Finally an Android smartwatch that rivals my Garmin in autonomy (but it’s cheaper)

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In 2022, I reviewed the Coros Apex 2 and Apex 2 Pro, highlighting their performance and build quality relative to the price. Today, I’m happy to revisit the brand’s lineup with the new Apex 4 series, featuring two sizes of its mid-range smartwatch.

I spent a few weeks salmon fishing on the Puget Sound, trail running, hiking, walking, and rowing with the new 46mm. Coros Apex 4and first impressions reveal worthy tracking with improved mapping capability, faster map zoom, off-course alerts and turn-by-turn navigation to name a few features.

Also: I tested the best sports watches in 2025: here are the latest and greatest, whatever your budget

The Apex 4 Pro joins Coros’ extensive smartwatch range alongside the Pace, Nomad and Vertix series, as a smartwatch aimed at athletes who enjoy trail running, alpine running and skiing. If you do any of these activities regularly, the Apex 4 Pro would make a particularly interesting watch, as it includes a handful of features of which elevation is a key component.

Personally, I love running in the foothills of Mount Rainier and have my Icon Pass ready for this winter’s downhill ski season. So I plan to test the Apex 4 on the slopes once the season starts.

There are a handful of features tailored just for this use case. For downhill skiing, you can download topographic maps, which then automatically detect downhill turns and lifts, displayed on recorded activity data pages. Pinned voice notes are useful here, allowing you to point out where that perfect jump or hazard is and can be easily shared.

The Apex 4 launched with a new action button on the bottom left, a microphone for recording voice notes pinned to your location, and the Adventure Log that syncs photos and videos with your navigation track. There’s also a speakerphone, so in addition to voice pins, you can make hands-free calls and receive audio alerts during your activities.

The Apex 4 is quite lightweight thanks to the use of a titanium bezel and high-strength polymer backing material, weighing 64 grams with the silicone strap and 52 grams with the nylon strap.

The third-generation pixel memory display looks particularly good on the outside, contributing to the long battery life. The 46mm model I tested has a GPS tracking battery life ranging from 41 hours to 65 hours, depending on the accuracy level selected, so I’ve only had to charge it once since starting my testing. During typical smartwatch use, the watch should last more than three weeks.

Also: Coros launches Chamonix Apex 2 Pro in limited edition, along with the August 2023 update

I’m also a big fan of the USB-C keychain charging adapter that Coros now includes with its watches. The small adapter attaches to the back of your watch and connects to any USB-C cable with the adapter housed in a convenient keychain so you can easily travel with it and not have to lug around other cables or chargers. Then again, you probably won’t need to charge it for typical business trips and vacations given its long battery life and reliable performance.

The Apex 4 also includes the very cool Adventure Journal feature as well as quick turn-by-turn mapping on the watch. Record voice pins and take photos along the way to create a multimedia portfolio of your adventures that you can save with family and friends. Coros even provides highly accurate voice-to-text transcription in the smartphone app so you don’t need to read your voice notes to know what details you recorded throughout your trip.

While voice pins and hands-free calling are helpful, I personally would use an LED flashlight more often. Given the long battery life and outdoor adventure focus of Coros watches, I hope to see this added in the future. Honestly, this is one of the last features that keeps me tied to Garmin watches. Well, that, plus support for subscription music, third-party apps, golf support and much more.

Coros offers a very customizable experience, but I find the fonts too small in the Daily Data widget list and I haven’t been able to adjust the font size on the watch. The top right digital dial and back button, however, are well positioned for easy navigation, while the new action button works well in activities to perform key functions.

ZDNET’s purchasing advice

THE Coros Apex 4 sits between the Nomad and the Vertix with two size options, the addition of a speaker and higher quality materials (titanium and sapphire crystal). Support for all the same sports and activities is available on both, so it depends on what you’re looking for from your hardware, as well as the size and weight options available to you. The Apex 4 is a compelling sports watch available for under $500.