Coros Apex Pro is a sports watch with big ultra runner appeal

Giving you big GPS battery life and a touchscreen for improved navigation
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Coros is adding another sports watch to its family of running companions with the arrival of the Apex Pro.

The Pro is a 'premium' addition to the Apex watches Coros launched in 2018. And while we were impressed with both the 42mm and 46mm Apex models, it's fair to say it lacked a bit in the looks department.

Essential reading: Best outdoor watches for adventurers

So, with the Pro, you're getting something that will hopefully look a lot nicer on the wrist. Available in just a 46mm size option, you're getting a more eye-catching titanium bezel and aluminum body. It’s also the first time Coros has incorporated a touchscreen display into one of its watches.

That 1.2-inch, 240 x 240 resolution sapphire glass display is there to offer more intuitive control of the onboard navigation features. You still get that digital knob (twisty crown), though it has been made bigger to make it easier to get hold of when you’ve got a big pair of gloves on.

Coros Apex Pro is a sports watch with big ultra runner appeal

In terms of features, Coros is bringing the same core sports tracking modes opting against covering some of those more niche outdoor pursuits you'll find on rival Garmin, Suunto and Polar watches. So, the likes of running, cycling, swimming and triathlons are covered here. You can also expect similar basic smartwatch features - notification support, mainly - like you'll find on other Coros watches.

There’s the same training analysis and recovery insights on offer and it also inherits some features from the Vertix, Coros’ answer to the Garmin Fenix. You can tap into the optical pulse oximeter and a barometric altimeter making it a better fit for trail runners, hikers, climbers and anyone that likes training at high altitudes.

There’s GPS/GLONASS support, with Galileo and Beidou support said to be coming in a future firmware update. ANT+ connectivity is present for pairing with accessories and it’s been slapped with a 10ATM waterproof rating, which means you can go swimming with it up to 100 metres depth.

Coros’ watches have always impressed us with their battery performance and it looks like we can expect more of the same from the Apex Pro. It can apparently deliver 40 hours in full GPS mode. Compare that to a similarly priced Garmin like the Forerunner 935, which promises around 24 hours, and that’s pretty impressive numbers.

It can also go for 30 days in regular use and 100 hours in UltraMax mode where you sacrifice tracking accuracy for the ability to have data from your entire activity.

If you like the sound of the Apex Pro, it’s available to buy from the Coros website for $499. That puts it in the same pricing bracket as something like the Forerunner 935 (the 945 is more) and the Polar Vantage V. Orders will start shipping on 26 September and we hope to have a sample soon to see what it's made of.


How we test



Michael Sawh

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Michael Sawh has been covering the wearable tech industry since the very first Fitbit landed back in 2011. Previously the resident wearable tech expert at Trusted Reviews, he also marshaled the features section of T3.com.

He also regularly contributed to T3 magazine when they needed someone to talk about fitness trackers, running watches, headphones, tablets, and phones.

Michael writes for GQ, Wired, Coach Mag, Metro, MSN, BBC Focus, Stuff, TechRadar and has made several appearances on the BBC Travel Show to talk all things tech. 

Michael is a lover of all things sports and fitness-tech related, clocking up over 15 marathons and has put in serious hours in the pool all in the name of testing every fitness wearable going. Expect to see him with a minimum of two wearables at any given time.


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