Verdict
The Garmin Forerunner 955 is the most complete entry into the fitness and positioning specialist ’s cardio - focus line of wearables that we ’ve tested . It offers the robust space and fitness tracking we ’ve come to expect from Garmin , alongside a few rising slope and features normally reserved for the more expensive Fenix cable . This make it an fantabulous choice for most mid - level and serious cardio fanatics who are look to take their workouts or race times to the next level .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The Garmin Forerunner 955 is the long - awaited follow - up to the 945 that debut more than two year ago . In Garmin ’s lineup of sports - focussed smartwatches , it sits below theFenix 7and Enduro lines , but well above the cheaperVivosmart 5and its more affordable sibling , the Forerunner 255 .
It ’s a sports tracker , designed for serious athletes who want a slick wearable to help them take aim for runs and triathlons .
Its arrival is a big deal because , as you ’ll see if you climb up over to ourbest physical fitness trackerand well run watch guides , Garmin machine tend to strike our referee when they ’re put through their pace . Which is the rationality we had high hope for this novel wearable when it make it .
gratefully , following the use of the 955 as my primary feather tracker over the course of three workweek , I can confirm it is one ofthebest take to the woods watchesfor its quarry market . This is because , despite coming with a inexpensive RRP than the older 945 when it launched , Garmin has pull off to lade up the 955 with a host of young feature that make the watch a clear gradation up on the 945 , and an easy testimonial for semi - serious athletes . Here ’s everything you involve to fuck about it .
Design and Screen
Stepping away from using the Fenix 7 as my everyday tracker , the 955 immediately appeared smaller and more distinct , despite sharing a lot of the core design elements . The spherical material body is a full few millimetres thinner , and the sieve is about half a centimeter smaller .
The small dimensions coupled with my reexamination whole ’s inglorious colour make this catch comfortable for wearing outside of the gym , too , or with a suit without look out of billet .
The only flimsy downside is that unlike the Fenix , the frame here is n’t metal , and there ’s no lazuline shabu option either . This means that despite the 955 ’s 5 ATM ( 50 m ) water - opposition rating , I ’ve been far more conservative about using the Forerunner to track more extreme sports . While it ’s well made , doing OK through activities such as swims , runnel , cycles and hikes , for example , I ’m not convince that the 955 would hold up an accidental showdown with a careen on a climb wall , the room the Fenix 7 did when I used it .
Despite featuring the same transflective memory - in - pixel ( MIP ) display engineering as the Fenix , which made that watch a small difficult to read outdoors , the Forerunner ’s screen proved to be noticeably brighter out of the box seat . This meant it remained legible in smart , sunstruck conditions .
Also like the Fenix 7 , the screen here has been upgraded to feature touch support . As such , you’re able to habituate your fingerbreadth to scroll through the lookout man ’s menu and ordain mastery , alongside using the five forcible buttons on the gimmick ’s side .
The touch input is welcome , and I did apply it on affair – but , in truth , it was the more dependable forcible buttons that I used for the majority of time . The push button trace the exact pattern of past Garmin machine . The bottom - left push button act as up and down ascendancy ; the top - left input signal activate the backlight ; the top - right hand push act as a “ yes ” remark and shortcut to the spotter ’s activity tracking menu ; and the bottom right input serves as a back button .
Although touch control sound like they ’d be intuitive , I found that the 955 ’s filmdom was n’t as responsive as theAMOLEDdisplay seen on theGalaxy Watch 4,Apple watch out SEand Garmin’sVenu 2S , especially when my finger’s breadth was even moderately wet . All too often , the spotter would n’t recognise swipe and tap input on the first attempt while function with the gimmick , clear it quicker and easier to just habituate the strong-arm buttons .
Tracking and Features
The biggest changes to the Garmin Forerunner 955 are on the interior . Garmin has promote the watch to include a identification number of advanced features encounter on the Fenix 7 , while also adding a few post workout analytics services that are unequaled to the 955 and 255 .
At a proficient stratum these admit an upgrade to multi - bandGPSsupport and the Garmin Elevate V4 ocular HR sensing element . Missing from the older 945 equipment , both fresh characteristic drive to extend improvements in a couple of cardinal way . The unexampled GPS accompaniment shoot for to help distance trailing stability , connectedness potency and speed . Meanwhile the nitty-gritty rate sensor , which we first saw on theVenu 2 , aims to rescue more precise heart rate and SpO2 tracking . The multi - band GPS is also the elemental discriminator between the 955 and the cheap Forerunner 255 , which we ’re in the cognitive process of reviewing .
Then , at a software program level , the 955 provides the ability to track many more activity while redeem a wealth of more developed reportage automobile mechanic and data points .
In use , the 955 felt like the most developed Forerunner I ’ve tested to date . The GPS felt significantly more snappy , and I did n’t notice any real difference of opinion in the metre it took , compared to the Fenix 7 , to secure a stable connective .
Using it to track my dawn cardio school term each day , three 5 km runs per week and outings on my bike around London , the gimmick perform wonderfully . Aside from one dropout while cycling around Stratford , a officious sign area with many tall building , localization trailing proved exact . run around a racecourse I screw is more or less 5.3 km , the Forerunner 955 never take more than 0.11 kilometer from that figure , being in line of descent with the figures enter on the Fenix 7 against which I was test the equipment .
HRM trailing was also on power point , albeit not practiced in class . There were a few anomalies during intenseHIITsessions ; but , on the whole , the shape matched those look on the Fenix 7 , prove sufficiently uniform to keep track of my spirit rate zones and monitor progression . That said , if you want the best accuracy potential then I ’d powerfully recommend investing in an HRM strap . These offer more accurate data , especially in vivid physical exertion such as HIIT , where wrist joint - found sensors clamber to keep up with the repeated and substantial variation in your essence rate .
However , like all the top - end Garmin gimmick I test , what distinguish the Forerunner 955 from most low-priced tracker and less focused smartwatches such as theApple Watch 7and Galaxy Watch 4 , are its advanced postal service workout analytics and coaching powers .
Here , the Forerunner 955 feels far nearer to the Fenix 7 than the older Forerunner 945 . For starters , following each run , the grooming status metric offers importantly particular about the gain you might have made aerobically and anaerobically , which also render a gage about whether you ’re getting close to peaking or overreaching with the exercise . This , plus the detailed breakdown of the prison term you spent in each nitty-gritty rate zona and uniformVO2 Maxestimates and SpO2 reading , make this a great equipment for wash training or cosmopolitan attempts to improve your 5 kilometre and 10 kilometer clock time .
The upgraded internal storage space also meant that , unlike the 945 , I was able-bodied to store a reasonable amount of euphony and map topically on the 955 . This made it nimble and easy for me to get act - by - routine navigation while cycling , and access music without necessitate to choke up my phone along with me .
However , what really go under the 955 asunder from any other Garmin wearable at the bit is its selection of new trailing features . The 1 I ’ve appreciate most are the Modern daily report , training set , HRV status and race calendar features .
Daily report does just what it says on the atomic number 50 , providing a summary of all the data the watch has collected over the retiring 24 time of day . This includes summary of how you ’ve slept , your current training zeal and the eccentric of workout , if any , the gadget would recommend to help achieve your goals . In particular , I ’ve find the morning study very useful for design my day around the sentinel ’s physical exertion testimonial . The only pointedness of question is that the 955 , like all the vesture I ’ve tested recently , continues to maintain that I ’m terrible at sleep – which is the one region in which I ’m certain I do n’t have any takings .
Training readiness can be get at from the watch ’s main card . It complements the training effect and VO2 Max estimate features seen on Garmin ’s Fenix line . It offers a simple musical score free-base on the biometric datum the vigil has collect , alongside any wash or goals you have set in the Garmin IQ app , to tell you how ready you are to train . The higher the number , the more ready you are .
To make things even easier to understand the system of measurement is colour - coded , with red and orangish denoting that you ask to take it slow , and green indicating that you ’re suitably recovered . As an added fillip , click into the widget will take up a summary of the reasons for that exceptional status . Throughout screen the feature film has spotlight a lack of sleep as a key ground that I ’m not recovering as quickly as I should be .
HRV Status is another metric that helps to design out your repose and physical exertion years more easily . It takes an average of your heart rate and other data collected over the first three weeks of bear the watch , after which you ’ll receive insights on your stress floor and their frequency . Combined , these metrics have helped me to identify a number of issues that are affecting my education progress of which I was altogether unaware , even having come from the Fenix 7 .
The only real downside to the Forerunner 955 is that , like all the Garmin gadget we ’ve quiz , it offers very limited smartwatch functionality . The on - circuit card music controls influence well enough , but for streamer there are few options , with big name such as Tidal not being supported . This is taxonomical of a wider app shortage in Garmin ’s ecosystem . In summation , Garmin Pay still is n’t widely supported in several markets , including the UK . As a result , on the smartwatch side of thing , the 955 is only really sound for the bedrock , such as incoming notification alerts .
Battery Life
Garmin sells the standard 955 alongside a Solar pick . The latter allows charging of the gadget using solar Department of Energy . Traditionally , we ’ve found that , in decent light , such an choice enable you to get an extra hour of GPS purpose out of a machine . This was the character with the Solar variant of the 955 we had in for review – although , until I get the non - Solar interpretation in , I ca n’t sensibly comment on how the battery life of the two magnetic variation compare . I ’ll update this review as and when I get in the base model .
However , even without using solar energy for top - up , the 955 provide solid battery life history . During my prison term review the twist , I was easily able to get a full week of backbreaking habit out of it . This was with using the 955 to control my music and keep lead of incoming notification , as well as providing directions during oscillation and tracking my daily 30 - mo cardio workout and three 5 km runs .
By smartwatch banner this is pretty impressive . By comparison , we had to accuse the Apple Watch 7 every two Clarence Day with similar use . However , the build does put the Forerunner 955 slimly behind its heavy , and more expensive , Fenix 7 andEndurosiblings . The Fenix normally survived between 1.5 - 2 weeks with like usage . The Enduro managed to make it through nearly a month .
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Should you buy it?
The 955 is n’t rugged enough to survive utmost activity , but for cardio fanatics it ’s the unspoilt option currently available , offer wonderfully elaborated analytics , utile coaching job tips and a comfortable marathon - quick tantrum .
For those just convey into exercise , there are more suitable wear , admit Garmin ’s own Vivosmart 5 – it ’s crummy and offer all the functionality you ’ll need to find your pace . Garmin ’s heavy focus on fitness tracking also take a shit the 955 a poor choice for emptor who want a smartwatch first and tracker second . These tribe would be well opting for a dedicated smartwatch .
Final Thoughts
The Garmin Forerunner 955 is one of the most impressive running watches I ’ve tested in quite some fourth dimension . It borrows most of the upright features get a line on the more expensiveFenix 7and brings them down to a more low-priced price power point , making it a antic option for cardio fiend and triathletes . The only downside is that its analytics and Mary Leontyne Price make it overkill for young , or more casual runners , who will be better off commit in a more affordable wearable such as the Vivosmart 5 . It is fictile , rather than alloy , chassis also intend extreme sports fan or more hardcore jock would do well to opt for the Fenix or Enduro instead .
Trusted Score
How we test
We thoroughly test every fitness tracker we critique . We apply industriousness standard testing to liken features in good order and we habituate the spotter as our master machine over the revaluation menstruum . We ’ll always tell you what we find and we never , ever , accept money to review a product .
FAQs
The Forerunner 955 underpin Spotify and Deezer . But services such as Tidal , Apple Music and Prime Music are n’t available .
The Forerunner 955 share many of the same core feature as the Fenix 7 , but its plastic chassis and the deficiency of a Sapphire Glass option have in mind it is n’t knotty .
Garmin does n’t currently provide the Forerunner 955 with an OLED screen option . The only climb you may opt for is to tot up Solar charging to the twist .
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Sustainability
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As part of this mission , whenever we review a ware we send the company a series of interrogative sentence to aid us gauge and make transparent the shock the equipment has on the surroundings .
We currently have n’t received answers to the inquiry on this product , but will update this varlet the moment we do . you’re able to see a detailed breakdown of the question we ask and why in oursustainability information page .
