Owners Say This Smartwatch Brand Outshines Garmin In Price And Battery Life

Smartwatches offer you several tools at a flick of the wrist. Aside from telling you the time, many are able to track your health, workouts, and GPS location. They can also be quite stylish, depending on the make and model. They're a portable device that basically functions as an extension of your phone, not a replacement, which is one common smartwatch myth.

There are several brands of smartwatches available, including Garmin and a newer brand, COROS. Garmin may be the more popular name, having started in 1989, but COROS is quickly becoming a rising star in smartwatches. Garmin makes several smartwatches, all at various prices, but they are generally much more expensive than COROS, partly because they're a more established brand. COROS began producing smartwatches in 2018, and its line of products is much less costly than those made by Garmin. Both offer similar functions, but COROS watches tend to last longer when it comes to battery life, even beating out Garmin's most expensive smartwatch, the MARQ Adventurer. For a much lower price, the COROS PACE 4 can last up to 41 hours of GPS and 19 days of daily use, while Garmin's MARQ Adventurer lasts 16 days with gesture and up to six days in always-on mode.

Check Reddit, and you will find several posts and threads discussing COROS smartwatches. In one thread, a user asserts that the COROS PACE 4 is better than Garmin smartwatches in a lot of ways. When compared to Garmin's smartwatches, they claim the PACE 4 has quicker GPS features on the display, and the UX and run tracker are better as well. "Went from Garmin to PACE 4 and honestly am shocked how dated the Garmin feels," they note. Users in the same Reddit discussion largely agree that COROS has superior pricing, and even the brand's most expensive smartwatch, the VERTIX 2S, outpaces Garmin's most expensive model in price, battery life, and app usage. 

The VERTIX 2S will run you $699 — much lower than Garmin's most expensive offering, the MARQ Adventurer (Gen 2), which costs up to $3,100 (depending on the case material). Even one of the lowest-priced Garmin smartwatches, the Instinct E, costs $249.99, but that's only after choosing the absolute smallest case size and model, with fewer features — and it still only lasts up to 14 days. For the same price, you could get the standard edition COROS PACE 4, which boasts a longer battery life, along with other benefits.

Reddit users who own COROS smartwatches say the app is much more user-friendly when compared to Garmin or other watches. Meanwhile, on Amazon, reviewers say the COROS PACE 4 is exceptionally lightweight, making it a great choice for working out, running, and using the smartwatch's sleep tracking feature.

When it comes to how Garmin stacks up compared to COROS, there are a few ways the older company stands out, though it ultimately comes down to what you're looking for. If you are into tracking and monitoring data on the watch screen itself, Garmin may be the better overall choice, as it offers plenty of data screens and curves for you to check out. These are useful for anyone interested in working out, running, or tracking pace and steps. For hardcore athletes or anyone doing extended training, Garmin offers a wider selection and more features, though part of that is due to the brand having been around longer.

Some COROS PACE 4 owners have also reported that the screen can be susceptible to scratches and may require a screen protector. Another feature that some select Garmin smartwatches have is solar power. On the Instinct 3, you'll find Garmin's solar trickle charge technology, which is a game-changer for better battery life. Currently, COROS does not offer any smartwatch with solar capability, but then again, that means you don't have to pay for that added feature.