Few manufacturers are as synonymous with outside sports activities as Garmin. You’ll discover these health trackers and smartwatches on dozens of wrists at any 5K, marathon, or Ironman. You’ll additionally discover Garmin devotees amongst divers, thru-hikers, golfers, kiteboarders — you identify it. However these gadgets aren’t only for athletes. The corporate’s made important strides in its way of life choices, so no matter your health degree, there’s a Garmin for everybody.
When you’re coming from a extra conventional smartwatch, Garmin’s core strengths lie in health, GPS, adventuring, and sturdiness. These are hardy gadgets that are supposed to stand up to the weather and final weeks on a single cost. A number of fashions include offline maps, superior navigational options, and extra coaching metrics than some other platform. And though many wearable corporations have begun rolling out subscriptions, Garmin has publicly acknowledged it has no intention of charging its customers additional. That’s a very good factor since Garmin gadgets are typically on the pricier facet.
Garmins aren’t too shabby on smarts, both. Whereas extra fitness-focused than something from Apple, Google, or Samsung, there’s sufficient to get you the fundamentals like notifications after which some. For instance, most Garmins have fall detection and security options, and several other of the most recent Garmins just lately bought an FDA-cleared EKG characteristic. (You’ll want a telephone readily available, nonetheless, as just one Garmin mannequin has mobile connectivity.) Many Garmin gadgets additionally assist offline music playback and include a small third-party app ecosystem.
There are quite a lot of Garmin watches to select from. No, critically, there are six main lineups, and every has a large number of fashions. However no worries — I check a number of Garmins yearly and may help level you in the correct course.
The perfect Garmin for runners
Garmin’s midrange Forerunner watch provides a brand new OLED show, every week’s value of battery life, and dual-frequency GPS for higher accuracy.
Sizes: 42mm w/ 18mm straps; 46mm w/ 22mm straps / Weight: 39g (42mm); 47g (46mm) / Battery life: As much as 15 days (42mm); 13 days (46mm) in smartwatch mode / Show kind: OLED touchscreen / GPS: All-systems GNSS and dual-frequency GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 8GB
Garmin has many operating watches, and quite a lot of them are nice. However the Forerunner 265 or 265S (when you’ve got petite wrists) strikes a wonderful stability between value, characteristic set, battery life, and a vibrant OLED show.
That mentioned, the Forerunner 265 / 265S is a little bit of an odd duck. It comes a mere 9 months after its predecessor, the Forerunner 255, and is, in some ways, just about the identical watch. The principle distinction is the 265 has an OLED show in comparison with the 255’s memory-in-pixel display screen. Often, meaning worse battery life, however on this case, we bought a couple of week on a single cost with the always-on show enabled. With out it, you may stand up to fifteen days. On condition that OLED is simpler to learn and simply, nicely, appears nicer, that provides the 265 lineup an edge over the 255.
The 265 additionally has dual-frequency GPS (also referred to as multi-band). The gist is you get way more correct maps in difficult environments like cities and dense forests as a result of you may entry each the L1 and L5 satellite tv for pc frequencies. And even with dual-frequency GPS enabled, you continue to don’t lose an entire lot of battery life. I wore it throughout a half marathon with that and the AOD enabled, and I nonetheless had over 80 p.c battery by the point I bought house. That is additionally a wonderful value, as the vast majority of multi-band GPS watches value nicely over $600.
My primary criticism is that $450, whereas not dangerous for Garmin, remains to be quite a bit when you think about that’s the identical value as smarter smartwatches with nice operating options. Some runners received’t care. However in case you’re on a price range — otherwise you’re new to operating and really feel iffy about spending that a lot — then take into account the Forerunner 165 sequence. It begins at $250 (add one other $50 for onboard music) and does nearly all the pieces the 265 sequence does. The principle stuff you’re lacking are dual-frequency GPS and some extra area of interest sport profiles. However in case you’re largely sticking to operating, fitness center tools, biking, swimming, and mountaineering, you’re lined.
The Garmin Forerunner 165 Music will get you in-depth coaching metrics however leaves out a few of the extra superior options in trade for a extra palatable value.
Neither has all of Garmin’s coaching options, but it surely’s bought what you’ll must run something from a 5K to a full marathon. That features a Race Predictor, which supplies you an estimate of what your finest time can be based mostly in your precise coaching. You too can use PacePro to determine your pacing technique for a race. You additionally get Garmin’s Coaching Readiness characteristic to assist gauge load and restoration, Garmin Coach plans, and a bunch of operating type metrics. It additionally helps offline music and security options like fall detection. The one factor they lack is superior mapping. (They nonetheless have trackback, point-to-point navigation, and real-time breadcrumb path assist, nonetheless.)
The perfect Garmin for endurance sports activities
$1000
The Garmin Epix Professional is available in three sizes, features a useful flashlight, and has multiband GPS. Plus, it lasts over every week on a single cost.
Sizes: 42mm w/ 20mm straps; 47mm w/ 22mm straps; 51mm w/ 26mm straps / Weight: 42mm: 63g stainless-steel, 58g titanium; 47mm: 78g stainless-steel, 70g titanium; 51mm: 98g stainless-steel, 88g titanium / Battery life: 42mm: as much as 10 days (4 with AOD); 47mm: as much as 16 days (6 with AOD); 51mm: as much as 31 days (11 with AOD) / Show kind: OLED / GPS: All-systems GNSS and dual-frequency GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 10ATM / Music storage: As much as 32GB
The Epix Professional will get you each health characteristic that Garmin has to supply. And I imply all the pieces. It could frankly be simpler to let you know what the Epix Professional doesn’t have: issues which might be restricted to LTE smartwatches and a few of the new good options on the Fenix 8, like an on-board voice assistant. In any other case, you’ve bought topographical maps, turn-by-turn navigation, and extra coaching metrics than even a seasoned triathlete would know what to do with.
The Professional is extra size-inclusive than the usual second-gen Epix, which solely is available in 47mm. You will get the Professional in that measurement, too, but it surely additionally is available in 42mm and 51mm. This was a serious criticism I had with the second-gen Epix final 12 months, and also you like to see corporations truly take this kind of factor critically. The perfect half is the Professional fashions begin on the similar value because the common Epix did. You’ll should pay $100 additional for supplies like titanium and sapphire crystal, however that’s additionally true of the usual Epix.
$1000
The Garmin Fenix 8 provides good options like the power to take calls on the wrist, and an on-board voice assistant.
That mentioned, it muddies the waters in case you’re attempting to choose between the Epix Professional, Fenix 7, Fenix 7 Professional, and now, the Fenix 8. The principle distinction is the Epix watches all have OLED shows. One cause I choose OLED is that they’re a lot simpler to learn indoors — the place most of us spend the vast majority of our time. The Fenix 7 sequence’ memory-in-pixel shows (plus photo voltaic charging in case you go for it) permit for weeks and weeks of cost, however the smallest Epix Professional can get round 10 days with regular utilization. The 47mm and 51mm Professional fashions can go longer between costs on account of greater batteries, however I felt that the 42mm has sufficient juice to fulfill most use circumstances. Garmin additionally has so many battery-saving modes and choices that I extremely doubt this may ever be a difficulty.
Not serving to issues is the truth that the Fenix 8 permits you to select between an OLED or a MIP show. You additionally get good options like an onboard voice assistant, the power to take calls from the wrist, and the Garmin Messenger app. The principle downside is the beginning value is now $350 greater than the usual Fenix 7 and proper about on par with the Epix Professional. My private feeling is the Fenix 8’s good options are simply okay and that you simply’re actually not lacking a lot by not having them. That is additionally the season the place we see reductions on older fashions, so I might placed on my cut price searching hat for a reduced Epix Professional or Fenix 7 Professional whereas stock nonetheless lasts.
However actually the profitable characteristic of the Epix Professional is the hands-free flashlight. It’s so helpful in my day-to-day life, and all you need to do is double-press a button. It’s as vivid as your smartphone, comes with a crimson mild possibility if you’d like one thing simpler on the eyes, and might act as a strobe in an emergency state of affairs. The Fenix 7 Professional and eight watches even have a flashlight, so quite a lot of that is going to come back down to non-public choice for the show, value, and whether or not you care about good options.
$800
Just like the Garmin Epix Professional, the Fenix 7 Professional line has an up to date optical coronary heart fee sensor for improved accuracy. It additionally has wonderful battery life, a barely brighter MIP show, photo voltaic charging, and the choice of upgrading to sapphire crystal.
When you’re set on probably the most battery life attainable, I like to recommend the Fenix 7 Professional over the usual 7 for a couple of causes. Its MIP show is barely brighter, all sizes have the flashlight, and, just like the Epix Professional, it has an up to date sensor array. I additionally advocate it over the MIP variations of the Fenix 8 as a result of it is available in extra sizes, and prices round $300 much less. Particularly for the reason that Fenix 8’s good options are a bit half-baked.
The perfect Garmin on a price range
Garmin’s entry-level hybrid smartwatch appears like a Swatch at first look. Nonetheless, it sports activities a hidden OLED show that delivers notifications with out sacrificing health monitoring.
Sizes: 40mm w/ 20mm straps / Weight: 19g / Battery life: As much as 5 days / Show kind: “Hidden” OLED touchscreen / GPS: Tethered GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: N/A
What I really like most in regards to the Vivomove Sport is it doesn’t seem like what most individuals anticipate from a Garmin. It’s a hybrid smartwatch, which implies it appears like a daily watch however can monitor health and ship notifications. Garmin’s hybrids are additionally distinctive in that all of them use an OLED show that stays hidden till you want it.
That is finest fitted to a casually lively one that desires fashion and worth in a light-weight package deal. Assume wellness, extra so than health. It will get you steady coronary heart fee monitoring and blood oxygen degree monitoring and might even present irregular coronary heart fee alerts. You additionally get entry to extra in-depth metrics like respiration fee, health age, stress, and Physique Battery, which is Garmin’s device for visualizing how well-rested you might be. For good options, you get all of the fundamentals, like notifications, alarms, and timers.
The Sport isn’t fairly as full-featured as another Garmins you’ll discover on this listing. For example, you’re giving up built-in GPS in favor of tethered GPS by your telephone. There aren’t any contactless funds, neither is there a microphone or speaker for taking calls on the wrist. However it is a price range decide, and also you get quite a bit, contemplating that is an entry-level gadget that might cross for a Swatch at a look.
I don’t love that the battery life is brief for a hybrid, at round three to 4 days. Even so, that’s nonetheless significantly better than what you’ll get on an Apple Watch or Put on OS 3 watch. When you’re prepared to spend about $100 extra, the $269.99 Vivomove Development has extra stylish supplies, will get you extra display screen actual property, and wi-fi Qi charging. In any other case, it is a nice way of life wearable that may function a classier various to your typical health band.
$250
The Garmin Lily 2 is a straightforward but stylish hybrid analog smartwatch that delivers primary health monitoring, notifications, and as much as 5 days of battery life.
When you choose one thing newer to the Sport that’s additionally trendy, the Garmin Lily 2 is one other good possibility, particularly in case you’ve bought notably small wrists or choose one thing extraordinarily light-weight. The swipe and faucet gestures are nonetheless just a little fiddly to make use of — which was additionally the case with the first-gen mannequin — however the recent design is a enjoyable solution to calmly monitor your health with out bogging your self down with notifications. Garmin additionally just lately introduced a brand new model referred to as the Lily 2 Energetic, which provides a bodily button, GPS, and assist for extra sports activities monitoring for a beginning value of $299.99.
The perfect Garmin to switch a Fitbit
The Garmin Venu Sq 2 is a superb alternative for a Fitbit smartwatch. Not solely do they give the impression of being related, however the Venu Sq 2 has far more health options, lengthy battery life, and no subscription.
Sizes: 40mm w/ 20mm straps / Weight: 38g / Battery life: As much as 11 days / Show kind: OLED touchscreen / GPS: All-systems GNSS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 4GB (for Music Version)
When you have been upset by the Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4, the Venu Sq 2 is the subsequent smartest thing (and, in some methods, higher).
At a look, the Venu Sq 2 may simply be mistaken for an Apple Watch. On the wrist, you’ll discover it’s made from plastic, but it surely nonetheless appears fairly stylish and very light-weight. The display screen is vivid, simple to learn, and appears higher than any Versa or Sense ever did.
The characteristic set can be nice for the value, with built-in GPS, a ton of watch faces, emergency security options, and contactless funds. When you pay $50 extra for the Music Version, you’ll additionally get about 500 songs value of storage, however we wouldn’t advocate it. This doesn’t have mobile connectivity and, subsequently, isn’t actually standalone. You’ll most certainly be carrying your telephone with you anyway.
As for well being options, the Venu Sq 2 mainly has all the pieces you’d get on a Versa or Sense smartwatch however with Garmin’s treasure trove of metrics as nicely. That features coronary heart fee monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring, depth minutes (how a lot average train you get in every week), stress monitoring, hydration monitoring, respiratory fee, interval monitoring, and Garmin’s restoration characteristic, Physique Battery. So far as health goes, you additionally get entry to Garmin Coach, which offers free 5K, 10K, and half marathon coaching plans. You like to see it.
One other massive leg-up Garmin has over Fitbit? None of those options or metrics are locked behind a paywall.
The perfect Garmin smartwatch
The Garmin Venu 3S provides a brand new coronary heart fee sensor, a wheelchair mode, and much-improved sleep monitoring and nap detection.
Sizes: 41mm w/ 18mm straps; 45mm w/ 22mm straps / Weight: 40g for the 3S; 47g for the three / Battery life: As much as 10 days for 3S; 14 days for 3 / Show kind: OLED touchscreen / GPS: GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music storage: 8GB
Garmin has shored up the smarts in its watches over the previous few years, and the Venu 3 sequence is the neatest (and most inexpensive) of the bunch.
The Venu 3 sequence is available in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm. Just like the Venu 2 Plus, it has a microphone and speaker. You’ll be able to take calls immediately from the wrist in addition to challenge instructions to your telephone’s digital assistant by way of Bluetooth. It’s not the identical as having Siri, Bixby, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant constructed immediately into the watch, but it surely’s a intelligent workaround that works nicely for hands-free management. It additionally helps security options like fall detection and dwell monitoring in addition to contactless funds.
Like different OLED Garmins, the show is each vibrant and straightforward to learn. As for well being and health, you get a pleasant mixture of primary and extra superior options and metrics. It has Garmin’s newest coronary heart fee sensor, which allows FDA-cleared EKG and AFib detection options. Total, it leans a bit extra on the wellness and well being facet of issues, with depth minutes, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep monitoring, interval monitoring, irregular coronary heart fee alerts, and stress monitoring. As for coaching, you continue to get built-in GPS, VO2 Max, coronary heart fee zones, respiration fee, and downloadable coaching plans by way of Garmin Coach.
New to the three and 3S is a sleep coach that elements in metrics like coronary heart fee variability and up to date exercise to find out your sleep wants. It additionally lastly provides nap detection, a characteristic that’s been lengthy overdue for the Garmin platform. The Venu 3 sequence additionally provides audio-guided meditation classes, and you may view how these classes immediately affect your metrics. From an accessibility standpoint, this additionally provides a brand new wheelchair mode.
Technically, the brand new Fenix 8 is barely smarter in that it provides an on-board voice assistant. Nonetheless, additionally it is greater than double the value and never what I’d take into account a very good worth for the typical athlete. It’s extra for individuals who spend hours upon hours coaching each week.
That is the Garmin for you if you’d like the platform’s in-depth coaching with out sacrificing the productiveness of a smartwatch. The principle issues it’s missing are mobile choices and a sturdy third-party app ecosystem. That mentioned, it’s bought Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer for offline listening. It’s additionally a very good possibility in case you’re fed up with MIP shows and desire a smarter Garmin quite than a full-on smartwatch.
Replace, October 18th: Adjusted pricing and availability.