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 - MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) |
|---|---|---|
| GPS mode | 75 h | 30 h |
| Smartwatch mode | 30 days | 16 days |
| ECG | false | true |
Between the Apex 2 Pro and MARQ Athlete (Gen 2), the Apex 2 Pro comes out ahead in gps mode / smartwatch mode, while the MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) wins on ecg. Overall, the Apex 2 Pro scores 74.4 and the MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) scores 68.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Apex 2 Pro edges ahead on the Mars Score (74.4 vs 68.1), but the 6.3-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 — 150.00% more. 75 h vs 30 h.
Pick the MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) if you care most about ecg. Its strongest claims are ecg. The single most decisive one: Has ECG.
Both ship with comparable multi-band gps, solar charging, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Apex 2 Pro is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Coros - Apex 2 Pro or Garmin - MARQ Athlete (Gen 2)?
Coros - Apex 2 Pro leads the current Mars Score by 6.3 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 - MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) if…
Garmin - MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) has the measurable edge on has ecg.
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 — 150.00% more. 75 h vs 30 h.
- ▲Smartwatch mode — 87.50% more. 30 days vs 16 days.
Why Garmin - MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) wins
- ▲Has ECG.
Spec comparison
GPS & Sensors
| Spec | Coros - Apex 2 Pro | Garmin - MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-band GPS | true | true |
| Barometric altimeter | true | true |
| Heart rate | true | true |
| ECG | false | truelead |
| Pulse Ox | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Coros - Apex 2 Pro | Garmin - MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | 30 dayslead | 16 days |
| GPS mode | 75 hlead | 30 h |
| Solar charging | false | false |
Design
| Spec | Coros - Apex 2 Pro | Garmin - MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Case size | 46.1 mmlead | 46 mm |
| Weight | 66 glead | 92 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | 10 ATM | 10 ATM |