Best Garmin watch in 2024

Finding the best Garmin watch depends on your needs and your budget. Whatever your fitness goals are, we've found the best Garmin watches to help you reach them. Some of the devices on this list fall in the fitness tracker category —  designed to count your steps, distance and calories burned — others are designed with hardcore athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in mind. If you're looking to use a Garmin watch to reach any sort of wellness goals, you've come to the right place.

Garmin watches range in price from the $149 Garmin Forerunner 55 to the $1099 Garmin Epix Pro Sapphire Solar Edition. And the features will vary, too. It's worth understanding what you'll need from your Garmin before investing and whether you'll use some of the fancier features. 

If you're new to Garmin watches, they all track steps, sleep and heart rate. And they're all water-resistant, although some are specifically designed for swimming. Garmin watches also come with batteries that will last for days on a single charge, even when using GPS. So you can venture outdoors with confidence. 

These models also sync to Garmin Connect, which provides a wealth of health and fitness data to help you reach your goals. After much running, biking and sweating, we've hand-picked the best Garmin watches on the market to guide you in deciding which is best for you. 

Recent updates

The mid-range Garmin Forerunner 165 watch was announced on February 20, 2024. We're in the process of reviewing it — read our Forerunner 165 initial impressions — and plan to roll out our final verdict soon, at which point, you may see it added to this guide. For now, initial impressions are positive. 

Written by
Staff photo
Written by
Jane McGuire

Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness Editor and she's spent years writing about all things health and fitness. She crossed the finish line of her last marathon in 3:38, with the Garmin Forerunner 965 on her wrist. 

The quick list

The best Garmin watches you can buy today

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The best Garmin overall

The best all-round Garmin watch

Specifications

Heart rate monitor: Yes
GPS : Yes
Water resistance: 50 meters
Display: 1.1-inch/1.3-inch AMOLED
On-board music: Yes
Mobile payments: Yes
Sleep tracking: Yes
Battery life (GPS): 24 hours (265S) and 20 hours (265)

Reasons to buy

+
Two sizes available
+
Bright, beautiful AMOLED screen
+
Accurate GPS
+
Advanced training metrics

Reasons to avoid

-
More expensive than 255
-
Still not a huge amount of smartwatch features
Buy it if

You want a mid-level Garmin: The Garmin Forerunner 265 is a perfect training companion for anything from a 5K to an ultramarathon. It has plenty of advanced training metrics to help you PR your next race.

You want a bright screen: The Forerunner 265 has a bright, AMOLED screen, which is easy to see in direct sunlight. It does mean, however, the battery life isn't as long as watches with an MIP display. 

Don't buy it if

You want a smartwatch: Like a lot of Garmin's the Forerunner 265 isn't the most exciting from a smartwatch perspective. That said, you can still view phone notifications, download music, and use Garmin Pay.

You're a golfer: If you spend your weekend's on the green, there's no golf support on the Forerunner 265. There is on the Forerunner 965, however.

The bottom line

The Garmin Forerunner 265 is a wonderful watch, that'll help you train for your next race, and give you a lot of Garmin's advanced training features, without costing the earth.

What you need to know

The Garmin Forerunner 265 is Garmin's latest mid-level running watch, replacing the Forerunner 255 — check out our Forerunner 255 vs Forerunner 265 face-off here if you're struggling to decide between the two watches. The main changes Garmin made to the watch was the screen, which is now a wonderfully bright, AMOLED touchscreen. 

The Forerunner 265 comes in two different sizes — the Forerunner 265 has a 1.3-inch display, with a resolution of 416 x 416 pixels, and the Forerunner 265S has a 1.1-inch display, with a resolution of 360 x 360 pixels. During testing, we were blown away by how bright this little watch was, even in direct sunlight. 

This is an excellent watch for most runners — it's got a lot of the training tools of the more expensive watches on the market, yet it's far more affordable than the likes of the Fenix, or the Forerunner 955/965. The bright touchscreen also makes it feel more like a smartwatch if you're planning on wearing your Garmin 24/7. 

Design: Like all of Garmin's touchscreen watches, the touchscreen is automatically disabled in sports modes, meaning you can still navigate around the watch using the buttons — three on the left, and two on the right. This makes it easier to start, stop, pause, or lap the watch with sweaty fingers, or when wearing gloves. 

The Forerunner 265 is lightweight and comfortable around the wrist, and the smaller size option is beneficial for runners with petite wrists. 

Battery life: Despite the brighter display, the battery life of the Forerunner 265 has pretty much stayed the same. The 265S has a 15-day battery life in smartwatch mode and a 24-hour battery life in GPS mode. The 265 has 13 days in smartwatch mode and 20 hours in GPS mode. Normally, it’s the larger of the two watches that have the longer battery life, but it seems with the bigger and brighter screen, the larger 265 will need charging ever so slightly sooner. 

Training features: Aside from the screen, the only other difference between the 265 and the older watch is Garmin's Training Readiness Score. The score shows you at a glance how ready you are for a difficult day of training based on sleep, recovery time, HRV status, acute load and stress. Each category carries a different weight, so your Training Readiness might go up during the day, as your needed recovery time goes down.  

The Forerunner 265 has Garmin’s Elevate V4 sensor — the green light records heart rate and the red light records blood oxygen levels (referred to as Pulse Ox on the watch). This sensor is used to calculate breathing rate, HRV, and stress. It also has Garmin’s Morning Report feature, which gives you a snapshot of how well you slept, how hard you’ve been training, and a look at the weather for the day ahead.

Read the full review: Garmin Forerunner 265

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Ratings scorecard
Test NotesHow it stacks up
Battery life 15 days/ smartwatch, 24 hours GPS (265S), 13 days smartwatch, 20 hours GPS (265)★★★★☆
FeaturesMultisport mode, Body Battery, Training Readiness Score, Race day widget, Suggested workouts, LiveTrack★★★★☆
Design1.1-inches (265S), 1.3-inches (265)★★★★★
Display 416 x 416 pixels (265), 360 x 360 pixels (265S) AMOLED touchscreen ★★★★★

Best Garmin for beginners

Garmin’s best entry-level running watch

Specifications

Heart rate monitor: Yes
GPS : Yes
Water resistance: 50 meters
Display: 1.08-inch MIP
On-board music: No
Mobile payments: No
Sleep tracking: Yes
Battery life: 14 days/20 hours with GPS

Reasons to buy

+
PacePro suggested workouts
+
Bright screen 
+
Easy to read stats 
+
Battery life 

Reasons to avoid

-
No onboard music storage 
-
No interchangeable bands 
-
Only available in one case size 
Buy it if

You're looking for an entry-level watch: The Garmin Forerunner 55 is an excellent watch if you want to keep an eye on your running training and sleep, without all the extra bells and whistles. It's simple, and easy to use.

You're on a budget: Unlike some of the other watches on this list, the Forerunner 55 won't cost you a month's rent. It's definitely the most affordable Garmin for runners. 

Don't buy it if

You want to listen to music from your watch: There's no built-in music storage on the watch, so if you want to leave your phone at home, you won't be able to here.

You want to record strength workouts: There's no strength training mode on the Forerunner 55, so you'll have to record strength workouts as 'Other'. 

❌ You want to make contactless payments from your wrist: Unlike other watches on this list, the Forerunner 55 doesn't support Garmin Pay contactless payments. 

The bottom line

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is a basic running watch that definitely isn't to be sniffed at. Sure, it doesn't have Training Readiness or Garmin Pay, but it'll give you suggested workouts, connect with Garmin Coach, and let you get a better idea of how well you're sleeping. 

What you need to know

If you’re starting to get into running, chances are you want a device that’s a step up from a basic fitness tracker but also won’t overwhelm you with too many features. Among Garmin watches, the Forerunner 55 is a clear choice. It's a simple, easy-to-use running watch that'll help you keep an eye on your running stats, heart rate and sleep from your wrist. 

The watch doesn't have some of the high-end training features you'll see in other watches on this list. There's no Training Readiness Score, for example, and the watch doesn't let you listen to music, or pay for groceries from your wrist, but don't let this put you off.

Design: The Forerunner 55 looks like most of the other Forerunners in the Garmin collection — it doesn't have a touchscreen, so you'll need to navigate around the watch using the buttons, three on the left and two on the right. The watch only comes in one size and has a 1-inch, MIP display, with a resolution of 208 x 208 pixels. Even on the sunniest days, we could see the Forerunner 55’s transflective MIP display without an issue

Battery life: A fully charged Forerunner 55 can last up to two weeks in smartwatch mode and 20 hours in GPS mode, a significant increase from its predecessor. This is especially impressive compared to the latest Apple Watch Series 9. However, the screen on the Forerunner 55 isn't anywhere near as bright as Apple's smartwatch. Either way, you could go away for a weekend marathon without worrying about packing your charger.

Training features: The Forerunner 55 has Garmin's PacePro technology, which gives you gentle speed and cadence alerts on the run. There are also suggested recovery times and workouts, based on your training history, fitness levels and recovery.

Like most of the watches on this list, you can also use Garmin Coach on this watch, which lets you download free training plans from one of Garmin's coaches. We've used a Garmin Coach training plan over the marathon distance, and have been impressed.

Read full review: Garmin Forerunner 55

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Ratings scorecard
Test NotesHow it stacks up
Battery life 2 weeks smartwatch/ 20 hours GPS★★★★☆
FeaturesGarmin Coach, Pace Pro, Cadence alerts★★★☆☆
Design1-inch screen★★★☆☆
Display 208 x 208 pixels MIP display★★★☆☆

Best Garmin for triathletes

The best Garmin for triathletes

Specifications

Heart rate monitor: Yes
GPS : Yes
Water resistance: 50 meters
Display: 1.4-inch AMOLED display
On-board music: Yes
Mobile payments: Yes
Sleep tracking: Yes
Battery life GPS mode: 31 hours

Reasons to buy

+
Bright, beautiful AMOLED display
+
Accurate GPS
+
Accurate heart rate monitoring
+
Excellent Garmin Connect app

Reasons to avoid

-
No ECG sensor
-
No wireless charging
Buy it if

You want a running watch with the best GPS: The Forerunner 965 has Multi-Band GPS, which is the most accurate GPS in situations that are tricky for GPS watches, like cities with skyscrapers.

You want to view maps on your watch: If you're looking for a watch to view maps on, the large AMOLED screen on the Forerunner 965 makes things easier.

You're looking for a watch to cope with multiple sports: The Forerunner 965 has multisport modes for triathlon, duathlons, brick workouts and swim/run. 

Don't buy it if

You're using the watch for watersports: Compared to watches like the Fenix 7, which has a water resistant rating of 10ATM, the Forerunner 965 only has a rating of 5ATM. It's fine for swimming, but don't wear it for watersports or diving.

You're clumsy: The Forerunner 965 has a plastic “resin” backing, rather than the stainless steel or titanium used in the Fenix and Epix line. This means is less hardy, and is more likely to get scratched. 

You prefer a smaller watch: The Forerunner 965 only comes in one size — 47.2mm/1.4 inches.

The bottom line

The Forerunner 965 is our favorite Forerunner yet it has all of Garmin's top training features, a beautiful color touchscreen, and multisport modes. 

What you need to know 

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is the upgraded version of the Forerunner 955. It's a top-tier running watch, and possibly the best Forerunner we've ever tested. If you're trying to decide between the newer model and the older version, read our Forerunner 955 vs Forerunner 965 face-off here.

The Garmin Forerunner 965 has all of the high-tech training features of the Forerunner 955, but one big upgrade — an AMOLED touchscreen. Compared to the likes of the Fenix 7, this bright screen makes it easier to use full-color maps on the Forerunner 965. The watch is also equipped with Multi-Band GPS, making it more accurate in areas with notoriously bad GPS reception.

Design: The AMOLED screen has a resolution of 454 x 454 pixels; it's extremely bright and easy to see in all weather conditions. Like all of the Garmin watches with touchscreens, the screen is automatically disabled during activities, allowing you to start, stop, pause and lap the watch using the buttons. There are five buttons in total — three on the left and two on the right. They are easy to use and press with sweaty fingers or wearing gloves. 

The watch only comes in one size — 47.2mm/1.4 inches, so if you have particularly small wrists, you might want to look at the Forerunner 265 instead. It comes in three different colors — yellow, black and white, and the bands are interchangeable. 

Battery life: Despite the higher resolution and the bigger screen, the battery life on the Forerunner 965 still holds its own. It has a battery life of 23 days in smartwatch mode, 31 hours in GPS mode without music and 8.5 hours in GPS mode with music. During testing, we found it lived up to Garmin's estimates, although it dipped dramatically if the always-on display was turned on. 

Training features: The watch is also jam-packed with Garmin's most advanced training features, mapping capabilities and recovery tools, including Chronic Training Load. Where the Acute Load feature measures a short-term sum of your training, Chronic Load focuses on a longer period of 28 days. 

Read full review: Garmin Forerunner 965

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Ratings scorecard
Test NotesHow it stacks up
Battery life23 days smartwatch/ 31 hours GPS★★★★★
FeaturesTraining Readiness, Training Status, Multisport modes, Chronic Training Load, Acute Load, Advanced mapping★★★★★
Design1.4 inch ★★★★☆
Display454 x 454 pixels AMOLED touchscreen★★★★★

Best Garmin smartwatch

The best Garmin smartwatch

Specifications

Heart rate monitor: Yes
GPS : Yes
Display: 1.3-inch AMOLED
On-board music: Yes
Mobile payments: Yes
Sleep tracking: Yes
Battery life: 9 days/24 hours with GPS

Reasons to buy

+
Stunning AMOLED display
+
Reliable fitness tracking and Garmin Coach
+
Call quality is better than expected
+
Fantastic battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Recovery advice could be better
-
Not enough third-party apps
Buy it if

You're looking for a smartwatch: The Venu 2 Plus is an excellent smartwatch, with some of the sports tracking we know and love from Garmin.

You want to make calls from your wrist: Unlike all of  the other Garmin watches on this list, the Venu 2 Plus has a speaker and mic, allowing you to make and take calls from your wrist. 

Voice assistant is important to you: The Venu 2 Plus has built-in voice assistant. 

Don't buy it if

You want maps on your watch: While the Venu 2 Plus has some navigation features, it doesn't have full mapping like other watches on this list.

You're training for a triathlon: The Venu 2 Plus does not have an open-water swimming, or triathlon mode. 

You want advanced training features: While you'll be able to record workouts on the Venu 2 Plus, it doesn't have Garmin's advanced training metrics.

The bottom line

The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is the best smartwatch Garmin make. If you want the feel of an Apple Watch, but the fitness tracking capabilities of a Garmin, this is the watch for you. 

What you need to know

Garmin watches aren’t just for serious athletes. The Venu 2 Plus is a stylish smartwatch on a par with the Apple Watch and Fitbit Versa 3 — and it’s rugged enough for bike rides, strength workouts and playtime with the kids. It’s also a step up from the Garmin Vivoactive 4 with an AMOLED display and a stainless steel bezel.

The Garmin Venu Plus 2 blends the fitness and health-tracking features you’d expect from a Garmin device with smartwatch features such as mobile payments, notifications, a touchscreen and storage for up to 650 songs. Unlike other Garmin watches on this list, the Venu 2 Plus also has voice assistant features and on-wrist calls. If you want your smartwatch to act as an extension of your smartphone, this is the Garmin for you.

Design: Like nearly all of the Garmin's on this list, the watch has buttons as well as a touchscreen for easier navigation with sweaty fingers. Two of the buttons act as assigned apps or shortcuts (I set mine to the workout menu and my music player) while the lower one is a back button. All three buttons open different controls with a long press, like a tool menu or settings. 

The Garmin Venu 2 Plus’s 43mm color AMOLED screen has multiple brightness levels and an ambient light sensor that can auto-adjust the brightness based on your environment.

Battery life: According to Garmin, the Venu 2 Plus has up to 9 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, up to 8 hours in GPS mode with music and up to 24 hours of GPS mode without music. This far exceeds smartwatches like the Apple Watch Series 9. 

Training features: As well as tracking your sleep and stress, the Venu 2 Plus tracks most workouts, aside from open-water swimming and multisport modes. There are also animated on-screen workouts you can follow, and 25 different pre-loaded activity profiles on the watch, which can be swapped out. Compared to some of the more high-tech watches on this list, there aren't features like Training Load, Daily Readiness Score or Stamina. There are also no mapping capabilities on the Garmin Venu 2 Plus. 

Read full review: Garmin Venu 2 Plus

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Ratings scorecard
Test Notes How it stacks up
Battery life 9 days smartwatch / Up to 8 hours GPS w/music, 24 hours GPS w/out music★★★★☆
FeaturesVoice-assistant, Wrist calls, Garmin Coach★★★★☆
Design1.3-inch screen★★★★☆
Display 416 x 416 pixels AMOLED touchscreen★★★★☆

Best Garmin adventure watch

Best Garmin for adventurers looking for a beautiful watch

Specifications

Heart rate monitor: Yes
GPS : Yes
Display: 42mm, 47mm, 51mm
On-board music: Yes
Mobile payments: Yes
Sleep tracking: Yes
Battery life: Up to 16 days (6 days always-on)

Reasons to buy

+
Gorgeous design
+
Bright display
+
Long battery life
+
3 different size options
+
Built-in flashlight

Reasons to avoid

-
Very expensive
-
Not as many smartwatch features as Apple, Samsung
Buy it if

You want a Fenix with a beautiful screen: If you like all of the features on the Fenix 7, but love an AMOLED screen, this is the Garmin for you. 

You like the sound of a built-in flashlight: All of the watches in the Epix Pro line have built-in flashlights, and different flashlight modes for running and safety.

Don't buy it if

You want a solar charging watch: Unlike the Fenix 7 below, the Epix Pro line doesn't have solar charging capabilities due to the AMOLED screen.

You're on a budget: This is an expensive watch. If you're on a budget, check out the Forerunner 965, that has a lot of similar features.

The bottom line

The Garmin Epix Pro is a top-tier adventure watch with a beautiful screen, a killer battery life, and all of Garmin's most advanced training features. That said, all of that comes at a price.

What you need to know 

Until now, the Garmin Epix has been the company’s high-end, high-spec adventure smartwatch. With a bright, AMOLED display, a large 1.3-inch screen and impressive battery life, it’s been a popular choice since its release in January 2022. Now, Garmin has a new and improved version with the Epix Pro series.

It's available in three different sizes — 42mm, 47mm and 51 mm. It also has Garmin's latest heart rate sensor, with twice as many LEDs as the Epix 2, spread over a wider area for more accurate data. All of the watches in the Epix Pro line also have a built-in flashlight. 

Design: The Epix Pro looks very similar to the Epix, with a beautiful AMOLED touchscreen that is wonderfully bright and easy to read, even in direct sunlight. Like all Garmin watches with touchscreens, the screen is automatically disabled in sports modes, meaning you can navigate around the watch with its five buttons, rather than accidentally pausing your run with sweaty fingers. Read more about the difference between the Epix and the Epix Pro here.

Battery life: The main difference between the Fenix 7 and the Epix 2 is the battery life — in Expedition mode, the Fenix can last up to 40 days (74 days with solar), whereas the Epix will wind down after just 14 days. Due to its AMOLED screen, the Epix Pro doesn't have solar charging. The standard 49mm Epix Pro lasts 16 days in smartwatch mode and 42 hours in GPS mode. 

Training features: When it comes to health and fitness tracking, the Garmin Epix Pro features are identical to that of the Fenix 7, in that it can track just about everything. In addition to a heart rate monitor, the Epix 2 has a blood oxygen sensor that can keep tabs on your levels throughout the day, as well as perform on-the-spot checks. 

There are two new running features — hill score, which shows you how easy it is to run uphill without the need to look at your phone or a map. Garmin does this by measuring your running strength on steep elevations and endurance on long ascents, as well as progress over time, based on your VO2 max and training history. 

There’s also a new endurance score, which is a measure of how easy it is for you to sustain prolonged efforts, looking at data like VO2 max and your short and long-term training loads. These new training features will also be available on the Garmin Epix 2, and all of Garmin's high-end watches in a later firmware update. 

Read full review: Garmin Epix Pro

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Ratings scorecard
Test Notes How it stacks up
Battery life10 days (42mm), 16 days (47mm), 31 day (51mm) smartwatch/ 28 hours (42mm), 42 hours (47mm), 81 hours (51mm)★★★★☆
FeaturesTraining Readiness, Training Status, Multisport modes, Chronic Training Load, Acute Load, Advanced mapping, Hill score, Endurance score★★★★★
Design1.6-inch, 1.8-inch, and 2-inch screen★★★★★
Display 390 x 390 pixels (42mm), 416 x 416 pixels (47mm), 454 x 454 pixels (51mm) AMOLED touchscreen★★★★★

Best looking Garmin watch

Possibly Garmin’s most attractive smartwatch to date

Specifications

Heart rate monitor: Yes
GPS : No
Water resistance: 50 meters
Display: 1-inch MIP
On-board music: No
Mobile payments: No
Sleep tracking: Yes
Battery life: 5 days

Reasons to buy

+
Stylish design 
+
On-board pregnancy tracking app 
+
Good display 

Reasons to avoid

-
No built-in GPS 
-
Incompatible with Garmin Connect IQ app store
Buy it if

You want to track your periods from your watch: The Garmin Lily is designed for female users, and allows you to track your menstrual cycle and pregnancy from your wrist.

You want a sports watch that doesn't look like a sports watch: The Garmin Lily could easily pass as jewelery, and is up there with the Oura ring in terms of being a discrete tracker. 

Don't buy it if

You're training for a marathon: The Garmin Lily doesn't have built-in GPS, so if you're serious about running, buy the Garmin Forerunner 55 instead.

You want a color screen: The Lily has a 16 level grayscale display. 

The bottom line

The Garmin Lily is a pretty fitness tracker, designed for women, but won't suit anyone doing serious training. 

What you need to know

If you’re looking for an activity tracker that doesn’t look like an activity tracker, the Garmin Lily is for you. It’s arguably Garmin’s most fashionable smartwatch and has a number of useful tools for female users, including menstrual or pregnancy tracking, giving mums-to-be a better understanding of their day-to-day health. 

The Garmin Lily looks like actual jewelry and comes in two different models: Classic and Sport. The Classic costs $249.99 and features a dual-tone leather strap, whereas the Sport version has a soft silicone band that’s easier to clean post-workout and costs $199.99. That said, if you’re a serious runner or cyclist, you might find the lack of GPS on the watch frustrating.  

Design: Where the Garmin Lily shines is in its display and its responsive, monochromatic touchscreen, which is easy to use, even in direct sunlight. This would make a brilliant first-time smartwatch for the fashion-conscious shoppers out there, especially someone with a smaller wrist. It’s also one of the best cheap smartwatches on the market.  

Battery life: Garmin rates the Lily smartwatch for five days of battery life, including overnight wear for sleep tracking. During testing, we found the display settings have the biggest impact on battery life. At max brightness, we lost more than 30% of juice in one day, but when we relied on auto-brightness, the battery drain rate slowed.

Training features: We've said it before and we'll say it again, this isn't the Garmin to buy if you're doing serious training. It'll let you keep an eye on your cycle, your hydration levels, your stress, and your heart rate from your wrist, but you'll need your phone with you for tracking workouts, as there's no built-in GPS.

It's worth noting, the Garmin Lily has now been replaced by the Garmin Lily 2. The Garmin Lily 2 has some of Garmin’s newer health tracking features, including sports profiles for Zumba, Afrobeat and Bollywood dancing. That said, now might be a good time to buy the original Garmin Lily if you're looking to save. 

Read full review: Garmin Lily review

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Rating scorecard
Test Notes How it stacks up
Battery lifeUp to 5 days★★★☆☆
FeaturesHeart rate, SpO2, Body Battery, Stress tracking, Women's Health tracking★★★☆☆
Design1.00” x 0.84” screen★★★☆☆
Display240 x 201 pixels grayscale touchscreen★★★☆☆

Best Garmin watch for marathons

The best Garmin watch for marathons

Specifications

Heart rate monitor: Yes
GPS : Yes
Water resistance: 100 meters
Display: 1.2-inch MIP
On-board music: Yes
Mobile payments: Yes
Sleep tracking: Yes
Battery life: 14 days/72 hours with GPS

Reasons to buy

+
Battery can last for weeks
+
Packed with features
+
64MB of storage

Reasons to avoid

-
Very large
Buy it if

You care about battery life: The Fenix 7X Solar can last a whopping 122 hours in GPS mode. If you care about battery life, this is the watch to buy. 

 ✅ You want a watch that'll cope with knocks: No watch is indestructible, but the Fenix 7 is designed to cope with a lot. 

Don't buy it if

You're on a budget: The Fenix 7 is a top-of-the-line watch, and doesn't come cheap. 

You want an AMOLED screen: Compared to some of the other watches on this list, the MIP display of the Fenix 7 can look a little dull. That said, it's still easy to see in direct sunlight, and the lack of AMOLED means a longer battery life. 

The bottom line

The Fenix 7 will easily get you around a marathon, and last for a few days of celebration afterwards. It's Garmin's top-of-the-line adventure watch, and has all of the advanced training metrics. 

What you need to know

The Garmin Fenix 7 is a rugged watch for outdoor adventurers. The device supports tracking for everyday fitness activities, such as running and swimming, and it comes with Garmin’s typical health-tracking features. However, it’s really designed for anyone who gets an adrenaline rush from scuba diving, backcountry skiing or multi-day hikes deep in the wilderness.

Make no mistake: With a weight that starts at 2 ounces for the standard Fenix 7S, and tops out at 3.1 ounces for the 51mm Fenix 7X Saphire Solar addition, this watch is a beast. But the trade-off is lots of storage, plenty of battery life and water resistance up to 100 meters (330 feet). It’s also easy to swap out bands — a nice touch for those who just spent days in the woods without a shower.

Design: The Fenix 7 has one major improvement on the Fenix 6 — a touchscreen. The screen is super responsive, even when being used in the rain. The Garmin Fenix 7 series comes in a number of different sizes and styles. Firstly, there are three different case sizes — the Fenix 7S is designed for smaller wrists and is 42mm, the Fenix 7 is 47mm and the Fenix 7X is 51mm. 

There are also different editions. The standard edition has a stainless steel bezel and a reinforced glass screen and is built for tough adventures. The solar edition has the same bezel but also a power glass screen that extends the battery life of the watch as it can charge from the sunlight. Finally, the Sapphire Solar Edition Fenix 7 has a titanium bezel (which is stronger than the stainless steel bezels), as well as a power sapphire lens that also extends that watch’s battery life.

It's also worth noting, that in May 2023, Garmin released the Fenix 7 Pro series, all of which have built-in LED flashlights and Garmin's new heart rate sensor. Read our Garmin Fenix 7 Pro review here.

Battery life: Battery life is another area where the Garmin Fenix 7 packs a huge punch over its competitors, and this is partly down to the range’s solar capabilities. The Fenix 7S lasts up to 37 hours/46 hours with solar in GPS mode, the Fenix 7 has up to 57 hours/73 hours with solar and the Fenix 7X has up to 89 hours/122 hours with solar.

Training features: The Fenix 7 is a top-tier watch, with top-tier features. There's Garmin's Stamina metric, Training Readiness Score, Body Battery, Hill Score, Endurance Score and more mapping and sports profiles than you could ever dream of.  

Read full review: Garmin Fenix 7

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Rating scorecard
Test NotesHow it stacks up
Battery lifeUp to 122 hours w/solar (Fenix 7X) ★★★★★
FeaturesStamina metric, Training Readiness Score, Body Battery, Hill Score, Endurance Score★★★★★
Design1.2-inches (7S), 1.3-inches (7), 1.4-inches (7X)★★★★★
Displaysunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP)★★★★☆

Best Garmin watch for golf

The best Garmin watch for golfers

Specifications

Heart rate monitor: Yes
GPS : Yes
Water resistance: 50 meters
Display: 1.3-inch MIP
On-board music: No
Mobile payments: Yes
Sleep tracking: Yes
Battery life: 14 days/20 hours with GPS

Reasons to buy

+
Accurate distances
+
Virtual caddie analysis
+
Battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Not for beginners
Buy it if

You're serious about golf: The Garmin Approach S62 is one of the best golf watches on the market, with all the features you could need on the green.

You also want to track other workouts: Unlike cheaper golf watches, the Approach S62 allows you to track other sports activities and has features like Garmin's Body Battery.

Don't buy it if

You're a beginner: There's an awful lot on this watch, and if you're a complete beginner, you're probably better off with a cheaper version, like the Garmin Approach S20. 

Battery life is important: The battery life on the Approach S62 isn't the worst, but if you're going on a week's golf holiday, you'll want to take a charger.

The bottom line

The Garmin Approach S62 is one of the best golf watches on the market, jam-packed with features, and an upgrade on the Garmin Approach S60. 

What you need to know 

If golf is your game, then the Garmin Approach S62 is the watch for you. With a scratch-resistant ceramic bezel and silicone straps, it’s rugged enough for a round of 18 while stylish enough for the 19th hole in the clubhouse.

The Garmin Approach S62 comes with key golf features such as access to data on 41,000 courses worldwide, GPS readings on distance and hole hazards and a shot-tracking function. There’s also a virtual caddie that recommends clubs based on distance to the pin. It may be a lot for a novice golfer (if that’s you, check out our Garmin S20 review,) but veteran golfers will appreciate the insight —and may even leave the rangefinder at home.

Design: The Garmin Approach S62 looks similar to other Garmin watches on this list, with a round 1.3-inch screen and three buttons on the right-hand side, allowing you to navigate around the watch without using the touchscreen if you're wearing a golf glove

The watch has a scratch-resistant ceramic bezel and interchangeable silicone straps that strike an excellent balance of style and comfort. To that effect, it looks sporty enough for clubhouses yet stylish enough for a steakhouse. We reviewed the all-black unit, but there’s a white version that better resembles a golf glove, which some aesthetically minded players might prefer.

Battery life: The Garmin Approach S62 lasts about 14 days without a charge, although you’ll get just 20 hours in continuous GPS mode. Our tester, a golfer with 30 years of experience, made it through a week with 3 rounds before needing to recharge the S62, so it’s safe to say you can leave Garmin’s proprietary charger at home for a weekend golf trip.

Training features: Off the course, the watch tracks a variety of additional indoor and outdoor exercises, including swimming, along with heart rate and sleep. It also boasts Garmin’s “Body Battery” energy monitor. Plus, the Approach S62 can track bicycling, rock climbing, skiing, running and a variety of indoor exercise. It’s also waterproof so it can record your swims or be worn while paddleboarding, and you get handy smartwatch features like Garmin Pay, along with customizable smartphone notifications.  

Read full review: Garmin Approach S62

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Ratings scorecard
TestNotesHow it stacks up
Battery lifeUp to 14 days smartwatch/ 20 hours GPS★★★★☆
FeaturesBody Battery, Pulse ox, Sleep tracking, Garmin's golf features★★★★☆
Design1.3-inch screen★★★☆☆
Display260 x 260 pixels MIP display ★★★☆☆

The Garmin with the best battery life

An adventure watch for those who don't want to spend Fenix prices

Specifications

Heart rate monitor: Yes
GPS : Yes
Water resistance: 100 meters
On-board music: No
Mobile payments: Yes
Sleep tracking: Yes
Battery life: 21 days (2S)/ 51 days (2)
Solar battery life : 28 days (2S)/ Unlimited (2)

Reasons to buy

+
New smaller size option 
+
Killer battery life 
+
Has Health Snapshot 
+
Has Garmin Pay + Garmin Connect

Reasons to avoid

-
Limited sport types 
Buy it if

You care about battery life: The Garmin Instinct 2 has infinite battery life. Yep, it lasts forever thanks to its solar charging.

You're looking for an adventure watch: This watch is rugged and hardwearing, designed to cope with knocks and drops. 

Don't buy it if

You want an AMOLED screen: Like most solar charging watches, this watch has an MIP display, which isn't as bright. 

You want unlimited sports profiles: Most of the obvious sports are covered, but the Instinct 2 only has 40 profiles, which is less than some of the other watches on this list. 

The bottom line

The Garmin Instinct 2 is a cheaper version of the Fenix 7 or Epix 2, designed for the great outdoors, with an excellent battery life. 

What you need to know

The Garmin Instinct 2 boasts an infinite battery life — yep, it has the power to last forever, charging with the sunlight. There are a few catches, from which features work on solar power, to which versions of the Garmin Instinct 2 even pack a solar panel, to how many hours a day the watch needs to be exposed to sunlight. But beyond that, the Instinct 2 is better than the first Garmin Instinct in almost every way. 

Design: It retains its rugged feel while borrowing features from some of Garmin's more expensive watches. It also now comes in a smaller 40mm size — the 2S, designed for smaller wrists.

On the wrist, it's hard-wearing (with a Military Standard 810 rating against extreme environments and temperatures), waterproof up to 100m and its display is bright and easy to see, even in direct sunlight. Unlike the new Garmin Fenix 7 range, there's no touchscreen, but the five-button functionality is easy to figure out and use on the move. 

The Garmin Instinct 2 is available now and comes in a dozen different configurations. In addition to Solar-powered options, Garmin offers Surf, Tactical and Camo editions with special color variations and dedicated features. The Surf Edition comes loaded with a tide widget and Surfline Sessions compatibility, for example. The Garmin Instinct 2 "dezl" Edition, meanwhile, was created for truckers.  

Battery life: When it comes to unlimited battery life, there's a catch — it's only available on the solar versions of the Instinct 2. The Solar Instinct 2 has a battery life of 48 hours in standard GPS mode, 370 hours in max battery GPS and unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode. The non-solar Instinct 2 lasts 30 hours in GPS mode, 70 hours in standard GPS mode, 28 days in smartwatch mode and 65 hours in battery-saver mode. 

Training features: The Instinct 2 is outfitted with the same Elevate V4 heart rate sensor found in the Venu 2 and Fenix 7 and provides tracking for just over 40 activity types. It has VO2 Max readings, a pulse oximeter for measuring blood oxygen (SpO2) levels and features like Garmin's Body Battery. However, there aren't the same advanced training metrics as on the Fenix 7 line, such as Training Readiness Score. 

Read full review: Garmin Instinct 2

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Ratings scorecard
Test NotesHow it stacks up
Battery lifeUnlimited (solar)★★★★★
FeaturesBody Battery, Vo2 max readings, SpO2 ★★★☆☆
Design0.79-inches, 0.9-inches, 1.1-inches★★★☆☆
Display156 x 156 pixels (40mm), 176 x 176 pixels (45mm), 176 x 176 pixels (50mm) MIP display★★★☆☆

Best Garmin Watches: Features comparison

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Best Garmin watches: Features comparison
Header Cell - Column 0 Forerunner 265 Forerunner 55Forerunner 965Venu 2 PlusEpix ProLilyFenix 7 Approach S62Instinct 2
Screen size (inches)1.1" (265S), 1.3" (265)1"1.4"1.3"1.6" (42mm), 1.8" (47mm), 2" (51mm)1” x 0.84”1.2" (7S), 1.3" (7), 1.4" (7X)1.3"0.79" (40mm), 0.9" (45mm), 1.1" (45mm)
Resolution (pixels)416 x 416 (265), 360 x 360 (265S)208 x 208 454 x 454416 x 416 390 x 390 pixels (42mm), 416 x 416 pixels (47mm), 454 x 454 pixels (51mm)240 x 201240 x 240 (7S), 260 x 260 (7), 280 x 280 (7X)260 x 260156 x 156 (40mm), 176 x 176 (45mm), 176 x 176 (50mm)
Weight39g (265S), 47g (265)37g53g51g63g (42mm), 78g (47mm), 98g (51mm)24g63g (7S), 79g (7), 96g (7X)61g43g (40mm), 53g (45mm), 67g (45mm)
GPS battery life 24 hours GPS (265S), 20 hours GPS (265)20 hours31 hours8 hours w/music, 24 hours w/o music28 hours (42mm), 42 hours (47mm), 81 hours (51mm)N/a46 hours (7S), 72 hours (7), 122 hours (7X) w/solar20 hours28 hours (40mm), 48 hours (45mm), 145 hours (50mm) w/solar
Smartwatch battery life15 days (265S), 24 hours (265)14 days23 days9 days10 days (42mm), 16 days (47mm), 31 day (51mm) Up to 5 days14 days (7S), 22 days (7), 37 days (7X) w/solar14 days51 days (40mm), Unlimted/ Unlimited w/solar
Built-in GPSYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes
Garmin PayYesNo YesYesYesNoYesYesYes
TouchscreenYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYes No
Memory8GB 200 hours 32GB8GB32GB7 timed activities; 14 days activity tracking data16 GB solar/ 32GB sapphire solar1GB32GB (40/45mm), 64GB (50mm)

How to choose the best Garmin watch for you

Because Garmin watches span a wide range of prices and features, it’s important to identify which are most important to you within your budget.

Battery Life
Most of Garmin’s watches have excellent battery life, but some are better than others. Some Garmin watches, like the Fenix 7 and the Instinct 2 have solar charging options, increasing the battery life of the watch. If you plan to spend extended periods of time outdoors, choose your watch accordingly.

Training features
Most of Garmin’s watches have excellent training features but pay attention to the metrics that matter to you. In addition to standard metrics, some models like the Garmin Forerunner 965 also track heat and altitude, which are key for planning the impact of outdoor workouts. Others, like the Garmin Approach S62, offer in-depth golf training, too.

GPS
Garmin is known for its GPS technology, so it’s no surprise that nearly all Garmin watches have excellent GPS features. 

Smartwatch features
Some Garmin models have more smartwatch features than others. The Venu 2, Epix 2, Garmin Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 965 also boast touch-sensitive AMOLED displays, which provide a premium experience, especially when wearing them 24/7.

Onboard music
Not all Garmin watches support onboard music with built-in storage. For athletes who want to bring music on their go in their workouts, you’ll want a tracker that lets you leave your phone behind. 

Price
There’s a good range of Garmin watch prices for every budget. For under $150, the Forerunner 55 is a good value, as you get access to Garmin Coach and all of Garmin’s other training features. On the other hand, you can spend up to $1,149 on the Fenix 7 Pro. Most models, however, fall between $200 and $500. If you want to save a little extra on your purchase, have a look at our Garmin coupon codes page to see the latest discounts.

How we test Garmin watches

By wearing them, of course! When Garmin comes out with a new watch, we fully charge it up and strap it on our wrist for several weeks or so to test out all the features.

First and foremost: How does it feel? Some watches are pretty bulky, which means they won't fit comfortably on smaller wrists or make sense for all-day wear. Next, we look at fitness features such as heart rate monitor, GPS and custom workout tracking. How accurate are the Garmin’s sensors, and how well does the watch track your exercise and overall health? 

We also look at the other useful features, including sleep tracking, female health tracking, mobile payments and smartphone notifications. 

Additionally, we test Garmin’s battery life claims and compare it to our actual use. Some sensors chew up juice faster than others, so if you've got the screen on constantly or you’re always using the heart rate monitor or Pulse Ox sensor, battery life may vary. We also check if the battery-saving modes will still meet your workout-tracking expectations.

How to download Garmin Connect

You'll need to download the Garmin Connect App to sync your watch to your phone. It's available on both Android and iOS, and once you've downloaded the app and signed up, you'll be able to connect your Garmin to your phone. 

The Garmin Connect app lets you see all your data at a glance in an easy-to-read format. Depending on your tracker, it'll give you deeper insights, such as your body battery (based on your sleep data) and your fitness age. There are also challenges and in-depth sleep reports for you to keep an eye on.

As well as this, depending on your watch model, you'll be able to use the Garmin Connect app to use Garmin Coach to download running and cycling training plans and upload them directly to your watch. To do this, head to more, then training in the Garmin Connect app. You'll then be able to select training plans and download the best one for you depending on your ability and your goals. 

Check out our guide on how to use Garmin Connect here, as well as our guide to how to use the Body Battery feature on your Garmin watch

Jane McGuire
Fitness editor

Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy.