Apple Watch Series 11 vs Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Apple Watch Series 11

A wide-angle LTPO OLED that peaks at 2,000 nits — bright, sharp and easily readable in direct sunlight, with an always-on mode. It sits between the SE 3's 1,000 nits and the Ultra 3's 3,000.

• Wide-angle LTPO OLED peaking at 2,000 nits — TechRadar confirms it gets very bright and is plenty for outdoor use.
• Always-on display with the wide-angle panel — richer, smoother graphics that cut through daylight reflections.
• 2,000 nits sits between the SE 3's 1,000 and the Ultra 3's 3,000 — bright for almost everyone, just not the lineup's brightest.
• 46mm panel runs 416 x 496 — sharp, with lots of real estate for workout stats.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Bright, vivid AMOLED — the Epix Pro's defining feature versus the MIP-screened Fenix 7 Pro. Always-on display. Sapphire crystal on Sapphire editions.

• Bright, crisp AMOLED display — Engadget: 'a vivid picture without drawing too much battery life.'
• AMOLED is the Epix's defining choice — the vivid alternative to the MIP-screened Fenix 7 Pro.
• AMOLED draws more power than MIP — Notebookcheck notes MIP 'is a more power-efficient technology that thrives in direct sunlight.'
• Always-on display supported — vivid and readable, with battery cost the Epix's large cell absorbs.
• Sapphire crystal on Sapphire editions — highly scratch-resistant for the higher trim levels.

Apple Watch Series 11

The Series 11's headline is hypertension notifications — passive screening for high blood pressure. It pairs that with ECG, blood oxygen, skin temperature, a new Sleep Score and accurate heart rate. The one soft spot is deep-sleep stage detail.

• Hypertension notifications are the marquee new feature — the watch flags possible high blood pressure after about 30 days of background tracking.
• Full health suite — ECG, blood oxygen, skin temperature and heart-rate notifications; German Accent Reviews calls the ECG and blood-pressure tracking 'very convincing.'
• Heart-rate accuracy is strong — The Quantified Scientist measured it occasionally reading about 10 bpm low, but only sometimes, against a Polar H10 ECG chest strap.
• New Sleep Score condenses sleep tracking into a single digestible number, with stage detail still available underneath.
• Deep-sleep tracking is the weak spot — The Quantified Scientist measured roughly 65% deep-sleep agreement against an EEG headband, the worst of all sleep stages.
• For high-intensity weightlifting, testers still recommend a chest strap over any wrist sensor — a universal optical-HR limitation.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Elevate Gen 5 optical HR with skin temperature, SpO2, HRV Status, Body Battery, sleep tracking, Morning Report. Garmin's latest sensor generation; ECG added via update.

• Elevate Gen 5 optical HR sensor — Garmin's latest HR generation, an upgrade over earlier Garmin watches.
• Skin temperature sensing — built into the Gen 5 sensor for overnight temperature tracking.
• HRV Status + Body Battery + sleep tracking + Morning Report — Garmin's full wellness + recovery analytics.
• SpO2 (pulse ox) — on-demand and continuous; useful for altitude acclimatization on mountain adventures.
• Optical HR is reliable for steady-state; like all wrist optical HR, less accurate than a chest strap for intervals.

Apple Watch Series 11

The full watchOS workout app, activity rings and roughly 8 hours of GPS workout tracking. Dual-frequency GPS lands distance accuracy on par with a multi-band Garmin. It's a capable everyday fitness watch — though battery burn during long runs is heavier than dedicated running watches.

• Dual-frequency GPS — The Run Testers clocked a marathon at 42.5km versus a multi-band Garmin Forerunner 970's 42.4km.
• About 8 hours of GPS workout tracking — up from 7 hours on the Series 10.
• Optical heart rate held up well across a marathon — The Run Testers found it impressed for the majority of the race, though a chest strap is still better for race-day precision.
• GPS workout battery burn is heavier than dedicated running watches — a 1-hour run drained 11-15%, and a marathon used about 32%.
• 5 ATM water resistance with swim tracking — fine for pool and open-water swimming and snorkeling, not scuba diving.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Garmin's deepest training-science suite — Endurance Score, Hill Score, Training Readiness, Acute/Chronic Load, daily suggested workouts, full multisport + triathlon modes. The serious-athlete benchmark.

• Endurance Score + Hill Score — advanced training metrics that quantify endurance fitness and climbing ability.
• Training Readiness + Acute/Chronic Load — science-backed daily training guidance.
• TechRadar ran a marathon with the Epix Pro and recommends it 'to every runner' — a genuine endorsement from race-day use.
• Full multisport + triathlon modes — open-water swim, brick workouts, transitions, plus 30+ sport profiles.
• 10 ATM water resistance — pool, open-water, and high-pressure swim activities supported.

Apple Watch Series 11

The headline upgrade: 24 hours rated, up from the 18 hours every prior Series watch carried. Real-world tests beat that comfortably — 28-32 hours of typical use, and up to ~40 hours of continuous wear on the 46mm. Low Power Mode reaches 38 hours, and fast charging hits 80% in about 30 minutes.

• 24-hour rating, up from 18 — the first meaningful Apple Watch battery jump in over a decade.
• Real-world endurance beats the rating — Lexy Savvides averaged 28-32 hours with a daily GPS workout, always-on display and one night of sleep tracking.
• Continuous-wear testing: the 46mm ran ~40 hours and the 42mm ~36 hours — the smaller model is noticeably shorter-lived.
• Fast charging hits 80% in about 30 minutes, and a 15-minute top-up buys roughly 8 hours.
• Low Power Mode extends life to about 38 hours.
• Even 24 hours still trails Garmin — TechRadar notes a Garmin Vivoactive lasts over a week against the Series 11's day.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Multi-day to multi-week smartwatch battery depending on size; ~31 hours multi-band GPS on the 51mm. Strong for an AMOLED watch — but a MIP Fenix lasts longer.

• Multi-day to multi-week smartwatch battery — up to ~16 days on the 51mm, less on the 42mm. Strong for an AMOLED watch.
• ~31 hours multi-band GPS on the 51mm — supports ultra-endurance and multi-day adventure tracking.
• Battery scales with size — the 42mm trades endurance for compactness; the 51mm maximizes runtime.
• A MIP Fenix 7 Pro lasts longer — the AMOLED panel is the Epix's battery trade-off.
• Proprietary Garmin USB-C charging cable — no solar charging (solar is Fenix-only).

Apple Watch Series 11

watchOS 26 on the S10 chip — the same processor as the Series 10 and SE 3, fast and fluid in daily use. 64GB of storage, double-tap and wrist-flick gestures, Apple Pay and the full App Store. The catch: most of the new watchOS 26 features also reach older watches, and it works only with an iPhone.

• Runs the same Apple S10 chip as the Series 10 and SE 3 — fast and fluid, but not a performance upgrade.
• Most new software — Sleep Score, hypertension notifications — reaches older watches free via watchOS 26, so the Series 11's edge is mostly hardware.
• 64GB of storage, double-tap and wrist-flick gestures, Apple Pay and the full App Store — the complete Apple Watch experience.
• iPhone-only — like every Apple Watch, it does not pair with Android phones.
• Apps launch quickly and Siri runs on-device — the S10 keeps the watch feeling current well into ownership.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Garmin OS + Garmin Connect + Connect IQ store. Garmin Pay. Works with iOS + Android. Frequent firmware updates. No Wear OS app catalog.

• Garmin OS + Connect IQ store — apps, watch faces, data fields; a mature ecosystem.
• Garmin Connect app — universally praised for training-analytics depth, frequently criticized for app-UI polish.
• Frequent firmware updates — Garmin continues adding features to the Epix Pro years after launch.
• Works with both iOS and Android — cross-platform, unlike Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch.
• Garmin Pay — contactless payments via NFC.

Apple Watch Series 11

Apple has roughly doubled the scratch resistance of the aluminum models with a new ceramic-coated Ion-X glass; titanium models get sapphire. Water resistance is 50m (5 ATM) — fine for swimming, not diving. Long-term owners report it holding up well.

• The aluminum Ion-X glass is now ceramic-coated and roughly 2x more scratch-resistant than the Series 10.
• After a month-plus of daily wear, owners report no visible scratches — the watch holds up well in practice.
• 50m (5 ATM) water resistance — rated for swimming and snorkeling, with a water-lock mode; not for scuba diving.
• Titanium models add a sapphire-crystal display — tougher still, but they cost from $699.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

10 ATM water resistance + MIL-STD-810 thermal/shock/water testing. Titanium bezel + Sapphire crystal (Sapphire editions). Built for serious outdoor and expedition abuse.

• 10 ATM (100m) water resistance — pool, open-water, and high-pressure swim activities.
• MIL-STD-810 tested — thermal, shock, and water resistance for expedition use.
• Titanium bezel + Sapphire crystal (Sapphire editions) — premium, scratch-resistant adventure construction.
• Built for serious outdoor athletes — Engadget frames the Pro series as 'for serious explorers.'

Apple Watch Series 11

Dual-frequency GPS, Apple Pay via NFC, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The cellular model adds 5G, and a second-generation ultra-wideband chip enables Precision Finding to guide you to a lost iPhone.

• Dual-frequency GPS — the precision GPS that helps the Series 11 match a multi-band Garmin on distance.
• The cellular model gains 5G — Dion Schuddeboom notes it steps up from 4G LTE on the Series 10.
• A second-generation ultra-wideband chip enables Precision Finding — it guides you to a lost iPhone with directional feedback, not just a beep.
• Cellular is a paid upgrade — roughly $100 on top of the base price plus a monthly carrier plan.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Multi-band (dual-frequency) GPS, full-color TopoActive maps, NFC for Garmin Pay, Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi. No LTE.

• Multi-band (dual-frequency) GPS — accurate tracking in urban canyons, dense forest, and deep valleys.
• Full-color TopoActive maps — Engadget notes the Pro series brings 'mapping upgrades'; on-watch turn-by-turn navigation.
• ANT+ + Bluetooth — pair chest straps, footpods, power meters, and cycling sensors.
• NFC for Garmin Pay + Wi-Fi for sync.
• No LTE — phone required for connectivity; no standalone calls or texts.

Apple Watch Series 11

At $399 the Series 11 is the mainstream Apple Watch — and a strong one, widely discounted to ~$299 within months. The hard questions are internal: the $249 SE 3 covers most people's needs, and the $799 Ultra 3 adds far longer battery. Against Garmin, Apple wins on smarts and screen, Garmin wins on endurance.

• AppleInsider's verdict: 'Apple hasn't changed a winning formula, just tweaked it, and that makes this the best Apple Watch yet.'
• $399 launch (42mm), $429 for the 46mm — and it has been discounted to around $299 within months of release.
• vs the $249 SE 3: reviewers say the SE 3 is the smarter buy unless you specifically want ECG, blood oxygen, hypertension alerts and the brighter 2,000-nit screen.
• vs Garmin: Apple wins on smart features, apps, LTE and ease of use; Garmin wins decisively on battery life — over a week versus a day.
• Best for: anyone upgrading from a Series 8 or older, or buying a first Apple Watch, who wants the full health suite with battery anxiety finally solved.

Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

$899-$1099+ launch. The AMOLED flagship multisport tier. Competes with the MIP Fenix 7 Pro, the Apple Watch Ultra, and the Coros Apex Pro. Ages well and discounts over time.

• $899-$1099+ launch — a genuine four-figure watch in Sapphire trims. Engadget: 'high-end smartwatches for explorers with deep pockets.'
• Discounts well over time — TechRadar noted the Epix Pro 'just hit half price'; Android Central tracked it to its lowest price ever.
• vs Fenix 7 Pro: same features, different displays — AMOLED (Epix, vivid) vs MIP (Fenix, longer battery + better in direct sun).
• Garmin watches age very well — Wired: 'even though Garmin watches are costly, they age very well.'
• Best for: serious runners, triathletes, and outdoor athletes who want Garmin's deepest training tools with a vivid AMOLED screen, full maps, and a flashlight — and can justify the four-figure price.