I ditched my Apple and Galaxy watches for a Garmin, and you need to too

I’ve been a believer in wearable know-how because the starting. Before smartwatches actually grew to become mainstream, I used Fitbit trackers to trace exercise, test the time, and see notifications. When the primary Apple Watch was introduced, I used to be one of many first to purchase one in 2015. That says quite a bit as a result of the primary Apple Watch Sport was horrible. Since then, I’ve owned a ton of high smartwatches, together with Apple Watch, Pixel Watch, Galaxy Watch, and Garmin fashions.

But lately, I reviewed the costliest smartwatch ever strapped to my wrist. It’s the Garmin Enduro 3, a long-lasting wearable with a $900 retail value. As I take a look at merchandise all through the autumn launch cycle, I’m often thrilled once I’m completed and might return to my most well-liked on a regular basis carry. For smartwatches, that sometimes means adorning my Apple Watch Ultra or Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.

This time was totally different. I couldn’t cease sporting the Garmin Enduro 3, and honestly, I haven’t even considered switching again to the Apple Watch Ultra or Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. In truth, I don’t even know the place my Apple Watch Ultra is in the meanwhile — regardless of sporting it religiously for 2 years earlier than giving the Garmin watch a strive.

We’re approaching Black Friday and Cyber Monday reductions, the place smartwatches — together with these from Garmin — are certain to go on sale. That’s why should you’re itching to make a change, subsequent week might be the most effective time to take action. Here’s why I’ve left these smartwatches behind, and why you might need to as nicely.

No extra compromises

It’s true that the Garmin Enduro 3 prices greater than the Apple Watch Ultra or the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (and their newer fashions, for that matter). However, it’s additionally true that the Enduro 3 is healthier in just a few key methods, beginning with battery life. Garmin advertises the Enduro 3 as doubtlessly providing “limitless” battery life due to its photo voltaic charging capabilities, however in smartwatch mode, you may rise up to 3 months of battery on a single cost. A extra practical determine might be a month of battery life, which I’ve replicated in real-world utilization.

Compare that to the most recent Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Galaxy Watch Ultra, and the distinction is staggering. I’m fortunate to get a day or two of battery life on my Ultra with regular utilization, sleep monitoring, and exercise monitoring. The Garmin Enduro 3 helps me neglect about charging, and it fully modified the best way I take advantage of a smartwatch. When the battery will get low, I nonetheless have just a few days of energy left. All I’ve to do is keep in mind to cost it for just a few hours throughout these couple of days, and I’m set for one more month.

In follow, that ends in tangible advantages. I went on a world journey final month, and I didn’t convey a Garmin charger with me. The Enduro 3 was midway charged once I left and nonetheless had per week of battery once I returned. On trip, the place remembering to convey all the best chargers generally is a trouble, the Garmin was like a breath of contemporary air.

Of course, that is nothing new for Garmin watches. The Enduro 3 is the longest-lasting smartwatch within the firm’s lineup, however all nice Garmin watches have strong battery life. The eye-opening a part of utilizing the Garmin Enduro 3 was discovering that you simply don’t actually have to surrender options to get this stage of excellent battery life. I’ve used older Vivoactive fashions, and extra lately, the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar. Those watches had nice battery life, too, however lacked when it comes to function set.

The Garmin Enduro 3 doesn’t compromise in the identical methods. It has loads of helpful, tactile buttons — plus a responsive touchscreen. There are a handful of Global Positioning System bands supported, and an extended record of sensors that features a barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, ambient gentle sensor. In phrases of well being sensors, you get a coronary heart fee monitor, Pulse Ox monitor, thermometer, and ECG.

Add all of it along with Garmin’s insightful software program, and the Enduro 3 was a way more helpful health and well being instrument than both Apple or Samsung’s smartwatches. With the Apple Watch, it seems like Apple needs me to really feel good about my health and well being. You intention to shut Activity Rings in a method that’s paying homage to checking off a each day to-do record somewhat than really being centered on health progress. While watchOS 11 is certainly higher at acknowledging relaxation days, the emphasis on relaxation and restoration nonetheless isn’t similar to Garmin’s.

Again, this ends in tangible way of life advantages. The Garmin Enduro 3 recorded completely atrocious sleep and physique battery scores within the days previous myself coming down with a extreme sinus an infection. It knew I used to be sick earlier than I did and really useful I pause coaching. Similarly, once I really feel sore and drained after a grueling exercise the day past, Garmin’s coaching readiness retailer affirms what my physique is telling me — giving me the boldness to take a relaxation day with out feeling responsible.

Meanwhile, my Apple Watch is sitting in a drawer someplace, buzzing every hour to remind me to rise up and stroll it off.

Part of the rationale I’ve beloved utilizing the Garmin Enduro 3 will not be as a result of the Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch have modified for the more serious; it’s that I’ve modified as a person. I’m not curious about utilizing my smartwatch like a cellphone strapped to my wrist anymore. I desire a watch that reliably tells the time, has long-lasting battery life, and has glorious health monitoring capabilities and insights. Garmin watches are incredible for that. Purely as a smartwatch, I’d suggest you choose the Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch.

But for me, I’ve found there’s worth in sporting a smartwatch that’s a bit much less good.

Wait, you’re saying I ought to pay $900 for a smartwatch?

I do know what you’re most likely pondering. Sure, the Enduro 3 is cool, however it’s method too costly to presumably be value it. It is pricey — I wouldn’t blame you should you’re not keen to pay $900 for a smartwatch — nevertheless, it’s additionally value it.

The worth proposition begins to make sense once you have a look at what got here earlier than and after the Garmin Enduro 3. This watch’s predecessor was the Enduro 2, which value $1,100. Garmin added a ton of software program options and {hardware} enhancements to the Enduro 3, making the corporate’s longest-lasting watch ever whereas concurrently slashing $200 off the sticker value.

Additionally, the Enduro 3 is quietly a greater worth than the Garmin Fenix 8. In our evaluation, we discovered that the Fenix 8 was merely overpriced. The loopy factor is that the Enduro 3 can do a lot that the Fenix 8 can do whereas being lighter, cheaper, and that includes longer battery life and a sophisticated photo voltaic display screen with extra floor space for charging. Unless you want diving options or a speaker and microphone, the Enduro 3 is a greater worth — and possibly a greater watch, relying in your use case — than the Fenix 8.

Consider these two watches for comparability, and the $900 Enduro 3 out of the blue seems like an superior deal. Combine that with the truth that the Garmin Enduro 3 very nicely could go on sale throughout Black Friday gross sales, that are already beginning, and it seems like a good time to improve to a Garmin watch.

For price range consumers, there’s excellent news. Many of the issues I’ve talked about on this evaluation apply to a ton of different Garmin watches, which can be found at a fraction of the value of the Enduro 3. The Instinct 2 Solar is a superb choice for individuals who can forgo a touchscreen and most smartwatch options in favor of lengthy battery life and glorious exercise monitoring. The Vivoactive and Forerunner lineups are much less versatile than the Enduro 3, however they nonetheless function nice watches with week-plus battery life at low costs.

I’m betting that at the very least just a few Garmin watches will go on sale on Black Friday. We already noticed killer offers on the model’s choices whereas overlaying Prime Day, and Black Friday and Cyber Monday may provide even greater value cuts. If you’re like me and are able to ditch your Apple or Galaxy look ahead to a Garmin, you need to preserve an eye fixed out for Black Friday offers on Garmin smartwatches. We may even luck out and see new fashions just like the Enduro 3 and Fenix 8 get a much-needed value drop.