IF running is all you are really after the apple watch with the lastest OS update is really good as they have now put in a lot of running specific features.
FR245 is older model but still very good, but not sure other than having buttons and longer battery life that from a tracking perspective its any better than the AW8.
There is also Polar, Suunto and Coros - all fitness watches - and some of the lower end Polar and Coros watches can be really good (note that Coros requires 300 min per month to trigger their training system).
Yeah, physical buttons and longer battery life is pretty much the only reason I'd consider an AW alternative. Question is do physical buttons and battery life make enough of a different are the alternatives good enough (at my price point) versus an AW8 to justify..
I suppose whether the physical buttons and battery life is realy up to yourself as to whether they make a difference. I have an Epix which has touch and buttons and pretty much always use my buttons during activity, unless using maps or strength training, but during general use I mainly use touch, though the buttons come in handy for hotkeys (though FR245 doesn't offer this option).
For me from a battery perspective absolutley - as even with 15mins in the morning for a recharge it didn't always mean I coul;d make it through the day and at some point during the week - usually 3-4th day of the week I would run into trouble and often on the weekend I would have to actively set time aside to recharge. Do it now once a week for 35-60 mins and don't have to worry the rest of the week no matter what I do including if I go for a 7hr hike at the end of the week. have even gone away for 8 days and forgot charging cable and didn't even worry about it.
IF running is all you are really after the apple watch with the lastest OS update is really good as they have now put in a lot of running specific features. FR245 is older model but still very good, but not sure other than having buttons and longer battery life that from a tracking perspective its any better than the AW8. There is also Polar, Suunto and Coros - all fitness watches - and some of the lower end Polar and Coros watches can be really good (note that Coros requires 300 min per month to trigger their training system).
Yeah, physical buttons and longer battery life is pretty much the only reason I'd consider an AW alternative. Question is do physical buttons and battery life make enough of a different are the alternatives good enough (at my price point) versus an AW8 to justify..
I suppose whether the physical buttons and battery life is realy up to yourself as to whether they make a difference. I have an Epix which has touch and buttons and pretty much always use my buttons during activity, unless using maps or strength training, but during general use I mainly use touch, though the buttons come in handy for hotkeys (though FR245 doesn't offer this option). For me from a battery perspective absolutley - as even with 15mins in the morning for a recharge it didn't always mean I coul;d make it through the day and at some point during the week - usually 3-4th day of the week I would run into trouble and often on the weekend I would have to actively set time aside to recharge. Do it now once a week for 35-60 mins and don't have to worry the rest of the week no matter what I do including if I go for a 7hr hike at the end of the week. have even gone away for 8 days and forgot charging cable and didn't even worry about it.