Garmin 235 Turned Off Then on Again and Deleted 1500 Steps

On 1 hand, the Forerunner 45 represents Garmin'due south nigh capable running watch they've e'er fabricated below $200. On the other paw, it tries to counter the wave of Apple and Samsung products at or flirting with $199 toll points besides – all of which are immensely more capable everyday watches, complete with music, contactless payments and plenty more.

So how does Garmin compete? By trying to absolutely boom the sport side of the equation. To that narrow and very specific goal, the company bests Apple or Samsung (or Fitbit). If y'all're looking for a running or sport specific watch, and then continue reading. If however, you're looking for more than of a lifestyle watch – then honestly other offerings are out there that have far meliorate not-sport features. As such, I've never been more conflicted nigh the pricing of a given watch than on this unit of measurement. Simply more on all that later, we're getting ahead of ourselves.

The Forerunner 45 brings to the sub-$200 cost point the ability to download structured workouts, including those from the visitor'southward free 'Garmin Passenger vehicle' adaptive/dynamic training programs, every bit well as incident detection and assistance (which notifies friends/family if you go into problem). It has an optical HR sensor on information technology for tracking 24×vii Hour and stress, though no PulseOx similar the FR245 and above.  Information technology supports more than than just running, with other sports including cycling, treadmills, and yoga, but doesn't have quite the number of sports their other units have.  And finally, it adds Connect IQ custom lookout faces, merely stops curt of allowing total Connect IQ apps or information fields.

Now this wasn't the only device released today. In fact, Garmin released ii others units: The higher cease Precursor 945 triathlon-focused unit of measurement and mid-range running focused Forerunner 245/245 Music. Atop that, Garmin also announced new female health tracking – and it'southward really impressive how much try they put into information technology, so bank check that out too a bit after today.

In the instance of all these devices, I've got standard media loaner units that'll go back shortly. Afterwards which I'll go out and go my ain via normal retail channels. Just the way I curlicue. If you found this review useful, you can help support the site via the links at the bottom. With that, allow's begin!

What's New:

To brainstorm, I've got a complete rundown of all the new goodness in 1 easy to swallow video. Approximately one coffee loving cup's worth. Or at to the lowest degree, European coffee cup sizes. If yous're Runnin' on Dunkin with a 24oz, so I'd suggest you supplement this video with my Precursor 245 video equally well (if nothing else because the intro is kinda cool). For everyone else, start with the Forerunner 45 video:

Of course – if straight to the bullet point facts are more than your matter, then hit up below for my attempt at outlining all the newness in one consolidated listing.  Notation that this is specifically in comparison to the older Garmin Forerunner 35, which is basically what this watch grew up from. Of course, that watch was as well $30 cheaper, so…yes.  In any case, here'south what's new/changed relative to that:

– Added two sizes: 39mm (Precursor 45S) and 42mm (Forerunner 45)
– Added colour display
– Added structured workout support
– Added training plans support (including calendar/scheduled workouts)
– Added Garmin Coach compatibility
– Added Connect IQ Watch Face back up
– Added incident (crash/autumn) detection
– Added prophylactic tracking/assistance
– Added Pace/Speed alerts
– Added stress widget/tracking
– Added VO2Max calculation
– Added 24×7 60 minutes tracking widget/tracking
– Added body bombardment widget/tracking
– Added new Garmin Gen3 Drag optical HR sensor
– Added more sport modes
– Inverse from square watch to round lookout
– Changed from 4 to 5 buttons (which really makes a world of divergence)
– Changed all-day battery from 9 days down to 7 days
– Of note: GPS-on battery life remains same at xiii hours (GPS-mode)

Now if yous're non familiar with the Garmin Precursor family at this price betoken, hither's the ii-2nd version of what else you lot've got in it:

– Congenital-in GPS (no reliance on telephone for GPS)
– Workout back up for a few sports, with customizable pages/fields
– 24×7 activity tracking, including sleep
– Optical heart rate sensor in watch
– Smartphone notifications
– Live tracking when paired with a smartphone
– Weather/agenda widgets
– Vibration/Sound alerts
– Uploading to Garmin Connect Training Log website via phone or USB
– Broadcasting of your Hour over ANT+ (from wrist to other devices)
– Automated sync to 3rd party sites similar Strava, MyFitnessPal, TrainingPeaks and many more

The Precursor 45 is seen every bit Garmin's least expensive running lookout man, at to the lowest degree, least expensive new i. They've also got the Forerunner 35 in in that location – which removes all the things I outlined in the beginning chunk upward above. Garmin says they'll exist keeping that around for a while – mainly because information technology hits a lower price betoken.  Though I expect nosotros'll see the Precursor 35 probably drop in price more quickly over the coming months, as Garmin will likely aim to attract buyers at the $100-$139 cost indicate that they've largely vacated with current products (it used to be the FR25 that fit in there).

In any example, this section was all about the new goodness, so now it'south time to dive into the bones operation of the watch itself.

The Basics:

Probably the biggest difference between the new Forerunner 45/45S and the Forerunner 35 is the nuts of the device. While the interface of the Precursor 35 was roughly based on by budget Garmin watches, the new FR45 instead follows the menu system of Garmin's higher end watches. Which, in my opinion makes it a heck of a lot easier to use. Note that anytime I refer to the FR45, I'm referring to both FR45 and FR45S. They're technologically identical in every way except the bezel is just larger on the FR45 (non the screen size, but the bezel). Below you tin can see the four flavors, with the 2 42mm ones on the left, and the 2 39mm ones on the correct.

Speaking of that screen, you'll discover that default watch face looking at you once you've gone through the quick start configuration. You lot can toggle between a couple of unlike stock spotter faces. Though unlike Garmin's higher finish units, you lot can't customize the stock sentinel faces (changing data and such). You can just tweak the accent colour.

The good news though is that you can download thousands of custom spotter faces from Garmin Connect IQ store, which is Garmin's free app shop. Heck, you can even make your own sentinel faces – including adding in photos equally the groundwork. The earth is your oyster, or at least, the sentry confront portion of the world.

The FR45 captures all the normal activity tracking metrics you'd expect, including steps (as well as distance), sleep, and heart rate. It doesn't capture stairs yet, as it lacks a barometric altimeter to measure height. These metrics are consolidated into widgets, which you tin iterate through on the watch quickly by pressing the up/down buttons. Note that the FR45 doesn't support downloading Connect IQ Widgets like some of Garmin's higher terminate watches, but there'due south plenty of stock ones to choose from on the watch itself. Here'south a gallery of some of those.

While the scout is tracking your activity constantly, information technology's also sending that over to Garmin Connect Mobile (the smartphone app) via Bluetooth Smart. From there, you can view these activity stats, challenge friends/family, and also see the stats on the Garmin Connect website. In add-on, some 3rd political party sites and healthcare providers can too receive this information if you've authorized them to.

The unit will too automatically track slumber information if you clothing information technology at night. Technically you lot tin can prepare your regular sleep timeframe to whatever portion of the twenty-four hours, though information technology will only track one 'sleep' per day. Significant – it doesn't runway naps.  In my experience it does a pretty good job of nailing my sleep, even with having toddlers running around and waking u.s.a. at all sorts of random hours. The unit will track the exact slumber wheel, so log it into Garmin Connect. You lot tin plot and trend this over various timeframes.

The Forerunner 45 benefits from a new optical 60 minutes sensor 'package', the same exact package as the Precursor 245/945/MARQ. This is used to track your heart rate 24×7, every bit well as during workouts. For heart rate, information technology includes modest updates over the sensors used nigh a year ago, though a bit more meaning update over the much older Forerunner 35 sensors.  Note that while the sensor hardware itself on the FR45 compared to that of the other new units noted, it doesn't have PulseOx enabled.

From a continuous heart rate standpoint, information technology tracks this constantly and and then uploads it into Garmin Connect mobile equally well. I use resting HR as a great indicator of when you're over-trained, drawn, or when sickness is on the way. I've discussed how many people are tracking resting Hour and 24×seven HR data to figure out all sorts of things hither.

In general I don't really have any issues with the accurateness of the 24×vii HR information. Information technology'southward pretty much within a few BPM of whatsoever other devices I've used, including some dedicated sensors. We'll talk more about the workout optical Hr data subsequently though, as that's in a different category (and typically vendors significantly bump upward the optical sensor light/power draw during a workout versus in 24x7mode).

Back on some of the basics, the Forerunner 45 supports smartphone notifications like all previous Garmin watches. You lot'll run across the notifications per however you lot've configured them on your smartphone via the normal telephone notification center, and then they bear witness upward on the unit itself. You can so open up upward a given notification to get more item about it (such as a longer text bulletin):

You can also cheque missed/past notifications in the notifications widget seen in the widget gallery a bit earlier in this section. Note that unlike the higher end Forerunner watches, the FR45 doesn't support a privacy mode for smartphone notifications. Perchance because the screen is so small that people across the conference tabular array are unlikely to read your texts anyway.

With that, let'southward shift over to all the sporty goodness y'all bought this lookout man for.

Sport Usage:

The Forerunner 45 is all most beingness a sport watch, or at to the lowest degree, a running-specific watch. Sure, it does other stuff – including cycling and yoga. But realistically yous're buying it for running (or possibly walking). As I said at the showtime, there are ameliorate and more than full-featured devices at this price point for other sports (and if you're OK with something a chip chunkier, so the Polar M430 is more total-featured at the same cost).

To begin with sports, yous do indeed accept a few options when it comes to which sports are on the device. Past default, that's: Running (outdoors), Treadmill, Cycling (outdoors), Walk, and Cardio (catch-all bucket).

However, you can utilize the Garmin Connect Mobile app to add together other sports, which include: Indoor Track, Bicycle Indoor, Walk Indoor, Elliptical, Stair Stepper, Yoga, and the mythical 'Other'. You can accept a max of 6 activities loaded onto the watch at whatever ane point in time. In other words, they duplicated what Fitbit does here (for no especially good reason).

No affair whether you've modified the sports or just kept with the defaults, to start recording a new workout you'll simply tap the upper right push and then select the sport:

Once y'all've done that, it'll inquire you if you want to execute any scheduled workouts for that day. So if yous had something loaded upwardly from Garmin Jitney for example, or something else on your calendar, information technology'll offering those to you first (which yous can skip).

Later on that, you're at the GPS and HR waiting screen. It's here that it'll become off and detect GPS. This Sony GPS chipset supports GPS, GPS+GLONASS, and GPS+Galileo.

As part of this, the unit of measurement will besides ensure it has lock on your eye rate via the optical 60 minutes sensor on the back of the unit. Generally that's instantaneous since information technology's constantly tracking 60 minutes 24×7 anyway.

If yous printing down again before y'all kickoff the workout yous tin can tweak some of the settings for that sport, in this case – running. First is the ability to select a structured conditioning. While before, it asked u.s.a. if we wanted to do the 24-hour interval's scheduled workout, if you had nothing scheduled/setup – then this is a chance to select one from your library of workouts. Or, you can merely do a one-off interval session where you define the duration of the interval, the repeats, the balance, and the cool-down/warm-up.

Adjacent, y'all tin can customize your data screens during the workout. The FR45 is pretty bones, mirroring that of the FR30/35 before it. Hither'south what yous go to showtime with (all are three-field pages past default). All of these are customizable:

Data Page one: Distance, Timer, Pace
Information Page 2: HR Zone, Middle Rate, Calories
Data Page iii: Lap Fourth dimension, Lap Distance, Lap Footstep
Information Page 4: Time of solar day clock page
Data Page v (Optional): ane, ii, or 3 metrics each of your choosing
Bachelor Data Metrics: Timer, Altitude, Stride, Calories, Eye Rate, Hr Zone, Lap Time, Lap Distance, Lap Stride, Average Pace, Cadence, Steps, Time of Day.

In the case of cycling, yous'll get the speed variants of each of the above (i.due east., MPH/KPH) instead of step. You tin't add any more than the v pages seen above, merely again, you can tweak what's on those pages to arrange your liking.  Also, you lot can long-hold the lower left button to access music controls, which controls the music on your phone if nearby (there's no music on the lookout itself).

Next, you lot can configure alerts. Options include heart rate (zone, or custom BPM range), run/walk (time-based), time, distance, stride (specific step), or calories.

What's nice is that you tin can configure alerts, but toggle them on/off speedily to use on different runs. For example, yous might setup run/walk for your long run, but then toggle information technology off for your other runs that calendar week. Information technology's a single toggle, versus having to ready it upwards over again.

Next, you can configure laps. By default, auto-lap is enabled at i-mile (or i-kilometer depending on if you apply statute or metric). But you tin manually lap at any time with the lap key. Or you can turn auto-lap off.

Finally, there's auto pause, which is off by default, but can be enabled to automatically pause the timer when you terminate. Different some of Garmin's college end watches though – there's no configurable threshold on this though. Besides, the GPS options are in here as well, where you can toggle between the aforementioned GPS modes (GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO).

Oh, and while not in this card, you can pair three different sensor types to the Precursor 35: External HR straps, Cycling Speed/Cadency Sensor, and Running Footpods. It withal *only* supports Ant+ sensors, not Bluetooth Smart ones.

With all that setup done, we're fix to press start on our run and go cookin'. Once we've done that we'll see the information pages and the unit is recording. Here's a modest gallery of what those screens look similar:

In the event you lot're running a structured workout, and so you'll besides get a new workout target screen, which shows the specific targets of your workout. In my case, I fabricated a conditioning on Garmin Connect Mobile prior to this run. Here's what it looked like:

Then, while running information technology'll give me a 5-second beeping inaugural to each segment of the conditioning, followed by the specific targets for that portion. It'll also give me a piffling guide chart while doing that department with the target, likewise as the specific time/distance/etc remaining for that portion.

Sorry, it was darker than I thought out, but the text says: 'Run 0.25mi five:45-vi:fifteen/mi' – only similar it does in a higher place in the programmed instructions.

Information technology works well and is easy to follow.  And in many ways, this tiny tidbit is the most important part of this watch. Information technology'southward what fundamentally separates it from the Apple tree Watch and others which lack the depth and customization of the structured workout program.  For instance, while I did the above conditioning as a manual one-off, I did information technology with numerous steps and complication that's just non possible on Fitbit, Apple, or Samsung watches with default apps. Certain, you can go off and find tertiary party apps on Apple or Samsung to roughly emulate that, but not inbox.

In line with that, Garmin has their Garmin Charabanc program, which is complimentary. This allows you to specify a given goal (currently up to a half-marathon race), a specific race appointment, and and then a specific race footstep (up to 7:00/mile – 4:21/KM). From in that location it'll come up with a race plan for you lot. However, this actually isn't pre-canned (well, non entirely):

See, y'all have to practice a test workout commencement (it's merely 9 minutes), and so based on the results of that exam conditioning, information technology'll fill in exactly what the structure and intensity is to reach your goal time.  You tin adjust which days of the week yous can workout, and your preference for the long run too.

I haven't followed a full plan – mostly because (fix for humble brag) the fastest commanded race stride isn't fast plenty for what I need. Withal, this is far beyond what we're seeing from any other manufacturer for free.  Sure there are companies doing this for pay, but fifty-fifty then, it's frankly not much (if any) different than this.

In whatsoever instance, dorsum to our run. One time you're done yous'll go ahead and printing the start push button to break it. At this juncture y'all can swallow some ice cream and and then press resume to continue running, or, you tin end it for realz.

Once ended y'all'll get a lilliputian summary page, including your current VO2Max level:

You can likewise review some very basic totals and laps likewise. This is far more than basic than most other Garmin watches prove, simply it gets the job washed:

A few seconds later, the spotter is automatically transmitting this data over to your telephone via Bluetooth Smart.  It'due south there that you can see much more detailed information on Garmin Connect Mobile (the smartphone app):

Notation above that it actually overlays the specified paces against the bodily paces from the workout. Kinda neat.

Additionally you can as well look at your workouts on the Garmin Connect website likewise, for example, this workout hither of mine (link if y'all want to toy around a bit):

Further, if you lot've connected Strava, MyFitnessPal, TrainingPeaks or any other sites, all of those will receive a copy of your workout instantly as well. Simply call back on Strava to add emoji, it increases your likes (so they say).

The ane last thing I want to bear upon in the sports section is Garmin's Incident Detection and Assistance features, which are seeing widespread rollout to Garmin devices – especially with these iii (FR45/245/945) product launches. Both features are safety focused and have two slightly different purposes:

Incident Detection: This will automatically observe an incident while running/cycling (in a workout specifically), and notifies your predefined contacts with a text bulletin and a live track link to see exactly where you lot are.

Safety Aid: This allows y'all to, with one push, send a predefined message to emergency contacts with your initial location, followed past a alive tracking link. The principal scenario here existence you feel dangerous and desire someone to be enlightened of that.

Both of these features depend on y'all having your phone with you. Since the Forerunner 45 doesn't accept cellular in it, you need to be within range of your phone. Both features can exist cancelled in the result they're triggered accidentally. And both features are set up on Garmin Connect Mobile offset. It's hither you ascertain emergency contacts:

Once that's done, the crash detection will occur while cycling or running during a conditioning. This is different than Apple tree, which has autumn detection 24×7.  Essentially, Garmin is looking for forrad speed, followed past a significant stopping accelerometer upshot – and then critically – no further frontward progress. Meaning, if you were running along and jumped down a big ledge and kept running, that wouldn't trigger it, since you continued going. Whereas if you were running, jumped off the ledge and then confront-planted, that would probable trigger it since you ceased making forward progress.

Meanwhile, hither's what the condom assistance characteristic looks like, when y'all trigger it (which is done via long-holding the upper left push, or via the rotary card):

From a cancellation standpoint – both the assist and incident detection features act the aforementioned way. And in many means, once triggered, the results are more or less the same – just different diction on both. Hither's what the person on the other end receives:

In both cases, Garmin isn't notifying emergency services. Instead, they're notifying your predefined emergency contacts – aka your friends/family/etc. Then be sure to pick people who actually desire you saved. Merely a thought.

Rounding things out – the thing that makes the Forerunner 45 a more capable running watch than the Apple tree Scout or Samsung Galaxy Active (or Fitbit Versa/Ionic) is the structured workout and complete tie-in with all of the aspects of Garmin Connect/Garmin Connect Mobile. In the case of Samsung and Apple, both platforms are really more almost showing off a single workout – than about tying in an entire flavour's worth of data.  The same is true of Fitbit, which is not bad at the social aspect of activity tracking, merely less and then the details of workouts. Atop all that, some people just similar buttons when they're trying to do a hard workout and don't want to bollix with a touch screen or gloves on a rainy and cold wintertime day. In that scenario – Garmin delivers buttons – five of them.

GPS Accuracy:

There'southward likely no topic that stirs as much discussion and passion equally GPS accuracy.  A watch could fall apart and give you dire electrical shocks while doing so, but if it shows you on the incorrect side of the road?  Oh hell no, bring on the fury of the internet!

GPS accuracy can be looked at in a number of unlike ways, but I prefer to look at it using a number of devices in real-world scenarios across a vast number of activities.  I utilize 2-half dozen other devices at once, trying to get a clear moving-picture show of how a given set of devices handles weather condition on a certain day.  Conditions include everything from tree/building encompass to weather.

Over the years I've connected to tweak my GPS testing methodology.  For example, I endeavor to not place 2 units adjacent to each other on my wrists, as that can impact signal. If I do so, I'll put a thin textile spacer of about 1"/3cm between them (I didn't do that on any of my Precursor 45 workouts).  But oft I'll but carry other units by the straps, or attach them to the shoulder straps of my hydration backpack.  Plus, wearing multiple watches on the aforementioned wrist is well known to touch on optical HR accuracy. One technique I've been using a bit starting this review that's worked exceedingly well is below. How on earth I never idea to identify the secondary watches on the outside of my easily (loosely strapped) is beyond me. Note, for those units on my easily, they *are not* using optical HR. Instead, they're connected to chest straps and other HR sensors.

Next, equally noted, I use just my daily training routes.  Using a single road over and over once again isn't really indicative of real-world conditions, it's just indicative of one trail.  The workouts y'all see here are just my normal daily workouts.  In addition, in a rare special appearance my wife also ran numerous workouts with the Forerunner 45 as well, testing it out with 2-3 other watches and 60 minutes sensors concurrently. I've included some of her data in there.

All of the workouts you lot meet here I did with GPS+GLONASS enabled, as Garmin noted that's the style they've spent the most time on the GPS performance on. They said they haven't spent as much fourth dimension on Galileo. Withal, in my testing of the older FR935 with Galileo, I've seen mind-bogglingly good results in the last two months since the bulk of the Galileo constellation went alive back in February. Even in places like NYC it's thrown down some tracks that some of you lot on Strava have been similar 'Who dis? Holy crap'. In any case though, for the FR945/FR245/FR45 watches, I kept them all on GLONASS for the bulk of my testing (I did endeavour some Galileo runs/rides and saw less accuracy than with GLONASS).

In any example, allow'southward get-go off with an interval run from a few nights ago. In that case, the route starts off near some buildings along the canal, and so slowly opens up, though it does have tree cover the bulk of the manner. Information technology wouldn't be considered difficult, but sorta suburban normal. The watches on this run are the Forerunner 935, Polar Vantage 5, Suunto Trainer Wrist HR, Garmin Precursor 245 Music, and Precursor 45. Here'southward the data set:

It's a clear out and back. I don't ordinarily similar out and back workouts, considering it makes it harder to spot GPS errors, but in this case I think nosotros're going to luck out. At the high level, things await fine. Yet, I see a couple of moments of separation in the track, then let'due south get ahead and zoom in:

For the most part, the units are within 2-4 meters of the path (which is covered in trees with leaves at present). Though the FR45 does seem to wander a bit on the outer edge of that realm.  Still, most would consider that nitpicking. More important is that they all handle the xix automobile-railroad train-airplane-boat who knows what gigantic span underpass. They collectively nail it, nobody gets lost and plots a wonky GPS betoken on the other side.

Here's a few brief moments where the Polar Vantage V and Suunto Trainer get for a dip in the lake. The trail edge is directly on the edge of the water, so whatever mistake is immediately aquatic in nature.

Nosotros see a few other minor course cuttings by the Polar/Suunto devices, but nothing major for the remainder of the track:

Overall both the FR245 and FR45 did well here – no issues of concern.

And so permit's step information technology up – can they get around a track? Aside from the buildings of Dubai or NYC, it's the hardest thing for a GPS unit to practice properly. The abiding turning nature of a track is incredibly difficult to nail perfectly, especially since an boilerplate workout might have 20-twoscore laps. Or, 20-40 opportunities for simply one tiny screw-up to immediately be obvious.

In this example, The Girl is running with the watch (I've got another set, also on the rails at the same time). Her lineup is the Fenix 5s (original), the Suunto Trainer Wrist 60 minutes, the Forerunner 945, and the Forerunner 45. Hither's that information set:

What's fun nigh this game is that information technology'southward immediately obvious who did well. The name of the game hither is keeping yourself within the bounds of the track. The Suunto Trainer was well exterior of that – something The Daughter could come across on her wrist just looking at distances as she ran. She placed her bets mid-mode through the conditioning.

Here's the results if nosotros toggle to just the FR45 and FR945. Near perfectly within the bounds of the track. In The Girl's instance, she was really beyond multiple lanes, so that's right. As is the squiggly into the trees to get an errant soccer brawl for some kids.

There'due south really no reason to further analyze this one – both the FR945 and FR45 nailed it. Both were in GPS+GLONASS modes.

Let's head back away from the track, simply still keeping it on The Daughter'due south wrist. In this instance she heads out along the lake towards…well…cows. To exist off-white, they're unremarkably friendly. Here's the track file below comparing the FR245 on one wrist and FR45 on the other. The FR935 is used every bit a reference in this example.

Overall things are pretty good, but we do see a little scrap more than smoothing than I'd like to run across on some of the turns. This could be partially considering the FR45 simply offers 'smart recording' which reduces the recording rate and can cause these sorts of issues. Notation how the teal line meanders a bit delayed there. Information technology may also only be that it's slightly offset (nonetheless incorrect though).

Nevertheless, once back in town along the canal and 3-v story buildings, the unit does just fine:

Which is sorta the general gist of things. While the smart recording functionality has the potential to undercut some accurateness bits, overall in that location'southward non a ton to complain about hither with respect to GPS accuracy.

Note that all these tests were done with GPS+GLONASS, and not GPS+GALILEO. Garmin specifically noted that they'd spent more time on GPS+GLONASS than Galileo, and that at this indicate, that was their recommended configuration (and, what it's ready every bit the default). So, I left it there for now.

(Note: All of the charts in these accuracy portions were created using the DCR Analyzer tool.  It allows you to compare power meters/trainers, heart rate, cadence, speed/stride, GPS tracks and plenty more than. You can use it too for your ain gadget comparisons, more than details here.)

Heart Rate Accurateness:

Earlier we move on to the examination results, annotation that optical Hr sensor accuracy is rather varied from individual to individual.  Aspects such every bit skin color, hair density, and position tin impact accurateness.  Position, and how the band is worn, are *the nigh important* pieces.  A unit with an optical HR sensor should be snug.  It doesn't need to leave marks, but you shouldn't exist able to slide a finger under the band (at least during workouts).  You lot tin can article of clothing it a tiny scrap looser the residue of the day.

Ok, so in my testing, I merely apply the watch throughout my usual workouts.  Those workouts include a wide diverseness of intensities and conditions, making them great for accurateness testing.  I've got steady runs, interval workouts on both wheel and running, likewise as tempo runs and rides, and so on.

For each exam, I'm wearing additional devices, usually 3-4 in total, which capture information from other sensors.  Typically I'd wear a chest strap (usually the Garmin HRM-DUAL or Wahoo TICKR 10), likewise every bit another optical Hr sensor picket on the other wrist (primarily the Polar OH1+ and Wahoo TICKR FIT, but also the Scosche 24 too).  Note that the numbers you see in the upper right corner are *not* the averages, but rather just the exact signal my mouse is sitting over.  Note all this data is analyzed using the DCR Analyzer, details hither.

Note that while I've been using the Forerunner 45 for a number of weeks now, I'chiliad mostly going to apply contempo data in this review – since that's the firmware that it's currently on and the production firmware that real world people are using.

Let's go ahead and outset this optical 60 minutes festival with the same interval run from a few nights ago. I very specifically designed this to be hard on the optical 60 minutes sensor, including 400m and ~200m intervals, besides as build and rest phases to give the sensor equally much of a workout every bit me. The comparing information includes a chest strap (HRM-DUAL), the TICKR-FIT, and so the Precursor 245 and Forerunner 45. Here'southward the information set:

Ok, to commencement off with – all of the units nailed the warm-up and build without issue. And in fact, the starting time two intervals seemed to go pretty well also. Everyone was happy up until that point.

However, as we got into the 400'southward, yous can see the FR245 struggle a bit on the recovery. It easily hits the actual piece of work portion, but seems to stumble fully recovering. This is somewhat common for optical HR sensors, though non quite to the degree nosotros come across on the 2nd interval here. Still, overall this actually isn't horrible. And the FR45 handled it just fine.

Next in that workout was the 200m sprints. The Forerunner 245 repeated the same inability to find the residuum portions, though nailed the work portion each time (which is also somewhat unusual). Normally when optical HR sensors neglect, they do so at the very loftier cadences of a sprint, non the much easier walking portion (these were all walking rests). We too encounter the FR45 struggle on these shorter recoveries besides. The other sensors have no meaningful problems here.

Then let'south aim for something a bit tamer. So nosotros'll load upwardly one of The Girl's more steady-state workouts she did out and dorsum along the lake. In this case, her workout was slowly edifice intensity. We've got a breast strap (HRM-DUAL) paired to the FR935, while the FR245 and FR45 are one on each wrist. Here'southward the data set:

Things actually wait pretty close for her. We run across a bit of a brief bobble past the FR245's optical sensor at almost the 1-infinitesimal marker. Though it trades places with the fumble, where the FR45 actually fumbles at the 31-minute mark during a brief walking section.

You can clearly see though that the FR245 in purple actually figures it out relatively apace, and if you overlay the running pace/cadence it matches beautifully, whereas both the chest strap and FR45 stumbled hither. And so this seems to be a flake of a pattern, whereby during recoveries/rests the FR45 often misses the marker

Let's head indoors for a moment so to a workout yesterday.  This one a 50-minute ride on Zwift. In this instance we've got the Forerunner 45 on one wrist, and the FR945 on the other. Plus a HRM-DUAL breast strap and then a TICKR-FIT paired to Zwift. Here's the data ready.

Huh. Well, that kickoff 7-8 minutes is more than or less a automobile wreck. While I was riding, since I was riding Zwift I'chiliad too using my hands to control things like interactions on the phone, though that was on the panel in front of me – and those kickoff viii minutes I was mostly playing catch-up because I had jumped on a bit late for the race start and skipped a warm-up.

On the brilliant side, at least the Forerunner 45 did well there – which shares the verbal aforementioned optical 60 minutes sensor parcel as the FR945 does. Goes to testify that simply which wrist y'all're on can make a divergence. Both were tightened the same.

Ultimately, in looking at these and other information sets, the optical HR sensor seems to exist a slight improvement on the Fenix five Plus series (which was the previous generation 60 minutes sensor prior to the current V3). I think at that place'due south probably something to be said for Garmin's approach here of simply e'er so slightly incrementally improving their optical Hour sensor, rather than massive wholesale changes for each new product. In the case of optical Hour sensor accuracy, it's mostly a game of fixing 1% problems. Fixing an algorithm error that may crusade an issue for 1% of the population, but if you practise that x or 20 times, you lot offset to make significant ground. Essentially the whole concept of marginal gains. Roughly.

Of course, yous can yet just have bad-day moments like my ride yesterday with the FR945. Win some, lose some.

Production Comparison Tool:

I've added the Forerunner 45 into the production comparison tool, which allows you to compare it against any watches I've reviewed to appointment.  For the purposes of the below table, I've compared it against the existing Fitbit Versa, Apple tree Watch Series three (oft on sale for $199), every bit well as the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active.  Simply you can easily mix and match against any other products within the database here, by creating your own product comparing tables.  Notation that in some cases nuanced features (like the specifics of how different watches track preparation load or recovery), doesn't actually fit well into product comparison tools designed to host hundreds of watches:

Role/Feature	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple tree Spotter Series 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Precursor 35	Samsung Galaxy Active
Copyright DC Rainmaker - Updated April 3rd, 2022 @ 5:42 am New Window
Toll	$199	$169-$179	$149	$169	$199
Production Proclamation Date	Apr 30th, 2019	Sept 12th, 2017	March 2018	Sept 1st, 2016	Feb 20th, 2019
Actual Availability/Shipping Appointment	Early on May 2019	Sept 22nd, 2017	Apr 2018	Sept 2016	Mar 9th, 2019
GPS Recording Functionality	Aye	Yes	via telephone	Yes	Yep
Data Transfer	USB, Bluetooth Smart	Bluetooth Smart	Bluetooth Smart	USB, Bluetooth Smart	Bluetooth Smart
Waterproofing	50 meters	50m	50m	50 meters	fifty meters
Battery Life (GPS)	13 Hours	5hrs GPS on time (24-48hrs standby)	N/A		Undeclared (claims 45hrs not-GPS)
Recording Interval	SMART RECORDING (VARIABLE)	Varies	1-2d	SMART RECORDING (VARIABLE)	one-second for GPS, one-minute for HR
Alerts	Sound/Visual/Vibrate	Vibration/Audio/Visual	Visual/Vibrate	Sound/Visual/Vibrate	Vibrate/Visual
Backlight Greatness	Bang-up	Great	Groovy	Great	Nifty
Ability to download custom apps to unit/device	Watchfaces only	Yes	Yes	No	Yeah
Acts as daily action monitor (steps, etc...)	Yeah	Yep	Yep	Yep	YEs
Music	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple Sentry Series 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Precursor 35	Samsung Galaxy Active
Can control telephone music	Yep	Yes	Yes	Yep	Yes
Has music storage and playback	No	Yep	Yes	No	Yes
Streaming Services	No	Apple tree Music, Spotify (but non offline however)	Pandora, Deezer		Spotify
Payments	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple tree Picket Serial 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Galaxy Active
Contactless-NFC Payments	No	Yes	Yes (with certain editions)		Yes (but simply with Samsung phone)
Connectivity	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple Picket Series 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Galaxy Active
Bluetooth Smart to Telephone Uploading	Yeah	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yep
Phone Notifications to unit of measurement (i.e. texts/calls/etc...)	Yes	Aye	Yes	Yeah	Yeah
Live Tracking (streaming location to website)	Aye	With 3rd party apps	No	Yeah	No
Grouping tracking	No	No	No	No	No
Emergency/SOS Message Notification (from sentinel to contacts)	Yeah (via phone)	Yeah	No	No	No
Built-in cellular chip (no phone required)	No	Yes (with cellular version)	No	No	No
Cycling	Garmin Precursor 45/45S	Apple tree Lookout man Serial 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Precursor 35	Samsung Milky way Agile
Designed for cycling	Aye	Yes	Yep	Yep	Yes
Power Meter Capable	No	No	No	No	No
Speed/Cadence Sensor Capable	Yes	No	No	Aye	No
Strava segments alive on device	No	No	No	No	No
Crash detection	Yeah	No	No	No	No
Running	Garmin Precursor 45/45S	Apple Spotter Series 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Galaxy Active
Designed for running	Yes	Yes	Aye	Yes	Yep
Footpod Capable (For treadmills)	Yes (ALSO HAS INTERNAL ACCELEROMETER)	With 3rd party apps	No (simply has treadmill functionality)	Yep (As well HAS INTERNAL ACCELEROMETER)	With 3rd party apps
Running Dynamics (vertical oscillation, basis contact time, etc...)	No	No	No	No	No
Running Power	No				No
VO2Max Interpretation	Yes	Yes	Aye, via app	No	No
Race Predictor	No	No	No	No	No
Recovery Advisor	no	No	No	no	No
Run/Walk Mode	Aye	With 3rd party apps	No	Yes	With third party apps
Swimming	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple Watch Series 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Milky way Active
Designed for swimming	NO (PROTECTED THOUGH JUST FINE)	Yes	Yes	NO (PROTECTED THOUGH Just FINE)	Yes
Openwater swimming way	N/A	Yep	No	North/A	Aye
Lap/Indoor Distance Tracking	Northward/A	Yes	Yes	N/A	Yes
Record Hr underwater	North/A	Yes	No	N/A	Aye
Openwater Metrics (Stroke/etc.)	North/A	Basic stroke type merely	No	N/A	No
Indoor Metrics (Stroke/etc.)	Due north/A	Basic stroke type just	Yeah	N/A	Yeah
Indoor Drill Mode	N/A	No	No	N/A	No
Indoor auto-pause feature	N/A	Yes	No	N/A	No
Change pool size	N/A	Yes	Yes	N/A	Aye
Indoor Min/Max Pool Lengths	N/A	1y/m to 1,500y/m+	10m/y-100m/y	N/A
Power to customize information fields	Northward/A	Very limited	Yeah	N/A
Tin can modify yards to meters	Northward/A	Yeah	Aye	Due north/A	Yes
Captures per length data - indoors	Due north/A	Yes		North/A	Yes
Indoor Alerts	N/A	Yep (goals)	Yes (altitude)	N/A	No
Triathlon	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple Watch Serial iii	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Galaxy Active
Designed for triathlon	No	Not really	No	No	No
Multisport style	No	Yep	No	No	Sorta (can combine sports manually)
Workouts	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple Watch Series 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Galaxy Agile
Create/Follow custom workouts	Yes	With 3rd party apps	No (Premium Coached only)	No	No
On-unit of measurement interval Feature	Yep	With 3rd party apps	No	Yes	No
Training Calendar Functionality	Yeah	With third party apps	No	No	No
Functions	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple Watch Series iii	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Galaxy Active
Car Start/Terminate	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Virtual Partner Feature	Virtual Pacer	No	No	Virtual Pacer	Pace guidance merely
Virtual Racer Feature	No	No	no	No	No
Records PR'due south - Personal Records (diff than history)	Yep	No	No	Yes	No
Day to day watch ability	Aye	Yep	Yeah	Yes	Aye
Hunting/Line-fishing/Body of water Data	No	No	No	No	No
Tidal Tables (Tide Data)	No	No	No	No	No
Jumpmaster mode (Parachuting)	No	No	No	No	No
Geocaching	No	No	No	No	No
Weather Display (live data)	Yes	Yes	Yeah	Yep	Yes
Navigate	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple Watch Serial 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Galaxy Active
Follow GPS Track (Courses/Waypoints)	No	With tertiary party apps	No	No	No
Markers/Waypoint Direction	No	With 3rd party apps	No	No	No
Routable/Visual Maps (like car GPS)	No	With 3rd party apps	No	No	No
Back to beginning	No	With 3rd party apps	No	No	No
Impromptu Round Trip Route Creation	No	With 3rd party apps	No	No	No
Download courses/routes from phone to unit	No	With 3rd party apps	No	No	3rd party apps
Sensors	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple Watch Series 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Galaxy Active
Altimeter Blazon	No	Barometric	Barometric	No	Barometric
Compass Blazon	None	N/A	N/A	None	Northward/A
Optical Centre Rate Sensor internally	Yes	Aye	Yeah	Yes	Yes
SpO2 (aka Pulse Oximetry)	No	No			No
Heart Rate Strap Compatible	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	tertiary Party Apps only
ANT+ Heart Rate Strap Capable	Yes	No	No	Yeah	No
ANT+ Speed/Cadence Capable	Yes	no	No	Yeah	No
ANT+ Footpod Capable	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
ANT+ Power Meter Capable	No	No	nO	No	no
Ant+ Weight Scale Capable	No	No	nO	No	nO
Emmet+ Fitness Equipment (Gym)	No	No	nO	No	no
Emmet+ Lighting Control	No	No	nO	No	no
ANT+ Bike Radar Integration	No	No	No	No	No
ANT+ Trainer Control (FE-C)	No	No	No	No	No
ANT+ Remote Control	No	No	No	No	No
ANT+ eBike Compatibility	No	No	No	No	No
Pismire+ Muscle Oxygen (i.e. Moxy/BSX)	No	No	No	No	No
ANT+ Gear Shifting (i.e. SRAM ETAP)	No	No	No	No	nO
Shimano Di2 Shifting	No	No	No	No	No
Bluetooth Smart Hour Strap Capable	No	Yes	No	No	3rd political party apps only
Bluetooth Smart Speed/Cadence Capable	No	No	No	No	No
Bluetooth Smart Footpod Capable	No	No	No	No	tertiary party apps simply
Bluetooth Smart Power Meter Capable	No	No	No	No	No
Temp Recording (internal sensor)	No	No	No	No	Yes
Temp Recording (external sensor)	No	No	no	No	No
Software	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple Watch Series 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Galaxy Active
PC Application	Garmin Express (PC/Mac)	None	PC/Mac	Garmin Express (PC/Mac)	No
Web Application	Garmin Connect	None	Aye	Garmin Connect	No
Phone App	iOS/Android	iOS only	iOS/Android/Windows	iOS/Android	iOS/Android (iOS is limited though)
Power to Export Settings	No	No	No	No	No
Purchase	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple Watch Serial 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Milky way Agile
Amazon	Link	Link	Link	Link	Link
Backcountry.com	Link
Competitive Cyclist	Link
REI	Link
Wiggle	Link
DCRainmaker	Garmin Forerunner 45/45S	Apple Watch Series 3	Fitbit Versa	Garmin Forerunner 35	Samsung Galaxy Active
Review Link	Link	Link	Link	Link	Link

Remember, y'all can mix and match and create your own product comparison tables here, for watches non seen above.

Summary:

There'south no question that Garmin packed an incredible number of features into the FR45, at least from an upgrade perspective over the FR35. Just like how the new FR245 stole features from once higher stop watches, the FR45 finer did the aforementioned from the FR235. Everything simply slides downwardly one notch, though, this model line also increased $30 in price over the previous edition – whereas the FR235 to FR245 didn't cost any more than (in fact, it went down). Still, if sports and fitness is what yous're later on – then the FR45 is a super strong offering.

And so while I can't really argue with any of the features/functionality of the FR45 by itself, I remember in some ways Garmin is playing with fire at the $199 price point. As I noted earlier on, Apple tree has been toying with letting some larger retailers push button the Apple tree Spotter Serial iii down to $199 for short term sales. And it's been doing and then with increasing frequency equally of belatedly. It's hard to imagine whatever scenario that doesn't end upwardly with Apple officially announcing the Series iii being offered at $199 going forward from this fall as the baseline. While Garmin easily beats Apple in sports features, that's a much tougher pitch when information technology comes to usage as a lifestyle watch. Of course, I've gotta believe Garmin designed this scout with significant margins to dramatically driblet prices if situations require. And, at present it'southward hard to argue with the reality that the company is selling more than fitness and outdoors watches than e'er before (of course, that doesn't mean they aren't losing more than sales to Apple than ever before).

But like I said – today, in spring 2019 – at that place's non much out there that has this level of sports/fitness integration except Polar, and in their case, they don't pack the same features into as small a footprint watch-size wise than Garmin does. Which, for a lot of people is a central driver in the determination tree.

Constitute This Post Useful? Support The Site!

Hopefully yous constitute this review useful. At the end of the 24-hour interval, I'm an athlete simply like you looking for the most item possible on a new purchase – so my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews generally accept a lot of hours to put together, so it's a fair bit of piece of work (and labor of love). As you probably noticed by looking below, I also take time to answer all the questions posted in the comments – and at that place's quite a bit of detail in there besides.

If you're shopping for the Garmin Forerunner 45/45S or any other accessory items, please consider using the affiliate links below! Every bit an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn't cost you annihilation actress, merely your purchases help support this website a lot. Even more, if y'all use Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with coupon lawmaking DCRAINMAKER, first time users save 15% on applicable products!

And finally, hither'south a handy list of accessories that work well with this unit of measurement (and some that I showed in the review). Given the unit pairs with ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart sensors, you can employ just about annihilation though.

And of course – you can always sign-up to be a DCR Supporter! That gets you an advertizement-free DCR, access to the DCR Quarantine Corner video series packed with behind the scenes tidbits...and it likewise makes you lot awesome. And existence awesome is what it'due south all near!

Thanks for reading! And as always, experience free to mail service comments or questions in the comments section below, I'll exist happy to try and answer them every bit quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I e'er capeesh feedback in the comments beneath. Thanks!

Found This Post Useful? Support The Site!

Hopefully yous found this review useful. At the stop of the solar day, I'grand an athlete merely similar you looking for the most particular possible on a new buy – so my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews more often than not have a lot of hours to put together, and then it's a fair bit of piece of work (and labor of love). As yous probably noticed by looking beneath, I also take time to answer all the questions posted in the comments – and there'south quite a bit of detail in at that place as well.

If y'all're shopping for the Garmin Forerunner 45/45S or any other accessory items, delight consider using the chapter links beneath! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn't cost you anything actress, simply your purchases assistance support this website a lot. Even more than, if you lot use Backcountry.com or Competitive Cyclist with coupon code DCRAINMAKER, outset time users save xv% on applicable products!

And finally, here's a handy listing of accessories that piece of work well with this unit of measurement (and some that I showed in the review). Given the unit of measurement pairs with Emmet+ & Bluetooth Smart sensors, you can use just about anything though.

And of grade – you can always sign-upwards to be a DCR Supporter! That gets y'all an ad-free DCR, access to the DCR Quarantine Corner video series packed with behind the scenes tidbits...and it likewise makes you awesome. And being awesome is what it'southward all about!

Thanks for reading! And as always, feel costless to post comments or questions in the comments section below, I'll be happy to try and answer them every bit quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I always appreciate feedback in the comments below. Thanks!

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Source: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/04/garmin-forerunner-45-45s-gps-watch-in-depth-review.html

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