We’ve scrutinized Garmin’s watch lineup, from the entry-level to the all-singing, all-dancing Fenix 6.
Choosing the best Garmin watch needn’t be hard, as we’ve rounded up the very best options for every user – whether you’re a seasoned road runner, just getting into regular workouts, or love hitting the trails on the weekends. If you’re just starting out you might want to consider the Garmin Forerunner 30 for example, while serious athletes might opt for the Garmin Fenix 6. There are many, many other great Garmin watches to consider, and for each of them we’ve included an overview, a specs list, and the main good and bad points, so you can easily narrow down the options. Ultimately, you shouldn’t go too wrong with any of the Garmin watches below, but for a closer look at any, make sure to click through to our full reviews. And if you’re not sold on any of Garmin’s output, head over to our best smartwatch or best running watch guides for other options. Oh, and check back regularly, because we’ll be updating all these guides whenever new contenders emerge. We’ve recently had our hands on the new Garmin Forerunner 745, and will be adding it to this roundup if we find it worthy in our long-term tests. The Garmin Fenix 6 is perhaps the ultimate multi-sport smartwatch, and certainly the ultimate one offered by Garmin. Or, well, the Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar is anyway, but the entire Fenix 6 range is truly top-end as wearables go. The Garmin Fenix 6 will track almost any outdoor activity you could possibly want, with GPS along with a heart rate monitor that even works underwater. GPS locks on fast and works reliably in our experience, battery life is impressive, and the watch feels robust – if bulky. The high price will put many people off and if you’re not sure you really need the Garmin Fenix 6 then, well, you probably don’t. In that case, consider one of the cheaper options elsewhere on this list, but for serious athletes and adventurers, particularly those who don’t stick to just one sport, the Fenix 6 comes highly recommended. Read our full Garmin Fenix 6 review Jumping up another price bracket now, and we’re faced with the Forerunner 35, a more fashion-conscious mid-range unit that’s packing some powerful functions. The most obvious difference between the 35 and all of the watches detailed above is the introduction of Garmin’s Elevate technology, which enables heart rate monitoring at the wrist. This addition means you don’t have to go to the trouble of donning a chest strap before every run, and it also enables the unit to measure your heart rate throughout the day, building up a detailed profile. While this is clearly of benefit, the wrist-based heart rate monitoring of this Garmin watch is not without its faults, particularly when it comes to tracking heart rate during interval sessions. When compared to the heart rate readings of a traditional chest-mounted monitor, the wrist-based version is a little slow to react to rapid rises and falls in heart rate, although it performs well on steadier runs.
