Confused about Garmin's extensive range? We help you pick the perfect GPS partner
The number of Garmin running and fitness watches continues to grow all the time, making the task of choosing the right device for your needs increasingly difficult.
With the Garmin lineup being so crowded, however, it does mean that there’s a watch for every type of user – usually at a range of price points.
We’ve tested every Garmin watch available to help you make the best buying decision. We’ve run, swam, slept and lived with every Garmin watch on this list to help you understand the subtle differences.
Quick look: Our top picks compared
- Best for beginner runners: Garmin Forerunner 165
We previously recommended the Forerunner 55 here, which is still a great budget Garmin pickup. But the Forerunner 165 offers an AMOLED screen, great battery life, accurate GPS, Garmin training plans, and a smattering of Garmin’s performance analytics. Perfect for people at the start of their running journey.
- Best for PB hunters: Garmin Forerunner 265
For those starting to fixate on their underlying running data, the FR265 is a step up. The crisp AMOLED display, decent battery life, and a wide range of features – including in-depth training analysis, performance analytics, recovery guides, and adaptive training plans – keen runners, cyclists, and swimmers are well catered for with this one.
- Best Garmin smartwatch: Garmin Venu 3
The Venu 3 offers a jack-of-all-trades Garmin sports tracking experience, with a slick AMOLED display that should satisfy those lusting over an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch. The wellness features feel so much more useful and intuitive here, and the heart rate accuracy is top-notch.
- Best for multi-sport athletes: Garmin Fenix 8
The king of multisport watches, the Fenix 8 range is pretty untouchable. Huge battery life means you can spend all day on the trails, and take advantage of mapping and navigation features. And every sport benefits from the most advanced analytics offered on any Garmin. You’re also spoilt for choice, with double-digit versions comprising different case sizes, materials, screen tech, and display glass types.
- Best Fenix alternative: Garmin Instinct 2 Solar
The Fenix is the king of the Garmin range, but many readers will (rightly) balk at the price. In these trying times, we urge a look at the Instinct 2 Solar, a fun, lightweight outdoor/fitness watch, with excellent battery life and some top performance analysis features.
Best Garmin running watches
How we test: Our reviewers live with the watch for weeks, incorporating them into our daily training regimes on the road, gym and pool. We test the optical HR accuracy against a chest strap, and GPS accuracy on known routes and against a multi-band GNSS rival. Health data is assessed against an Oura Ring and Whoop 4.0. Here are our picks.
Garmin Forerunner 165
The newest Forerunner 165 — released in February 2024 — fills a much-needed gap in Garmin’s running watch lineup and brings AMOLED display tech to an affordable price point. At 43mm we found it light and comfy to wear, and should suit women and men alike.
It’s perfect for beginner and intermediate runners, we found excellent GPS accuracy in our testing – and it doesn’t shy away from providing performance analytics, either.
You get VO2 Max, adaptive training plans, and Training Effect metrics — and these have been enhanced by updates to Garmin Coach. You can plan your races and use PacePro to get live pacing strategies, which is a real unique and excellent feature.
Battery life is way above a normal smartwatch, with around 17 hours of pure GPS time — and a couple of weeks as a smartwatch. Our tests saw it last around a week, which is superb considering the display type and heavy usage.
It packs Garmin’s last-gen Elevate 4 HR sensor, but accuracy was still good for steady runs. If you really rely on HR data for live training, we would always recommend a chest strap. Naturally, latency is an issue compared to the latter, but that’s true of every watch.
The only major gripe is that Garmin has separated music features into a more premium version, so you’ll need to pay more to get offline Spotify on the wrist. Boo.
But this is a top Garmin GPS watch for most runners – and 90% of people will find the mix of features just what they need.
Pros
- Light and bright design
- Accurate HR and GPS
- Long-lasting battery
Cons
- Pricier than rivals at this range
- A separate edition for music – why?
- Pretty slow GPS lock-on
- Read our full Garmin Forerunner 165 review
Garmin Forerunner 265
Released in March 2023, the Forerunner 265 is a superb mid-point option in the Garmin sports watch range. It’s a better fit for triathletes too, and possess more advanced swim/cycle tracking.
It comes in a 46mm case size as standard, with the 41mm 265S variant a more unisex option and a great fit for females.
It builds on the FR165 (above) and adds Training Status, Daily Readiness, Endurance Score, Hill Score. That joins, Morning Report, Training Readiness, Training Status, and Race Calendar. In short, there’s more analytical data here.
It also adds Garmin’s Multi-Band GPS/GNSS which performed well – even in built-up areas. This means it will be more accurate than the FR165. But you might not notice that on most runs.
The battery life has taken a bit of a hit with the move to AMOLED — we found it lasted around four days of heavy usage between charges.
In short, the FR165 likely suits most runners — but if you want something with even more analysis and detail, and better GPS accuracy for city races, this is the one to go for.
Pros
- Display and UI are hugely improved
- Battery life remains very good
- Great accuracy across the board
Cons
- AMOLED won't be for everyone
- Same tracking experience as FR255
- Misses out on ECG hardware
Garmin Forerunner 965
Arriving in March 2023, the 965 is the most advanced Forerunner in Garmin’s lineup – and is now even more premium with the move over to AMOLED.
It’s not too dissimilar to the cheaper Forerunner 265 (above) it arrived alongside, but some subtle differences make it a great fit for those put off by the price of the Fenix/Epix range – or those who just want something lighter and easier to run, cycle or swim with.
The bright and punchy screen does mean battery life has dipped slightly, but Garmin has still done very well here; the Forerunner 965 can power around 6-8 days of relatively heavy training in its always-on mode, which blows the competition out of the water.
It’s as feature-packed as it gets, too. Garmin’s full gamut of extras – including beautifully crisp offline mapping and access to pre-loaded golf courses – joins the list of focused and detailed running, cycling, and swimming insights.
It’s also incredibly accurate. In our extensive test, we found the multi-band GNSS accuracy, heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and plenty more line up with our expected baselines from some of the most accurate wearables on the market.
It all combines to make the Forerunner 965 a great pick for those who want mapping on the wrist for long training runs/cycles – and the ability to combine multiple workout types. It also features every single analytics metric you might want. However, this is really for athletes that take performance immensely seriously.
Pros
- Display and UI are much improved
- Battery life remains outstanding
- Tracking accuracy is hard to beat
Cons
- Prone to bumps and scratches
- Not hugely different to the FR265
- Smart features are extremely basic
Garmin Forerunner 55
The Forerunner 55 takes a small and comfortable running watch where minimalism is the operative word. However, the MIP screen tech is a huge downgrade on the Forerunner 165, so it’s really for those wanting to pay as little as possible.
In addition to tracking core metrics like pace, time, and distance – there are also metrics for cadence, including a cadence alert, which will notify you if your steps per minute land outside of your desired target.
Garmin has included support for Garmin Coach, which means you can do guided run workouts from the wrist for distances like 5K and half marathon distance.
It’s now inherited Garmin’s PacePro pacing strategies feature, which has previously needed mapping support to put it to use. While the Forerunner 55 lacks those mapping features, it is still able to make use of PacePro to help tackle races.
There’s a renewed focus on recovery, and the Forerunner 55 will advise you on how long to rest after a session. It also offers daily suggested workouts based on logged sessions, the useful race predictor, and unlike the Forerunner 45, has full Connect IQ Store access. But the fitness analytics are really limited to just VO2 Max, and that’s only visible in Garmin Connect and not on the watch itself.
Our only issue with the 55 is that Garmin could replace it soon. It was released in 2021, so we’re expecting a Forerunner 65 model to pop up in late 2024/early 2025. But in terms of sheer wearability, this is a strong option for low-tech runners.
Pros
- Small, light design
- PacePro and suggested workouts
- Full Connect IQ support
Cons
- Best HR accuracy with chest strap
- Low res screen
In-depth: Read our full Garmin Forerunner 55 review.
Best Garmin multisport/outdoor watches
How we test: We give Garmin’s outdoor and multisport watches to our marathon and ultrarunning testers, who take them out on the trails to really put battery life and mapping to the test. They’re also swam with, as well as given the standard overview of smart and wellness insights.
Garmin Fenix 8
The Garmin Fenix is the king of the Garmin range – but recently the immense power of the Epix/Forerunner 965 made it hard to recommend. But no more.
You can check out the key differences between the Fenix 8 and Fenix 7, Fenix 8 and Epix Pro, and the Fenix 8 and Enduro 3.
The Fenix 8 comes with a full AMOLED display (with Sapphire options) and a solar version that maximizes battery life and uses the older MIP display type. That option is for those who need every drop of juice for crazy ultraruns or through-hikes. If you’re that person, get the Enduro 2.
The Fenix offers every Garmin sports tracking profile, metric, analytic, and data point all in the form of a badass adventure watch. And that look is even more pronounced with the AMOLED display. In our tests, we would certainly opt for a Sapphire version, having scratched the AMOLED badly in testing.
Accuracy stacked up overall with a few question marks over the performance of the Elevate sensor in testing. Perhaps the size of the case causes some signal issues – but as ever, good for a guide of your fitness, but if you’re training via heart rate you should get a chest strap.
The screen makes the improved TOPO mapping much easier to read and use.
The Fenix 8 is the pinnacle of the Garmin range once again.
Pros
- Great AMOLED battery life
- Class-leading mapping and navigation support
- A more thoughtful approach to strength training
Cons
- It's a lot more expensive than the Fenix 7 Pro
- Core performance not too dissimilar to previous Fenix
- Heart rate tracking during exercise still not flawless
Garmin Fenix E
The Fenix E is a lower-cost version of the Garmin Fenix series, that happens to be priced exactly the same as the Apple Watch Ultra 2. It offers the core functionality and design of a Fenix, with the rugged 10ATM water resistance, mapping, and an AMOLED display.
It offers all the key performance metrics that you’ll find on Fenix, so it’s far more geared towards those training for endurance events than Apple Watch Ultra. And it has the same insane list of sports profiles as the proper full-fat Fenix.
But buying the Fenix E isn’t a no-brainer. It’s disappointing to see some core features dropped — notably multiband GNSS, Elevate 5 heart rate tracking, and a Sapphire screen. Stuff that feels essential at this price point.
It means that the Garmin Epi/Pro (below) and Forerunner 965 stack up favorably to the Fenix E, and can likely be picked up at a lower price point.
It means the Garmin Fenix E feels like a problem middle child and it’s hard to recommend given what else is available in Garmin’s collection of outdoor watches.
Pros
- It has that signature Fenix look
- Packed with training features and insights
- Offers good overall battery life
Cons
- No multiband, flashlight or sapphire crystal
- Heart rate tracking accuracy during exercise
- Same-size Epix Pro offers more new Fenix features
Garmin Epix (Gen 2) / Epix Pro (Gen 2)
Epix OGs will remember the first edition that arrived in 2015, with the line reprised in the new Epix (Gen 2) in 2022 with a fresh purpose, and then again in 2023 for the Epix Pro (Gen 2).
In 2024, however, Garmin exclusively confirmed to Wareable that the Epix line is being retired, given its key selling point – the AMOLED display – was being adopted by the Fenix 8 range.
But with deals landing on the Garmin Epix, it remains a superb option to consider. Essentially it’s a Fenix 7 with an AMOLED display, the range brings all of the top features of the flagship without compromise – and the 1.3-inch, 454 x 454-pixel resolution, color AMOLED touchscreen creates a powerful smartwatch feel.
The Epix Pro (Gen 2) adds a flashlight, and the smaller and bigger size options to the range (42mm/51mm), which makes it a proper member of the Garmin family.
The Epix doesn’t ignore the mapping, advanced performance analytics, new stamina mode, improved GNSS tracking, health sensors, and sports modes of the Fenix, either.
Of course, battery life is diminished by the inclusion of the AMOLED display – but not as much as you’d think. The standard Epix 2 offers 16 days of battery life and 42 hours of GPS (without the always-on display enabled), compared to 18 days/57 hours on the standard Fenix 7.
For use in daily use – which includes daily GPS use and the AOD turned on – we found that it lasted 6-7 days. Most people will like that compromise, we think.
If you can pick up the Epix for a tidy deal, don’t miss out.
Pros
- Solid hardware additions
- Finally available in three sizes
- Great accuracy across the board
Cons
- Epix 2 and FR965 are better value
- ECG hardware not being used
- Mediocre smart features
Garmin Instinct 2/2X
No longer just an outdoor watch, the Instinct range is a fun, all-action multi-sport watch. It’s essentially a cut-price Fenix, with a plastic case and low-res screen, with a big dose of Casio style added to the mix.
We love it – and it’s an unsung hero of the Garmin range.
The Instinct 2 delivers big battery life, with up to 30 hours of GPS tracking, and even more, if you choose Solar versions.
The Instinct 2 has broken free of being a simple lower-cost outdoor watch. There are profiles for track running, hiking, cycling, swimming, climbing, and even skiing, boating, and other types of outdoor pursuits. There’s now golf mode, too – and it means the Instinct sits closer to the Fenix than most people realize.
Garmin has brought over running and training analysis features from its Forerunner watches like visual race predictions, VO2 Max estimates, training effect, and status insights. There are daily suggested workouts and a recovery advisor on board too.
You can upload routes, real-time breadcrumb navigation, and TrackBack – but mapping doesn’t make the cut.
The new Instinct 2X comes with a bigger 50mm case, solar power as standard, a flashlight (great for nighttime running safety and finding your way to the toilet while camping), and multi-band GPS for better accuracy. It also adds tons of Fenix advanced analytics – and is very much a smart alternative for those looking to save some cash.
Pros
- New workout stats
- Great battery life
- Extremely versatile
Cons
- Design won't be for everyone
- Sleep tracking questionable
Garmin Enduro 3
The Garmin Enduro 3 is the company’s specialist variation of the Fenix series, and one built specifically for ultrarunners. And most people won’t need the absurd 320 hours of GPS tracking (in the longest mode + solar).
To put the Enduro 23s battery life into context, we’ve found using the right power modes to track your efforts will see it happily survive most week-long and multi-day endurance challenges. It also has enough gas in the tank to cover a month-long streak for anyone running, riding, or swimming for an hour a day, as well.
Physically, however, it’s a beast of a watch, and the 51mm case will be too much for most people. It’s certainly not unisex. The new titanium-only build is more manageable than the stainless steel from the original – but we found it uncomfortable to wear.
There are profiles for running, treadmill running, indoor track running, trail running, ultra running, and virtual running – MTB cycling and swimming are also well supported.
The ultra run mode has a clever rest timer, splits out how long you spend at aid stations, and the trail VO2 Max estimate takes slower off-road runs into account and adjusts your reading accordingly.
In our tests, we got 20 days of usage on a single charge. That included 8 hours of training, covering a mix of indoor sessions and outdoor GPS-tracked workouts in various power modes. On average, an hour’s GPS-only training with the Enduro 3 burned no more than 1%.
My 3-hour New Forest Marathon test in All Systems + Multiband GNSS burned just 5%. That extrapolates to 60 hours of tracking in the most accurate mode.
But in an 8-hour 5 Valleys Ultra Marathon in GPS-only mode the battery burned 14%. That is shy of Garmin’s estimates – and shows there can be many factors involved, including the kind of terrain and tree cover that you run in. But this is a battery life monster, for those who need serious staying power.
Our only real criticism of the Enduro 2 is the lack of an AMOLED display. It certainly makes sense, given this device’s focus on massive battery life, but, with the price also increasing massively in this generation, it does sting a little.
Pros
- Incredible battery life
- Lighter design
- Boosted nav smarts/Offline music
- Price drop
Cons
- Only one size
- No AMOLED
Best Garmin smartwatch
How we test: We put Garmin smartwatches through the same paces as the sports watches, although they offer fewer performance metrics. We live with them every day to assess sleep and wellness tracking accuracy, and compare heart rate to an EKG strap and battery life in various scenarios.
Garmin Venu 3
The Garmin Venu 3 is a big improvement over the Venu 2, with a slicker design and improved UI – as well as a more intuitive set of health features.
It’s still a jack-of-all-trades sporty smartwatch – so there are loads of sports profiles, but none offer the level of data and analysis you might expect from a Fenix or Forerunner.
Your main experience with the Venu 3 is with the daily suite of wellness metrics, displayed via widgets. It’s pretty extensive, with Body Battery (energy levels), stress, steps, HRV Status, activity minutes, breathing rate, sleep, sleep coach, and more, all on display.
The Venu 3 also now has ECG, which has been enabled after launch.
We found heart rate and GPS accuracy to be top-notch, so while the Venu 3 isn’t a powerhouse of athletic performance analysis, it does produce great data.
As a smartwatch, it does a good job of covering bases, with notifications, Garmin Pay (with patchy bank support), and offline Spotify syncing. It’s not the same kind of smartwatch experience offered by Apple and Google, but, with two weeks of battery life, (7-10 days of heavy use in our testing), it’s a fantastic alternative.
The downsides are that the Venu 3 is pretty expensive – and the Vivoactive 5 (below) offers most of its core features, at around half the price.
For runners and athletes, the Forerunner 265 is an obvious alternative and comes in a little cheaper.
Pros
- Wellness features finally feel useful
- Top HR accuracy
- Lovely screen
Cons
- Really pricey
- Sports tracking offers basic metrics only
- Some sleep accuracy niggles
Garmin Vivoactive 5
The Garmin Vivoactive 5 returns after a long hiatus, and is a hugely appealing alternative to the Venu 3. It really should be the Venu 3 Lite.
At $299/£259, it’s nearly half the price of the Venu 3, and boasts the same wellness tracking, sleep features, and sports tracking line-up as the flagship.
It’s not quite as sleek looking with an inferior AMOLED display, and aluminum case, and it uses the older Elevate 4 heart rate sensor. Side-by-side it’s quite a visual downgrade. What’s more, there’s no ECG on board here. So there are sacrifices in choosing the Vivoactive 5.
It’s still a jack-of-all-trades, so you get running, swimming, cycling, workout, golf, and other workout profiles but none offer advanced metrics or performance analytics.
Swim tracking is one of the most complete profiles, with stroke detection and efficiency scores, and the watch is 5ATM water resistant.
Battery life is excellent, with 11 days as standard, and 5 days with the always-on display enabled.
Pros
- Gives Vivoactive a nice screen upgrade
- Good sports tracking for the price
- Upgraded GPS setup
Cons
- Loses barometric altimeter
- Pretty plain look
- No Training Readiness metric
Garmin Venu Sq 2
The Venu Sq 2 is the latest addition to the company’s smartwatch range, offering a less refined package that enables Garmin to provide the same features as the Venu and Vivoactive 4 for less.
You get the same massive array of tracked sports, including running, cycling, swimming, gym, yoga, walking, pilates, and snow sports to name a few. And there’s even breathwork, too.
You get GPS built-in, as well, and there’s a SpO2 sensor that does spot checks. If you opt-in, there’s also night and daytime blood oxygen monitoring.
It will track stress, and we love the Body Battery feature that studies your readiness for exercise and can guide you as to when to have a rest (or go hard on a session).
All the sports tracking metrics are pretty basic, so you won’t get many of the VO2 Max and deep insights you’ll find on the likes of the Forerunner 255.
The watch itself also lags behind the Vivoactive 4 and Venu and Venu 2 in terms of build quality. It’s a plastic build with, a boxy design.
It blends a touchscreen and two physical buttons, and the interface that was once a bit fiddly is now much improved. With a better screen this time around, too, it’s a much better experience on the wrist – though the price has also been hiked a bit.
There’s also a music version at $249/£229, which means offline Spotify/Pandora playlists on the wrist. But for us, that takes it to a price point too far.
Garmin hybrid watches
Garmin’s hybrid watches present a shift away from the typical full-screen MIP or AMOLED panel, with physical hands sitting above a smaller display.
Garmin Vivomove series
Garmin’s Vivomove series combines analog and smartwatch looks and if you don’t want to go all in with the level of sports tracking available on a Forerunner or Fenix and still want a stylish watch, this is the option for you.
The Sport is the latest addition to the Vivomove family, offering the same screen setup, albeit with a lower-quality display and polymer case look.
Like the Vivomove 3 or the Luxe, the Sport uses that digital display to show off information like heart rate, stress, daily fitness tracking, and notifications and can be used for music controls too.
There’s no GPS, so those who want accurate run or cycle track will have to do so with their phone, but you do get a healthy array of overall tracking. Long-pressing the screen will bring up the option to select activities, at which point you can cycle between runs, cycles, walks, gym workouts, and more.
It’s susceptible to the odd software hiccup, but generally, the hidden screen technology responds extremely well and is home to a wide array of features.
Promised battery life is up to 5 days and that’s exactly what we got. Think of it more in fitness tracker terms than sports watch terms as far as how well that battery shapes up.
We wouldn’t recommend serious sporty types pick up one of the Vivomove devices – they should turn to the rest of Garmin’s range – but it’s a more than capable fitness tracker for regular users.
Pros
- Light, attractive design
- Well integrated digital display
- Lots of data to view
Cons
- Just the 5 days of battery
- Screen a bit dim in bright outdoor light
- Lack of battery percentage status
The Fenix 8 is the best Garmin available but expect to pay $1,000 for it. Really, the best Garmin for you is the one that has all the features you need, and none of the ones that you don’t. You won’t be paying for stuff you don’t need.
Forerunner is the company’s running watches, although as you go up to FR965 they become triathlon focused. Venu/Vivoactive is the smartwatch range, and the sports tracking is very basic. Fenix is the outdoor range with a big focus on durability, battery life and mapping.
If you’re looking purely on price, then check out the Forerunner 45 and 55.
Most dedicated sports watches are expensive. The Coros Pace 3 offers good value, as does the Suunto Race S. Don’t overlook something like the Huawei Watch Fit 3 – an exceptional sport focused smartwatch with good battery life. But not one for advanced athletes.
Also consider:
If Garmin just isn’t floating your boat check out our best running watch guide. We’ve highly rated the Coros Pace 3, Suunto Race S and Huawei Watch Fit 3 this year.
This article was first published in July 2015. We update it frequently to reflect the newest Garmin devices, ensuring we’ve tested the latest and greatest devices available to buy.
