Tag Archives: rugged

This Rugged Android Tablet with 4 Speakers Is Your New All-Terrain Waterproof Entertainment Hub

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It’s a tablet PC, a shower speaker, your car’s infotainment system, and a portable dashboard for everything from music to video to phone calls. Meet the Nomad – a tablet-speaker that isn’t designed for productivity… it’s designed for entertainment. With a powerful speaker system, a waterproof design, and mounts that let you place the Nomad anywhere, this device doubles as your shower speaker, your smart display, a Carplay/Android Auto-compatible infotainment system, a dedicated device for Netflix and Chill whether it’s in the bedroom, living room, or poolside, and even your perfect radio alternative when you’re camping. For ages, tablets have grown thinner and their speakers weaker… and smart speakers have remained tethered to their plug points. Nomad combines both in a durable, portable package so you can carry your entertainment with you, without compromising on literally anything.

Designer: UpBeat

Click Here to Buy Now: $249 $399 ($150 off) Hurry! Only 13 days left. Raised over $113,000

The Nomad isn’t a tablet. It isn’t a speaker. It isn’t a smart home hub like the Echo Show or the Pixel Tablet. It’s a little of everything, combined into one product that offers zero compromises if you know what you’re buying it for. It’s designed purely for entertainment, which means that sleek, laptop-bag-friendly profile is a non-issue. The device is rugged, doesn’t compromise on audio quality, and is made to be used everywhere, from in your shower to your car.

With its waterproof build and four-speaker array, the Nomad was crafted with audio at its core. This device excels as a portable entertainment hub, with an audio quality that outshines any tablet’s built-in speaker system—be it the shower, the backseat of a car, or your outdoor adventures. The 4 front-facing speakers and 2 subwoofers on the side deliver rich, resonant sound (at up to 94 decibels) that rivals traditional portable speakers. Combined with a battery life of over 20 hours for music playback, the Nomad is set to keep the party going without frequent recharges.

On the inside, the Nomad runs on Android, which means it’s ready for all your favorite streaming apps, plus it has a microSD slot for expanding storage and loading up on offline content. The 8-inch HD touchscreen has a striking brightness level of 1200 nits, 20% brighter than the iPad Pro which shines at 1000 nits, making it perfect for outdoor use. The display is responsive, has an anti-glare coating, and complements the overall build of the device—it’s rugged yet refined, a rare find in tablets with a focus on durability.

The stick-on Shower Mount lets you easily dock and use your Nomad while in the shower

The built-in speaker is supplemented by microphones too, which means the tablet lets you interact with voice assistants, leave voice notes, or even take phone calls. That’s where the powerful speakers come in handy, allowing you to talk without cupping your ear to hear what the other person is saying. If you want to have a private conversation, just connect Bluetooth earbuds, or better still, use the 3.5mm jack on the Nomad to hook up your wired headphones. The only thing missing is an on-board camera, which means no photographs or even video calls.

Mounting options for the Nomad extend its functionality even further. It comes with a shower wall mount, which lets you easily slip the Nomad in while having a bath. The tablet is fully usable while bathing, so whether you’re watching a TV show or hosting your own bathroom karaoke, the Nomad lets you stay in control, unlike your phone or your Bluetooth speaker, which won’t go in the shower with you.

Outside the shower, a built-in kickstand lets you prop the Nomad up wherever you are. If you want to tether the tablet to a tree or the back of your car-seat for in-car entertainment, the tablet comes with a strap-on mount too. An optional add-on cup-holder mount lets you bring the tablet to the front seat, substituting your in-car radio or music player. When all fails, a tripod mount on the bottom lets you screw a tripod in, allowing you to position your tablet practically anywhere. And since it’s fully waterproof, you don’t have to worry about splashes or moisture damaging the device.

For in-car use, you’ve got built-in Android Auto and CarPlay compatibility, a standout feature that elevates the Nomad from a mere tablet to a full-fledged navigation and media console for your car. CarPlay integration makes the device invaluable for on-the-go use, especially if you prefer your tech streamlined and multipurpose. Mount it on a dashboard, and you have an instant navigation system paired with immersive sound quality, all accessible through the Android interface that many users will find familiar and easy to navigate.

Under the hood, the Snapdragon 662 processor keeps the Nomad humming along smoothly. Sure, it’s not the latest SoC on the market, but in a rugged device focused on reliability and battery efficiency, the Snapdragon 662 is a solid choice that provides a good balance of performance and energy efficiency. You’ll find it more than capable for streaming, navigation, and even some light gaming if the mood strikes. Although the exact battery capacity isn’t mentioned, the Nomad delivers 20 hours of audio on a full charge, and can be doubled thanks to an optional magnetic battery that snaps right on top, bringing its output to 40 hours of music, or 10 full hours of video. Both the tablet and the magnetic battery have USB-C charging, which means you can charge your Nomad anywhere.

The basic bundle starts at $249, which includes the Nomad itself along with the shower mount. The $340 Ultimate Bundle gets you all the other accessories too, like the strap-on mount, the cup mount, and that snap-on magnetic battery. No matter which bundle you pick, the Nomad ships globally, starting February 2025.

Click Here to Buy Now: $249 $399 ($150 off) Hurry! Only 13 days left. Raised over $113,000

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Mech-inspired smartphone Doogee S200 embraces rugged design in an interesting way

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Although smartphones are logically designed to be durable and reliable, their premium appearance and elegant aesthetics give these devices a seemingly delicate character. On the opposite end of the spectrum are rugged smartphones designed like tanks and look the part, giving the impression that you can only choose one or the other. There are indeed limitations when it comes to materials that give phones added protection, but with some creative thinking, you can turn that undesirable property into a key feature. That’s exactly what this curious-looking smartphone does, eschewing luxurious aesthetics for a motif that calls to mind the battle-hardened mecha or robots of science fiction. Even better, it can definitely walk the walk as well.

Designer: Doogee

Doogee is one of the remaining smartphone brands that target a niche market that prioritizes durability and longevity over flashy designs and cutting-edge features. Although its early models did exhibit tank-like appearances, it has learned to fine-tune its designs to look more sophisticated without sacrificing its biggest strengths. The Doogee S98, for example, looked like a gadget to be used by secret agents, and that design DNA resurfaces in the brand’s newest product.

Rather than trying hard to reconcile smooth curves with rugged shells, the Doogee S200 embraces sharp angles and straight lines. But rather than leaving them at that, it transforms these design elements into geometric shapes that give the phone a sci-fi vibe, like a panel or piece of a gigantic fighting robot. Of course, that design isn’t just for show, as Doogee took the opportunity to go all out on the materials to give the S200 a much-coveted IP69 and IP69K rating for protection not just against water and dust but also from humidity, sand, and more.

A design element that the Doogee S20 carried over from its predecessors is the 1.32-inch circular AMOLED display on the back, flanked by the phone’s triple camera system and an infrared lamp for improved night sensitivity. It makes the back of the phone truly look futuristic, even if the functionality it offers is just as limited as a smartwatch with a similar circular design. It really drives home the mecha motif, making it look more interesting than other tank-like rugged smartphones.

The Doogee S200 is boasted to be the first 5G phone in Doogee’s S-letter series, which is admittedly not saying much these days. The phone’s specs, as one might expect, are hardly noteworthy, starting with a mid-range MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor. The 12GB of RAM can be boosted to 32GB by taking some space from the already meager 256GB storage. A killer feature, however, is the gigantic 10,100 mAh battery that will unfortunately be throttled by a fast but inadequate 33W charging speed. Given the $400 price tag, however, it’s not such a bad deal, especially if you’re into phones that look like props from fiction.

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Handsome EDC flashlight is compact, powerful, versatile, and is also a power bank

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Life is like an adventure. You never know where it takes you so you best be prepared with the right tools to face anything. Everyday Carries have become popular exactly for this reason, making sure you have everything you need for any situation. Of course, not all tools are made equal, and some designs come in small packages at the expense of functionality and usefulness. A small flashlight, for example, might be able to do just one thing, and it won’t last very long on small AAA batteries. There’s no rule that says you have to pick between power and portability, and this very capable flashlight is proof of that. It crams no less than three types of very bright lights and can even function as an emergency power bank, all while sporting a compact palm-sized design that can withstand any weather condition or even an accidental drop in a puddle.

Designer: LOOP GEAR

Click Here to Buy Now: $57 $99 (43% off). Hurry, only 930/1000 left! Raised over $174,000.

EDC flashlights are quickly growing in number, and they’re defined by how small they can be to fit in your pouch or even your pocket. Most of the time, the smaller devices get, the less capable they become, but the LOOP GEAR SK05 is ready to prove them wrong. A small handheld device can function as a floodlight, a spotlight, and even a sidelight with enough brightness to let you safely see in the dark or call for help. And it’s designed to be easy to use with one hand, freeing your other hand to take action when needed.

The LOOP GEAR SK05’s ergonomic design includes grooves to rest your fingers on one side, and a rounded trim edge on the opposite side for your palm, giving you a confident grip whether you hold it with your right or your left hand. The dial ring that sits on the side is the only control you need to operate the flashlight and it’s conveniently always under your thumb, no matter how you hold it. You can easily switch from floodlight to spotlight with a turn of the dial or press the center button to activate the sidelight. There’s also lockout mode so that the flashlight doesn’t turn on accidentally in your pocket or bag and drain the battery or, worse, cause a fire hazard.

Spotlight & Floodlight Fast Switch

Sidelight

With its small size, it’s pretty mind-blowing how bright the SK05 can be. The SK05 Pro floodlight can reach a maximum of 3060 lumens output (2250 lumens for the base SK05), and the maximum beam range for the spotlight is 405 meters (370 meters for the SK05). The sidelight is no slouch either, featuring five modes (Constant Light, Flowing Light, Running Light, Night Light, and Colorful Light) and seven colors (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue, Purple), and you can even adjust the brightness for each of these. The sidelight can be used not just to illuminate or set the mood but to also call attention in case of an emergency.

Powering the LOOP GEAR SK05 are two rechargeable 18650 batteries, but the EDC flashlight is so robust that it can even work with a single battery thanks to the SK05 Pro’s parallel circuit design. You can also easily pop off the cover and replace the batteries in a flash for continuous use. And when it comes time to charge those batteries, the onboard 20W Type-C charger can fill them up in just two hours. Thanks to that USB-C connection, the SK05 can also function as a 20W power bank, keeping your phone from draining its own battery too quickly.

If its industrial design isn’t enough proof, the LOOP GEAR SK05 is made to withstand extreme weather conditions, especially with its IP68 rating that helps it survive underwater for a while. The EDC flashlight’s versatile design includes a clip for belts and pockets as well as a magnetic tail cap that can attach to the side of cars or any metal surface, freeing your hands to do the work you need to accomplish. And if the $200,000 stretch goal is reached, LOOP GEAR will also make the A03 Sheath for even easier handling as well as protection for the EDC flashlight. With the compact and versatile LOOP GEAR SK05 EDC flashlight, no darkness or emergency will be too tough to handle, bringing not only brightness but even a bit of power to your outdoor and nighttime adventures.

Click Here to Buy Now: $57 $99 (43% off). Hurry, only 930/1000 left! Raised over $174,000.

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Bluetti AC240 All-Weather Power Station delivers reliable power, rain or shine

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More people are discovering the joys of the great outdoors, but they are also learning some of the challenges that come with living off the grid, especially when it comes to the unpredictability of weather. And then there are some outdoor adventures that really expose you to the elements, whether it be on land or especially at sea. During these moments, you need more than just a portable power source that can deliver the necessities and conveniences of modern life. You also need a reliable power source that can weather any storm, almost literally. That’s the kind of power that the new Bluetti AC240 Weatherproof Portable Power Station delivers, keeping up with life’s adventures even when Mother Nature has other ideas.

Designer: Bluetti

Click Here to Buy Now: $1299 $1899 (31% off, use coupon code”yanko240″ to get an additional $100 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

Even with all the science and technology at our disposal, changes in weather can throw a wrench in anyone’s plans, especially when those plans happen to involve staying outdoors. Traditional power stations, while extremely useful, might not be a good fit for this situation considering the safety risks involved. That’s where the Bluetti AC240 and its IP65 dust and waterproof rating come in, offering a clean, quiet, safe, versatile, and rugged power source that can withstand the harsh conditions you might find yourself in.

With the AC240’s modular design, it practically is! Stack up B210 expansion batteries and watch your power options multiply.

The Bluetti AC240 is rated IP65, which means it’s certified to withstand the intrusion of dust as well as low-pressure water jets from any angle, but that’s only the tip of the iceberg. The weather-hardened solar generator boasts a variety of patented technologies and safeguards that protect it from the elements, including independent air ducts, sealed electronic compartments, a special drainage system, vacuum-coated fans, and, since they’re always exposed to the outside world, double-layer protected ports. In the event that water does manage to get in, built-in exhaust fans and the heat dissipation system will make sure the water gets out or evaporates quickly before it does any damage.

Whether you’re basking in the sun’s energy with solar panels, plugging into a wall outlet, staying juiced on the move with a car charger, or even tapping into a lead-acid battery or shore power, the AC240 ensures you’re always powered up and good to go.

Of course, the Bluetti AC240 is more than just a large weatherproof box. It’s a portable power station first and foremost, and it does an incredible job at that as well. With an output of 2,400W and a 1,536Wh LiFePO battery, the AC240 can easily power anything from a phone charger to a 20 cubic feet fridge for at least one day. A 3,600W powerlifting mode can even power that hot plat to make sure you get warm meals even when it’s pouring outside your RV. The plethora of charging ports, which include 2 standard AC outlets, 1 NEMA TT-30 port, a car outlet, 2 USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, and a 12V/30A RV port, make sure every electronic machine is supported, even an RV or a boat.

Whether you’re navigating the high seas or driving into the unknown wilderness, the AC240 reliable enough to keep your adventures smooth from start to finish.

If that’s already impressive, then you’ll probably be blown away by what the Bluetti AC240 can do when paired with the B210 expansion battery, which itself is also IP65 weatherproof. Each B210 adds 2,150Wh of power and you can have as many as four packs connected to the AC240 for a whopping 10,135Wh total capacity. And if that weren’t enough, you can link two AC240 using Bluetti’s unique parallel technology with the Parallel Box P480, delivering 4,800W output (without expansion batteries) without doubling the voltage. With this much power and flexibility, including simultaneous connection to the power grid while powering your devices and a responsive 15ms UPS function, the Bluetti AC240 can even provide enough power to your house to weather out a storm.

When it comes to charging the power station itself, the AC240 offers a variety of options, from super-fast 1.1-hour AC charging at 2400W max input (when paired with a B210 expansion battery) to completely green solar charging at 1200W intake in just two hours. Weighing only 72 lbs (33 kg) and almost as big as a microwave, the Bluetti AC240 offers portable, reliable, and durable power that you can take with you anywhere you go, confident that it can handle anything thrown its way, whether by you or by Mother Nature herself.

Click Here to Buy Now: $1299 $1899 (31% off, use coupon code”yanko240″ to get an additional $100 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

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Rugged smartphone with a 5W speaker on its back looks out of this world

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Although most smartphones are made to survive simple accidents (or should be), there is a certain class that takes durability to the extreme. Rugged smartphones are targeted at users who often venture into unknown territory, either for fun or for work, and need a partner that’s just as adventurous as them. These rugged phones are unapologetic in how they look like tanks ready for battle, but there have been a few that tried to break the mould and adopt designs that piqued interest without sacrificing what makes them special. That seems to be the inspiration behind what could be the weirdest rugged phone we’ve come across, built and looking like an alien or futuristic device, thanks to the rather large and very visible speaker sitting on its back.

Designer: Oukitel

Most of the time, you’d see large camera enclosures on the back of phones. To some extent, that’s also true with the Oukitel WP33 Pro, but in reality, its cameras are actually so small that they don’t take up much space. Instead, the biggest element center of attraction is 5W speaker. Yes, this phone 36mm diameter “pro-level” speaker that’s advertised to get as loud as 136dB. That’s plenty loud, especially for a smartphone.

Rather than the industrial work settings that most rugged phones try to target, the Oukitel WP33 Pro favors more fun and adventurous activities like camping, trekking, hiking, or even wildlife photography. The speaker is then used to set the mood for parties with friends or even for your lonesome self, though the loudspeaker is probably something you shouldn’t use around wild animals, especially at night.

Oukitel wants that latter to be one of the use cases for its latest rugged phone, especially with a 20MP Sony night camera vision. The main camera is a 64MP shooter, so it should at least be decent, while a 2MP macro might satisfy your extreme nature close-up urges. Part of the reason for the phone’s size is its humongous 22,000mAh battery, which you can use to charge the regular “main” phone you might have in your other pocket.

The rest of the Oukitel WP33 Pro’s specs are on par with late 2023 mid-range smartphones, so don’t expect record-breaking performance, especially for mobile games. Of course, the real value of this phone comes from its durability, with IP68 dust and water resistance rating joined by IP69K resistance against high-pressure water jets. It’s not going to win design awards, but it will definitely get you plenty of attention, especially when you start blasting out music from your rugged tank of a mobile device.

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Galaxy Tab Active5 rugged tablet leaked with suitcase design and stylus

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Thanks to the Apple iPad Pro, tablets have been given a bit of a lifeline. To be honest, there’s still a bit of uncertainty regarding the purpose of these large screens, especially with smartphones now having extra big displays. There are, however, industries where tablets play an essential role, whether it’s in communication, retrieving information, or organizing data. In this line of work, tablets don’t have to look stylish or have the latest specs as it is more important for them to be durable and reliable, no matter the environment. That’s the core focus of the upcoming Galaxy Tab Active5, but it seems that Samsung isn’t missing the opportunity to add a few fine touches to this rugged device.

Designer: Samsung (via MSPoweruser)

Samsung’s rugged tablets have always been built like tanks and they have the design to prove it. They’re thick and have plenty of protective layers, which definitely makes them look the part of a device that might survive even getting run over by a truck. Looking unappealing, however, isn’t really a requirement, and Samsung has been playing around with a variety of designs to give the tablet a bit more personality.

With the Galaxy Tab Active5, Samsung is adopting a design that might remind some of those super-durable suitcases, complete with linear bumps across the surface. Those humps aren’t just for show, though, as they help diffuse the force of impact away from the sensitive electronics inside the tablet. It’s definitely not stylish, but it’s not terribly unattractive either.

Samsung is also giving the tablet a stylus, similar to its predecessor. Now, you aren’t going to make art using it, though that’s certainly doable. It’s meant more to be used as a precise input tool, especially for those times when you’re wearing gloves that don’t work on touch screens. Of course, you could also use it to scribble notes and draw quick diagrams or directions, something you can’t easily do even with a naked finger.

Despite these contemporary designs and features, the Galaxy Tab Active5 is undeniably a few steps behind compared to even the cheapest tablets today. That’s true not just for the specs but also for the interface. There are even navigation buttons under the screen that haven’t been seen since the likes of the Galaxy S7 from 2016. Those buttons, however, are critical for frontline workers who might not always have the luxury of having their fingers exposed to the elements, giving users alternative methods of controlling the tablet under any situation.

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This trendy duffel backpack will be your ultimate travel partner

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People have been enjoying traveling and going outdoors again to the point that “revenge travel” has become a trend. Whether you’re traveling out of town for a few days or simply packing for a trip to a sports complex, having a dependable bag is essential in making your trip free from stress and worry. Buying a bag can be an adventure in itself when you’re trying to pick one that can maximize storage without sacrificing usability and aesthetics. Often you have to sacrifice one or the other to reach an acceptable compromise. A good-looking bag that can meet all your travel needs might sound like fantasy, but that’s exactly the kind of experience promised by this durable duffle bag and backpack in one.

Designer: DM Supply

Click Here to Buy Now: $169 $259 (35% off). Hurry, only 325/400 left!

Different people have different travel needs. Actually, even the same person might have different needs and requirements depending on the type of travel their doing. There is really no one size that fits all, but there are designs that definitely come close to that ideal situation.

When traveling with sports equipment or clothes for a few days, duffle bags and backpacks are the go-to solutions. The Blackbriar Allround Duffle Backpack offers both in the same bag, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of the flexibility that this travel essential has to offer.

For example, many travel-oriented bags have a dedicated pocket for shoes or dirty clothes. More often than not, however, you can’t use the same pocket for both purposes. Blackbriar’s solution is so genius in its simplicity that you’re left wondering why it isn’t more common. This duffel backpack has two such compartments on opposite ends of the bag, allowing you to store two pairs of shoes, shoes and dirty clothes, or just dirty clothes. That way, you don’t have to compromise on storage because your bag doesn’t offer you that flexibility.

You might think that having two such compartments can be a waste of space, but that’s hardly the case. The shoe pockets can fold neatly out of the way if you don’t need them, but they also have another function that you won’t see in other bags. Those pockets can become dividers to create sections inside the bag, thanks to a patented S-Partition design. Thanks to this unique feature, you no longer need to use a bag organizer that only takes up precious space inside.

The Blackbriar Allround Duffle Backpack also has all the bells and whistles you’d want from a travel bag. The three-tiered structure of its fabric not only protects it from water and scratches but also helps preserve its shape.

A magnetic main pocket makes it easy to open the bag, while zippers allow you to safeguard the contents inside when traveling under heavy conditions. Mesh pockets inside let you stash big and small objects, while a dedicated laptop pocket can be accessed both from the outside as well as from the inside.

With all these features and a flexible configuration, it might come as a shock that the Duffel Backpack comes with a $169 price tag only. Throw in another $10 add-on, and you’ll be able to grab the shoulder straps that can help distribute the weight of the load across your whole body. Whether it’s for short trips or long ones, the Blackbriar Allround Duffle Backpack offers the flexibility you need to adapt to your situation while also looking stylish along the way.

Click Here to Buy Now: $169 $259 (35% off). Hurry, only 325/400 left!

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Apple Watch Ultra or Garmin: Which sports smartwatch should you buy

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Apple just launched its latest iPhone generation last week, but it might be its wearable companion that’s generating more discussions over the Internet these days. The Apple Watch Ultra, in particular, is kicking up a storm in a somewhat niche smartwatch market focused on extreme sports and very active lifestyles. It might simply look like an overgrown Apple Watch on the outside, but that’s part of the appeal of Apple’s most rugged smartwatch yet. After all, why would you settle for a rugged-looking sports smartwatch from the likes of Garmin when you can have a rugged yet stylish smartwatch from Apple instead? That’s exactly the question that we’ll try to answer, pitting the Apple Watch Ultra against Garmin’s finest to weigh the pros and cons before you bid farewell to your hard-earned money.

Designer: Apple, Garmin

Design

Neither of the two smartwatch makers’ designs is anything new. The Apple Watch Ultra really looks like a bigger Apple Watch, one with a 49mm size that is nothing to scoff at. It comes with that rectangular face that the Apple Watch has been wearing for generations now, albeit with a flatter screen that makes it easier to protect with sapphire crystal. The Ultra model does deviate from the standard design a bit with an extruded housing for the side button and an extra programmable Action button on the opposite side.

Garmin’s sports smartwatches like the Epix 2 and the Enduro 2 stand in stark contrast to this design. Where Apple’s watches have always leaned more towards the classy end of the spectrum, Garmin doesn’t make qualms about the rugged and sporty nature of its smartwatches. They have typical circular faces, but don’t expect luxurious appearances like those from Samsung, Montblanc, or Fossil. And where Apple aims for minimalism as it is wont to do, Garmin tends to throw almost everything into its devices, giving these two sporty watches no less than five buttons to play with. Those are particularly useful when you can’t use the touch screen because you’re wearing extra thick gloves.

In terms of appearances, the choice is a bit clearer cut. Do you want a sports smartwatch, or do you want one that can hide in plain sight on any occasion? Of course, there are even more differences under the hood, especially when it comes to details like battery life and health features, but if you can’t get past how the smartwatch looks, those differences might be meaningless anyway.

Specs and Features

What differentiates a sports smartwatch from a typical sports watch is, of course, the hardware that makes it tick. This is also where the lines between Apple and Garmin blur and mix, making it a little bit harder to choose between the two. When it comes to the display, for example, the Apple Watch Ultra has the Garmin Epix 2 beat with a more pixel-dense screen that really makes icons and text pop out. That said, neither of these are your typical smartwatches, and they both try to compete in telling you where you are or where you’ve been.

Smartwatches designed for athletes require more attention to location than conventional wearables. Garmin, whose core business is exactly in that field, has a long head start compared to Apple. While the Apple Watch Ultra boasts dual-band GPS for the first time, Garmin has been using multi-band satellite systems far longer. The latter also has the advantage of having access to more kinds of maps and topographical data than Apple, many of which come pre-installed on its smartwatches.

Garmin’s sports wearables also come with support for external Bluetooth devices, particularly those used by athletes and adventurers in monitoring stats and data that the smartwatch itself can’t collect. It’s too early to count Apple out of the game since the Watch Ultra is its first stab at this space. But extremely active people who need solutions now might not be too keen on waiting for Apple to get up to speed.

Battery Life

The biggest headline for the Apple Watch Ultra, however, is its battery life. Thanks to its larger size and other hardware improvements, it is able to accommodate a larger battery and advertise up to 36 hours of battery life under normal use. That can even be extended to 60 hours with a new low-power mode, which is practically two and a half days. That’s a big improvement over the typical 18 hours of a regular Apple Watch, but that’s only when comparing it to Apple’s smartwatches.

Garmin, in contrast, counts days, not hours, when it comes to battery life. The Garmin Epix 2, for example, boasts 16 hours, though the figure can be dragged down to just 42 hours if GPS mode is enabled. And that’s nothing compared to the new Garmin Enduro 2, which is advertised to last 34 days, not hours, in normal smartwatch mode. It even has a built-in solar panel, so you can extend that by 12 days more without having to grab the charger.

Garmin’s unbelievable battery life claims don’t come without costs, as we’ll see later, but it still shows how far conventional smartwatches are from the ideal. The Apple Watch Ultra at least comes with the assurance that you won’t be charging it as much, but having a compatible MagSafe charger close at hand will still be a good idea, especially if you plan to go off-grid with it. That said, if you do that kind of activity more often than not, any of Garmin’s rugged smartwatches might inspire more confidence and peace of mind.

Health

While Garmin may have the upper hand in navigation and battery life, Apple takes the cake when it comes to health-related features that go beyond the usual activity tracking. In many cases, the Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin’s Epix 2 or Enduro 2 are head-to-head with each other. They all cover the basics like heart rate monitoring, including less common stuff like measuring blood oxygen levels. Even the Apple Watch Ultra’s new body temperature sensing is something that Garmin has already been using for quite some time now. Apple’s advantage, however, is that it can also detect external temperatures, including water temperature.

Apple, however, has had more time fine-tuning its features to be more aware of potential health problems than Garmin. One could almost consider this to be the killer feature of Apple Watches. In particular, the ECG measuring feature that has been present since the Apple Watch Series 4 is something that few smartwatches have to date. Apple will continue pushing the Apple Watch in that direction, which would also benefit future Ultra models.

That’s not to say that Garmin won’t have these features eventually, especially when such hardware becomes more accessible to manufacturers. It could just be a matter of time, though it could also be a matter of business goals. This could very well be one of the biggest differentiating factors between Apple and Garmin smartwatches in the future, with one focusing on navigation and sports while another specializes in health and fitness.

Software

At the end of the day, however, the true distinction between the Apple Watch and any of Garmin’s smartwatches is that the Apple Watch Ultra is a smartwatch, first and foremost, while an Epix 2 or Enduro 2 are sports watches with smart features. Garmin supports a variety of apps on its smartwatches, but the majority of these focus on sports activities. The wearables connect to smartphones, too, but they have limited control over the communication that happens between the two devices. There are your typical notification and music controls, but forget about more advanced apps that don’t fit the sports theme.

Almost in sharp contrast, the Apple Watch Ultra is pretty much a larger Apple Watch designed to be extra rugged and with more sports-related features. That means it has everything that a regular Apple Watch has to offer and more, including access to dozens of apps and experiences that make it a true companion to an iPhone. You can do almost anything on an Apple Watch Ultra, especially when you consider you have access to Siri through it.

That’s also the reason why the Apple Watch Ultra and its potential successors will always have trouble matching the battery life of Garmin’s equivalent smartwatches. You will need more muscle to power those user experiences, which also means eating more of that battery every hour. It is the necessary price to be paid for a general-purpose computer on your wrist, one that happens to function as a classy but rugged smartwatch as well.

Final Thoughts

So should you buy a new Apple Watch Ultra or stick to the tried and tested Garmin? As always, there is no single answer that will satisfy all people. Even price isn’t a determining factor at this point anymore, with the Apple Watch Ultra starting at $799 and the Garmin Enduro 2 going for $1,099. It really all boils down to how sporty you want your smartwatch to be and whether you need a multi-functional smartwatch in the first place.

Despite the appeal of a sportier Apple Watch, Garmin easily wins in the areas where sports watches shine brighter than other timepieces. The five easy-to-access buttons make it usable in extreme conditions where you can’t easily swipe or tap the screen, and its navigation and mapping chops are still unrivaled, even by the likes of Google and especially Apple. Its month-long battery life is no small matter, especially when you take frequent trips outdoors. You will, however, be limited by what your smartwatch can do outside of those occasions, but that might better match your extreme lifestyle more than any other smartwatch.

The Apple Watch Ultra, on the other hand, is a more well-rounded device, more like a jack of all trades. It is more rugged and sportier than any other Apple Watch to date, but it doesn’t stray far from its roots. You can do almost anything on the smartwatch, within reason, of course. Its health-related functions are topnotch, and ECG measuring is still something that few smartwatches can boast of. Its design makes it fit better in almost any situation or occasion, so you don’t have to switch watches just because you want to go to a social party rather than go out for a run. Future models might be able to catch up to some of Garmin’s key advantages, but the Apple Watch Ultra will always be a smartwatch first and a sports partner only second.

The post Apple Watch Ultra or Garmin: Which sports smartwatch should you buy first appeared on Yanko Design.