Garmin Approach S70 Watch

[Hacker67]

For me the big downfall with the Apple Watch is the battery life. Garmin is another league with how long they last in comparison. Also, you have to download the music to your watch to listen without your phone.

It depends on what model AW you have. AW 8 has no problems with 18 on any GPS golf app, my old AW 5 will not last 18. Also, there is the AW Ultra which has a bigger screen and 36 hours of battery life which is double the AW 8. If you have a cellular watch you don't have to download music.

If you already use an AW daily having to switch to the Garmin for golf would be tedious IMO.

Arccos is the only one with sensors that work with AW, that's why they get away with that exorbitant subscription price.

 

[GreekGodX]

It depends on what model AW you have. AW 8 has no problems with 18 on any GPS golf app, my old AW 5 will not last 18. Also, there is the AW Ultra which has a bigger screen and 36 hours of battery life which is double the AW 8. If you have a cellular watch you don't have to download music.

If you already use an AW daily having to switch to the Garmin for golf would be tedious IMO.

Arccos is the only one with sensors that work with AW, that's why they get away with that exorbitant subscription price.

I was saying on the Garmin you have to download music to the watch to use without the phone. Which is a major flaw and AW wins that. My Garmin Epix 2 lasts a week with daily use and not on any battery saver mode. I went from Apple Watch to my Garmin and will never go back. I didn’t use enough phone features from my watch to miss it. Plus the Garmin does have phone notifications for messages, apps, and calls if you want that. I think if you care more about golf or sports features, Garmin is the way to go. AW is still limited in that aspect. All that to say, I would strongly consider this watch if I didn’t already have my Garmin.

 

[Jimmy3864]

Not cheap but plenty of features. One thing I will say about Garmin is they last. I am playing with a second hand S6 I must have bought like 10 years ago and it won’t die. It was great value for what I paid for it over many years of use.

 

[tahoebum]

For me the big downfall with the Apple Watch is the battery life. Garmin is another league with how long they last in comparison. Also, you have to download the music to your watch to listen without your phone.

The Apple Watch Ultra is expensive at $749 but the battery life is two days for me under normal use and has no problems lasting a full day for when use it as a workout watch in the morning and using something like Golflogix in the afternoon. I’m still lasering the flag on approaches no matter what GPS app or device I have. I find the laser just easier and if I know the course it’s rare for me to check a GPS app even though I have it on my wrist.

I typically shut my iPhone off or leave it in the car when I’m golfing because my AW Ultra is cellular and allows me to text or make a phone call on the rare occasion I need to when during a round of golf.

 

[GreekGodX]

In going back and forth between AW and Garmin, it comes down to do you want a do it all smart watch or a sport specific watch with some smart watch features. I value the sport specific functionality more because Garmin does that extremely well. I got fed up with the Apple Watch for anything else other than as a smart watch.

I’ll see if I can snap a pic of my Garmin display in the sun. It’s the same display as the new approach.

 

[Hacker67]

I was saying on the Garmin you have to download music to the watch to use without the phone. Which is a major flaw and AW wins that. My Garmin Epix 2 lasts a week with daily use and not on any battery saver mode. I went from Apple Watch to my Garmin and will never go back. I didn’t use enough phone features from my watch to miss it. Plus the Garmin does have phone notifications for messages, apps, and calls if you want that. I think if you care more about golf or sports features, Garmin is the way to go. AW is still limited in that aspect. All that to say, I would strongly consider this watch if I didn’t already have my Garmin.

The Apple Watch Ultra is expensive at $749 but the battery life is two days for me under normal use and has no problems lasting a full day for when use it as a workout watch in the morning and using something like Golflogix in the afternoon. I’m still lasering the flag on approaches no matter what GPS app or device I have. I find the laser just easier and if I know the course it’s rare for me to check a GPS app even though I have it on my wrist.

I typically shut my iPhone off or leave it in the car when I’m golfing because my AW Ultra is cellular and allows me to text or make a phone call on the rare occasion I need to when during a round of golf.

That's the thing you can leave your phone off or home so often with the Ultra and still have calls, texts, emails, calendar, apple pay, music, weather, Siri, find my, rewards cards, and the plethora of apps for AW.
The Garmin having to be linked to the phone for many things is the difference.

 

[Hawk]

That's the thing you can leave your phone off or home so often with the Ultra and still have calls, texts, emails, calendar, apple pay, music, weather, Siri, find my, rewards cards, and the plethora of apps for AW.
The Garmin having to be linked to the phone for many things is the difference.

I see what you are saying from an existing AW user's POV. Have to consider the data plan cost into that as well I think. That's why I've never really been able to pull the trigger on one.

That being said, I'm not disputing the cost concerns with the S70. I would personally struggle to justify it. I think @GreekGodX makes a pretty decent use case though. Value is a moving target.

 

[Nappy]

I know that Apple Watch has it's perks. It's got a great design, but everything came down to battery life and what I want most. Golf is just easier for me on the Garmin. I use it otherwise for HR and counting steps as far as other activities. Then when it came to battery life, I got tired of charging my Apple Watch every night. The Garmin I charge once every week and half maybe.....

There's pros and cons to both. In the end the Garmin won out. Super intrigued by the S70. Just wish the 47mm came in more than just the Black. Doesn't appear that it does right now.

 

[Hacker67]

I see what you are saying from an existing AW user's POV. Have to consider the data plan cost into that as well I think. That's why I've never really been able to pull the trigger on one.

That being said, I'm not disputing the cost concerns with the S70. I would personally struggle to justify it. I think @GreekGodX makes a pretty decent use case though. Value is a moving target.

I pay $5 a month for my AW line.

 

[tahoebum]

I have buddies that have and prefer Garmin watchesI(especially those who that are triathletes) or golf specific watches and love them. They have no need for things like phone calls or all the other stuff I use my watch for like unlocking my car. They also always have there phone nearby and turned on while I often leave my iPhone behing or shut it off. Apple certainly dominates the smartphone market with over 60% of the revenue and over 40% of the market. It's crazy to think that the Apple Watch is only 8 years old and is now $20B in sales each year and they sell and additional $12B in Airpods.

 

[ddec]

@xThor was talking to me about some garmin watches. I haven't used any in the past, but I know those that do really enjoy the heck out of them. This one seems like it would be a top notch watch(which is fun to say out loud).

 

[MH]

I really love my s62, pretty sure I need this one

 

[AndersonRains]

The top of the line Garmin watches are head and shoulders above the Apple Watch. If you're purely wanting to have a conversation through your watch then yes go with the Apple Watch.

I spent 2 years with an Apple Watch and now 3 with my Fenix 6 Pro. There is simply no comparison between the two as to which is better (for me). The AW is beautiful and sleek but until you've used both you simply don't know what you're missing. The AW Ultra is $799.00 ... At that price, no thanks.

For the record I have had an iPhone since 2008 and am everything Apple except for my watch. This S70 is the first time I've seriously contemplated upgrading my Fenix, but it still works amazingly well so I am resisting as best I can .

I am a runner also which obviously the Garmin is better for. I ran side-by-side around a track with my friend who had an AW and his watch was .10 miles off on a single mile (!) while my Fenix was accurate to the step - and we both run outside daily. Unrivaled performance (in my opinion ).

Thanks for the review @Hawk

 

[AndersonRains]

$1000 for the watch and sensors. OMG.
It doesn't even take phone calls and the music has to be downloaded to the phone.

Apple Watch is still so much more versatile. I really wished Shotscope would’ve gone the AW path.

The Apple Watch is $800 + the monthly cellular add on. I do not understand how the Garmin would be considered too expensive to AW wearers....

 

[vonbonds]

The cost of the watch, plus a subscription, plus a pretty big added cost for the sensors, my rather poor experience with the Garmin Golf app make this a tough one to justify. I'd love to see how this performs in THPers hands. But for now

I’m as big a Garmin advocate as there is but the data their golf app provides is garbage compared to Shot Scope. That said the Garmin watch is leaps and bounds better than anything in it’s class

 

[Tywithay]

Wish I had known about this one a couple months ago when I bought my S42 and I may have waited. All the added features make this sound like a great all-around performer and I like the bigger screen. Already used my two company discounts for this year, so maybe I'll upgrade to the S70 next year.

 

[Frank559]

I am a current S60 owner.

I think the S70 is a wasted opportunity. I love all of the golf features packed into this watch and the AMOLED screen, but NONE of the other bloatware fitness/health/tracking stuff they jammed into it.

If they kept it golf only, which would then lower the price to the $500 range, it would have been the perfect golf watch at any price level.

Sad.

 

[GreekGodX]

Here’s a pic of my Epix 2 with the AMOLED display in the sun. It’s even clearer when you have the golf course displayed as the colors really pop.

 

[Mack Daddy]

Mine arrived Saturday. I’m really looking forward to using it for the first time this Thursday for league. I replaced the band with a different color replacement band and it sits on the table much better and I think it looks better.

 

[AndersonRains]

Mine arrived Saturday. I’m really looking forward to using it for the first time this Thursday for league. I replaced the band with a different color replacement band and it sits on the table much better and I think it looks better.

Pics!

 

[Mack Daddy]

So far I’ve used the new S70 twice. This thing is awesome!!! I didn’t realize that it gives you statistics on how you are playing and that it maps out every shot. I also love how easy it is to keep score on it. It’s so much easier to see and read than the Bushnell Ion Elite that I have. I didn’t think I would use a lot of the S70’s features but found myself utilizing most of them.

 

[FatChance]

Several years ago I upgraded from my Garmin S20 to a refurbished S60. The S60 does everything I need it to do. If I found a great deal on a S62, I would move up to that, but this new model is too much, especially as I would not use most of its functions.

 

[Nappy]

Curious if anyone else has broke down and gotten an S70? I would normally stay happy with my Epix, but the few enhanced features make me wonder if I should switch.

Also curious if Garmin will eventually update the more expensive watches, Epix and Marq to include some of the new features for golf.

 

[Chasing72]

Thanks for another excellent write up @Hawk . Is there a break down of golf features that are available on S70 that weren't on S62? I'm assuming the S62 can be had cheaper with S70s release. Only difference I read is the option to choose a big or small display.

I can't see that anyone has replied to this. Here is a full comparison on their site. You can toggle to show only the differences between the two models. The S62 will likely go on sale at some point if they want to clear stock, but then with the price difference people may just get the S62. S62 vs S70

I've had the S62 for a couple of years now, I only use the golf maps when playing as I have Arccos so I track with that. I do use some of the other features but cannot justify replacing it with the S70 due to the price $1000CAD!

 

[CFAnPEI]

No posts about the S70 in 7+ months.
Is that because nobody owns it or it runs so well, there is nothing to post about?