A comprehensive test of 10 popular fitness watches revealed that Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Forerunner are among the most accurate for step counting, with some brands like Suunto performing poorly. The study highlights the importance of accurate step tracking for health goals and suggests that placing watches in pockets can sometimes improve step count accuracy. Overall, most mainstream fitness watches provide reliable data, especially for running.
A test comparing the Garmin Venu 4 and Apple Watch 11 during a 10,000-step walk found both devices to be highly accurate, with the Apple Watch undercounting by 218 steps and the Garmin overcounting by 192 steps, demonstrating their reliability in step counting.
The article compares Amazfit and Garmin fitness watches, highlighting that Amazfit offers better value for money with lower prices and comparable fitness tracking accuracy, especially in heart rate monitoring. However, Garmin maintains an edge in strength training analysis and workout differentiation. The Zepp app for Amazfit is feature-rich but plagued with bugs and syncing issues, which can hinder user experience. Overall, Amazfit provides a cost-effective alternative to Garmin, but some software and data management improvements are needed to fully rival Garmin's reliability.
Garmin is offering significant discounts on its popular fitness watches, including the Fenix 7S Pro, through Cyber Monday. Using the code VERGEBF270 at Wellbots, customers can save up to $270 on models like the Fenix 7S Pro, Fenix 7 Pro, and Fenix 7X Pro. Other Garmin devices, such as the Forerunner 265 and InReach Mini 2, are also available at reduced prices with different codes. These deals are part of Wellbots' early Black Friday promotion, offering some of the lowest prices recorded for these devices.
Garmin is rolling out a "simplified design" for its Garmin Connect app and website, addressing criticisms of its previous interface. The new design, currently in beta testing for select customers, aims to improve user experience and compete with rivals like Apple in the fitness tracking market.
Brands like Garmin, Polar, COROS, and Suunto are transitioning from memory-in-pixel (MIP) displays to AMOLED displays in their fitness watches. While MIP displays offered longer battery life and better visibility in outdoor conditions, they lacked readability indoors and had washed-out colors. The shift to AMOLED displays allows for improved readability and more vibrant visuals, without sacrificing significant battery life. This transition is expected to lead to software modernization and improvements in fitness watches over time. However, MIP displays may still have a place in budget-friendly options or when long battery life is a priority.
A fitness editor tested the step counting accuracy of six popular smartwatches by wearing them all at once and comparing their step counts to his own count. The results showed that most of the watches were within a ±100-step range of the real count for 5,000 steps, indicating decent accuracy. However, when it came to running, some watches struggled to accurately count strides. The Garmin Forerunner 265 was the most accurate overall, followed by the Amazfit T-Rex Ultra and COROS APEX 2 Pro. The Fitbit Sense had the least accurate results. The test also revealed that an Android phone in the pocket performed similarly to some smartwatches in step counting accuracy. While the test was not scientific and individual results may vary, accurate step counting is important for tracking health and fitness goals.
Garmin's Forerunner 955 is the most feature-packed watch in the Forerunner series, with a touchscreen display, solar charging option, and multi-band GPS support. It also features new Training Readiness scores and assessments, using sleep score history, heart rate variability, stress history, recovery time, and Acute Training Load feature to assess how ready you are to exercise every day. While the UI could be more intuitive, Garmin's free, in-depth health metrics and training analysis continue to be a strong suit, making the Forerunner 955 a top choice for runners and cyclists.
