Coros, the brand that brought us the Omni and Linx smart helmets, has now launched what it's calling the most powerful GPS watch ever built, the Vertix. Quite a claim, but can the wearables brand back it up?
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At first glance, you’d be forgiven for confusing this watch with a Garmin Fenix; aesthetically they are very similar. The Vertix features a 1.2in, 240x240px Memory LCD screen, Sapphire Glass screen and Titanium bezel.
Claimed to weigh 76g, the watch also features quick release silicone bands, which also appear similar to Garmin’s system.
What does set this watch apart though is the claimed battery life of 45 days in watch mode, 60 hours in GPS mode and 150 hours in UltraMax mode for extended activities — in this mode, the GPS intermittently turns off to maintain charge, similar to Garmin’s UltraTrac mode.
Then there is the waterproofing, which is claimed up to 150m — at the moment most GPS watches will only survive down to 100m.
As you’d expect for a high-end GPS watch, it features an optical heart rate sensor but also sees a 24/7 SpO2 blood oxygen sensor, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, compass, gyroscope and thermometer.
With a range of training modes from cycling to climbing, the watch gets access to GPS and GLONASS location networks with Coros saying Galileo and Beidou will be added via a firmware update.
The watch will support connection to ANT sensors (no mention of power meters) and has a Bluetooth connection, but not for sensors, just to talk to your smartphone.
With a 64-color screen, the watch offers breadcrumb-style navigation but unfortunately no BaseMaps for more detailed reference.
Quite a nifty feature is the navigation screen though, which can be zoomed in and out using the ‘digital crown’ on the side of the case. However, it's a shame that Coros has decided against adding BaseMaps because the ability to zoom in and out without a touchscreen would be a real point of difference.
Coros also alludes to ‘Interval, aerobic, and anaerobic training,’ but doesn’t specify whether workouts can be uploaded, created or if there is a preset library on the watch. The brand also says the watch will offer training load and recovery analysis a la First Beat.
Available for pre-order now, the Vertix will begin shipping 4 June and will cost $599. International pricing to be confirmed.
Coros has also announced that it has dropped the price on its Pace GPS watch to $199, and customers who bought the watch in the last 12-months are eligible to receive a $100 credit on Coros.com.