{"id":911089,"date":"2026-11-09T09:14:12","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T09:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/911089\/"},"modified":"2026-11-09T09:14:12","modified_gmt":"2026-11-09T09:14:12","slug":"i-swam-1400m-with-the-apple-watch-12-and-fitbit-edge-heres-which-fitness-tracker-came-out-on-top","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/911089\/","title":{"rendered":"I swam 1400m with the Apple Watch 12 and Fitbit Edge: Here\u2019s which fitness tracker came out on top"},"content":{"rendered":"

Apple Watch Series 12 review<\/a> and Fitbit Edge review<\/a> on Tom\u2019s Guide here.<\/p>\n

I swam 1400m with the Apple Watch 12 and Fitbit Edge: Here\u2019s which fitness tracker came out on top <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with how these trackers measure your swimming workouts. Both use an internal accelerometer and gyroscope to recognise arm pulls and calculate how many strokes you take per length, as well as your stroke rate (strokes per minute). That said, there is a slight difference between the two trackers.<\/p>\n

Latest Videos FromTom’s Guide<\/p>\n

Before starting a swim workout, the Apple Watch Series 12 asks you to confirm the length of the pool you\u2019re swimming in. This means during the workout, you\u2019re able to see at a glance how many lengths you\u2019ve swum. The Fitbit Edge doesn\u2019t have a similar feature. When you get out of the pool, the Apple Watch will also give you a breakdown of how far you swam in each stroke, whereas the Fitbit Edge doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

As a control, I used my Speedo iQ Vanisher 3.0<\/a> goggles. These smart goggles give you a wealth of data when you\u2019re back on dry land. As well as your pace, distance, and how long you spent resting at the side of the pool, you\u2019ll also be able to see your head position, breath time and distance per stroke for each stroke.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what the Apple Watch Series 12 and Fitbit Edge recorded:<\/p>\n

Swipe to scroll horizontally<\/p>\n

Header Cell – Column 0 <\/p>\n

Speedo iQ Vanisher 3.0<\/p>\n

Apple Watch Series 12<\/p>\n

Fitbit Edge<\/p>\n

Distance<\/p>\n

1440m <\/p>\n

1440m <\/p>\n

1760m <\/p>\n

Pace<\/p>\n

2:25 mins\/100m<\/p>\n

2:27 mins\/100m<\/p>\n

2:01 mins\/100m<\/p>\n

Lengths<\/p>\n

72<\/p>\n

72<\/p>\n

77<\/p>\n

Strokes<\/p>\n

Breaststroke: 840m, Freestyle: 600m<\/p>\n

Breaststroke: 840m, Freestyle: 600m<\/p>\n

N\/a<\/p>\n

Heart rate<\/p>\n

N\/a<\/p>\n

129 bpm<\/p>\n

126 bpm<\/p>\n

As you can see from the data, the Apple Watch Series 12 was pretty perfect in the pool, measuring exactly what my goggles did. While the goggles don\u2019t record heart rate, according to my Oura Ring 5<\/a>, my average over the course of the swim was 129 beats per minute.<\/p>\n

Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n

The Fitbit Edge, on the other hand, recorded a longer swim, and therefore a few more lengths. It would be nice to see stroke data on the fitness tracker, but again, I\u2019d argue that the Edge is designed for the casual swimmer, not someone looking for a wealth of data.<\/p>\n

Either way, I was impressed with the accuracy of the Apple Watch in the water. Being able to input the length of the pool and see at a glance how many lengths I\u2019d covered allowed me to listen to my podcast (the Shokz OpenSwim Pro<\/a> headphones are still my go-to) without having to keep count. During most swim workouts, I typically switch strokes every 10 lengths, so it\u2019s a good addition to have.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be continuing to test wearables in the pool, but which of these devices would you be more interested in? Let us know in the poll below.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Google\n<\/p>\n

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