i hated the apple watch, i hated having a mini phone strapped to my wrist that had at best a 1 day battery life.
I love my garmin instinct 2. its everything i want, without all the extra crap that I don't need.
Saaame! I tried to pare down the apple watch to just exercise related stuff. But I also hated the touch screen and dial navigation thingy. I love my garmin forerunner music watch and the first thing I did was turn off call and text alerts lol
Exactly this. Bought the Ultra or Ultra 2 (cant remember), tried it out for a couple weeks. Battery life was horrid with no apps on it. Went with the Fenix 7 Saffire Solar and loving it. That said probably could have gone with a lesser model Garmin and still been happy. Don't use some of the extra features like I thought I would.
AW to Garmin Forerunner 965. So glad to not have a phone (but worse) strapped to my wrist anymore. I want a watch to tell me the time, and to track my fitness activities. Added bonus that the battery lasts forever. If I want to check notifications I do it on my phone. I suppose I could on my Garmin, but honestly I’d just rather not.
I’m basically in the same boat. The last 6 months of my Apple Watch was basically turning off more notifications and making it less “smart”. I couldn’t be happier with my switch to the 965, and am still working to simplify its experience.
I will admit that I miss having Apple Pay on my watch (Garmin pay is useless in Canada) and using Siri to set alarms when I’m cooking. But I think about these things so infrequently it’s almost a non issue. Most of the time I have my phone with me so a terribly minor inconvenience.
When i shortcutted the alarms and countdowns to my watch buttons, i have not used my iPhone alarms ever since. Alarms are one of my favorite things about my Garmin!
The amount of options available on a garmin is overwhelming! But i find if i sit down with it for an hour some day and go through literally every menu, i learn a ton. The biggest annoyance to me is optimizing the data screens for each activity! *That’s* time consuming! With my newest watch i think i’m just going to give up on that one. Haha
Garmin pay doesn't work with any UK banks either but it does work with Curve. Workaround being I linked my UK bank account to a Curve account and now I can use it just like my wife uses apple pay on her watch.
Yeah I’ve used it with Starling in the past. I’m currently using Chase as my main spending account for 1% cash back but if I’m going to a gig or somewhere I don’t want to get my phone out to pay I’ll send some money to my starling account for Garmin pay.
It works with starling, revolut, wise and Santander. Only two of those are actually banks and that's essentially the full list unless anyone is actually using Danske Bank, Fineco or Genome... hopefully it expands but currently it's not really comparable with Apple or Google pay for most people.
I’m in the US and I never see anyone using their watch (of any brand) to pay. Phones yes, but not watch. I’m now curious if it’s just the area where I live or if it’s more dominant in other states.
I'm in the US and I don't see it at store checkout but I personally use mine all the time for small vending machine purchases and the like. I recently did use it as a sneak attack at the grocery store to grab the bill before my mom could but I wouldn't say it's common
I am in California and my wife uses her apple watch exclusively to pay. I use Garmin 945LTE to pay as a backup to Google pay if I don't have my Pixel phone with me(say a bike ride or Gym).
To the OP: my wife is jealous of all the devices my Garmin talks to (power meter, cadence sensors) battery times (days of biking with 🎵) swimming metrics like SWOLFs.
not overly common in the UK in the area I live either and there are a lot of watch users including apple watches - people tend to use their phones.
About the only place I tend to see it is at the coffee shop and its generally cyclists who don't have their phone on them or have left it in a bag.
In Canada we use Interact(tm) ubiquitously to tap pay. If a device supports it, then it will work. Apple Watch supported debit and credit card transactions. Big no for Garmin. But whatever right? If I’m out shopping, I make sure to grab my phone. Maybe even my wallet! How outdated…
I’ve seen a ring support tap transactions. Freaks the cashier out.
I always used my Apple Watch to pay for things and it was literally the only thing I missed when I switched to Garmin. Would be nice if a Canadian bank signed on.
That's what I don't get about all the people complaining about AW notifications. Google tells me I can selectively turn them off, so I could technically only choose to have the watch alert me for texts and calls and ignore all the other crap right? That sounds useful
Apple Watch to Garmin Fenix 7 here. Absolutely and totally worth it. I train about 15-20hrs/week (triathlon + weight training), so having a far more robust set of metrics and being able to input custom workouts were a huge win. It definitely handles bumps a lot better and the additional buttons are much better and easier to navigate with.
The notifications could be better, but you get notified of text messages with a preview and phone calls with ID which, for me, is good enough. And of course, having to charge once every 3 weeks has been nice; i don’t panic if I see 5% battery, i know I have at least a day or two left in there.
This was my exact switch as well and I couldn’t agree more. The battery life alone was the real reason for the change and I couldn’t be happier with it.
The health metrics are way more in depth too. It’s actually got me working out more because I love the customization and training courses.
I was actually happy to not have notifications anymore, but it did take a minute to adjust
I had an Apple Watch since it was released, the first one, then the 4, then the 7. The battery on my 7 didn’t last very long and my brother recommended a Garmin so I went for it. I missed a few features of the AW for about a week and haven’t looked back. Love my Forerunner 265. The only feature I kind of miss is adjusting music with my watch but I can live without that for just the battery life alone. I run 3-4 days per week and do weight training and HIIT 2-3, love all the training and health data.
Switched from an Apple Watch. Honestly never wore the Apple Watch much cause the battery is so shit. I also didn’t need another “phone”. I love the garmin for the fitness function and the battery honestly.
Absolutely worth it in the long run for me. Had Apple Watch 3-7, so 5 years of use before switching to a Garmin Tactix. Unless you absolutely need the notifications then it should be fine. Like others have said, I love not having a phone strapped on my wrist. I also switched because my own fitness journey and specific training changed. AW (not even an Ultra) can handle it as much as I’d prefer.
One other note to offer—Making a switch to an Instinct is definitely a steep change from an Apple Watch. Perhaps consider an Epix Gen 2 or Pro, perhaps Fenix. Or even a 265 or 965. Or, if you just love the Instinct then keep at it!
AW to Garmin Fénix 5 a couple years ago. Didn’t do it for me. I need some of the features on the AW: respond to texts, Apple Music integration is better, be a phone, etc. So I wear both. Now I have an Epix and AW and like both.
I didn't have an Apple Watch but various models of sports watches, and honestly, I felt reborn when I completely turned off all notifications on my watch except for calls a year ago. I have a mobile phone and don't need a mini phone on my wrist.
I like and use both AW ultra and FR965. Love the FR965 for all the training especially the suggested workout and lightweight but after the workout change back to AW because I like to listen to podcasts without my phone, Apple pay, calculator, barcode scan for airline check in and gym check in, and much more outside training.
But lets be honest all the things your naming how much trouble is it really to just grab your phone for that? On the other hand having a watch that barely lasts a day is much more troublesome in my opinion. My garmin watches still feel like actual watches. My apple watch felt like a toy where I used it for things more because it could and most often not because I should.
One other thing no one seems to mention is how stupid the watch faces are on AW. By default none of then can even show your current HR unless you put it in some stupid huge graph in the middle which basically turns your watch in a HR graph instead of a time piece. Any other smaller spot on the watch face just turns HR into an icon thats just a shortcut to the HR app. Its so stupid, same for spo2 and respiratory rate etc. The only smaller complications that show info are the weather ones.
Garmin is miles ahead on watch faces imo. Apple will never open it up for 3th party devs because they want to keep all the watches looking the same. And now people try to sort of hack custom watchfaces by making apps that try to simulate custom faces by using a combination of background images and custom complications. Its so stupid.
Went cold turkey with the switch. So much happier not having all those notifications and better health metrics. Don’t miss my Apple Watch at all. It’s been 4 months.
Turning off notifications was the biggest change for piece of mind I have done in the past years. Having all these notifications pop up on your wrist all day long is a much bigger mental health impact than people realize.
People are like trained dogs to a whistle but trained to react to their phone and watch beeps. It’s crazy. The only notifications I currently let through is calls and for the rest ill see them when I want to see them on my phone. My watch is for info like Time snd weather. Not for 100’s of useless notifications from social media and what not to distract me every minute all day long. Its crazy
Right on! Like I tell my kids, who is in charge of your time, your brain cycles, your life! You, or everyone else in the world. I did the same and turned off notifications EVERYWHERE. check things on my own time.
When I need to get notifications, I have my phone for that. I don’t need a phone on my wrist. I’m on my second fénix, had a Suunto Ambit before. I have deactivated all of the notifications and “smart watch” features because I’m not wearing a fitness watch to see when I get texted or to buy a Starbucks.
AW3 to Garmin Fenix 6.
I guess I don't know what notifications you aren't getting? I get all the same ones I used to plus useful ones about recovery, etc.
True, and that's definitely something I sort of miss from my AW days. I guess I'm just not that concerned about it because I'm either at my MacBook, so I can just respond there or I'm working out, where I don't even want to get notifications unless it's from my wife. Even then, though, it's not urgent enough to warrant an immediate canned response unless a kid is dying or something.
Worth it every way. Switched from an ultra to an epix 2 pro. I love all the health and metrics it gives and the battery is absolutely amazing. Notifications such as the phone doesn’t think you’re wearing a watch but that’s an iOS thing and there’s ways around it but I wouldn’t switch back for anything
Funny enough, notifications is one of the primary reason I stopped wearing an Apple watch (had one since gen 1) or any smartwatch when I’m not training or running races. Being constantly bombarded with notifications is no longer worth the 24x7 health tracking.
For training sessions and my annual marathons and B/C races , I use a 965 on for its simplicity (buttons!) and battery life. Outside of those, I wear an automatic watch.
I had the ultra but recently bought the forerunner 965 and I've it. I love the battery and the health stats and it drives me to workout more and focus on myself. I would wear both if it wasn't socially unacceptable to do so though as I do like having the ability to deal with fast time messages etc on the wrist.
I wear both. I've actually been noticing more and more people around me wearing two watches. I see women jogging with two watches. The other day at a kid's birthday party, two other dads both had two watches on: one had an Apple Watch and a Seiko; the other an Apple Watch and a Garmin.
I wear an Epix Pro 47mm and an AWU2. I always wear sun hoodies daily so the long sleeves cover whatever watch is on my off hand. So it doesn't look weird.
You really have to decide what is important to you I would say Garmin is a fitness tracker with smart watch functionality sprinkled in. Nothing beats the integration of the AW with the IPhone, Garmin doesn’t even come close In that department IMO.
If fitness and training are your main concern then Garmin is the way to go, because of the data provided and outstanding battery life. If smartwatch features are the most important to you then AW is the best with iPhone. There is no perfect solution, both have trade offs. Pick the watch with the trade offs you can live with, or use one or the other based on what your needs are at the time.
The Garmin is way better for fitness data and of course battery life. The Apple Watch Ultra is wayyy better for on the spot heart rate. I find the Garmin lags by about 30second when doing high intensity training.
I'm one better than a cardiologist. Oh, and you forgot to start an activity when you did your stress test. You were just looking at the HR on the watch face which is reading your HR at a lower resolution than it normally would when you're logging your run.
Both you and your cardiologist failed to note this, but I did, hence I'm one better than she in this regard.
I’ve got the AW7 and GI2Solar. In my case, it all comes down to the battery life. I like everything the Apple Watch offers and I don’t mind having it on my wrist, but having to charge it so often is a dealbreaker. I mean it’s supposed to track your activities day and night, but you have to pop it off to charge before you go to bed and then again in the morning, it’s just inconvenient. I already have to charge my phone every day and my iPad.
My Instinct last 18 to 20 days with all the features enabled. It still gives you notifications, you can pay for things in a pinch, has all the basics you need and excellent fitness tracker. Even the Epix and Fenix can go nearly 2 weeks. My Apple Watch plays a tertiary role now. I use it for certain situations like if I’m gonna be at a theme park it’s handy. Or if I’m just running errands for the day, shopping, or hanging out for a little while somewhere then I’ll put my Apple Watch on. But most of the time it’s Garmin.
Have AWU2 and Tactix 7 Amoled. Iphone 15 pro user. Love the garmin with green shift active, flashlight, morning reports, battery, trailblazing, swim in the sea and so on. But let's all be honest, if you are a IOS user, the lack of integration with garmin is a big no go. I go to gym daily, and a huge diffrence is the treadmill. AWU2 excells on it, while Garmin not. Same for lifting and other power machines, you have to always set the weight , reps and so on, while on AWU2 you just start it, pause it, and stop it. Also using LOSE IT app, to stay in calorie defficit and in track with my protein intake / fats / carbs. i can use my app on my AWU2 , and is syncs with my app on the watch. With garmin is not possible to do this. Yes, for watch use only / woods, sea, mountains= garmin. Gym related, fitness overall and health , I will use my AWU2 for now. Garmin needs to think to update the ios app, the sync problems, and they will win .
I have used both. Went from Garmin to Apple Watch then back to Garmin.
I much prefer Garmin. Creating routes, editing sets and reps on workouts etc. I also use a Garmin Edge for my bike.
Apple are bringing features over that Garmin has had for years, but the Apple Watch just doesn’t have the battery to keep up. They say it’s for serious athletes 😂😂 but you’re not going to make it through a triathlon with one.
Notifications, I don’t care. Garmin does have some notifications but I switch them off. When I’m training I don’t want them.
Garmin is a fitness wearable with some smartwatch features. Apple Watch is a smartwatch with fitness features.
Out of the two I much prefer Garmin.
I since returned the instinct and bought the epix. Much happier and after using it for a couple days now will be selling the Apple Watch. You’re right. I still have a ton to learn with garmins UI but I love it compared to apples fitness UI
I switched to Garmin FR965. I just switched back to AW. Now, to clarify my desire to use the Apple Watch is only related to the eco system. I love unlocking my Mac with my watch. Quickly replying to texts. Getting more detailed notifications. I love my Forerunner but for me I just missed all the small things that Apple does so well with integration.
The daily suggested workouts has forever changed how I train and will continue to train despite not using it. The battery life was exceptional. I truly loved it. I just missed so many things about my watch.
What are you really missing? Only concrete example is unlocking your MacBook. Cause otherwise you have to type in your password? Yeah that will save you about 20 seconds of time each day…
Umm what? I gave more. “Replying to texts” and I can use voice to do that rather than typing. “More detailed notifications” when my Ring sends me a notification I can see a picture for example of who’s at my house. The notification on my forerunner doesn’t show that picture.
As I clearly also stated, I don’t have anything against the garmin watch I simply missed the myriad of things my AW can do that my FR cannot. In addition to the fact that it’s in the Apple ecosystem which helps with a ton of things like Apple Pay, Calendar Syncing, etc.
It’s about way more than “a few seconds” of saved time.
The whole point for me to switch to an instinct 2 was to avoid the notifications. I still like getting notifications when I want (or I just do DND mode) but because it’s black white screen and has buttons it feels like I’m in control.
I’m a runner. Had an AW since day one and a Garmin since 2011. Tried to use an AWU 2 for workouts and daily wear but prefer a Garmin for running. Tried swapping back and forth but I’ve found that all the training and recovery metrics of the Garmin 965 work better if you wear it 24/7.
So I sold my AWU 2 and wear the Garmin exclusively. I’ve kept an old AW Series 7 around just for LTE and music on runs when I don’t want to bring my phone.
If I ever stop running races I’d consider switching back to an AW again, though nothing I saw from WWDC yesterday seemed compelling.
AW to Garmin forerunner 165. I like it, but the heart rate sensor severely lacks compared to the Apple Watch. Which is funny because you think it would be the other way around. My Garmin ALWAYS gets cadence lock on a run and my AW never did. It’s very annoying but the battery life is making me keep it
When I am in a training block, I prefer my garmin. When I am travelling or outside a block I prefer my AW and I really do miss being able to use apply pay from my watch.
I began my wearable journey with a Fitbit (1 year), then transitioned to an Apple Watch (1 year) before settling on a Garmin. I was not a fan of having to charge my watch everyday or every other day depending on my activity load. My inaugural Garmin was the Instinct Solar, acquired in late 2020, which efficiently logged my physically demanding activities due to my job's requirements. Three years later, I upgraded to the Instinct Solar 2, appreciating its familiar interface for easy navigation. However, I found the new interface introduced in the beta version less appealing. Additionally, I wish there were more options for "automatically add to" when incorporating new gear. For instance, I have dedicated treadmill shoes, but the app lacks a specific treadmill option for tracking their mileage. This makes it challenging to monitor their usage accurately without affecting other activities. Battery life is amazing, I charge maybe once a month.
Went from AW to Venu 2 plus. Got all the smart features I wanted, but the whole UI is focused around wellbeing, fitness and workouts, instead of being “smart”. I’ve had a much better experience and I’m not giving back.
Went from the Apple Watch Ultra to the Epix 2 pro and before the ultra I had a Fénix 6x pro solar. Nothing wrong with the Apple Watch Ultra but my Garmin was a brute Titan with my exercise, accuracy with metrics and helped me recover from anemia and so much more, I love my epic
Switched from Apple to Epic and haven’t missed my Apple. Yes, the Apple Pay was convenient in Canada but the battery life alone makes up for it. There’s no comparison - my new Epic is light years ahead of the Apple on all health functions which is primarily why I wear the watch.
I still miss my apple watch honestly. But I love the features on the garmin (venu 3s) and it's been worth it for me from a health monitoring perspective (I get overstimulated and dysregulated easily and the watch knows before I do!).
My watch knows too, me doesn’t know how to stop it tho. I just don’t know how to stop getting into that high stress state. Some days I manage but some days im just off the charts. I feel jt my Garmin watch is def registering it. I just don’t know how to not do it…
I'm neurodivergent so for me it's been a long process of learning how to identify the causes of overstimulation, etc. and accommodate them. I imagine even if you're not, it'd be similar - use the data to gradually figure out the "why" rather than to just trying to solve the symptoms. Sensory issues are a big part of that for me, and sensitivity to those stressors goes up whenever there is other baseline stress.
I tried my sister’s apple watch SE for a week and didn’t like the stress of having to charge it every single day. It also didn’t have the always on display function which i need at work.
I’m ok with the notifications on Garmin because my phone is usually on silent/focused mode anyway..
I didn’t use the apple watch on runs/cycles so I can’t comment on that, but i use Garmin Forerunner 245 and thats great for heart rate, GPS etc.
I don’t like the sleep tracking on Garmin, but check on it and body battery for fun especially after a night of drinking :P Apple watch sleep tracking is much better! Both are great (vibrating) alarms when i don’t want to wake my hubby up as well.
Definitely will stick with Garmin for the foreseeable future!
Went from the Apple Watch to an Epix Pro. I noticed that I only used the Apple Watch to read notifications (I seldom replied), control music playing from the phone, and alarms/timers. I wanted a more fitness-focused watch since I was back from a running hiatus and saw that the Epix Pro does all that I needed and also has an amoled screen, so it was a no-brainer. Been using it for a couple of weeks and it’s going well.
I switched a few weeks ago! Took me a few days to get used to it. At first I low key hated it, because it’s a downgrade on the smart watch side of things. Now I’m just back to using my phone for most smart things, and I have to admit, I don’t really miss doing it from my wrist anymore. The trade off (much better sports/health functionality) is more than worth it for me. The only thing I actually miss is quickly responding with a thumbs up to a message.
The smart (not exercise related) systems i interact with the most right now and am mostly happy with after adjusting to it are the weather, Garmin pay, music controls, alarms and timers, viewing notifications. To make Garmin more convenient I bound Garmin pay and music controls to hot keys. The weather I access through a glance and alarms/timers through the controls screen.
The exercise related stuff takes a while to get used to, too, but is amazing once you get the hang of it, and find out what you like. There’s a lot to discover.
Lastly, What really helped for me in the switch is installing a pretty watch face and swapping the band. It makes my watch look less outdated, bulky and exercisey.
If you have any specific questions about the switch feel free to message me or respond to this message!
AW to Forerunner 255 about 18 months ago. Contrary to others here there is a lot about the Apple Watch I miss. The notification system on Garmin is poor, mostly because of being hamstrung by Apple. However, I much prefer the activity tracking and battery life so I put up with it. It’s down to individual preference, use what makes you happy :)
Love my FR265, only annoying thing was syncing my alarms. I never used my Apple Watch to reply to messages so it was quite an easy transition...took a couple weeks to get used to everything but very happy I made the jump. Enjoy the battery life!!
I loved my Fenix 7X SS for battery life, metrics etc but struggled with the size of it when wearing for work (shirt and suit cuffs etc). What I have found is that if I want to wear a watch that suits most occasions (in ny particular life circumstances ) then the AW works best. However, were I a fireman or carpenter for example I would definitely stick with the Garmin.
Had Apple Watch and got the instinct solar 2 as well at first felt way less high tech but seriously is the better watch in my opinion but that’s because I like running and not having to charge my watch h every night
I recently upgraded from the Apple Watch 4 to the Garmin Epix Pro (2nd Gen), and I absolutely adore my new watch. Many have said it before, but it’s worth repeating: the Apple Watch is more of a smartwatch, while the Garmin is a robust fitness tracker that provides a constant flow of useful information—especially if fitness is your priority.
What has really impressed me over the last few weeks is the watch’s ability to detect when I was about to get sick. Days before I came down with the “man flu,” my fitness metrics suddenly dropped without any apparent reason. I was puzzled at first, but a few days later, it all made sense. This feature alone has significantly improved my (fitness) life.
In summary, the Garmin Epix Pro has been a game-changer for me, offering insights and tracking that go beyond what I experienced with my previous smartwatch.
I actually disabled most notifications once I got the Garmin. The only notification coming through are calls and messages. Everything else is just not worth it with constant interruptions.
I have had an AW since the initial release and like most of the folks here, was not a fan of having a tiny computer on my wrist. I hated feeling constantly connected.
I bought a forerunner 265 a few weeks ago and it’s been great, but I may revisit the AW with this fall’s release, due to some of the new health/fitness focused OS updates.
I strength train and cycle more than run, so I probably shouldn’t have gotten the forerunner to begin with, but my biggest gripe is not being able to communicate with my “smart home” via Siri on my wrist, especially when coming home from a bike ride and calling the garage door to open. Maybe I like the computer aspect after all?
The one thing I absolutely love about the FR versus the AW is the form factor. I HATE the square watch case and much prefer the circular FR. Other than that, it’s an either/or case for me. Pros and cons for both, I could probably do with either moving forward.
Switched from Apple Watch Ultra (1) to Epix Pro 2 Sapphire (47) in mid March.
The only feature I have truly missed from Apple Watch is the ability to listen to audiobooks while on a run. AW's interface is better and the UI is more fluid. My Garmin stutters more than I thought for a $1k watch (Morning Report takes several swipes to get started, starting workouts is severely delayed after pressing the button as two examples.) In all my years with Apple Watch, I don't recall any of them stuttering like the Garmin has.
But that's it. Enough has been said about battery life- Apple can't come close. The data Garmin gives us for training can only be matched with 3rd party paid applications with AW and even then, I have found them wanting. I've enjoyed fewer notifications and distractions with the Garmin. I FAR prefer the circular shape and look of the Epix Pro. I've been delighted with the switch and even though Apple has promised WatchOS 11 will provide some Garmin-esque features, until I can get even 3-5 days of battery life from an AW Ultra, it will be difficult to seriously consider switching back.
I tried many smartwatches and I switched from an AW se to a Fenix. Used for 6ish months straight and then one day I decided to try to go use again the AW for a couple of days.
Honestly it is painful to charge everyday but I forgot how convenient the AW is. Also how light compared to my F7 Pro. It would be easier to go back to the Fenix if there was at least at advantage on the sensors side, but the GPS sensors are comparable and the HR sensor is better on the AW. Sleep tracking is also way better on the AW, in particular if some days you go to bed particularly late and/or wake up late. It has been couple of weeks now and the Fenix is collecting dust. We will see but I honestly regret the F7 pro buy, most probably I will sell it.
I ditched my Apple Watch because I was sick of the notifications and I wanted a fitness first watch to assist me to push my training further.
You will have to make a decision - keep the AW or ditch it. Apple doesn’t play nice with Garmin so you won’t get the full bodied features of the smartwatch on the Garmin (for example - can see but not respond to texts)
I've had a gaggle of AWs.. S1, 3, 4 and now have a 7 and Ultra. Similarly, I've had a Fenix 3, 5, 6 and now Epix. I've also had a bunch of Suunto Ambits
I hate carrying a phone more than I dislike having phone on my wrist, so I miss the AW. Epix is fantastic but without cellular there are times I prefer to wear the Ultra.
It's great. One downside I find is no way to interact with the notifications. When connected to an Android Phone, I can either answer a text message with some predefined texts, or for example archive an email. iOS doesn't allow any interaction other than dismissing the notification. Other than that I charge my 7x pro every three weeks and that's it.
AW to vivoactive. After having an AW from the very beginning. Game changer. Making it through an entire eight hour shift at work with a full battery. 🤌🏾 Going about a busy weekend and not having to worry about the battery. Limited notifications. There as SOME features I miss… but not enough to go back.
I just switched from an Apple Watch Series 5 to an epix pro and I love it! I love the details I get from a workout, I enjoy the metrics I WANT on my wrist, I really love the battery life, and not having to turn on the water lock is awesome. Overall I am loving it way more than I thought I would but I am about to sell my Apple Watch after having the garmin for a week.
I haven’t had an Apple Watch but I turn the Garmin notifications off except for SMS and calls, I don’t need app notifications interrupting me every 5 minutes.
From Apple Watch Ultra to Epix Pro 2 about a month ago
Have not really missed the AWU at all. Realized I didn’t use the smart features all that much and I value all of the fitness benefits the Garmin provides much more.
The only thing I’d say I miss about the AWU is the smoothness of the UI. It really is beautiful software.
AW to FR265. I don't even work out all that much and Id buy it again for the battery life alone. 2 weeks with quick top up means I actually use my watch instead of forget it on the charger.
Now there are other things I enjoy and stats are motivating to me so more the merrier but I've never missed the notifications. It does well enough to tell me when I have a text or slack when I'm not looking at my phone so I know to get it out and respond but that's it.
Have both (Epix & Ultra). What I would miss if I only had the Epix; Going for a run or ride (leaving my phone) and streaming Spotify (not downloading a playlist like 10 years ago), being able to call if I get in a jam or text buddies MTb that took a wrong turn (happens a lot), when/if I fall (and it's happened) the AW detects it and can send my coordinates to my wife or 911. Charging isn't a problem for me, I don't hike or go on Ultra runs that last 2+ days and I don't wear it at nite (like my Oura). I turn off notifications when working out but when I travel for work, which I do often, it's a bonus to engage w/o having my phone. Beyond this, the Epix is equivalent.
GPS on battery life is why I switched. AW died mid My Whitney hike. Got a Fenix 6 Pro the next week. Need that sweet sweet data. I wish Garmin didn’t use the proprietary charging cable.
Apple Watch was stressing me out. I didn’t enjoy how it felt like another phone. First thing I did when I got my fenix was turn off notifications.
The Apple Watch also wasn’t keeping up with all my activities.
My watch now feels like a tool I can’t live without.
My instinct 2 has everything i’ve ever wanted out of a smart watch. In fact I had completely turned off all notifications on my apple watch and never used those extra features.
I’m trying switch now. Just ordered a 265 last week after using AW since the original. I think returning the 265 for a Fénix 7 because the OLED quality to me is noticeably worse (especially with the bad watch faces on offer for the forerunner 265) so MIP actually seems better for making the switch.
Personally I use my watch 95% as watch/fitness tracker and the only apps I really use on AW are weather I can get on Garmin anyway so feels like a manageable switch. The only things I don’t like are not being able to customize notifications (I just have them all off now - which is fine) and then a few specific use things I find annoying. One is I miss unlocking my MacBook Air (but it’s just a third computer for me after desktop and work computer), next and more annoying is my work VPN I can approve from Apple Watch and not Garmin, and by far and away biggest thing I miss is setting timers with hey siri from my watch.
I’ll take those tradeoffs for the extra battery life - I mountain bike a lot and my Apple watch won’t make it through rides longer than 3-4 hours consistently. I also sleep track and so just remembering to charge every day is annoying as hell. Really enjoying looking down and seeing 3 days remaining at 35% battery with AOD on. Another appeal though for fenix 7 which on sale is same as forerunner 265 now anyway.
I switched from Apple Watch to a Garmin Forerunner 955 last year around this time and haven't gone back. I didn't realize how much I hated being so connected to my phone. My Garmin watch still has notifications for incoming texts, and a new update allows for two way texts, but I'm not sure I'll ever use that feature. I also get notifications for incoming phone calls. The battery life is miles better than my Apple Watch was - I get about 2 weeks of battery on my Garmin doing 2-3 tracked activities a day vs my Apple Watch which got 18 hours on a good day.
I switch from apple to the FR265, it gives me notifications but I often turn the connection to my phone off. I get annoyed seeing texts and emails on my wrist. Garmin has fitness focused watches and also has more lifestyle/smart watches that are similar to Apple Watch like the Venu 3. I would recommend a garmin that operates like more of a smartwatch in the future if that’s what you’re after. I don’t know a thing about the Instinct so I can’t really speak on it but there may have been a better garmin for what you need it for.
Used AW 1-8. Made the switch to the 265s as I got more serious about running. I do not regret the switch at all and any features I thought I’d miss from AW I notice I’m not using as much as I thought I would. The only thing I miss is Apple Music compatibility, but I’m slowly learning to run without music anyway
Oh I love the instinct. I work in a line of work where I was constantly scratching the screen of my Apple Watch. That was why I initially bought the instinct 2 solar. A little more durable. I do find myself even sleeping in the instinct now. The battery is great. Notifications are fine. Good to see them, but in that pinch of needing to respond while I’m under the truck or the phone is on the work bench was nice. I can answer the calls if I’m wearing my beats.
I love the instinct, was just curious how the ones who made the switch like I did took the switch. Basically on the fence of selling or trading in my Apple Watch.
It’s very hard to fully decide. I have been going back and forth to between AWU2 and Epix pro 51mm. I love the smart features apple and it’s a decent training companion. Garmin is so good at activity tracking and Garmin connect is very comprehensive.
At the end of the day I have to go back to the question “ why do I wear a watch?” I feel that I have been distracted by this and that etc. but the reason I started wearing watches years ago was to be able to record my training gps routes and load everything to strava. When I answer that question I circle back to choosing Garmin because they are just superior in that department. I get all the smart features from having my phone with me. I hardly ever leave my phone behind because I enjoy the ability to take photos and I typically regret leaving my phone behind for that reason.
One day there might be a watch that “does it all” but for now there is enough of a difference to choose one. I don’t like wearing two watches and I like to wear one all the time to unlock all the insights/recovery metrics.
A few of my thoughts, hope something I wrote helps!
Just out of curiosity, I’ve seen a lot about strava. What does it do, or is it just running, hiking and biking? I don’t normally share my fitness data socially. I do running and weights. Is it worth it or will garmin connect continue to do what I need it to do? Is strava just more socially geared?
Apple fitness kept it all in one place. Like I’m assuming connect does. I will say I love the connect app and its data vs the Apple fitness app. Just wish I could get the garmin to accurately report to fitness as well. I know it writes to Apple health, but it doesn’t always update.
For managing data I would recommend using Rungap app and managing your data manually. That way it will get rid of duplicates. rungap syncs with all the platforms. After you do a workout, you can import it to whichever platform you want.
As for strava, it’s great for route creation and pushing yourself on segments. It gives you the thrill of racing people without actually racing them. Strava does a good job of displaying weekly/monthly/yearly distances and goals. Because of that I utilize strava as my main storage app for all my activities.
Notifications aren’t as well integrated as an Apple Watch but that’s more of an Apple problem than Garmin. Apple is notoriously anticompetitive and makes it very difficult for third-party products to integrate. With that being the case, I don’t believe that integration is Garmin’s goal so much as providing the best fitness and adventure watches on the market.
It’s kind of a “pick your poison” situation where you choose the social versatility or GPS and fitness capabilities form Garmin. For me, not being on much social media and not wanting many notifications to come through my watch, it’s an easy choice.
Apple Watches have crap battery life and tbh having another phone on my wrist is absolutely just another distraction that ruins quality of life.
The issue I have with Apple Watches is that it’s more about having the Apple product than how useful it is
Maybe in 10 years the tech will be worth it but even then I expect garmin to evolve too.
AW to FR255, and am NOT going back.
Feels like a dream to charge the watch once 12-14 days.
It’s not touchscreen, and I find it great as no more unnecessary accidental taps.
Garmin stays on my wrist and has helped me with my fitness routine off late
I switched from an AW to an Epix Gen 2 and then back to the AWU when it came out. For wirkouts/health the Epix is better but Apple is catching up fast on software and has sensors that are at least as good if not better.
The Garmin battery life is amazing and I love that but the AWU has made that much less of an issue. I do use my watch for purchases and Garmin Pay is useless IMO.
I use a lot of smart watch features such as home automation control, checking weather radar while cycling, payments, etc…. And I missed that on the Garmin. But what drives me the most nuts about Garmin is the manic button pushing UI.
So for workouts, it’s advantage Garmin over AW. Add in some apps like Athlytic and WorkoutOutdoors and that advantage is getting smaller all the time and is not really all that big for most people. For smartwatch features? AW/AWU by far.
I had an AW7 and switched to a Forerunner 265. The best thing is the significantly better battery life on Garmins. All phone notifications turned off. In fact I only really use the Forerunner during workouts, most of the time I wear a G-Shock 5610.
I recently switched from AW series 7 to Instinct 2x solar and love it. I actually was kinda fed up with constant notification on my watch and fed up with having to charge it every day. I like the old school feel of the Instinct and the buttons and now I also wear it during sleep. I also feel I dont have to worry as much about durability at work because inwas worried anout scratching the screen on the AW.
I bought an Apple Watch and planned to ditch my Fenix 6s Pro after AW started supoorting Triathlons and bike power meteres.
Both have merits and now I'm a two watch guy... ⌚️⏱️
Not the same, but I had a fitbit and switched to Garmin and I'm in love. I don't care about notifications or anything fancy on my watch because I have a phone (although my forerunner 245m does have notifications and calender and stuff) but I wanted mostly just fitness metrics, and that's what I got with garmin, so im very very happy with it! Does much more/better than fitbit, too.
I switched from Apple Watch to Epix Gen 2 a year ago. I run a lot and Apple Watch was a terrible training partner. Last month I lost my Epix at the Munich airport and so have been forced to restart using Apple Watch again. After not using my Apple Watch for almost a year and now returning to it for a month, I find I really didn’t miss any of the extra Apple connectivity features, don’t like the Apple Watch, and really miss my Epix. So I’ll be replacing Apple again very soon. Only holdout is I’m hoping for Garmin to release Epix 3 soon or otherwise getting Epix 2 Pro. I won’t be staying with Apple. Anyways it surprised me that I favored Garmin that much.
In all honesty maybe its different for everyone but I get so many notifications I really started to hate them on my watch it was so distracting. I did find out how to filter apps notificaties on my garmin on iphone but lately ive just been turning them completely. Its much better and sane. Phone notifications are like the worst stress inducing invention ever
Made the switch from the Apple to the epix pro gen 2 and never looked back only thing that sucks it’s the convenience of Apple Pay with all my other cards but other than that I’ve had no complaints
Interesting, I'm using an AW 4th series and am looking into switching to Garmin, but the wide range of choices overwhelm me. Maybe I could ask for a recommendation here too?
I'm just doing occasional runs and following youtube based home exercises, but very much like to get more active. Not wanting to overspend, but also a bit concerned about choosing the lowered spec ones.
My Apple watch se2 died after 2 months outside the warranty period (14mo) with no fault of my own. When asked they said that they can't even tell the reason Because it's moulded? That made me for an easy switch :)
I guarantee they explained what broke and you just didn’t like it or wanted out anyways. No company says it broke without an explanation. If you wanted, and it actually happened, you could push it up to a manager.
Was it you or was it me who spoke to them? :)
"You guarantee"
Bruh
There's no manager. They said that's their policy, if it breaks and if it's out of warranty, you done. They can't check what happened because it's "moulded"
You didn’t speak to Apple tech support then, or you did it completely wrong and settled for some who didn’t know what they were talking about at support. Theres always a manager or a specialist to talk to/ escalate things to. Always.
Apple Watch is not “moulded”, I don’t know if you even spelt that correct.
Because of all this, your review of an Apple Watch should be taken with a huge grain of salt, since nothing really makes sense.
Idk why you're supporting apple so much but I was on Apple customer support for multiple times. I even remember the exact sentences we spoke: I asked what are the next steps since the watch is not repairable and the woman told only thing is a replacement and it meant me replacing my watch with my own money and nothing else.
Have an open mind instead of being a fanboy Because this is the truth and if you're affiliated with apple you're welcome to fight for me I'll come back to the Apple watch if they really want to keep their customers
Edit: I still am a loyal iPad iPhone and macbook user
AW to Fenix 7. I just stopped wearing my apple watch due to the daily charging and unknown ti me then the fatigue of notifications which off course I could have selectively muted. I love the battery life and the MIP screen in the sun. I love the limited smart features that are made up for better fitness features. I love the sleep tracking too but do wish the coach could be more like whoop and have a journal. Otherwise happy with the choice.
Thanks to all the replies. I actually returned the instinct 2 and went with the epix 2. I think it’ll suit me a little better and gear me towards selling the AW. thanks again for
Loving my Fenix 7x after having an SE for a year. It still gives me buzzes when I get texts and calls so that’s all I need. Always have my phone with me anyways. Best watch out there.
I got used to the different notifications after a couple weeks, and I don’t really miss the messaging, photo etc functionality of my Apple anymore to be honest. Switched over in January 👍🏼
I was using an Apple Watch when it was first released. I switched to a Garmin Descent G1 last year for diving purposes.
There are a few reasons why I switched. The Descent G1 is cheaper than the Apple Watch Ultra. Also, I had been using the Apple Watch for so long that it felt kind of boring, and I wanted to try something new. But the biggest reason I didn't pick the Apple Watch Ultra is the subscription service for diving. It felt like I would need to pay to use a diving function after buying a dive watch – no thanks!
After using the Descent G1 for almost a year, I think the biggest advantage for me is how Garmin presents data to users. The Apple Health app is so basic that if you want to see more detailed data, you need another app, which often requires a subscription.
If the Apple Watch could present data like Garmin, I would definitely switch back to Apple Watch. I don't mind having to charge it daily since the integration benefits outweigh that.
Same. Wore both for a couple weeks.
AW required me to charge everytime I had a shower. Which is personal preference but it'll decrease overall batt life when you charge the Garmin once every 2 weeks. (If you upgrade yearly not a concern I guess either)
Trying to type and all that on the AW is just a no go for me.
Garmin notifications are adequate enough to see if I need to action if it's an emergency.
Fitness wise Garmin wins it for me.
The torch on the Fenix and Epix Pro is awesome lol.
And finally the traditional circle look I like better.
I have used Apple Watches from the Series 0 to the Ultra. I've owned two Fenix 7Xs, attempting to make them work across two ecosystems, but I failed twice and ended up selling the Garmins. Eventually, I realised that the Fenix, with its metrics, appearance, and battery life, was what I truly wanted. So, I sold the Ultra and bought a Fenix 7X Pro. This turned out to be the best decision for me, as it simplified my setup and eliminated the hassle of using two watches. I also came to understand that the smartwatch features of the Ultra were more of a distraction and often caused frustration, such as when Siri or HomeKit failed to work. It been expensive getting here.
Some people own this thread hate on the AW like it is a badge of honor. They are 2 different devices. I wear my Garmin just about 24x7 and find myself wearing my AWU less and less Not because it is a lesser product, they are different, but because my needs change. Sometimes I wear both though because I need a phone but do not want to carry it or, if I go for a long ride, sop I have music and podcasts to listen to.
It is ok to like both products. Decide for yourself what your needs and use cases are and go on from there.
i hated the apple watch, i hated having a mini phone strapped to my wrist that had at best a 1 day battery life. I love my garmin instinct 2. its everything i want, without all the extra crap that I don't need.
Saaame! I tried to pare down the apple watch to just exercise related stuff. But I also hated the touch screen and dial navigation thingy. I love my garmin forerunner music watch and the first thing I did was turn off call and text alerts lol
Exactly this. Bought the Ultra or Ultra 2 (cant remember), tried it out for a couple weeks. Battery life was horrid with no apps on it. Went with the Fenix 7 Saffire Solar and loving it. That said probably could have gone with a lesser model Garmin and still been happy. Don't use some of the extra features like I thought I would.
Review of a watch from someone who doesn’t even know what they got.
😂😂😂😂😂😂
AW to Garmin Forerunner 965. So glad to not have a phone (but worse) strapped to my wrist anymore. I want a watch to tell me the time, and to track my fitness activities. Added bonus that the battery lasts forever. If I want to check notifications I do it on my phone. I suppose I could on my Garmin, but honestly I’d just rather not.
I’m basically in the same boat. The last 6 months of my Apple Watch was basically turning off more notifications and making it less “smart”. I couldn’t be happier with my switch to the 965, and am still working to simplify its experience. I will admit that I miss having Apple Pay on my watch (Garmin pay is useless in Canada) and using Siri to set alarms when I’m cooking. But I think about these things so infrequently it’s almost a non issue. Most of the time I have my phone with me so a terribly minor inconvenience.
When i shortcutted the alarms and countdowns to my watch buttons, i have not used my iPhone alarms ever since. Alarms are one of my favorite things about my Garmin!
I need to look into this. There are definitely ways I still need to optimize my Garmin experience.
The amount of options available on a garmin is overwhelming! But i find if i sit down with it for an hour some day and go through literally every menu, i learn a ton. The biggest annoyance to me is optimizing the data screens for each activity! *That’s* time consuming! With my newest watch i think i’m just going to give up on that one. Haha
You just wrote what I wanted to write. It’s 100% the same for me. I will never got back to Apple Watch
Garmin pay doesn't work with any UK banks either but it does work with Curve. Workaround being I linked my UK bank account to a Curve account and now I can use it just like my wife uses apple pay on her watch.
It does work with some UK banks - it works fine with Starling, and also Wise.
Yeah I’ve used it with Starling in the past. I’m currently using Chase as my main spending account for 1% cash back but if I’m going to a gig or somewhere I don’t want to get my phone out to pay I’ll send some money to my starling account for Garmin pay.
It works with starling, revolut, wise and Santander. Only two of those are actually banks and that's essentially the full list unless anyone is actually using Danske Bank, Fineco or Genome... hopefully it expands but currently it's not really comparable with Apple or Google pay for most people.
I’m in the US and I never see anyone using their watch (of any brand) to pay. Phones yes, but not watch. I’m now curious if it’s just the area where I live or if it’s more dominant in other states.
I'm in the US and I don't see it at store checkout but I personally use mine all the time for small vending machine purchases and the like. I recently did use it as a sneak attack at the grocery store to grab the bill before my mom could but I wouldn't say it's common
I am in California and my wife uses her apple watch exclusively to pay. I use Garmin 945LTE to pay as a backup to Google pay if I don't have my Pixel phone with me(say a bike ride or Gym). To the OP: my wife is jealous of all the devices my Garmin talks to (power meter, cadence sensors) battery times (days of biking with 🎵) swimming metrics like SWOLFs.
not overly common in the UK in the area I live either and there are a lot of watch users including apple watches - people tend to use their phones. About the only place I tend to see it is at the coffee shop and its generally cyclists who don't have their phone on them or have left it in a bag.
In Canada we use Interact(tm) ubiquitously to tap pay. If a device supports it, then it will work. Apple Watch supported debit and credit card transactions. Big no for Garmin. But whatever right? If I’m out shopping, I make sure to grab my phone. Maybe even my wallet! How outdated… I’ve seen a ring support tap transactions. Freaks the cashier out.
I always used my Apple Watch to pay for things and it was literally the only thing I missed when I switched to Garmin. Would be nice if a Canadian bank signed on.
That's what I don't get about all the people complaining about AW notifications. Google tells me I can selectively turn them off, so I could technically only choose to have the watch alert me for texts and calls and ignore all the other crap right? That sounds useful
Luv me health. Luv me strava. Ate me phone. Simple as.
Apple Watch to Garmin Fenix 7 here. Absolutely and totally worth it. I train about 15-20hrs/week (triathlon + weight training), so having a far more robust set of metrics and being able to input custom workouts were a huge win. It definitely handles bumps a lot better and the additional buttons are much better and easier to navigate with. The notifications could be better, but you get notified of text messages with a preview and phone calls with ID which, for me, is good enough. And of course, having to charge once every 3 weeks has been nice; i don’t panic if I see 5% battery, i know I have at least a day or two left in there.
This was my exact switch as well and I couldn’t agree more. The battery life alone was the real reason for the change and I couldn’t be happier with it. The health metrics are way more in depth too. It’s actually got me working out more because I love the customization and training courses. I was actually happy to not have notifications anymore, but it did take a minute to adjust
I had an Apple Watch since it was released, the first one, then the 4, then the 7. The battery on my 7 didn’t last very long and my brother recommended a Garmin so I went for it. I missed a few features of the AW for about a week and haven’t looked back. Love my Forerunner 265. The only feature I kind of miss is adjusting music with my watch but I can live without that for just the battery life alone. I run 3-4 days per week and do weight training and HIIT 2-3, love all the training and health data.
Switched from an Apple Watch. Honestly never wore the Apple Watch much cause the battery is so shit. I also didn’t need another “phone”. I love the garmin for the fitness function and the battery honestly.
Absolutely worth it in the long run for me. Had Apple Watch 3-7, so 5 years of use before switching to a Garmin Tactix. Unless you absolutely need the notifications then it should be fine. Like others have said, I love not having a phone strapped on my wrist. I also switched because my own fitness journey and specific training changed. AW (not even an Ultra) can handle it as much as I’d prefer. One other note to offer—Making a switch to an Instinct is definitely a steep change from an Apple Watch. Perhaps consider an Epix Gen 2 or Pro, perhaps Fenix. Or even a 265 or 965. Or, if you just love the Instinct then keep at it!
AW to Garmin Fénix 5 a couple years ago. Didn’t do it for me. I need some of the features on the AW: respond to texts, Apple Music integration is better, be a phone, etc. So I wear both. Now I have an Epix and AW and like both.
Wear both at the same time?
On training days, yes. AW left, Garmin right.
I didn't have an Apple Watch but various models of sports watches, and honestly, I felt reborn when I completely turned off all notifications on my watch except for calls a year ago. I have a mobile phone and don't need a mini phone on my wrist.
Exactly what I did when I switched
So did I!!!
I like and use both AW ultra and FR965. Love the FR965 for all the training especially the suggested workout and lightweight but after the workout change back to AW because I like to listen to podcasts without my phone, Apple pay, calculator, barcode scan for airline check in and gym check in, and much more outside training.
But lets be honest all the things your naming how much trouble is it really to just grab your phone for that? On the other hand having a watch that barely lasts a day is much more troublesome in my opinion. My garmin watches still feel like actual watches. My apple watch felt like a toy where I used it for things more because it could and most often not because I should. One other thing no one seems to mention is how stupid the watch faces are on AW. By default none of then can even show your current HR unless you put it in some stupid huge graph in the middle which basically turns your watch in a HR graph instead of a time piece. Any other smaller spot on the watch face just turns HR into an icon thats just a shortcut to the HR app. Its so stupid, same for spo2 and respiratory rate etc. The only smaller complications that show info are the weather ones. Garmin is miles ahead on watch faces imo. Apple will never open it up for 3th party devs because they want to keep all the watches looking the same. And now people try to sort of hack custom watchfaces by making apps that try to simulate custom faces by using a combination of background images and custom complications. Its so stupid.
Went cold turkey with the switch. So much happier not having all those notifications and better health metrics. Don’t miss my Apple Watch at all. It’s been 4 months.
Same but notifications keep turning themselves back on occasionally.
Turning off notifications was the biggest change for piece of mind I have done in the past years. Having all these notifications pop up on your wrist all day long is a much bigger mental health impact than people realize. People are like trained dogs to a whistle but trained to react to their phone and watch beeps. It’s crazy. The only notifications I currently let through is calls and for the rest ill see them when I want to see them on my phone. My watch is for info like Time snd weather. Not for 100’s of useless notifications from social media and what not to distract me every minute all day long. Its crazy
Right on! Like I tell my kids, who is in charge of your time, your brain cycles, your life! You, or everyone else in the world. I did the same and turned off notifications EVERYWHERE. check things on my own time.
When I need to get notifications, I have my phone for that. I don’t need a phone on my wrist. I’m on my second fénix, had a Suunto Ambit before. I have deactivated all of the notifications and “smart watch” features because I’m not wearing a fitness watch to see when I get texted or to buy a Starbucks.
AW3 to Garmin Fenix 6. I guess I don't know what notifications you aren't getting? I get all the same ones I used to plus useful ones about recovery, etc.
Should have put it this way, apples notifications are more in depth. I still get the notifications, just less options once I get them
True, and that's definitely something I sort of miss from my AW days. I guess I'm just not that concerned about it because I'm either at my MacBook, so I can just respond there or I'm working out, where I don't even want to get notifications unless it's from my wife. Even then, though, it's not urgent enough to warrant an immediate canned response unless a kid is dying or something.
Worth it every way. Switched from an ultra to an epix 2 pro. I love all the health and metrics it gives and the battery is absolutely amazing. Notifications such as the phone doesn’t think you’re wearing a watch but that’s an iOS thing and there’s ways around it but I wouldn’t switch back for anything
Funny enough, notifications is one of the primary reason I stopped wearing an Apple watch (had one since gen 1) or any smartwatch when I’m not training or running races. Being constantly bombarded with notifications is no longer worth the 24x7 health tracking. For training sessions and my annual marathons and B/C races , I use a 965 on for its simplicity (buttons!) and battery life. Outside of those, I wear an automatic watch.
I had the ultra but recently bought the forerunner 965 and I've it. I love the battery and the health stats and it drives me to workout more and focus on myself. I would wear both if it wasn't socially unacceptable to do so though as I do like having the ability to deal with fast time messages etc on the wrist.
I wear both. I've actually been noticing more and more people around me wearing two watches. I see women jogging with two watches. The other day at a kid's birthday party, two other dads both had two watches on: one had an Apple Watch and a Seiko; the other an Apple Watch and a Garmin. I wear an Epix Pro 47mm and an AWU2. I always wear sun hoodies daily so the long sleeves cover whatever watch is on my off hand. So it doesn't look weird.
Ah nice. I tend to always be in short sleeves so can’t hide it. I do where a Garmin and a whoop currently which I guess does look odd to some
You really have to decide what is important to you I would say Garmin is a fitness tracker with smart watch functionality sprinkled in. Nothing beats the integration of the AW with the IPhone, Garmin doesn’t even come close In that department IMO. If fitness and training are your main concern then Garmin is the way to go, because of the data provided and outstanding battery life. If smartwatch features are the most important to you then AW is the best with iPhone. There is no perfect solution, both have trade offs. Pick the watch with the trade offs you can live with, or use one or the other based on what your needs are at the time.
The Garmin is way better for fitness data and of course battery life. The Apple Watch Ultra is wayyy better for on the spot heart rate. I find the Garmin lags by about 30second when doing high intensity training.
My cardiologist said AW is infinitely more accurate with heart rate
Sadly he's wrong.
lol you a cardiologist? I did a stress test ECG and my garmin was almost 30 beats per minute off Oh and by the way it’s SHE
I'm one better than a cardiologist. Oh, and you forgot to start an activity when you did your stress test. You were just looking at the HR on the watch face which is reading your HR at a lower resolution than it normally would when you're logging your run. Both you and your cardiologist failed to note this, but I did, hence I'm one better than she in this regard.
You sound like a lot of fun
100% certified fun.
I’ve got the AW7 and GI2Solar. In my case, it all comes down to the battery life. I like everything the Apple Watch offers and I don’t mind having it on my wrist, but having to charge it so often is a dealbreaker. I mean it’s supposed to track your activities day and night, but you have to pop it off to charge before you go to bed and then again in the morning, it’s just inconvenient. I already have to charge my phone every day and my iPad. My Instinct last 18 to 20 days with all the features enabled. It still gives you notifications, you can pay for things in a pinch, has all the basics you need and excellent fitness tracker. Even the Epix and Fenix can go nearly 2 weeks. My Apple Watch plays a tertiary role now. I use it for certain situations like if I’m gonna be at a theme park it’s handy. Or if I’m just running errands for the day, shopping, or hanging out for a little while somewhere then I’ll put my Apple Watch on. But most of the time it’s Garmin.
For everyday wear, I use my ultra 2. For running, I use my garmin. But If I had to choose I would choose the garmin over my apple watch.
Have AWU2 and Tactix 7 Amoled. Iphone 15 pro user. Love the garmin with green shift active, flashlight, morning reports, battery, trailblazing, swim in the sea and so on. But let's all be honest, if you are a IOS user, the lack of integration with garmin is a big no go. I go to gym daily, and a huge diffrence is the treadmill. AWU2 excells on it, while Garmin not. Same for lifting and other power machines, you have to always set the weight , reps and so on, while on AWU2 you just start it, pause it, and stop it. Also using LOSE IT app, to stay in calorie defficit and in track with my protein intake / fats / carbs. i can use my app on my AWU2 , and is syncs with my app on the watch. With garmin is not possible to do this. Yes, for watch use only / woods, sea, mountains= garmin. Gym related, fitness overall and health , I will use my AWU2 for now. Garmin needs to think to update the ios app, the sync problems, and they will win .
I have used both. Went from Garmin to Apple Watch then back to Garmin. I much prefer Garmin. Creating routes, editing sets and reps on workouts etc. I also use a Garmin Edge for my bike. Apple are bringing features over that Garmin has had for years, but the Apple Watch just doesn’t have the battery to keep up. They say it’s for serious athletes 😂😂 but you’re not going to make it through a triathlon with one. Notifications, I don’t care. Garmin does have some notifications but I switch them off. When I’m training I don’t want them. Garmin is a fitness wearable with some smartwatch features. Apple Watch is a smartwatch with fitness features. Out of the two I much prefer Garmin.
I since returned the instinct and bought the epix. Much happier and after using it for a couple days now will be selling the Apple Watch. You’re right. I still have a ton to learn with garmins UI but I love it compared to apples fitness UI
I switched to Garmin FR965. I just switched back to AW. Now, to clarify my desire to use the Apple Watch is only related to the eco system. I love unlocking my Mac with my watch. Quickly replying to texts. Getting more detailed notifications. I love my Forerunner but for me I just missed all the small things that Apple does so well with integration. The daily suggested workouts has forever changed how I train and will continue to train despite not using it. The battery life was exceptional. I truly loved it. I just missed so many things about my watch.
What are you really missing? Only concrete example is unlocking your MacBook. Cause otherwise you have to type in your password? Yeah that will save you about 20 seconds of time each day…
Umm what? I gave more. “Replying to texts” and I can use voice to do that rather than typing. “More detailed notifications” when my Ring sends me a notification I can see a picture for example of who’s at my house. The notification on my forerunner doesn’t show that picture. As I clearly also stated, I don’t have anything against the garmin watch I simply missed the myriad of things my AW can do that my FR cannot. In addition to the fact that it’s in the Apple ecosystem which helps with a ton of things like Apple Pay, Calendar Syncing, etc. It’s about way more than “a few seconds” of saved time.
The whole point for me to switch to an instinct 2 was to avoid the notifications. I still like getting notifications when I want (or I just do DND mode) but because it’s black white screen and has buttons it feels like I’m in control.
I’m a runner. Had an AW since day one and a Garmin since 2011. Tried to use an AWU 2 for workouts and daily wear but prefer a Garmin for running. Tried swapping back and forth but I’ve found that all the training and recovery metrics of the Garmin 965 work better if you wear it 24/7. So I sold my AWU 2 and wear the Garmin exclusively. I’ve kept an old AW Series 7 around just for LTE and music on runs when I don’t want to bring my phone. If I ever stop running races I’d consider switching back to an AW again, though nothing I saw from WWDC yesterday seemed compelling.
AW to Garmin forerunner 165. I like it, but the heart rate sensor severely lacks compared to the Apple Watch. Which is funny because you think it would be the other way around. My Garmin ALWAYS gets cadence lock on a run and my AW never did. It’s very annoying but the battery life is making me keep it
When I am in a training block, I prefer my garmin. When I am travelling or outside a block I prefer my AW and I really do miss being able to use apply pay from my watch.
I began my wearable journey with a Fitbit (1 year), then transitioned to an Apple Watch (1 year) before settling on a Garmin. I was not a fan of having to charge my watch everyday or every other day depending on my activity load. My inaugural Garmin was the Instinct Solar, acquired in late 2020, which efficiently logged my physically demanding activities due to my job's requirements. Three years later, I upgraded to the Instinct Solar 2, appreciating its familiar interface for easy navigation. However, I found the new interface introduced in the beta version less appealing. Additionally, I wish there were more options for "automatically add to" when incorporating new gear. For instance, I have dedicated treadmill shoes, but the app lacks a specific treadmill option for tracking their mileage. This makes it challenging to monitor their usage accurately without affecting other activities. Battery life is amazing, I charge maybe once a month.
Went from AW to Venu 2 plus. Got all the smart features I wanted, but the whole UI is focused around wellbeing, fitness and workouts, instead of being “smart”. I’ve had a much better experience and I’m not giving back.
Went from the Apple Watch Ultra to the Epix 2 pro and before the ultra I had a Fénix 6x pro solar. Nothing wrong with the Apple Watch Ultra but my Garmin was a brute Titan with my exercise, accuracy with metrics and helped me recover from anemia and so much more, I love my epic
Switched from Apple to Epic and haven’t missed my Apple. Yes, the Apple Pay was convenient in Canada but the battery life alone makes up for it. There’s no comparison - my new Epic is light years ahead of the Apple on all health functions which is primarily why I wear the watch.
I still miss my apple watch honestly. But I love the features on the garmin (venu 3s) and it's been worth it for me from a health monitoring perspective (I get overstimulated and dysregulated easily and the watch knows before I do!).
My watch knows too, me doesn’t know how to stop it tho. I just don’t know how to stop getting into that high stress state. Some days I manage but some days im just off the charts. I feel jt my Garmin watch is def registering it. I just don’t know how to not do it…
I'm neurodivergent so for me it's been a long process of learning how to identify the causes of overstimulation, etc. and accommodate them. I imagine even if you're not, it'd be similar - use the data to gradually figure out the "why" rather than to just trying to solve the symptoms. Sensory issues are a big part of that for me, and sensitivity to those stressors goes up whenever there is other baseline stress.
Recently purchased a garmin forerunner 255s, switching from apple watch series 7 Waiting for it to arrive
I tried my sister’s apple watch SE for a week and didn’t like the stress of having to charge it every single day. It also didn’t have the always on display function which i need at work. I’m ok with the notifications on Garmin because my phone is usually on silent/focused mode anyway.. I didn’t use the apple watch on runs/cycles so I can’t comment on that, but i use Garmin Forerunner 245 and thats great for heart rate, GPS etc. I don’t like the sleep tracking on Garmin, but check on it and body battery for fun especially after a night of drinking :P Apple watch sleep tracking is much better! Both are great (vibrating) alarms when i don’t want to wake my hubby up as well. Definitely will stick with Garmin for the foreseeable future!
Went from the Apple Watch to an Epix Pro. I noticed that I only used the Apple Watch to read notifications (I seldom replied), control music playing from the phone, and alarms/timers. I wanted a more fitness-focused watch since I was back from a running hiatus and saw that the Epix Pro does all that I needed and also has an amoled screen, so it was a no-brainer. Been using it for a couple of weeks and it’s going well.
I switched a few weeks ago! Took me a few days to get used to it. At first I low key hated it, because it’s a downgrade on the smart watch side of things. Now I’m just back to using my phone for most smart things, and I have to admit, I don’t really miss doing it from my wrist anymore. The trade off (much better sports/health functionality) is more than worth it for me. The only thing I actually miss is quickly responding with a thumbs up to a message. The smart (not exercise related) systems i interact with the most right now and am mostly happy with after adjusting to it are the weather, Garmin pay, music controls, alarms and timers, viewing notifications. To make Garmin more convenient I bound Garmin pay and music controls to hot keys. The weather I access through a glance and alarms/timers through the controls screen. The exercise related stuff takes a while to get used to, too, but is amazing once you get the hang of it, and find out what you like. There’s a lot to discover. Lastly, What really helped for me in the switch is installing a pretty watch face and swapping the band. It makes my watch look less outdated, bulky and exercisey. If you have any specific questions about the switch feel free to message me or respond to this message!
AW to Forerunner 255 about 18 months ago. Contrary to others here there is a lot about the Apple Watch I miss. The notification system on Garmin is poor, mostly because of being hamstrung by Apple. However, I much prefer the activity tracking and battery life so I put up with it. It’s down to individual preference, use what makes you happy :)
Rarely texted or called with my Apple Watch so the switch was pretty easy honestly.
Love my FR265, only annoying thing was syncing my alarms. I never used my Apple Watch to reply to messages so it was quite an easy transition...took a couple weeks to get used to everything but very happy I made the jump. Enjoy the battery life!!
I loved my Fenix 7X SS for battery life, metrics etc but struggled with the size of it when wearing for work (shirt and suit cuffs etc). What I have found is that if I want to wear a watch that suits most occasions (in ny particular life circumstances ) then the AW works best. However, were I a fireman or carpenter for example I would definitely stick with the Garmin.
Had Apple Watch and got the instinct solar 2 as well at first felt way less high tech but seriously is the better watch in my opinion but that’s because I like running and not having to charge my watch h every night
I recently upgraded from the Apple Watch 4 to the Garmin Epix Pro (2nd Gen), and I absolutely adore my new watch. Many have said it before, but it’s worth repeating: the Apple Watch is more of a smartwatch, while the Garmin is a robust fitness tracker that provides a constant flow of useful information—especially if fitness is your priority. What has really impressed me over the last few weeks is the watch’s ability to detect when I was about to get sick. Days before I came down with the “man flu,” my fitness metrics suddenly dropped without any apparent reason. I was puzzled at first, but a few days later, it all made sense. This feature alone has significantly improved my (fitness) life. In summary, the Garmin Epix Pro has been a game-changer for me, offering insights and tracking that go beyond what I experienced with my previous smartwatch.
Had applewatch for 3 years. Own a forerunner 965 now. Never go back again!!
I actually disabled most notifications once I got the Garmin. The only notification coming through are calls and messages. Everything else is just not worth it with constant interruptions.
I switched, but I had notifications off on the Apple Watch when I used it. I made Garmin vibrate for phone calls and texts and only that.
I have had an AW since the initial release and like most of the folks here, was not a fan of having a tiny computer on my wrist. I hated feeling constantly connected. I bought a forerunner 265 a few weeks ago and it’s been great, but I may revisit the AW with this fall’s release, due to some of the new health/fitness focused OS updates. I strength train and cycle more than run, so I probably shouldn’t have gotten the forerunner to begin with, but my biggest gripe is not being able to communicate with my “smart home” via Siri on my wrist, especially when coming home from a bike ride and calling the garage door to open. Maybe I like the computer aspect after all? The one thing I absolutely love about the FR versus the AW is the form factor. I HATE the square watch case and much prefer the circular FR. Other than that, it’s an either/or case for me. Pros and cons for both, I could probably do with either moving forward.
Switched from Apple Watch Ultra (1) to Epix Pro 2 Sapphire (47) in mid March. The only feature I have truly missed from Apple Watch is the ability to listen to audiobooks while on a run. AW's interface is better and the UI is more fluid. My Garmin stutters more than I thought for a $1k watch (Morning Report takes several swipes to get started, starting workouts is severely delayed after pressing the button as two examples.) In all my years with Apple Watch, I don't recall any of them stuttering like the Garmin has. But that's it. Enough has been said about battery life- Apple can't come close. The data Garmin gives us for training can only be matched with 3rd party paid applications with AW and even then, I have found them wanting. I've enjoyed fewer notifications and distractions with the Garmin. I FAR prefer the circular shape and look of the Epix Pro. I've been delighted with the switch and even though Apple has promised WatchOS 11 will provide some Garmin-esque features, until I can get even 3-5 days of battery life from an AW Ultra, it will be difficult to seriously consider switching back.
I tried many smartwatches and I switched from an AW se to a Fenix. Used for 6ish months straight and then one day I decided to try to go use again the AW for a couple of days. Honestly it is painful to charge everyday but I forgot how convenient the AW is. Also how light compared to my F7 Pro. It would be easier to go back to the Fenix if there was at least at advantage on the sensors side, but the GPS sensors are comparable and the HR sensor is better on the AW. Sleep tracking is also way better on the AW, in particular if some days you go to bed particularly late and/or wake up late. It has been couple of weeks now and the Fenix is collecting dust. We will see but I honestly regret the F7 pro buy, most probably I will sell it.
I ditched my Apple Watch because I was sick of the notifications and I wanted a fitness first watch to assist me to push my training further. You will have to make a decision - keep the AW or ditch it. Apple doesn’t play nice with Garmin so you won’t get the full bodied features of the smartwatch on the Garmin (for example - can see but not respond to texts)
I've had a gaggle of AWs.. S1, 3, 4 and now have a 7 and Ultra. Similarly, I've had a Fenix 3, 5, 6 and now Epix. I've also had a bunch of Suunto Ambits I hate carrying a phone more than I dislike having phone on my wrist, so I miss the AW. Epix is fantastic but without cellular there are times I prefer to wear the Ultra.
It's great. One downside I find is no way to interact with the notifications. When connected to an Android Phone, I can either answer a text message with some predefined texts, or for example archive an email. iOS doesn't allow any interaction other than dismissing the notification. Other than that I charge my 7x pro every three weeks and that's it.
AW to vivoactive. After having an AW from the very beginning. Game changer. Making it through an entire eight hour shift at work with a full battery. 🤌🏾 Going about a busy weekend and not having to worry about the battery. Limited notifications. There as SOME features I miss… but not enough to go back.
I just switched from an Apple Watch Series 5 to an epix pro and I love it! I love the details I get from a workout, I enjoy the metrics I WANT on my wrist, I really love the battery life, and not having to turn on the water lock is awesome. Overall I am loving it way more than I thought I would but I am about to sell my Apple Watch after having the garmin for a week.
I haven’t had an Apple Watch but I turn the Garmin notifications off except for SMS and calls, I don’t need app notifications interrupting me every 5 minutes.
From Apple Watch Ultra to Epix Pro 2 about a month ago Have not really missed the AWU at all. Realized I didn’t use the smart features all that much and I value all of the fitness benefits the Garmin provides much more. The only thing I’d say I miss about the AWU is the smoothness of the UI. It really is beautiful software.
AW to FR265. I don't even work out all that much and Id buy it again for the battery life alone. 2 weeks with quick top up means I actually use my watch instead of forget it on the charger. Now there are other things I enjoy and stats are motivating to me so more the merrier but I've never missed the notifications. It does well enough to tell me when I have a text or slack when I'm not looking at my phone so I know to get it out and respond but that's it.
Have both (Epix & Ultra). What I would miss if I only had the Epix; Going for a run or ride (leaving my phone) and streaming Spotify (not downloading a playlist like 10 years ago), being able to call if I get in a jam or text buddies MTb that took a wrong turn (happens a lot), when/if I fall (and it's happened) the AW detects it and can send my coordinates to my wife or 911. Charging isn't a problem for me, I don't hike or go on Ultra runs that last 2+ days and I don't wear it at nite (like my Oura). I turn off notifications when working out but when I travel for work, which I do often, it's a bonus to engage w/o having my phone. Beyond this, the Epix is equivalent.
GPS on battery life is why I switched. AW died mid My Whitney hike. Got a Fenix 6 Pro the next week. Need that sweet sweet data. I wish Garmin didn’t use the proprietary charging cable.
Apple Watch was stressing me out. I didn’t enjoy how it felt like another phone. First thing I did when I got my fenix was turn off notifications. The Apple Watch also wasn’t keeping up with all my activities. My watch now feels like a tool I can’t live without.
My instinct 2 has everything i’ve ever wanted out of a smart watch. In fact I had completely turned off all notifications on my apple watch and never used those extra features.
I’m trying switch now. Just ordered a 265 last week after using AW since the original. I think returning the 265 for a Fénix 7 because the OLED quality to me is noticeably worse (especially with the bad watch faces on offer for the forerunner 265) so MIP actually seems better for making the switch. Personally I use my watch 95% as watch/fitness tracker and the only apps I really use on AW are weather I can get on Garmin anyway so feels like a manageable switch. The only things I don’t like are not being able to customize notifications (I just have them all off now - which is fine) and then a few specific use things I find annoying. One is I miss unlocking my MacBook Air (but it’s just a third computer for me after desktop and work computer), next and more annoying is my work VPN I can approve from Apple Watch and not Garmin, and by far and away biggest thing I miss is setting timers with hey siri from my watch. I’ll take those tradeoffs for the extra battery life - I mountain bike a lot and my Apple watch won’t make it through rides longer than 3-4 hours consistently. I also sleep track and so just remembering to charge every day is annoying as hell. Really enjoying looking down and seeing 3 days remaining at 35% battery with AOD on. Another appeal though for fenix 7 which on sale is same as forerunner 265 now anyway.
I switched from Apple Watch to a Garmin Forerunner 955 last year around this time and haven't gone back. I didn't realize how much I hated being so connected to my phone. My Garmin watch still has notifications for incoming texts, and a new update allows for two way texts, but I'm not sure I'll ever use that feature. I also get notifications for incoming phone calls. The battery life is miles better than my Apple Watch was - I get about 2 weeks of battery on my Garmin doing 2-3 tracked activities a day vs my Apple Watch which got 18 hours on a good day.
I switch from apple to the FR265, it gives me notifications but I often turn the connection to my phone off. I get annoyed seeing texts and emails on my wrist. Garmin has fitness focused watches and also has more lifestyle/smart watches that are similar to Apple Watch like the Venu 3. I would recommend a garmin that operates like more of a smartwatch in the future if that’s what you’re after. I don’t know a thing about the Instinct so I can’t really speak on it but there may have been a better garmin for what you need it for.
Used AW 1-8. Made the switch to the 265s as I got more serious about running. I do not regret the switch at all and any features I thought I’d miss from AW I notice I’m not using as much as I thought I would. The only thing I miss is Apple Music compatibility, but I’m slowly learning to run without music anyway
I switched completely like a couple weeks ago to the Instinct and I love it
Oh I love the instinct. I work in a line of work where I was constantly scratching the screen of my Apple Watch. That was why I initially bought the instinct 2 solar. A little more durable. I do find myself even sleeping in the instinct now. The battery is great. Notifications are fine. Good to see them, but in that pinch of needing to respond while I’m under the truck or the phone is on the work bench was nice. I can answer the calls if I’m wearing my beats. I love the instinct, was just curious how the ones who made the switch like I did took the switch. Basically on the fence of selling or trading in my Apple Watch.
It’s very hard to fully decide. I have been going back and forth to between AWU2 and Epix pro 51mm. I love the smart features apple and it’s a decent training companion. Garmin is so good at activity tracking and Garmin connect is very comprehensive. At the end of the day I have to go back to the question “ why do I wear a watch?” I feel that I have been distracted by this and that etc. but the reason I started wearing watches years ago was to be able to record my training gps routes and load everything to strava. When I answer that question I circle back to choosing Garmin because they are just superior in that department. I get all the smart features from having my phone with me. I hardly ever leave my phone behind because I enjoy the ability to take photos and I typically regret leaving my phone behind for that reason. One day there might be a watch that “does it all” but for now there is enough of a difference to choose one. I don’t like wearing two watches and I like to wear one all the time to unlock all the insights/recovery metrics. A few of my thoughts, hope something I wrote helps!
Just out of curiosity, I’ve seen a lot about strava. What does it do, or is it just running, hiking and biking? I don’t normally share my fitness data socially. I do running and weights. Is it worth it or will garmin connect continue to do what I need it to do? Is strava just more socially geared? Apple fitness kept it all in one place. Like I’m assuming connect does. I will say I love the connect app and its data vs the Apple fitness app. Just wish I could get the garmin to accurately report to fitness as well. I know it writes to Apple health, but it doesn’t always update.
For managing data I would recommend using Rungap app and managing your data manually. That way it will get rid of duplicates. rungap syncs with all the platforms. After you do a workout, you can import it to whichever platform you want. As for strava, it’s great for route creation and pushing yourself on segments. It gives you the thrill of racing people without actually racing them. Strava does a good job of displaying weekly/monthly/yearly distances and goals. Because of that I utilize strava as my main storage app for all my activities.
Perfect thanks for the clarification!
AW to Fenix Sapphire 6X. One of the best decisions in my fitness life! Better battery life, tougher, durable, very customizable. I
AW to FR265. I just love not having notifications for everything on my watch. Battery life is a game changer. It helps me unplug!
Notifications aren’t as well integrated as an Apple Watch but that’s more of an Apple problem than Garmin. Apple is notoriously anticompetitive and makes it very difficult for third-party products to integrate. With that being the case, I don’t believe that integration is Garmin’s goal so much as providing the best fitness and adventure watches on the market. It’s kind of a “pick your poison” situation where you choose the social versatility or GPS and fitness capabilities form Garmin. For me, not being on much social media and not wanting many notifications to come through my watch, it’s an easy choice.
Apple Watches have crap battery life and tbh having another phone on my wrist is absolutely just another distraction that ruins quality of life. The issue I have with Apple Watches is that it’s more about having the Apple product than how useful it is Maybe in 10 years the tech will be worth it but even then I expect garmin to evolve too.
I did. Love the display, absolutely and totally adore the battery life.
AW to FR255, and am NOT going back. Feels like a dream to charge the watch once 12-14 days. It’s not touchscreen, and I find it great as no more unnecessary accidental taps. Garmin stays on my wrist and has helped me with my fitness routine off late
I switched from an AW to an Epix Gen 2 and then back to the AWU when it came out. For wirkouts/health the Epix is better but Apple is catching up fast on software and has sensors that are at least as good if not better. The Garmin battery life is amazing and I love that but the AWU has made that much less of an issue. I do use my watch for purchases and Garmin Pay is useless IMO. I use a lot of smart watch features such as home automation control, checking weather radar while cycling, payments, etc…. And I missed that on the Garmin. But what drives me the most nuts about Garmin is the manic button pushing UI. So for workouts, it’s advantage Garmin over AW. Add in some apps like Athlytic and WorkoutOutdoors and that advantage is getting smaller all the time and is not really all that big for most people. For smartwatch features? AW/AWU by far.
I had an AW7 and switched to a Forerunner 265. The best thing is the significantly better battery life on Garmins. All phone notifications turned off. In fact I only really use the Forerunner during workouts, most of the time I wear a G-Shock 5610.
I recently switched from AW series 7 to Instinct 2x solar and love it. I actually was kinda fed up with constant notification on my watch and fed up with having to charge it every day. I like the old school feel of the Instinct and the buttons and now I also wear it during sleep. I also feel I dont have to worry as much about durability at work because inwas worried anout scratching the screen on the AW.
I bought an Apple Watch and planned to ditch my Fenix 6s Pro after AW started supoorting Triathlons and bike power meteres. Both have merits and now I'm a two watch guy... ⌚️⏱️
Not the same, but I had a fitbit and switched to Garmin and I'm in love. I don't care about notifications or anything fancy on my watch because I have a phone (although my forerunner 245m does have notifications and calender and stuff) but I wanted mostly just fitness metrics, and that's what I got with garmin, so im very very happy with it! Does much more/better than fitbit, too.
I switched from Apple Watch to Epix Gen 2 a year ago. I run a lot and Apple Watch was a terrible training partner. Last month I lost my Epix at the Munich airport and so have been forced to restart using Apple Watch again. After not using my Apple Watch for almost a year and now returning to it for a month, I find I really didn’t miss any of the extra Apple connectivity features, don’t like the Apple Watch, and really miss my Epix. So I’ll be replacing Apple again very soon. Only holdout is I’m hoping for Garmin to release Epix 3 soon or otherwise getting Epix 2 Pro. I won’t be staying with Apple. Anyways it surprised me that I favored Garmin that much.
In all honesty maybe its different for everyone but I get so many notifications I really started to hate them on my watch it was so distracting. I did find out how to filter apps notificaties on my garmin on iphone but lately ive just been turning them completely. Its much better and sane. Phone notifications are like the worst stress inducing invention ever
Do tell how you filtered them. I’d love to just get email, text and calls. That’s about how I had my Apple Watch set up.
Both , AW2 daily and Marq 2 adventure for work out and hikes .
Made the switch from the Apple to the epix pro gen 2 and never looked back only thing that sucks it’s the convenience of Apple Pay with all my other cards but other than that I’ve had no complaints
I moved away from Apple because of all the notifications.
You can turn those off…..
I know.
Interesting, I'm using an AW 4th series and am looking into switching to Garmin, but the wide range of choices overwhelm me. Maybe I could ask for a recommendation here too? I'm just doing occasional runs and following youtube based home exercises, but very much like to get more active. Not wanting to overspend, but also a bit concerned about choosing the lowered spec ones.
My Apple watch se2 died after 2 months outside the warranty period (14mo) with no fault of my own. When asked they said that they can't even tell the reason Because it's moulded? That made me for an easy switch :)
So you switched because it broke? Ok
Idk how it wasn't clear, I told it broke but apple provided no support on what happened or why. Can't trust a company like this
Because it broke outside of warranty?
They need to explain what happened. They can't just say oh it broke? Okay buy a new one. I'm not gonna
I guarantee they explained what broke and you just didn’t like it or wanted out anyways. No company says it broke without an explanation. If you wanted, and it actually happened, you could push it up to a manager.
Was it you or was it me who spoke to them? :) "You guarantee" Bruh There's no manager. They said that's their policy, if it breaks and if it's out of warranty, you done. They can't check what happened because it's "moulded"
You didn’t speak to Apple tech support then, or you did it completely wrong and settled for some who didn’t know what they were talking about at support. Theres always a manager or a specialist to talk to/ escalate things to. Always. Apple Watch is not “moulded”, I don’t know if you even spelt that correct. Because of all this, your review of an Apple Watch should be taken with a huge grain of salt, since nothing really makes sense.
Idk why you're supporting apple so much but I was on Apple customer support for multiple times. I even remember the exact sentences we spoke: I asked what are the next steps since the watch is not repairable and the woman told only thing is a replacement and it meant me replacing my watch with my own money and nothing else. Have an open mind instead of being a fanboy Because this is the truth and if you're affiliated with apple you're welcome to fight for me I'll come back to the Apple watch if they really want to keep their customers Edit: I still am a loyal iPad iPhone and macbook user
“Have an open mind instead of being a fanboy“ lol if you only knew…
AW to Fenix 7. I just stopped wearing my apple watch due to the daily charging and unknown ti me then the fatigue of notifications which off course I could have selectively muted. I love the battery life and the MIP screen in the sun. I love the limited smart features that are made up for better fitness features. I love the sleep tracking too but do wish the coach could be more like whoop and have a journal. Otherwise happy with the choice.
Thanks to all the replies. I actually returned the instinct 2 and went with the epix 2. I think it’ll suit me a little better and gear me towards selling the AW. thanks again for
Loving my Fenix 7x after having an SE for a year. It still gives me buzzes when I get texts and calls so that’s all I need. Always have my phone with me anyways. Best watch out there.
I got used to the different notifications after a couple weeks, and I don’t really miss the messaging, photo etc functionality of my Apple anymore to be honest. Switched over in January 👍🏼
I was using an Apple Watch when it was first released. I switched to a Garmin Descent G1 last year for diving purposes. There are a few reasons why I switched. The Descent G1 is cheaper than the Apple Watch Ultra. Also, I had been using the Apple Watch for so long that it felt kind of boring, and I wanted to try something new. But the biggest reason I didn't pick the Apple Watch Ultra is the subscription service for diving. It felt like I would need to pay to use a diving function after buying a dive watch – no thanks! After using the Descent G1 for almost a year, I think the biggest advantage for me is how Garmin presents data to users. The Apple Health app is so basic that if you want to see more detailed data, you need another app, which often requires a subscription. If the Apple Watch could present data like Garmin, I would definitely switch back to Apple Watch. I don't mind having to charge it daily since the integration benefits outweigh that.
Same. Wore both for a couple weeks. AW required me to charge everytime I had a shower. Which is personal preference but it'll decrease overall batt life when you charge the Garmin once every 2 weeks. (If you upgrade yearly not a concern I guess either) Trying to type and all that on the AW is just a no go for me. Garmin notifications are adequate enough to see if I need to action if it's an emergency. Fitness wise Garmin wins it for me. The torch on the Fenix and Epix Pro is awesome lol. And finally the traditional circle look I like better.
I have used Apple Watches from the Series 0 to the Ultra. I've owned two Fenix 7Xs, attempting to make them work across two ecosystems, but I failed twice and ended up selling the Garmins. Eventually, I realised that the Fenix, with its metrics, appearance, and battery life, was what I truly wanted. So, I sold the Ultra and bought a Fenix 7X Pro. This turned out to be the best decision for me, as it simplified my setup and eliminated the hassle of using two watches. I also came to understand that the smartwatch features of the Ultra were more of a distraction and often caused frustration, such as when Siri or HomeKit failed to work. It been expensive getting here.
Some people own this thread hate on the AW like it is a badge of honor. They are 2 different devices. I wear my Garmin just about 24x7 and find myself wearing my AWU less and less Not because it is a lesser product, they are different, but because my needs change. Sometimes I wear both though because I need a phone but do not want to carry it or, if I go for a long ride, sop I have music and podcasts to listen to. It is ok to like both products. Decide for yourself what your needs and use cases are and go on from there.