For the in action vid, be interesting to cover off the obsolescence thing. Realistically you're gonna get 2-3 years out of it before the battery gives up, the OS gets slow, or it just falls apart.
Also keen to see if you get the metrics you want out of the watch, compared to Garmin connect. And is it even worth it - if there’s no Body Battery function??
@@duncanhamilton5841 my Series 5 lost 19% of its original battery capacity over three years and roughly 1100 charge cycles. I’m expecting the cycle count to halve with the Ultra and WatchOS 9 has similar battery preserving charging management to iOS. Apple replace Apple Watch batteries (£105 for the Ultra). Since the Series 3 none of my Apple Watches have slowed significantly. WatchOS is much more carefully managed than even iOS and while the device does a lot more onboard processing than the S0 they still offload as much as possible to a connected iPhone or the cloud. Overall Apple have been pretty good about obsolescence with the Watch. The bands I bought for my S0 in 2015 still fit my Ultra.
@@roddenshaw that's actually better than I was expecting. FWIW, I dropped smartwatches a few years ago - G-Shock for workouts, with Polar ECG strap if I want to track my HR. The rest of smartwatch functionality I just don't want or need.
@@duncanhamilton5841 I find it incredibly useful, which is why I’ve stuck with the Apple Watch even though it occasionally gives me the watch equivalent of range anxiety. The Ultra seems to be like a Tesla in that regard. Yes a good diesel will get 2-3x the range of a Model 3 but >250 miles would be more than enough for me. Same deal with the Ultra. Charging it every 2-3 days is fine. But if I found that a hassle or was regularly away from power for longer than that I’d have a Fenix on my wrist.
Sums up exactly how I feel about the Ultra after wearing it for a day now. Your thought process and reasons why you would wear one mirror mine. Definitely not replacing my Fenix entirely, but I feel like now at least Apple has made something I can use for a lot of my normal daily wear and training. Spot on about the “ruggedness” comparison. I could literally care less about what happens to my Garmin as it’s been bashed about in all the things I do with it, the Ultra is definitely better than previous models but I definitely don’t have the same faith in it’s ability to “take a licking and keep on ticking” to use the old Timex slogan.
The Garmin Sapphire + DLC titanium models are near bullet proof. I have a bunch the non coated titanium of the Apple Watch Ultra won’t be able to stand up to the same level of abuse.
You nailed it with the statement “the ultra is much closer to a sports watch than the Garmin is to a telephone”. I’m also a big Apple fanboy with everything Apple and there’s no way I’m going away from it. It does have some inconvenience and it’s not perfect. But they’re improving noticeably every year…. Great funny video I had a blast watching it
You had me on “I don’t even know what a nit is”. I must have watched twenty Apple Watch ultra reviews and you’re the first person to actually say this. Thank you!
I just bought a Fenix 6X and it’s very cool. It feels like a proper piece of equipment. I also love apple stuff but I don’t think they are quite understanding the market when it comes to multi sport watches. They will probably get there soon enough however.
Great review and deadpan jokes. Very useful. So I decided to shell out 15 quid and got a Casio with 100m water resist and 10-year battery life. I can time my heart rate with it by putting my fingers on my pulse and look at the timer. Has an interval timer, stopwatch and normal timer with 5 alarms. Also has a very nice luminous backlight. Great for running and swimming and even works in a sauna.
I used the WorkOutDoors app on my applewatch S3 then S6 before I finally dipped my toes into the world of Garmin and realised what I was missing. WorkOutDoors did make the apple watch... bearable. However, once I got my forerunner... the apple watch went on the other wrist and I'm now a two-watch wanker.
I can't quite see what you can miss with WorkOutDoors regarding running metrics during a run. You can pair every sensor that you want (yes i know, ANT+, there plenty of bluetooth ones out there) IF you want to go deeper in the metrics. But even the base app provides every thing a runner needs. Garmin just wraps all up with algorithm to tell you when to rest and when to run, but nobody serious about the sport follows these "advices"
Haha me too when i need to be connected. But only on a workout. In regular life just the garmin and my phone. Live the looks of my epix 2 and all the information on recovery.
I got the apple watch series 4 and I've ordered the apple watch ultra, but I'd be open to switch to Garmin because of the battery life. Which of their watches is the one that can do what the apple watch can? Being able to receive calls from my iphone, getting messages, streaming music and podcasts etc.? Thanks!
@@walrus-splice-renewable Venu 2 plus you can answer calls and use siri but none are really going to have the apps like an apple watch. Garmin is more athlete focus on feedback, recovery, and battery life.
A lot of good points Mark. I agree that apple has come closer to making their excellent smart watch more like a sports watch, at least enough for me to jump ship from Garmin. They have a ways to go, but with cell connectivity and all that implies, I purchased the Ultra. This will be my first Apple watch since the 3rd generation. It is nice to be able to leave my iphone home every now and then, the Ultra will allow that.
Great review Mark. I switched from a series 5 Apple Watch to a Garmin Epix 2 for most of the reasons you’ve noted here. And like you, I’ve got a full Apple ecosystem and the Watch integration and ability to make calls and send texts is the only thing I miss. But even those things are just minor annoyances when I can look at my Garmin when there is 10% battery left and not freak out that it’s going to die within the hour - and get 2 more days of use out of it.
Me too. I moved from a Series 5 to a Forerunner 955 about 6 weeks ago, and the extra battery life is a total game-changer. I originally got an Apple Watch S3 pre-Covid for the phone connectivity - it was helpful for email reminders and calendar checking when going from meeting to meeting. But in the post-Covid WFH world that connectivity has a lot less value to me, and the extra battery life (I find about a week of normal use for the Forerunner 955) has meant that I use it 24/7 rather then having to charge every night - and still have it run low on a heavy training day. The extra life of the Ultra would get rid of the daily range anxiety, but in practice it still means a daily charge.
I just got an Epix 2 from a Fenix 5X. I love the size on my wrist for not taking off and sleeping. Fenix was a bit heavy and thick. But I also have a apple watch and love it in a different ways. But Garmins just give so much better feedback on recovery and nice to not stress about charging as much.
Great review, only a year ago I started wearing a watch full stop and it was an apple, at first I thought it was fragile but now I don’t give it a second thought. Construction, fire fighting, running. It’s just there and hasn’t suffered any damage. My wife just bought the ultra but I plan to make it mine!
Excellent judgement and historic analogy Mark! - a watch is much more an emotion you wrap around your arm than it is a piece of technology (I say that as a mechanical engineer). For me the best proof is the Rolex Submariner for which a lot of people spend more than 10k and have NEVER the intention to go scuba diving. Conclusion for me: keep the Fenix 7X and buying the Ultra 😃 (will arrive on Monday)
Agree, I've sat in plenty of meetings with people wearing Subs and IWC Big Pilots and breitling emergencies - all on people that look like they would have a heart attack taking the stairs let alone scuba-diving, flying jets or climbing mountains 😁 😁 😁
Absolutely bang on with the Garmin battery life and I think for most people the smartwatch features the Garmin offers are more than enough. You just never have to worry about the Garmin being charged, because it will be.
yeah, I agree.. I have the tactic 7 and the looks are a big deal too.. the screen isn't as pretty, but once you understand the battery and sunlight performance, they made the right choice. Def happy with my purchase
Nice video. I decided on the AW S8. I could not justify an extra $400 for a watch that has essentially the same internals and has additional features which I do not need or could live without. I run half marathons, swim and bike and the S8 does everything that I need.
Thanks for an honest video! I own the Epix gen 2 and now the Apple Ultra. I love the Epix and always appreciated the longer battery life, maps and the breakdown of information on the connect app. Though the one thing that has always bugged me is not being able to answer calls and directly reply to texts if your an apple user…. I know it’s not Garmin’s fault. Based on my current usage with the Ultra always on display turned off..no need to have it on if your arms are at your side, I am using approximately 30% of the battery every 24hrs, so I should easily be averaging a little over 3days of battery life with the Ultra which is a good step forward for apple! It’s probably enough for me to use/wear the Ultra more. Battery life had always been the sticking point for me and I suspect for many outdoor enthusiasts. I do hike, and trail run only for the day so needing a watch that lasts weeks is not a make or break issue. From my standpoint I just wanted apple to make a watch that could last at minimum 3days on a charge and this might be the turning point for me that I go back to Apple, especially since I am in the Apple ecosystem.
Being an AW user forever, I recently went with a Garmin as I need the training readiness analytics (not a runner), and got tired of charging ALL the time with sleep tracking. When they get that right, I am back. Taking off just with an AW6 cellular is awesome freedom … until it dies.
I moved from AW to Garmin because I didn't want constant pop-ups, messages and call notifications. my iPhone in my pocket does that. looking forward to that run report 👍
@@TheEternalTraveller Hmm then that makes it a poor smart watch just like its a poor sports watch. ever try operating the touch screen whilst exercising on an AW! I'll stick to my dedicated Garmin sports watch..
@@peterstevens2441 I merely responded to the reason you gave for not wanting an AW. Namely notifications. Having refuted that criticism, you have changed tacks and said it is not as good for fitness. Fine, but I made no comment on that since it was not relevant in the context of your original observation
@@TheEternalTraveller if the notifications are turned off on the AW then that makes it just a watch! and yes I have owned an AW for many years and swopped to Garmin because of the sports features and ease of use.
For us near mortals I feel the AW Ultra, or the iPhone Nano if you prefer, is finally good enough. I have been using the fénix line since the 3 was released and finally found something that I can use for my day to day activities. I am still going to keep my F7x on standby especially for hikes and triathlons (sprints for me).
Thanks for mentionning Workoutdoors, you are one of the very few reviewer who talks about it, closing the gap with Garmin and other running watches. I can't see why people still make reviews of an apple watch without installing this app that costs 5.99 and gives you so much in return. It solves all the little complaints that you can have when you try to workout with the base app. The real "problem" for me is that a Series 5/6/7/8 is SO good with this app for a regular / average / above average runner that it is hard to justify switching to the Ultra for the price 😀
The app is superb - Apple should be embarrassed that you need to buy it. But it is super annoying that you can't program the ultra action button to open it or even work as I start/stop button. On the start line of a park run, I don't want to be having to look at the screen to start the thing!
100% agree on the comment about women preferring a smaller version of this watch! I’m a man but I imagine having this on my tiny wrist it would look ridiculous. Watching the keynote I was so so excited to see this watch. Love the design, features and everything just the size of the thing put me off instantly sucks because this is the first apple product in years I’ve actually been excited for. Defiantly won’t be buying due to the size however if they make a smaller one in the future with a smaller battery as to be expected I’ll defiantly buy!
Hello there! Have you seen a large difference between the Apple Watch series 8 and the Apple Watch Ultra with GPS? Or you can use the Work Outdoors App with the 8 & it would be the same? Not sure what’s the difference between the two if you can use the workoutdoors app?
I swapped my Garmin Epix Gen 2 for the AWU. It pained me because the Epix was AMAZING and beautiful. But it offered too much that I didn't utilize and I missed all that I came to utilize with Apple Watches. I'm not a super athlete and I don't sleep track, just a casual outdoors enthusiast, the AWU was the right choice for me.
Hello Mark. I am a big fan of your videos. I have been using the AWU for 3 weeks. It is a wonderful watch, but the training apps are terrible compared to those on the fenix 7X. I have been training for a marathon and I end up running with both watches, so I can follow my specific running train on my X7. For weightlifting I find it hard to believe how bad the AW activity app is. It only works as a stop watch. It does not count the rest time and number of reps.... Man, what a disappointment! Do you have any decent app to recommend? Also, I miss the features like body battery and training readiness. Apple is not even close of proving all the performance statistics that Garmin does. Cheers!
don’t care much about your opinions, they are too closely aligned with mine and basically just repeat what I am thinking. Boring. I am not on TH-cam to just get confirmation of my own thoughts usually. But the subtle humour and wicked sarcasm…YES! I am all here for it!! Keep it going! 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
I just got the Ultra. I’m finding it uses about 40% battery capacity per day without tracking any exercise but otherwise normal use (using Siri a lot, taking a call, screen always on, etc). I just did an Olympic distance triathlon and the watch consumed about 18% battery capacity. I think you would be absolutely fine to charge the watch, travel, stay overnight, do the Hyrox and go home even without turning on low power mode. Apple are usually conservative with battery life figures.
I just picked up an Ultra out of sheer curiosity. I'm a G-Shock guy. I have a few in rotation and they have survived falls off horses, canterkous donkies, climbs up sheer walls, the teeth of an American Staffordshire Terrier, and a child. The Ultra is, in no way, a replacement. First off, everyone complaining about the size: it's not big, as you pointed out. In fact, my first gen G-shock, the 45mm feels bigger, and looks bigger than the Ultra. Thickness is also not even comparable to a G-Shock and weight... I've read people complaining they can't sleep with this on because of the weight. I have to wonder what kind of watches they wear to think the Ultra is heavy. Is it a bad watch? No. Would I wear it up a wall? Absolutely not. The case will be destroyed within ten minutes of starting a climb. However, I think that as a running watch, maybe a diving watch (the shape concerns me for that) it COULD replace a Garmin or a G-Shock. But it's not nearly what Apple touts. If you are in the market for an Apple Watch, and want a watch that feels like you have something on, sure, pick it up. If you are a dedicated athlete... skip.
I haven't discovered the Apple Watch for myself yet. I've been using Garmin watches for years. Fenix 3 HR, Fenix 5 plus, Fenix 7x sapphire solar. I never missed features. For everything else I use my smartphone. I don't need a smartphone on my arm, but a watch that you don't have to take care of every day like a pet.
Right, so, I have a series 7 and have done since February this year, apart from the mentioned battery issues (I get about 20 hours at best, I've had no problem tracking runs, cycles, gym sessions etc. I'm wondering what the real difference is regarding the functionality of the watch itself, because it seems to do the exact same things just with a different interface and a beefier design if that makes sense? Its extremely tempting to jump to the upgrade regardless of the price purely because I like the look of it, but does it really track workouts and exercise any differently to a regular Apple Watch? 🤔
I should also mention that other than a Fitbit 4 years ago I've had no other experience with a watch that tracks fitness, the more comments I read the more I see how that might be the issue I have 😂
The only difference most people will notice is size, rugged form factor-allegedly, better, GPS. Even stuff like the action button is a bit of a joke at the moment. You can only program it to do a few things, most of which are useless.
I have an Watch Ultra and I love it! On the charging pattern, I charge my iPhone X🅂 every evening. So I do the same every evening before sleeping. Easier to remember instead of charging every 2 days. The Watch Ultra was the Watch I’ve been waiting for since 2015…
i almost got one, it just wasn't gonna cut it on the battery and mapping to a level similar to Garmin. I feel it's more an aspirational watch. For those that want to look like they climb or dive but don't. That said it is pretty. I think maybe around a version 3 Ultra will be where it needs to be with battery and maps etc. Great video too. thx
I traded my Epix for the AWU. The thing I miss most about the Epix is the native mapping. The maps on the Epix were so good, they just worked well and looked super refined on the AMOLED display. To me, that's the biggest drawback on the AWU.
Totally agree about the size. I’d been watching the TH-cam early reviews and was expecting it to be huge, when it arrived it just looked like a very slightly larger Apple Watch! It almost feels tiny to wear compared to my 6X Pro! Do love my Garmin for many reasons, but for every day use, and for anything but the longest of runs (where I would need nav) I’ll be wearing the Ultra from now on as it’s just got so much more day-to-day convenient functionality. Will definitely miss not having to go near a charger for 2 weeks though!
As a non iPhone user, could you point out some smart things the AW does that a Garmin doesn't do? I'm genuinely curious to hear what these features are...
@@savagedriver1967 As a longtime Fenix user and current "Epix 2 guy" I would say outside of specific things like Siri and phone calls on the watch, its less what extra features it has then how it implements them. For example, I get text notifications on my Epix just like the AW, but the look and feel how easy is it to read, how it looks on the watch and how you interact or use it is just WAY more refined than on an Fenix/Epix. For me it has always come down to, Do I want a great sport watch that has some limited smart watch features, or do I want a Smart watch that has limited sports watch features. Since the Fenix 3 I have always come down on the sports watch side. The new AWU is making me think about it. I run a lot, but not ultras. I run triathlon, but olympic, not ironman, I bike but its 100K to 100 mile, not more. So for me, do the daily smart watch features outweigh the few tri's a year that are really going to push a watch? I'm not sure, but the ultra is at least in the discussion now. The AW never was before.
@@JamieVoto Have you come to a conclusion? I just can't decide, been a long time AW user (went with the series 5 for almost 4 years now and it's time for an upgrade). I'm training a lot, but more CrossFit/Hyrox Style with Running implemented on other days and the fact that the workouts on the AW are quite customizable since the latest update makes the AW even more appealing. The only thing which makes me want a Garmin (Fenix 7 or epix 2) is the battery life. Other than that, I won't be using features like body battery and such because it probably doesn't fit my training plan anyway. Plus the AWU looks better, but that's obviously a subjective perspective. helpppp
@@lululx3760 I will say I have made the switch to AWU for now and sold my Epix2. It takes a few third party apps such as Athlytic and/or Workoutdoors to get everything I want but I think I'm mostly there. What I personally found is that outside of the 2-3 races (either Tri's or obstacle course) races a year where I think the Epix might be better, everything else covering 95% of my year felt as good or better on the AWU. To be clear, i dont run marathons, halfs are my longest runs. When I run a Tri its an Olympic or Sprint distance, not Full ironman. If you are doing marathons or ironman tri's, and training for those, get an Epix or a Fenix. What wont change your mind is battery life. This (AWU) is a 1.5 to 2.5 day battery watch under my training load, but charging is FAST. If you want an OLED screen with 5-6 days of always on or 10-12 days when the screen turns off tthe AWU isnt for you. If you can find 45 min every 2-3 days to charge while your awake, you can get what you need sports wise, be happier smartwatch wise and have a good looking watch.
Waiting for your next vid. Hope it includes stats that are important to you ...are they present or not on the Apple Watch? Not too hot on having "another" phone screen near me ...
As I say to everyone who asks this .... Is your favourite movie scripted, your favourite song written down in advance, does the funniest Stand Up begin with pen and paper??? Yes, it's scripted and re-written over and over till it's right....and THAT's why you like it 😁. If it was off the cuff, it would suck 😁
This was a great video…I’m curious how do you manage all your data using Apple and Garmin ? Do you use Health and Garmin Connect separately or do you havre a way to merge the data and use one repository for the data ? I’m also in both ecosystems and trying to find the best way to manage it…… thanks
The only review that actually says the important parts. I have loved Garmin for years. They are great. But I always come back to Apple because of Workoutdoors and cellular. For me at least the Apple Watch gives more accurate data samples and allows me to have one less thing in my pocket. But as you point out they aren’t inspiring to look at. Garmins are. Looks play a bigger role in inspiration than most people would care to admit.
Literally couldn't agree more with this! I stuck my apple watch in a Speigen case and it gave it a G shock vibe . But my fenix is a whole different animal.
Hey Mark, great vid thanks. Probably the best unbiased review/real-world summary out there...like you I'm a longtime Garmin user simply because they do sports better than anybody, but I also always have an AW on hand because it's quite a spectacular piece of kit in its own right, just not so much for hardcore fitness. Am testing the Ultra this weekend and will take it on my bike ride later today to compare its data (as dictated by Workoutdoors) compared to my Garmin 830 and Fenix 5 as I have concerns that not all metrics carry over when synced back to Garmin Connect via Rungap. If they do, that could be an interesting turning point as far as using AW as a viable Garmin alternative. I'll always have both mind you, but it would be cool to know that both are equally up to the task of authoring my data. Having tried out an Epix2 a couple of times I have to agree that Apple currently seems to be leading the crossover race over Garmin: for the $$$$$$ I feel you get more value out of the Ultra than the Epix, even tho at heart I'm more of a Garmin guy. Cheers
Been so tempted to pick one of these up, this has given me a lot of food for thought, great review Mark! Nice to see a fellow Reading resident (well, Caversham for me) 😁
Are the Alpine Loop and Trail Loop not going to be great for handling sweat? I sweat when I run or workout and as that is daily if those straps retain water it won’t be long before they stink. I might have expected a few more straps that would be more sweat resistant for a sports focused watch aside from the ocean band aimed at swimming and diving and still retains water anyway. Fully appreciate I can buy any number of existing sports based straps but for an ultra sports based watch I would like a sweat proof strap option in the box, especially at that cost.
Good call on WorkOutDoors, it’s been the saving grace for the Apple Watch for a long time and is the only reason I still use one. I’m not keen on the big bulky sports watches and not really interested in the Ultra either so I’m hoping they bring the extra hardware button to future versions of the normal models as it’s the biggest limitation for me.
Do you realize you’re speculating on the watch that you’re holding in your hand? Bring it and try it. That would be a lot more interesting to watch and useful.
I 100% agree with a lot of what you're saying Mark. I love my Garmin Epix 2 and have had every model of Fenix since they were first released. But, for the same reasons you have mentioned, I've had a number of Apple Watches also. Whilst I'm not in the same category of endurance athlete that you are, I chose to purchase the Ultra and I absolutely love it when paired with the Workoutdoors app. Also have a look at the Healthfit app for workout analysis and syncing of your AW health data to/ from other platforms...it's excellent. I found with the Garmin Epix, if I plugged it in to charge every time I jumped in the shower, the battery would stay >90% and I could wear it pretty much 24/7. I've been using the same method with the ultra for the last couple of days and I have found the same so it's working for me so far. I've heard a lot of people compare the battery life of the Fenix vs the Ultra but I recall some analysis from Strava data showing the typical Garmin Fenix user does an average run of 35mins, cycle of around 90mins. Less than 4% of Fenix owners did triathlons and of those that did, less than 0.2% did a half Ironman or longer. Taken like this, Apple can capture a huge swathe of current Fenix users. The one thing to remember though is that those who buy an AW will also need to be iPhone users, whereas Garmin work with all phone ecosystems. This will limit Apple's reach in this space. As with anything Apple does, they are not aiming to have the greatest market share, just the bulk of the profits. The one area where I am struggling to replace the Garmin is the smart trainer integration with ANT+. I see the new Kickr bike and trainer have bluetooth FTMS support so it's only a matter of time before the AW supports this also. Make no mistake, this AW is a big deal and Apple has a lot of sway in every tech industry. I can see them leading the direction in some key areas, particularly Bluetooth accessory adoption such as power meters, cadence sensors and smart trainer integration.
Fair enough review overall but I think I need to point out that you described a few features you like on the Apple watch that you inferred are not on the Garmin, like music, paying for stuff, getting notifications, but they are. You could today be swiping through that SMS from the lounge during downtime on your Garmin provided it is in range of your phone. Yes it's true the Garmin does not have LTE so does not operate as a phone but it has had all those other "smartwatch features" for a long time. Just saying :)
But it is all very one way - I can't reply to a text, or a message or take a call. I agree it has some functionality, but it is a fraction of the Apple.
I do a lot of open water lake swimming. Now that the weather is getting colder I need to start wearing a wetsuit with gloves and boots (water temp is typically 5-10 degrees). I bought the Apple Watch Ultra for added safety and to track swims, hikes, bikes, scuba/free dives and ski days mostly. I'm finding the Workout Open Water Swim mode utterly useless when the watch is on top of any clothing or fabric like the wetsuit. I have splurged on the extra long band to accommodate wetsuits for swimming and scuba diving too. If it can't sense my skin, the password prompt keeps coming up, it won't show me live stats of the workout and it it won't track the workout. Is there a mode I'm not aware of, or a way around this? #apple please read this and update your software!
Great review - no ‘is this a quiet promo pretending to be a review’ fears in this channel! I’d love to go for a Apple Watch, but I can’t get past how good the Garmin is at what it does. I’m only 5’9” and 72kg so rugged looks don’t bother me too much, but the fact that the Garmin can be navigated in heavy rain, covered in mud, and won’t run out of battery is too difficult to get past!
I actually like the understated look - I don't feel the need to "dress up" like I'm doing UTMB when I've only gone out for a 2 hour run (or doing intervals or whatever) - as long as it has the mapping (and battery life!) for the bigger stuff when needed.
You have right the issue is the battery. Yes it is borderline ok now. But it is not nice (or above average ok, LoL). Yes I will buy it because I need to be able to receive calls while I am out training or racing (due to the nature of my work). But in fact I would love to have a real 3 day battery (more the better of course). Solar top up (garmin???) might be a solution or an new chip. Training and racing functionality is not a real issue due to the third parties apps. However, I have not noticed in all of the reviews a thing that I would love (I might be a very picky consumer, or I just a lazy one who did not read the manual). I would love to hide or remove a large number of the native apps or just to hide the in a folder…
WOD is great! It’s only Achilles heel is no AOD, but the developer is very active on the AW forum and says it is coming, I need it for open water swimming for which the Apple Watch excels
Genuine review mate. For someone like me who does an hour run everyday in the morning, comes back , keep it for charging, go for shower and wear it before going to work- My Apple Watch works for me. Exactly for reasons you mentioned (able to call, text, pay without having to carry my phone while out for run), I will stick with AW SE. I also run with Garmin Forerunner 255 on my right wrist though 😂. Can’t wait to see detailed review, Mark. Ta mate.
Do you just stick with the Garmin analytics, or do you push workouts to another service like TrainingPeaks or Strava? I’m a little nutty about not having all my stats in the same place. I run with the Apple Watch and log other fitness activities on occasion, but I just can’t deal with the fitness and health apps.
@@jacob.williams Was that for me? I import my AW activities to STRAVA. As they say- If it’s not on STRAVA , you didn’t do it ;) ;) STRAVA gives more details, trends and support from community etc so I import them to STRAVA. I also compete with family and friends via native activity app on the Apple Watch. But I thought Apple Activity app is not that detailed (Still on WatchOS8. Not sure what WatchOS9 brings to the table).
I appreciate the features of the smart watch that Apple offers but Garmin clearly is the one to use during sports. I too, am quite anal about seeing all data at one location. I feel Apple fitness doesn’t give much feedback on how our training goes versus Garmin. Garmin provides lots of feedback - body battery score, recovery when wire almost 24/7 but Apple rings feature is certainly tempting as well. Still deciding but likely is Apple for daily wear and Garmin for sports.
@@MarkLewisfitness Thanks for this review. Truly one of the best out there. I still want the damn thing though I know it won’t serve me much better than my Series 6. I had a lot of trouble with Apple syncing Garmin Connect workouts twice (sometimes three times- pretty much whenever I opened the app.) So I stopped paying attention to Apple Health/Fitness stats for quite a while. It works done now. I recently started importing Apple Watch workouts into Strava and just realized TrainingPeaks supports sync, too (of course they do! )
hi Mark perfect review. I have been using AW 6 for two years. I like answering calls. I didn't enjoy answering messages from the watch and tapping something on the small display, And several times it happened that the battery died and I was left with only a weight on my wrist. I switched to fenix7 TS (swimming, cycling, running) outdoors and indoors. I love the data the Garmin gives me. I only use AW as a music player (Apple music) during sports. Love the flashlight on the F7 by the way.
2:47 - what on earth happened to that Fenix that cracked the screen? I found that it is pretty durable, did the push cart fell onto it? Time for the Enduro 2?
only if apple watch be compatible with training peaks series plans, i mean on TP you can have a repetitions cycle combined with different goals associated with pace or distance or even zones... I haven't seen that on apple watch. What about follow a gps route or upload a gpx file for weekend train?
I really wanted my series 7 to work, I even tried the work outdoors app but it’s clunky and over complicated. I’m back with my 745 now and won’t be going back any time soon and certainly not to this if that app is needed
Got mine yesterday afternoon, having been on the verge of switching to garmin, been caught in the Apple eco system I was backwards and forwards, then the ultra was announced. So far from 96% charge out the box I’ve done a 5.2 mile run a 50 min gym workout set some of the features up and played about with it. Currently battery is on 83% after around 17 hours ( including sleep ) I have a short 3-4 mile easy run planned later today (Saturday) gym in the morning and a long run tomorrow afternoon, will see if it lasts the day
Is it me - or is that action button junk! Surely they should allow you to program it to do anything, like start and stop an activity! It's not that you can't stop and start things easily on an Apple Watch.
@@MarkLewisfitness it’s useful to find the app straight away, but thought the same considering the hype around the button. Doesn’t seem to do much, I noticed it creates a split if your press it mid activity though. Don’t quote me but I saw a comment from a user on macrumours that there will be an update that gives it more use, wether that’s just internet story telling or not I don’t know.
@@Arki2019 there's no reason why they can't let you have that button do anything you want. For me, simply starting and stopping a run would be perfect.
@@juanbotero2055 I’ve been playing with Workoutdoors app and it’s really good. In fact, may even drop a video on it as it makes the ultra so much better
Honestly, this is the best review of AWU I’ve watched. Appreciate your honest appraisal (despite potential sway of Apple’s slick marketing). I’ll stick w my Coros, thank you very much.
I'm not an ultra marathoner type, also not a frappuccino type, but I've been getting quite a lot of enjoyment out of my Ultra. It definitely looks better to me than their other standard watches, but I don't really care about looks all that much, especially for what I use it for. I wouldn't take it out for a nice date, but for day to day use it really is convenient and it handles all my fitness needs, especially with WorkOutdoors and Strava - which I agree with you there, Apple's Fitness app is... meh. I'm sure it works well enough for a majority of people, but it does lack some key features. I am totally addicted to closing rings though, they basically gamified fitness and it really does help to keep me motivated. There have been plenty of days where I look down and see my move ring still open, and knowing that I'll break my streak is enough to get me up and going.
I like apple but I love my 7xSS too much. It does just enough “smart watch” stuff for me but as a firefighter/paramedic, I’m not worried about banging it around or soaking it and I know the battery will last through a 48 or two.
I was skeptical about its ability to take a beating until I came across a video by terex or something like that. Dude was smashing it with a 3 pound hammer and it wasn’t cracking. If you are still worried, have no fear, the Apple Watch ultra won’t get scratched up because it will last two days tops and you’ll need to charge it so most the life will be on a charger than on your wrist 😂. All that aside, I’m going to get about two full days before I need to charge the ultra, that’s without any activities done just to test the battery. I honestly think I’m going to return it however and keep the aw6 I had and go back to a fenix 7x or tactix because that flashlight is seriously such a gimmick but also such a great tool! Plus the added data is super helpful!
I treat my watches as inter-changeable, there isn’t one watch to rule them all. Apple Watch 7 most of the time, exercise a Garmin 735 or Polar Grit X, Garmin Edge 530 for bike, night out it’s normally a Grand Seiko. One things for sure, when the 735 dies I know it’ll be replaced by another Garmin and not an Apple though.
Combine Workoutdoors and RunGo (they can indeed run at the same time) and then you can also get voice directions too- this is a sick way of running a new route. No idea about the Garmin as have never had the pleasure of trying.
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Just a quick summary of how the watch FEELS - a look at it in "action" coming soon!
For the in action vid, be interesting to cover off the obsolescence thing. Realistically you're gonna get 2-3 years out of it before the battery gives up, the OS gets slow, or it just falls apart.
Also keen to see if you get the metrics you want out of the watch, compared to Garmin connect. And is it even worth it - if there’s no Body Battery function??
@@duncanhamilton5841 my Series 5 lost 19% of its original battery capacity over three years and roughly 1100 charge cycles. I’m expecting the cycle count to halve with the Ultra and WatchOS 9 has similar battery preserving charging management to iOS. Apple replace Apple Watch batteries (£105 for the Ultra). Since the Series 3 none of my Apple Watches have slowed significantly. WatchOS is much more carefully managed than even iOS and while the device does a lot more onboard processing than the S0 they still offload as much as possible to a connected iPhone or the cloud. Overall Apple have been pretty good about obsolescence with the Watch. The bands I bought for my S0 in 2015 still fit my Ultra.
@@roddenshaw that's actually better than I was expecting. FWIW, I dropped smartwatches a few years ago - G-Shock for workouts, with Polar ECG strap if I want to track my HR. The rest of smartwatch functionality I just don't want or need.
@@duncanhamilton5841 I find it incredibly useful, which is why I’ve stuck with the Apple Watch even though it occasionally gives me the watch equivalent of range anxiety. The Ultra seems to be like a Tesla in that regard. Yes a good diesel will get 2-3x the range of a Model 3 but >250 miles would be more than enough for me. Same deal with the Ultra. Charging it every 2-3 days is fine. But if I found that a hassle or was regularly away from power for longer than that I’d have a Fenix on my wrist.
Sums up exactly how I feel about the Ultra after wearing it for a day now. Your thought process and reasons why you would wear one mirror mine. Definitely not replacing my Fenix entirely, but I feel like now at least Apple has made something I can use for a lot of my normal daily wear and training. Spot on about the “ruggedness” comparison. I could literally care less about what happens to my Garmin as it’s been bashed about in all the things I do with it, the Ultra is definitely better than previous models but I definitely don’t have the same faith in it’s ability to “take a licking and keep on ticking” to use the old Timex slogan.
Couldn’t care less
Yep. My thoughts exactly.
The Garmin Sapphire + DLC titanium models are near bullet proof. I have a bunch the non coated titanium of the Apple Watch Ultra won’t be able to stand up to the same level of abuse.
I’m not sat on the couch at 8am watching Mark Lewis vids in anticipation of an epic Apple Watch rant, you are.
You are the first - you win, nothing....but have a thumbs up 👍
You nailed it with the statement “the ultra is much closer to a sports watch than the Garmin is to a telephone”.
I’m also a big Apple fanboy with everything Apple and there’s no way I’m going away from it. It does have some inconvenience and it’s not perfect. But they’re improving noticeably every year…. Great funny video I had a blast watching it
You had me on “I don’t even know what a nit is”. I must have watched twenty Apple Watch ultra reviews and you’re the first person to actually say this. Thank you!
I just bought a Fenix 6X and it’s very cool. It feels like a proper piece of equipment. I also love apple stuff but I don’t think they are quite understanding the market when it comes to multi sport watches. They will probably get there soon enough however.
Haven’t put my Apple Watch on since I got my Fenix. No comparison in my opinion plus I only charge my Garmin every 2 weeks
Great review and deadpan jokes. Very useful. So I decided to shell out 15 quid and got a Casio with 100m water resist and 10-year battery life. I can time my heart rate with it by putting my fingers on my pulse and look at the timer. Has an interval timer, stopwatch and normal timer with 5 alarms. Also has a very nice luminous backlight. Great for running and swimming and even works in a sauna.
High morale man
I used the WorkOutDoors app on my applewatch S3 then S6 before I finally dipped my toes into the world of Garmin and realised what I was missing. WorkOutDoors did make the apple watch... bearable. However, once I got my forerunner... the apple watch went on the other wrist and I'm now a two-watch wanker.
I can't quite see what you can miss with WorkOutDoors regarding running metrics during a run. You can pair every sensor that you want (yes i know, ANT+, there plenty of bluetooth ones out there) IF you want to go deeper in the metrics. But even the base app provides every thing a runner needs. Garmin just wraps all up with algorithm to tell you when to rest and when to run, but nobody serious about the sport follows these "advices"
Haha me too when i need to be connected. But only on a workout. In regular life just the garmin and my phone. Live the looks of my epix 2 and all the information on recovery.
I got the apple watch series 4 and I've ordered the apple watch ultra, but I'd be open to switch to Garmin because of the battery life. Which of their watches is the one that can do what the apple watch can? Being able to receive calls from my iphone, getting messages, streaming music and podcasts etc.? Thanks!
@@walrus-splice-renewable first of all the garmin battery is superior n amongst the other things as well.
@@walrus-splice-renewable Venu 2 plus you can answer calls and use siri but none are really going to have the apps like an apple watch. Garmin is more athlete focus on feedback, recovery, and battery life.
A lot of good points Mark. I agree that apple has come closer to making their excellent smart watch more like a sports watch, at least enough for me to jump ship from Garmin. They have a ways to go, but with cell connectivity and all that implies, I purchased the Ultra. This will be my first Apple watch since the 3rd generation. It is nice to be able to leave my iphone home every now and then, the Ultra will allow that.
Great review Mark. I switched from a series 5 Apple Watch to a Garmin Epix 2 for most of the reasons you’ve noted here. And like you, I’ve got a full Apple ecosystem and the Watch integration and ability to make calls and send texts is the only thing I miss. But even those things are just minor annoyances when I can look at my Garmin when there is 10% battery left and not freak out that it’s going to die within the hour - and get 2 more days of use out of it.
Me too. I moved from a Series 5 to a Forerunner 955 about 6 weeks ago, and the extra battery life is a total game-changer. I originally got an Apple Watch S3 pre-Covid for the phone connectivity - it was helpful for email reminders and calendar checking when going from meeting to meeting. But in the post-Covid WFH world that connectivity has a lot less value to me, and the extra battery life (I find about a week of normal use for the Forerunner 955) has meant that I use it 24/7 rather then having to charge every night - and still have it run low on a heavy training day. The extra life of the Ultra would get rid of the daily range anxiety, but in practice it still means a daily charge.
Epix 2 all the way.
I just got an Epix 2 from a Fenix 5X. I love the size on my wrist for not taking off and sleeping. Fenix was a bit heavy and thick. But I also have a apple watch and love it in a different ways. But Garmins just give so much better feedback on recovery and nice to not stress about charging as much.
Finally Mark said what every other sporttech blogger skipped through. No one would ever wear Apple Watch for ultra
Great review, only a year ago I started wearing a watch full stop and it was an apple, at first I thought it was fragile but now I don’t give it a second thought. Construction, fire fighting, running. It’s just there and hasn’t suffered any damage. My wife just bought the ultra but I plan to make it mine!
Nice purchasing tactic 😁
Did you get your glasses back? Had a quick look today and they didn’t seem to be in the fountain any more.
I like the simple life. Mark Lewis posts a video, I click. Easy.
Excellent judgement and historic analogy Mark! - a watch is much more an emotion you wrap around your arm than it is a piece of technology (I say that as a mechanical engineer). For me the best proof is the Rolex Submariner for which a lot of people spend more than 10k and have NEVER the intention to go scuba diving. Conclusion for me: keep the Fenix 7X and buying the Ultra 😃 (will arrive on Monday)
Agree, I've sat in plenty of meetings with people wearing Subs and IWC Big Pilots and breitling emergencies - all on people that look like they would have a heart attack taking the stairs let alone scuba-diving, flying jets or climbing mountains 😁 😁 😁
@@MarkLewisfitness LOL Very True. It's about the STATUS. lol
I love your straightforward honest style. So concise with your explanation. Also, you’re incredibly articulate. Love your content. Hope to see that
Excellent review - just the right amount of info without rambling on, plus you gave your opinions without bashing either product. Nice!
Man I have to say I’m shocked at how much I love this watch. Looking forward to watching this!
Absolutely bang on with the Garmin battery life and I think for most people the smartwatch features the Garmin offers are more than enough. You just never have to worry about the Garmin being charged, because it will be.
yeah, I agree.. I have the tactic 7 and the looks are a big deal too.. the screen isn't as pretty, but once you understand the battery and sunlight performance, they made the right choice. Def happy with my purchase
I sold my Enduro 2 for the Ultra, because I am going 90% to the gym and enjoying the „smart“ options
Appreciate your perspective on "actual" experiences and use cases with less worry from battery anxiety. Spot on references and Humor 👍
Nice video. I decided on the AW S8. I could not justify an extra $400 for a watch that has essentially the same internals and has additional features which I do not need or could live without. I run half marathons, swim and bike and the S8 does everything that I need.
Does the screen stay awake and it doesn’t lock when you are wearing it on top of your sleeve? During cold days that is a must.
Thanks for an honest video! I own the Epix gen 2 and now the Apple Ultra. I love the Epix and always appreciated the longer battery life, maps and the breakdown of information on the connect app. Though the one thing that has always bugged me is not being able to answer calls and directly reply to texts if your an apple user…. I know it’s not Garmin’s fault. Based on my current usage with the Ultra always on display turned off..no need to have it on if your arms are at your side, I am using approximately 30% of the battery every 24hrs, so I should easily be averaging a little over 3days of battery life with the Ultra which is a good step forward for apple! It’s probably enough for me to use/wear the Ultra more. Battery life had always been the sticking point for me and I suspect for many outdoor enthusiasts. I do hike, and trail run only for the day so needing a watch that lasts weeks is not a make or break issue. From my standpoint I just wanted apple to make a watch that could last at minimum 3days on a charge and this might be the turning point for me that I go back to Apple, especially since I am in the Apple ecosystem.
It’s pretty easy, Garmin is for anything you do outside a gym, Apple Watch if you’re not leaving the gym
Being an AW user forever, I recently went with a Garmin as I need the training readiness analytics (not a runner), and got tired of charging ALL the time with sleep tracking. When they get that right, I am back. Taking off just with an AW6 cellular is awesome freedom … until it dies.
I moved from AW to Garmin because I didn't want constant pop-ups, messages and call notifications. my iPhone in my pocket does that. looking forward to that run report 👍
You can always turn off the notifications 😎
@@TheEternalTraveller Hmm then that makes it a poor smart watch just like its a poor sports watch. ever try operating the touch screen whilst exercising on an AW! I'll stick to my dedicated Garmin sports watch..
@@peterstevens2441 I merely responded to the reason you gave for not wanting an AW. Namely notifications. Having refuted that criticism, you have changed tacks and said it is not as good for fitness. Fine, but I made no comment on that since it was not relevant in the context of your original observation
@@TheEternalTraveller if the notifications are turned off on the AW then that makes it just a watch! and yes I have owned an AW for many years and swopped to Garmin because of the sports features and ease of use.
@@peterstevens2441 Fine. No problem. But if you wish to make posts, at least make your posts coherent with what you actually want to say
Not a mega athlete at all, but I absolutely love your videos and the humor you infuse in them. Great stuff man, keep it up!
Loved your take into this, a real life down to earth review. Thanks
For us near mortals I feel the AW Ultra, or the iPhone Nano if you prefer, is finally good enough. I have been using the fénix line since the 3 was released and finally found something that I can use for my day to day activities. I am still going to keep my F7x on standby especially for hikes and triathlons (sprints for me).
XD thank you for that “Sike” in the intro. That was perfect 👌
Always good when Mark uploads a video.
Yeah great review Mark , very honest outlook . The flaws you earmarked are exactly the reasons im sticking to Garmin :)
Thanks for mentionning Workoutdoors, you are one of the very few reviewer who talks about it, closing the gap with Garmin and other running watches. I can't see why people still make reviews of an apple watch without installing this app that costs 5.99 and gives you so much in return.
It solves all the little complaints that you can have when you try to workout with the base app.
The real "problem" for me is that a Series 5/6/7/8 is SO good with this app for a regular / average / above average runner that it is hard to justify switching to the Ultra for the price 😀
The app is superb - Apple should be embarrassed that you need to buy it. But it is super annoying that you can't program the ultra action button to open it or even work as I start/stop button. On the start line of a park run, I don't want to be having to look at the screen to start the thing!
100% agree on the comment about women preferring a smaller version of this watch! I’m a man but I imagine having this on my tiny wrist it would look ridiculous. Watching the keynote I was so so excited to see this watch. Love the design, features and everything just the size of the thing put me off instantly sucks because this is the first apple product in years I’ve actually been excited for. Defiantly won’t be buying due to the size however if they make a smaller one in the future with a smaller battery as to be expected I’ll defiantly buy!
Hello there! Have you seen a large difference between the Apple Watch series 8 and the Apple Watch Ultra with GPS? Or you can use the Work Outdoors App with the 8 & it would be the same? Not sure what’s the difference between the two if you can use the workoutdoors app?
I swapped my Garmin Epix Gen 2 for the AWU. It pained me because the Epix was AMAZING and beautiful. But it offered too much that I didn't utilize and I missed all that I came to utilize with Apple Watches. I'm not a super athlete and I don't sleep track, just a casual outdoors enthusiast, the AWU was the right choice for me.
Hello Mark. I am a big fan of your videos. I have been using the AWU for 3 weeks. It is a wonderful watch, but the training apps are terrible compared to those on the fenix 7X. I have been training for a marathon and I end up running with both watches, so I can follow my specific running train on my X7. For weightlifting I find it hard to believe how bad the AW activity app is. It only works as a stop watch. It does not count the rest time and number of reps.... Man, what a disappointment! Do you have any decent app to recommend? Also, I miss the features like body battery and training readiness. Apple is not even close of proving all the performance statistics that Garmin does. Cheers!
Agree. I use Workoutdoors but it’s really best for cardio stuff. I don’t use it for inside the gym.
I also subscribed to Athlytic app. Because I missed the body battery and training readiness from the fenix. It seems pretty neat so far.
don’t care much about your opinions, they are too closely aligned with mine and basically just repeat what I am thinking. Boring. I am not on TH-cam to just get confirmation of my own thoughts usually.
But the subtle humour and wicked sarcasm…YES! I am all here for it!! Keep it going! 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
Always entertaining, and helpfully informative.
Excellent initial review! Thanks for sharing!
This review is amazing! Thank you for it! I just subscribed!
What’s better: Garmin Fenix 6X Pro or Fenix 7X Solar?
Ah... Sat morning, new Lewis vid. Comparing Garmin to Apple? There better be a Schwarzenegger or Stallone ref somewhere in this.
I just got the Ultra. I’m finding it uses about 40% battery capacity per day without tracking any exercise but otherwise normal use (using Siri a lot, taking a call, screen always on, etc). I just did an Olympic distance triathlon and the watch consumed about 18% battery capacity. I think you would be absolutely fine to charge the watch, travel, stay overnight, do the Hyrox and go home even without turning on low power mode. Apple are usually conservative with battery life figures.
Are you using the standard Apple workout app? I’m using WorkOutDoors-a huge improvement.
I just picked up an Ultra out of sheer curiosity. I'm a G-Shock guy. I have a few in rotation and they have survived falls off horses, canterkous donkies, climbs up sheer walls, the teeth of an American Staffordshire Terrier, and a child. The Ultra is, in no way, a replacement.
First off, everyone complaining about the size: it's not big, as you pointed out. In fact, my first gen G-shock, the 45mm feels bigger, and looks bigger than the Ultra. Thickness is also not even comparable to a G-Shock and weight... I've read people complaining they can't sleep with this on because of the weight. I have to wonder what kind of watches they wear to think the Ultra is heavy.
Is it a bad watch? No. Would I wear it up a wall? Absolutely not. The case will be destroyed within ten minutes of starting a climb. However, I think that as a running watch, maybe a diving watch (the shape concerns me for that) it COULD replace a Garmin or a G-Shock. But it's not nearly what Apple touts.
If you are in the market for an Apple Watch, and want a watch that feels like you have something on, sure, pick it up. If you are a dedicated athlete... skip.
I haven't discovered the Apple Watch for myself yet. I've been using Garmin watches for years. Fenix 3 HR, Fenix 5 plus, Fenix 7x sapphire solar. I never missed features. For everything else I use my smartphone. I don't need a smartphone on my arm, but a watch that you don't have to take care of every day like a pet.
Right, so, I have a series 7 and have done since February this year, apart from the mentioned battery issues (I get about 20 hours at best, I've had no problem tracking runs, cycles, gym sessions etc. I'm wondering what the real difference is regarding the functionality of the watch itself, because it seems to do the exact same things just with a different interface and a beefier design if that makes sense? Its extremely tempting to jump to the upgrade regardless of the price purely because I like the look of it, but does it really track workouts and exercise any differently to a regular Apple Watch? 🤔
I should also mention that other than a Fitbit 4 years ago I've had no other experience with a watch that tracks fitness, the more comments I read the more I see how that might be the issue I have 😂
The only difference most people will notice is size, rugged form factor-allegedly, better, GPS. Even stuff like the action button is a bit of a joke at the moment. You can only program it to do a few things, most of which are useless.
I have an Watch Ultra and I love it!
On the charging pattern, I charge my iPhone X🅂 every evening. So I do the same every evening before sleeping. Easier to remember instead of charging every 2 days.
The Watch Ultra was the Watch I’ve been waiting for since 2015…
i almost got one, it just wasn't gonna cut it on the battery and mapping to a level similar to Garmin. I feel it's more an aspirational watch. For those that want to look like they climb or dive but don't. That said it is pretty. I think maybe around a version 3 Ultra will be where it needs to be with battery and maps etc. Great video too. thx
I traded my Epix for the AWU. The thing I miss most about the Epix is the native mapping. The maps on the Epix were so good, they just worked well and looked super refined on the AMOLED display. To me, that's the biggest drawback on the AWU.
Totally agree about the size. I’d been watching the TH-cam early reviews and was expecting it to be huge, when it arrived it just looked like a very slightly larger Apple Watch! It almost feels tiny to wear compared to my 6X Pro! Do love my Garmin for many reasons, but for every day use, and for anything but the longest of runs (where I would need nav) I’ll be wearing the Ultra from now on as it’s just got so much more day-to-day convenient functionality. Will definitely miss not having to go near a charger for 2 weeks though!
As a non iPhone user, could you point out some smart things the AW does that a Garmin doesn't do? I'm genuinely curious to hear what these features are...
@@savagedriver1967 As a longtime Fenix user and current "Epix 2 guy" I would say outside of specific things like Siri and phone calls on the watch, its less what extra features it has then how it implements them. For example, I get text notifications on my Epix just like the AW, but the look and feel how easy is it to read, how it looks on the watch and how you interact or use it is just WAY more refined than on an Fenix/Epix. For me it has always come down to, Do I want a great sport watch that has some limited smart watch features, or do I want a Smart watch that has limited sports watch features. Since the Fenix 3 I have always come down on the sports watch side. The new AWU is making me think about it. I run a lot, but not ultras. I run triathlon, but olympic, not ironman, I bike but its 100K to 100 mile, not more. So for me, do the daily smart watch features outweigh the few tri's a year that are really going to push a watch? I'm not sure, but the ultra is at least in the discussion now. The AW never was before.
@@JamieVoto Have you come to a conclusion? I just can't decide, been a long time AW user (went with the series 5 for almost 4 years now and it's time for an upgrade). I'm training a lot, but more CrossFit/Hyrox Style with Running implemented on other days and the fact that the workouts on the AW are quite customizable since the latest update makes the AW even more appealing. The only thing which makes me want a Garmin (Fenix 7 or epix 2) is the battery life. Other than that, I won't be using features like body battery and such because it probably doesn't fit my training plan anyway.
Plus the AWU looks better, but that's obviously a subjective perspective. helpppp
@@lululx3760 I will say I have made the switch to AWU for now and sold my Epix2. It takes a few third party apps such as Athlytic and/or Workoutdoors to get everything I want but I think I'm mostly there. What I personally found is that outside of the 2-3 races (either Tri's or obstacle course) races a year where I think the Epix might be better, everything else covering 95% of my year felt as good or better on the AWU. To be clear, i dont run marathons, halfs are my longest runs. When I run a Tri its an Olympic or Sprint distance, not Full ironman. If you are doing marathons or ironman tri's, and training for those, get an Epix or a Fenix. What wont change your mind is battery life. This (AWU) is a 1.5 to 2.5 day battery watch under my training load, but charging is FAST. If you want an OLED screen with 5-6 days of always on or 10-12 days when the screen turns off tthe AWU isnt for you. If you can find 45 min every 2-3 days to charge while your awake, you can get what you need sports wise, be happier smartwatch wise and have a good looking watch.
Waiting for your next vid. Hope it includes stats that are important to you ...are they present or not on the Apple Watch? Not too hot on having "another" phone screen near me ...
nailed the review and sums up perfectly why I struggle with the Apple Watch. I’ll stick with my Garmin Epix gen 2 thanks
Love all the vids.. and I wonder is your ramble pre written or off the cuff, hoping off the cuff it’s very entertaining 🙌🏼
As I say to everyone who asks this .... Is your favourite movie scripted, your favourite song written down in advance, does the funniest Stand Up begin with pen and paper??? Yes, it's scripted and re-written over and over till it's right....and THAT's why you like it 😁. If it was off the cuff, it would suck 😁
This was a great video…I’m curious how do you manage all your data using Apple and Garmin ? Do you use Health and Garmin Connect separately or do you havre a way to merge the data and use one repository for the data ? I’m also in both ecosystems and trying to find the best way to manage it…… thanks
The only review that actually says the important parts.
I have loved Garmin for years. They are great. But I always come back to Apple because of Workoutdoors and cellular. For me at least the Apple Watch gives more accurate data samples and allows me to have one less thing in my pocket.
But as you point out they aren’t inspiring to look at. Garmins are. Looks play a bigger role in inspiration than most people would care to admit.
Literally couldn't agree more with this! I stuck my apple watch in a Speigen case and it gave it a G shock vibe . But my fenix is a whole different animal.
Does some people never charge their phone? What is the big problem with charging a watch?
Still need that watch collection video (love that Seiko)
Hey Mark, great vid thanks. Probably the best unbiased review/real-world summary out there...like you I'm a longtime Garmin user simply because they do sports better than anybody, but I also always have an AW on hand because it's quite a spectacular piece of kit in its own right, just not so much for hardcore fitness. Am testing the Ultra this weekend and will take it on my bike ride later today to compare its data (as dictated by Workoutdoors) compared to my Garmin 830 and Fenix 5 as I have concerns that not all metrics carry over when synced back to Garmin Connect via Rungap. If they do, that could be an interesting turning point as far as using AW as a viable Garmin alternative. I'll always have both mind you, but it would be cool to know that both are equally up to the task of authoring my data. Having tried out an Epix2 a couple of times I have to agree that Apple currently seems to be leading the crossover race over Garmin: for the $$$$$$ I feel you get more value out of the Ultra than the Epix, even tho at heart I'm more of a Garmin guy. Cheers
I've watched you since you had a few hundred subs and I didn't know you're from the Ding! Im from Tilehurst lols
Born in Earley, first job in cemetery junction, lived in lower early…. Now Spencer’s wood. 😁
Been so tempted to pick one of these up, this has given me a lot of food for thought, great review Mark! Nice to see a fellow Reading resident (well, Caversham for me) 😁
Great video, Mark. Which watch are you wearing in the video (not the Apple Watch)?
Seiko SNJ025P1
i’ve ordered my ultra with white ocean band because it was the shortest delivery time. i don’t know if i’ve done the right thing ordering it.
You are getting paid too much Milan😆
Are the Alpine Loop and Trail Loop not going to be great for handling sweat? I sweat when I run or workout and as that is daily if those straps retain water it won’t be long before they stink. I might have expected a few more straps that would be more sweat resistant for a sports focused watch aside from the ocean band aimed at swimming and diving and still retains water anyway. Fully appreciate I can buy any number of existing sports based straps but for an ultra sports based watch I would like a sweat proof strap option in the box, especially at that cost.
Good call on WorkOutDoors, it’s been the saving grace for the Apple Watch for a long time and is the only reason I still use one.
I’m not keen on the big bulky sports watches and not really interested in the Ultra either so I’m hoping they bring the extra hardware button to future versions of the normal models as it’s the biggest limitation for me.
What a brilliant analysis! Thank you
Do you realize you’re speculating on the watch that you’re holding in your hand? Bring it and try it. That would be a lot more interesting to watch and useful.
Excellent evaluation.
I’ve never looked back on switching to a Garmin from an Apple Watch simply due to battery life. It’s so nice not having to charge it every couple days
I 100% agree with a lot of what you're saying Mark. I love my Garmin Epix 2 and have had every model of Fenix since they were first released. But, for the same reasons you have mentioned, I've had a number of Apple Watches also.
Whilst I'm not in the same category of endurance athlete that you are, I chose to purchase the Ultra and I absolutely love it when paired with the Workoutdoors app. Also have a look at the Healthfit app for workout analysis and syncing of your AW health data to/ from other platforms...it's excellent.
I found with the Garmin Epix, if I plugged it in to charge every time I jumped in the shower, the battery would stay >90% and I could wear it pretty much 24/7. I've been using the same method with the ultra for the last couple of days and I have found the same so it's working for me so far.
I've heard a lot of people compare the battery life of the Fenix vs the Ultra but I recall some analysis from Strava data showing the typical Garmin Fenix user does an average run of 35mins, cycle of around 90mins. Less than 4% of Fenix owners did triathlons and of those that did, less than 0.2% did a half Ironman or longer. Taken like this, Apple can capture a huge swathe of current Fenix users. The one thing to remember though is that those who buy an AW will also need to be iPhone users, whereas Garmin work with all phone ecosystems. This will limit Apple's reach in this space. As with anything Apple does, they are not aiming to have the greatest market share, just the bulk of the profits.
The one area where I am struggling to replace the Garmin is the smart trainer integration with ANT+. I see the new Kickr bike and trainer have bluetooth FTMS support so it's only a matter of time before the AW supports this also.
Make no mistake, this AW is a big deal and Apple has a lot of sway in every tech industry. I can see them leading the direction in some key areas, particularly Bluetooth accessory adoption such as power meters, cadence sensors and smart trainer integration.
Fair enough review overall but I think I need to point out that you described a few features you like on the Apple watch that you inferred are not on the Garmin, like music, paying for stuff, getting notifications, but they are. You could today be swiping through that SMS from the lounge during downtime on your Garmin provided it is in range of your phone. Yes it's true the Garmin does not have LTE so does not operate as a phone but it has had all those other "smartwatch features" for a long time. Just saying :)
But it is all very one way - I can't reply to a text, or a message or take a call. I agree it has some functionality, but it is a fraction of the Apple.
I do a lot of open water lake swimming. Now that the weather is getting colder I need to start wearing a wetsuit with gloves and boots (water temp is typically 5-10 degrees).
I bought the Apple Watch Ultra for added safety and to track swims, hikes, bikes, scuba/free dives and ski days mostly.
I'm finding the Workout Open Water Swim mode utterly useless when the watch is on top of any clothing or fabric like the wetsuit. I have splurged on the extra long band to accommodate wetsuits for swimming and scuba diving too.
If it can't sense my skin, the password prompt keeps coming up, it won't show me live stats of the workout and it it won't track the workout.
Is there a mode I'm not aware of, or a way around this?
#apple please read this and update your software!
Great review - no ‘is this a quiet promo pretending to be a review’ fears in this channel! I’d love to go for a Apple Watch, but I can’t get past how good the Garmin is at what it does. I’m only 5’9” and 72kg so rugged looks don’t bother me too much, but the fact that the Garmin can be navigated in heavy rain, covered in mud, and won’t run out of battery is too difficult to get past!
Thanks for the review now I know about your channel.
I actually like the understated look - I don't feel the need to "dress up" like I'm doing UTMB when I've only gone out for a 2 hour run (or doing intervals or whatever) - as long as it has the mapping (and battery life!) for the bigger stuff when needed.
You have right the issue is the battery. Yes it is borderline ok now. But it is not nice (or above average ok, LoL). Yes I will buy it because I need to be able to receive calls while I am out training or racing (due to the nature of my work). But in fact I would love to have a real 3 day battery (more the better of course). Solar top up (garmin???) might be a solution or an new chip. Training and racing functionality is not a real issue due to the third parties apps. However, I have not noticed in all of the reviews a thing that I would love (I might be a very picky consumer, or I just a lazy one who did not read the manual). I would love to hide or remove a large number of the native apps or just to hide the in a folder…
recently got the forerunner 255s and love it, wear it almost all the time
Dare I say, the best review yet? Yup!
The Garmin is bullet proof; the apple is as fragile as Sting’s top hit
WOD is great! It’s only Achilles heel is no AOD, but the developer is very active on the AW forum and says it is coming, I need it for open water swimming for which the Apple Watch excels
Genuine review mate. For someone like me who does an hour run everyday in the morning, comes back , keep it for charging, go for shower and wear it before going to work- My Apple Watch works for me. Exactly for reasons you mentioned (able to call, text, pay without having to carry my phone while out for run), I will stick with AW SE. I also run with Garmin Forerunner 255 on my right wrist though 😂. Can’t wait to see detailed review, Mark. Ta mate.
Do you just stick with the Garmin analytics, or do you push workouts to another service like TrainingPeaks or Strava? I’m a little nutty about not having all my stats in the same place. I run with the Apple Watch and log other fitness activities on occasion, but I just can’t deal with the fitness and health apps.
@@jacob.williams Was that for me? I import my AW activities to STRAVA. As they say- If it’s not on STRAVA , you didn’t do it ;) ;) STRAVA gives more details, trends and support from community etc so I import them to STRAVA. I also compete with family and friends via native activity app on the Apple Watch. But I thought Apple Activity app is not that detailed (Still on WatchOS8. Not sure what WatchOS9 brings to the table).
I have resisted Strava for years - but do you think it becomes almost essential with the Apple Watch to collate everything somewhere useful.
I appreciate the features of the smart watch that Apple offers but Garmin clearly is the one to use during sports. I too, am quite anal about seeing all data at one location. I feel Apple fitness doesn’t give much feedback on how our training goes versus Garmin.
Garmin provides lots of feedback - body battery score, recovery when wire almost 24/7 but Apple rings feature is certainly tempting as well.
Still deciding but likely is Apple for daily wear and Garmin for sports.
@@MarkLewisfitness Thanks for this review. Truly one of the best out there. I still want the damn thing though I know it won’t serve me much better than my Series 6.
I had a lot of trouble with Apple syncing Garmin Connect workouts twice (sometimes three times- pretty much whenever I opened the app.) So I stopped paying attention to Apple Health/Fitness stats for quite a while. It works done now.
I recently started importing Apple Watch workouts into Strava and just realized TrainingPeaks supports sync, too (of course they do! )
hi Mark perfect review. I have been using AW 6 for two years. I like answering calls. I didn't enjoy answering messages from the watch and tapping something on the small display, And several times it happened that the battery died and I was left with only a weight on my wrist. I switched to fenix7 TS (swimming, cycling, running) outdoors and indoors. I love the data the Garmin gives me. I only use AW as a music player (Apple music) during sports. Love the flashlight on the F7 by the way.
I just want to know what watch you are wearing in this video with the striped band lol. Looks bad ass!
2:47 - what on earth happened to that Fenix that cracked the screen? I found that it is pretty durable, did the push cart fell onto it? Time for the Enduro 2?
Just the screen saver screen!
only if apple watch be compatible with training peaks series plans, i mean on TP you can have a repetitions cycle combined with different goals associated with pace or distance or even zones... I haven't seen that on apple watch. What about follow a gps route or upload a gpx file for weekend train?
I really wanted my series 7 to work, I even tried the work outdoors app but it’s clunky and over complicated.
I’m back with my 745 now and won’t be going back any time soon and certainly not to this if that app is needed
Got mine yesterday afternoon, having been on the verge of switching to garmin, been caught in the Apple eco system I was backwards and forwards, then the ultra was announced. So far from 96% charge out the box I’ve done a 5.2 mile run a 50 min gym workout set some of the features up and played about with it. Currently battery is on 83% after around 17 hours ( including sleep ) I have a short 3-4 mile easy run planned later today (Saturday) gym in the morning and a long run tomorrow afternoon, will see if it lasts the day
Is it me - or is that action button junk! Surely they should allow you to program it to do anything, like start and stop an activity! It's not that you can't stop and start things easily on an Apple Watch.
@@MarkLewisfitness it’s useful to find the app straight away, but thought the same considering the hype around the button. Doesn’t seem to do much, I noticed it creates a split if your press it mid activity though. Don’t quote me but I saw a comment from a user on macrumours that there will be an update that gives it more use, wether that’s just internet story telling or not I don’t know.
@@Arki2019 there's no reason why they can't let you have that button do anything you want. For me, simply starting and stopping a run would be perfect.
@@MarkLewisfitness if you press it along with another button it pauses the activity. Doesn’t end the activity though.
@@juanbotero2055 I’ve been playing with Workoutdoors app and it’s really good. In fact, may even drop a video on it as it makes the ultra so much better
Honestly, this is the best review of AWU I’ve watched. Appreciate your honest appraisal (despite potential sway of Apple’s slick marketing). I’ll stick w my Coros, thank you very much.
I'm not an ultra marathoner type, also not a frappuccino type, but I've been getting quite a lot of enjoyment out of my Ultra. It definitely looks better to me than their other standard watches, but I don't really care about looks all that much, especially for what I use it for. I wouldn't take it out for a nice date, but for day to day use it really is convenient and it handles all my fitness needs, especially with WorkOutdoors and Strava - which I agree with you there, Apple's Fitness app is... meh. I'm sure it works well enough for a majority of people, but it does lack some key features.
I am totally addicted to closing rings though, they basically gamified fitness and it really does help to keep me motivated. There have been plenty of days where I look down and see my move ring still open, and knowing that I'll break my streak is enough to get me up and going.
I like apple but I love my 7xSS too much. It does just enough “smart watch” stuff for me but as a firefighter/paramedic, I’m not worried about banging it around or soaking it and I know the battery will last through a 48 or two.
I was skeptical about its ability to take a beating until I came across a video by terex or something like that. Dude was smashing it with a 3 pound hammer and it wasn’t cracking. If you are still worried, have no fear, the Apple Watch ultra won’t get scratched up because it will last two days tops and you’ll need to charge it so most the life will be on a charger than on your wrist 😂.
All that aside, I’m going to get about two full days before I need to charge the ultra, that’s without any activities done just to test the battery. I honestly think I’m going to return it however and keep the aw6 I had and go back to a fenix 7x or tactix because that flashlight is seriously such a gimmick but also such a great tool! Plus the added data is super helpful!
The answer is… GARMIN, and you know this to be true, Mark. Garmin is the King with fitness tracking, battery life, much more 😅
I treat my watches as inter-changeable, there isn’t one watch to rule them all. Apple Watch 7 most of the time, exercise a Garmin 735 or Polar Grit X, Garmin Edge 530 for bike, night out it’s normally a Grand Seiko. One things for sure, when the 735 dies I know it’ll be replaced by another Garmin and not an Apple though.
Zombies overlapping, drop it does matter…. Brilliant! You just made my day brighter
I'm just impressed you pronounced panerai correctly 👍🤣
It's those little details that set this channel apart 😁
I came for the jokes ;-) For me that Garmin ad about how they measure battery life says it all.
Combine Workoutdoors and RunGo (they can indeed run at the same time) and then you can also get voice directions too- this is a sick way of running a new route. No idea about the Garmin as have never had the pleasure of trying.
I love my Garmin Venu 2! ❤️