Novinky v ponuke značky COROS - APEX 2 a COROS APEX 2 Pro

News - COROS APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro

author: ralpu
November 15, 2022

COROS APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro - news
New products in the COROS brand offer - APEX 2 and COROS APEX 2 Pro.

The COROS APEX, launched four years ago, was the most popular model in the COROS range. It offered an excellent ratio between parameters and price. COROS, so to speak, made a whip for itself - expectations for version 2 were set high. In recent months, you have been eagerly asking us when version 2 of the APEX model will arrive and what new things it will bring. As is often the case with electronics, new models usually adopt technological innovations that the flagship contains - in this case, the VERTIX 2 model, which was launched a year ago. And indeed, the new APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro models have adopted many features and technologies from the VERTIX 2 model. In this article, we will take a detailed look at what new things the APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro models bring, what are the differences between them, who they are intended for and also how they compare to the VERTIX 2 model.

Introduction

It is interesting how the COROS brand looks at the new APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro compared to the highest model in the offer - VERTIX 2 (699.99 €). We were surprised by the bold statement directly from this American startup that the new models are essentially smaller versions of the flagship VERTIX 2. ( Read our review of the VERTIX 2 model .) It refers rather to the software itself in all 3 models, which is essentially the same. And indeed, when we take a closer look at the new models, the control, software experience is identical. Where the COROS brand tried to differentiate these three models - and therefore appeal to a different target group - is the style, size and presence/absence of a few hardware features.

COROS APEX 2 Pro - discount color version Black, Grey and Green
The COROS APEX 2 Pro will be available in three colors at launch: Black, Grey and Green.

What's new

Compared to the first generation, the new APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro bring the following new features and parameters:

  • New GPS chip - All-Satellite GNSS GPS chip. Understand, the watch can communicate with all 5 major GPS systems: GPS, QZSS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou.
  • Added Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • Added support for the Bluetooth 5.0 wireless standard.
  • Night Mode - the ability to gently and permanently illuminate the display (for example, during training in the dark or during ultra races, when races are often held at night), without a significant impact on battery life.
  • All-new optical heart rate sensor.
  • Ability to measure heart rate variability - HRV (Heart Rate Variability).
  • Pulse oximeter - a new sensor that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood.
  • Internal memory has been increased to 32 GB from the original 3.5 GB - APEX 2 Pro model.
  • Internal memory has been increased to 8 GB from the original few MB - APEX 2 model.
  • Global offline maps - APEX 2 Pro model.
  • Redesigned GPS antenna with more than 50% higher performance.
  • Ability to download offline maps - APEX 2 model. (More about internal memory and offline maps below.)
  • Unified control via 3 buttons on one side. Separate button to activate the display backlight. Any unique function can also be assigned to this button.
  • Both models feature a bezel around the display made of Grade 5 titanium with a PVD coating. This additional treatment doubles the scratch resistance of the already extremely durable and lightweight titanium. The back cover is made of titanium.
  • Touch screen control for some functions.
  • Wireless connectivity with external devices works via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Support for the old and limiting ANT+ protocol is not present.
COROS APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro have a completely new and redesigned built-in optical heart rate sensor
Both models feature a completely new and redesigned built-in optical heart rate sensor with 5 LEDs and 4 photodetectors in a new configuration, protected by ultra-smooth and scratch-resistant glass. Combined with a new sensor that detects when the watch is being worn, COROS says the new optical heart rate sensor should provide much greater accuracy during activity or normal wear (for example, at night when measuring sleep quality). A nylon (textile) strap is now standard on both models.

In short
Differences between APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro

Size and weight. The APEX 2 Pro has a larger display with a diameter of 1.3 inches (33.02 mm). The APEX 2 display has a diameter of 1.2 inches (30.48 mm). The APEX 2 Pro weighs 53 grams with the nylon strap. The APEX 2 weighs 42 grams with the nylon strap.

APEX 2 Pro
1.3 inches
display diameter
53 g
weight

APEX 2
1.2 inches
display diameter
42 grams
weight

GPS mode. APEX 2 Pro records activities in standard GPS mode, further supports All Systems mode (the ability to connect to 5 major satellite systems - GPS, QZSS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou) and in addition, compared to APEX 2, it also includes a dual-frequency GPS chip. APEX 2 has All Systems mode, but does not have a dual-frequency GPS chip. This is followed by an extra activity that is only found in APEX 2 Pro - multi-pitch climbing.

Battery life. In standard GPS mode with second-by-second recording, the APEX 2 Pro has a battery life of 75 hours. The APEX 2 can record activity in second-by-second GPS mode for 45 hours.

APEX 2 Pro
75 hours
battery life
in second GPS mode

APEX 2
45 hours
battery life
in second GPS mode

Internal memory. APEX 2 Pro has 32 GB of internal memory. APEX 2 has 8 GB of internal memory. The internal memory can be used to store offline maps (you can also find detailed instructions on how to download offline maps to your watch in our COROS support articles; access to these instructions is exclusive to ralpu customers) and music.

APEX 2 Pro
32GB
internal memory

APEX 2
8GB
internal memory

COROS APEX 2 Pro - sensor list
The picture shows the COROS APEX 2 Pro model in Grey. The watch has a large number of useful sensors - a new and even more accurate built-in optical sensor for measuring heart rate during activities or during the day (for example, at night, when the watch measures sleep quality). For the demanding, there is a sensor for measuring heart rate variability (HRV - Heart Rate Variability), which provides an irreplaceable and objective indication of progress or overload of the body over time. The built-in pulse oximeter measures the amount of oxygen in the blood - an important indicator of overall fitness. The barometric sensor displays the weather trend or an approaching change - for example, a storm (pictured above). A compass, accelerometer, gyroscope, thermometer and a watch-wearing detection sensor complete the list of sensors.

In details
Differences between APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro

  • The APEX 2 Pro features a more advanced, ultra-modern dual-frequency GPS sensor that significantly improves track recording in challenging terrain. This technological innovation was introduced a year ago with the flagship VERTIX 2 model. You can read more about the benefits of the dual-frequency GPS sensor on our blog .
  • APEX 2 Pro has longer battery life - see details in the table below.
  • The APEX 2 Pro has 32GB of internal memory (useful for storing full global offline maps or music). The APEX 2 has 8GB of internal memory (more on this below).
  • APEX 2 Pro comes with global offline maps preloaded. With APEX 2, you need to manually download and upload offline maps for the desired part of the world (for example, Europe).
  • The APEX 2 Pro has a larger display with a diameter of 1.3 inches (33.02 mm). The APEX 2 has a display with a diameter of 1.2 inches (30.48 mm).
  • The APEX 2 Pro has a higher resolution of 260 x 260 px; the APEX 2 has a display with a resolution of 240 x 240 px.
  • APEX 2 Pro takes advantage of the dual-frequency GPS sensor and also offers a separate multi-pitch climbing activity.
COROS APEX 2 - Coral.
New to the APEX 2 and APEX 2 pro models is the measurement of heart rate variability (HRV). This metric provides an irreplaceable and objective indication of your progress or overload of the body over time. GPS navigation is a given on both models. Also with free offline maps.
APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro battery life comparison
APEX 2 APEX 2 Pro
standard GPS mode (GPS/QZSS) / 1 sec. recording 45 hours 75 hours
All Systems On (GPS/QZSS + GLONASS + Galileo + BeiDou) / 1 sec. record 28 hours 45 hours
All Systems On Dual Frequency (GPS/QZSS + GLONASS + Galileo + BeiDou) / 1 sec. record 25 hours
Normal use 17 days 30 days
COROS APEX 2
The COROS APEX 2 will be available in three colors at launch: Black, Coral, and Grey.

APEX 2 Pro

The Pro model is really a scaled-down version of the top-of-the-line VERTIX 2 model. The only penalty is perhaps the battery life: in the basic GPS mode with a second-by-second recording, the APEX 2 Pro offers a battery life of 75 hours, while the VERTIX 2 model offers up to 140 hours. However, both models have a very advanced dual-frequency GPS sensor that better handles measuring activities when climbing, skiing in steep gullies or when working between tall buildings (for example, in the city). Compared to the basic APEX 2 model, the APEX 2 Pro also offers one additional activity - multi-pitch climbing. In other words, the APEX 2 Pro is even better prepared for activities in the mountains. It is no wonder that this model is also used by Kilian Jornet (COROS brand ambassador - more in the article on our blog ). Kilian also used the first generation APEX Pro when breaking the UTMB course record - you can read a detailed analysis of this performance on our blog . Kilian actively participated in the development of the APEX 2 Pro model and of course uses the new version in his training.

The COROS brand has refined the design over the past few years and settled on a configuration of 3 buttons on only one side. This allows you to easily define in the settings whether you want to wear the watch on the right or left side and the watch display fully adapts to this (it flips 180 degrees). The video above shows the APEX 2 Pro model in Grey. This is the model and color that Kilian also uses.
Comparison of battery life of the first and second generation APEX Pro in basic GPS mode with second-by-second recording
Battery life
APEX Pro 40 hours
APEX 2 Pro 75 hours
change 1.8x improvement

The COROS APEX 2 Pro has grown in size compared to the previous generation - the display diameter is now 1.3 inches with a resolution of 260 x 260 px. The first generation had a resolution of 240 x 240 px and a display diameter of 1.2 inches. A larger display means larger and easier to read data and a larger area for displaying offline maps. However, the APEX 2 Pro is still a relatively small GPS watch compared to flagship models from other brands or compared to the VERTIX 2 model. So it will appeal to someone who is not a fan of "large alarms" on the wrist and prefers a more discreet, less noticeable design.

Kilian Jornet is an active user of the APEX 2 Pro model.
Kilian Jornet is an active user of the APEX 2 Pro model and was involved in its development.

The design of COROS watches has been refined in recent years. All COROS GPS watches now have three buttons on one side only. This significantly increases flexibility and makes it easier to use the watch on the right or left wrist - this setting can be defined in the software in the watch settings. The data on the display will then “flip” to the correct position.

Kilian Jornet with the COROS APEX 2 Pro on his wrist.
The main reasons why Kilian Jornet chose the APEX 2 Pro are its compactness and light weight (Kilian is known for his obsession with using the lightest gear possible). However, the watch has everything that GPS technology on the wrist currently allows.

Who is APEX 2 Pro for?

If we were to describe the ideal customer for the APEX 2 Pro, it would be a sports enthusiast who spends a lot of time in the mountains and maybe even climbs. They want to have a technological Tour de Force on their wrist with the latest achievements in the GPS watch segment. They uncompromisingly demand only first-class materials and above-average battery life from their watch. They prefer a smaller and more discreet design. However, they do not want to invest up to 700 Euros in a watch (the price of the top VERTIX 2 model).

APEX 2

The most common question will certainly be - how do the APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro models differ in size on the hand in practice. APEX 2 is a model primarily aimed at men with smaller wrists, or who prefer a discreet design. However, it is mainly intended for women, which is also confirmed by the Coral color variant . We especially highlight this color. COROS went after the details and even the titanium back cover is made in a beautiful, non-flashy gold. Below are visually shown details and differences between APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro in size on the wrist for reference.

COROS APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro - size comparison.
On the left side of the image is the APEX 2 in Coral on a woman's wrist and the APEX 2 Pro in Grey on a man's wrist.
The right part of the image shows a size comparison of the APEX 2 (left, Coral color) and the APEX 2 Pro (right, Grey color).

We also comment on the topic of internal memory, the size of which in the APEX 2 is 8 GB. At the time of writing this article, the size of the offline map file for the entire Europe is 6.16 GB (topo + landscape maps). We just want to say that the 8 GB storage memory in the APEX 2 is more than enough for the purposes of using offline maps. We also note that, unlike other brands, COROS provides the underlying offline maps for free.

Who is APEX 2 for?

If we were to briefly describe the ideal customer for the APEX 2 model, it would be someone who prefers a smaller and more discreet watch with good battery life, quality materials and GPS navigation with offline maps. The women's Coral color variant is a welcome option. And his/her budget for buying a GPS watch would be under 500 Euros.

COROS APEX 2 - Coral.
We really like the Coral version of the APEX 2. COROS has won with the details and the back titanium cover is also in the same gold color as the front bezel around the display. In the photo, the Coral version is on the female wrist of Emilie Forsberg (Kilian's partner), who is also a COROS GPS watch user.

Conclusion

The four-year wait for the successors to the most popular APEX model is over. We are very pleased that COROS formed a strategic partnership with Kilian Jornet a few months ago, who actively participated in the development of these new products.

We hope that the article helped you make a decision. In addition, we also recommend visiting the COROS APEX 2 Pro and COROS APEX 2 product pages, where you will find even more data and details. If you still have questions, be sure to write to us and we will be happy to help you.

The COROS brand is an American startup that has brought wind to the GPS watch segment in recent years. In a few years, this brand has won the hearts of athletes and sportswomen in the mountains. In Slovakia, the authorized dealer of the COROS brand is the Slovak e-shop ralpu, based in Liptovský Mikuláš.

Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg
Kilian Jornet and Emelie Forsberg - COROS brand ambassadors and active users of COROS GPS watches.
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