Apple Watch Ultra vs Garmin Epix 2: Which Is the Better Running Watch?

Introduction

The Apple Watch Ultra and the Garmin Epix 2 are arguably the two most natural rivals in sports watches right now. Both carry premium price tags, both have bright always-on color displays, and both have now been put through serious race testing: the London, Berlin, and Chicago Marathon majors, plus months of everyday training runs.

That extended testing makes this a useful comparison, because the differences between these two watches only show up over time. Below is how they stack up across design, GPS, heart rate, mapping, training features, battery life, and the everyday smartwatch experience, and which watch suits which kind of runner.

Design and Screen

The Apple Watch Ultra has a 49mm titanium case, three buttons including the new Action button, removable straps, and an always-on Retina touchscreen. The Garmin Epix 2 uses a 47mm case with a Phoenix-style look, physical buttons, removable straps, stainless steel or aluminum case options, and an always-on AMOLED display.

Both testers found these among the most comfortable watches to live with. The Epix 2’s five-button layout makes mid-run interactions easier, particularly hitting lap during a run. On the Ultra, pressing the Action button without also nudging the opposite side button, which pauses the run, proved surprisingly tricky.

One persistent worry with big watches is wrist fit, and the titanium case helps here: despite its size, the Ultra is light enough that it never felt uncomfortable on slimmer wrists. For everyday wear and day-to-day screen interaction, the Ultra’s brighter, sharper display is still the nicer experience. On the run, though, the Garmin’s button layout wins.

GPS Accuracy and Pacing

Both watches sit at the top of the market for GPS. The Ultra uses dual-frequency GPS, new for Apple but already seen on other brands. The Epix 2 uses multi-band mode, its top accuracy tier, on the Sapphire versions. Both testers agreed these are two of the most accurate GPS watches they have used; unlike some other dual-band watches, the feature genuinely makes a difference here.

Total distance tracking was excellent on both. The quirks appeared in pacing and in specific race conditions. One tester found the Ultra’s per-kilometer pace readings lag oddly, starting slow each split and only catching up near the end, even though the overall distance was accurate.

At the London Marathon, the Ultra handled the notoriously difficult Canary Wharf area noticeably better, using pedometer data to keep pace numbers sensible while the Epix 2 spiked wildly. At Chicago, the picture reversed: the Epix 2 drifted well off the race’s distance markers on both a pre-race 5K and race day, while the Ultra tracked distance more reliably. Both watches are superb, but neither is infallible in the hardest GPS environments.

Heart Rate Accuracy

Both watches use optical heart rate sensors and can pair external chest straps. Experience was similar on both: solid for steady-pace workouts, with occasional errors, usually at the start of a run, once intensity climbs.

The Ultra’s larger case makes it slightly less reliable than smaller Apple Watches, though still roughly on par with the Epix 2. The bigger consideration is what happens with the data: a bad reading on the Garmin feeds into training readiness and training load, potentially skewing those metrics for weeks. The Ultra has no equivalent analysis, so a bad reading matters less. For both watches, if you train by heart rate, a chest strap is the sensible companion.

Navigation and Mapping

This is where the gap is widest. The Epix 2 carries Garmin’s full mapping suite: preloaded topo maps on the Sapphire version, offline mapping, route uploads, and features like ClimbPro, all readable with real clarity thanks to the color AMOLED display. Garmin remains the gold standard for on-watch maps, and the Epix 2 is the best Garmin for it.

The Ultra’s native tools, such as an improved Compass app and Backtrack, are confined to a separate app rather than the workout flow, and feel more hiking-oriented than running-focused. Good mapping on Apple Watch exists, but almost entirely through third-party apps like WorkOutDoors, which cost extra and still do not fully deliver a turn-by-turn experience. If navigation matters to you, the Epix 2 is the clear pick.

Training Features

Garmin is far richer here. Training Readiness distills sleep, recent load, and heart rate variability into a single daily score with the reasoning behind it, and the whole system feeds into a coherent training picture. It is a genuine training partner, and it works for beginners and advanced athletes alike, with Garmin Coach and deep analysis built in.

The Ultra is more of a tracker than a training partner in this sense. Its standout strength is the on-watch structured workout builder, which one tester called the best he has used on any watch: detailed intervals are genuinely easy to build directly on the watch, something Garmin still handles better in its app. But for recovery guidance, readiness scores, and overnight metrics, the Garmin does far more out of the box.

Battery Life

The Ultra is rated at 36 hours, with a low-power setting that extends smartwatch use but does not change GPS reading frequency yet. In practice, testers found it comfortably lasted around 48 hours even with always-on display and top GPS modes, enough to cover a marathon day and the day after without charging.

The Epix 2 offers around 16 days of smartwatch battery and roughly 20 to 42 hours of GPS depending on mode, with multi-band mode the most draining. With multi-band and heavy training, testers saw four to five days of reliable battery. With the always-on display off, a full week of training is realistic. Garmin also lets you switch GPS modes during an activity to stretch battery, which Apple cannot yet match. Neither tester found battery a deal-breaker on either watch, but the Epix 2 clearly lasts longer.

Smartwatch Features

The Apple Watch Ultra is simply the better smartwatch. Apple Pay works better than Garmin Pay, notifications are sharper, music handling is smoother, and the App Store is the real difference: serious developers build for Apple, so nearly any weakness can be fixed with an app.

Garmin’s Connect IQ store cannot compete, though Spotify offline playlists work well, the touchscreen makes its music and app features more usable than older Garmins, and notification support is perfectly fine. Note the fundamental platform split: the Ultra requires an iPhone, while the Epix 2 works with both Android and iOS. If you want the best everyday smart experience, Apple wins; if you want a capable sports-first smartwatch, the Epix 2 does a good enough job.

The Verdict

Both testers reached for the Epix 2 as their daily running watch, but with clear caveats. For serious, structured training, the Garmin wins on training readiness, more tuned-in running GPS, longer battery, and best-in-class maps, which also matter a lot if you travel or run trails.

The Apple Watch Ultra, however, is a huge step forward for Apple. It raced three marathon majors well, its screen and design are the nicest here, and its smartwatch experience is unmatched. If your running is more casual and you want one beautiful watch for everything, the Ultra will absolutely do the job, and it will only get better in future generations.

Conclusion

The Garmin Epix 2 is the better dedicated running watch, and it is the one both testers kept wearing. The Apple Watch Ultra is the better all-round smartwatch and the better screen, and for runners outside structured training it is a genuinely viable alternative for the first time. Choose based on which of those two roles matters more to you.

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