terms, it’s essentially a lighter, more compact Coros Vertix 2 with the same suite of training, performance, health and navigation features, just without the accuracy-boosting dual-frequency GPS and a significantly shorter battery life. Think of it as a rugged but lighter option for trail and ultra adventures.
The Apex 2 packs a big battery life, Coros’ latest optical and ECG sensors and comes in a chunk cheaper than the Coros Apex Pro 2. It’s also coming up to two years old. That means potential price cuts and deals to be had. But is it still good value among the best running watches? And how does it stack up to the newer rivals from Garmin, Suunto and Polar? Here’s my Coros Apex 2 review.
How I tested
In testing, I trained, raced and slept with the Coros Apex 2 for over a month, putting it up against the pricier Apex Pro 2, Garmin Fenix and Enduro watches. I benchmarked the heart rate against a Polar H10 chest strap, dug into the GPS tracks in detail and tracked the battery life closely.
Coros Apex 2 vs Apex 2 Pro: What’s the difference?
The Coros Apex 2 and 2 Pro launched around the same time back in 2022. The Apex 2 is currently priced at £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 pricier Apex Pro offers the same features as its non-pro sibling. You’ll pay a £100 premium for a few upgrades, including a larger screen with a higher resolution display, longer battery life, more storage and dual-frequency GPS. The latter is designed to improve accuracy, however in our tests it didn’t outperform the Apex 2.
Both watches have titanium bezels and cases, plus toughened sapphire crystal displays. There’s more bezel on the Apex Pro 2 which also weighs in more than 10g heavier and comes with a 22mm strap compared with the thinner 20mm strap on the Apex 2.
The Apex 2 gives off a slightly cheaper feel than the Apex Pro 2. It’s a bit more Pace than Vertix. But it’s a touch more subtle, too.
If you’re weighing up these two watches, it boils down to this: because the GPS performance is much the same, unless you really want a slightly larger screen, a bigger battery life or prefer the looks, the Apex 2 Pro is hard to recommend. The Apex 2 offers a similar performance at a friendlier price.
Design
The Apex 2 uses higher quality materials than some rivals at the same price, including a tougher sapphire glass display and titanium bezel and casing. At just 42g (with the nylon strap) with a 1.2-inch display, it’s also a lighter, more compact and comfortable alternative to some of the more hench watches like the Vertix 2, Garmin Fenix, Epix and Enduro. But it’s a bit more rugged than the Garmin Forerunner 265 and the Foreunner 965.
If you like having loads of stats in play during your runs, you might find you want more screen real estate than the Apex 2 offers. Things can get a tad cramped on the smaller screen. The screen is also dimmer and less punchy than the newer AMOLED displays. But that’s a sacrifice you make for the boosted battery life.
Overall, the Apex 2 is well-built and a decent looker, with the smaller bezel adding some subtlety — good if you want an adventure-proof watch that’s a bit less in-your-face than the biggest alternatives.
Features
When it comes to tracking capabilities, Coros’ EvoLab suite of running insights and training tools is increasingly comprehensive. It now closely rivals Garmin in the breadth of what it tracks, even if the presentation isn’t quite as clear.
Another big addition is the inclusion of an ECG sensor. This lets you use the crown to take deliberate HRV readings which some experts recommend rather than continuous HRV.
The navigation tools are the same as you find on the pricier Apex 2 Pro and the Vertix 2. They’re well delivered, though you won’t get real-time routable maps like you do on the top end Garmin watches.
On paper, the lack of dual frequency GPS is the other major omission, particularly versus the Apex 2 Pro and the Vertix 2. But even without it, the GPS performance is on par with the pricier Apex 2 Pro.
Across our tests, it virtually matched the Apex 2 Pro for overall distance and real time pace response. During a half marathon race test, the Apex 2 logged 13.11 miles to the Apex 2 Pro’s 13.3 miles and the Garmin Enduro 2’s 13.19 miles.
When it comes to the optical heart rate performance, like most optical sensors the Apex 2 sensor sometimes lagged and failed to keep pace with rapid or big shifts in intensity on interval sessions. It sometimes struggled to clock rests periods reliably. But it was still a good match for the pricier Apex 2 Pro.
Battery life
The Apex 2 sticks to Coros’ tradition of offering big battery life. On paper, the Coros Apex 2 battery life offers 13 days daily use, with up to 40 hours in full GPS mode. That drops to 25 hours with All Systems tracking. The Garmin Forerunner 965 lasts 31 hours in GPS mode and 22 hours in All Systems mode.
In testing, the battery life was impressive. A 3-hour workout in All Systems GPS mode burned 11% and that’s virtually bang on the listed 30-hours. The average overnight battery burn was just 1% and it’ll last roughly two weeks on single charge with a decent volume of GPS training thrown in.
RW verdict
The Coros Apex 2 is a good multi-sports all-rounder with a comprehensive array of run tracking, training insights, health tools and Coros’ best navigation tools. It matches the pricier Apex 2 Pro for GPS accuracy and heart rate and probably represents better value. If you want a less hefty adventure watch on your wrist, it’s a reliable lighter alternative to the Vertix 2, though it’s not fully specced enough to rival the Garmin Enduro and Fenix series.
Alternatives
Since the Apex 2 launched, the competition has grown fierce at this price. If you don’t mind cheaper materials and a bigger watch, the Coros Pace Pro probably now offers even better value from Coros’ line-up, with a better screen, longer battery life and identical sensors and features – at least for runners.
The Suunto Race S (£349) also now offers a longer battery life with a punchier 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 bigger 1.4-inch screen Suunto Race (£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 that extends in low power modes.
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