Vertix 2S vs Vertix 2
Coros has announced a new watch in its top-end Vertix family, the Coros Vertix 2S.
While it looks quite similar to the Vertix 2, announced in May 2023, there are a couple of important changes that enhance the watch without adding to its cost.
The Coros Vertix 2S will cost $699, just like the current Vertix 2. Here are the major, and minor, differences.
Redesigned HR sensor
Coros uses new heart rate sensor hardware in the Vertix 2S. It has five LEDs and four light sensors, up from three green LEDs, one red LED and a single light sensor bank in the Vertix 2.
The new design should let Coros calculate heart rate results with a more significant amount of data, allowing for better error correction.
We've already seen this style of heart rate hardware before, in the standalone Coros heart rate strap. The company clearly has some confidence in this design given it has moulded an entire product around it.
Slightly shorter battery life, by most metrics
The Vertix 2S’s battery life is super-long, just like that of its predecessor. But according to the spec list the Vertix 2 will outlast it in plenty of scenarios.
You’ll get up to 127 hours of GPS use from the Vertix 2, for example, compared to 118 hours in the Vertix 2S. This counts for dual-frequency GPS use too, with the figure dropping to 43 hours from 49 hours.
This carries on into the general use stats too, with passive tracking battery life dropping from 43 days to 40 days.
You might guess this drop would be down to a fraction decrease in battery size to allow for a slimmer frame. But the Vertix 2S is fractionally thicker than the previous model according to Coros, 16mm versus 15.7mm.
Of course, none of these is really going to make a major difference to real-world use. In most contexts we’re talking about a less than 10% disparity in most contexts.
Cosmic finishes
Coros uses a spacey theme for the names of the Vertix 2S finishes, but in actuality they are very much down to Earth.
There’s a muted blue version dubbed Earth. Moon is a light grey, and Space is dark grey/black.
The Vertix 2 had a more two-tone approach. An orange strap with bright silver bezel was the version I saw most of, while you’ll also find a warm-hued grey strap version online too.
Verdict
At one point “S” series refreshes of devices were often lesser tweaks to an existing design, and that’s just what the Coros Vertix 2S feels like.
It gets an upgrade to what might be the single of tech ripe for a generational upgrade, the heart rate sensor. But there’s not too much else going on here.
However, with no price increase, there’s also nothing to complain about. Vertix 2 owners don’t need to upgrade. The Vertix 2S does enough to draw the attention of new buyers, but this is also a good time to keep an eye out for Vertix 2 bargains.
