Discover your good Garmin with this complete information to options, efficiency, and worth.
Garmin presents the trade’s broadest vary of operating and health watches. The great thing about that is that there are often a number of watches for each kind of person, and at many alternative value factors.
Nevertheless, deciding on the fitting choice to your wants and finances requires studying about numerous features, reminiscent of options, design variations, and which selections carry out greatest for various duties.
This information is a must-read for those who’re eager about a Garmin watch. It summarizes Wareable’s real-world testing outcomes on health monitoring, well being monitoring, sensible options, and battery life for every prime Garmin we advocate.
Our skilled staff of testers has reviewed each Garmin watch out there to help you in making the most effective determination. This consists of the most recent mannequin, the Intuition 3, launched in early 2025, and continues with the just-announced Forerunner 570/970 fashions.
Learn on to grasp the refined variations and select the most effective match to your wrist.
Might 2025 replace: Forerunner 970 and Forerunner 570
In Might 2025, Garmin introduced the arrival of the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970—the most recent iteration to its operating watch/sports activities watches line. The 570 (regardless of not following the standard naming conventions) replaces the 265, whereas the 970 is the most recent flagship operating watch and replaces the 965.
We’re nonetheless placing these watches via their paces forward of their full assessment (although we now have supplied an in-depth hands-on of every and the whole lot new), in addition to the brand new HRM 600 chest strap required to entry the 970’s greatest new operating options.
Each appear like glorious additions to the lineup, and even our preliminary testing suggests they’re the best-performing operating watches Garmin has ever produced. Nevertheless, we even have some reservations concerning the pricing, which can doubtless go away the door open for a lot of to contemplate the 265/965. Keep tuned for our full verdict touchdown in June, as we proceed to investigate their place within the Garmin lineup.
Fast overview: Our prime Garmin selections
Greatest for newbie runners: Garmin Forerunner 165
We beforehand advisable the Forerunner 55 right here, which stays a superb finances Garmin choice. Nevertheless, the Forerunner 165 options an AMOLED display screen, spectacular battery life, dependable GPS, Garmin coaching plans, and an array of Garmin’s efficiency analytics. It’s best for these starting their operating journey.
Greatest for PB hunters: Garmin Forerunner 265
For these starting to give attention to their underlying operating knowledge, the FR265 represents a major improve. It boasts a pointy AMOLED show, good battery life, thorough coaching evaluation, efficiency metrics, restoration pointers, and customized coaching plans. Devoted runners, cyclists, and swimmers will discover this machine well-suited to their wants.
Greatest Garmin smartwatch: Garmin Venu 3
The Venu 3 presents a flexible Garmin sports activities monitoring expertise, boasting a smooth AMOLED show that can appeal to these in search of an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch. The wellness options really feel extra sensible and intuitive right here, and the guts fee accuracy is excellent.
Greatest for multi-sport athletes: Garmin Fenix 8
The king of multisport watches, the Fenix 8 vary is just about unbeatable. Its long-lasting battery lets you spend all day on the paths whereas having fun with mapping and navigation options. Plus, each sport advantages from essentially the most superior analytics out there on any Garmin. You’re additionally spoiled for alternative, with double-digit variations that includes completely different case sizes, supplies, display screen expertise, and show glass sorts.
Greatest Fenix different: Garmin Instinct 3
The Fenix reigns supreme in Garmin’s lineup, but many potential consumers could understandably hesitate as a result of its excessive price. Throughout these difficult instances, we advocate contemplating the Intuition 3—a light-weight and fulfilling outside/health watch that boasts excellent battery life and spectacular efficiency evaluation capabilities.
Greatest Garmin operating watches
How we take a look at: Our reviewers put on the look ahead to a number of weeks, integrating it into their each day routines, which embody operating, biking, swimming, and energy coaching. We consider the optical coronary heart fee accuracy by evaluating it to a chest strap and assess GPS precision on acquainted routes alongside a dual-frequency GNSS competitor. Well being metrics are measured in opposition to an Oura Ring and Whoop 4.0. Beneath are our alternatives.
Garmin Forerunner 165 (2024)
The Forerunner 165, launched in February 2024, fills a niche in Garmin’s operating watch lineup with an reasonably priced AMOLED show. At 43mm, it’s light-weight and comfy for each men and women. It’s good for newbie and intermediate runners; we discovered glorious GPS accuracy, and it doesn’t shrink back from providing efficiency analytics.
You obtain VO2 max estimates, adaptive coaching ideas, and Coaching Impact metrics, enhanced additional by updates to Garmin Coach. One other distinct and spectacular function is the power to plan your races and leverage PacePro for stay pacing methods.
Battery life is considerably longer than that of a typical smartwatch. You may obtain round 17 hours of pure GPS time and a few weeks in smartwatch mode. Our assessments utilizing the always-on show noticed it final round per week, which is excellent.
It options Garmin’s last-gen Elevate 4 HR sensor, however accuracy stays good for regular runs and rides. We advocate a chest strap for those who rely on low-latency HR knowledge throughout classes, however that’s true for each watch.
The one vital criticism is that Garmin has separated music options right into a extra premium model, which means you’ll must spend extra to entry Spotify offline in your wrist. Boo. Nevertheless, this can be a prime Garmin GPS watch for many runners, and 90% of individuals will discover the mixture of options simply what they want.
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Mild and brilliant design -
Correct HR and GPS -
Lengthy-lasting battery
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Pricier than rivals at this vary -
A separate version for music – why? -
Fairly sluggish GPS lock-on
Garmin Forerunner 265 (2023)
Launched in March 2023, the Forerunner 265 stays an excellent mid-range choice within the Garmin sports activities watch lineup, even with the latest arrival of the Forerunner 570. It’s additionally higher fitted to triathletes than many different Garmin watches, because of its extra superior swim and cycle monitoring capabilities.
The usual mannequin encompasses a 46mm case dimension, whereas the 41mm 265S variant is a extra unisex alternative, notably fitted to ladies. It builds on the FR165 (talked about above) by together with Coaching Standing, Every day Readiness, Endurance Score, and Hill Score.
It additionally incorporates Morning Report, Coaching Readiness, Coaching Standing, and Race Calendar. So, in brief, there’s extra analytical knowledge.
It additionally options Garmin’s Multi-Band GPS/GNSS, which excels in city environments, providing higher accuracy than the FR165. Nevertheless, this enchancment is probably not noticeable throughout most runs.
The one draw back is the battery life, which the transfer to AMOLED has impacted. We discovered it lasted round 4 days of heavy utilization between expenses. General, the FR165 might be best for many runners. But, for those who search enhanced analytics and superior GPS for city races, the FR265 is your best choice.
With its successor, the Forerunner 570, supplied at a far loftier value than the 265, this one stays a very good choice for individuals who can stay with out the most recent optical sensor and don’t crave the brightest AMOLED show the corporate presents.
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Show and UI are massively improved -
Battery life stays excellent -
Nice accuracy throughout the board
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AMOLED will not be for everybody -
Similar monitoring expertise as FR255 -
Misses out on ECG {hardware}
Garmin Forerunner 965 (2023)
The 965, which launched in March 2023, stands out as Garmin’s most superior Forerunner, now enhanced with a premium AMOLED show. And it stays a viable choice, even with the latest arrival of the 970.
It’s not very completely different from the cheaper Forerunner 265 (above) that it arrived with. Nevertheless, refined distinctions make it an excellent alternative for these delay by the value of the Fenix vary—or these in search of one thing lighter and simpler for operating, biking, or swimming.
The intense and vibrant display screen does end in a slight dip in battery life, however Garmin has nonetheless carried out admirably; the Forerunner 965 can final about 6-8 days throughout comparatively intense coaching in its always-on mode, which surpasses the competitors considerably.
It’s filled with options. Garmin presents a complete array of extras, together with beautiful offline mapping and entry to pre-loaded golf programs, which improve the detailed insights for operating, biking, and swimming.
It’s additionally remarkably correct. In our intensive testing, we found that the Multi-Band GNSS accuracy, coronary heart fee monitoring, sleep monitoring, and rather more align with our anticipated baselines from a number of the most exact wearables out there in the marketplace.
Collectively, these options make the 965 a superb alternative for customers in search of wrist-based maps for prolonged coaching classes and the aptitude to combine numerous exercise sorts. Nevertheless, that is actually for athletes that take efficiency critically.
Th
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Show and UI are a lot improved -
Battery life stays excellent -
Monitoring accuracy is tough to beat
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Susceptible to bumps and scratches -
Not massively completely different to the FR265 -
Good options are extraordinarily primary
Garmin Forerunner 55 (2021)
The Forerunner 55 is a small and comfy operating watch, with minimalism being the important thing function. Nevertheless, the MIP display screen expertise is a major downgrade in comparison with the Forerunner 165, making it appropriate primarily for these seeking to spend as little as potential.
It’s additionally now lengthy within the tooth, having been launched in 2021, which suggests it misses out on lots of the best Garmin tools for runners.
There are nonetheless some stable options right here, although, with monitoring important metrics reminiscent of tempo, time, and distance. This consists of an alert that notifies you when your steps per minute fall outdoors your most popular goal.
It consists of help for Garmin Coach, too, which suggests you are able to do guided run exercises from the wrist for 5K, 10K, and half-marathon distances.
It additionally inherits Garmin’s PacePro pacing methods function, which beforehand required mapping help to function. Though the Forerunner 55 lacks these mapping options, it may possibly nonetheless make the most of PacePro to help with races.
There may be additionally an emphasis on restoration, and the Forerunner 55 will counsel how lengthy to relaxation after a exercise. It supplies each day steered exercises based mostly on logged classes and features a useful race predictor. Nevertheless, the health analytics are restricted to VO2 max estimates, that are solely seen in Garmin Join and never on the watch itself.
Our important concern with the 55 is that Garmin may substitute it quickly. A Forerunner 65 mannequin might nonetheless emerge in 2025, regardless of a scarcity of rumors on that entrance.
Nevertheless, when it comes to sheer wearability, this stays a stable alternative for low-tech runners.
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Small, mild design -
PacePro and steered exercises -
Full Join IQ help
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Greatest HR accuracy with chest strap -
Low res display screen
Greatest Garmin sport/outside watches
How we take a look at: We offer Garmin’s outside and multisport watches to our marathon and ultrarunning testers, who make the most of them on trails to guage battery life and mapping options. Moreover, the watches are examined in swimming and embody an ordinary assessment of sensible and wellness insights.
Garmin Fenix 8 (2024)
The Garmin Fenix has at all times stood on the pinnacle of the Garmin lineup, but the outstanding capabilities of the Epix (Gen 2) vary and Forerunner 965 had made it a difficult suggestion. This has modified with the discharge of Fenix 8.
You may take a look at the important thing variations between the Fenix 8 and Fenix 7, Fenix 8 and Epix Pro, and the Fenix 8 and Enduro 3, however the Fenix 8 is undoubtedly essentially the most succesful in most use circumstances.
You may select between a full AMOLED show (with sapphire glass out there) or a solar-powered mannequin designed to increase battery life, that includes the older memory-in-pixel (MIP) show kind. This model is right for people who require each little bit of battery for excessive ultra-runs or lengthy through-hikes. In the event you establish with this want, although, the Enduro 3 is an alternative choice.
The Fenix presents each Garmin sports activities monitoring profile, metric, and knowledge level within the type of a powerful journey watch. This look is much more pronounced with the AMOLED show, although we’d advocate a sapphire model after badly scratching our commonplace unit throughout testing.
General, accuracy was typically stable, though there have been a number of questions relating to the efficiency of the Elevate V5 sensor throughout testing. The scale of the case could also be inflicting some sign points. As at all times, it supplies a very good estimate of your health, however for those who’re coaching based mostly on coronary heart fee, it’s advisable to make use of a chest strap.
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Nice AMOLED battery life -
Class-leading mapping and navigation help -
A extra considerate method to energy coaching
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It is much more costly than the Fenix 7 Professional -
Core efficiency not too dissimilar to earlier Fenix -
Coronary heart fee monitoring throughout train nonetheless not flawless
Garmin Epix Professional (2023)
Epix OGs will recall the primary version that debuted in 2015, with the road returning within the new Epix (Gen 2) in 2022 with a recent goal, after which once more in 2023 for the Epix Professional (Gen 2).
We don’t advocate the usual mannequin in 2025, however the Professional continues to be an extremely feature-packed choice to contemplate—and it’s persistently out there at a cut-rate value, which makes it an ideal Fenix 8 different.
Basically, it’s a Fenix 7 Pro with an AMOLED show, providing all the highest flagship options with out compromise. The 1.3-inch, 454 x 454-pixel decision coloration AMOLED touchscreen supplies a robust smartwatch expertise.
The Epix Professional (Gen 2) encompasses a built-in flashlight and an Elevate V5 sensor, with each smaller and bigger dimension choices (42mm and 51mm) out there. The road additionally retains the mapping, superior efficiency analytics, tip-top GNSS monitoring, well being sensors, and sports activities modes of the Fenix.
In fact, the AMOLED show does diminish battery life, however not by as a lot as you may suppose. We persistently achieved 16 days of battery life (additionally estimated to final 42 hours throughout GPS monitoring) with out the always-on show enabled, in comparison with 18 days and 57 hours on the usual Fenix 7.
For each day use, which incorporates each day GPS use and the AOD turned on, we discovered that it lasted six days. Most individuals will like that compromise, we expect. So, don’t miss out for those who can choose up the Epix Professional for a tidy deal.
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Strong {hardware} additions -
Lastly out there in three sizes -
Nice accuracy throughout the board
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Epix 2 and FR965 are higher worth -
ECG {hardware} not getting used -
Mediocre sensible options
Garmin Intuition 3 (2025)
The Intuition vary is now not simply an outside watch; it’s an thrilling, all-action multi-sport watch. The third era stays a budget-friendly different to the Fenix, retaining the plastic case and beneficiant contact of Casio type. We find it irresistible – and it’s an unsung hero of the Garmin vary.
Launched in early 2025, Garmin has launched an AMOLED show choice whereas nonetheless providing a basic, solar-powered MIP mannequin. It’s additionally out there in 45mm and 50mm sizes.
The watch’s key upgrades, along with AMOLED, embody improved GNSS for enhanced GPS accuracy (now commonplace after being featured on the Intuition 2X, however not the Intuition 2) and extra superior coaching instruments. GPS accuracy was reliable in testing, and coronary heart fee monitoring was passable. Nevertheless, like most units on this listing, the sensor typically struggles throughout high-intensity exercises.
We solely have a few points with Intuition 3. The primary is the absence of touchscreen performance, which is a wierd oversight for an AMOLED display screen. Garmin has additionally as soon as once more unnoticed full mapping help. You may add routes, use real-time breadcrumb navigation, and make the most of TrackBack, however ‘correct’ mapping will not be included.
Battery life stays glorious, although, lasting as much as 18 days in smartwatch mode or round per week with the always-on show enabled. In the end, the Intuition 3 is a succesful, sturdy watch and a worthwhile improve for Intuition followers. It’s nonetheless an excellent different to the Fenix line.
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Retains that playful, enjoyable Intuition look -
Multi-Band GPS boosts monitoring accuracy -
Battery life is nice on the entire
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Baffling transfer to not embody touchscreen help -
Nonetheless no full mapping help -
Retaining sub-display in UI appears odd
Garmin Enduro 3 (2024)
The Enduro 3 is a specialised model of the Fenix collection, designed for ultrarunners. Few would require the intense 320 hours of GPS monitoring (in photo voltaic mode), although.
To contextualize the most recent mannequin’s battery life, utilizing the suitable energy modes ensures it may possibly comfortably endure most week-long and multi-day challenges. And it has adequate energy to maintain a month-long routine for these operating, biking, or swimming for an hour every day.
In our assessments, we acquired 20 days of utilization on a single cost. That included 8 hours of coaching, protecting a mixture of indoor classes and outside GPS-tracked exercises in numerous energy modes. On common, an hour’s GPS-only coaching with the Enduro 3 burned not more than 1%.
Our 3-hour New Forest Marathon take a look at utilizing All Programs + Multi-Band GNSS consumed solely 5% of the battery. This extrapolates to 60 hours of monitoring within the highest accuracy mode.
Nevertheless, throughout an 8-hour 5 Valleys Extremely Marathon in GPS-only mode, the battery drained 14%. This falls wanting Garmin’s estimates and highlights that numerous components can have an effect on battery efficiency, together with terrain and tree cowl. Nonetheless, this can be a battery life powerhouse for individuals who want severe endurance.
This watch is a 51mm beast, as you’ll count on given all of the battery energy it requires, however that additionally means the 51mm case is just too massive for many. It’s not unisex. The titanium building is lighter than the unique stainless-steel, nevertheless it’s nonetheless uncomfortable to put on.
Our important criticism of the Enduro 2 is the absence of an AMOLED show. Whereas this alternative fits its lengthy battery life focus, the numerous value enhance this era makes it disappointing.
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Unbelievable battery life -
Lighter design -
Boosted nav smarts/Offline music -
Value drop
Greatest Garmin smartwatch
How we take a look at: We consider Garmin smartwatches below the identical situations because the sports activities watches, though they supply fewer efficiency metrics. We use them each day to gauge the accuracy of sleep and wellness monitoring, evaluating coronary heart fee measurements to these from a chest strap and assessing battery life in numerous situations.
Garmin Venu 3 (2023)
The Garmin Venu 3 marks a major improve from the Venu 2, that includes a sleeker design and enhanced person interface, together with a extra intuitive array of well being options.
It stays a flexible sporty smartwatch with quite a few sports activities profiles; nonetheless, none present the extent of knowledge and evaluation you’ll anticipate from a Fenix or Forerunner.
Your major expertise with the Venu 3 revolves across the each day suite of wellness metrics, introduced via widgets. It’s fairly complete, showcasing Physique Battery (power ranges), stress, steps, HRV Standing, exercise minutes, respiration fee, sleep, sleep coach, and extra, all readily accessible. The Venu 3 additionally now has ECG, which has been enabled after launch.
We discovered the guts fee and GPS accuracy to be glorious. Whereas the Venu 3 isn’t a powerhouse for athletic efficiency evaluation, it does present spectacular knowledge.
As a smartwatch, it successfully covers the necessities with notifications, Garmin Pay (albeit with restricted financial institution help), and offline Spotify syncing. Whereas it doesn’t present the identical smartwatch expertise as these from Apple and Google, it serves as a incredible different with a battery lifetime of two weeks (7-10 days of heavy use in our testing).
The downside is that the Venu 3 is kind of expensive, whereas the Vivoactive 6 (beneath) supplies most of its important options at about half the price. The Forerunner 265 is a transparent different for runners and athletes and is barely extra reasonably priced.
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Wellness options lastly really feel helpful -
High HR accuracy -
Beautiful display screen
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Actually expensive -
Sports activities monitoring presents primary metrics solely -
Some sleep accuracy niggles
Garmin Vivoactive 6 (2025)
The Vivoactive 6 is a barely refreshed model of its predecessor, which successfully rebooted this entry-level smartwatch line after a four-year hiatus. As earlier than, it stays a Venu Lite collection that balances affordability with monitoring options.
At $299/£299, it’s virtually half the value of the present smartwatch flagship, the Venu 3, and presents the identical wellness monitoring, sleep options, and sports activities monitoring lineup because the flagship.
Its AMOLED show and aluminum case really feel much less subtle, although, and it nonetheless homes the model’s last-gen Elevate 4 optical sensor. It falls quick when positioned subsequent to the costlier Venu, whereas the absence of ECG and options like voice instructions stays notable.
But, it stays a stable jack-of-all-trades that gives a superb intro into the Garmin ecosystem. There are stable (if not in-depth) insights for runners, swimmers, cyclists, golfers, and others, with richer teaching plans, slicker software program, and improved GNSS all standout factors of the Vivoactive 5.
Battery life can also be glorious, with 11 days as commonplace, and round 5 days with the always-on show enabled (or 4 days with AOD and blood oxygen sensing enabled).
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Extra intuitive interface in comparison with Vivoactive 5 -
Good mixture of sports activities and health monitoring options -
Provides some primary route following help
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Nearly the identical design as Vivoactive 5 -
No large new smartwatch options added -
Misses out on newest multi-band GPS and ECG expertise
Garmin Venu Sq 2 (2022)
The Venu Sq 2 is one other extra primary providing that enables Garmin to ship the identical options because the Venu 3 at a decrease price.
You may have entry to the identical intensive vary of tracked sports activities, reminiscent of operating, biking, swimming, health club exercises, yoga, strolling, pilates, and snow sports activities, to call a number of. Plus, there’s even breathwork out there.
You additionally get built-in GPS, and there’s a SpO2 sensor that performs spot checks. In the event you select to choose in, there’s additionally monitoring for blood oxygen at night time and through the day. It’s going to observe stress, and we love the Physique Battery function that research your readiness for train and might information you as to when to have a relaxation (or go arduous on a session).
All of the sports activities monitoring metrics are fairly primary, so that you gained’t uncover as many in-depth insights as you’ll with units just like the Forerunner 265.
It combines a touchscreen with two bodily buttons, and the interface that was considerably fiddly is now significantly improved. With a greater display screen this time, it presents a way more fulfilling expertise on the wrist—although the value has additionally elevated barely.
There’s additionally a music model out there for barely additional cash, which permits offline Spotify and Pandora playlists in your wrist. Nevertheless, for us, that pushes the value level too excessive.
Garmin hybrid watches
Garmin’s hybrids function bodily palms over a smaller display screen, shifting away from typical full-screen MIP or AMOLED shows. Nevertheless, there aren’t many choices these days. The Vivomove collection stays on sale however hasn’t been up to date since 2022.
Garmin Vivomove collection (2022)
Garmin’s Vivomove collection blends analog and smartwatch aesthetics. If you need a classy watch with out totally committing to the sports activities monitoring options of a Forerunner or Fenix, that is the perfect alternative.
The Sport is the most recent addition to the Vivomove household. It options the identical display screen setup, though it has a lower-quality show and a polymer case design. Just like the previous Vivomove 3 or Luxe, it encompasses a digital show for coronary heart fee, stress, health monitoring, notifications, and music controls.
Since there’s no GPS, these wanting correct run or cycle monitoring might want to use their telephones, however you do have a very good vary of general monitoring choices. Lengthy-press the display screen to pick out actions, biking via runs, cycles, walks, health club exercises, and extra.
Regardless of occasional software program hiccups, hidden display screen expertise performs exceptionally nicely and presents many options. The promised battery life is as much as 5 days, which is exactly what we skilled.
Take into account it extra when it comes to a health tracker reasonably than a sports activities watch when evaluating the battery efficiency. We wouldn’t advocate severe athletes select one of many Vivomove units; they need to look to Garmin’s different choices. Nevertheless, it’s a extremely succesful health tracker for on a regular basis customers.
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Mild, engaging design -
Nicely built-in digital show -
Plenty of knowledge to view
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Simply the 5 days of battery -
Display screen a bit dim in brilliant outside mild -
Lack of battery share standing
Garmin watch FAQs:
The Fenix 8 is the most effective Garmin in the marketplace, however be ready to spend $1,000 (or extra). The perfect Garmin is one that features crucial options and excludes pointless ones. You don’t wish to pay for stuff you don’t require.
Forerunner is the corporate’s line of operating watches. Nevertheless, as you progress up in value, the watches grow to be extra centered on triathlons. Venu/Vivoactive represents the smartwatch vary, which presents extra primary sports activities monitoring. Fenix is the outside vary, emphasizing sturdiness, battery life, and mapping options.
In the event you’re wanting solely at value, take into account the Forerunner 45 and 55.
Most devoted sports activities watches are usually costly. The Coros Tempo 3 supplies glorious worth, as does the Suunto Race S and Amazfit T-Rex 3. Don’t overlook a tool just like the Huawei Watch Match 3, both. It’s an excellent sport-focused smartwatch with spectacular battery life, even when it could not go well with superior athletes.
Garmin options to contemplate
If Garmin isn’t floating your boat, take a look at the next guides listed beneath. The suggestions range relying in your requirement, however we’ve extremely rated units just like the Coros Pace 3, Suunto Race S, and Apple Watch Ultra 2.
This text was first printed in July 2015. We ceaselessly update it to mirror the most recent Garmin units, testing the most recent out there fashions.
