Register now for better personalized quote!

My favorite smartwatch is $100 off this weekend, and time's running out

Sep, 02, 2023 Hi-network.com
Matthew Miller/

Thanks to my role here at , I have the opportunity to evaluate an extensive number of wearables, from ones made for outdoor adventures to ones for golfing. Naturally, it's always tough to figure out -- with a new watch on my wrist every other week -- which is my go-to wearable. 

Review: Watch out, Apple. Garmin's Enduro 2 is the ultra sports watch to beat

That changed with theGarmin Enduro 2 , which was released last summerandcontinues to be one of the very rare devices that I have used daily for an entire year. 

RECOMMENDS

Garmin Enduro 2

Garmin's flagship watch of 2022 remains a worthy competitor in 2023 with its solar display, LED flashlight, superb battery life, and software updates that keep it updated with the newest watches.

View at Amazon

A year later, the Enduro 2 still squeezes out longer-rated battery life than most competitors, thanks to its GPS mode, getting roughly 110 hours per charge, sometimes more. It remains the battery champ for Garmin and I truly love looking at the estimated battery remaining and seeing weeks available while only charging the watch about once a month.

Also: Coros just made the most comfortable heart rate monitor I've ever tested

If you spend time running stadium stairs or hiking mountains, then you may also be interested in earning Expedition badges with the Enduro 2. I can even earn badges by skipping the elevator in favor of the stairs at the office. There are badges for elevation changes and step count, but you can only work towards earning badges with one hike or climb at a time.

The vibrant lime green start/stop button and green bezel highlights on the hour markers appeal to me and I would honestly pay the extra$100 price of the Enduro 2 over the more recentFenix 7X Pro Sapphire Solar for the color scheme alone. I purchased a green and gray elastic loop band to accompany the Enduro 2 and it looks fantastic.

The top right button is the start button, protected by the watch case

Matthew Miller/

Keep in mind that the Garmin Enduro 2 is a very large watch, but with the elastic loop band and my wrist size, I barely feel it attached to my wrist. I'm sure I might have felt it in the beginning but after a year of wearing it daily. it has become a part of my body. 

Also: You basically don't need to charge this Garmin smartwatch

Many new Garmin high-end watches have vibrant AMOLED displays, but by choosing this display technology you have to compromise with battery life and solar charging. As much as I love the bright screens, the big numbers on the Enduro 2 look just fine on the memory-in-pixel display. And when participating in outdoor activities, this display gets plenty bright.

The LED flashlight on the Enduro 2 set the standard last year and continues to be one of the best in 2023. I use the flashlight daily and haven't been able to go back to using a watch without the feature.

The top LED light on the Garmin Enduro 2 lights up the dark

Matthew Miller/

I've had the opportunity to test out a Garmin GPS sports watch with the best of both worlds, an LED flashlight and an AMOLED display, but still find the Enduro 2 a slightly better fit for my lifestyle. The only thing I can think of that Garmin could add to the Enduro 2 is integrated cellular support for emergencies and sharing my location with family members as I participate in wilderness activities. 

Also: Why my Garmin Enduro 2's LED flashlight is my favorite feature

We saw such a feature come to the Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE and I honestly can't think of anything else that would make the Enduro any better. 

's buying advice

Garmin released a few new watches in 2023 with LED flashlights and excellent battery life, like theEpix Pro and Fenix 7X Pro . Both offer a similar experience to theGarmin Enduro 2 and for new buyers, one of these two is likely the better choice thanks to the lower price tags. 

Still, the Enduro 2 squeaks out a bit more endurance, enough to warrant a spot on my wrist every day. If you already own an Enduro 2, enjoy it and keep using it for years to come. Garmin has been actively updating its watches for the past couple of years and the Enduro 2 has the capability to keep you moving forward for a while.

Featured reviews

I tried Meta's Quest 3 VR headset and the mixed reality experience was next levelI spent a week with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and here's what stood out the mostChatGPT vs. Bing Chat vs. Google Bard: Which is the best AI chatbot?I demoed the$299 Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses and they're way better than I expectedI challenge you to find a better-looking laptop for under$1,000 than this
  • I tried Meta's Quest 3 VR headset and the mixed reality experience was next level
  • I spent a week with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and here's what stood out the most
  • ChatGPT vs. Bing Chat vs. Google Bard: Which is the best AI chatbot?
  • I demoed the$299 Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses and they're way better than I expected
  • I challenge you to find a better-looking laptop for under$1,000 than this

tag-icon Hot Tags : Tech Our process Wearables

Copyright © 2014-2024 Hi-Network.com | HAILIAN TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED | All Rights Reserved.