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Before I get to the review, I’ll tell you a little bit about myself so you know how I use the watch. I’m an Emergency Medicine Doctor, beginner to intermediate runner and cyclist, and aspiring triathlete. I’ve owned the Forerunner 945 for about a month now, and prior to this I used the Garmin Fenix 5 and Apple watch 4 ( I hesitate to even include this because it’s really not a fitness watch). I am by no means a high level athlete, and I’m not going to qualify for the Boston anytime soon. I am, however, a data geek. I’m obsessed with wearables and the insights that they can provide us. For the sake of brevity, I’ll assume that anyone looking to purchase a 600 dollar watch knows what they are purchasing and has done a fair amount of research. My hope is to review some of those new features and help you make an informed decision.
Fit:
The Fenix 5 is built like a tank. Indestructible, heavy, but mostly annoying to wear. I found it difficult to sleep with the device on my wrist. The apple watch 4 was sleek, but I worried about cracking the screen during my workouts. The Forerunner 945 is just right. Sturdy, but significantly lighter than the Fenix 5. I wear this one all day and during sleep. My wrist is small to medium at 7 inches and I do not find the Forerunner too large by any stretch. It’s slightly less comfortable than the Apple watch for all day wear.
Appearance and performance:
I don't want you to convince yourself that this is going to look sharper than an Apple Watch. Apple has aesthetics down. In fact, the forerunner 945 has identical screen resolution to the Fenix 5. But edges appear sharper and brighter in actual use. The processor is noticeably faster from the Fenix 5 and navigating from screen to screen is a delight.
Features:
For fitness metrics, Garmin reigns supreme. It is so vastly superior to any other fitness watch on the market. This is a true multisport watch. Do not convince yourself that the Apple watch is a fitness watch. It is a smartwatch with fitness features. If all you need is cadence, speed, and distance, the Apple watch will do just fine. Buy an Apple Watch if you want a smartwatch. But if you’re looking at this review, you’re probably a dedicated runner, cyclist or triathlete. The amount of data on this little computer is absolutely incredible. From the very actionable lactate threshold feature, to the less actionable but interesting respiratory rate, this watch has something for everyone.
New Features:
If you're new to the Garmin ecosystem, I’d refer you to their website or First Beat to look at all the available features. However, if you’re looking to upgrade from a previous Garmin, i’ll give you a rundown of what’s new from the Fenix 5/Forerunner 935.
Music - Perhaps the biggest reason to upgrade. I use spotify, and found the integration to be absolutely seamless. Add Wifi network to watch, download playlists, connect wireless headphones (I use aftershokz air), play music. That’s literally it. Garmin kept it simple here. So simple that it’s easier to download music on the Forerunner 945 than the Apple watch.
Heat/altitude acclimation - This falls into the category of “interesting, but not sure what to do with it”. Garmin automatically accounts for external temperature by the use of local weather data (Not the watch itself), and gives you a percentage of acclimation. I live in Florida, so after the first week I was 100% acclimated and rarely fell below 95%. I’m not sure what to do with this. I don’t live or train at altitude, so I can not review that feature.
Training Focus - This feature surprised me. I really like the training focus graph. It’s very actionable if you polarize your training (As you should). I no longer have to depend on third party websites to see how well polarized my training is. If it’s time for a high intensity run, I do it.
Workout labels - You’re training effect now comes with a label (Base, Tempo, Vo2 max etc). This is a nice summary at the end of you’re workout. It keeps me in check. Often when I think I’m doing an easy effort, I stray into the tempo workout. This can only be seen after the fact, but it’s good for post run analysis.
Pulse oximetry - This falls into the category of “please remove this from the market immediately.” As a doctor, I hate this feature. Not because it’s a bad thing to include, but because it is terribly inaccurate, and the data is confusing for people. For a healthy adult, or even a sedentary adult without respiratory or cardiac problems (Asthma, COPD, etc), your normal pulse oximetry should always read near 100% at sea level. Regardless of whether you’re working out or not. I've compared this to hospital pulse oximeters and I can tell you the accuracy of this feature is so poor that I really wonder why they released it. The idea, from Garmins point of view, is that oximetry data can be used for altitude acclimation, sleep tracking, sleep apnea. Unfortunately, the error is at least 5-10% for any given reading. An adult with a pulse oximetry reading of 88% on room air would have severe respiratory problems. My watch will frequently tell me that I am 88%, only to check on a real pulse oximeter and see 99%. I turned this feature off and I recommend you do the same.
Body battery - I like this feature. It takes into account your sleep, stress, activity level, and VO2 max (Resilience against fatigue) and comes up with a number. Subjectively, I found my battery to line up with how I feel. I had a few drinks the other night, had a poor night’s sleep, and woke up to a body battery of 10%. If you had asked me how I felt before I looked at the number, I would have said a number around 10%. It’s a good tool for mindfulness and becoming aware of situations that drain you. I’m usually at 5% after a twelve hour shift in the Emergency Department.
Respiratory rate - Requires HR strap. Interesting, probably accurate ( Although I cannot confirm, using HRV makes sense in theory and the numbers seem to correlate with HR when plotted on a graph). This falls into the “interesting, but not actionable yet. Lots of potential in the future”. I can see Garmin doing some interesting things with this data (Lactate, ventilatory threshold improvements for example). Just not enough going on with it for prime time yet.
Updated and improved:
VO2 Max -Now takes heat into equation so your VO2 max doesn’t tank during the summer. Nice feature.
Training status - Also includes temp data for more accurate training load
Race predictor - New algorithm that relies on more factors than just VO2 max. It’s an improvement, but it’s still wildly optimistic I think.
Still needs improvement:
Wrist HR - Although Garmin claims that their new sensor is better, I found it to be equal to the Fenix 5, which is to say, not great, but acceptable at rest. This is a huge blow and the biggest reason I cannot give it five stars. In order for your data to mean anything, it depends on accurate HR data. I am not satisfied enough to run without my HR strap yet. Hopefully there will be improvements to come in the form of software updates. For now, get a chest strap.
Pulse oximetry - A real stain on otherwise well released product. Should remove feature entirely.
FTP auto detection- Never worked on my Fenix 5, still not working on my Forerunner 945. I ride with a power meter and HR belt so I don’t know where the issue is.
EKG - This is becoming standard now and it would be a nice health feature to add.
Text back features - Garmin still struggles in the smartwatch department. Notifications are nice, but you’re still tethered to your phone for text backs.
FAQ:
Do I need a chest HR monitor? Yes. If you’re going to splurge for the data options on the Forerunner 945 you should use a chest strap to enable all features, ensure accuracy of device.
What’s the difference between the Forerunner 945 and 245. The 245 is primarily a running watch. The forerunner 945 is a triathlon watch. The 245 has very limited data for cycling, and worse yet does not include lactate threshold for runners which is a huge let down. Falls into the category of "too expensive for a casual runner, not enough features for a dedicated runner".
Internet complaints I've come across when researching this product:
Pairing issues with music- Have not had a problem yet in a month of use. Pretty seamless for me.
Buttons “mushy” - Something I NEVER would have noticed if not for the internet. I guess they are a little soft? I don’t know. They feel exactly the same as the Fenix. Wouldn’t worry about it.
GPS inaccurate - GPS is on par with Fenix 5, Apple watch. Never had much variation between any of these. I run in a medium sized city with tall buildings and haven’t had any dropouts.
HR inaccurate - It’s true. It seems to be a continual struggle for smart watches (Except the Apple watch 4, who has figured out the magic formula). This is an optical HR monitor, so it depends on perfusion, which is variable throughout the day. To remedy, I still use a chest HR monitor which uses electrical conduction of the heart muscle and is extremely accurate.
Battery poor - I get like 4-5 days out of it and I run about thirty miles a week. I'm not sure if the people who complain about this run ultramarathons? But I can't really speak to any problems here.
Accessories I use:
AfterShokz Trekz Qir headphones. Love, love, love these headphones. They are the best. They work great with the Forerunner.
Garmin Tri HR monitor - Waterproof, durable, accurate chest strap.
Favero Assioma power pedals - Cheap, reliable.
Have fun out there!
Add to your order
- NO ADDITIONAL COST: You pay $0 for repairs – parts, labor and shipping included.
- COVERAGE: Plan starts on the date of purchase. Drops, spills and cracked screens due to normal use covered from day one. Malfunctions covered after the manufacturer's warranty.
- EXPERT TECH HELP: Real experts available 24/7 to help with set-up, connectivity issues, troubleshooting and much more.
- PRODUCT ELIGIBILITY: Plans cover products purchased in the last 30 days.
- EASY CLAIMS PROCESS: File a claim anytime online or by phone. Most claims approved within minutes. If we can’t repair it, we’ll send you an Amazon e-gift card for the purchase price of your covered product or replace it.
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From the manufacturer
Forerunner 945
Forerunner 945 is the GPS smartwatch that’s designed for the driven, the qualifiers, the elite. We made this watch for you: the up-at-dawn runners and the conditioned-for-pain triathletes. While you chase your next victory, make sure you’ve got the right tool for the job.
Premium GPS Running/Triathlon Smartwatch with Music
Sync music from select premium streaming services when paired with a compatible smartphone (may require premium subscription), or store up to 1,000 songs on your watch, and connect with headphones (sold separately) enabled with BLUETOOTH technology.
Safety and tracking features include incident detection (during select activities) which sends your real-time location to emergency contacts through your paired compatible smartphone. See safety and tracking features requirements and limitations.
- Performance monitoring features include VO2 max and training status with adjustments for heat, altitude acclimation status, training load focus, recovery time, and aerobic & anaerobic training effects
- Garmin Pay™ contactless payment solution (available for supported cards from participating banks) lets you make convenient payments with your watch so you can leave your cash and cards at home
- Full-color, onboard maps guide you on your run so you never get lost during your workout
- Battery life: up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode, 10 hours in GPS mode with music or up to 60 hours in UltraTrac™ mode
Features and Benefits
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Take Your Music on the GoTake your favorite music with you when you’re on the run. Sync your carefully crafted playlists from select premium music streaming services (when paired with a compatible smartphone; may require premium subscription with a third-party music provider) such as Deezer, Spotify and more for ad-free listening. You can store up to 1,000 songs right on your watch and transfer music from your own computer library as well. Then queue up your favorite playlist for easy listening through headphones enabled with BLUETOOTH technology. |
Maximize PerformanceForerunner 945 monitors your performance and even offers personalized insight, so you can train smarter, not harder. The smartwatch tracks your VO2 max and adjusts the value based on heat and altitude. Training status evaluates your recent exercise history and performance indicators to let you know if you’re training productively, peaking or overreaching. See how your workouts influence the development of endurance, speed and power with aerobic and anaerobic training effect feedback. Recovery time helps you maximize the benefit of your efforts by predicting when you will be ready for your next tough challenge. You can even view your overall training load, which measures your exercise volume from the last 7 days and compares it to the optimal range for your fitness and recent training history. And — new for Forerunner 945 — training load focus sorts your recent training history into different categories based on activity structure and intensity. |
An Easier Way to PayThe Forerunner 945 GPS smartwatch features Garmin Pay, which lets you pay for purchases with your watch. Use it just about anywhere you can tap your card to pay. Now you can leave your wallet behind without missing out on that post-run caffè latte. Just tap and go. |
Maps on Your WristWhether you’re running the city streets or riding densely covered trails, Forerunner 945 provides built-in mapping to help keep you on track. Full-color mapping comes preloaded with map data optimized for at-a-glance navigation and location tracking. And the device also features Trendline™ popularity routing, which uses billions of miles of Garmin Connect™ data to help you find and follow the best trails and routes. |
Features and Benefits
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Stay ConnectedWith Forerunner 945, you can head out for a training session without being out of touch. Once paired with your compatible smartphone, you’ll be able to receive text messages and see social media updates, emails and more right on your wrist. And safety and tracking features allows you to send your location to chosen contacts in case you need assistance — manually, or automatically with built-in incident detection. |
Track More Than Ever BeforeFor such a lightweight watch, you’ll be surprised by everything Forerunner 945 can track. It features multinetwork (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) satellite reception to track in more challenging environments than GPS alone. It features estimated wrist-based heart rate and a wrist-based Pulse Ox sensor (this is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition; see Garmin.com/ataccuracy. Pulse Ox not available in all countries.) which monitors blood oxygen saturation levels to support advanced sleep monitoring and altitude acclimation. |
Workouts and Training PlansWhether you’re training for a marathon or something even longer, create your own custom workouts, or download free ones that sync right to your watch. Forerunner 945 also supports Garmin Coach adaptive training plans. These plans feature guidance from expert coaches and free training plans that adapt to you and your goals. It’s a foolproof way to get to the finish line. As part of your training plan, it can even help you predict your race time. |
Analyze Your Running FormThe Forerunner 945 GPS smartwatch also has the tools you need to improve your running form. The watch measures crucial running metrics such as cadence, stride length, ground contact time and balance, vertical oscillation and vertical ratio. These measurements are the key to understanding your form, so you can bring your best on every run and at every race. Your Forerunner 945 can start tracking these metrics with the addition of a compatible heart rate strap or the compact Running Dynamics Pod, which clips right onto your waistband. |
Compare with similar items
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Garmin 010-01746-00 Forerunner 935 Running GPS Unit (Black)
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Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, GPS Running Smartwatch with Music and Advanced Dynamics, Black
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Garmin Forerunner 745, GPS Running Watch, Detailed Training Stats and On-Device Workouts, Essential Smartwatch Functions, Black
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Garmin Forerunner 945 LTE, Premium GPS Running/Triathlon Smartwatch with LTE Connectivity, Black
|
Garmin fenix 6 Pro, Premium Multisport GPS Watch, Features Mapping, Music, Grade-Adjusted Pace Guidance and Pulse Ox Sensors, Black
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Rating | (1231) | (2056) | (3738) | (217) | (10) | (697) |
| Price | $587.89 | $314.99 | $299.00 | $489.95 | $639.95 | $649.99 |
| Sold By | Runner's Depo | Beach Camera Same Day Shipping | Amazon.com | Trend Genie | Trend Genie | Amazon.com |
| Are batteries included? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Are batteries required? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Display Type | LCD | LCD | LCD | Sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | — | LCD |
| Item Dimensions | 1.9 x 1.9 x 0.54 inches | 0.5 x 1.8 x 2.1 inches | 1.7 x 1.7 x 0.5 inches | 1.69 x 0.51 x 1.69 inches | 1.75 x 1.75 x 0.55 inches | 1.85 x 1.85 x 0.58 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.80 ounces | 1.76 ounces | 1.34 ounces | 1.60 ounces | 1.73 ounces | 2.88 ounces |
| Sport Type | Running, Swimming, Triathlon, Training | running;cycling;swimming | Running, Cardio, Cycling, Exercise & Fitness, Training | Running, Cardio, Training, Swimming, Outdoor Lifestyle | Triathlon, Running, Cardio, Swimming, Exercise & Fitness | Camping & Hiking, Exercise & Fitness, Cardio, Running, Training |
| Style | Device Only | Base | Music | — | — | 6 Pro |
Customer Questions & Answers
Customer reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2019
Fit:
The Fenix 5 is built like a tank. Indestructible, heavy, but mostly annoying to wear. I found it difficult to sleep with the device on my wrist. The apple watch 4 was sleek, but I worried about cracking the screen during my workouts. The Forerunner 945 is just right. Sturdy, but significantly lighter than the Fenix 5. I wear this one all day and during sleep. My wrist is small to medium at 7 inches and I do not find the Forerunner too large by any stretch. It’s slightly less comfortable than the Apple watch for all day wear.
Appearance and performance:
I don't want you to convince yourself that this is going to look sharper than an Apple Watch. Apple has aesthetics down. In fact, the forerunner 945 has identical screen resolution to the Fenix 5. But edges appear sharper and brighter in actual use. The processor is noticeably faster from the Fenix 5 and navigating from screen to screen is a delight.
Features:
For fitness metrics, Garmin reigns supreme. It is so vastly superior to any other fitness watch on the market. This is a true multisport watch. Do not convince yourself that the Apple watch is a fitness watch. It is a smartwatch with fitness features. If all you need is cadence, speed, and distance, the Apple watch will do just fine. Buy an Apple Watch if you want a smartwatch. But if you’re looking at this review, you’re probably a dedicated runner, cyclist or triathlete. The amount of data on this little computer is absolutely incredible. From the very actionable lactate threshold feature, to the less actionable but interesting respiratory rate, this watch has something for everyone.
New Features:
If you're new to the Garmin ecosystem, I’d refer you to their website or First Beat to look at all the available features. However, if you’re looking to upgrade from a previous Garmin, i’ll give you a rundown of what’s new from the Fenix 5/Forerunner 935.
Music - Perhaps the biggest reason to upgrade. I use spotify, and found the integration to be absolutely seamless. Add Wifi network to watch, download playlists, connect wireless headphones (I use aftershokz air), play music. That’s literally it. Garmin kept it simple here. So simple that it’s easier to download music on the Forerunner 945 than the Apple watch.
Heat/altitude acclimation - This falls into the category of “interesting, but not sure what to do with it”. Garmin automatically accounts for external temperature by the use of local weather data (Not the watch itself), and gives you a percentage of acclimation. I live in Florida, so after the first week I was 100% acclimated and rarely fell below 95%. I’m not sure what to do with this. I don’t live or train at altitude, so I can not review that feature.
Training Focus - This feature surprised me. I really like the training focus graph. It’s very actionable if you polarize your training (As you should). I no longer have to depend on third party websites to see how well polarized my training is. If it’s time for a high intensity run, I do it.
Workout labels - You’re training effect now comes with a label (Base, Tempo, Vo2 max etc). This is a nice summary at the end of you’re workout. It keeps me in check. Often when I think I’m doing an easy effort, I stray into the tempo workout. This can only be seen after the fact, but it’s good for post run analysis.
Pulse oximetry - This falls into the category of “please remove this from the market immediately.” As a doctor, I hate this feature. Not because it’s a bad thing to include, but because it is terribly inaccurate, and the data is confusing for people. For a healthy adult, or even a sedentary adult without respiratory or cardiac problems (Asthma, COPD, etc), your normal pulse oximetry should always read near 100% at sea level. Regardless of whether you’re working out or not. I've compared this to hospital pulse oximeters and I can tell you the accuracy of this feature is so poor that I really wonder why they released it. The idea, from Garmins point of view, is that oximetry data can be used for altitude acclimation, sleep tracking, sleep apnea. Unfortunately, the error is at least 5-10% for any given reading. An adult with a pulse oximetry reading of 88% on room air would have severe respiratory problems. My watch will frequently tell me that I am 88%, only to check on a real pulse oximeter and see 99%. I turned this feature off and I recommend you do the same.
Body battery - I like this feature. It takes into account your sleep, stress, activity level, and VO2 max (Resilience against fatigue) and comes up with a number. Subjectively, I found my battery to line up with how I feel. I had a few drinks the other night, had a poor night’s sleep, and woke up to a body battery of 10%. If you had asked me how I felt before I looked at the number, I would have said a number around 10%. It’s a good tool for mindfulness and becoming aware of situations that drain you. I’m usually at 5% after a twelve hour shift in the Emergency Department.
Respiratory rate - Requires HR strap. Interesting, probably accurate ( Although I cannot confirm, using HRV makes sense in theory and the numbers seem to correlate with HR when plotted on a graph). This falls into the “interesting, but not actionable yet. Lots of potential in the future”. I can see Garmin doing some interesting things with this data (Lactate, ventilatory threshold improvements for example). Just not enough going on with it for prime time yet.
Updated and improved:
VO2 Max -Now takes heat into equation so your VO2 max doesn’t tank during the summer. Nice feature.
Training status - Also includes temp data for more accurate training load
Race predictor - New algorithm that relies on more factors than just VO2 max. It’s an improvement, but it’s still wildly optimistic I think.
Still needs improvement:
Wrist HR - Although Garmin claims that their new sensor is better, I found it to be equal to the Fenix 5, which is to say, not great, but acceptable at rest. This is a huge blow and the biggest reason I cannot give it five stars. In order for your data to mean anything, it depends on accurate HR data. I am not satisfied enough to run without my HR strap yet. Hopefully there will be improvements to come in the form of software updates. For now, get a chest strap.
Pulse oximetry - A real stain on otherwise well released product. Should remove feature entirely.
FTP auto detection- Never worked on my Fenix 5, still not working on my Forerunner 945. I ride with a power meter and HR belt so I don’t know where the issue is.
EKG - This is becoming standard now and it would be a nice health feature to add.
Text back features - Garmin still struggles in the smartwatch department. Notifications are nice, but you’re still tethered to your phone for text backs.
FAQ:
Do I need a chest HR monitor? Yes. If you’re going to splurge for the data options on the Forerunner 945 you should use a chest strap to enable all features, ensure accuracy of device.
What’s the difference between the Forerunner 945 and 245. The 245 is primarily a running watch. The forerunner 945 is a triathlon watch. The 245 has very limited data for cycling, and worse yet does not include lactate threshold for runners which is a huge let down. Falls into the category of "too expensive for a casual runner, not enough features for a dedicated runner".
Internet complaints I've come across when researching this product:
Pairing issues with music- Have not had a problem yet in a month of use. Pretty seamless for me.
Buttons “mushy” - Something I NEVER would have noticed if not for the internet. I guess they are a little soft? I don’t know. They feel exactly the same as the Fenix. Wouldn’t worry about it.
GPS inaccurate - GPS is on par with Fenix 5, Apple watch. Never had much variation between any of these. I run in a medium sized city with tall buildings and haven’t had any dropouts.
HR inaccurate - It’s true. It seems to be a continual struggle for smart watches (Except the Apple watch 4, who has figured out the magic formula). This is an optical HR monitor, so it depends on perfusion, which is variable throughout the day. To remedy, I still use a chest HR monitor which uses electrical conduction of the heart muscle and is extremely accurate.
Battery poor - I get like 4-5 days out of it and I run about thirty miles a week. I'm not sure if the people who complain about this run ultramarathons? But I can't really speak to any problems here.
Accessories I use:
AfterShokz Trekz Qir headphones. Love, love, love these headphones. They are the best. They work great with the Forerunner.
Garmin Tri HR monitor - Waterproof, durable, accurate chest strap.
Favero Assioma power pedals - Cheap, reliable.
Have fun out there!
Style: Device Only
The Best Fitness Watch on the Market. Comparison to Fenix 5, Apple Watch 4
By Adam on June 15, 2019
Before I get to the review, I’ll tell you a little bit about myself so you know how I use the watch. I’m an Emergency Medicine Doctor, beginner to intermediate runner and cyclist, and aspiring triathlete. I’ve owned the Forerunner 945 for about a month now, and prior to this I used the Garmin Fenix 5 and Apple watch 4 ( I hesitate to even include this because it’s really not a fitness watch). I am by no means a high level athlete, and I’m not going to qualify for the Boston anytime soon. I am, however, a data geek. I’m obsessed with wearables and the insights that they can provide us. For the sake of brevity, I’ll assume that anyone looking to purchase a 600 dollar watch knows what they are purchasing and has done a fair amount of research. My hope is to review some of those new features and help you make an informed decision.By Adam on June 15, 2019
Fit:
The Fenix 5 is built like a tank. Indestructible, heavy, but mostly annoying to wear. I found it difficult to sleep with the device on my wrist. The apple watch 4 was sleek, but I worried about cracking the screen during my workouts. The Forerunner 945 is just right. Sturdy, but significantly lighter than the Fenix 5. I wear this one all day and during sleep. My wrist is small to medium at 7 inches and I do not find the Forerunner too large by any stretch. It’s slightly less comfortable than the Apple watch for all day wear.
Appearance and performance:
I don't want you to convince yourself that this is going to look sharper than an Apple Watch. Apple has aesthetics down. In fact, the forerunner 945 has identical screen resolution to the Fenix 5. But edges appear sharper and brighter in actual use. The processor is noticeably faster from the Fenix 5 and navigating from screen to screen is a delight.
Features:
For fitness metrics, Garmin reigns supreme. It is so vastly superior to any other fitness watch on the market. This is a true multisport watch. Do not convince yourself that the Apple watch is a fitness watch. It is a smartwatch with fitness features. If all you need is cadence, speed, and distance, the Apple watch will do just fine. Buy an Apple Watch if you want a smartwatch. But if you’re looking at this review, you’re probably a dedicated runner, cyclist or triathlete. The amount of data on this little computer is absolutely incredible. From the very actionable lactate threshold feature, to the less actionable but interesting respiratory rate, this watch has something for everyone.
New Features:
If you're new to the Garmin ecosystem, I’d refer you to their website or First Beat to look at all the available features. However, if you’re looking to upgrade from a previous Garmin, i’ll give you a rundown of what’s new from the Fenix 5/Forerunner 935.
Music - Perhaps the biggest reason to upgrade. I use spotify, and found the integration to be absolutely seamless. Add Wifi network to watch, download playlists, connect wireless headphones (I use aftershokz air), play music. That’s literally it. Garmin kept it simple here. So simple that it’s easier to download music on the Forerunner 945 than the Apple watch.
Heat/altitude acclimation - This falls into the category of “interesting, but not sure what to do with it”. Garmin automatically accounts for external temperature by the use of local weather data (Not the watch itself), and gives you a percentage of acclimation. I live in Florida, so after the first week I was 100% acclimated and rarely fell below 95%. I’m not sure what to do with this. I don’t live or train at altitude, so I can not review that feature.
Training Focus - This feature surprised me. I really like the training focus graph. It’s very actionable if you polarize your training (As you should). I no longer have to depend on third party websites to see how well polarized my training is. If it’s time for a high intensity run, I do it.
Workout labels - You’re training effect now comes with a label (Base, Tempo, Vo2 max etc). This is a nice summary at the end of you’re workout. It keeps me in check. Often when I think I’m doing an easy effort, I stray into the tempo workout. This can only be seen after the fact, but it’s good for post run analysis.
Pulse oximetry - This falls into the category of “please remove this from the market immediately.” As a doctor, I hate this feature. Not because it’s a bad thing to include, but because it is terribly inaccurate, and the data is confusing for people. For a healthy adult, or even a sedentary adult without respiratory or cardiac problems (Asthma, COPD, etc), your normal pulse oximetry should always read near 100% at sea level. Regardless of whether you’re working out or not. I've compared this to hospital pulse oximeters and I can tell you the accuracy of this feature is so poor that I really wonder why they released it. The idea, from Garmins point of view, is that oximetry data can be used for altitude acclimation, sleep tracking, sleep apnea. Unfortunately, the error is at least 5-10% for any given reading. An adult with a pulse oximetry reading of 88% on room air would have severe respiratory problems. My watch will frequently tell me that I am 88%, only to check on a real pulse oximeter and see 99%. I turned this feature off and I recommend you do the same.
Body battery - I like this feature. It takes into account your sleep, stress, activity level, and VO2 max (Resilience against fatigue) and comes up with a number. Subjectively, I found my battery to line up with how I feel. I had a few drinks the other night, had a poor night’s sleep, and woke up to a body battery of 10%. If you had asked me how I felt before I looked at the number, I would have said a number around 10%. It’s a good tool for mindfulness and becoming aware of situations that drain you. I’m usually at 5% after a twelve hour shift in the Emergency Department.
Respiratory rate - Requires HR strap. Interesting, probably accurate ( Although I cannot confirm, using HRV makes sense in theory and the numbers seem to correlate with HR when plotted on a graph). This falls into the “interesting, but not actionable yet. Lots of potential in the future”. I can see Garmin doing some interesting things with this data (Lactate, ventilatory threshold improvements for example). Just not enough going on with it for prime time yet.
Updated and improved:
VO2 Max -Now takes heat into equation so your VO2 max doesn’t tank during the summer. Nice feature.
Training status - Also includes temp data for more accurate training load
Race predictor - New algorithm that relies on more factors than just VO2 max. It’s an improvement, but it’s still wildly optimistic I think.
Still needs improvement:
Wrist HR - Although Garmin claims that their new sensor is better, I found it to be equal to the Fenix 5, which is to say, not great, but acceptable at rest. This is a huge blow and the biggest reason I cannot give it five stars. In order for your data to mean anything, it depends on accurate HR data. I am not satisfied enough to run without my HR strap yet. Hopefully there will be improvements to come in the form of software updates. For now, get a chest strap.
Pulse oximetry - A real stain on otherwise well released product. Should remove feature entirely.
FTP auto detection- Never worked on my Fenix 5, still not working on my Forerunner 945. I ride with a power meter and HR belt so I don’t know where the issue is.
EKG - This is becoming standard now and it would be a nice health feature to add.
Text back features - Garmin still struggles in the smartwatch department. Notifications are nice, but you’re still tethered to your phone for text backs.
FAQ:
Do I need a chest HR monitor? Yes. If you’re going to splurge for the data options on the Forerunner 945 you should use a chest strap to enable all features, ensure accuracy of device.
What’s the difference between the Forerunner 945 and 245. The 245 is primarily a running watch. The forerunner 945 is a triathlon watch. The 245 has very limited data for cycling, and worse yet does not include lactate threshold for runners which is a huge let down. Falls into the category of "too expensive for a casual runner, not enough features for a dedicated runner".
Internet complaints I've come across when researching this product:
Pairing issues with music- Have not had a problem yet in a month of use. Pretty seamless for me.
Buttons “mushy” - Something I NEVER would have noticed if not for the internet. I guess they are a little soft? I don’t know. They feel exactly the same as the Fenix. Wouldn’t worry about it.
GPS inaccurate - GPS is on par with Fenix 5, Apple watch. Never had much variation between any of these. I run in a medium sized city with tall buildings and haven’t had any dropouts.
HR inaccurate - It’s true. It seems to be a continual struggle for smart watches (Except the Apple watch 4, who has figured out the magic formula). This is an optical HR monitor, so it depends on perfusion, which is variable throughout the day. To remedy, I still use a chest HR monitor which uses electrical conduction of the heart muscle and is extremely accurate.
Battery poor - I get like 4-5 days out of it and I run about thirty miles a week. I'm not sure if the people who complain about this run ultramarathons? But I can't really speak to any problems here.
Accessories I use:
AfterShokz Trekz Qir headphones. Love, love, love these headphones. They are the best. They work great with the Forerunner.
Garmin Tri HR monitor - Waterproof, durable, accurate chest strap.
Favero Assioma power pedals - Cheap, reliable.
Have fun out there!
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2019
Style: Device OnlyVerified Purchase
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