Device Comparison: Garmin 955 vs. Apple Watch Ultra

Introduction

• Brand Bias: Importance of being brand agnostic when choosing devices.
• Consumer First: Companies should serve consumers, not the other way around.
• Conclusion: Garmin 955 chosen over Apple Watch Ultra after detailed comparison.

Device Selection Criteria

1. Ease of Use: Device should make life easier.
2. Stress Reduction: Device should reduce stress.

Use Case

• Training for a marathon, triathlons, and eventually an Ironman.

Key Comparison Points

Battery Life

• Apple Watch Ultra: Advertised 36-hour life on low power with GPS. Reality often requires frequent charging.
• Garmin 955: Solar model lasts 4 days without charging, even with GPS.

GPS Accuracy

• Apple Watch Series 7: Single wave GPS, less accurate.
• Apple Watch Ultra & Garmin 955: Both use multi-band GPS (L1 and L5 signals).
  • Garmin Advantage: Adjustable GPS signal frequency can be set to every second, providing more precision.
  • Apple Watch Limitation: Unclear GPS signal frequency, possibly every 5-10 seconds.
• City Testing: Apple Watch Ultra struggles with accuracy in urban areas.

Device Focus

• Apple Watch: Designed for broad functionality and Apple ecosystem integration.
• Garmin: Specializes in GPS technology, focusing on precision and reliability.

Heart Rate Monitoring

• Apple Watch: Best heart rate detection among wrist devices.
• Garmin: Less accurate, but external monitors (like Polar H10) can supplement.

Connectivity and Planning

• Garmin Connect: Allows easy workout programming and synchronization.
• Ease of Use: Garmin offers seamless integration without needing third-party apps.

Additional Features

• AI-Driven Training: Garmin supports free AI-driven marathon training programs.
• Performance Metrics: Garmin provides detailed performance metrics and predictions based on VO2 max.

Conclusion

• Preference for Garmin 955: Due to its focus on endurance sports, battery life, GPS accuracy, and ease of connectivity for training.
• Call to Action: Encouragement to explore and support competition among device brands for better consumer choices.