The 5 best possible Garmin watches for 2025

Few manufacturers are as synonymous with outside sports activities as Garmin. You’ll in finding those health trackers and smartwatches on dozens of wrists at any 5K, marathon, or Ironman. You’ll additionally in finding Garmin devotees amongst divers, thru-hikers, golfers, kiteboarders — you title it. But those gadgets aren’t simply for athletes. The corporate’s made vital strides in its way of life choices, so without reference to your health point, there’s a Garmin for everybody.

If you’re coming from a extra conventional smartwatch, Garmin’s core strengths lie in health, GPS, adventuring, and sturdiness. These are hardy gadgets which can be supposed to resist the weather and final weeks on a unmarried price. Several fashions include offline maps, complicated navigational options, and extra coaching metrics than another platform. Garmin gadgets have a tendency to be at the pricier aspect, alternatively, and the corporate just lately introduced it will start placing its latest options in the back of a paywall. That’s a bummer given Garmin spent years publicly declaring it had no purpose of charging its customers further.

Garmins aren’t too shabby on smarts, both. While extra fitness-focused than the rest from Apple, Google, or Samsung, there’s sufficient to get you the fundamentals like notifications after which some. For instance, maximum Garmins have fall detection and security measures, and several of the latest Garmins just lately were given an FDA-cleared EKG characteristic. (You’ll want a telephone readily available, alternatively, as just one Garmin fashion has mobile connectivity.) Many Garmin gadgets additionally give a boost to offline track playback and include a small third-party app ecosystem.

There are a lot of Garmin watches to make a choice from. No, critically, there are six main lineups, and each and every has a large number of fashions. But no worries — I check a number of Garmins yearly and will lend a hand level you in the suitable route.

The best possible Garmin for runners

Sizes: 42mm w/ 18mm straps; 46mm w/ 22mm straps / Weight: 39g (42mm); 47g (46mm) / Battery lifestyles: Up to fifteen days (42mm); 13 days (46mm) in smartwatch mode / Display sort: OLED touchscreen / GPS: All-systems GNSS and dual-frequency GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music garage: 8GB

Garmin has many working watches, and a large number of them are nice. But the Forerunner 265 or 265S (you probably have petite wrists) moves a very good steadiness between value, characteristic set, battery lifestyles, and a colourful OLED show.

That stated, the Forerunner 265 / 265S is a little of an ordinary duck. It comes a trifling 9 months after its predecessor, the Forerunner 255, and is, in some ways, just about the similar watch. The primary distinction is the 265 has an OLED show in comparison to the 255’s memory-in-pixel display. Usually, that suggests worse battery lifestyles, however on this case, we were given a couple of week on a unmarried price with the always-on show enabled. Without it, you’ll be able to rise up to fifteen days. Given that OLED is more straightforward to learn and simply, properly, seems nicer, that provides the 265 lineup an edge over the 255.

The 265 additionally has dual-frequency GPS (sometimes called multi-band). The gist is you get a lot more correct maps in difficult environments like towns and dense forests as a result of you’ll be able to get entry to each the L1 and L5 satellite tv for pc frequencies. And even with dual-frequency GPS enabled, you continue to don’t lose a lot of battery lifestyles. I wore it all through a half of marathon with that and the AOD enabled, and I nonetheless had over 80 % battery by the point I were given house. This could also be a very good value, as nearly all of multi-band GPS watches value properly over $600.

My primary criticism is that $450, whilst no longer dangerous for Garmin, continues to be so much while you believe that’s the similar value as smarter smartwatches with nice working options. Some runners gained’t care. But if you happen to’re on the cheap — otherwise you’re new to working and really feel iffy about spending that a lot — then believe the Forerunner 165 sequence. It begins at $250 (upload every other $50 for onboard track) and does virtually the whole lot the 265 sequence does. The primary belongings you’re lacking are dual-frequency GPS and a couple of extra area of interest game profiles. But if you happen to’re most commonly sticking to working, gymnasium apparatus, biking, swimming, and mountain climbing, you’re coated.

Neither has all of Garmin’s coaching options, nevertheless it’s were given what you’ll want to run the rest from a 5K to a complete marathon. That features a Race Predictor, which offers you an estimate of what your best possible time could be in accordance with your precise coaching. You too can use TempoPro to determine your pacing technique for a race. You additionally get Garmin’s Training Readiness characteristic to lend a hand gauge load and restoration, Garmin Coach plans, and a bunch of working shape metrics. It additionally helps offline track and security measures like fall detection. The best factor they lack is complicated mapping. (They nonetheless have trackback, point-to-point navigation, and real-time breadcrumb path give a boost to, alternatively.)

The best possible Garmin for staying power 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 lifestyles: 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) / Display sort: OLED / GPS: All-systems GNSS and dual-frequency GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 10ATM / Music garage: Up to 32GB

The Epix Pro gets you each and every health characteristic that Garmin has to supply. And I imply the whole lot. It would frankly be more straightforward to inform you what the Epix Pro does no longer have: issues which can be restricted to LTE smartwatches and one of the new sensible options at the Fenix 8, like an on-board voice assistant. Otherwise, you’ve were given topographical maps, turn-by-turn navigation, and extra coaching metrics than even a seasoned triathlete would know what to do with.

The Pro is extra size-inclusive than the usual second-gen Epix, which best is available in 47mm. You can get the Pro in that length, too, nevertheless it additionally is available in 42mm and 51mm. This was once a big criticism I had with the second-gen Epix, and you like to look corporations in fact take this type of factor critically. The best possible section is the Pro fashions get started on the similar value because the common Epix did. You’ll need to pay $100 further for fabrics like titanium and sapphire crystal, however that’s additionally true of the usual Epix.

That stated, it muddies the waters if you happen to’re making an attempt to select between the Epix Pro, Fenix 7, Fenix 7 Pro, and now, the Fenix 8. The primary distinction is the Epix watches all have OLED shows. One reason why I desire OLED is they’re a lot more straightforward to learn indoors — the place maximum folks spend nearly all of our time. The Fenix 7 sequence’ memory-in-pixel shows (plus sun charging if you happen to go for it) permit for weeks and weeks of price, however the smallest Epix Pro can get round 10 days with customary utilization. The 47mm and 51mm Pro fashions can cross longer between fees because of larger batteries, however I felt that the 42mm has sufficient juice to meet maximum use instances. Garmin additionally has such a lot of battery-saving modes and choices that I extremely doubt this may occasionally ever be a subject matter.

Not serving to issues is the truth that the Fenix 8 allows you to make a choice from an OLED or a MIP show. You additionally get sensible options like an onboard voice assistant, the facility to take calls from the wrist, and the Garmin Messenger app. The primary downside is the beginning value is now $350 greater than the usual Fenix 7 and proper about on par with the Epix Pro. My non-public feeling is the Fenix 8’s sensible options are simply ok and that you simply’re truly no longer lacking a lot by means of no longer having them. We additionally regularly see reductions on older fashions, so I’d placed on my bargain-hunting hat for a reduced Epix Pro or Fenix 7 Pro whilst stock continues to be to be had.

But truly, the profitable characteristic of the Epix Pro is the hands-free flashlight. It’s so helpful in my daily lifestyles, and all it’s a must to do is double-press a button. It’s as vibrant as your smartphone, comes with a purple gentle choice if you wish to have one thing more straightforward at the eyes, and will act as a strobe in an emergency scenario. The Fenix 7 Pro and eight watches actually have a flashlight, so a large number of that is going to come back down to non-public choice for the show, value, and whether or not you care about sensible options.

If you’re set at the maximum battery lifestyles imaginable, I like to recommend the Fenix 7 Pro over the usual 7 for a couple of causes. Its MIP show is fairly brighter, all sizes have the flashlight, and, just like the Epix Pro, it has an up to date sensor array. I additionally counsel it over the MIP variations of the Fenix 8 as it is available in extra sizes, and prices round $300 much less. Especially for the reason that Fenix 8’s sensible options are a little half-baked.

The best possible Garmin on the cheap

Sizes: 40mm w/ 20mm straps / Weight: 19g / Battery lifestyles: Up to five days / Display sort: “Hidden” OLED touchscreen / GPS: Tethered GPS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music garage: N/A

What I like maximum in regards to the Vivomove Sport is that it doesn’t appear to be what the general public be expecting from a Garmin. It’s a hybrid smartwatch, because of this it seems like a normal watch however can observe health and ship notifications. Garmin’s hybrids also are distinctive in that all of them use an OLED show that remains hidden till you want it.

This is most suitable for a casually lively one that desires taste and worth in a light-weight bundle. Think wellness, extra so than health. It will get you steady center charge tracking and blood oxygen point tracking, and may even supply odd center charge indicators. You additionally get get entry to to extra in-depth metrics like respiratory charge, health age, pressure, and Body Battery, which is Garmin’s software for visualizing how well-rested you’re. For sensible options, you get all of the fundamentals, like notifications, alarms, and timers.

The Sport isn’t relatively as full-featured as any other Garmin watches you’ll in finding in this listing. For example, you’re giving up integrated GPS in desire of tethered GPS via your telephone. There are not any contactless bills, neither is there a microphone or speaker for taking calls at the wrist. But this is the cheap pick out, and also you get so much, making an allowance for that is an entry-level machine that might go for a Swatch at a look.

I don’t love that the battery lifestyles is brief for a hybrid, at round 3 to 4 days. Even so, that’s nonetheless a lot better than what you’ll get on an Apple Watch or Wear OS 4 watch. If you’re keen to spend about $100 extra, the $269.99 Vivomove Trend has extra sublime fabrics, will get you extra display genuine property, and wi-fi Qi charging. Otherwise, it is a nice way of life wearable that may function a classier choice in your standard health band.

If you favor one thing more recent to the Sport that’s additionally trendy, the Garmin Lily 2 is every other excellent choice, particularly if you happen to’ve were given specifically small wrists or desire one thing extraordinarily light-weight. The swipe and faucet gestures are nonetheless a little bit fiddly to make use of — which was once additionally the case with the first-gen fashion — however the contemporary design is a amusing method to calmly track your health with out bogging your self down with notifications. Garmin additionally provides the Lily 2 Active, which provides a bodily button, GPS, and give a boost to for extra sports activities monitoring for a starting price of $299.99.

The best possible Garmin to exchange a Fitbit

Sizes: 40mm w/ 20mm straps / Weight: 38g / Battery lifestyles: Up to 11 days / Display sort: OLED touchscreen / GPS: All-systems GNSS / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music garage: 4GB (for Music Edition)

If you have been upset by means of the Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4, the Venu Sq 2 is the following best possible factor (and, in many ways, higher).

At a look, the Venu Sq 2 may simply be fallacious for an Apple Watch. On the wrist, you’ll understand it’s fabricated from plastic, nevertheless it nonetheless seems relatively sublime and very light-weight. The display is vibrant, simple to learn, and appears higher than any Versa or Sense ever did.

The characteristic set could also be nice for the cost, with integrated GPS, a ton of watch faces, emergency security measures, and contactless bills. If you pay $50 extra for the Music Edition, you’ll additionally get about 500 songs price of garage, however we wouldn’t counsel it. This doesn’t have mobile connectivity and, due to this fact, isn’t really standalone. You’ll in all probability be wearing your telephone with you anyway.

As for well being options, the Venu Sq 2 mainly has the whole lot you’d get on a Versa or Sense smartwatch however with Garmin’s treasure trove of metrics as properly. That comprises center charge monitoring, blood oxygen monitoring, depth mins (how a lot average workout you get in every week), pressure monitoring, hydration monitoring, breathing charge, duration monitoring, and Garmin’s restoration characteristic, Body Battery. As a long way as health is going, you additionally get get entry to to Garmin Coach, which gives loose 5K, 10K, and half of marathon coaching plans. You love to look it.

Another giant leg-up Garmin has over Fitbit? None of those options or metrics are locked in the back of a paywall, even though Garmin’s AI-powered insights and a couple of different expanded options will best be to be had as a part of Garmin Connect Plus ($6.99 a month / $69.99 yearly).

The best possible Garmin smartwatch

Sizes: 41mm w/ 18mm straps; 45mm w/ 22mm straps / Weight: 40g for the 3S; 47g for the three / Battery lifestyles: Up to ten days for 3S; 14 days for three / Display sort: OLED touchscreen / GPS: GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO / Connectivity: Bluetooth, Ant Plus, Wi-Fi / Water resistance: 5ATM / Music garage: 8GB

Garmin has shored up the smarts in its watches during the last a number of years, and the Venu 3 sequence is the neatest (and maximum reasonably priced) of the bunch.

The Venu 3 sequence is available in two sizes: 41mm and 45mm. Like the Venu 2 Plus, it has a microphone and speaker. You can take calls without delay from the wrist and factor instructions in your telephone’s virtual assistant by means of Bluetooth. It’s no longer the similar as having Siri, Bixby, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant constructed without delay into the watch, nevertheless it’s a suave workaround that works properly for hands-free keep an eye on. It additionally helps security measures like fall detection and are living monitoring, in addition to contactless bills.

Like different OLED Garmins, the show is each colourful and simple to learn. As for well being and health, you get a pleasing mixture of elementary and extra complicated options and metrics. It has Garmin’s newest center charge sensor, which allows FDA-cleared EKG and AFib detection options. Overall, it leans a little extra at the wellness and well being aspect of items, with depth mins, blood oxygen tracking, sleep monitoring, duration monitoring, odd center charge indicators, and pressure monitoring. As for coaching, you continue to get integrated GPS, VO2 Max, center charge zones, respiratory charge, and downloadable coaching plans by means of Garmin Coach.

New to the three and 3S is a nap trainer that elements in metrics like center charge variability and up to date job to resolve your sleep wishes. It additionally in any case provides nap detection, a characteristic that’s been lengthy past due for the Garmin platform. The Venu 3 sequence additionally provides audio-guided meditation periods, and you’ll be able to view how those periods without delay affect your metrics. From an accessibility viewpoint, this additionally provides a brand new wheelchair mode.

Technically, the brand new Fenix 8 is fairly smarter in that it provides an on-board voice assistant. However, additionally it is greater than double the cost and no longer what I’d believe a excellent worth for the common athlete. It’s extra for individuals who spend hours upon hours coaching each and every week.

This is the Garmin for you if you wish to have the platform’s in-depth coaching with out sacrificing the productiveness of a smartwatch. The primary issues it’s missing are mobile choices and a strong third-party app ecosystem. That stated, it’s were given Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer for offline listening. It’s additionally a excellent choice if you happen to’re bored stiff with MIP shows and desire a smarter Garmin fairly than a full-on smartwatch.

Update, April twelfth: Adjusted pricing / availability and up to date replica to replicate the creation of Garmin Connect Plus.