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    Garmin Forerunner 955 review: The best runner’s watch, period

    For years, Garmin reserved its cream-of-the-crop options for its costliest watches; when you could not afford a Fenix or Epix, the Forerunner 945 was the perfect various most may afford, however even then it was costly and heavy for a considerably restricted upside. With the Garmin Forerunner 955, your impression of it would rely solely upon which Garmin watches you body it in opposition to. It simply crushes its predecessor for sheer variety of software program upgrades, stealing options that the Fenix lineup used to horde for itself. For Garmin devotees used to cheaper fashions, they will evaluate the 955 in opposition to the extra inexpensive Garmin Forerunner 255, which I praised as a near-perfect runner’s watch regardless of its cheaper price level. The Forerunner 955 and 255 share about 90% of their options, have near-identical appears and weights and goal the identical viewers. Unsurprisingly, I discovered the Forerunner 955 simply as wonderful because the 255, with only a few extra causes to love it. If you evaluate the Forerunner 255 Music in opposition to the non-solar 955, they’re solely $100 aside, too. So in testing the 955, I noticed that one of the simplest ways to border this Garmin Forerunner 955 overview is to immediately evaluate it in opposition to the opposite watch that the majority runners will assume to purchase as an alternative. So whereas I’ll decide the Forerunner 955 by itself deserves, I’ll additionally try to make use of this area to share the place the 955 pulls away from the 255, and whether or not or not you may care sufficient about these options to spend the additional money.Garmin Forerunner 955 at Best Buy for $499.99 (opens in new tab)Garmin Forerunner 955 value and availability(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)The Garmin Forerunner 955 shipped in June 2022 in two variations: Solar and non-Solar. The commonplace 955 prices $499.99, whereas the Solar panel mannequin prices $100 extra. You can discover each fashions on numerous retail websites, together with Amazon and Best Buy. Both watches are available two finishes: Black and Whitestone. Today’s greatest Garmin Forerunner 955 dealsHardware, sensors, and design(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Most Garmin watches are, by design, pretty outsized and never particularly engaging, favoring a severe fanatic aesthetic. Still, some do a greater job of catering to runners with smaller wrists than the Forerunner 955, which solely is available in one cumbersome dimension. At 53g or 1.87oz, it is truly fairly gentle proportionally to its show dimension, since that quantity consists of each the case and strap. Many health watches have marketed weights within the 30s or 40s that conveniently omit the watch band’s weight, which can add an additional 10g not less than. I ran (er, ran then walk-jogged) a marathon sporting the Forerunner 955, and whereas one other watch might need felt much less noticeable, its weight is one thing you may simply ignore when you get into the zone. In different phrases, when you’ve used a Garmin Forerunner mannequin prior to now, this would possibly not really feel that completely different. The major problem, which I additionally skilled with the Forerunner 255, is how thick the most recent Forerunner era is. That watch measures 12.9mm thick, whereas the 955 provides an additional 1.5mm, making it practically as noticeable because the behemoth Galaxy Watch 5 Pro. Even Garmin followers could discover this voluminous plastic watch protruding from their wrists a bit an excessive amount of for his or her tastes, whether or not aesthetically or bodily.I see this as an excellent choice for runners and cyclists who preserve their arms in a hard and fast, inflexible place. For swimming or cross-training workout routines the place you bend your wrist, the thickness appears to work in opposition to it. So regardless of the 5ATM water resistance and triathlete software program, I’m unsure I’d advocate this when you’ll find one thing extra aerodynamic. At the very least, you would possibly wish to take into account the Forerunner 255S as an alternative, which measures simply 12.4 inches thick and weighs a snug 39g.Swipe to scroll horizontallyCategoryGarmin Forerunner 955MaterialsFiber-reinforced polymerDisplay1.3-inch (260×260) memory-in-pixel with Gorilla Glass DXBands22mm (industry-standard)Dimensions & weight46.5 x 46.5 x 14.4mmSensorsGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, HRM, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, SpO2ConnectivityGarmin Pay, Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-FiMusic StorageUp to 2000 songsColorsWhitestone, BlackThe additional thickness over the Forerunner 255 seemingly stems from a bigger battery and elevated storage to deposit its full-color maps. Garmin, like most health manufacturers, would not publicize its {hardware} the identical means Apple or Android watch manufacturers do, so we won’t be sure. Whatever the case, it’s a must to resolve if you’d like a $500 watch that solely makes use of plastic supplies as an alternative of titanium, as competing watches just like the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro or COROS APEX 2 do. Finer supplies stay a perk reserved for the most costly Fenix watches, however that technique feels considerably archaic as different manufacturers begin to make use of higher supplies with their extra inexpensive watches. This nitpicking apart, the Forerunner 955 has the entire {hardware} necessities that the majority athletes want. You have All-Systems GNSS and Multi-Band GPS monitoring that provides you extraordinarily correct monitoring, coronary heart fee and blood oxygen knowledge, an altimeter for measuring correct effort at excessive altitudes, and each a gyroscope and accelerometer for correct wrist monitoring for particular sports activities modes that want it.You will not discover any of the extra not too long ago popularized well being sensors like ECG, BIA, EDA, or pores and skin temperature discovered on competing manufacturers’ watches just like the Fitbit Sense 2, however Garmin watches are (hypothetically) for runners who know they will obtain a wholesome coronary heart and weight by following a rigorous Garmin teaching plan, so I think many Garmin consumers would discover these superfluous. Garmin watches already overflow with knowledge as it’s.I simply need Garmin so as to add passive AFib detection; it printed outcomes of AFib testing on the Forerunner 945 within the American Heart Journal (opens in new tab) with correct outcomes, and DC Rainmaker (opens in new tab) noticed proof of an unofficial ECG app on the Venu 2 Plus. So we are able to hope the 955 with its superior Elevate v4 HRM will supply such a device in some unspecified time in the future. (Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Of course, the cheaper Forerunner 255 shares many of the identical {hardware} perks because the Forerunner 955, from upgraded GNSS monitoring to the identical sensors. So the place does the 955 justify its greater value?Assuming you purchase the full-size 255, it has the identical 1.3-inch 260×260 memory-in-pixel show — practical, however nothing particular in comparison with most Android watches with lovely AMOLED shows. The Forerunner 955 has a contact show whereas the 255 is non-touch, however each have the identical five-button configuration for navigation as a result of contact is disabled by default when monitoring an exercise. Quite frankly, I often neglect that the touchscreen is on the 955 and depend on buttons to scroll as an alternative of swipes, however I do like having the choice to faucet one thing on the display screen to get extra info on a metric.Both watches use the identical case and strap materials, however the Forerunner 955 has a slight protecting improve with Gorilla Glass DX as an alternative of Gorilla Glass 3.You need to spend $50 additional for the Forerunner 255 Music to get wi-fi downloads (as an alternative of Bluetooth solely) and sufficient area for 500 songs, whereas the Forerunner 955 has eight occasions the inner storage (32GB vs. 4GB) and might retailer an estimated 2,000 songs as an alternative of simply 500. The discrepancy there’s seemingly as a result of Garmin reserves the remainder of the 955’s storage for downloadable maps.Mapping, battery life (together with photo voltaic recharging), and distinctive working widgets will all be lined within the sections beneath. Suffice to say for now that apart from battery life, the Forerunner 955 primarily differentiates itself on the energy of its unique software program.Battery life and GPS accuracy(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Garmin gave me the Forerunner 955 Solar for this overview, but when I have been to purchase the look ahead to myself, I seemingly would not spend the additional cash. You get loads of advantages when you constantly spend a number of hours open air in direct daylight each day, however when you run in off-hours or use particular GPS-tracking modes, you may get diminishing returns for the photo voltaic panel.To see what I imply, you may see the Garmin Forerunner 955 battery estimates for each fashions beneath. In Ultratrac mode (one GPS replace per minute) or standby mode with simply well being monitoring and notifications, you get a major distinction. But when you stream music to headphones or depend on essentially the most correct Multi-Band GPS, you see a negligible distinction between them.Swipe to scroll horizontallyBattery modeForerunner 955Forerunner 955 SolarSmartwatch mode15 days20 daysGPS solely42 hours49 hoursAll-Systems GNSS31 hours34 hoursMulti-Band GPS20 hours22 hoursGPS with music10.5 hours10.5 hoursAll-Systems GNSS with music10 hours10 hoursMulti-Band GPS with music8.5 hours8.5 hoursUltratrac mode80 hours110 hoursOver my months with the Forerunner 955 Solar, I’ve constantly used multi-band (aka dual-frequency) GPS, which accesses each L1 and L5 satellite tv for pc frequencies to pinpoint your location and remedy the difficulty of mirrored alerts round obstructing obstacles like foliage and mountains. It’s essentially the most demanding mode when it comes to battery life, however this watch has the capability to make use of it whereas nonetheless lasting longer than most health watches in GPS-only mode.Dual-frequency isn’t any assure of accuracy. When I examined the COROS APEX 2 Pro, I discovered that my tracked path continuously strayed properly off my precise working path regardless of the additional satellite tv for pc knowledge. But that is by no means been a difficulty with the Forerunner 955. It’s extremely correct, displaying exactly which facet of a street I ran on with out drifting off the path. Having reviewed loads of health watches within the final 12 months, you would be stunned how uncommon that is.I’ll observe that I additionally referred to as the Forerunner 255 “extremely accurate” in that overview, and it is true. It’s truthful to say that your monitoring expertise will not worsen when you downgrade to the cheaper watch. The major distinction is the battery life: for GPS, All-Systems, and Multi-Band monitoring, Garmin says the 255 lasts 30, 25, and 16 hours, respectively. And in my assessments, it was barely shorter-lived, hitting nearer to 20 hours with All-Systems mode energetic.For distinction, my Forerunner 955 Solar simply lasts two weeks or extra per cost with just a few hours of multi-band monitoring per week — regardless of my hardly ever getting any time within the solar — matching Garmin’s estimates. Runners with extra time for coaching might want to cost it extra typically than I did, however you may confidently say that the 955’s additional bulk pays off in its longevity.Maps and music(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)If you primarily use your working watch whereas working on acquainted paths otherwise you preserve your telephone on you whereas working, you may hardly ever want offline maps in your wrist. But for individuals who hike in areas with poor reception or who would possibly want steering in an emergency, it may be a helpful device. In that state of affairs, the Forerunner 955 is a worthwhile improve as a result of it has your area’s TopoActive map downloaded by default, which takes up about 10GB of area — greater than the low-memory Forerunner 255 may deal with.I took my Forerunner 955 mountain climbing in my county’s native hills, and the built-in topographical maps have been fairly correct. The distinction between my tracked location and any forks within the mapped path was negligible. You can mark your map with trailheads as you hike that will help you navigate again to the place you’ve got been or use Climbpro to see your upcoming elevation adjustments in your present path, warning you if one thing might be too troublesome for you.In extra populated areas, turn-by-turn navigation is not fairly as responsive as one thing like Google Maps however works properly sufficient. You even have an Up Ahead device that tells you, properly, what sort of landmarks or help stations are up forward. I did not use these a lot as a result of I’m extra of an area runner than a hiker, however I do actually just like the round-trip device that allows you to enter a set distance after which maps out a round route so that you can take that’ll finish at that set distance.You even have snowboarding and golf course views downloaded by default, however I wasn’t capable of take a look at both of these for constancy. For the few who want these instruments, it is a neat perk — although golfers would in all probability need the devoted Approach S62 as an alternative. Generally talking, the Forerunner 955 is a “multisport” watch that basically does cowl many of the open air sports activities you’d care about.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)More importantly, solely the Forerunner 955 helps Garmin Live Segments and Strava Live Segments. You’ll need to do some prep work to allow this device, however primarily you may have in style segments pop up in your wrist as you hike and settle for the choice to problem both your personal PR or the section document time and race in opposition to it. You’ll see a real-time look of how far it’s a must to go and the way far forward or behind you’re in opposition to the goal time, in addition to a map of the section.With the opposite half of your additional storage, you may add music to the watch and stream it to your wi-fi exercise earbuds. This positively does burn via the Forerunner’s battery, however once more, the large capability ensures that you could possibly in all probability full a full-day hike with essentially the most correct monitoring and nonetheless have juice on the finish of the day.You have three major choices for music streaming on the Garmin Forerunner 955: use playback controls to your telephone through Bluetooth, play saved music from your personal music library of owned songs, or add playlists from partnered music streaming companies (Spotify and Deezer). I do not use both of Garmin’s partnered companies, so I used the Garmin Express desktop app and uploaded my very own music information to the watch. Perhaps as a result of they’re largely older information, I may match properly over Garmin’s 2,000-song estimate with the area I had. And I appreciated that Garmin music storage helps playlists, whereas different health manufacturers like COROS simply jumble your entire uploaded songs into one large record, iPod Shuffle-style.Software(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Garmin has packed so many instruments and widgets into the newest Garmin Forerunner sequence that I most definitely have not discovered all of them throughout months of use. Many of them can be discovered on the Forerunner 255, so I’ll level you to the Software part of my overview (opens in new tab) if you wish to learn up on the instruments you may get no matter which watch you purchase.To very briefly summarize the Forerunner 255’s highlights, which the 955 shares:The Morning Report summarizes your sleep rating, HRV standing, native climate, shared calendar occasions, scheduled exercise, Body Battery rating, and weekly depth minutes in a day by day report while you get up.If you enter an upcoming race in your Garmin calendar, the race widget tells you what number of days are left till then, alongside along with your seemingly tempo for the race primarily based in your coaching standing and VO2 Max.The coronary heart fee variance (HRV) standing widget offers you a abstract of your well being and restoration primarily based on coronary heart fee knowledge, just like stress monitoring on different gadgets.During a run, you should use Pacepro to guage when you’re matching your required tempo for a race and examine working dynamics like cadence and oscillation.After a run, you may see the cardio and anaerobic impact of the run, the really helpful restoration time, and the acute load of your exercises (in different phrases, how your newest effort compares traditionally in opposition to previous actions and your present health degree).There is not a lot to say right here besides that these instruments are each useful and intuitive, giving you a similar quantity of information that you simply’d usually need to pay for with a program like Fitbit Premium. Whether you wish to observe a guided Garmin Coach program or depend on customized advised exercises, you may see in actual time how your exercises have an effect on your physique. Then, you may decide your power degree due to the Garmin Body Battery metric.The Forerunner 955 provides much more instruments to your working toolbox, instruments that many runners will discover cool however superfluous. As with the above upgrades, it’s a must to resolve in the event that they’re price the additional value and weight.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)We’ve already lined some exclusives like mapping, segments, and golf instruments. Otherwise, I’ll run via the principle Forerunner 955 perks beneath.The Forerunner 955 and 255 share dozens of sports activities modes not listed right here, whereas the 955 additionally packs in just a few additional sports activities modes: Gym and health: Indoor Climbing, BoulderingOutdoor recreation: Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding, XC Skate Skiing, Kayaking, Snowshoeing, Mapping, Navigating, Tennis, Pickleball, Padel, Track Me, Project Waypoint, Disc GolfCycling: Road Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, CyclocrossSwimming: Swimming/Running (as in each for one exercise)Some folks will discover these particular sports activities modes very important; others in all probability would by no means even know what Cyclocross or Pickleball is. Outside of those area of interest use circumstances, the principle upgrades relate to working and biking.For cyclists, you get MTB Grit & Flow, which measures the problem of the path and the way properly you preserve a constant velocity throughout turns. And you additionally get biking dynamics like energy section, platform heart offset, and left/proper steadiness. Quite frankly, I’m not a lot of a bicycle owner, so I could not inform you how helpful these are. I can solely observe that this knowledge might be helpful when you’re the kind of athlete that should research knowledge to enhance your kind or to problem your self to enhance.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)For runners to get essentially the most out of the Forerunner 955, they should put on it day and evening for a correct Body Battery rating; a number of of its unique instruments depend on it. For occasion, real-time stamina takes your pre-run power degree and up to date exercise to calculate how a lot energy you’ve left earlier than you are liable to harm your self or need to stroll, so you do not chew off greater than you may chew.Otherwise, you’ve Garmin Training Readiness, which is a form of fusion between your Training Effect knowledge and your Body Battery rating. Like the latter, you get a 0–100 rating that takes your well being knowledge and up to date historical past and interprets it right into a easy, actionable quantity, primarily based in your sleep knowledge, really helpful restoration time, HRV standing, Acute Load, and tracked stress.Whereas Body Battery simply reaffirms how energetic or drained you are seemingly feeling, Training Readiness would possibly go up fairly than down in the course of the day in case your restoration time ticks nearer to zero or your stress ranges go down. I’m not sure why the Forerunner 255 could not additionally present this rating, because it tracks the identical metrics; however regardless of the motive, Garmin gave runners a strong scoring system with the 955, whereas Body Battery is extra of a fundamental, commonsense device.Competition(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)This entire article has been one large Garmin Forerunner 955 vs. 255 breakdown, so you must hopefully know which one you’d favor at this level. Beyond that, you may wish to take a look at a few of the different nice working watches obtainable.COROS is a implausible various to Garmin, providing related perks like a Training Hub for guided teaching and health metrics with no subscription. The COROS APEX 2 Pro is the closest equal to the Forerunner 955, with built-in topographical maps and music storage and a really cumbersome design, together with distinctive perks like a titanium construct and for much longer battery life even taking the 955 Solar panel under consideration. You’ll simply miss out on some instruments like customized exercise ideas and HRV standing, and the GPS monitoring seemed to be much less correct than Garmin’s in my testing.You also can take a look at our different favourite Garmin watches, most of that are extra inexpensive than the Forerunner 955. The Venu 2 Plus is extra of a standard smartwatch with an AMOLED show and built-in mic/speaker; it has much less centered software program for runners however does have distinctive perks like animated train steering and a voice assistant. And the Garmin Instinct 2 Solar offers outdoorsy sorts a real photo voltaic increase, lasting for much longer than even the 955.Garmin Forerunner 955: Should you purchase it?(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)You should purchase this if…You’re a data-driven, solo runner or bicycle owner who needs extra customized steering than a set exercise routine.You hate having to recharge your watch continuously.You need or want essentially the most correct GPS and coronary heart fee knowledge doable.You should not purchase this if…You do not wish to spend a lot cashYou desire a nicer show or third-party appsYou desire a wider array of well being sensorsI will not inform anybody that they need to purchase the Forerunner 955, given the truth that it prices rather more than many high-quality opponents. A health tracker would not be practically as sturdy however would weigh half as a lot and value a 3rd of the Forerunner 955’s value. Fans of the Garmin Fenix sequence would possibly see it as a tempting downgrade, however most others will see it as extravagant — particularly the 955 Solar.In the tip, your standards is easy: do you want mapping, extra correct stamina and readiness knowledge, and correct music storage? Then the Forerunner 955 is your best choice, in comparison with rival watches I’ve examined, no query. If you do not assume you may want these instruments, then the Forerunner 255 will ably serve your wants and can weigh a bit much less, too.

    My favourite working watch of the 12 months, the Garmin Forerunner 955 is a private coach in your wrist with a ridiculous quantity of information about your physique’s well being and skill to get on the market and run. You’ll by no means get misplaced whereas sporting it, and the battery won’t ever allow you to down even with out the photo voltaic improve.

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