| General | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | COROS |
| Type | Rugged mountain and adventure GPS watch |
| Series | APEX |
| Released | 15 October 2025 |
| Price at launch | 46mm: GBP 429 / USD 479. 42mm: GBP 389 / USD 429 |
| Predecessor | COROS Apex 2 Pro. COROS skipped the Apex 3 to align the numbering across its range |
| Successor | Not yet announced. See Release Radar. |
| Sizes | 42mm (small), 46mm (medium) |
| Colours | Black, White |
Specifications and features as at launch.
Jump to: Expert opinion | What’s new | Specifications | Battery life | Features | Activity profiles | Software updates | Further reading
Expert opinion
The Apex 4 is built for the mountains and priced against Garmin and Suunto rather than below them. It gets the hardware right and remains a watch you buy for the sports and adventure features it shows and records, not for the platform behind it.
GNSS accuracy is amongst the best, alongside the newest generation Garmin watches. The physiology layer is the weak point: EvoLab started naively, has improved, yet its outputs still do deserve to be treated with some scepticism. Maps are global, carry street and trail names, and render without the agonising delay Garmin owners live with. Against that, routes do not route on the watch, and getting a route onto the wrist depends on third-party integrations that Garmin does better.
The speaker and dual microphone are a first for COROS and bring spoken turn instructions, calls answered through a nearby phone, and transcribed geotagged Voice Pins. Outgoing calls, streaming music and contactless payment are absent, as is an LED flashlight. The full climbing set is present, including multi-pitch and bouldering, and the fishing profiles are not.
Coros Apex 4
Mountain GPS watch
What’s new versus the Apex 2 Pro
Hardware
- Third-generation memory-in-pixel touchscreen, 1.3 inch at 260 x 260 pixels on the 46mm and 1.2 inch at 240 x 240 on the 42mm
- Built-in speaker and dual microphone with noise reduction, a first for COROS
- Action button added alongside the digital dial and back button
- Electrocardiogram sensor
- Backplate changed from the Apex 2’s metal to composite
- No LED flashlight
- Battery in all-systems High mode rises from 41 to 53 hours, dual frequency from 24 to 41 hours, and daily use from 21 to 24 days
Software
- Global topographic and landscape maps now carry street and trail names, with turn-by-turn directions and voice alerts. Maps remain non-routable on the watch
- Voice Pins, transcribed and geotagged against the workout in the COROS app
- Adventure Journal, logging Voice Pins, photographs and terrain detail against an effort
- Endurance replaces the standard full GPS profile, blending satellite systems automatically rather than running GPS alone
- Pickleball and Padel profiles added
Specifications
The 46mm is shown as the headline size.
42mm differences: 42.6 x 42.6 x 14mm, 56g with the silicone band and 44g with nylon, a 1.2 inch display at 240 x 240 pixels, 22mm bands fitting 135 to 205mm wrists, and a dual microphone with noise reduction in place of the 46mm’s single microphone. Every other specification matches.
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Size | 1.3 inch (46mm). 1.2 inch (42mm) |
| Type | Third-generation memory-in-pixel touchscreen, always-on |
| Resolution | 260 x 260 pixels (46mm). 240 x 240 pixels (42mm) |
| Lens | Sapphire glass |
| Physical | |
| Case size | 46.2 x 46.2 x 13.7mm (medium). Height excludes the optical heart rate sensor |
| Weight | 64g with silicone band, 51g with nylon band |
| Case material | Fibre-reinforced polymer |
| Bezel material | Grade 5 titanium alloy |
| Strap material | Silicone or nylon, 24mm quick release |
| Wrist fit | Silicone 140 to 215mm. Nylon 140 to 215mm |
| Controls | Digital dial, back button, action button, touchscreen |
| Water rating | 5 ATM |
| Operating temperature | -20C to 50C |
| Storage temperature | -20C to 60C |
| Sensors and positioning | |
| GPS | All-satellite dual-frequency. GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS |
| Heart rate | Optical heart rate monitor, with underwater reading |
| ECG | Yes |
| Other sensors | Pulse oximeter, barometric altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, 3D compass, thermometer |
| Audio | Speaker and microphone |
| LED flashlight | No |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
| Connectivity and storage | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth for phone and accessories. Wi-Fi for data sync and firmware. No ANT+, no NFC |
| Storage | 32GB, with capacity for around 1,200 hours of activity data |
| Music | Offline playback to paired Bluetooth headphones. No streaming services |
| Onboard maps | Yes. Downloadable global landscape maps with trail and street names, plus downloadable topographic maps. Not routable on the watch |
| Charging | Under two hours |
| Display languages | English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, German, Spanish, French, Polish, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Vietnamese |
Battery life
The figures below are for the 46mm, taken from the official COROS specification. The 42mm runs to 41 hours in Endurance, 34 hours in High and 26 hours in Max, with 15 days of daily use. With offline music playing, those fall to 11, 10 and 9 hours.
| Mode | Battery life (46mm) |
|---|---|
| Daily use and sleep tracking | 24 days |
| Endurance, all systems | 65 hours |
| Endurance, all systems, with offline music | 17 hours |
| High, all systems | 53 hours |
| High, all systems, with offline music | 16 hours |
| © the5krunner. Link required. | |
| Max, dual frequency | 41 hours |
| Max, dual frequency, with offline music | 15 hours |
| Charging time | Under two hours |
Features
Feature explanations are covered in the the5krunner COROS hub. The headings below follow COROS’s own grouping.
Training
- Effort Pace
- EvoLab: recovery, fatigue, training load, race predictor, VO2 max and threshold zones
- Running Fitness
- Activity alerts for cadence, distance, pace, heart rate and power
- Basic interval training
- Pre-planned workouts
- Training plans
- Virtual Pacer
- Virtual Run
- Running Form Test, which requires the COROS POD or POD 2
- Resting heart rate
- Underwater heart rate
- Altitude Mode, evaluating SpO2 and fitness at altitude
- Action camera control for selected GoPro, DJI and Insta360 models
- Touch Scroll through data pages during an activity
- Extender
Daily
- Daily Stress
- Wellness Check
- Sleep tracking with REM stages
- HRV
- Message and call alerts, in daily use and during training
- Hands-free calls through a paired phone, using the speaker and microphone
- Daily data covering active calories, exercise time and storm alerts
- Alarm, timer and stopwatch
- Find My Phone and Find My Watch
- Always-on display
- Offline music playback to paired Bluetooth headphones
- Firmware updates over Wi-Fi and the COROS app
Navigation
- Downloadable global landscape maps with trail and street names
- Downloadable topographic maps
- Turn-by-turn directions with spoken alerts when following a loaded route
- Checkpoint
- Back-to-Start
- Deviation alert
- Touchscreen map control
- Safety alerts
Third-party integration
- Nike Run Club, Komoot, TrainingPeaks, Strava, Relive, adidas Running, Apple Health, Stryd, Final Surge, Runalyze, Running Quotient and Decathlon
- Stryd running power is supported natively
Activity profiles
The Apex 4 carries the full Climb set. It has no Fish profiles, which sit on the NOMAD.
| Category | Profiles |
|---|---|
| Run | Run, Indoor Run, Track Run, Trail Run |
| Climb | Outdoor Climb, Indoor Climb, Mountain Climb, Bouldering |
| Bike | Bike, Indoor Bike, Gravel, Mountain Bike (MTB) |
| Water | Open Water, Pool Swim, Flatwater, Rowing, Whitewater, Speedsurfing, Windsurfing |
| Snow | Ski, Snowboard, XC Ski, Ski Touring |
| Cardio | GPS Cardio, Gym Cardio, Hike, Indoor Rower, Walk, Jump Rope |
| Other | Triathlon, Multisport, Strength, Pickleball, Padel, Training, Training Plan |
Coros Apex 4
Mountain GPS watch
COROS Apex 4 software updates
The current COROS Apex 4 software is version 3.1908.0. COROS is still updating the Apex 4, with 2 software releases since May 2026. This section is updated when COROS releases a new version.
| Current version | 3.1908.0, released 31 August 2026. |
| Public beta | No public beta. COROS does not run a public beta for this model. |
| Last update | 3.1908.0 on 31 August 2026. |
Features added since May 2026
- 3.1908.0, 31 August 2026.
- Climb Alerts available in cycling modes, with real-time progress and remaining elevation gain
- Left and right power balance now passed to third-party platforms
- New voice control commands for activity alerts, navigation and timers
- Adventure Journal Timeline gives a chronological activity view with a shareable link that does not expire, and photos or video can be added from before or after the activity
- Power usage statistics added to the battery widget
- Elevation accuracy improved on imported routes
- Direct Transfer update allows app navigation during an update
- System Update, 8 July 2026. Heart rate recovery metric for rest intervals and the two minutes after an activity. Voice control in beta to start activities, set alarms and check the weather (English only).
Full version history, 2 releases including betas and fixes
| Version | Type | Date | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1908.0 | Stable | 31 August 2026 | Climb Alerts available in cycling modes, with real-time progress and remaining elevation gain. Left and right power balance now passed to third-party platforms. |
| System Update | Stable | 8 July 2026 | Heart rate recovery metric for rest intervals and the two minutes after an activity. Voice control in beta to start activities, set alarms and check the weather (English only). |
Version history is recorded from May 2026. See also known problems and fixes.
Further reading
- the5krunner COROS Apex 4 buyer’s guide
- COROS watch specifications
- Release Radar: upcoming watches
- Official COROS Apex 4 product page
Related watches
Looking at alternatives to the Apex 4?
- Predecessor: COROS Apex 2 Pro, which remains on sale at a reduced price.
- Also consider: Garmin Forerunner 170, with contactless payment and streaming music or an older-model Fenix on sale.
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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