Garmin launches two Forerunner watches with new racing features

Just in time for Global Running Day, Garmin introduces two new running watches to its Forerunner series: Forerunner 255 $ 349.99 and $ 499.99 Forerunner 955. Both GPS watches feature multi-band GPS and new racing features, including a racing widget . The Forerunner 955 also comes in a Solar version that, as the name suggests, adds solar charging for even longer battery life.

The Forerunner 255 is a lightweight mid-range running watch based on the Forerunner 245. It comes in two sizes. The standard Forerunner 255 will measure 46 mm and weigh 49 grams, while the smaller 255S will measure 41 mm and weigh 32 grams. There will also be a Forerunner 255 Music and 255S Music variants, which will be able to store up to 500 songs on the watch itself. Garmin says it also includes playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music and Deezer. The music models cost $ 50 extra for a total of $ 399.99. The watches are rated at 5ATM water resistance with an estimated battery life of 14 days with up to 30 hours in GPS mode.

The big additions this time include a new racer widget, heart rate variation (HRV) status during sleep, multi-band GPS and the ability for triathletes to more easily switch between sports via a single push of a button. The race widget will include information about race preparations, including performance predictions, race day weather and a countdown timer. Multi-band GPS is an increasingly popular feature on multisport watches that increases GPS accuracy by enabling communication with multiple satellite frequencies. The promise is better accuracy in environments where it is difficult to get a good signal. Finally, the watch also has a “morning report” function. When a user wakes up, the watch will provide a brief overview of the day’s weather, a suggestion for daily training and a report on the night’s sleep, recovery time, training status and HRV status.

Compared to the Forerunner 245, the 255 series adds an NFC chip to Garmin Pay. Otherwise, it is not too different sensor-wise. It still has continuous heart rate measurement as well as SpO2 sensors to activate features like Body Battery. The metric measures how well you are recovering during sleep, as well as how “drained” you are during the day from stress. The Forerunner 255 series will also support basic smartwatch features like push notifications and Garmin security features such as event detection and live tracking. For workout features, it will also give users suggestions for daily workouts as well as access to workout programs via Garmin Coach and in-depth metrics on the Garmin Connect app.

Image: Garmin

Meanwhile, the Forerunner 955 is more of a top-of-the-line running watch. (However, it is not quite as full of features as Garmin’s flagship Fenix ​​series.) It has a 47 mm always on, full color touch screen and weighs 52 grams. Button fans do not have to worry. The 955 still contains five physical buttons that can be used with the touch screen. Like the 255 Series, it is rated for 5ATM water resistance, but has a slightly longer battery life of an estimated 15 days with 42 hours in GPS mode. There’s also a $ 599.99 Forerunner 955 Solar that features Garmin’s proprietary Power Glass lens. With solar charging, the 955 Solar gets up to 20 days on a single charge with 49 hours in GPS mode. (This assumes you get about three hours a day in 50,000 lux ratios, so take it with a pinch of salt.)

Like the Forerunner 255 series, the Forerunner 955 also gets multi-band GPS, HRV status, morning reports and the new race widget. It also has a new training readiness measurement. As the name suggests, the measurement takes into account sleep, recovery time, HRV and a few other measurements to give users a score that indicates how “ready” they are for a training session. It also adds real-time endurance tracking, which Garmin first introduced with its Fenix ​​7 Series.

In terms of health tracking and smart features, the Forerunner 955 has the same main features as the 255. However, it does add a few extra workout measurements, like the PacePro and ClimbPro, that provide real-time guidance on your pace and height. You can also store a larger number of songs at 955 – 2,000 to be exact.

Both the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 955 are available starting today. The Forerunner 255 is available in four colors: gray, pink, blue and black. Meanwhile, the Forerunner 955 is available in white and black.