codoon x3 vs garmin 235 the ultimate showdown

The Codoon X3 watch, after testing the waters with the previous two generations S1 and N3, has fully listened to the opinions and feedback of sports enthusiasts and made effective improvements and innovations. Finally, in this season of 'winter training in the coldest days, summer training in the hottest days,' it presents this sincere creation, the Codoon Sports Watch X3, to all sports lovers who dare to challenge themselves.


We also know that there is a popular and professional big-brand watch in the sports watch market, which has a very good reputation in the industry and among many sports enthusiasts. Since its launch, it has been selling well. It is the Garmin 235 watch.


This time, I want to conduct a comprehensive multi-angle PK battle with these two watches in hand. If the Codoon X3 watch performs well in this duel, it will surely capture the hearts of many Codoon fans with its more affordable price and more professional functions, making the slogan 'Smart Sports, All in Codoon' a hit!




1. Unboxing and Appearance, Detail Comparison


Packaging Comparison




The Codoon Sports Watch X3 uses a black hard paper square box, which is calm, simple, and atmospheric. The front is engraved with the external outline of the X3, and the back has the product's production date, barcode, and basic product overview. The box uses a drawer-style design, and the X3 watch is presented to us through a green pull cord. I personally like this style of packaging.




The Garmin 235's outer packaging is also very simple, with a transparent and textured plastic box wrapping the inner dark hard box. The box itself uses a hangable embedded stacking design, with built-in foam to securely fix the watch. The side of the packaging indicates that the 235 watch supports cloud life, and data can be uploaded to the cloud via a mobile app and computer. The back of the packaging indicates the main functional features of the 235 watch.


Two Family Photos




One Codoon X3 watch, one buckle-type charging base, one manual, and one running manual. Thumbs up for this running manual, which makes running more scientific and professional, embodying smart sports.




One Garmin 235 watch, one four-tooth charging clip, one manual, one spare watch strap, and one set of disassembly tools. The original product comes with a spare watch strap and disassembly tools, which is very user-friendly and practical, with well-done details.




Weight and Volume Comparison



The X3 weighs 51 grams, and the 235 weighs 41.6 grams, with a weight difference of about 10 grams, which is not very noticeable. Both are very lightweight, and their weight and size are mainly determined by the functions and operating methods of the internal components. During exercise, neither watch gives a significant sense of pressure or weight on the wrist, making them suitable for wearing during various sports.


Charging Method Comparison


There is a relatively obvious difference in the charging methods between the Codoon X3 watch and the Garmin 235.






The Codoon X3 watch has improved the charging method from the magnetic suction method used in the S1 and N3, which was not secure enough and could disconnect, to a buckle-type base charging method. Its charging capability has also been significantly enhanced, and it can be fully charged in just over an hour.




The Garmin 235 watch's charging cable has a four-tooth charging clip on one end and a USB interface on the other. The back of the watch has a recessed slot, and charging is completed by aligning the clip with the slot. The charging speed is also very fast, but compared to the X3's base-type charging, the clip's stability is lower, and it may not be securely clipped. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to the watch's charging status and confirm that it is charging.


Button and Touch Screen Comparison




The Garmin 235 watch does not have a touch screen operation method, which is its biggest drawback. All functions need to be operated using the five asymmetrical buttons on the left and right sides of the watch.


The upper left button is for power and backlight, the lower left has two up and down page buttons for scrolling through various menus. The upper right has a very conspicuous red button responsible for starting various sports modes, viewing menus, and setting the watch. The lower right button is the return button. Although there are many buttons and they are relatively complex, once you get used to them, the operation is quite handy and convenient, but you cannot operate the screen by touch.





In addition to two physical buttons, the Codoon X3 watch allows all functions to be operated through the touch screen. The X3 has also upgraded from the black-and-white screen of the S1 and N3 to a semi-reflective, semi-transmissive color touch screen, providing unprecedented clear display in both strong and weak light. The Corning Gorilla Glass 3 material is scratch-resistant, making it safe to wear in any environment and weather. The metal material of the watch case and the directional markers on the bezel give this watch a cross-country function, making it cooler and more fashionable for outdoor wear.


Strap Comparison




Both the Codoon X3 watch and the Garmin 235 watch use a dual-layer, dual-color silicone strap design. The Garmin 235 strap is relatively softer and more fitting, and the spare strap allows you to switch between sports and business at will, which is very convenient. The red and black strap is youthful and energetic, suitable for sports, while the black strap is calm and atmospheric, suitable for business. The X3 strap is slightly harder overall, and for people with thin arms, the bottom of the strap may lift, making it less fitting. Hopefully, this small issue can be resolved by replacing the strap in the future.


Dial Style Comparison




The Codoon X3 watch comes with three dial styles, which can be easily changed through the touch screen, making it feel like a new watch in just a few seconds. Whether for daily wear, business work, or sports and fitness, there is always a dial that suits you best. I believe that more and richer dial styles will be added to the system in the future to meet the personalized needs of different people.




The Garmin 235 watch's dial can also be changed, and there are more types, but it needs to be downloaded and used from the Connect app store, and the watch needs to be bound through the app for replacement, which is relatively cumbersome.


2. Comparison of Binding and Intercommunication with APP




The Codoon X3 watch, backed by Codoon's powerful independent app, makes binding and intercommunication very convenient and fast. Binding can be easily completed by scanning the QR code displayed on the watch.


In the app, sleep monitoring, heart rate monitoring, call reminders, sedentary reminders, alarms, wearing methods, long key settings, various prompts during exercise, etc., can be set according to personal needs. After setting, all exercise data can be viewed in detail through the Codoon app, and firmware upgrades for the watch can also be completed through the app. Therefore, each firmware upgrade means functional improvement, detail optimization, and experience enhancement.




The Garmin 235 also has its independent app, Connect, where all Garmin series watches can be bound by selecting the watch's name. In the calendar, you can check the detailed data of any day you wore the watch, including sleep, calories burned, steps, heart rate, and exercise status.


After completing the exercise with the Garmin 235, you need to manually click the upload data option in the app.The upload speed is not as fast and real-time as the X3 watch.It is worth mentioning that Garmin watches can not only be bound to their app but also perfectly match and intercommunicate with the Codoon app. This means that the exercise data generated by the Garmin 235 can also be displayed on the bound Codoon app, which is a successful example of strong cooperation!


3. Comparison of Practical Small Functions




The Codoon X3 comes with a compass function. After wearing the watch, you can draw an '∞' pattern in the air to achieve positioning. Once positioned, you can always know your location, which is very useful in cross-country races and outdoor sports, providing a safety guarantee.




Real-time city display, weather conditions, and air quality index prompts allow us to understand and judge whether the external environment is conducive to exercise and fitness, letting science and health accompany our exercise.



The X3's optical heart rate module is smoother and more fitting to the wrist than the Garmin 235. In a static state, it can detect real-time heart rate in just a few seconds, and the data is very accurate.




The stopwatch timer function makes the data more precise and detailed. In addition, sedentary reminders, alarms, and message push functions are also very practical in daily life.




The Garmin 235 also uses an optical sensor to monitor heart rate. To be more precise and fitting to the wrist, its optical heart rate module is relatively high and angular, making it easy to leave marks on the wrist after wearing it for a long time.




The Garmin 235's dial can display steps, exercise kilometers, calories burned, altitude, and other basic data, call information reminders, weather conditions, and recent activity history details, among many other practical small functions. When used with its app, the content is more comprehensive. The blood pressure and blood oxygen detection functions of the Garmin 235 watch are also important reasons why sports enthusiasts love it.




Both the Codoon X3 and Garmin 235 have sleep quality monitoring functions, allowing you to understand the distribution of deep sleep, light sleep, and awake time. Personally, I don't like wearing jewelry or watches while sleeping, as it feels uncomfortable and restrictive, but this varies from person to person. For those with poor sleep quality, this indicator is still very valuable, as we spend a significant portion of our day sleeping and resting.


4. Comparison of Various Sports Tests




To make the data more accurate and comparable, I wore both watches simultaneously during various exercises.




Both the Codoon X3 and Garmin 235 use GPS and GLONASS dual-star positioning. In relatively open environments with few buildings, both the X3 and 235 perform excellently, almost simultaneously achieving positioning. Satellite positioning is the first step we need to take before exercising.




The Garmin 235 is the sports watch I have used the longest. Besides its powerful functions among entry-level watches, its battery life is also commendable. If you exercise every day and wear it continuously, it can last for a week without any issues.


Previously, the Codoon S1 watch had acceptable battery life in daily use mode, but its battery life was not ideal when GPS sports mode was turned on, consuming a lot of power.


This time, Codoon's official data for the X3 watch is 40 days in daily use mode and 20 hours in GPS sports mode. After wearing it for two weeks, its battery life surpasses its predecessors S1 and N3, and even exceeds the Garmin 235's battery life. After two weeks of continuous wear, including sleeping, daily use, and exercise, it still had 34% battery remaining. If it weren't for needing to test the charging function for this review, it might have continued to work for another week. Therefore, I give the X3 a big hug for its battery life! Truly impressive! Its remaining battery estimation function also allows us to know whether it can support the duration of the upcoming exercise at a glance.




The X3 watch supports seven different sports modes: outdoor running, indoor running, walking, indoor walking, cycling, mountaineering, and pool swimming. The interactive courses with the Codoon app also include skipping rope, boxing, cardiopulmonary function, running posture improvement, strength and fitness training, and more. The additional content is rich and interesting, making the X3 your all-around coach, not just for running.


The Garmin 235 watch supports five sports modes: outdoor running, indoor running, cycling, indoor cycling, and others, which are completely sufficient for an entry-level watch.


Outdoor Running Comparison Test




Comparing the Codoon X3, Garmin 235, and Codoon app, the differences are not significant, and all data is within an acceptable range. The main detection indicators such as stride frequency, stride length, and heart rate are accurate, with minimal errors. Especially after turning off the exercise pause function, the entire exercise becomes smoother, and the data display is clearer.


Cycling Comparison Test




Wearing the X3 and 235 on my left hand, I cycled 24 kilometers. The collected exercise data was almost identical, with errors as small as the second decimal place. This surprised me a lot. The heart rate and average speed were also so accurate that it felt like I was only wearing one watch. The Codoon X3 achieved the same level of data monitoring as the big brand Garmin, standing on the same starting line. This shows that the previous testing of the S1 and N3 was not in vain, laying a solid foundation for the X3's excellent performance.


Waterproof Function Test




Both the Codoon X3 and Garmin 235 have a 50-meter waterproof rating. The swimming data of the Garmin 235 cannot be uploaded to the Codoon app.The X3 watch's swimming data can not only be uploaded to the Codoon app, but it also has the ability to recognize breaststroke and freestyle swimming styles.The development team put a lot of effort into achieving this.


The Codoon X3 watch can be worn with confidence when washing hands, in bad rainy weather, and swimming in the pool, with waterproof protection that gives it an edge in the PK!


5. Comprehensive Star Rating Comparison



Appearance: Codoon X3: ★★★★★ Garmin 235: ★★★★

Battery Life: Codoon X3: ★★★★★ Garmin 235: ★★★★

GPS Performance: Codoon X3: ★★★★ Garmin 235: ★★★★★

Heart Rate Monitoring: Codoon X3: ★★★★ Garmin 235: ★★★★★

Ease of Operation: Codoon X3: ★★★★★ Garmin 235: ★★★★

Intercommunication: Codoon X3: ★★★★★ Garmin 235: ★★★★

Core Data Values: Codoon X3: ★★★★ Garmin 235: ★★★★★

Wearing Comfort: Codoon X3: ★★★ Garmin 235: ★★★★

Cost-Effectiveness: Codoon X3: ★★★★ Garmin 235: ★★★★


This is the most satisfying domestic watch I have used so far. Compared with international big brands, it does not fall behind in any data. Although it is not perfect, such as lacking blood pressure and blood oxygen monitoring, small fonts during exercise, and less noticeable vibration functions, we cannot ask for too much at such an attractive price of 699. I also believe that the Codoon team will fix these small flaws through firmware upgrades in the future.


Codoon's hardware development capabilities are gradually emerging. The Codoon X3 watch will surely spread among sports enthusiasts, making it possible for everyone to use and afford a sports watch with excellent functions and an affordable price. I strongly recommend the Codoon X3 watch! Let's wear health and safety on our wrists together!


Created: 2019-08-02 21:04:38