ZDNET Highlights
- The Coroz Apex 4 is now available in 42mm and 46mm sizes for $429 and $479 respectively.
- Its long battery life remains a fundamental element of Choroz, and the speaker/microphone supports hands-free calls and voice notes.
- The watch has a low-resolution display, has a minimum 5 ATM water resistance rating, and no third-party app support.
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In 2022, I looked at the Corros Apex 2 and Apex 2 Pro, finding out their performance and build quality relative to the price. Now, I’m happy to see the brand revamp its lineup with the new Apex 4 series, which includes two sizes of its mid-range smartwatches.
I spent a few weeks on Puget Sound salmon fishing, trail running, hiking, walking and rowing with the new 46mm quoros apex 4And early impressions reveal a worthy follow-up with improved mapping capabilities, including faster map zoom, off-course alerts, and turn-by-turn navigation, to name a few features.
Also: I tested the best sports watches in 2025: Here are the latest and greatest watches, no matter your budget
The Apex 4 Pro fits into Corros’ extensive smartwatch lineup alongside the Pace, Nomad and Vertix series, as a smartwatch targeted towards athletes who train for races, alpine runs and skis. If you do any of these activities regularly, the Apex 4 Pro will make a particularly good watch, as it includes some features with altitude as a key component.
Personally, I enjoy trail running in the local foothills of Mount Rainier and my Icon Pass is all ready to go for this winter’s alpine snow skiing season, so I plan to test the Apex 4 on the slopes once the season starts.
There are some features that are only suitable for this use case. For alpine skiing, you can download topographic maps, which then automatically locate downhill laps and ski lift rides displayed on saved activity data pages. Pinned voice notes come in handy here, allowing you to pinpoint where the exact jump or hazard is located, and it can be easily shared.
The Apex 4 launches with a new bottom left action button, a microphone for recording voice notes pinned to your location, and Adventure Journal that syncs photos and videos with your navigation tracks. It also has a speaker, so in addition to Voice Pin, you can make hands-free calling and receive audio alerts during activities.
The Apex 4 is quite light due to the use of a titanium bezel and high strength polymer backing material, weighing in at 64 grams with the silicone band and 52 grams with the nylon band.
The third-generation memory-in-pixel display looks particularly great on the outside, which contributes to its long battery life. The 46mm model I tested has GPS tracking battery life ranging from 41 hours to 65 hours, depending on the accuracy level selected, so I’ve only had to charge it once since I started my testing. In normal smartwatch use, the watch should last more than three weeks.
Also: Koros releases limited-edition Chamonix Apex 2 Pro, plus August 2023 update
I’m also a big fan of the USB-C Keychain Charging Adapter that Corros now includes with its watches. The small adapter secures to the back of your watch and connects to any USB-C cable, with the adapter housed in a handy key ring holder so you can easily travel with it and not have to lug around other cables or chargers. Then again, given its long battery life and reliable performance, you probably won’t need to charge it for normal business trips and vacations.
Apex 4 also includes a great Adventure Journal capability with detailed mapping that is immediately visible on the watch. Save voice pins and take photos along the way to create a multimedia portfolio of your adventures that you can share with family and friends. Coros also offers very accurate voice to text transcription in the smartphone app so you don’t need to playback your voice notes to know what details you recorded during your trip.
While the voice PIN and hands-free calling are useful, I personally would use the LED torch more often. Given the long battery life and outdoor adventure focus of the Coroz watches, I’m definitely looking forward to adding one in the future. This is honestly one of the last features that keeps me hooked to Garmin watches. Well, that, and subscription music support, third party apps, support for golf, and more.
Corros offers a very customizable experience, but I find the fonts in the daily data list widget too small and I’m not able to adjust the font size on the watch. However, the right upper digital dial and back button are well-positioned for easy navigation, while the new action button works well within activities to perform key tasks.
ZDNET’s shopping advice
quoros apex 4 Fits between the Nomad and Vertix with two size options, one speaker, and high-quality materials (titanium and sapphire glass). Support for all the same games and activities is available on both, so it depends on what you’re looking for from your hardware, as well as the size and weight options available to you. The Apex 4 is an attractive sports watch available for under $500.
