The 5 greatest Garmin watches for 2025

Few manufacturers are as synonymous with out of doors 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 title it. However these units aren’t simply for athletes. The corporate’s made important strides in its way of life choices, so no matter your health stage, there’s a Garmin for everybody.

If you happen to’re coming from a extra conventional smartwatch, Garmin’s core strengths lie in health, GPS, adventuring, and sturdiness. These are hardy units that should 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. Garmin units are typically on the pricier aspect, nevertheless, and the corporate just lately introduced it could start placing its latest options behind a paywall. That’s a bummer given Garmin spent years publicly stating it had no intention of charging its customers further.

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 a number of other of the most recent Garmins just lately received an FDA-cleared EKG function. (You’ll want a telephone available, nevertheless, as just one Garmin mannequin has mobile connectivity.) Many Garmin units additionally help offline music playback and include a small third-party app ecosystem.

There are a lot of Garmin watches to select from. No, severely, there are six main lineups, and every has a mess of fashions. However no worries — I take a look at a number of Garmins yearly and may help level you in the suitable route.

One of the best Garmin for runners

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 a whole lot of them are nice. However the Forerunner 265 or 265S (you probably have petite wrists) strikes a wonderful stability between value, function 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. Normally, meaning worse battery life, however on this case, we received a couple of week on a single cost with the always-on show enabled. With out it, you’ll be able to stand up to fifteen days. On condition that OLED is less complicated to learn and simply, properly, appears nicer, that provides the 265 lineup an edge over the 255.

The 265 additionally has dual-frequency GPS (also called multi-band). The gist is you get way more correct maps in difficult environments like cities and dense forests as a result of you’ll be able to 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 % battery by the point I received house. That is additionally a wonderful value, as the vast majority of multi-band GPS watches price properly over $600.

My foremost grievance is that $450, whereas not unhealthy for Garmin, continues to be lots when you think about that’s the identical value as smarter smartwatches with nice operating options. Some runners received’t care. However when you’re on a funds — otherwise you’re new to operating and really feel iffy about spending that a lot — then contemplate the Forerunner 165 sequence. It begins at $250 (add one other $50 for onboard music) and does nearly all the things the 265 sequence does. The principle belongings you’re lacking are dual-frequency GPS and some extra area of interest sport profiles. However when you’re largely sticking to operating, gymnasium gear, biking, swimming, and climbing, you’re coated.

Neither has all of Garmin’s coaching options, nevertheless it’s received what you’ll have to run something from a 5K to a full marathon. That features a Race Predictor, which provides you an estimate of what your greatest time could be based mostly in your precise coaching. It’s also possible to use PacePro to determine your pacing technique for a race. You additionally get Garmin’s Coaching Readiness function to assist gauge load and restoration, Garmin Coach plans, and a number of operating kind 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 help, nevertheless.)

One of the best Garmin for endurance sports activities

Sizes: 42mm w/ 20mm straps; 47mm w/ 22mm straps; 51mm w/ 26mm straps / Weight: 42mm: 63g chrome steel, 58g titanium; 47mm: 78g chrome steel, 70g titanium; 51mm: 98g chrome 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 function that Garmin has to supply. And I imply all the things. It could frankly be simpler to let you know what the Epix Professional doesn’t have: issues which are restricted to LTE smartwatches and among the new good options on the Fenix 8, like an on-board voice assistant. In any other case, you’ve received 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 dimension, too, nevertheless it additionally is available in 42mm and 51mm. This was a serious grievance I had with the second-gen Epix, and also you like to see firms really take this form of factor severely. One of the best half is the Professional fashions begin on the similar value because the common Epix did. You’ll must pay $100 further for supplies like titanium and sapphire crystal, however that’s additionally true of the usual Epix.

That mentioned, it muddies the waters when you’re making an attempt 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 favor 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 when you go for it) enable 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 prices attributable to larger batteries, however I felt that the 42mm has sufficient juice to fulfill most use instances. Garmin additionally has so many battery-saving modes and choices that I extremely doubt this can 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 drawback 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. We additionally usually see reductions on older fashions, so I might placed on my bargain-hunting hat for a reduced Epix Professional or Fenix 7 Professional whereas stock continues to be obtainable.

However actually, the successful function 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 shiny as your smartphone, comes with a pink gentle possibility if you’d like one thing simpler on the eyes, and might act as a strobe in an emergency scenario. The Fenix 7 Professional and eight watches even have a flashlight, so a whole lot of that is going to come back down to non-public desire for the show, value, and whether or not you care about good options.

If you happen to’re set on probably the most battery life potential, 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 suggest 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.

One of the best Garmin on a funds

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 like most concerning the Vivomove Sport is that it doesn’t appear to be what most individuals anticipate from a Garmin. It’s a hybrid smartwatch, which implies it appears like an everyday 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 greatest fitted to a casually lively one who needs fashion and worth in a light-weight package deal. Suppose wellness, extra so than health. It will get you steady coronary heart price monitoring and blood oxygen stage monitoring, and might even present irregular coronary heart price alerts. You additionally get entry to extra in-depth metrics like respiration price, health age, stress, and Physique Battery, which is Garmin’s software for visualizing how well-rested you’re. For good options, you get all of the fundamentals, like notifications, alarms, and timers.

The Sport isn’t fairly as full-featured as another Garmin watches you’ll discover on this checklist. For example, you’re giving up built-in GPS in favor of tethered GPS by means of your telephone. There aren’t any contactless funds, neither is there a microphone or speaker for taking calls on the wrist. However this is a funds choose, and also you get lots, contemplating that is an entry-level gadget that might move 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 4 watch. If you happen to’re keen 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, this can be a nice way of life wearable that may function a classier different to your typical health band.

If you happen to favor one thing newer to the Sport that’s additionally trendy, the Garmin Lily 2 is one other good possibility, particularly when you’ve received significantly small wrists or favor one thing extraordinarily light-weight. The swipe and faucet gestures are nonetheless slightly fiddly to make use of — which was additionally the case with the first-gen mannequin — however the recent design is a enjoyable strategy to calmly monitor your health with out bogging your self down with notifications. Garmin additionally gives the Lily 2 Energetic, which provides a bodily button, GPS, and help for extra sports activities monitoring for a beginning value of $299.99.

One of the best Garmin to interchange a Fitbit

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)

If you happen to had been upset by the Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4, the Venu Sq 2 is the following 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 manufactured from plastic, nevertheless it nonetheless appears fairly stylish and very light-weight. The display screen is shiny, simple to learn, and appears higher than any Versa or Sense ever did.

The function set can be nice for the value, with built-in GPS, a ton of watch faces, emergency security options, and contactless funds. If you happen to pay $50 extra for the Music Version, you’ll additionally get about 500 songs price of storage, however we wouldn’t suggest it. This doesn’t have mobile connectivity and, subsequently, isn’t actually standalone. You’ll probably be carrying your telephone with you anyway.

As for well being options, the Venu Sq 2 mainly has all the things you’d get on a Versa or Sense smartwatch however with Garmin’s treasure trove of metrics as properly. That features coronary heart price monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring, depth minutes (how a lot reasonable train you get in every week), stress monitoring, hydration monitoring, respiratory price, interval monitoring, and Garmin’s restoration function, Physique Battery. So far as health goes, you additionally get entry to Garmin Coach, which gives 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, even when Garmin’s AI-powered insights and some different expanded options will solely be obtainable as a part of Garmin Join Plus ($6.99 a month / $69.99 yearly).

One of the best Garmin smartwatch

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 a number of years, and the Venu 3 sequence is the neatest (and most reasonably priced) 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 may take calls instantly from the wrist and concern 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 instantly into the watch, nevertheless it’s a intelligent workaround that works properly for hands-free management. It additionally helps security options like fall detection and reside 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 price sensor, which allows FDA-cleared EKG and AFib detection options. General, it leans a bit extra on the wellness and well being aspect of issues, with depth minutes, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep monitoring, interval monitoring, irregular coronary heart price alerts, and stress monitoring. As for coaching, you continue to get built-in GPS, VO2 Max, coronary heart price zones, respiration price, 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 price variability and up to date exercise to find out your sleep wants. It additionally lastly provides nap detection, a function that’s been lengthy overdue for the Garmin platform. The Venu 3 sequence additionally provides audio-guided meditation periods, and you may view how these periods instantly 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, it’s also greater than double the value and never what I’d contemplate a superb 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 received Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer for offline listening. It’s additionally a superb possibility when you’re fed up with MIP shows and need a smarter Garmin quite than a full-on smartwatch.

Replace, April twelfth: Adjusted pricing / availability and up to date copy to replicate the introduction of Garmin Join Plus.