Garmin’s been in the smartwatch game for longer than most — the Apple Watch was but a twinkle in Steve Jobs’ eye when the first Forerunner watch was born — and we’ve been testing the best Garmin watch models for over a decade, witnessing their evolution from basic step and distance trackers to full-blown training, recovery and wellness monitoring devices.
With thousands of hours of testing under our running belts, we’re here to help you make sense of Garmin’s admittedly overwhelming smartwatch lineup. For runners, the Garmin Forerunner 265 is at the head of the pack offering a solid mix of training tools, a bright screen, and great battery life in a comfortable and stylish package.
Garmin doesn’t just make devices for runners, though. The Enduro 3 is the best Garmin watch for hikers thanks to a super-rugged and waterproof design, solar charging and a nifty built-in flashlight. But, these aren’t your only options. We’ve also got picks for the budget-conscious, newbie runners, marathoners, triathletes and even golfers.
The quick list
The Garmin Forerunner 265 is the best Garmin watch overall for runners and workout enthusiasts. It sports a bright AMOLED screen and comes in two sporty-looking case sizes. With loads of advanced training metrics on offer and a long-lasting battery, the Forerunner 265 also boasts rock-solid GPS tracking.
The Garmin Forerunner 55 is an affordable, entry-level running and workout watch well-suited for those looking to track their training but who don't need any extra bells or whistles. It still looks and feels like a Garmin watch without the hefty price tag. More importantly, it's just as accurate as far more advanced models.
For folks just getting into running, the Garmin Forerunner 165 is a lightweight and easy-wearing GPS watch with a bright AMOLED touchscreen. It also offers fall detection, live route tracking, plenty of battery life, and some of Garmin's more advanced training tools to grow into, like running form analysis and Pace Pro.
The Garmin Forerunner 965 is the best Forerunner we’ve ever tested. It’s got a bright AMOLED screen, 23 days of battery life and some of Garmin’s most advanced training features for hardcore athletes. It can even keep tabs on complex multisport activities, making it the best Garmin watch for triathlons.
The Garmin Enduro 3 is built for adventures in the outdoors and features a rugged, waterproof design, a handy built-in flashlight and incredible battery life that can be extended indefinitely by the solar panels that ring the watch face. It also supports offline maps, making it the best Garmin watch for hiking.
The Garmin Lily 2 Active is the best Garmin watch for basic fitness tracking. While Garmin also makes a standard Lily 2, only the 'Active' model sports onboard GPS and physical buttons. Lightweight, comfortable and easy on the eyes, this may also be Garmin's best-looking smartwatch model.
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The Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED is built for adventures — whether that’s 26.2 miles, or further. The best sports watch in Garmin’s range, it's ideal for keen athletes thanks to its impressive sports tracking and training analysis, which can help you prepare for your events and excel on race day itself.
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. It also offers solid battery life and is comfy and lightweight enough that it won't throw off your game.
The Garmin Instinct 3 Solar edition has unlimited battery capacity. Yep, it can last forever with enough sunlight. Meanwhile, the Instinct 3 AMOLED edition pairs a brighter screen with up to 24 days of battery life. Sporty and tough-built, water-resistance is a respectable 100 meters and a built-in LED flashlight on the bezel adds to the watch's versatility.
The best Garmin watches you can buy today
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Best Garmin watch for runners
✅ 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.
❌ 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 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 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 change 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 255 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
Test | Notes | How it stacks up |
|---|---|---|
Battery life | 15 days/ smartwatch, 24 hours GPS (265S), 13 days smartwatch, 20 hours GPS (265) | ★★★★☆ |
Features | Multisport mode, Body Battery, Training Readiness Score, Race day widget, Suggested workouts, LiveTrack | ★★★★☆ |
Design | 1.1-inches (265S), 1.3-inches (265) | ★★★★★ |
Display | 416 x 416 pixels (265), 360 x 360 pixels (265S) AMOLED touchscreen | ★★★★★ |
Best budget Garmin watch
✅ 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.
❌ 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 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 and won't break the bank. 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. However, even on the sunniest days, we could see the Forerunner 55’s transflective MIP display without an issue. But, if you're worried, consider the Garmin Forerunner 165 instead.
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.
Read our full review: Garmin Forerunner 55
Test | Notes | How it stacks up |
|---|---|---|
Battery life | 2 weeks smartwatch/ 20 hours GPS | ★★★★☆ |
Features | Garmin Coach, Pace Pro, Cadence alerts | ★★★☆☆ |
Design | 1-inch screen | ★★★☆☆ |
Display | 208 x 208 pixels MIP display | ★★★☆☆ |
Best Garmin for beginners
✅ You want an affordable watch with a bright screen: The Forerunner 165 boasts a lovely ALMOED screen that's easy to view in bright daylight
✅ Physical buttons make you happy: In addition to a touchscreen the Forerunner 165 features five tactile buttons around its case, making the device a breeze to operate, even with sweaty hands.
✅ You want insights into training and recovery: The Forerunner 165 inherits many of Garmin's best training features from higher-end models like Training Effect, Body Battery and recovery time suggestions.
❌ You want a smartwatch with the most smart features: The Forerunner 165 has lots of tools for recording activities and reaching fitness goals, but it doesn't have many smart ones.
❌ You want to track multi-sport activities: Triathletes will need to step up to a higher-end Forerunner model to track complex multi-sport activities. Consider the Forerunner 965 instead.
⌚ The Garmin Forerunner 165 is a comfortable and lightweight GPS smartwatch with a bright AMOLED touchscreen, lots of physical controls, satisfactory battery life, precise health sensors and advanced training tools borrowed from higher-end Garmin wearables.
What you need to know
The Garmin Forerunner 165 is the entry-level Forerunner in Garmin's range for those who want an AMOLED display. Despite not having the extensive features you'll find on pricier Forerunners, the 165 is a great option for runners and other athletes just getting into their sport.
Lightweight and comfortable to wear for extended periods, the Forerunner 165 boasts a bright AMOLED touchscreen that's highly visible, even in direct sunlight, a five-button design for easy navigation and accurate GPS tracking.
Battery life when using the GPS is good for up to 19 hours, more than enough for even the most challenging day hikes. Plus, the 165 keeps tabs on sleep, recovery, menstrual health and stress. It can also automatically alert emergency personnel if you fall while out on the trail.
Design:
The Forerunner 165 shares nearly the same design as the Forerunner 265 with three buttons along the left side of the case and two on the right. The 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen has a resolution of 390 x 390 pixels and is noticeably higher quality than the screen on the Forerunner 55. Water resistance is 50 meters, which is more than enough to survive sweat, splashes and short submersions.
Battery life:
With a full charge, which takes roughly two hours, the Forerunner 165 has enough juice in smartwatch mode to last roughly 11 days or 19 hours using the GPS to track a hike, walk, run or bike ride. This is a bit less than both the Forerunner 55 and 265 but still respectable. When using a mix of smartwatch mode and GPS tracking, you can expect it to last roughly one week.
Training features:
The Forerunner 165 has a lot of Garmin's best training and recovery features. For runners, PacePro can assist you in maintaining an ideal cadence. Body Battery is another useful tool that can help inform daily workout plans. Speaking of which, the Forerunner 165 provides workout suggestions, along with recommendations for post-workout recovery times, insights into sleep quality, stress and overall well-being.
Read the full review: Garmin Forerunner 165
Test | Notes | How it stacks up |
|---|---|---|
Battery life | 11 days (smartwatch), 19 hours (GPS) | ★★★☆☆ |
Features | Workout suggestions, Live Track, Incident Detection, Body Battery, Training Effect, Sleep tracking | ★★★★☆ |
Design | 1.2-inch case with five physical buttons and 50 meters of water resistance | ★★★★☆ |
Display | 390 x 390 pixels AMOLED touchscreen | ★★★★★ |
Best Garmin watch for triathlons
✅ 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.
❌ 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 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
Test | Notes | How it stacks up |
|---|---|---|
Battery life | 23 days smartwatch/ 31 hours GPS | ★★★★★ |
Features | Training Readiness, Training Status, Multisport modes, Chronic Training Load, Acute Load, Advanced mapping | ★★★★★ |
Design | 1.4 inch | ★★★★☆ |
Display | 454 x 454 pixels AMOLED touchscreen | ★★★★★ |
Best Garmin watch for hiking
✅ You want a long-lasting Garmin watch with the brand’s top features: Only the Instinct 3 can match the Enduro 3’s battery life, but it lacks the Enduro’s maps, smarts and training features.
✅ You’re put off the Fenix 8 by its high price: The Fenix 8 has even more features, but both the solar and AMOLED versions of the Fenix are more expensive than the Enduro 2.
❌ You want an AMOLED watch: The Garmin Fenix 8 and other models like the Forerunner 965 offer a brighter display than the Enduro 2.
❌ You see a great deal on the Enduro 2: The Enduro 3 is cheaper than the Enduro 2 on list price, but the 2 will be available in sales and mostly matches the 3 for features.
⌚ The Garmin Enduro 3 is an amazing adventure watch thanks to its durable design, long battery life and useful features like maps and a built-in flashlight.
What you need to know
The Garmin Enduro 2 was essentially a Fenix 7X Pro Plus, offering the same features as the Fenix with longer battery life, and a higher price tag. Garmin has made the distinction between the Fenix and Enduro lines clearer with the Enduro 3, which is now cheaper than the Fenix and focuses on long battery life and a lightweight design.
It misses out on some of the features introduced with the Fenix 8, like the mic and speaker and dive proof design, but the Enduro 3 still excels in the areas that matter for an adventure watch, offering maps, accurate tracking, outstanding battery life and a very durable design that includes a built-in flashlight and solar panels to extend the battery further.
Design: The Garmin Enduro 3 has a similar look to the Fenix line, with yellow accents on the bezel and button being the main difference, plus the fact the Enduro 3 comes with a nylon strap as standard. We find this more comfortable than Garmin’s silicone bands, and it helps to make the watch lighter — at 63g with the strap and 57g without, the Enduro 3 is lighter than the Fenix 8X, which also has a 51mm case.
While the memory-in-pixel display is not as bright and engaging as an AMOLED screen, we found the Enduro 3’s screen clear to read, especially when outdoors, and it lengthens the battery life of the watch. A titanium bezel and a sapphire crystal screen make the Enduro 3 very durable, and while it’s a large watch we found it comfortable to wear 24/7.
Battery life: One of the star features of the Enduro 3 is its battery life — if you’re in sunny conditions, it will last up to 90 days in watch mode and can last indefinitely in expedition GPS mode. Even if you use the more intensive and accurate GPS modes you can expect 60-90 hours of tracking. We found with heavy use, running every day without much sun, the watch lasted us 17-19 days on a charge, which is outstanding and only bettered by the Coros Vertix 2S in our testing.
Training features: Aside from the new diving modes introduced on the Garmin Fenix 8, the Enduro 3 has all of Garmin’s top training features, including insightful training analysis that rates your endurance and ability on hills, which will be handy for ultramarathon runners in particular.
The watch also tracks your training load, estimates your VO2 and race times, and gives a training readiness rating each day based on factors like your sleep, heart rate variability and recent training. The Enduro 3 has Garmin’s latest and most accurate Elevate Gen5 optical heart rate sensor which we found compared closely with a chest strap’s readings during our workouts, and offers multi-band GPS for extra accuracy and we didn’t experience any notable GPS errors throughout our testing.
Read our full review: Garmin Enduro 3
Test | Notes | How it stacks up |
|---|---|---|
Battery life | Up to 36 days/90 days with solar (watch mode) Up to 120 hours/320 hours with solar (GPS-only) | ★★★★★ |
Features | Training Readiness, Training Status, Multisport modes, Chronic Training Load, Acute Load, Advanced mapping, Hill score, Endurance score, Flashlight | ★★★★★ |
Design | 51mm case, 1.4-inch screen | ★★★★★ |
Display | 280 x 280 pixels MIP | ★★★★☆ |
Best Garmin watch for fitness
✅ You want a sports watch that doesn't look like a sports watch: The Garmin Lily 2 Active could easily pass as jewelry and is up there with the Oura ring in terms of being a discrete tracker.
✅ You want to track your periods from your watch: The Garmin Lily 2 Active is designed for female users and allows you to track your menstrual cycle and pregnancy from your wrist.
❌ You want Garmin's best training tools: The Garmin Lily 2 Active has built-in GPS and records basic workout data but doesn't offer as comprehensive training tools as you'll find on higher-end models.
❌ You want a color screen: The Lily 2 Active has a 16-level grayscale display.
⌚ The Garmin Lily 2 Active is a stylish and low-profile fitness tracking watch designed for women. While it doesn't offer the advanced training features found on some of Garmin's sportier wearables, onboard GPS is accurate and the battery is long-lasting.
What you need to know
If you’re looking for an activity tracker that doesn’t look like an activity tracker, the Garmin Lily 2 Active is for you. It’s arguably Garmin’s most fashionable smartwatch and has several useful tools for female users, including menstrual and pregnancy tracking, giving mums-to-be a better understanding of their day-to-day health.
The Lily 2 Active also boasts an onboard GPS for location tracking during workouts letting you leave your phone at home, something you won't find on the standard Lily 2 or Lily 2 Classic. The Active edition also boasts two physical buttons, which we prefer to use when starting and stopping a workout to the device's touchscreen. It additionally has NFC for mobile payments and over a week's worth of battery in normal smartwatch mode.
Design: The Garmin Lily 2 Active is designed with female users in mind. The aluminum case is a manageable 38mm in diameter, considerably smaller than most of Garmin's other watches. Weighing 29g, it's also one of the lightest watches in Garmin's range. The Lily's one-inch display is monochromatic and doesn't get nearly as bright as watches with AMOLED screens. That said, we found the display's high-contrast nature still results in decent readability in bright sunlight.
Battery life: Garmin rates the Lily 2 Active smartwatch for nine days of battery life in smartwatch mode, including overnight wear for sleep tracking, and nine hours when using GPS tracking. During testing, we found those figures to be right on the money. Moreover, 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. Still, for such a small device, battery life impresses.
Training features: The Garmin Lily 2 Active doesn't offer nearly as many trackable sports profiles as most of the other devices in our guide nor do you get Garmin's higher-end training tools, like Garmin Coach. But, it's perfectly suitable for keeping tabs on popular exercises like runs, walks, gym workouts, yoga, pilates and of course, pickleball.
Additionally, the Lily 2 Active offers 24/7 heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking and Garmin’s Body Battery feature to help you gauge your energy levels throughout the day. It additionally keeps tabs on stress, sleep quality and menstrual cycles.
For peace of mind, the Lily 2 Active has incident detection and emergency alerts, two tools that can alert loved ones or medical personnel in the event of a fall or accident.
Read our full Garmin Lily 2 Active review
Test | Notes | How it stacks up |
|---|---|---|
Battery life | Up to 9 days | ★★★★☆ |
Features | Heart rate, SpO2, Body Battery, Stress tracking, Women's Health tracking | ★★★☆☆ |
Design | 1.00” x 0.84” screen | ★★★☆☆ |
Display | 240 x 201 pixels grayscale touchscreen | ★★★☆☆ |
Best Garmin watch for marathons
✅ You want the best Garmin sports watch available: The Fenix 8 packs more features than other watches into a gorgeous design with a dazzling AMOLED screen.
✅ You want the dive mode and/or mic and speaker: These are the key additions to the Fenix 8 compared with older Garmins, along with the slightly improved battery life.
❌ You’re on a budget: The Fenix 8 is more expensive than other great AMOLED Garmin watches like the Epix Pro, Epix 2 and Forerunner 965, which offer similar sports tracking..
❌ You need the longest battery life possible: MIP models like the Fenix 8 Solar or Enduro 3 have duller displays, but will last longer on a charge than the Fenix 8.
⌚ The Garmin Fenix 8 is a brilliant sports watch with a fantastic design and will satisfy any keen athlete thanks to an extensive range of useful training tools.
What you need to know
The Garmin Fenix 8 is the flagship sports watch in Garmin’s range and now contains both AMOLED and MIP options, with the latter offering solar charging. The Fenix 8 AMOLED replaces the Garmin Epix Pro, while the Fenix 8 Solar replaces the Fenix 7 Pro. We prefer the AMOLED watch, which still offers great battery life and a much more engaging screen.
While the core sports tracking experience of using the Fenix 8 is similar to older Garmins, it has some unique features like a diveproof design and new dive sports modes and is also the first Fenix to have a mic and speaker. The user interface has also been updated and the AMOLED watch has slightly better battery life than the Epix Pro. As keen marathoners, we find the watch the perfect training tool, and it offers features that will also appeal to other athletes and adventurers.
Design: The Garmin Fenix 8 comes in three sizes — 43mm, 47mm and 51mm — all of which have built-in flashlights and vivid AMOLED displays. We tested the 51mm watch, which offers the best battery life but is also the heaviest and biggest, though you do get used to the feel of the watch on your wrist.
The AMOLED touchscreen is what makes the design stand out compared to the Fenix 8 Solar and Enduro 3 watches, which both have similar features but memory-in-pixel displays. The Fenix 8 also adds a mic and speaker and is dive-proof to depths of 40mm thanks to a design that includes leakproof buttons. You can get the watch with a titanium bezel and a sapphire crystal display, or a steel bezel and a glass display — the sapphire watch is lighter and more durable but costs $100 more.
Battery life: Despite having an AMOLED screen the Fenix 8 is still an impressively long-lasting watch, especially the 51mm model which lasted us 12-13 days even during marathon training when we were running every day with the screen set to always-on. You can also increase the battery life by using the raise-to-wake feature, which would be worthwhile with the smaller 43mm and 47mm models, which will then last 10-16 days on a charger, rather than four to seven with the screen always-on.
Training features: The Garmin Fenix 8 is a comprehensive sports tracker that also offers extensive and insightful training analysis. It can help you prepare for events like marathons through daily suggested workouts, training load analysis and a rating of your overall endurance, plus race predictions and a VO2 max estimate.
It also has modes for diving, which are the main sports tracking upgrades you get compared with the Fenix 7 Pro and Epix Pro. The GPS and heart rate tracing were reliably accurate throughout our testing, and while initially the sheer amount of information the watch provides about your training can be overwhelming, we quickly zoned in on the stats and analysis that were most helpful to us.
Read our full review: Garmin Fenix 8
Test | Notes | How it stacks up |
|---|---|---|
Battery life | 10 days (43mm), 16 days (47mm), 29 days (51mm) 28 hours (43mm), 47 hours (47mm), 84 hours (51mm) | ★★★★☆ |
Features | Training Readiness, Training Status, Multisport modes, Chronic Training Load, Acute Load, Advanced mapping, Hill score, Endurance score, Flashlight | ★★★★★ |
Design | 43mm case — 1.3-inch screen, 47mm & 51mm case —1.4-inch screen | ★★★★★ |
Display | 416 x 416 pixels (43mm), 454 x 454 pixels (47mm & 51mm) AMOLED touchscreen | ★★★★★ |
Best Garmin watch for golf
✅ 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.
❌ 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 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
Test | Notes | How it stacks up |
|---|---|---|
Battery life | Up to 14 days smartwatch/ 20 hours GPS | ★★★★☆ |
Features | Body Battery, Pulse ox, Sleep tracking, Garmin's golf features | ★★★★☆ |
Design | 1.3-inch screen | ★★★☆☆ |
Display | 260 x 260 pixels MIP display | ★★★☆☆ |
The best Garmin watch for battery life
✅ You care about battery life: All of the Garmin Instinct 3 models last for weeks at a time in smartwatch mode without needing a recharge; the Solar models can technically last forever with enough sunlight.
✅ You're looking for an adventure watch: This watch is rugged and hardwearing, designed to cope with knocks and drops. It's also rated for 100 meters of water resistance, making it suitable for most watersports.
✅ You want something lightweight and stylish: It comes in two sizes and a wide variety of fun colors.
❌ You want access to offline maps: Unlike higher-end Garmins, including the Enduro 3 and Forerunner 965, the Instinct 3 doesn't support downloading and saving detailed maps for offline navigation.
❌ You want to download and save music to your watch: The Instinct 3 also doesn't support downloading and saving music to the device for offline listening.
❌ You care about smart features: The Instinct 3 offers few outside of NFC payments and mirrored smartphone notifications.
⌚ The Garmin Instinct 3 is a cheaper version of the Fenix 8 with most of the same features, including support for a huge range of outdoor activities, mind-blowing battery life and a rugged design. All that's missing, really, is support for downloading maps and music.
What you need to know
The Garmin Instinct 3 comes in both 45mm and 50mm and your choice of solar-powered charging or a comparably brighter, higher-resolution AMOLED screen (without solar). The Solar models can technically last forever with enough sunlight, while the AMOLED models should provide weeks of use before needing a charge-up. All models boast impressive GPS tracking, support for a huge range of workout types, 100 meters of water resistance and a supremely handy onboard LED 'torch' flashlight tucked into the bezel.
Design: The Instinct line has always boasted a rugged-meets-sporty design ethos and the third iteration is no exception. Reasonably lightweight and comfortable on the wrist, the latest model comes in 45mm and 50mm instead of 40mm and 45mm like its predecessor. However, a stripped-down version of the Instinct 3, dubbed the Instinct E, is available in 40mm.
There's no touchscreen, rather, the UI revolves around five physical buttons with different functions depending on how long you press them. These controls are customizable and though there's a bit of a learning curve to operating the watch, once you get your head around it and the buttons/shortcuts tailored to your liking, it's a pleasure to interact with.
This is the first Instinct model with an optional AMOLED screen. Compared to the MIP displays found in the Instinct 3 Solar editions and past Instinct models, AMOLED offers a more immersive visual experience. Put another way, these screens are easier to view in bright daylight than the older tech.
Battery life: In standard smartwatch mode, the Instinct 3 Solar models can easily surpass a month of use without needing a recharge. However, toss in roughly three hours of sunlight a day, and they can last forever. The AMOLED models, meanwhile, will last between two and three weeks in smartwatch mode before needing a juice-up.
Want to track an epic outdoor activity? The Solar models can keep tabs on your adventures for four to six days straight, depending on which size you choose, while the AMOLED models offer roughly 2.5 days of tracking for the 45mm model and 3.5 days for the 50mm option.
In addition to impressive battery life, the Instinct 3 is also quick to recharge; a full power-up can be accomplished in about two hours.
Training features: The Instinct 3 sticks with the same Elevate V4 heart sensor found in its predecessor as well as the Fenix 7, rather than the newer Elevate V5 sensor offered in the Fenix 8. Still, Instinct 3 offers many of Garmin's best training tools, including Body Battery, Training Readiness Score, in-depth sleep quality analysis, workout recovery time suggestions and blood oxygen saturation monitoring. However, there are no ECG readings.
Read our full review: Garmin Instinct 3
Test | Notes | How it stacks up |
|---|---|---|
Battery life | Unlimited (solar) | ★★★★★ |
Features | Body Battery, Vo2 max readings, SpO2, sleep tracking | ★★★★☆ |
Design | 0.9- and 1.1-inch MIP displays on Solar models, 1.2- and 1.3-inch screens on AMOLED models, 100 meters water resistance for all models | ★★★★☆ |
Display | 176 x 176 pixels MIP display (45mm & 50mm Solar), 390 x 390 pixel AMOLED (45mm AMOLED), 416 x 416 pixel AMOLED (50mm AMOLED) | ★★★☆☆ |
Also tested
At Tom's Guide, we test a lot of smartwatches, including nearly every new Garmin model that gets released. As a result, some models don't quite make the cut for this buying guide. Still, some of these close-but-no-cigar Garmins may be worthy of your consideration; find our favorite runners-up below.
Best Garmin Watches: Features comparison
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Forerunner 265 | Forerunner 55 | Forerunner 165 | Forerunner 965 | Enduro 3 | Lily 2 Active | Fenix 8 | Approach S62 | Instinct 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Screen size (inches) | 1.1" (265S), 1.3" (265) | 1" | 1.2" | 1.4" | 1.4" | 1” x 0.84” | 1.3" (43mm), 1.4" (47mm), 1.4" (51mm) | 1.3" | 0.9" (45mm Solar ), 1.1" (50mm Solar). 1.2" (45mm AMOLED), 1.3" (50mm AMOLED) |
Resolution (pixels) | 416 x 416 (265), 360 x 360 (265S) | 208 x 208 | 390 x 390 | 454 x 454 | 280 x 280 | 240 x 201 | 416 x 416 (43mm), 454 x 454 (47mm, 51mm) | 260 x 260 | 176 x 176 (45mm & 50mm Solar), 390 x 390 (45mm AMOLED), 416 x 416 (50mm AMOLED) |
Weight | 39g (265S), 47g (265) | 37g | 39 g | 53g | 63g | 29g | 66g (43mm), 80g (47mm), 102g (51mm) | 61g | 52g (45mm Solar), 58g (50mm Solar), 53g (45mm AMOLED), 59g (50mm AMOLED) |
GPS battery life | 24 hours GPS (265S), 20 hours GPS (265) | 20 hours | 19 hours | 31 hours | 120 hours | 9 hours | 28 hours (43mm), 47 hours (47mm), 84 hours (51mm) | 20 hours | 100+ hours (45mm Solar), 150+ hours (50mm Solar), 68 hours (45mm AMOLED), 86 hours (50mm AMOLED) |
Smartwatch battery life | 15 days (265S), 24 hours (265) | 14 days | 11 days | 23 days | 36 days (90 days w/ solar) | Up to 9 days | 10 days (43mm), 16 days (47mm), 29 days (51mm) | 14 days | 28+ days (45mm Solar), 40+ days (50mm Solar), 18 days (45mm AMOLED), 24 days (50mm AMOLED) |
Built-in GPS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Garmin Pay | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Touchscreen | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Memory | 8GB | 200 hours | 4GB (Forerunner 165 Music, only) | 32GB | 32GB | 12GB | 32GB | 1GB | 128MB (Solar models), 4GB (AMOLED models) |
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 8, Enduro 3 and Instinct 3 (Solar) 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 3, Garmin Forerunner 165, 265 and Forerunner 965 all 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. Some models, like Forerunner 165, come with optional music storage for an extra $50. Others, like the Venu 3 offer the feature standard.
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 8 in 51mm. 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
We test the best Garmin watch models by strapping them to our wrists and wearing them 24/7 for several weeks. During this time, we're assessing every aspect of the device, including design and comfort, battery life claims, tracking accuracy, and any new features or training tools.
When it comes to comfort, some watches are pretty bulky, which means they may fit awkwardly on smaller wrists or prove burdensome for all-day wear. Design-wise, we're also paying attention to how the watch holds up to the daily bumps and bruises of daily life, including encounters with water.
For athletes, a bright and easy-to-read screen is a must for checking stats while on the go, something we take into great account. Ease of use additionally gets consideration; are there physical buttons, a touchscreen, or a combo of both? We prefer the latter.
When it comes to assessing fitness tracking features, we're all about putting the best Garmin watch models to the test against other proven devices. Sometimes that involves walking thousands of steps with a popular tracker on either wrist, like when we pitted the Garmin Forerunner 165 vs. the Polar Grit X2 Pro or when the Garmin Forerunner 265 took on the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
During these head-to-head showdowns, we're not only comparing fitness stats from each watch but GPS tracking accuracy and battery efficiency as well. Post-workout, we dive into Garmin's training and recovery tools. Are the insights useful and actionable, or are they just stating the obvious?
The same approach is taken when assessing sleep-tracking data. Do the results correlate with our perceived sleep quality? Finally, we try out any of the device's extra features, like mobile payments, onboard music storage, downloadable maps, and voice support.
Once testing wraps up, all of this information, which includes a mix of qualitative impressions and quantitative comparisons gets condensed down into an official Tom's Guide Garmin watch review, at which point, the device is considered for inclusion in this buying guide.
FAQs
Do all Garmin watches have GPS?
No, not all Garmin Watch models have onboard GPS, but most do. All of the models in our buying guide boast GPS, which means that you won't need to carry a paired phone with you for location-tracking data.
Garmin models that don't have GPS include the standard Lily 2 and the Vivosmart 5, which is more of a fitness tracker than a smartwatch.
Which Garmin watch models have maps?
Only Garmin's higher-end watch models offer the ability to download and manage maps to your device for offline use. These include the Garmin Forerunner 965 (and 955), Enduro 3 (and Enduro 2), Fenix 8 (and Fenix 7) and the Garmin Epix series.
Which Garmin watch models can answer a phone call or text?
A small selection of Garmin watches have built-in microphones and speakers, allowing you to take calls from the wrist via a Bluetooth-paired smartphone or dictate a message. These include the Garmin Venu 2 and 3, as well as the Garmin Fenix 8.
Some Garmin models offer the ability to send a quick reply from the wrist by selecting from a list of pre-written messages. However, this feature only works with Android devices.
Which Garmin watch is best for navigation?
There are two types of navigation available in Garmin's range. Top-end models like the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 965 have offline maps and can create routes for you on the fly, or reroute you if you go off course.
Cheaper models like the Forerunner 165 and Garmin Instinct 3 offer breadcrumb navigation, with turn-by-turn instructions and a line and pointer to keep you on track, but no actual maps.
Garmin's maps are the best navigation tool available on any sports watch and it's worth investing in a watch with them if that's a priority for you. If you're on a budget, then older watches with maps like the Garmin Epix 2 and Garmin Forerunner 955 are often in sales.
If possible, we recommend getting an AMOLED Garmin if you're going to use the maps a lot, as they are clearer on the AMOLED display, though this does reduce battery life compared to an MIP Garmin.
Which Garmin watch is the most smartwatch like?
The Garmin Venu 3 is the brand's most smartwatch-like model. However, it doesn't offer nearly as many smart features or apps as alternatives from Apple, Google or Samsung. And there's no option for LTE connectivity. The smartwatch features it does have include support for virtual voice assistants and phones calls, onboard storage for music and NFC for mobile payments.
Is Garmin better than Apple?
Garmin and Apple watches have a lot of similar features, but excel in different areas. Garmin watches are better for battery life, sports tracking, training analysis and navigation, while Apple watches excel on design, fitness tracking and smart features in particular. Both are great options for sports tracking, but which is better will depend on your priorities.
How do I 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. Once you've downloaded the app and signed up, you can begin the pairing process.
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.
Additionally, depending on your Garmin 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. Garmin Coach lives under the 'training' tab in the app and features loads of options to suit all abilities and 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.
