GPS Running Watches / COROS APEX 4 (42mm) vs Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm)
COROS APEX 4 (42mm) vs Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm)
COROS APEX 4 (42mm)
Free offline topo maps and a titanium bezel for $429 — with a screen you fight in low light.
Wins overall by 1.1 points
Quick Verdict
A 1.1-point gap makes the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) the straightforward choice here. Free offline topo maps and a titanium bezel for $429 — with a screen you fight in low light.
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) and Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) are both closely matched GPS Running Watch models, and the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) is $129 cheaper than the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) ($299.99 vs $429). On Navigation & Maps, the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) leads (7.8 vs 2.5/10) — real routable offline topographic maps versus a breadcrumb line, plus how painful it is to get maps onto the watch.. On Display, the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) leads (8.4 vs 6.2/10) — brightness, resolution and daylight readability, weighing AMOLED sharpness against MIP's always-on-for-free behaviour.. On Battery Honesty, the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) leads (8.8 vs 7.0/10) — how much of the headline battery claim survives the mode you would actually train in: all-systems plus multiband, always-on display, music playing. The number on the box is almost always the slowest, least accurate mode.. Overall, the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) scores 7.9/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 6.8/10 for the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | COROS APEX 4 (42mm) | Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $429.00 | $299.99 |
| Release Year | 2025 | 2026 |
| Display | 1.2-in 240x240 3rd-gen transflective MIP, always-on, no AMOLED battery penalty — but DC Rainmaker and Tom's Guide both call it dim indoors and in low light | 1.2-in 390x390 AMOLED touchscreen, optional always-on |
| Smartwatch Battery ( days) | 15✓ | 10 |
| Always-On Display Cost | No always-on penalty — the MIP screen is permanently on. (The 46 mm version is rated 24 days smartwatch and 65 h all-systems GPS if you want the bigger numbers.) | 4 days with always-on display — the headline 10-day figure assumes the screen is off between glances |
| Battery, Single-Band GPS ( h) | 41✓ | 20 |
| Battery, Multiband GPS ( h) | Not published by COROS for the 42 mm in any source reviewed here. For reference the 46 mm is rated 65 h all-systems vs 41 h dual-frequency — expect a similar ~35-40% drop. | No multiband mode exists on this watch; all-systems (L1 only) runs 14 h |
| GNSS Bands | Dual-frequency L1+L5 chipset covering GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS. DC Rainmaker warns GPS accuracy degrades noticeably when route navigation is running. | Single-band L1 multi-GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS). No L5/dual-frequency — DC Rainmaker's hands-on and the garminrumors spec wiki both confirm this; the5krunner's spec page loosely calls it 'multi-frequency', which is wrong. Multiband starts at the Forerunner 570. |
| Onboard Maps | Free global offline topographic and landscape maps with street/trail names and POIs, downloaded through the COROS app, plus turn-by-turn on preloaded routes. No ClimbPro equivalent and no automatic rerouting. | None. Breadcrumb course-following only — no TopoActive maps, no turn-by-turn, no ClimbPro. |
| Music Storage | MP3 files only, sideloaded. No streaming services and no phone-music control. | Only on the $349.99 Forerunner 170 Music: 4 GB with offline Spotify, Amazon Music and Deezer. The $299.99 base model reviewed here has no music storage and no Wi-Fi. |
| Training Platform & Subscription | COROS app and EvoLab analytics are entirely free, no subscription tier. COROS' own metrics, not Firstbeat. | Garmin Connect is free and every core training metric — Training Readiness, Training Load, Training Status, HRV Status, Body Battery, recovery time — is Firstbeat-derived and free on the watch (Garmin bought Firstbeat in 2020). Connect+ is $6.99/mo or $69.99/yr and adds only AI wellness prompts, 3D maps, Trails+ routing, extra badges and nutrition logging — nothing a training plan depends on. |
| External Sensor Support | Bluetooth only — no ANT+ at all, which rules out ANT+-only power meters | Pairs with both ANT+ and Bluetooth chest straps, footpods and Stryd — the cheap fix for wrist-HR interval errors |
| Data Export | Free .FIT/GPX export plus auto-sync to Strava, TrainingPeaks, Apple Health and Health Connect | Full .FIT file access over USB/MTP plus free automatic sync to Strava, TrainingPeaks, Runalyze, intervals.icu and others through Garmin Connect. |
| Warranty | 24 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black | Black / Amp Yellow |
Category Scores
GPS Accuracy
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 6.2 — a 1.8-point margin on trace quality in cities and under tree cover — multiband L1+L5 hardware plus what independent testers measured in the real world.. If that is what you are buying for, the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Battery Honesty
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) leads clearly here, 8.8 against 7.0 — a 1.8-point margin on how much of the headline battery claim survives the mode you would actually train in: all-systems plus multiband, always-on display, music playing. The number on the box is almost always the slowest, least accurate mode.. If that is what you are buying for, the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Training & Recovery
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) is marginally ahead, 7.8 to 7.4. A gap this small rarely decides a purchase on its own, though it counts if depth of load, readiness and recovery analysis, and how much of it is free rather than gated behind a subscription or an extra chest strap. is your priority.
Heart Rate
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) leads clearly here, 7.4 against 6.8 — a 0.6-point margin on optical wrist accuracy during intervals and burst efforts, and whether the watch pairs with ANT+ and/or Bluetooth chest straps as a fix.. If that is what you are buying for, the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Display
The Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) leads clearly here, 8.4 against 6.2 — a 2.2-point margin on brightness, resolution and daylight readability, weighing AMOLED sharpness against MIP's always-on-for-free behaviour.. If that is what you are buying for, the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Build & Comfort
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) is marginally ahead, 8.6 to 8.2. A gap this small rarely decides a purchase on its own, though it counts if case materials, lens (sapphire vs glass), weight on the wrist and durability ratings. is your priority.
Value
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) leads clearly here, 8.6 against 7.8 — a 0.8-point margin on what the watch delivers per dollar against everything else in the comparison at the moment of purchase.. If that is what you are buying for, the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) if…
- • Navigation & Maps matters most to you — the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) scores 7.8/10 here (real routable offline topographic maps versus a breadcrumb line, plus how painful it is to get maps onto the watch.).
- • Battery Honesty matters most to you — the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) scores 8.8/10 here (how much of the headline battery claim survives the mode you would actually train in: all-systems plus multiband, always-on display, music playing. The number on the box is almost always the slowest, least accurate mode.).
- • GPS Accuracy matters most to you — the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) scores 8.0/10 here (trace quality in cities and under tree cover — multiband L1+L5 hardware plus what independent testers measured in the real world.).
- • Value matters most to you — the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) scores 8.6/10 here (what the watch delivers per dollar against everything else in the comparison at the moment of purchase.).
- • Your main use case is trail-ultra or hiking-navigation.
Choose the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) if…
- • Display matters most to you — the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) scores 8.4/10 here (brightness, resolution and daylight readability, weighing AMOLED sharpness against MIP's always-on-for-free behaviour.).
- • You want to spend less — it's $129 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is road-running or triathlon.
Pros & Cons
COROS APEX 4 (42mm)
Pros
- +Free global offline topo maps with street and trail names at $429 — Garmin charges $749.99 before you get maps
- +Titanium bezel and sapphire glass at a price where rivals use aluminium and Gorilla Glass
- +MIP means the 41 h all-systems figure is what you get, with no always-on display tax
- +Two years of warranty and zero subscriptions anywhere in the platform
Cons
- −COROS does not publish a dual-frequency battery figure for the 42 mm, and dual-frequency is where accuracy actually lives
- −DC Rainmaker measured a real GPS accuracy drop when a route is loaded and navigation is active
- −MIP display is dim indoors and at night compared with every AMOLED rival here
- −No ANT+, no NFC payments and no LED flashlight
- −The depth gauge has no certification and cannot record dives to the app, and there are no dive sport profiles
Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm)
Pros
- +Adds a barometer, gyroscope, wrist running power, Training Readiness and open-water swimming over the Forerunner 165 it replaces
- +Every training and recovery metric is free — Connect+ at $6.99/mo adds nothing a runner's plan depends on
- +Pairs with ANT+ and Bluetooth chest straps, so $60 of strap fixes the wrist sensor for intervals
- +20 h of GPS-only battery covers a road marathon several times over
Cons
- −Single-band L1 GNSS only — in city streets or under canopy the trace drifts, and multiband costs $250 more (Forerunner 570)
- −No multisport/triathlon mode at all, so it cannot record a triathlon; DC Rainmaker flags this as the headline omission
- −No maps of any kind, and no turn-by-turn — breadcrumbs only
- −Music is a $50 upcharge: the base model has zero song storage and no Wi-Fi
- −The 10-day smartwatch claim drops to 4 days the moment you enable the always-on display
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) or Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Navigation & Maps, the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) or the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm)?+
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) scores higher on Navigation & Maps (7.8/10 vs 2.5/10) — real routable offline topographic maps versus a breadcrumb line, plus how painful it is to get maps onto the watch..
Which is better for Display, the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) or the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm)?+
The Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) scores higher on Display (8.4/10 vs 6.2/10) — brightness, resolution and daylight readability, weighing AMOLED sharpness against MIP's always-on-for-free behaviour..
Which is better for Battery Honesty, the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) or the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm)?+
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) scores higher on Battery Honesty (8.8/10 vs 7.0/10) — how much of the headline battery claim survives the mode you would actually train in: all-systems plus multiband, always-on display, music playing. The number on the box is almost always the slowest, least accurate mode..
Which is better for GPS Accuracy, the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) or the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm)?+
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) scores higher on GPS Accuracy (8.0/10 vs 6.2/10) — trace quality in cities and under tree cover — multiband L1+L5 hardware plus what independent testers measured in the real world..
Is the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) worth the price difference over the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm)?+
The Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) is the cheaper option at $299.99 versus $429. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Navigation & Maps.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) is the better fit if you mainly care about trail-ultra or hiking-navigation. The Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) is the better fit for road-running or triathlon.
What's the warranty on the COROS APEX 4 (42mm) vs the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm)?+
The COROS APEX 4 (42mm) ships with a 24-month warranty; the Garmin Forerunner 170 (43mm) ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
COROS PACE 4 (silicone band) — $249.00
Premium Option
Suunto Race 2 (stainless steel) — $499.00
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.