COROS Heart Rate Monitor : The End Of ECG?

Published 2023-07-27
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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:29 Review Setup
00:56 Most Important Specs
01:52 Test Setup
02:40 Test 1: First 3 Bike Rides
04:34 Test 2: Daytime Heart Rate
06:38 Test 3: Cycling Indoors Session 1
08:21 Test 4: Weight Lifting Session 1
09:44 Test 5: Cycling Indoors Session 2
10:08 Overview 1: Cycling Indoors
11:22 Test 6: Weight Lifting Session 2
11:47 Overview 2: Weight Lifting
12:22 Overview 3: Cycling Outside
12:55 Final Verdict

The HRM is COROS’ answer to ECG chest straps, you know, those straps you wear around your chest that give the most accurate heart rate readings. You can wear the HRM on the arm instead of the wrist, making it quick to put on. COROS says that their HRM is much more comfortable and easy to use, but has accuracy close to that of a chest strap. We will of course be testing if that is true. The HRM has built-in wear detection, which means it automatically powers on and off based on when it is worn, and the specs say it has a range of up to 120 meters, with 38 hours of full operation or 80 days of standby on a single charge. It releases today in the US and China, and in September in the rest of the world. The price of the HRM will be set at 79 US dollars at launch, and the closest device out there at the moment is the Polar Verity Sense, which can be worn in a similar manner. However, I found the Verity Sense to be OK, but not great, so let’s get to the actual testing, and check if the COROS HRM is better. To test the heart rate performance, we will compare it to the Polar H10 ECG chest strap, which has been used in several scientific studies, and can generally record my heart rate very accurately. I’ll start by testing the performance of the COROS HRM whilst cycling outside, and during the testing I’ll be wearing the HRM on my biceps. By the way, COROS sent me this device, but they did not sponsor this video, and they did not get to see or influence the content of this video.

So, what is my final verdict on the COROS HRM? Well, it’s not bad, and it might be exactly what some people would want, but it is not a replacement for an ECG chest strap just yet. It is amongst the best devices for cycling outside, which is really impressive, since most watches struggle a lot there. During cycling indoors it was also pretty good, though I was surprised it showed some minor artifacts. However, it is just not good enough during weightlift

All Comments (21)
  • @peterkornos8749
    You are amazing. Perfect footage for everyone, who needs to have precise and complete information. Thank you, Rob.
  • @Windsurfingaddict
    Thank you for all the time and effort you put in to bring us this information 😎😎
  • @rostpa
    During the long runs and hot days I often get rush from the chest strap. I’m happy I was able to join the testing phase and have to say this HRM works well. The comfort is great, even after 14h of activity I didn’t feel it at all. And I was amazed how good the optical sensor can work if you place it on the upper arm. We were able to compare data from watch, chest strap and HR31 and even when watch OHR failed to show correct data, HR31 was identical with chest strap.
  • 🔴 General Amazon link*: geni.us/thequantifiedscientist
    🟢 Instagram: www.instagram.com/quantified_scientist/
    🟠 Shorts: studio.youtube.com/channel/UCcpARGzXNaC62UQWns2dh2…
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    * Affiliate (paid) links support the channel by earning me a commission on any sale, and it doesn't cost you any more! My opinions are completely my own, and this content is not sponsored.
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  • @pjoliver182
    Hi Rob. Amazing work; big fan here! Have you tried other smart rings like the Circula ring?
  • @benbeeler2394
    Thanks for doing this! Good to know it’s not as good, but not terrible
  • @cusebike5391
    I have a few years of experience with the Polar H10 & both Polar & Garmin chest straps. I only use the H10 for cycling, both indoor & out. For the past several months I have included the Apple watch SE in this testing. The H10 & the SE match up quite reliably for average HR. If there is a difference, it's no more than 1or 2 bpm. They both line up quite well with the chest straps.
    I've always used the chest straps for weight lifting but now use the SE almost exclusively. Again, the variation between the two wasn't enough to warrant the continued use of the chest strap.
    I'm 188 cm & approx. 75kg. So obviously I'm a bit on the thin side and also light skinned. Your mileage may vary.
  • @neil1974uk
    Great video Rob just wondering if you've looked at the Coros Pace 2? I've got both it and a Garmin Epix 2 gen 2 watch. With the Garmin I've found that using a chest strap is must, especially during intervals or when it's cold. It will either drop out entirely or shoot up and this can affect the training and recovery scores. The Coros pace 2 however I've found to be flawless, for me it tracks almost perfectly with my Polar H10.
  • @eddiebaby22
    Best reviews on the tube! I'm wanting a slim affordable (cheaper) watch that does it all. So far I'm struggling, but it'll be on the strength of one of your reviews when I finally do find one 👍
  • I have really been enjoying your videos. I've been checking them out as I prepare to make some purchases. I notice that you regularly warn people that different variables including skin color could effect results. Could you do a video showing the difference in effective sleep and heart rate tracking for dark skinned people as compared to lighter skinned people? Thanks for the detail you provide.
  • @pauloeducardoso
    Dear Rob, thank you for the useful info. Because you are using R programming (ggplot) for data analysis, I'd suggest adding to correlation plots a colour gradient linked to a time var (at least start, middle, and end). This would increase legibility and better understand the differences between sensors.
  • @mp3311
    Great review! I loved the analysis! Also, would the hr monitor be suitable for running? Would I have some accurate results?
  • @lowrights33
    Thanks for evaluating for weightlifting. That is my use case. Chest strap traps a lot of sweat so was looking for an alternative. Will keep looking 🙂
  • Been testing this for a bit now, and comparing to my H10 and this thing is right there. Past optical bands for me always seemed to be slightly delayed, but this has been great!