Garmin expands Forerunner line of GPS running watches with five new models for every budget
While Garmin makes all kinds of wearable devices, ranging from super-basic activity trackers to luxury smartwatches, its central focus remains on so-called GPS running watches, designed to take on the likes of the Fitbit Versa rather than the global market-leading Apple Watch family.
But not all athletes have the same passion, drive, and needs, which is why Garmin is today vastly expanding the Forerunner lineup with five new models ranging in price from $199.99 to $599.99. These are joining the entry-level $100 Forerunner 25, mid-range $350 Forerunner 735XT, and a $450 Forerunner 645 Music that lets you store your favorite tunes directly on your wrist, as well as supporting contactless payments.
Obviously, the newly unveiled Garmin Forerunner 45 and Forerunner 45S come with no such advanced features, although their built-in heart rate monitor and standalone GPS functionality are arguably enough to justify a $200 price tag. In case you're wondering, the main difference between these two models is the smaller 39 mm case of the 45S (compared to a 42-milimeter "standard" Forerunner 45 variant).
Not exactly the world's most stylish wearable products, the Forerunner 45 series also comes with "chemically strengthened" glass, a silicone strap, relatively small display, top-notch water resistance, lengthy battery life (up to 7 days in "smartwatch mode"), and all the elementary fitness tracking features a casual runner would ever need.
At $350, the Garmin Forerunner 245 Music adds the ability to hold up to 500 songs into the equation, as well as more "advanced features to help runners improve." Basically, you can get personalized recommendations on smarter ways to train and recover after intense workouts, not to mention a larger and sharper screen, stronger Gorilla Glass 3 lens protection, and improved battery life in "GPS mode." There's also a non-Music Forerunner 245 version available in exchange for $299.99.
Last but certainly not least, the $600 Garmin Forerunner 945 is purportedly "made for the driven, the qualifiers, and the elite", holding up to 1,000 songs (with both Spotify and Deezer support), while aiming to take your training to the next level with all the state-of-the-art activity tracking technologies and sensors available today, from VO2 Max to Pulse Ox and a bunch of complex performance monitoring tools.
The Forerunner 945 can keep the lights on for up to two weeks on a single charge with the GPS switched off, while supporting wrist payments and boasting an extra-robust body with Gorilla Glass DX protection.
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