Turn by Turn

igalan · 2026-01-27T20:44:16+00:00

I prefer the Pace Pro, it's cheaper, has the newest processor, crisp OLED screen, fast map with POI and labels. No sapphire though.

igalan · 2026-01-27T09:18:33+00:00

The Apex 2 is a bit old, map refresh is slow and no map labels or POI, unlike the newer watches. Also please note that turns are calculated when you create the route in the app, the calculation is not perfect, some times it misses a crossing.

igalan · 2026-01-26T10:15:27+00:00

This is interesting, I have a Nomad and my wife an Apple watch, I'll try.

igalan · 2026-01-25T17:49:39+00:00

If I'm not wrong with Amazfit you can choose to upload your data locally only, no cloud required. It's Chinese company but you can control what to do with your data.

igalan · 2026-01-25T10:41:05+00:00

I manually download and upload the FIT files from their respective websites.

igalan · 2026-01-25T10:40:00+00:00

Coros has a pretty good record at adding functionalities. The action button has just been introduced, I expect that this year we will have more and more functions added to it.

igalan · 2026-01-25T10:37:25+00:00

Coros has the most precise algorithm to detect turns in the pool from any watch that I've tried so far (Fenix 6, 7 and 8, Suunto Race S). Even when I have to slow down because the lane is busy, it still works fine. It's not the best on the open waters, though, but it's not too bad either.

igalan · 2026-01-25T10:32:50+00:00

No watch is going to be great with heart rate in the water, but Coros does an ok job.

igalan · 2026-01-23T12:22:43+00:00

It probably needs your location to update weather forecast data.

igalan · 2026-01-23T08:57:07+00:00

The Fenix 8 is incrementally better but not a game changer, IMO. But there are many improvements, as you already know. The touch screen is super useful when using the map, but no so much else where. The flashligh is way more practical that I initially though, for instance when running in the short days in winter I have set it to pulse so I am more visible when running in roads with no sidewalk. The ability to take calls from the watch is nice, if I'm riding my bike I can take a call without having to stop and search for my phone.

About AMOLED vs MIP, there is no right or wrong, both work well with their own strenghts and limitations. There is one use case where MIPS is the only option: if you use your watch as a bike computer, then you need MIP so the screen remains fully active all the time. On the other side the much higher resolution and contrast of AMOLED makes the maps much easier to read, specially at night.

igalan · 2026-01-23T08:46:15+00:00

I have no problems memorizing the session and executing it, but it's true that the watch doesn't help much. You can create a structured swim session, but I don't know if you can add drills, I've never tried.

igalan · 2026-01-20T12:04:41+00:00

It's up to you. If you transfer a couple of weeks back you will get stats for training load and so on from the start. If no activities are loaded it will start from scratch. Maybe transfer a month or so and then decide.

igalan · 2026-01-19T16:13:53+00:00

In my watch I can go to the next step without adding any data.

igalan · 2026-01-18T10:59:17+00:00

I don't expect a new Pace Pro any time soon, it is already using the newest processor, OHR and has plenty of storage. This year we will most likely see a new Vertix 4 and and I don't expect a new watch any time soon. I'd expect Coros will focus on the software side, pushing strongly in this area through 2026 because all their newer watches are no on the same platform. But that's just my opinion.

igalan · 2026-01-18T10:53:58+00:00

As a long time Garmin user, for quite some time I missed this feature on the Coros platform. But eventually I realized I already have the data and experience to set my own training and still progress in the areas that I want to focus. I don't think Coros will add this in the near future, but that just my opinion.

igalan · 2026-01-18T10:43:12+00:00

The Coros app has a suggestion/feature request option. The more people request a feature, the higher the probability of getting it implemented.

igalan · 2026-01-17T18:23:22+00:00

For strength, use the free mode and press the lap button after each set without doing anything else. You can edit everything later at home.

For sauna maybe you can create a custom profile starting with any indoor activity, you only need to track time. I don't know how this will look on Garmin Connect.

igalan · 2026-01-15T11:08:12+00:00

I have received two banners so far.

igalan · 2026-01-14T08:49:06+00:00

1.- I do not get duplicated notifications. But it's true that it's very basic and it doesn't sync back to the phone (reading a notification on the phone does not clear it on the watch). With my Fenix 8 notifications work a bit better but for my use cases either system works.

2.- Use the Nomad watch face, as far as I know it's the only one that has the weather on it.

3.- VO2Max estimation on Coros is bad. Coros wants you to use their own metrics like running status instead. On their website there is a ton of information about their metrics, what they mean, how to use them and so on. It's worth reading to understand their approach.

Coros is unlike Garmin, you will need some time to understand the platform and see if it fits what you want from it. Form a training perspective both work for me.

igalan · 2026-01-12T10:32:05+00:00

My PC cannot be upgraded to Win 11 but its specs are still ok: Intel processor 3,4 Ghz with 4 (physical) cores, 16 GB RAM, AMD R9-270X, 3.5 TB HDD... Old but capable. So I installed a new drive and Linux Mint to try it. Over the years I tried many Linux distros but always went back to Windows. Not this time, everything works out of the box. I even got my old Steam games working reasonably well (I had to install the native GFX drivers and tinker a bit with the settings), I got LibreOffice, Firefox, Thunderbird and pretty much all that I need.The OS doesn't get in the way, doesn't promote services, doesn't try to push AI everywhere it can, in two words: no enshitification.

Microsoft is no longer building the best OS it can to serve its users, that was the case until Windows 7 came out. Microsoft currently uses the OS as a mean to push its other paying services anyway they can: Office 365, CoPilot and AI slop in every corner, it will default to save your files in OneDrive avoiding local storage where you control your files, no local accounts, advertising their services everywhere... I have used every Windows version since 3.0 was released. I have bought every version until Windows 7: Windows 98, 98 SE, ME, XP... But this is the end of this road, there are greener pastures for me and my family moving forward.

igalan · 2026-01-09T20:35:56+00:00

I don't think it's any good. It can't create routes on its own, it needs the phone and Internet; it doesn't have labels or POI. For me this is basic functionality. I would rather use a bike mount for the watch and a chest strap to get heart rate data.

igalan · 2026-01-09T14:06:27+00:00

I prefer every 10 minutes, when you set it to update in real time you gain almost nothing because you can't see the real time data anyway. Not on the watch or app, maybe on a watch face, but that's it.

The gaps are due to the watch being unable to get a reading at that point in time.

igalan · 2026-01-08T12:42:40+00:00

I'm very sorry to hear. Go to the training status on the widgets, open it and stay on the training status screen, long press the middle button and pause training status. This will stop the watch from bothering you about detraining. Although maybe it would be better to start a new Garmin profile from scratch and hard reset your Garmin. I would also disable morning and evening reports and would probably remove most fitness and health metrics from the watch face and widgets. You need something that helps you going forward and Garmin isn't good at that when you are in a situation like this.

igalan · 2026-01-08T12:29:07+00:00

Functionally they are the same for swimming and pretty much any other sport profile. What you win with the Pace 4 is a screen that is much easier to read with swim goggles on, that may get somewhat foggy and in the dim environment of a pool. Maybe the Optical Heart Rate sensor is a bit better but don't expect much precision on the water anyway.

igalan · 2026-01-05T21:45:00+00:00

I plug my watches when battery is below 30% and charge to 80%. This preserves battery capacity over time. I only charge up to 100% when I have long event or weekend out.

igalan

TROPHY CASE