Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Coros - Apex 2 Pro | Garmin - Forerunner 965 |
|---|---|---|
| GPS mode | 75 h | 31 h |
| Smartwatch mode | 30 days | 23 days |
Between the Apex 2 Pro and Forerunner 965, the Apex 2 Pro comes out ahead in gps mode / smartwatch mode, while the Forerunner 965 wins on several specs. Overall, the Apex 2 Pro scores 74.4 and the Forerunner 965 scores 71.3 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Apex 2 Pro edges ahead on the Mars Score (74.4 vs 71.3), but the 3.1-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Apex 2 Pro if you care most about gps mode / smartwatch mode. The biggest gaps in its favor are gps mode, smartwatch mode. The single most decisive one: GPS mode — 141.94% more. 75 h vs 31 h.
The Forerunner 965 similarly does not carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.
Both ship with comparable multi-band gps, solar charging, ecg, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Coros - Apex 2 Pro or Garmin - Forerunner 965?
Coros - Apex 2 Pro leads the current Mars Score by 3.1 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare smartwatch mode, gps mode against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Coros - Apex 2 Pro if…
Coros - Apex 2 Pro has the measurable edge on battery gps hours, battery smartwatch days.
Choose Garmin - Forerunner 965 if…
Garmin - Forerunner 965 does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Coros - Apex 2 Pro wins
- ▲GPS mode — 141.94% more. 75 h vs 31 h.
- ▲Smartwatch mode — 30.43% more. 30 days vs 23 days.
Why Garmin - Forerunner 965 wins
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
GPS & Sensors
| Spec | Coros - Apex 2 Pro | Garmin - Forerunner 965 |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-band GPS | true | true |
| Barometric altimeter | true | true |
| Heart rate | true | true |
| ECG | false | false |
| Pulse Ox | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Coros - Apex 2 Pro | Garmin - Forerunner 965 |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | 30 dayslead | 23 days |
| GPS mode | 75 hlead | 31 h |
| Solar charging | false | false |
Design
| Spec | Coros - Apex 2 Pro | Garmin - Forerunner 965 |
|---|---|---|
| Case size | 46.1 mm | 47 mmlead |
| Weight | 66 g | 53 glead |
| Water resistanceⓘ | 10 ATMlead | 5 ATM |