Garmin Forerunner 245 review: the Tmax of the running watch

We've been eagerly awaiting this new Garmin Forerunner 245. We've been pounding the Forerunner 235 for 4 years. Manufacturers have got us used to 2-year cycles to make us pay up regularly. The American GPS brand preferred to rest on its cash cow. Until Polar's return last year, Garmin didn't need to bring out the big guns, the competition was already dead (TomTom).

Aesthetics:

This new Garmin Forerunner 245 takes the design and strap of the Forerunner 645. The matte black case with slightly bevelled edges contrasts with the smooth, shiny one of the 235. The strap has evolved and will leave far fewer marks on your baby skin.

The 245 is the lightest on the market in its category. Just 38g compared to 42g for the Forerunner 235 and 45g for a Polar Vantage M.

It's not a piece of watchmaking like the Fenix 6 or the Polar Grit X, but the watch stays discreet and easy to wear in everyday life.

Performance:

For €299, Garmin doesn't pull a "money grab":

• It has the same Sony GPS chip that you already find in Suunto and Polar.
• You get the Garmin Elevate Gen 3 wrist cardio sensor already in the Forerunner 945 to calculate your VO2 max, training load, and aerobic and anaerobic systems.
• 15 sports on board including cycling and swimming
• TrackBack system to return to the start
• Battery life is a bit less impressive than Polar's with 7 days in smartwatch mode, 24 hours with GPS, and 6 hours GPS + m
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• Ease of preparing interval workouts via the watch or the Connect app.
• Bonus: you can make your watch sexier with a Jolie Foulée logo thanks to Connect IQ

Precision-wise, it's top-notch. Pace won't take 10 minutes to update during intervals. Nothing to say about the GPS track when we check our Strava. Generally, in the woods or in the city, the watch doesn't stutter.

Web and Mobile Platform:

As always with Strava, the interest in logging on to the manufacturer's platform decreases. Connect is readable, you can see all the watch's data easily. Honestly, nothing that could make us ditch Strava.

Complementary but not essential.

Summary:

You're looking for a reliable watch to run a marathon or just pound the road? We recommend you shell out for this Forerunner 245. It's far from revolutionary, but it's still a reference with an excellent quality/price ratio.

The Garmin Forerunner 245 is available on Quatorze for €299

Rating: + = LIME GREEN NO BATTERY / +++++ = TMAX BLACK ON TOP

Looks: +++

Performance: +++++

Web and Mobile Platform: +++