10 Best Garmin Smartwatches 2025 in the United States

The Garmin Forerunner 265 is a solid choice for runners and fitness enthusiasts looking for a smartwatch that balances advanced features with ease of use. Its bright 1.3-inch AMOLED touchscreen combined with physical buttons offers clear visibility and reliable control, even during workouts. Battery life is strong, lasting up to 13 days in smartwatch mode and around 20 hours with GPS active, which is plenty for most daily and multi-hour activities.

The watch excels in GPS accuracy thanks to multi-band GNSS and SatIQ technology, helping you stay on track even in tricky environments. Health and fitness tracking are comprehensive, providing detailed insights into sleep, recovery, heart rate variability, and training readiness that adapt to your performance, making it easier to plan workouts and races. Safety features like incident detection add peace of mind during outdoor activities, but they require a paired smartphone with network coverage.

Smart features include notifications, music control, and Garmin Pay for contactless payments, which enhance convenience without overcomplicating the experience. The watch supports over 30 activity profiles, including running, cycling, and swimming, making it versatile for multisport users. It offers good customization with watch faces and apps from Garmin, plus 8 GB of storage for music and data. This model is well suited for users who want a feature-rich running smartwatch with reliable GPS and health insights, wrapped in a vibrant, easy-to-read display.

The Garmin Venu 3S is a stylish and functional smartwatch that suits fitness enthusiasts and those looking to monitor their health closely. The standout feature is its 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen, which is bright and colorful, making it easy to read in various lighting conditions. Another major advantage is the impressive battery life of up to 10 days in smartwatch mode, meaning less frequent charging is needed, which is convenient for busy users.

The watch includes comprehensive health monitoring features such as Body Battery energy monitoring, sleep score, and personalized sleep coaching, making it a great companion for understanding and improving your well-being. Additionally, it offers over 30 built-in sports apps, catering to various physical activities from running to swimming, which is excellent for those who enjoy diverse workouts. The GPS accuracy is reliable, ensuring that your outdoor activities are tracked correctly.

This smartwatch also allows you to make and take phone calls from your wrist and interact with your smartphone’s voice assistant, adding to its smart feature set. However, there are a few downsides. The 41mm case size might be slightly large for those with smaller wrists, potentially affecting comfort. Moreover, while the display is high-quality, the watch shape being oval might not appeal to everyone. The Venu 3S is also relatively lightweight at 1.4 ounces, which is a plus for comfort during long wear. Durability is ensured with its stainless steel bezel and silicone band, and it is water-resistant, making it suitable for swimming and everyday wear. This smartwatch combines fitness tracking capabilities with smart features efficiently, making it ideal for users looking to enhance their health and stay connected on the go.

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is a GPS running watch that excels in various areas, making it a strong choice for fitness enthusiasts. Its battery life is impressive, offering up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode and up to 20 hours in GPS mode, which is ideal for long-term use without frequent charging. The GPS accuracy is reliable, essential for tracking running distances and routes accurately. It includes various health monitoring features like heart rate tracking, activity profiles, and advanced wellness metrics such as intensity minutes and all-day respiration, providing comprehensive fitness insights.

The watch also supports a range of activities beyond running, including cycling, swimming, and Pilates, making it versatile for different workouts. Durability and water resistance are notable, ensuring it can withstand different environments and activities. Smart features like Bluetooth connectivity, customizable watch faces, and access to the Connect IQ Store add convenience and personalization options. The 1.04-inch display is clear but might be small for some users, and the resolution is lower compared to higher-end models.

The design is lightweight and comfortable, suitable for prolonged wear. However, the watch operates with buttons rather than a touch screen, which might be less intuitive for some users. Lastly, while the PacePro feature is helpful for race day strategy, it does not support on-device courses, which could be a limitation for those looking for more advanced navigation features. The Forerunner 55 is a solid option for runners and fitness enthusiasts seeking an easy-to-use, reliable, and feature-rich smartwatch.