Garmin Forerunner watches have earned their popularity as unbelievable choices for runners, throughout a number of value ranges. Here’s the rub: Garmin has launched 5 new fashions since 2022, from the spectacular Forerunner 965 to the mid-range & high-quality Forerunner 255 and the latest Forerunner 165. Deciding which of those nice watches to purchase is a problem.
On prime of that, you will discover that Garmin nonetheless sells most of its last-gen or lower-end Forerunner watches, from the 55 to the 945 LTE. These, too, might be tempting, particularly throughout offers occasions. But do you have to purchase these and miss out on what the newer Forerunners have to supply?
Below, we have rounded up the perfect Garmin Forerunner fashions that can assist you resolve which one is the correct match for all your operating wants.
Picking the perfect Garmin Forerunner watch for each sort of runner
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The greatest operating watch
Our present choose for the perfect operating watch, the Forerunner 265 has two fundamental perks over its predecessors: the AMOLED touchscreen for higher general visibility and value, and Training Readiness, a widget that primarily tells you the way prepared you’re to coach. Comparing the Forerunner 265 vs. 255, the 255 Music has almost all the identical software program, the identical Global Positioning System accuracy, and significantly better battery life. On the opposite hand, paying $50 extra for a greater show looks like an affordable selection.
Barely a downgrade
Garmin’s 2022 mid-range Forerunner mannequin strikes the perfect stability for critical runners who do not need to over-pay. The Forerunner 255 has all of the core options you want — exercise ideas, well being monitoring with pulse ox, exercise pacing, and cadence — together with contemporary options like multi-band Global Positioning System, NFC, and new information widgets. It doubles the battery life and enlarges the show in comparison with its predecessor, the Forerunner 245. It is available in 1.3-inch and 1.1-inch sizes, plus a music storage improve.
Your ultra-cheap choice
Aside from settling for simply seven days or 13 Global Positioning System hours of battery life, the Forerunner 45 has the entire downsides of the newer Forerunner 55, whereas lacking it successor’s exercise ideas, Pacepro, restoration time, girls’s well being monitoring, and sure swimming modes. You do get Body Battery, stress monitoring, and Garmin Coach, however not a lot else.
Balance of worth and options
The newest mannequin within the line, the Garmin Forerunner 165 is an inexpensive mannequin that options most of the niceties you get with the extra premium ones, together with lengthy battery life (as much as 11 days), built-in Global Positioning System, and a shocking AMOLED show. Though it has Race Adaptive Training Plans and Training Effect, you will sadly miss out on Training Status, Training Readiness, Training Load, and multisport actions. It’s a flexible smartwatch for an affordable value, but it surely’s greatest fitted to self-guided runners that do not want as a lot Garmin hand-holding.
Starting place
Casual runners who need to begin monitoring their runs and different exercises would possibly choose the 2021 Garmin Forerunner 55, probably the most inexpensive watch that is not outdated. You get key options corresponding to built-in Global Positioning System, Pacepro, exercise ideas, and restoration time recs. It is available in a light-weight case and presents two weeks of battery life. Still, you miss out on key instruments like coaching load, an altimeter, SpO2, and Performance Condition, so hold that in thoughts; it is best suited to novices.
No compromises
This is my (the author’s) day by day smartwatch and the one I like to recommend for critical runners who can afford it. The Forerunner 965 launched in 2023 with just about each operating, biking, and multisport function Garmin has, and it is obtained a number of function updates within the months since to maintain issues contemporary. It’s arguably a bit giant and heavy, however that offers it sufficient battery life to make up for the massive AMOLED show.
High-end, long-lasting
Slightly pricier than the 255 Music, the Garmin Forerunner 955 provides you a touchscreen and solely is available in one 1.3-inch variant. Along with all the identical sensors and multi-band monitoring because the 255, you get unique perks like full-color maps, real-time stamina, quadrupled music storage, and Endurance/ Hill scores. It has the very same tech because the 965, with higher Global Positioning System battery life, for $100 much less — in case you can abdomen MIP over AMOLED.
Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE
Also out there: 945
The Forerunner 945 LTE first shipped in mid-2021, however because of updates, it is almost as tempting because the 955. Garmin added instruments like coaching readiness/standing, HRV standing, race widget, day by day recommended exercises, and operating energy after the actual fact. More importantly, it is the one Forerunner choice with mobile information. You cannot do a lot with it besides allow security options and reside monitoring in case you depart your cellphone at dwelling, however in concept, it may save your life. It does lack a touchscreen and all-systems GNSS monitoring, nevertheless.
Middle of the street
We ceaselessly see the Forerunner 745 on sale immediately for a low value throughout deal occasions. The solely drawback is that this watch is actually a lesser 255 with no guarantees of future updates. You do get per week of battery life, coaching load and impact, recommended exercises, 4GB of music storage, and race predictions. But you do not get dual-frequency Global Positioning System, HRV standing, a triathlon mode, nap monitoring, enhanced Body Battery, or different fashionable perks.
An oldie however a goodie
Compared to the newer 255, the Forerunner 245 misses out on just a few new options and would require extra frequent recharges. Still, this mannequin was considered one of our favourite operating watches within the years since its 2019 launch. It’s decently lighter than the 255 and value shopping for at a reduction. It additionally has core instruments like Garmin Coach, VO2 Max, Training Effect/Load, and Body Battery that any runner will respect. Just do not anticipate it to get any extra function updates.
Global Positioning System for affordable
Sometimes, you need the fundamentals with out having to interrupt the financial institution. The Garmin Forerunner 35 provides you 9 days of juice with this mannequin, with onboard Global Positioning System, heart-rate monitoring, and exercise monitoring. You’ll even have smartphone notifications in your wrist when your cellphone is linked. Unfortunately, that is about it. Again, it has the entire Forerunner 45’s downsides, and lacks necessities like Body Battery, health age, and stress monitoring. You’re not going to see every little thing that Garmin has to supply with considered one of these.
Garmin Forerunner 645 Music
Tons of performance (for the time)
With per week of battery life, you can do so much with the Garmin Forerunner 645 Music, past listening to music with out your cellphone available. It had a number of built-in exercise profiles when that was uncommon, together with an altimeter, gyroscope, and compass. It preceded tips like Body Battery and recommended exercises that we’re used to, however not less than you bought restoration time, coaching load, efficiency situation, and race predictions.
Garmin Forerunner sensors and options
Garmin watches have a ton of options, and it may be laborious to maintain observe of what every watch can do. So we have poured over the specs of each fundamental Forerunner mannequin nonetheless available on the market, to indicate you what options you will get (or miss out on) if you select one!
To summarize, for the most recent coaching options, you will need to try the Forerunner 255, 265, 955, or 965, although the 945 LTE has gotten a good quantity of latest software program despatched again its method. You want a 9XX watch for correct maps, or an X65 look ahead to an AMOLED show and corresponding tips like Red Shift mode. Generally talking, the Forerunner 965 has every little thing on the record besides mobile.
| Feature | Which Forerunner watches have it? |
|---|---|
| Heart fee monitoring | All |
| Sleep rating and insights | 165, 255, 265, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Nap detection | 165, 255, 265, 955, 965 |
| 5ATM water resistance | All |
| Built-in Global Positioning System | All |
| All-Systems GNSS/ dual-frequency Global Positioning System | 165 (All-systems solely), 255, 265, 955, 965 |
| SatIQ (Auto-select) Global Positioning System mode | 265, 965 |
| Pulse Ox | 165, 245, 255, 265, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Altimeter | 165, 255, 265, 645, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Gyroscope | 255, 265, 645, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Compass | 165, 255, 265, 645, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| AMOLED | 165, 265, 965 |
| Touchscreen | 165, 265, 955, 965 |
| Music storage | 165 Music (~500 songs), 255 Music (500), 265 (1,000), 645 Music (500), 745 (500), 945 (1,000), 955 (2,000), 965 (2,000) |
| Garmin Pay | 165, 255, 265, 645, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Body Battery | 45, 55, 165, 245, 255, 265, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Fitness Age | All besides 35 |
| All-day stress monitoring | All besides 35 |
| Intensity minutes | All |
| VO2 Max | All |
| HRV Status | 165, 255, 265, 945, 955, 965 |
| Performance situation | 245, 255, 265, 645, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Race predictor | 55, 165, 245, 255, 265, 645, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Daily recommended exercises | 55, 165, 245, 255, 265, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Recovery time | 55, 165, 245, 255, 265, 645, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Real-time stamina | 955, 965 |
| Multisport | 255, 265, 955, 965 |
| Pacepro | 55, 165, 245, 255, 265, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Training impact/ standing / load | 165 (Training Effect solely), 245, 255, 265, 645, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Training load focus | 255, 265, 745, 945, 955, 965 |
| Acute load | 255, 265, 955, 965 |
| Training Readiness | 265, 955, 965 |
| Endurance / Hill scores | 955, 965 |
| Wrist-based operating dynamics/ energy | 165, 255, 265, 945 LTE, 955, 965 |
| Full-color maps | 945, 955, 965 |
| Cellular assist | 945 LTE |
Garmin Forerunner battery life in contrast
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Smartwatch mode | Global Positioning System-only | Global Positioning System with music | All-Systems GNSS | All + Multi-band |
| Garmin Forerunner 35 | 9 days | 13 hours | 🚫 (Not relevant) | 🚫 | 🚫 |
| Garmin Forerunner 45 | 7 days | 13 hours | 🚫 | 🚫 | 🚫 |
| Garmin Forerunner 55 | 14 days | 20 hours | 🚫 | 🚫 | 🚫 |
| Garmin Forerunner 165 | 11 days | 19 hours | 7 hours | 17 hours | 🚫 |
| Garmin Forerunner 245 | 7 days | 24 hours | 🚫 | 🚫 | 🚫 |
| Garmin Forerunner 255 | 14 days | 30 hours | 7 hours | 25 hours | 16 hours |
| Garmin Forerunner 265 | 13 days | 20 hours | 7 hours | 16 hours | 14 hours |
| Garmin Forerunner 645 | 7 days | 14 hours | 5 hours | 🚫 | 🚫 |
| Garmin Forerunner 745 | 7 days | 16 hours | 6 hours | 🚫 | 🚫 |
| Garmin Forerunner 945 | 14 days | 35 hours | 12 hours | 🚫 | 🚫 |
| Garmin Forerunner 955 | 15 days (20 with photo voltaic) | 42 hours (49 with photo voltaic) | 10.5 hours | 31 hours (34 with photo voltaic) | 22 hours |
| Garmin Forerunner 965 | 23 days | 31 hours | 10.5 hours | 22 hours | 19 hours |
Which Garmin Forerunner mannequin do you have to purchase?
As you’ll be able to see, there isn’t any scarcity of Garmin Forerunner fashions from which to select. Without a doubt, most would fall among the many greatest operating watches, with the Forerunner 265 and 965 arguably topping the record.
If you are going to purchase one immediately, I’d strongly argue that you just select the 165, 255, 265, 955, or 965. They’re the one Forerunner watches with probably the most correct Global Positioning System monitoring, and the one ones nonetheless receiving the most recent software program tips trickling down from the Fenix and Epix fashions — particularly the pricier 955 and 965. Otherwise, thrifty runners can most likely make do with the Forerunner 55.
Still unsure the place to begin? These are the primary elements to have in mind:
1. Consider the dimensions
When you are a runner, the dimensions, weight, and thickness make an enormous completely different for consolation, particularly for marathoners and up who must put on one for hours. Forerunners are actually heavier than your typical health tracker, however that applies to some greater than others.
The Forerunner 35, 45, 55, 165, 255S, and 265S all fall into the 36-39g weight class with a 1- or 1.1-inch show measurement (the 165 is an enormous bigger at 1.2-inch). Many individuals with smaller wrists will choose this measurement, even when it means the show textual content is not fairly as readable. If that is a priority, get the 265S: its 360×360 AMOLED is so way more readable than the 255S’ 218×218 show.
Also, check out every Forerunner watch’s thickness. The Forerunner 955 (14.4mm) is considerably beefier than the 255 (12.4mm), for example. That may make much more distinction than the burden hole.
2. AMOLED or MIP
Garmin used memory-in-pixel shows all these years as a result of they save battery life and are extra readable in direct daylight than your typical AMOLED. But Garmin lastly transitioned with the 265 and 965 as a result of its battery tech has improved sufficient to assist higher visibility whereas nonetheless lasting a protracted chunk of time.
That mentioned, the 255 does final considerably longer than the 265, which falls nearer to a last-gen Forerunner with its mere 20 hours of Global Positioning System battery (similar because the Forerunner 55). If that further 10 Global Positioning System hours issues to you, chances are you’ll need to forego the AMOLED improve.
As for the 965, it is also 11 Global Positioning System hours wanting the 955, however 31 hours is nothing to sneeze at! And it really lasts 8 days longer in smartwatch mode, proving it does higher whereas idling. In that case, the one purpose to downgrade for the 955 is due to the low cost.
3. Think in regards to the options
As the sensors and options desk above reveals, Garmin slowly added an increasing number of tips to its Forerunner watches over time. Even although the Forerunner 55 prices a lot lower than, say, the 745, it shares most of the similar tips. The newer the watch, the extra probably it’s to have what you want as a runner.
If I needed to choose the Forerunner “necessities” for my operating coaching, this could be my record:
- Recovery time (55, 165, 245, 255, 265, 645, 745, 945, 955, 965)
- Training load ratio (255, 265, 745, 945, 955, 965)
- Elevation monitoring (165, 255, 265, 645, 745, 945, 955, 965)
- Dual-frequency or all-systems GNSS monitoring (165, 255, 265, 955, 965)
Aside from extra correct Global Positioning System, most of the Garmin Forerunners of the final 5 years have the “necessities.” Other extra fashionable tips, like wrist-based operating dynamics with out the Pod, acute and persistent load, nap detection, HRV-based stress information, and Training Readiness are all good to have, however possibly you are able to do with out them.
If you really want full-color maps in your wrist, or the power to verify close by environment with out having to obtain programs first, you will particularly want the Forerunner 945, 955, or 965. The similar goes for different high-end tips like real-time stamina and Hill Scores for elevation coaching.
4. Battery life considerations
You principally do not must be too involved about battery life when selecting a Garmin Forerunner mannequin. The 55, 255, 265S, 945, 955, and 965 all provide not less than two weeks of battery life — although that determine will not final in case you use a variety of Global Positioning System battery. In that case, the 255, 945 LTE, 955, or 965 will do particularly nicely.
You can technically purchase the Forerunner 955 Solar to get an additional battery life enhance, but it surely’s not almost what you get from an Instinct 2X Solar with its “limitless” battery life and 145 Global Positioning System hours. That watch’s photo voltaic panel may be very environment friendly, whereas the 955 Solar panel is not actually well worth the $100 further, in my thoughts.
On the decrease finish, the 245, 645 Music, and 745 all provide seven full days of battery life in smartwatch mode, whereas the older, budget-friendly Forerunner 35 gives you 9 days of juice. Generally talking, you’ll be able to anticipate not less than per week of battery life no matter which mannequin you choose.
Also, in case you purchase a watch intending to make use of the music storage function, remember the fact that this trick burns via your battery life; anticipate to lose about two-thirds of your typical capability, making a 945, 955, or 965 particularly helpful.
Garmin Forerunners for everybody
Choosing the perfect Garmin Forerunner mannequin is just troublesome as a result of there are such a lot of good watches to decide on amongst. They’re a few of the greatest Garmin smartwatches you should buy. With an in depth catalog of choices, it is simple to discover a watch that’s designed to your life-style. Of course, you too can try the entire different watches the corporate has to supply to verify you are making the correct selection to your wants.
But in the long run, if you need the greatest Garmin Forerunner for many runners, that is the Garmin Forerunner 265 for options and specs, the 55 for price range high quality, or the 965 for every little thing and the kitchen sink. If you are searching for the latest mannequin that balances options with affordability, the Forerunner 165 is value contemplating as nicely.
