The 6 Greatest GPS Watches of 2024

Greatest Total GPS Watch

Garmin Forerunner 965

  • Accuracy 9.3

  • Exercise Use 8.0

  • On a regular basis Use 8.0

  • Further Options 8.5

  • Wearability 9.0

  • Battery Life 5.1

REASONS TO BUY

Nice options and person interface

Distinctive battery for many distances

Light-weight design made for working

Correct dual-frequency GPS and coronary heart charge monitor

REASONS TO AVOID

Some could favor MIP show over AMOLED

Costly

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is a light-weight, feature-rich GPS watch designed for runners, that includes an AMOLED show that enhances readability with vibrant colours and sharp textual content. It features a complete set of well being metrics and sensors supreme for monitoring coaching and day by day actions. Its slim and comfy design makes it a standout possibility for runners on the lookout for a modern, high-performance watch with out the majority of rugged options. The Forerunner 965’s accuracy proves exceptionally effectively, intently matching distances in GPS exams and sustaining minimal discrepancies in coronary heart charge readings. Its mix of efficiency, reliability, and worth makes it a mannequin we might suggest for every type of athletes and people wanting to trace day by day well being stats.

SPECIFICATIONS

Display Kind AMOLED
Measured Physique Diameter 47.2 mm
Measured Thickness 13.2 mm
Measured Battery Life with GPS 29 hours
Sensors Included Coronary heart charge, altimeter, barometer, compass, temperature, blood oxygen degree

The watch’s battery life is considerably restricted by the AMOLED display screen, making it much less appropriate for ultra-athletes who require prolonged GPS utilization past 24 hours. However although the show is just not as battery-efficient because the earlier MIP display screen, it nonetheless boasts sufficient battery for the common person. On a regular basis use can also be seamless, and you’ll simply entry Garmin’s ecosystem of well being metrics, good notifications, and customizable settings by the Garmin Join app. Whereas ultra-runners could favor a mannequin with longer battery life, the Forerunner 965 is a best choice for athletes looking for superior options in a light-weight bundle. Should you’re on the lookout for a extra rugged mannequin, we might suggest the Garmin Enduro 3 or Suunto Race. If you would like the most recent premium providing from Garmin, take into account the Garmin Fenix 8 Photo voltaic. Those that want fewer options however nonetheless need a succesful watch take a look at the Garmin Forerunner 165, which is available in a smaller 43 mm case.

Learn extra: Garmin Forerunner 965 evaluation

The 6 Greatest GPS Watches of 2024

Coaching load, physique battery, and endurance scores can assist you perceive your coaching and decide optimum occasions to push laborious or relaxation.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Nice Worth for a Excessive-High quality GPS Watch

Suunto Race

  • Accuracy 9.3

  • Exercise Use 8.5

  • On a regular basis Use 7.5

  • Further Options 6.5

  • Wearability 9.5

  • Battery Life 6.3

REASONS TO BUY

Worth

Battery life for AMOLED show

Straightforward to make use of with exact and fluid scroll wheel

Design

REASONS TO AVOID

Heavy

Minor inconsistencies in UI

The Suunto Race shines as considered one of Suunto’s top-tier GPS smartwatches. That includes an AMOLED show and an upgraded person interface, it gives a smoother and extra intuitive navigation expertise. Its aggressive pricing and high-quality show are prone to appeal to devoted Suunto followers. This watch is a superb alternative for customers looking for a simple and environment friendly altimeter, barometer, or compass GPS watch.

SPECIFICATIONS

Display Kind AMOLED
Measured Physique Diameter 49.0 mm
Measured Thickness 13.3 mm
Measured Battery Life with GPS 50 hours
Sensors Included Coronary heart charge, altimeter, barometer, compass, blood oxygen degree

For these contemplating an improve to their Suunto GPS watch, the Suunto Race is an outstanding possibility. The brand new AMOLED show and enhanced inside {hardware} allow the menu techniques to run far more easily than earlier than. The revamped person interface simplifies the interplay, offering faster entry to options. Moreover, the price is engaging, particularly given the AMOLED show. With a touchscreen, bodily buttons, and a rolling crown, this mannequin gives a number of interplay strategies, making it well-suited for the varied actions supported by the Suunto Race. Should you want a watch with higher battery life, take into account the Coros Apex Professional 2 or Garmin Fenix 8 Photo voltaic.

Learn extra: Suunto Race evaluation

The Suunto Race does a fantastic job balancing high quality and affordability. It is also extremely correct and simple to put on.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Greatest on a Tight Finances

Coros Tempo 3

  • Accuracy 9.0

  • Exercise Use 7.5

  • On a regular basis Use 7.0

  • Further Options 5.0

  • Wearability 7.5

  • Battery Life 5.4

REASONS TO BUY

Exceptionally light-weight

Battery life is lengthy

Unbelievable accuracy

Easy menu system

REASONS TO AVOID

Restricted sports activities profiles

Plastic building

The Coros Tempo 3 maintains its edge within the budget-friendly phase of the market. If we have been to recommend a single product that caters to the widest vary of parents, it will undoubtedly be this watch. It gives excellent battery life with out including further weight or bulk. With 30+ hours of GPS utilization or as much as two weeks of typical day by day use, the necessity for frequent charging turns into a non-issue. In case your purpose is to attenuate the distractions typically related to smartwatches, the streamlined design of the Tempo 3 is exceptionally interesting. Each devoted athletes and people centered on day by day well being metrics may get rather a lot out of this mannequin.

SPECIFICATIONS

Display Kind MIP
Measured Physique Diameter 41.9 mm
Measured Thickness 11.8 mm
Measured Battery Life with GPS 34 hours
Sensors Included Coronary heart charge, altimeter, barometer, compass, blood oxygen degree

Though we have been pleasantly shocked by its sturdiness, do not count on a ton of premium supplies on the Tempo 3. On the earth of GPS watches, a rugged design sometimes instructions the next price ticket. Whereas including a contact display screen on this newest mannequin is a optimistic characteristic, we favor the rolling crown, with devoted buttons being our favourite. Nonetheless, when you’re out there for an ultralight GPS watch that provides nice accuracy and battery life with out breaking the financial institution, the Coros Tempo 3 comes extremely really helpful. The Garmin Forerunner 165 can also be wonderful and almost matches the Tempo 3. It has an AMOLED show and devoted buttons, which is one thing to contemplate when you can deal with much less battery life. One other nice price range possibility is the Coros Apex 2.

Learn extra: Coros Tempo 3 evaluation

The Tempo 3 has the potential to cater to a broad vary of parents with its cheaper price level and lengthy battery life, and it isn’t clumsy or cumbersome to put on.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Greatest on Expedition

Garmin Enduro 3

  • Accuracy 9.3

  • Exercise Use 9.5

  • On a regular basis Use 9.0

  • Further Options 9.0

  • Wearability 9.3

  • Battery Life 10.0

REASONS TO BUY

Distinctive Design

Battery life

Devoted buttons & touchscreen

Software program UI

REASONS TO AVOID

Heavy

Costly

The Garmin Enduro 3 excels as a best choice for severe ultra-athletes and people participating in prolonged expeditions. Its light-weight design, affordability, and enhanced photo voltaic charging capabilities make it a sensible various to the pricey Fenix collection, which now contains options that some customers could discover pointless. The Enduro 3’s standout characteristic is its 320-hour photo voltaic GPS monitoring functionality, housed in a sturdy titanium physique. Nonetheless, its single, giant 51 mm case measurement could not attraction to all customers. Regardless of this limitation, the Enduro 3’s improved display screen decision, UltraFit nylon strap, and sturdy construct make it a really perfect companion for intense out of doors actions.

SPECIFICATIONS

Display Kind MIP
Measured Physique Diameter 47 mm
Measured Thickness 17.5 mm
Measured Battery Life with GPS 120 hours
Sensors Included Coronary heart charge, altimeter, barometer, compass, temperature, blood oxygen degree

When it comes to efficiency, the Enduro 3 demonstrates wonderful GPS and coronary heart charge accuracy, and its giant display screen permits customers to view extra knowledge at a look with out sacrificing readability. It contains all important Garmin options, like multi-GNSS monitoring, altimeter, and barometer, making it versatile for varied sports activities and expedition settings. Garmin’s intuitive contact display screen and button interface improve usability, and in depth well being metrics may be accessed through the Garmin Join app. Moreover, its superior battery life and distinctive flashlight characteristic make it particularly helpful for extended actions in distant areas. Though pricier choices just like the Fenix collection could swimsuit these needing dive options or a built-in microphone, the Enduro 3 supplies distinctive worth and performance for out of doors endurance athletes. For a smaller kind issue with related efficiency, take a look at the Garmin Fenix 8 Photo voltaic or Coros Vertix 2s.

Learn extra: Garmin Enduro 3 evaluation

gps watch - the enduro may be a bit heavy and large for some people, but this...

The Enduro could also be a bit heavy and huge for some folks, however this permits for distinctive battery life and an simply seen display screen.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Greatest Smartwatch for iPhone Customers

Apple Watch Extremely 2

  • Accuracy 9.3

  • Exercise Use 7.5

  • On a regular basis Use 9.5

  • Further Options 10.0

  • Wearability 9.0

  • Battery Life 4.2

REASONS TO BUY

Trade-leading well being metrics and accuracy

Premium design and supplies

Telephone + SMS response through keyboard and Siri

Greatest watch face design and pink mild functionality

REASONS TO AVOID

Quick battery life

Costly

In January 2024, Apple misplaced a patent dispute to Masimo over the blood oxygen sensor characteristic of the Extremely 2 and Collection 9 watches. Apple Watches will nonetheless present the blood oxygen app, however the know-how is disabled.

The Apple Extremely Watch 2 is a best choice for athletes and people looking for prolonged battery life in an Apple smartwatch. It supplies seamless connectivity and phone-like options in your wrist, making it a fantastic alternative for customers who worth staying linked. The Apple Well being app stands out as top-of-the-line choices for monitoring and visualizing knowledge associated to actions like working, sleep, and day by day coronary heart charge monitoring, because of its clear and uncluttered design. The watch’s bodily design is elegant, with a brilliant show and a 49 mm case measurement. Nonetheless, the up to date mannequin would not provide important enhancements over its predecessor in the meanwhile, so upgrading from an Apple Watch Extremely 1 might not be obligatory.

SPECIFICATIONS

Display Kind At all times-On Retina LTPO2 OLED
Measured Physique Diameter 49.0 mm
Measured Thickness 14.4 mm
Measured Battery Life with GPS 12 hours
Sensors Included Coronary heart charge, altimeter, barometer, compass, temperature, blood oxygen degree

Despite the fact that that is the most effective Apple gives, it might not swimsuit everybody. The Extremely 2 could not work effectively for severe ultra-endurance athletes who carry out in technical terrain. Some customers may discover the watch distracting and overly feature-packed, though customization choices can be found to attenuate distractions. Apple markets its rugged capabilities, however its smartwatch options stay its main energy. Due to this fact, whereas it is a sturdy contender within the smartwatch market, it might not absolutely fulfill the wants of all athletes, notably these prioritizing battery life. However in case you are a fan of Apple watches or want the most effective smartwatch tech options, this is among the greatest fashions available on the market. Should you like the concept of a smartwatch however do not fairly need to spend as a lot because the Extremely 2, take a look at the Garmin Vivoactive 5. For extra performance-oriented folks, the Garmin Forerunner 965 can also be a fantastic possibility for the same worth.

Learn extra: Apple Watch Extremely 2 evaluation

The big 49 mm case suits nice and the display screen’s superior readability even in direct daylight is unmatched.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Greatest for Fundamentals

Fitbit Cost 6

  • Accuracy 7.0

  • Exercise Use 4.0

  • On a regular basis Use 7.0

  • Further Options 7.0

  • Wearability 7.0

  • Battery Life 4.0

REASONS TO BUY

Easy

Snug slim design

Correct

Day by day well being monitoring

REASONS TO AVOID

Small display screen may be tough to learn

Shorter battery life

The Fitbit Cost 6 is the only gadget in our lineup and is ideal for individuals who do not want a big gadget. One little display screen is all you want for monitoring your day by day walks, steps, and sleep. We have been additionally impressed with the GPS recording, and whereas it will not final tremendous lengthy, it is greater than sufficient for day by day exercises. Many GPS watches present an amazing quantity of options. Should you’ve felt this fashion when trying by the choices, give this mannequin a glance.

SPECIFICATIONS

Display Kind AMOLED
Measured Physique Diameter 23.1 mm
Measured Thickness 11.2 mm
Measured Battery Life with GPS 8 hours
Sensors Included Coronary heart charge, temperature, blood oxygen degree

Fitbit has been round for a very long time, they usually’ve positioned themselves extra in well being monitoring than exercise utilization. Their cell companion app is nice and gives many alternative well being info choices. With Fitbit Premium, you could have entry to a library of coaches and completely different lessons just like Peleton. For severe athletes, you’ll doubtless need a full display screen to view your knowledge, however when you simply want the fundamentals, that is the mannequin for you. Should you want extra than simply the fundamentals, we are saying improve to the Garmin Forerunner 165 or Coros Tempo 3

Learn extra: Fitbit Cost 6 evaluation

The Fitbit Cost 6 has a slimmer match that is excellent for individuals who do not just like the look of a bigger GPS watch.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Examine Merchandise

choose as much as 5 merchandise to check

gps watch - testing of gps watches occurs in a wide variety of conditions. here...

Testing of GPS watches happens in all kinds of situations. Right here, the brand new Coros watches get examined on a frigid morning of mountain climbing in Colorado.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Why You Ought to Belief Us

Earlier than choice happens, we spend hours trying by the highest choices available on the market, delving into the analysis to find out the most effective. As soon as we have decided our last lineup, we purchase every watch at full retail and begin our testing course of. From days out working, snowboarding, climbing, and biking, we analyze the options, accuracy, and usefulness to offer you our suggestions on what’s greatest. Our staff is proud to supply our ideas and support you in looking for the most effective GPS watch to suit your wants.

Our GPS watch testing is split into six score metrics:

  • Accuracy (30% of general rating weighting)
  • Exercise Use (20% weighting)
  • On a regular basis Use (15% weighting)
  • Further Options(15% weighting)
  • Wearability (10% weighting)
  • Battery Life (10% weighting)

This evaluation is headed up by Matthew Richardson. Matthew works with maps for a residing and spends his free time outdoor surrounding Durango, Colorado. He makes use of a GPS watch day by day and has accomplished some massive outings, comparable to a solo trip on the Colorado Path and linking up the Chicago Basin 14ers in a day. He has personally examined and retested each watch on this lineup over the past a number of years and deeply understands each characteristic and nuance.

Our lead tester on a solo trip on the Colorado Trail summer of 2021...
Our lead tester on a solo journey on the Colorado Path summer time of 2021. Seen right here at Kokomo Go.
Our lead tester Matthew putting some miles in, in Durango, Colorado.
Our lead tester Matthew placing some miles in, in Durango, Colorado.
Matthew our lead tester doing the classic chimney boulder in the...
Matthew our lead tester doing the basic chimney boulder within the kraft boulders in Las Vegas, NV.

Testing GPS watches in varied terrains and whereas doing varied actions provides a clearer image of their capabilities.

Evaluation and Take a look at Outcomes

There are various GPS watches available on the market as of late, and discovering the one that matches your wants generally is a robust venture. We took a pattern of the market’s present greatest and examined them to see how they evaluate side-by-side.

What is the Greatest Worth?

GPS watches are an funding, and your degree of utilization ought to decide what your worth level ought to be. Should you’re trying to get into the entry-level GPS watch market and need a watch purely for distance and coronary heart charge monitoring, we recommend the Coros Tempo 3, Garmin Forerunner 165, or Garmin Forerunner 55. These are nice entry-level fashions that may fulfill most customers.

Look forward to final season’s watch to go on sale. These are sometimes loaded with most of the identical capabilities, and you will get them for a fraction of the retail value.

The Suunto Race is on the decrease finish of the high-priced watches, however its mixture of superior options and all-day battery life make it a fantastic possibility.

Screen brightness is important, especially when trying to see the...
Display brightness is vital, particularly when attempting to see the display screen out within the daylight.
The Coros Apex 2 and Coros Apex Pro 2 are very similar in design...
The Coros Apex 2 and Coros Apex Professional 2 are very related in design apart from their measurement distinction (42mm/47mm).

Testing side-by-side provides us distinctive perception into what fashions excel for sure purposes.

Accuracy

We all know that correct GPS recordings and metrics are vital. No person desires wonky elevation knowledge or elevated coronary heart charge stats, particularly with the price of as we speak’s gadgets. We have been impressed with the watches in our take a look at group, every performing adequately throughout the value ranges. Fortunately, all of the watches we examined now characteristic multi-band GPS satellite tv for pc recording, with some even working in multi-frequency. GPS sign energy, satellite tv for pc location, watch match, and inside {hardware} all have a big influence on gadget accuracy.

To guage the accuracy of every watch, we ran, biked, and hiked recognized distances to check our watches and their monitor metrics. We additionally examined the watches deep within the canyons of Utah. Canyons are notoriously dangerous for GPS watches because of the restricted open line of sight. All the GPS watches we examined had good accuracy that we might belief. Most gave us easy tracks that constantly stayed inside 1-3% of the particular measured distance. Multi-band satellites produced the most effective outcomes; these with dual-frequency carried out even higher. It is vital to take into account that these superior options usually use extra battery, however these gadgets have already got adequate battery life to carry out these duties. With twin frequency changing into extra normal, just about the entire premium fashions throughout the manufacturers have wonderful GPS accuracy.

gps watch - we analyzed all of the gps tracks provided by the units. a) our...

We analyzed the entire GPS tracks supplied by the items. a) our steep hill take a look at displaying accuracy in steep terrain. b) Winners of our steep hill take a look at, these had probably the most uniform tracks with out errors. c) All gadgets preformed effectively on metropolis streets. d) Lengthy open straight aways additionally led to good GPS tracks for all items.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Coronary heart Fee Monitor Accuracy

Testing coronary heart charge screens is kind of a problem. We noticed coronary heart charge knowledge throughout runs and in contrast this to the knowledge we acquired from a coronary heart monitor chest strap. Whereas most watches can precisely monitor the relative ups and downs you may expertise whereas exercising, few are as correct as a chest strap. That is largely as a consequence of variable match on the wrist and a myriad of different elements. Not one of the coronary heart charge screens we examined have been spot on. If you would like exact coronary heart charge readings, you’ll want to buy a chest strap.

One vital factor to notice relating to optical coronary heart charge screens is that they don’t present high quality knowledge for folks with darkish pores and skin, tattoos, or giant quantities of hair or sweat below the monitor. This challenge applies to each watch with an optical coronary heart charge monitor as a result of they use photoplethysmography (PPG), the place mild mirrored out of your arteries signifies your coronary heart charge. Exterior mild, bursts of exercise, interference from hair, tattoo ink, sweat, and so forth., can all have an effect on readings.

The Garmin Forerunner 965, Fenix 8 Photo voltaic, and Garmin Enduro 3 have been nearly spot on, with match on our wrist and a mean variation of lower than one beat per minute. The Suunto Race & Amazfit Lively Edge additionally carried out excellently. With the up to date HR monitor discovered on the Coros fashions, they’re extra correct than ever earlier than, additionally coming inside a variation of simply 2-4 bpm. The distinctive rectangular design of the Apple Watch Extremely 2 suits effectively on our wrist, and when paired with their wonderful sensor, this matched our main mannequin.

gps watch - the amazfit active edge's tlt display is easy to see in a variety of...

The Amazfit Lively Edge’s TLT show is simple to see in quite a lot of solar situations, we want the mannequin had an at all times on show mode so we may see it with out absolutely rotating our wrist whereas working.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Exercise Use

GPS watches have continued to evolve to turn into full computer systems in your wrist, with many containing most of the options of your smartphone. Nonetheless, our major precedence with GPS watches is their exercise utilization. Many on our staff are severe athletes and rely upon an correct GPS watch that makes their exercise expertise higher and extra knowledgeable. Whereas there are a lot of completely different watches in our lineup, all of them have the power to file your coronary heart charge and monitor your GPS monitor.

Throughout our testing, we got here to the conclusion you actually cannot go improper with any watch in our take a look at group. Every has the power to give you a fantastic GPS monitor and provide you with on-screen knowledge like coronary heart charge, mileage, and tempo. Some carry out higher than others, and your major sport ought to decide which mannequin is greatest for you.

For working, we might suggest just a few choices from Garmin and Coros, particularly the Garmin Forerunner 165, Garmin Forerunner 965, Coros Tempo 3, and Coros Apex 2. For rugged path working, we are saying go for the Garmin Fenix 8 Photo voltaic.

gps watch - an amoled display may be typically brighter than a mip, but it also...

An AMOLED show could also be sometimes brighter than a MIP, however it additionally makes use of extra battery life. Because of this, we are likely to favor an MIP show.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

For rugged actions, comparable to climbing, snowboarding, mountaineering, or backcountry backpacking, we might suggest the Garmin Enduro 3, Garmin Fenix 8 Photo voltaic, or Coros Vertix 2S

gps watch - a more robust watch is a good idea when climbing or backpacking.

A extra sturdy watch is a good suggestion when climbing or backpacking.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

For extra primary actions comparable to climbing, canine strolling, and day by day well being monitoring, take a look at the Garmin Vivoactive 5 or Fitbit Cost 6. If you would like a mix of smartwatch options that is nonetheless nice for the backcountry and extra technical trails, take a look at the Apple Extremely Watch 2.

gps watch - the vivoactive 5 is a more casual-looking option but still...

The Vivoactive 5 is a extra casual-looking possibility however nonetheless fairly stable.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

On a regular basis Use

Ease of use is vital when utilizing a watch each throughout exercise and through your day by day life. These merchandise ought to improve your life, not make it harder. The fashions that scored highest have been these we felt have been the best to make use of and supplied the most effective person expertise. Integration of cell apps was additionally considered when figuring out person expertise. Needless to say a product with a protracted record of options could take a while to be taught the ins and outs of.

There are various similarities between manufacturers, with the interface on the inexpensive watches mimicking these discovered on top-of-the-line fashions. You will note there is not as a lot vary in our rankings for this metric — that is because of the similarities of the interfaces. If you should utilize the Coros Vertix 2S, you’ll immediately be capable to use the Coros Apex 2 — identical for the Fenix 8 Photo voltaic and Forerunner 965.

gps watch - the coros vertix 2s does a great job of providing endless battery...

The Coros Vertix 2S does a fantastic job of offering countless battery life for day by day well being monitoring whereas placing in heavy coaching hundreds.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

All the Garmin merchandise characteristic devoted buttons, besides the Garmin Vivoactive 5, which is a superb smartwatch possibility from Garmin. All the Coros fashions characteristic a scroll wheel, with all new fashions containing a contact display screen that’s now accessible all through all menu techniques.

Not like different fashions from Garmin, the Vivoactive would not have buttons, and as an alternative includes a contact display screen for navigation.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Finally, it is laborious to say which model is best to make use of as a result of they’re each completely different but related. Their methodology of interplay is the largest distinction, and we’d recommend deciding on whether or not you want the concept of a scroll wheel or devoted buttons. Internally, the menu techniques are primarily the identical, with just a few minor variations.

gps watch - our tester found some of the most difficult areas for gps watches to...

Our tester discovered among the most tough areas for GPS watches to trace to check their talents.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

The Apple Watch Extremely 2 impressed us with its characteristic set and the way straightforward it’s to make use of these options. It is actually no shock that Apple was capable of incorporate its beloved design into this extra rugged mannequin. Establishing and customizing notifications and the structure is a breeze with the watch app. As watch companion apps proceed to get higher, we’re impressed with the quantity of customization out there, with every model changing into fairly good.

The Extremely is a superb possibility for individuals who want the nice added options of a smartwatch however lengthy for that GPS watch sturdiness.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

The Suunto merchandise all scored a bit decrease right here as we felt their menu techniques have been the toughest to be taught and use. Even after hours of utilizing their merchandise, the menus nonetheless felt unintuitive in comparison with among the others. The Suunto Vertical Titanium Photo voltaic and Suunto Race have very good contact screens that support in ease of use, however oftentimes, the motion button would change. For instance, to start out an exercise, you employ the big central button, however to cease the exercise, you employ a special button.

The Race is the first AMOLED display model produced by Suunto.
The Race is the primary AMOLED show mannequin produced by Suunto.
The 49mm case size is one of our favorites, allowing for increased...
The 49mm case measurement is considered one of our favorites, permitting for elevated battery life over the usual 47mm measurement. The Vertical Titanium Photo voltaic gives industry-leading battery life which you may also cost through photo voltaic.

Suunto consistently creates lovely watches with reliable accuracy and characteristic set.

Apps are one other consideration on this metric. Of all of the producers we reviewed, Garmin Join has probably the most options, however the design left a bit to be desired, in our opinion. Suunto and Coros have apps which might be extra stripped-down, much less built-in, and simpler to make use of general. Suunto has a very lovely structure that integrates images, which we loved. These apps have been simpler to determine in comparison with Garmin, although none provide the identical social ecosystem. Fortunately, all of them cross over to completely different ecosystems like Strava. You can even sync your knowledge from these apps to the Apple Well being app, which we expect supplies the most effective well being metric visualization.

The Garmin Connect app is a great way to view your latest health and...
The Garmin Join app is an effective way to view your newest well being and exercise knowledge. The house display screen is now improved, making it simpler to make use of and perceive your metrics.
The Coros App is well designed and long been one of our favorites...
The Coros App is effectively designed and lengthy been considered one of our favorites subsequent to Apple Well being. The app is simple to make use of and appears nice!

Trying on the apps between manufacturers, they’re all pretty clear and simple to make use of.

Lastly, the Fitbit Cost 6 was very straightforward to make use of and received an award for being the most effective on the fundamentals. For much less severe athletes or those that merely need to do some recorded walks however have all-day well being monitoring, that is the mannequin for you. GPS watches may be difficult, and we understand not everybody wants the entire visualization of knowledge. We have began to incorporate a few of these less complicated gadgets in our testing to attraction to a wider vary of customers.

Further Options

The number of characteristic units in as we speak’s market mimics the big selection of pricing. Throughout all of the gadgets, we examined roughly 1-second interval GPS recording, and a coronary heart charge monitor is a minimal. A better price ticket usually equates to extra inside software program options. Essentially the most superior watches have options like flashlights, blood oxygen readings, topographic maps, and a set of smartwatch-enabled options. Some options lend themselves to city utilization, whereas others are nice for expeditions into unfamiliar terrain. Bear in mind your utilization situation and attempt to buy a watch primarily based on the options you’ll really use.

The Apple Watch Extremely 2 and Garmin Fenix 8 Photo voltaic acquired the very best scores on this class, with the Garmin Forerunner 965 and Garmin Enduro 3 nipping at their heels. These fashions characteristic superior GPS monitoring (MULTI GNSS), a lot of exercise profiles, superior well being metric stats, and premium topo maps for navigation. The brand new Fenix has voice help that can be utilized offline or through your telephone’s Bluetooth connection. Dive modes at the moment are included, which have been beforehand solely out there on dive-specific fashions.

gps watch - the garmin toolset offers great functionality. we love that these...

The Garmin toolset gives nice performance. We love that these are straightforward to entry by holding the sunshine button.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Some options which might be fascinating to some folks could also be ineffective to others. We advise testing the spec sheets through every model’s web site to view probably the most present, up-to-date options and any software program updates. The person interfaces discovered on the manufacturers we examined are just like a telephone ecosystem — every has its personal model of working system (OS). For instance, an iPhone mannequin behaves equally to different iPhones and vice versa for Android. That is the present state of the GPS market when evaluating manufacturers.

We examined every GPS watch in quite a lot of situations. Right here, you may see our lead tester Matthew on a night hike utilizing the navigation options discovered on the Suunto Vertical Titanium Photo voltaic.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

The Apple Watch Extremely 2 has probably the most options out of all of the watches we examined, thanks largely to its nice iPhone integration. The flexibility to not solely reply calls (normal on most watches), but in addition discuss through the speaker is tremendous useful. Answering texts through swipe gestures or Siri can also be a profit over different fashions. This massive characteristic set prices numerous battery life, and lots of of those options are disabled when you activate the low-power mode. However when you’ve been on the lookout for a GPS watch that may be rugged and supply industry-leading UI and telephone integration, that is the mannequin for you.

gps watch - your surroundings can interfere with your gps, especially when the...

Your environment can intervene along with your GPS, particularly when the road of sight to the sky is minimal.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Wearability

When contemplating design, we took a detailed take a look at the way in which every watch suits on the wrist and any notable points with it throughout use. This included trying on the measurement and thickness of the physique, utilizing below clothes, unintentionally turning buttons on and off, and the readability of the display screen. We additionally thought of aesthetics, which can range from individual to individual. Choose the design you want greatest that matches your price range, and see how the externals stack up between every mannequin.

We used these watches for all-day use, and our opinions will mirror that. When you have a devoted wristwatch that may take precedence over your energetic GPS watch, take that into consideration. We prioritize premium supplies and design since that is one thing we put on 24/7 besides whereas charging. The sleekest design and greatest for small wrists is the Garmin Forerunner 165 — we’re impressed with the quantity of know-how packed into this unit. The Garmin Forerunner 965 additionally has a super-thin design that works nice for working. Each the brand new Suunto Vertical Titanium Photo voltaic and Suunto Race are standouts within the lineup for design, and they’re simply our favorites, providing titanium or stainless-steel building and a very good bezel.

Suunto does an excellent job of making the Vertical Titanium Solar...
Suunto does a superb job of constructing the Vertical Titanium Photo voltaic look nice.
The Suunto Race is of high quality, without the extra features that...
The Suunto Race is of top quality, with out the additional options that could be distracting to some customers.

Suunto continues to impress with its nice design and construct high quality.

We recognize that Apple went in opposition to the grain, creating a novel design. The oblong form of the Apple Watch Extremely 2 might not be for everybody, however it was a favourite of our staff. The titanium bezel and ceramic again really feel each rugged and premium. The always-on show is vibrant and simple to learn below any solar situations. The usual watch face is awesome-looking, and the adjustable pink mode is ideal for an evening below the celebrities. We hope different manufacturers begin incorporating this degree of element and precision into their items. The Suunto Race additionally has a superb AMOLED display screen just like Apple’s OLED show. For individuals who need the brightest shows, we might suggest these two fashions.

The Garmin Forerunner 165 has a powerful touchscreen that works in conditions the place most would fail.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

We suggest the Garmin Enduro 3 or Vertix 2S for these on the lookout for a extra rugged design. Each of those watches are made with high-quality supplies and are sturdy sufficient to face up to years of abuse. The 51 mm case measurement of the Vertix 2S is nice for these with a much bigger wrist or who just like the commanding-looking display screen and bezel. In case your main exercise is working, we might stick to the 47 mm case measurement of the Garmin Forerunner 965 or Fenix fashions. The load distinction is noticeable for actions with numerous arm motion.

gps watch - lower temperatures can run a battery down. impressively, this was...

Decrease temperatures can run a battery down. Impressively, this was not the case with the Coros Tempo 3.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

The Garmin Fenix 8 Photo voltaic has a superb display screen design, with the most effective distinction and brightness out of any of the MIP screens we examined. The information fields pop and the numbers are bolder than these on the Coros fashions. We discovered glancing on the knowledge fields whereas working technical terrain to be probably the most fluid and pure. Should you aren’t doing intense actions, this can be much less of a precedence for you.

gps watch - solar watches, like the garmin fenix 8 solar or enduro 3, are great...

Photo voltaic watches, just like the Garmin Fenix 8 Photo voltaic or Enduro 3, are nice for extending your battery life.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Equally vital, the devoted buttons on the Garmin fashions make accessing the information screens simpler whereas below intense actions. The scroll wheel discovered on the Coros fashions tends to be bumped unintentionally, requiring a lockout mode to be enabled. That is simply disabled however does create one further step. We just like the motion and sureness of devoted bodily buttons, however when you use the swipe touchscreen characteristic or auto-scroll, this can be much less vital to you.

gps watch - our lead tester matthew testing the latest coros watches running in...

Our lead tester Matthew testing the most recent Coros watches working in snowy Colorado.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Battery Life

For any distance athlete, battery life might be one of many greatest elements to contemplate when shopping for a watch. Battery life is affected by many issues, together with your route, GPS sign, protection, the variety of apps you could have turned on/off, the battery mode you could have set, and the way lengthy you run your gadget. Because of this, we recognize that most of the watches we examined have battery modes and profiles that make it straightforward to activate/off varied options without delay with out having to dig by the menus.

We carried out many battery exams. The primary was a extra subjective in-field take a look at the place we charged up the battery and used the watch usually day in and time out. We famous how lengthy the watch took to die whereas incorporating 2-3 actions every week, about 1-3 hours in size. We then in contrast producers’ claims to the precise outcomes that we received.

gps watch - the mip screen is easy to view in a variety of weather and sun...

The MIP display screen is simple to view in quite a lot of climate and solar situations. We proceed to favor MIP as a consequence of its battery efficiency and at all times on show. If you would like the brightest clearest show, take a look at some AMOLED choices.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Subsequent, we examined GPS by setting every be careful in the identical space below the open sky and working them down till they turned off. We famous the time taken to achieve this level and, if any, went right into a battery-saver mode to boost battery life.

We understand this take a look at will not let you know the precise variety of hours you may get throughout actual GPS exercise, however it provides us an concept of which watches last more than others and the standard of the information. As well as, we additionally took every watch on at the very least 50 miles of actions, noting the quantity of battery used for the time of the exercise.

gps watch - the coros vertix 2s has impressive battery life, with over 110 hours...

The Coros Vertix 2S has spectacular battery life, with over 110 hours of GPS recording time and as much as 40 days of steady use.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Be certain to contemplate the forms of adventures and the size of time you anticipate utilizing your gadget. Most of those fashions can cost whereas recording, however we might suggest selecting the one that most closely fits your must keep away from having to do that. We expect 24 hours of GPS monitoring is an efficient place to start out for most individuals and to extend provided that you already know you may want extra. Notice {that a} battery is a trade-off by way of options gained/misplaced or modifications to the case measurement.

When stats for the watches in our lineup, it is vital to recollect that there’s a tough correlation between case measurement and battery life. A bigger case means a bodily bigger battery, which, in flip, usually has extra capability. That mentioned, many issues issue into this. We scored this metric objectively primarily based on the battery life with GPS working. Additionally, take into account that our scores are comparative, so a decrease rating merely signifies that a product had much less battery life in comparison with others within the lineup — this isn’t indicative of a defective or sub-par battery.

In case your precedence is a smartwatch that seemingly by no means dies, then you definately may take into account a photo voltaic watch, just like the Garmin Intuition Photo voltaic 2, Suunto Vertical Titanium Photo voltaic, Garmin Enduro 3 or Fenix 8 Photo voltaic. It would be best to have dependable photo voltaic power out there to cost the watch, and minimal share features are made whereas GPS is working, so it would be best to have an influence backup in case you are planning to make use of numerous GPS monitoring. That is the place a watch, just like the Intuition Photo voltaic 2, that provides a ‘resume later’ characteristic may be useful throughout relaxation durations out on the path.

gps watch - the instinct 2 solar has a widget that shows you how much sunlight...

The Intuition 2 Photo voltaic has a widget that reveals you ways a lot daylight your display screen is getting.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

For optimum battery utilization, the Coros fashions excel throughout their vary. The battery life on the Vertix 2S is spectacular, with nearly 120 hours of MULTI GNSS monitoring. Some folks may full the whole Colorado Path on their bikes with out ever charging their watch! Coros merchandise are recognized for his or her battery life, and it is clearly a precedence all through their entire vary. The Coros Apex Professional 2 is one other mannequin that excels by having prolonged battery life and roughly 75 hours of GPS. The brand new Suunto Vertical Titanium Photo voltaic additionally excels at battery life, offering roughly 85 hours of GPS recording because of the photo voltaic display screen. Its barely bigger 49 mm case measurement provides it a bump up over the competitors of the flagship 47 mm measurement fashions that Garmin and Coros provide.

We stored all the things set to default settings when working our battery exams — within the situation that most individuals will begin utilizing their watches. Flip off notifications and different capabilities you do not want earlier than your exercise to increase battery life.

We recognize a watch with good battery-saver choices and modes, nevertheless, this can be much less of a precedence for Coros to implement, given their industry-leading battery life. The Apple Watch Extremely 2 scored low within the battery metric because of the always-on show. There’s a low-power mode, however the battery life nonetheless would not fairly measure as much as another choices. That is one main consideration to bear in mind in case you are planning on buying a mannequin with an AMOLED show. Personally, we like having the watch face at all times displayed; it will drastically scale back battery life, so take this into consideration.

Throughout our whole lineup, there’s a GPS watch that matches anybody’s battery wants. In case your major precedence is battery life, the Coros fashions are the clear winner. Think about the longest time you count on to be out and select a watch that greatest matches your wants.

gps watch - a great option for smaller wrists or someone who prefers a lighter...

An amazing possibility for smaller wrists or somebody who prefers a lighter GPS watch is the Forerunner 165.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

Conclusion

Shopping for a GPS watch is an enormous resolution and a major funding. You may take a look at our critiques for a extra in-depth take a look at the assorted fashions we examined. You may end up researching for weeks and even months earlier than discovering the appropriate one on the proper worth. We hope our insights and in-depth comparative analysis have helped you discover confidence in taking the plunge into this funding. Take our ideas and use instances and decide what’s most vital to you. There’s a GPS watch right here for everybody, and we hope this makes your resolution course of a bit simpler. Have enjoyable on the market!

gps watch - our testers went to great lengths… and heights… to get the most...

Our testers went to nice lengths… and heights… to get probably the most out of those watches.

Credit score: Matthew Richardson

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