If you’re thinking about buying an Apple Watch, you’re probably wondering how accurate its heart rate monitoring is.
To get the answers you need, look no further than Reddit.
On this platform, users share honest reviews and helpful tips to ensure that you make a smart purchase.
Let’s take a look at what they have to say about the accuracy of Apple Watch heart rate monitoring.
The Good News
According to Redditors, Apple Watch is pretty accurate when it comes to measuring your heart rate.
Most reviews point out that the watch is usually within 10-20 beats per minute (BPM) of their actual heart rate during exercise, which is quite impressive considering the difference in technology between traditional chest strap monitors and wrist-based monitors like the Apple Watch.
One Redditor shared a graph of their heart rate data from a chest strap monitor and an Apple Watch side-by-side and noticed that the readings from both devices were nearly identical.
This user even pointed out that there was “no drift” in either device—which means that their readings stayed consistent throughout their entire workout session.
Another Redditor noted that for them, Apple Watch was spot on in terms of accuracy—right down to the decimal point!
This user also mentioned that they found it more convenient than using a chest strap because they didn’t have to fuss with putting it on or taking it off every time they wanted to check their heart rate.
The Bad News
While most reviews seem to be positive when it comes to accuracy, some users did report having problems with it—namely, inaccurate readings after intense workouts or during periods of high stress.
One user said that after long runs or HIIT workouts (high intensity interval training), their watch would sometimes show wildly inaccurate numbers—even up to 4x higher than what they were expecting!
They attributed this issue mainly to “software glitches” but also suggested that users double check their readings before relying too heavily on them for fitness tracking purposes.
Another Redditor complained about getting false positives when trying to measure their stress levels with the watch—in other words, getting readings indicating high stress when there really wasn’t any present in the first place.
In this case, they suggested making sure your watch is snug on your wrist so as not to interfere with its sensors and give off false readings.
Conclusion
All things considered, most Redditors seem happy with how accurate Apple Watches are at measuring heart rates—especially since it doesn't require any extra equipment like chest straps or finger cuffs to do so accurately!
Of course there can be exceptions based on individual circumstances but overall these devices seem reliable enough for those who want an easy way keep track of their health without having too much hassle involved in doing so.
That being said, if you're concerned about accuracy make sure your watch fits snugly around your wrist and always double check your readings before relying too heavily on them for fitness tracking purposes!
