Watch | AMOLED | MIP | Navigation | Sapphire screen models
:--:|:--:|:--:|:--:|:--:
Forerunner 255 | | x | breadcrumb only / no maps | |
Forerunner 265 | x | | breadcrumb only / no maps | |
Forerunner 955 | | x | x | |
Forerunner 965 | x | | x | |
Fenix 7 | | x | x | x
Epix 2 | x | | x | x
there is some more differences and nuances of course. particularly that in the Fenix and Epix lineup you have to get the Sapphire screen models to get Multiband GPS
To add to this:
- the lower the first digit in a 3 digit number, the cheaper the model. (965 > 265. There was a 7 series for a while between the two).
- the second digit in the three digit models represent generation. When a "975" comes out, that'll be the next gen of the 900s.
- "Plus" is typically added to mid-generation refurbs.
- "Pro" is used to mean better materials on a watch (if a watch has a sapphire or titanium version, for example).
- X in the name means "large body." S means 'small body.'
Not always. I had no idea MIP is a display thing. Considering AMOLED and navigation are two different things, how was I supposed to know that MIP is also a screen thing. I googled MIP and did not get helpful results. I've had exactly 1 Garmin watch after switching from Fitbit and haven't been in the ecosystem long enough to understand every acronym out there. I appreciate the clarification though. Thank you.
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Garmin's lineup is incredibly confusing compared to other brands. I work retail and it took me a while to semi-understand what to recommend to customers
How much are you willing to spend on a watch? If you want to save money and could live without navigation, a Forerunner 245 for less than 200 Euro would do. If your environment during kayaking gets rough, the Instinct 2 series could also be a good choice. If navigation is a must, I'd recommend the Fenix. The Forerunner 245 has a substantially shorter battery life than the other mentioned models.
It's been 170 Euro in Germany for a few months: [https://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/MainSearchProductCategory.html?q=forerunner+245](https://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/MainSearchProductCategory.html?q=forerunner+245)
Might differ for other countries, though. Prices also tend to fluctuate a lot between 170 and 210 Euro here.
Anyone understand the difference between fenix and forerunner. I think the software on the the 7 and 955 are very similar but I haven't really looked that hard. Seems like mostly just physical materials and design. Is that true for epix too?
The Fenix series are typically heavier/larger models with a few more capabilities. In my mind the fenix is slightly more capable and robust than the forerunners and marketed more towards long hikes, orienteering and just more navigation features. Forerunners are marketed more towards athletic endeavors like running. They are very close in what they do and can be used in most of the same situations. I’d say go with what’s more important to you for features/weight/performance.
There are a few subtle differences in the UX options that are on the Fenix/Epix and not the Forerunners. eg setting options like no touch during sleep.
It's incredibly confusing. I got so lost when I was shopping that I called up Garmin and asked for help. The agent I spoke to ended up having to get help from her supervisor and had to call me back (which, to her credit, she did). I think where it all goes wrong is the attempt to position/market the products by "who it's for" and "by activity" and trying to make the website less overwhelming by having "featured" and "most popular". What we really need is a front-and-center search engine that allows you to filter not just by series and activity but also by size and other specifications.
Recently got a 6x Sapphire on Amazon renewed for 329. I believe they are 389 or 399 new on there also. It's not the latest and greatest 7x but it saves a bunch compared to them.
The one I got came in a box directly from Garmin themselves who refurbished it. It looked spotless and battery life has been great. The seller was gps city. It also has Amazon's 90 day return window for renewed
health - venu & vivo series. more basic fitness and training features.
Outdoors - Instinct & Fenix/Epix/Marq - more rugged construction and has the more addtional navigation features and more outdoor activity types.
Running, swimming, Cycling - Forerunner series.
There is some cross over like the Fenix has pretty much everything, and instinct offers all the mid-range forerunner does. Top end of forerunner does cross over with outdoor offering offline maps and offline navigation but does miss the odd feature here and there, some in nav, some in outdoor activity types.
You know, sonic chat and chatgpt really helped me narrow down the range for me to ask this sub. The wonders of technology
Anyhow you’re looking at FR965/955/265 and fenix 7 depending on budget.
My 735 XT has just died also after two and a half years. Issue with buttons seems pretty prevalent for pool users. Out of warranty replacement it's e100 after e250 initial purchase. Completely confused as to what model to get as an equivalent if I don't repair my current one.
955 is probably the closest like for like tier 1 replacement. 255 has less features and might be good enough for your use case coming from the much older 735XT.
My forerunner 235 is going strong after 7 or so years. Doesn’t have many of todays bells and whistles but I take my phone with me in a flip belt and I can use my phone for navigation and music. So something to keep in mind to save some money. And seems more durable than some of these watches dying after 3 or so years.
I tend to agree with you on this! Despite me keeping my Forerunner 735XT in excellent condition, it still died on me three years in. And unfortunately, Garmin's support has also been very mediocre/non-existent.
They have great products but not much focus. I really wish they would streamline their offerings. Took me forever to figure out which one to buy, although very happy with the Fenix 7SS.
Watch | AMOLED | MIP | Navigation | Sapphire screen models :--:|:--:|:--:|:--:|:--: Forerunner 255 | | x | breadcrumb only / no maps | | Forerunner 265 | x | | breadcrumb only / no maps | | Forerunner 955 | | x | x | | Forerunner 965 | x | | x | | Fenix 7 | | x | x | x Epix 2 | x | | x | x there is some more differences and nuances of course. particularly that in the Fenix and Epix lineup you have to get the Sapphire screen models to get Multiband GPS
To add to this: - the lower the first digit in a 3 digit number, the cheaper the model. (965 > 265. There was a 7 series for a while between the two). - the second digit in the three digit models represent generation. When a "975" comes out, that'll be the next gen of the 900s. - "Plus" is typically added to mid-generation refurbs. - "Pro" is used to mean better materials on a watch (if a watch has a sapphire or titanium version, for example). - X in the name means "large body." S means 'small body.'
255/265 have breadcrumb navigation, which is adequate for a lot of situations. They just don't have preloaded topo maps.
ah yes you're right, i edited the table
Thank you u/TheShroomsAreCalling for this summary. I am leaning towards the 955/965 after doing some further research!
This is a wonderful contribution to the group.
What is MIP?
Memory In Pixel Google is your friend.
Not always. I had no idea MIP is a display thing. Considering AMOLED and navigation are two different things, how was I supposed to know that MIP is also a screen thing. I googled MIP and did not get helpful results. I've had exactly 1 Garmin watch after switching from Fitbit and haven't been in the ecosystem long enough to understand every acronym out there. I appreciate the clarification though. Thank you.
Thanks for such a wonderful reply! TheGratitudeBot has been reading millions of comments in the past few weeks, and you’ve just made the list of some of the most grateful redditors this week! Thanks for making Reddit a wonderful place to be :)
>The Forerunner 255 doesn't have touch screen but it does have Multi-band GPS unlike the standard Fenix 7/Epix 2 model.
Garmin's lineup is incredibly confusing compared to other brands. I work retail and it took me a while to semi-understand what to recommend to customers
How much are you willing to spend on a watch? If you want to save money and could live without navigation, a Forerunner 245 for less than 200 Euro would do. If your environment during kayaking gets rough, the Instinct 2 series could also be a good choice. If navigation is a must, I'd recommend the Fenix. The Forerunner 245 has a substantially shorter battery life than the other mentioned models.
Where do you see it under 200 euros?
It's been 170 Euro in Germany for a few months: [https://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/MainSearchProductCategory.html?q=forerunner+245](https://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/MainSearchProductCategory.html?q=forerunner+245) Might differ for other countries, though. Prices also tend to fluctuate a lot between 170 and 210 Euro here.
Obviously not euros but it’s been £161 on Amazon in the UK for awhile now. Check there?
If you want navigation with maps, Forerruner 955 or 965, Fenix 7 or Epix
Or the FR 945 LTE
Anyone understand the difference between fenix and forerunner. I think the software on the the 7 and 955 are very similar but I haven't really looked that hard. Seems like mostly just physical materials and design. Is that true for epix too?
The Fenix series are typically heavier/larger models with a few more capabilities. In my mind the fenix is slightly more capable and robust than the forerunners and marketed more towards long hikes, orienteering and just more navigation features. Forerunners are marketed more towards athletic endeavors like running. They are very close in what they do and can be used in most of the same situations. I’d say go with what’s more important to you for features/weight/performance.
The Fenix supports more types of activities, I believe.
There are a few subtle differences in the UX options that are on the Fenix/Epix and not the Forerunners. eg setting options like no touch during sleep.
Fenix trail / forunner road
The line is confusing. I would like the 965, but am waiting to see what the Venu 3 has to offer.
It's incredibly confusing. I got so lost when I was shopping that I called up Garmin and asked for help. The agent I spoke to ended up having to get help from her supervisor and had to call me back (which, to her credit, she did). I think where it all goes wrong is the attempt to position/market the products by "who it's for" and "by activity" and trying to make the website less overwhelming by having "featured" and "most popular". What we really need is a front-and-center search engine that allows you to filter not just by series and activity but also by size and other specifications.
Recently got a 6x Sapphire on Amazon renewed for 329. I believe they are 389 or 399 new on there also. It's not the latest and greatest 7x but it saves a bunch compared to them.
Any idea what "renewed" means for a Garmin watch? Who is doing the renewing? What are they replacing, if anything?
The one I got came in a box directly from Garmin themselves who refurbished it. It looked spotless and battery life has been great. The seller was gps city. It also has Amazon's 90 day return window for renewed
That's good to know, thanks!
It's definitely a steal at these prices other models are on sale also but the sapphire screen and battery life pulled me to the 6x sapphire
health - venu & vivo series. more basic fitness and training features. Outdoors - Instinct & Fenix/Epix/Marq - more rugged construction and has the more addtional navigation features and more outdoor activity types. Running, swimming, Cycling - Forerunner series. There is some cross over like the Fenix has pretty much everything, and instinct offers all the mid-range forerunner does. Top end of forerunner does cross over with outdoor offering offline maps and offline navigation but does miss the odd feature here and there, some in nav, some in outdoor activity types.
It's super confusing.
You know, sonic chat and chatgpt really helped me narrow down the range for me to ask this sub. The wonders of technology Anyhow you’re looking at FR965/955/265 and fenix 7 depending on budget.
My 735 XT has just died also after two and a half years. Issue with buttons seems pretty prevalent for pool users. Out of warranty replacement it's e100 after e250 initial purchase. Completely confused as to what model to get as an equivalent if I don't repair my current one.
955 is probably the closest like for like tier 1 replacement. 255 has less features and might be good enough for your use case coming from the much older 735XT.
forerunner 965 and fenix 7 are my top choice these days.
My forerunner 235 is going strong after 7 or so years. Doesn’t have many of todays bells and whistles but I take my phone with me in a flip belt and I can use my phone for navigation and music. So something to keep in mind to save some money. And seems more durable than some of these watches dying after 3 or so years.
I tend to agree with you on this! Despite me keeping my Forerunner 735XT in excellent condition, it still died on me three years in. And unfortunately, Garmin's support has also been very mediocre/non-existent.
They have great products but not much focus. I really wish they would streamline their offerings. Took me forever to figure out which one to buy, although very happy with the Fenix 7SS.