Face it, picking between the Coros Pace 2 and Garmin 245 isn’t a walk in the park. With both offering impressive specs and features, the choice becomes quite a conundrum.
You’re not just choosing a watch; it’s an everyday health assistant strapped to your wrist.
But don’t stress.
To make your decision easier, I’ve combed through every detail you need to know before making your final decision. Now let’s get started –
Coros Pace 2 Key Features
- Ultralight Body: With a net weight of only 29g, the Coros Pace 2 is the world’s lightest GPS watch.
- Long Battery Life: It boasts a battery life of 20 days for regular use, 30 hours in full GPS mode, or up to 60 hours in UltraMax GPS mode.
- Fast and Accurate GPS: The Coros Pace 2 utilizes highly accurate dual-frequency GPS hardware.
- Advanced Training Metrics and Biometrics: It provides intuitive ways to track your training progress with the help of several data metrics such as VO2 Max, Lactate Threshold, Training Load, Training Effect, and Recovery Time.
- Built-in Power Meter: The smartwatch allows you to measure your total output effort during your workout efficiently.
- Night Mode: An always-on mode provides a dim light to read your data during your darkest workouts easily.
- Waterproof: It can resist water up to 50 meters deep, making it suitable for swimming.
- Broad Connectivity: It can connect to other devices or platforms via Bluetooth, ANT+, or Wi-Fi.
Garmin 245 Key Features
Founded by Gary Burrell and Min Kao in 1989, Garmin is a renowned technology company specializing in GPS technology across various sectors, including aviation, marine, outdoor, and sports activities.
Over the years, they have expanded their expertise beyond GPS technology, now innovating in multiple areas of wearable technology.
Key Features and Specifications of Garmin 245
- Advanced Physio Features: Garmin 245 is equipped with Body Battery Energy monitoring that tracks the body’s energy levels and optimally schedules workouts, rest, and sleep.
- Built-in GPS: The smartwatch features a GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellite system for precise location tracking.
- Pulse OX Sensor: This measures blood oxygen saturation for advanced sleep monitoring and altitude acclimation.
- Safety and Tracking Features: Incident detection sends the real-time location to emergency contacts if you fall or encounter an accident during select outdoor activities.
- Menstrual Cycle Tracking: Garmin’s female health tracking features enable women to log physical and emotional symptoms and track their cycle right from their wrist.
- Music: It allows storing up to 500 songs and connects with Spotify, Amazon Music, or transfers from a computer.
- Advanced Workouts: The smartwatch includes features such as VO2 Max and fitness age estimates and advanced training metrics that include running dynamics, heat, and altitude acclimation, recovery time, and aerobic and anaerobic training effects.
- Smart Connectivity: When paired with a compatible device, it offers smart notifications and receives texts, emails, and alerts on its display.
Coros Pace 2 vs Garmin 245: Tracking Accuracy
When considering a GPS sports watch, tracking accuracy is one of the vital factors to consider. Let’s compare the tracking accuracy of two popular models, the Coros Pace 2 and the Garmin Forerunner 245.
GPS Tracking Accuracy
- Coros Pace 2: This device combines GPS, GLONASS, and BDS satellites to ensure optimal precision. It provides remarkably accurate tracking, whether you’re running on dense trails or open roads.
- Garmin 245: The Garmin 245 employs GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellite systems for tracking, rendering it accurate in various locations and conditions. This watch is known for its reliable tracking abilities under various circumstances.
Heart Rate Monitoring
- Coros Pace 2: While Coros Pace 2 offers wrist-based heart rate monitoring, you may note that it is less precise than a chest strap during high-intensity workouts. Nonetheless, it’s more than capable of steady-state efforts and day-to-day tracking.
- Garmin 245: Garmin 245 also comes with wrist-based heart rate monitoring. It’s been reported to provide accurate heart rate data during resting and active periods. It also offers pulse oximetry for advanced fitness insights, though this may slightly impact the battery life.
Sleep Tracking
- Coros Pace 2: Coros Pace 2’s sleep tracking offers basic insights into your sleep duration and the breakdown of light, deep, and REM sleep stages.
- Garmin 245: Conversely, Garmin 245 offers more comprehensive sleep tracking. It evaluates sleep stages and provides insights on blood oxygen levels tracked through the night, giving you a more in-depth understanding of your sleep quality.
Coros Pace 2 vs Garmin 245: Pricing
Coros Pace 2
Current Retail Price:
The current retail price of the Coros Pace 2 is approximately $199.99.
Garmin 245
Current Retail Price:
The current retail price of the Garmin 245 is approximately $299.99 (Garmin Forerunner 245) and $349.99 (Garmin Forerunner 245 Music).
Prices may vary depending on the retailer, region, and available discounts or promotions.
Is Coros Pace 2 Better Than Garmin 245?
No, the Coros Pace 2 isn’t a better buy than a Garmin 245.
Considering all features and considerations, the Garmin 245 comes out ahead in the race against Coros Pace 2.
While the Coros Pace 2 is admirable in its own right for its cost-efficiency and tremendously long battery life that is unmatched in the market, the Garmin 245 provides a broader set of functions that elevate your experience beyond just time tracking and basic fitness metrics.
Among its more compelling features is advanced sleep tracking. Unlike other fitness watches offering basic sleep insights, Garmin 245 dives deeper, providing details about light and deep sleep phases, REM stages, and even blood oxygen levels during sleep using the pulse oximeter feature.
The pulse oximeter, which measures oxygen saturation in the blood, is another unique feature uncommon in most sports watches. This can be crucial for athletes training at high altitudes or those who want to monitor their physical condition closely.
The Garmin Forerunner 245 Music model additionally provides built-in music capabilities. This allows you to listen to their favorite tunes during their workouts without needing their smartphones, an advantage the Coros Pace 2 lacks.
Sure, these additional features come with a slightly higher price tag. Still, the expansive list of utilities and features that the Garmin 245 offers justifies this extra cost, providing you with a sports watch and a comprehensive fitness companion.
Thus, in direct comparison, the Garmin 245 delivers a more comprehensive package and edges out as the superior option compared to the Coros Pace 2.
That’s all for now.
Feel free to reach out in the comments below if you have any doubts.