Verdict
An excellent sports sentry , which is reliable and full of the fitness boast you most need . However it ’s just for physical fitness fanatic , and wo n’t fit the broadsheet if you require an all - pear-shaped smartwatch .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Garmin ’s running watches have gained a cult - like follow among outdoorsy athletes , and it ’s not hard to see why . With a laser - like focus on seaworthiness and aloofness trailing , over the bells and whistle of smartwatches , previous models in the Forerunner series have been reliable fellow traveller , especially for the triathlon disciplines .
Having used the Garmin Forerunner 245 for a identification number of years , I was curious to see if the new model really is one of thebest linear watchesaround , or whether you might as well hold onto your cash and wait for the next one .
Design and Screen
The Garmin Forerunner 255 is useable in two separate case sizes , one appraise 41 mm and the other measuring 44 mm . Supplied with a charge card shoulder strap and available in a range of different colours , it still very much face like what it is , which is a sports tracking watch ; you ’re improbable to wear this when you ’re going out , but that ’s when you ’re least potential to need it .
One notable aspect of the aim is the gain of bright yellowish highlights ; there ’s one short letter which runs around the casing , another on one of the crowns , and a minor wrinkle that manoeuver to the Start button . These are n’t ever so tending . While this piping does add a more or less “ louder ” aspect to the watch it ’s not ever so trouble , with the timepiece mostly seeming unremarkable , at least in blackness .
While the watch is made of credit card , and feels it , this material is lightweight ( at just 49 gram ) and evidently does the job as far as lustiness is concern , with it resistant to water up to5ATM .
While some scout feel gawky and deflect to wear on the wrist , I receive that this one outfit me snugly and never was a distraction , which is precisely what you want when you ’re out run away . The watch cheek is not particularly turgid either , and so as someone with near wrists I also felt that it did n’t look out of proportionality .
The projection screen again does its job without being specially flashy ; it ’s not got the pin - sharp resolution or the bursting colour of theHuawei Watch GT Runnerfor instance , but it does what it needs to do . Given that this is a stark mutation watch rather than a literal smartwatch , all you take is to be able to see the display intelligibly and ideally have it always on , and it does achieve those two project but admittedly it ’s not a joy to use , and the brightness in particular could be better .
It ’s not touchscreen either , with all stimulation being from the five buttons around the incline . However , I see that a strength rather than a weakness , because it mean you’re able to always record input signal regardless of the weather condition weather condition or the sudor on your custody , and so that ’s of special practicality if you do a lot of outdoorsy activities .
As far as the design is concerned , you ’re unlikely to fall in love life with this watch from its utilitarian flavour , but it does serve its intent well , being comfy and discrete , with a clear if unspectacular screen , and it seems relatively robust too .
Tracking and Features
The Forerunner 255 has plenitude of excellent fitness feature so that you’re able to keep on cartroad of your exercise , and of your fitness as well . I took it for a few running academic term , and I was very impressed by how well it held up .
I particularly noticed that the GPS trailing tend to be more reliable than that of the Forerunner 245 ; for one thing , it connected much more rapidly when start a run ( generally within just a few seconds , which was highly commodious ) and for another , I found that it was less prone to the remaining pip of inaccuracy that I at times live from its predecessor .
However , when in more dumb urban domain , with buildings of around five storeys or more on all side , then I did receive the tracking was less reliable , though you ca n’t really expect any different .
Once your exercise is over , there ’s a wealthiness of information to concentrate over on the Garmin Connect app on your phone , and also tidy sum that ’s accessible on the watch itself if that ’s more convenient .
Split times , pace , calories burned , elevation , and heart rate are all here , as you ’d bear , but you’re able to also pick up the anaerobiotic and aerophilic benefits of your exercise , the warmheartedness rate zone you ’ve been exercise in , your stride length and cadence when draw , and more . This watch help you get a very full and coarse-textured motion-picture show of how well you ’ve been act upon out .
The 24/7 heart pace tracking was also very accurate , generally concurring nearly with the results I sire from a dresser strap proctor . This statistic evidently feed into other health stats that are on the watch , and these are plentiful for keeping an eye on your fitness ; it can give anSpO2reading , estimates your VO2 Max after each run , monitors your sleep through the Nox , flags if your nerve rate is unusual , and follows your stress levels through the day as well .
All taken together , you’re able to speedily build up an accurate picture of your day - to - day wellness thanks to this machine , which encourages you to wear thin it on a regular basis rather than just for running .
I peculiarly found that sleep tracking was a utile and accurate metric , and appreciated being able to keep tabs on how well I had catch one’s breath . What ’s more , when you waken up you ’ll be greeted by a new feature name Morning Report which not only severalise you how well you ’ve slept but also lets you know your recovery time from your last preparation session , your training condition , the weather , and any upcoming events in your calendar if you ’ve choose to synchronise it .
However , it has to be said that this watch does not offers oodles of “ smart characteristic ” ; whereas some smartwatches can function more or less like a second miniskirt - smartphone on your radiocarpal joint , this one is firmly not in that coterie . While it fall loaded with wellness insights , you could customise the watch face , and you could draw through some notifications such as calls and text , you do n’t have admittance to a huge and varied app fund as you do with the likes of theApple Watch Series 7or even theSamsung Galaxy Watch 5 , so if that ’s the kind of companion you ’re face for then you should steer unmortgaged of this Garmin .
However , if fitness is your focus , and peculiarly if you ’re a keen runner , then this watch offers a brilliant raiment of honest features to keep on top of your functioning , without being as expensive as some of the other wearables in Garmin ’s product line .
Battery Life
Battery life story is another key benefit of this wearable , which will make it particularly useful for ultra runners , or anyone who simply does n’t partiality appoint their vigil on a veritable cornerstone ( which I ’d estimate is pretty much all of us . )
Garmin quotes the Forerunner 255 as having a assault and battery life of 14 days in smartwatch mode , 30 hours in GPS - only GNSS mode , and 25 hours in all - systems GNSS mode , while it will last 16 hour with all - systems GNSS mode on , in addition to multi - band . Taking the good example of a 5 km running play , I only lose 4 % of the assault and battery lifetime once nail .
I found that barrage fire liveliness generally did last a long time , and it never prey on my judgment . I went for days and daylight at a metre without charging , despite average out 3 long - distance runs per week , on top of hold out it on a daily and nightly basis too .
When charging back up again , the gadget find 50 % bang in under half an hour , so even if you observe the wearable ’s low barrage before setting out on a 10k streamlet , it ’s still dead possible to give the watch fifteen minutes or so and have more than enough battery life to toy with .
Its long - last barrage and comparatively ready charging were strengths of this gadget , allow you to focus on your fitness without have that nagging feeling in the back of your idea that you ’d need to plug it in again soon .
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Should you buy it?
A true and accurate sports watch that ’s ideal for tracking your activities and measuring progress
If you ’re hop-skip for an all - round smartwatch or , conversely , a gaudy activity tracker , then this might not be correct for you
Final Thoughts
The Garmin Forerunner 255 is a very warm sports watch , which offers all the tracking information you ’re likely to want to keep on top of your wellness and physical fitness .
Serious athletes apart , few citizenry will need a watch more feature film - mob than this if they require to keep tabs on their exercise , across a reach of activities admit the triathlon disciplines , and also their wellness , from the heartbeat to sleep tracking .
All these features are offered at a sensible price ; though if you want a lookout man that packs in raft of smart features as well , then you ’re probable to be disappoitned , as the Forerunner 255 is quite limited in this regard .
Trusted Score
How we test
We thoroughly examine every fitness tracker we refresh . We use industry standard examination to equate features in good order and we habituate the watch as our main machine over the review period . We ’ll always tell you what we find and we never , ever , accept money to survey a product .
FAQs
Yes , it is water resistant up to 5ATM
Test Data
Full Specs
Sustainability
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