ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Coros Apex 4 is available now in 42mm and 46mm sizes, for $429 and $479, respectively.
- Its long battery life continues to be a Coros foundational element, and the speaker/microphone support hands-free calls and voice notes.
- The watch sports a lower resolution display, has a minimal 5 ATM water resistance rating, and no third party app support.
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Back in 2022, I looked at the Coros Apex 2 and Apex 2 Pro, calling out their performance and build quality relative to price. Now, I’m happy to revisit the brand’s lineup with the new Apex 4 series, including two sizes of its mid-range smartwatch.
I spent a couple weeks salmon fishing on the Puget Sound, trail running, hiking, walking, and rowing with the new 46mm Coros Apex 4, and initial impressions reveal a worthy follow-up with improved mapping capability, with 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 watches, no matter your budget
The Apex 4 Pro fits into Coros’ extensive smartwatch lineup alongside the Pace, Nomad, and Vertix series, as a smartwatch targeted toward athletes who trail run, alpine run, and ski. If you regularly do any of those activities, the Apex 4 Pro would make a particularly good watch, since it includes a handful of features with elevation as a key component.
Personally, I enjoy trail running in the local foothills of Mount Rainier and have my Icon pass all ready to go for this winter’s alpine snow skiing season, so I plan on testing the Apex 4 on the slopes once the season begins.
There are a handful of features that are suited just for this use case. For alpine skiing, you can download topographic maps, which then automatically detects downhill laps and ski lift rides, displayed on the saved activity data pages. Pinned voice notes come in handy here, allowing you to call out where that perfect jump or hazard are located, and can be easily shared.
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
The Apex 4 launched with a new bottom left Action button, a microphone for recording voice notes pinned to your location, and the Adventure Journal that syncs photos and videos with your navigation track. There’s also a speaker, so in addition to voice pins you can perform hands-free calling and receive audio alerts during activities.
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
The Apex 4 is quite light thanks to its use of a titanium bezel and high strength polymer backing material, weighing 64 grams with the silicone band and 52 grams with the nylon band.
The third-generation memory-in-pixel display looks particularly great outside, contributing to its long battery life. The 46mm model I tested has GPS tracking battery life ranging from 41 hours to 65 hours, depending on accuracy level selected, so I have only had to charge it once since I started my testing. In typical smartwatch use, the watch should last more than three weeks.
Also: Coros rolls out limited-edition Chamonix Apex 2 Pro, plus August 2023 update
I’m also a huge fan of the USB-C keychain charging adapter that Coros now includes with its watches. The small adapter secures to the back of your watch and connects to any USB-C cable with the adapter housed in a handy key ring holder so you can easily travel with it and not have to lug other cables or chargers along. Then again, you probably won’t need to charge it for typical business trips and vacations given its long battery life and reliable performance.
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
The Apex 4 also includes the very cool Adventure Journal capability along with detailed mapping that’s quick on the watch. Save 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 very accurate voice to text transcription in the smartphone app so you don’t have to playback your voice notes to know what details you recorded along your journey.
While voice pins and hands-free calling are useful, I would personally use a LED flashlight more often. Given the long battery life and outdoor adventure focus of Coros watches, I sure hope to see this added in the future. It’s honestly one of the last features keeping me tied to Garmin watches. Well, that, and subscription music support, third party apps, support for golf, and more.
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
Coros offers a very customizable experience, but I find the fonts too small on the Daily Data list of widgets and haven’t been able to adjust font sizes on the watch. The right upper digital dial and back button are well positioned for easy navigation, however, while the new Action button works well within activities to perform key functions.
ZDNET’s buying advice
The Coros Apex 4 fits in between the Nomad and Vertix with two size options, the addition of a speaker, and higher quality materials (titanium and sapphire glass). Support for all of the same sports and activities are available on both so it comes down to what you are looking for from your hardware, as well as size and weight options available to you. The Apex 4 is a compelling sports watch available for less than $500.
