The methodology
Twelve weeks of marathon-block training. Six watches in rotation, scored against three real questions: did the watch help me pace a workout, did the recovery score change my plan, and did the battery survive a long run.
The pick
The mid-range Garmin still wins for runners. The Coros runner-up beats it on battery; the Apple Watch beats both on everyday wearability and loses badly on training metrics.
The premium feature most people pay for and never use? Topo maps. The feature most people overlook? Race-mode pacing. We rank the lot honestly.