5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible watch for runners. Race predictor and battery life are next level

H.L. · July 31, 2025

This Garmin has completely changed the game for my training. The race predictor feature keeps me motivated and gives realistic goals based on my performance. I check it constantly before races. The battery life is also amazing. I can go days without charging, even with GPS runs logged daily.It’s comfortable, packed with features, and easily the best running watch I’ve ever owned. If you're a runner looking for real data and long-lasting performance, this is the one to get. It connects super easily to my phone and is super durable! Looks sleek as well!

5.0 out of 5 stars A paranoid schizophrenic's worst nightmare.

D.M.J. · April 28, 2022

It tracks everything about you and broadcast it to the internet. If you cool with that, then its a lot of fun.Tldr; its great. All the features work so well. I do use a chest strap heart rate monitor during my heavy workouts, but the one built in is just fine for daily and sleeping. Sleep tracking is pretty good, its picked up pretty accurately for me, and i work nights, so my schedule sucks. You have to set your sleep tracking time from 00:01 to 23:59 for it to pick up day sleeping. Battery is amazing if you turn off everything. I keep heart rate, pulse ox, and activity tracking running 24hrs, and i can go a few days before it hits 40%.First off, I bought a refurbished/used 945. I was anxious to see if any scratches or issues. None at all, watch is in perfect condition with all the packaging and parts. Now to the watch.It is amazing. I recently got back into working out, and wanted a way to measure my metrics, to see if I'm making progress. It does that amazingly well. I use zwift for cycling, and wanted a way to track my time off the bike. It does everything, and it tells me how im feeling, amd its spot on. When my body battery hits 9, i know i feel like a 9. Its like it gets me, and i have something that knows how i feel lolThe sleep tracking is a big selling point for me because i work nights, and my sleep schedule is just so bad, i needed a visual way to display to others so they believe me. It does do that, but you need to put in a little effort to keep the results accurate. First if you sleep during day for night shift, you want to change the sleep window to encompass the entire day to "watch" for signs of sleep: 00:01(to sleep) to 23:59(wake up). This will allow you to fall asleep at any time. However, it only tracks one sleep event, so if you end up falling back asleep later, it will alter the original time's wake up, to this new wake up, and instead of being a cumulative 7hrs, it will count the awake time between, and come up with a total of say 15hrs. It will display the awake time during the sleep, but i like my times to show the actual hours of sleep, so i edit it to add in the correct time. Not sure if thats correct or not, but i dont know another way.The workout tracking is so cool. It has nearly every sport, and if you go into connect iq app, you can download more. You can also create your own. The data screens for the workouts are so customizable, you can change anything to how you want. When i run, i like to have the 6 field layout with all the quick info: timer, heart rate, cadence, pace, and distance. For cycling, i have all that plus my power meter connects and i have that data as well.It keeps tally of everything you do, and gives you a body battery score. I found this to be extremely accurate. When its a high number, i do feel good, and when its a low number, i definitely feel exhausted. Its a good measure of your fatigue, and that helps you rest knowing you are following your plan without regret.I really like how Garmin Connect app connects to other apps. So many workout apps are an island to themselves with the data they collect. Garmin shares with everything, and doesnt cost a subscription. Get the watch, join the garmin ecosystem. Its great.I ordered cheapo pack of watch band colors. To get the original band off, you need to use 2 tiny star tools to twist them off. Blue locktite secures the threads. Take the original band off, the put the crossbar back on. The new watch bands clip on to it, and make swapping different colors easy.The battery life is kind of a different story. Its really what do you want to compromise? If you want gps on all the time, expect the be recharging by the afternoon. If you turn everything off, including heartrate, pulse ox, activity tracking, gps, it will last quite a few days. I have tested it out fully. You should really make a good decision to what you put on the watch face. Having all the up to date metrics displayed 24/7 will be the biggest drain to your battery. I put mostly weather and step tracking on my watch face, because it doesnt update every second. That saves a ton of battery. Even having the second hand displayed drains battery. Most of the good watch faces you download will tell you that, and its very true. During workouts, i havent had issues with the battery even getting close to dying during an hour long workout with gps and connected to hr strap. I do my workout, and never worry about the battery. Maybe if you were doing ultra distance that takes over a day, i wouldnt worry. Its good, especially for all it does.The phone controls work well. Its conveniet to see who is calling, and i wear my headphones a lot, to just hit the button on the watch to connect me to the call without ever pulling out my phone. I can use simple customizable messages to reply to texts. Anything else and i need to break out my phone for that.All in all 10/10 experience. I hope the devolpment for the sleep tracking continues to get better, but this thing rocks

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the Upgrade from Fenix 3!

I. · August 1, 2019

this is my third garmin watch as i have graduated from one to the next with latest being the fenix 3. the differences between the two is big enough for me to sink in $600 for this watch. for me, the most important functionalities are battery life on gps, music, and wrist based hr monitoring....but it offers so much more!!! i really like the design of this watch. it is a lot lighter than the fenix and slimmer. fenix was not a watch that i could wear to sleep but this forerunner makes it easy for me. there are so many added features since the fenix 3 that i feel like a kid in a candy store. although not needed, i added my credit card to the watch...so if you want to go on a shopping spree, all you have to do is lift my watch!😂 syncing my airpods 2 was a breeze. have i mentioned that this watch is awesome! the built in heart rate monitor surpasses my expectations. although the wrist type monitors are not as accurate as a chest strap, i am willing to give up that accuracy for something that puts me in the general neighborhood of how my ticker is doing. it certainly does that! as far as the battery life claim of 36hours....i have not had a chance to test that yet but will have a chance toward the end of this year. generally, i can get pretty close to the number that garmin publishes but i do have to turn off almost everything to achieve that number. although i could have continue to charge the watch on the run believe it or not, my mind was too foggy in survival mode of a 100 mile run to want to worry about that. i really like the layout of the user interface on this watch. if you are coming from a garmin watch, it is similar and the learning curve is not too steep. i was able to navigate it within a few hours for the most part. i know someone stated in a review they didn't like the buttons....i love the buttons! they are responsive and get me from me place to another quickly. it is true that not as much pressure is required to do that but that is my preference. the display is very very good. it is crisp and bright. oh....the watch face is very nice. one of the things that i didn't like about the fenix was that i could never get the second hand to move like an analog watch. this one does. as far as fit, it feels so light on my wrist that i noticed it for the first day but now is just there. overall, i love the added functionalities of thhhis watch and will come back to provide a more in depth review once i have a chance to swim, bike and run with it. first impression is that this is a solid well bought out watch with everything i need! highly recommend!8/10/2019i have had this watch now for about two weeks. it is awesome. here are some things that i have done with it that i haven't done previously:- sync my apple airpods and a generic earbuds to the watch. both worked although the apple airpods worked more flawlessly.- loaded spotify and my music onto the watch. very easy to do.- the built in hr monitor is awesome! i don't even wear my strap anymore....it gives me a rash so glad to be rid of it!- i love all the health readings! it is awesome!- i love the strength app. it actually counts your sets and reps. still has a little bit of work to do but pretty cool.- i got all my external devices like hr strap, foot pod and power meter connected to the watch- it uses about 15% per day of battery although i have everything turned on. once i am in race mode i will turn everything off to save on battery- i bought a couple of extra cables. they charged the watch pretty well.- i love the voice alerts while running. it gives pace distance and lactate readings- the watch analog face is pretty good. i especially like the red second hand.. it does eat a little more battery.- gps is quick to sync!- the apps and widgets are awesome. well thought out.that's all i have for now as i am training for 100 miler and hasn't had a chance to swim or bike. i am pretty sure i won't be disappointed there either. will update once i log some distance for those activities.

Easy to set up and sue, very motivating

M.C.J.L. · March 11, 2025

Easy to set up. Love that is has a list of activities that can be set was favourites so easy to start when doing one of these activities. Love the Garmin app and the information it can record and the information concerning ing stats that are shown. Motivated by the challenges that can be joined and the badges that can be earned. Works well for me.

Was always in my bucket list -- Thanks Garmin for India region maps!

V. · September 12, 2021

Update - contacted Garmin Customer care regarding India Region maps, they provided link to download and install maps.. HAPPY now :)here is the link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19IarHKRyvkV9EGRTQnFlvvsFkEuOpvMb/view?usp=sharingunzip it, connect the watch to PC and copy the file gmapsupp.img to Garmin folder and that's it!Thanks Garmin for help!-------As New models have arrived which are cheaper and better in some areas but still preferred FR- 945 watch.If you care for high resolution screen don’t go for this watch, 945 has LCD screen, so will always be dull when compared against AMOLED screen as in Venu 2..Go for this watch if you care about:1. Long hours battery life with GPS on to track your activity(32 hours), really great for triathlon or trekking like event2. All time on - oxymeter, heart monitor, barometer, altimeter3. Watch is Garmin Training plans compatible, watch once synced with Garmin connect app downloads the scheduled plan for the day on watch. Best part is plans are adaptable to your routine.4. Feature rich widgets5. Yoga, gym, HIIT workouts on watch screen6. unique features- group track, maps, navigation, Heat acclimation, Altitude acclimation, Training load focus, Hydration Tracking, Abnormal Heart Rate Alert7. Sleep tracker- (I don’t personally prefer wearing watch while sleeping, but good feature for those who like to )

Easy to use multi-function HRM

M.m.a.m. · October 15, 2021

Really like the ease of use and also the different functions. Easy to set up, and works well with the app on my iPhone. Only gripe is my Headphones only pick up Spotify intermittently if it is on my left wrist when on the track, I think this is more about my headphones than the watch.

Lo máximo!

M. · March 14, 2024

Tuve un forerunner 45s, bastante sencillo, bueno pero para principiantes. Este esta de lujísimo, para triatlón excelente! marca infinidad de cosas, si le sumas una banda garmín HRM-Pro Plus, harás el duo perfecto! No se necesita más. Lo encontré de descuento aquí en Amazón. Buen precio a diferencia de las tiendas! No lo dudes! Lo hubiera comprado desde el inicio!

Great Garmin watch.

M.J. · January 10, 2021

Great watch for fitness tracking ☺️.