COROS Apex 46mm – review

First impressions and design

After the first contact with the watch, I get the impression that I am holding something special in my hand. This premium feeling is created mainly by the titanium ring around the display (bezel). It is a different feeling compared to competing brands and models, which often offer plastic watches in the price category up to 350 Euros. The design of the COROS Apex 46mm model on a hand with a wrist circumference of 16.5 cm (see photo below) looks universal. The display size with a diameter of 46mm is very pleasant - whether when reading data from the display during sports or when receiving notifications during the working part of the day.

A big benefit of Apex is that in the price category of GPS watches up to 350 Euros they offer sapphire glass for the display. That way I don't have to protect it against scratches with protective films. I admit that I didn't spare the watch too much and it was already knocked against the wall a few times or I hit the metal key on the case with the watch. But the display is like new after 9 months of use. The display is bright and easy to read. Even in the sun without having to illuminate it during the day. The visual of the dial (the time on the main screen) can be changed at will. The silicone strap is very pleasant to the skin and flexible, so it doesn't pinch your wrist too much when pulled tight. COROS also made a lot of effort with the strap itself - the strap has two rubber bands to attach the strap's excess and the buckle is metal. The strap can be easily removed and replaced with a different color variant.

The watch is light. It weighs only 55 grams. And for the fact that it offers up to 35 hours of battery life, the body is not too thick. The watch goes well with various types of clothing. Whether for training or regular wear, e.g. with a shirt. And this is precisely because the 46mm bezel diameter is large enough and at the same time reasonably robust on a man's wrist. However, in this case, the rule of a hundred people, a hundred tastes applies. Some people like reasonable robustness in terms of design. However, others prefer the most massive and fat "alarm clocks". Such customers may be more interested in the Apex Pro and Vertix models.

Control

Control is another thing that has a big advantage over the competition. Menu movement (up and down) and confirmation are solved by the digital crown - a rotating wheel on the side of the watch. The crown is of an ideal size and responds very precisely to contact with a finger (even with a glove). Whether you rub it or grab it. Each turn gives pleasant haptic feedback with a gentle vibration. So I am fully aware of every movement in the menu and this is extremely important for a sports watch. Personally, I like it much more than control via the touch screen. And this is because every interaction with the watch is always conscious and it cannot happen that I accidentally confirm or turn off something during an activity. Not to mention that touch screens, on which a drop of sweat or water appears, are almost unusable. Turning the digital crown, as well as controlling the watch itself, can also be set for left-handed people. The second and final control element is a button that has the function of going back in the menu and records the number of laps in activity mode.

Battery life

In my case, battery life was one of the most important factors when choosing a watch. And I specifically mean battery life in GPS mode (not normal use of the watch). The COROS Apex 46mm offers up to 35 hours of battery life in second GPS mode. This is an incredible value compared to the competition in the price range up to 350 Euro. From my own experience, the watch had a battery level of just under 50% at the finish line after a 19-hour ultra race. With the Apex, I felt for the first time what a huge benefit it is that I don't have to deal with and think about charging. In practice, with normal daily use and training, you only need to pay attention and plug the watch into the charger once every 3 weeks. And only when the watch warns you about it at 10% battery level.

In one of the other updates, COROS added the ability to view a detailed report and battery life prediction. In this overview, you can see the history of battery decline since the last charge in a graph. For example, how many days or how many hours the watch can still handle in GPS mode. Also, detailed overviews of how much % of the battery is consumed by GPS, HR sensor, the watch system itself, Bluetooth and notifications. For those who like numbers and would like to set their watch in terms of battery life as efficiently as possible, they can estimate their consumption according to the available formula and table . Charging the watch to 100% takes up to 2 hours and charging is done via a USB cable.

Finally, on the subject of battery life, I would like to mention my own experience, as well as the experience of other people around me. The information about battery life that COROS itself provides is very realistic. The battery life figure includes second-by-second GPS location measurement and heart rate measurement via the built-in heart rate monitor. However, in a recent update, they added the option to turn off heart rate measurement during activity. I am quite sure that with this setting, the battery will last even longer than 35 hours!

Altimeter and thermometer

The built-in altimeter is an irreplaceable thing for training focused on altitude meters. I managed to track its accuracy with hiking signposts. The reading on the watch deviated from the reading on the hiking signpost by about 5 meters. Whether it was in the Tatras or the Alps. Manual calibration in case the altimeter showed slightly inaccurate data is one of the solutions. Alternatively, calibration is done via GPS satellites. However, I used this option about 1-2 times during 9 months. During normal use, the watch automatically records the altitude every 10 minutes. The user can thus look back 6/12/18 hours in an interactive graph - when and at what altitude they were. I use this function quite often when I need to find out when I, for example, arrived home from work, or I need to find out how long it took me to move from one place to another in watch mode (not during an active activity).

The watch also has a temperature sensor. This reading is significantly affected by the body temperature of the wrist. So if I wanted to measure the exact ambient temperature, I took the watch off my wrist for a few minutes. Like the altitude, the watch measures the temperature continuously every 10 minutes and can also be viewed backwards on the timeline.

Navigation

Navigation on the watch is key and useful especially on routes outside marked hiking trails or during long-distance walks or runs. The principle is that I upload a route in gpx format to the watch in advance and the watch then proactively navigates me. If I have deviated/moved away from the route by more than 20 meters and for a time longer than 10 seconds, the watch will notify me. At the same time, the display will show how far I am from the route. If I do not return to the route, I am notified every minute. Which is a useful function, especially if I am immersed in adrenaline during the race and may not notice the first warning. The watch displays the route line, which I can zoom in on or get a larger view. If I do not want the watch to warn me about deviating from the route, I can turn off this warning. Navigation is invaluable especially in ultra-running races. This has saved me dozens of otherwise wasted minutes several times. Simply put, when I overlooked a poorly marked turn and strayed 20 meters from the route, my watch vibrated and immediately displayed my current position from the route on the display. This way, I could very quickly orient myself (optically look for a ribbon or a trail that had been walked in another direction) where I was and in which direction I should move to get back on the route.

Don't expect basic topographic maps in COROS watches. COROS tries to avoid such smart functions as much as possible so as not to unnecessarily burden the hardware and thus save battery life. And I fully agree with that - I'm not interested in a topo map when navigating. Quite the opposite. The topo map on the small display of the watch is difficult to read and unclear in outdoor conditions. And what's more, if I really start to get lost and need to look at the map, I reach for my smartphone, where I can display a full-fledged map with all its "features" on the large display (even offline).

Another addition when navigating the route is the extra elevation profile screen directly on the watch. This feature is also a great help during ultra races. I can see which part of the profile I am in and have a nice overview (with the option to zoom) of how many and what hills (elevation) still await me on the route. I don't have to guess my position in the race according to the profile that I carry printed out in my pocket. (Which also has its advantages and I won't let paper, as an iron backup, be allowed in this case.)

The navigation also includes a “Back to start” function. If I get lost somewhere in the fog, I can be guided back along the route to the start. Alternatively, if I want to run a route in the opposite direction, I can change its direction. This is a great option if, for example, I download a gpx route from the race organizer's website and want to run the route in the opposite direction for training.

Sync with phone and app

All data transfers between the watch and the smartphone are secured via Bluetooth. During the months of using COROS Apex with my phone (iPhone SE), there was no problem. Uploading activities to the phone and regular push notifications from the phone to the watch are fast and stable. Even in the case of long, several-hour training sessions. Push notifications from the phone can be set separately for regular use of the watch and separately during activity. I have them turned on during training - messages from chat apps, calendar, email, etc. run on the watch display. I turn off push notifications during races.

All activities synchronized with the COROS app are saved on the COROS server. So if I decide to change my phone in the future and log in to my COROS account in the app, all my activities will be downloaded to my new phone. So I won't lose anything. The COROS app (which is available for iOS and Android) is clear and easy to use. In addition to the watch settings (watch face, notifications, workouts, routes), everything you need can be found in the reports and graphs. It is also possible to view cumulative statistics for different time periods.

The app allows you to create and fully customize screens with data during activities. Each screen can have 3-6 data fields, and I can set up to five such screens. After the activity is over, the data can be automatically sent to third-party services such as Strava or Relive. There is also the option to export activities to various formats (fit, tcx, gpx, kml, csv).

Continuous improvement of watches

It is worth noting that with each update, COROS brings new functionality to the app or watch. Or it improves things that users report. In a recent update, for example, the ability to create your own workout in the app and upload it to the watch was added. These are strength training workouts for each part of the body, aimed more at athletes, not bodybuilders or fitness enthusiasts. And there are also specific, for example, running workouts. During training, the watch records repetitions and notifies the user about the next exercises or phases of training. Training programs from elite ambassadors can be downloaded for free from the official COROS website. Alternatively, it is possible to create your own program and share them with other users.

Another trick that I can't let go of during longer training sessions or races is the snack notification. This feature is called “Nutrition alert”. I can set how often (in minutes or hours) the watch should alert me (vibrating, beeping + a drink icon will appear on the display). That's when I know to drink or to throw something solid in (gel, bars, salt tablet, etc.).

I was also very pleased with the update that brought the “Resume later” function (continue the activity later). I use this option, for example, when commuting to work by bike. In the morning, when I arrive at work, I don’t end the activity, but I select the “Resume later” option. And then during the day I can use the watch in the usual way. Any time later (even on another day) I can then return to this activity and continue it.

Heart rate measurement and other connectable devices

For the first three months of use, I used the built-in optical sensor to measure my heart rate. The sensor showed approximately real values, and I didn't pay much attention to my heart rate while training.

Then, after 3 months of use, I started a training program that is based on stricter heart rate monitoring. In practice, this means that I had planned interval training or longer runs in different heart rate zones. And it is with such training that optical sensors hit technological limits. The reason is that they are generally a little slower in terms of the speed of displaying the current heart rate on the watch display. With COROS Apex, this rule was confirmed. When changing the load, the change in heart rate was reflected on the display with approximately a 30-second delay. When training based on adapting the load to the heart rate, it is crucial to receive the most up-to-date data on the watch. That is why I decided to start using a chest strap, which has significantly shorter responses, with approximately a 5 to 10-second delay.

The average heart rate after training was identical in both cases - measured via the built-in heart rate monitor and the chest strap. However, the strap had an incomparably better and faster response when displaying current values ​​during changes in load. I use a Sigma chest strap, which communicates with the watch via the wireless ANT+ protocol (lower power consumption than Bluetooth).

The initial pairing of the strap with the watch was a matter of a few seconds. In addition to ANT+, COROS also supports the connection of external sensors and accessories via Bluetooth. It is possible to connect, for example, running PODs and, for example, cycling sensors (power meters, speed meters, cadence meters, etc.). Compatible ANT+ accessories with the COROS Apex model can be viewed on the official ANT+ website .

Summary

If you are looking for a reliable, universal watch and the price-performance ratio is one of the main criteria for you, I can confirm that the COROS Apex GPS watch convincingly fulfills this ambition. It is no coincidence that the COROS Apex is the most popular model among users. I switched to COROS from an Amazfit watch, which in outdoor conditions during more serious and regular training was hitting its hardware and software limits. After switching to the COROS Apex 46mm GPS watch, all these worries disappeared - the app and synchronization work 100%, every multi-hour race or training is saved smoothly and quickly. COROS is in a completely different league. The watch does exactly what can be expected from a reliable sports tester. Without me having to worry about whether the activity is saved or something is out of tune and kept non-standard.

The manufacturer's stated battery life of 35 hours in GPS mode is realistic. When the watch notifies me before leaving the house that it needs to be charged, I don't have to go back and plug it into the charger. I know it can handle 2-3 more workouts or one long hike. And that's even with 10% battery life.

The COROS Apex 46mm are durable, waterproof (up to 100 meters) and have easy control with a rotating crown. I can easily transfer the route I want to be navigated on to them. During an activity, I have five different screens available and I can configure the data on each screen as I wish. As a chest strap user, I also highlight the compatibility of the watch with Bluetooth and ANT+ accessories.

The only caveat that COROS should still work on is improving its own web platform for viewing activities and statistics. However, this shortcoming is not crucial for me, because detailed activity reports are directly in the COROS app on your smartphone or tablet. Plus, there is the option of automatic synchronization with third-party services such as Strava, Relive, etc. Moreover, COROS announced on social networks that they plan to launch their own full-fledged web platform in the near future. So there is something to look forward to.

COROS Apex also functions as a smart watch (it shows notifications from your phone). It is nice that COROS does not have the ambition to cram the watch with smart functions such as a music player, contactless payments, topo maps and others. These features look great on paper, but in real use they do not make much sense to me. They will not replace a smartphone, which I almost always carry with me anyway. The developers prefer to leave the hardware capacity of the watch for new and useful functions for athletes and active people. This way, the watch can maintain its relevance for a longer period and receive new functions through software updates, while maintaining the agility and reliability of the system. And I must confirm that it does this perfectly. During my 9-month testing, everything worked stably and quickly. The watch did not freeze once, no restart was required. Simply put, the COROS Apex GPS watch is a device that I can completely rely on in difficult outdoor conditions.

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