Coros - Apex 2 vs Garmin - MARQ Athlete (Gen 2)

These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (47.2 vs 45.3). The decision isn't about overall quality — both clear the bar — it's about which specific trade-offs fit your use.

Pick the Apex 2 if you care most about gps mode and smartwatch mode. The biggest gaps in its favor are gps mode, smartwatch mode.

Pick the MARQ Athlete (Gen 2) if you care most about multi-band gps and ecg. Its strongest claims are multi-band gps, ecg.

Both ship with comparable solar charging, so those specs don't 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 tells you both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.