COROS APEX 4 In-Depth Review: Is It Worth the Upgrade?

COROS APEX 4: A Premium Outdoor Sports Watch

• 🚀 The COROS APEX 4 is COROS's latest premium outdoor sports watch, incorporating features from recent models like the Nomad.
• 💡 Key updates include a new button layout with an action button, a faster processor, and enhanced maps with labels.
• 📞 A significant new feature is the inclusion of a microphone and speaker, enabling users to take calls directly on the watch.

Display and Design Choices

• 💡 The APEX 4 retains a memory-in-pixel (MIP) display instead of AMOLED, chosen for its superior battery life and readability in direct sunlight.
• ⚠️ This decision may divide users, with some preferring the battery efficiency of MIP and others desiring the vibrant colors of AMOLED.
• 💎 The watch features a titanium bezel and a plastic main case, with a sapphire lens for display protection, designed to reduce weight and maintain a competitive price point.
• ✨ The design has been updated with more standout elements, including notches in the bezel that blend into the lugs.

Performance and Battery Life

• ⚡ The new processor ensures a faster user experience, particularly noticeable in map redrawing speeds.
• 🔋 The 46mm APEX 4 boasts up to 24 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and significant battery life for recording outdoor activities, with new accuracy modes (Max, High, Endurance).
• 🏃 Advanced running dynamics, including ground contact time and stride height, are now collected directly from the watch.

New Features: Microphone, Speaker, and Maps

• 🗣️ The microphone and speaker allow for taking calls (phone must be in range) and provide audible alerts for navigation, heart rate, and more.
• 📌 Voice pins can be recorded for notes, fueling logs, or identifying points of interest, with automatic transcription and geotagging in the COROS app.
• 🗺️ Updated maps now include trail and street names, enhancing navigation, though full on-demand offline routing is not supported.

Health and Sports Tracking

• ❤️ The APEX 4 features COROS's latest heart rate sensor, HRV tracking, an on-demand wellness check using ECG-type technology, and an upgraded SpO2 sensor.
• 🏊 It offers comprehensive multisport tracking, including swimming, running, cycling, and triathlon support.
• ⚠️ Notably, it does not include the new fishing profiles found on the Nomad, despite being positioned as a higher-tier watch.

Pricing and Overall Value

• 💰 The APEX 4 is priced competitively, with the 42mm model at $429 and the 46mm model at $479, representing a modest price increase from the previous generation Apex 2 Pro.
• 🤔 The MIP display and price are highlighted as surprising updates, making it a solid performer for an outdoor sports watch with added smartwatch capabilities.
• ⚠️ The absence of an AMOLED display might deter some users, but the extended battery life is a significant advantage for endurance athletes.