Garmin Smartwatches - Complete Series Guide (2025)

Tags: Selection Guide | Garmin | Smart

Garmin offers so many lines and models that it's easy to get lost in them. Which model is best for running? Which one has the longest battery life? And which will stand up to the city and the mountains? We've put together a review of all the ranges so you can find the right Garmin smartwatch for you.

What do you want from a Garmin smartwatch?

• I want a smart and stylish watch for every day
• I want a smartwatch for training and performance
• I want a durable smartwatch for the field
• I want a smartwatch for golf
• I want a smart watch for diving
• I want a pilot smartwatch
• I want a smart watch for sailing
• I want a luxury smartwatch

It's not exactly easy to categorize all the Garmin smartwatches. In fact, it's impossible to draw a clear line between the different ranges. Just because a watch is designed for sailing, diving or the outdoors doesn't mean it can't make contactless payments or phone calls. And stylish models can often handle advanced monitoring of sporting activities. That's why you'll find even more detailed descriptions of each category below to help you get your bearings.

You'll also find descriptions of specific models in each category. I always start with the most equipped one and then mention what features the others lack. Of course, there may be more differences, but I will try to highlight the most important ones.

I want a smart and stylish watch for every day

A user from this target audience might say, "I'm looking for a stylish watch that's suitable for the city, work and leisure. I want an AMOLED display, phone notifications, music, contactless payments, health tracking and basic sports modes - ideally all in one beautiful design."

Garmin lines from this category:

• Venu 3, Venu 4
• Vívoactive
• Lily
• Vívomove

This group is for those who want "just any smartwatch". Yes, it can be that simple.

Some users are not looking for extreme battery life, military standards of durability or any specific features. They want a reliable watch that can easily handle basic functions, doesn't disrupt the look of their outfit - whether they're wearing a swimsuit or a suit - and they don't want to spend unnecessarily too much money on it.

In this category, the Venu 4 is the model to beat.

It offers two case sizes (for men and women), supports NFC payment, has a built-in music player, lasts over 10 days, and can handle phone calls. You can find a use for it in the city or anywhere else. The Venu 4 is arguably Garmin's most versatile smart model - whether in terms of lifestyle, sport or design.

It's even got sports features like training load, training status, training readiness, which is something we haven't seen in the Venu range before.

The sensor equipment is really rich - the watch can take an ECG recording, measure heart rate, skin temperature, steps, blood oxygenation and other key readings. In short, everything essential for monitoring your health.

Thanks to the GPS receiver, it can also measure your route and accordingly your speed, pace, elevation, etc.

A decent alternative is the older Garmin Venu 3, which doesn't have as many sports features or an LED flashlight, but if you don't need it, it's a good piece.

Slightly less equipped and a bit more plastic is the Vívoactive 6.

It can do the same as the Venu 3, but doesn't offer as sleek a look, ECG, barometer, or phone capability. On the other hand, it will please athletes with its blind map navigation feature - which the Venu 3 surprisingly doesn't have.

As the "Active" label suggests, these models are aimed more at athletic users - they will offer, for example, the PacePro pace strategy, running dynamics measurement or power in watts.

But if you don't need the aforementioned sports features, you can save money and reach for the Vívoactive 5 or Venu 2.

The other two series, the Lily and the Vívomove, are designed to do one thing - impress.

The most interesting is probably the Lily 2 Active, which has a GPS receiver in its sensor equipment.

Because when we talk about the Lily 2 without the Active moniker and the entire Vívomove line, this watch requires a connected phone to track outdoor sports activities, from which it takes location data.

When someone reaches for a Vívomove, I honestly don't think they care that much about the GPS receiver. The analogue hands are what attract the most attention anyway.

Beware of one thing though - only the Lily 2 Classic and Active support NFC payment, and only the Trend variant of the Vívomove.

The table summarizes the main differences:

I want a smartwatch for training and performance

A user in this target audience might say, "I'm running, cycling or training for a triathlon and I want a watch that will help me improve. I'll appreciate accurate GPS, training plans, VO2 Max, heart rate, recovery, HRV and multisport profiles - just a reliable training buddy."

Garmin series in this category:

• Enduro
• Venu X1
• Forerunner

If you're looking for the ultimate performance smartwatch, the Enduro 3 is clearly it. When effectively recharged by the solar battery, they are capable of running for up to 90 days. That's literally crap endurance, right?

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The best sports models from Garmin evaluate:

• Training load
• training status
• endurance score
• hill score
• training readiness

And yes, the Enduro 3 does all of this and you won't find it in every Garmin watch. The Enduro 3 has it covered - with solar charging, map cues, and an LED flashlight. Now, some might ask why it's not in the smartwatch category for the field. The answer is quite simple - the case doesn't meet the military standard. So if you were to bump into something, the watch doesn't have as much chance of survival as say, Fenixes or Instincts.

The clear runner-up in this category is the Forerunner 970. Compared to the Enduro 3, it basically lacks just as much battery life - it keeps up in everything else. It also lacks solar charging, but that's due to the display technology. It does have an AMOLED display, which has significantly richer and higher contrast colours. I don't know if athletes will appreciate it, but compared to the Enduro 3, it has the added option of phone calling.

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My favorite model and the cannon of the price/performance ratio is the Forerunner 965. It may lack an LED flashlight, ECG, sapphire crystal, or phone option, but what it does have... it's a much nicer price tag.

One such rarity is the ultra-thin Venu X1. It has an LED flashlight, all the sports and smart features, and allows for phone calls, but it lacks two important features you'd expect from a sports watch - really long battery life and full button control.

Another, somewhat contrasting model is the Forerunner 570. It doesn't have mapping, an LED flashlight, or features like hill and endurance scores, but instead offers phone capabilities.

Personally, I'm a fan of the Forerunner 265. If you don't need maps and make do with curve navigation, it's a great model. Unfortunately, it lacks the same sports features as the Forerunner 570.

Similarly, the Forerunner 165 has a slightly shorter battery life and you can choose between a version with or without music.

And then there's the "poor man's" Forerunner 55. Apart from displaying notifications, it doesn't offer much in the way of smart features, don't look for navigation at all, but it handles the basics reliably - it measures your heart rate and records your route. Someone simply does not need more. And that's fine.

A table summarising the key differences:

*The figure always applies to the largest diameter of the housing.

I want a durable smartwatch for the field

A user in this target audience might say, "I need a watch that can handle tough conditions, has long battery life, topographic maps, offline navigation, barometer, altimeter and compass. I go to the mountains, the woods or on multi-day expeditions - reliability is key."

Garmin lines from this category:

• Fenix
• Epix
• Tactix
• Instinct

It's going to be very brief here, as all of Garmin's outdoor models are among the most feature-rich the brand has to offer. The main advantages are extreme durability (both shock and water resistance) and long battery life. These are premium series that excel in every way.

The driving force of this group is the Fenix 8. Compared to the others, it offers telephony, voice assistant and water resistance up to 40 meters of real depth. In addition, you can choose between two types of displays - with AMOLED or transflective LCD.

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Map support, NFC payment, music player, all lifestyle and sports features... This is simply standard with these series.

In 2025, the Fenix 8 Pro still came with the ability to make phone calls, voice messages or send location without the need for a phone.

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Now let's ask ourselves a few simple questions. Do you need telephony and a voice assistant? Do you crave diving features, and does a depth of 40 meters sound like a personal goal to you? If the answer is negative in both cases, the Fenix 7 PRO will be plenty for you.

However, the Fenix 7 PRO is only available with a transflective display. So, assuming you have already answered the two questions above in the negative, I ask you another: Do you want a rich, high-contrast AMOLED display? If so, here's the Epix PRO (Gen 2) again.

It 's functionally identical to the Fenix 8, but adds aerial maps and tactical features like Stealth Mode, Kill Switch, and Night Vision Mode. But most often people get one for one reason - they want to differentiate themselves. Fenix has every other one, Tactix is more special. Or maybe they just like it better.

Similar to the Fenix - if you don't need phone calling, diving features, or even that much water resistance, there's the Tactix 7 PRO. And if you can do without those features, but also crave an AMOLED display, then reach for the Tactix 7 AMOLED.

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If you don't need everything mentioned before and also don't need an LED flashlight and dual-band GPS, the Fenix E is the ideal choice.

Now I'm going to turn it around a bit again, because here comes the Instinct 3. This one offers dual-band GPS and an LED flashlight, but it doesn't have mapping support. Plus, it's available with two display technologies - a black and white transflective LCD and a color AMOLED.

And for complete minimalists, there's the Instinct 2X series - minimalists in terms of display rather than features.

In fact, when you look at the Instinct 2X, you'll find almost every smart, health, and sports feature. Because of the black and white display, there's no map background, so you have to make do with a simpler blind map. On the other hand, it is the most affordable Garmin that has an LED flashlight. And most importantly, they have a monumental 40-day battery life.

If you don't need the LED flashlight and Ready to Train feature, the Instinct 2 Solar is an even cheaper route. And if you don't crave NFC payment either, buy the non-solar-powered version and save some of that buck again.

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A table summarizing the key differences:

*The figure always applies to the largest diameter of the housing.

I want a smart watch for golf

A user in this target audience might say, "I want to be able to keep track of my game. The watch should show me a map of the course, distance to the green or obstacles, scorecard and stats. And if it can take my heart rate and look good in the clubhouse, that's ideal."

Garmin's lineup in this category:

• Approach

For starters, it's good to know that almost all of Garmin's newer models can display golf courses and distance to the green. So whatever Garmin smartwatch you choose, you'll likely find basic golf features in it.

But if you want the best that Garmin has to offer in golf, the Approach S70 is clearly the most equipped model. While the Fenix 8, which has already been mentioned, handles the full golf features, the S70 is focused almost exclusively on golf.

The Approach S62 uses a transflective LCD display and does not have a barometer, so the Playslike Distance feature does not account for elevation differences and air pressure.

Unfortunately,the Approach S50 does not natively have the Virtual Caddie feature - a subscription is required to use it. Compared to the S62, however, it does offer an AMOLED display and music player, which is a significant improvement for some.

You won't find one crucial sensor on the Approach S44 - the heart rate sensor. In terms of golf features, this model does not have Virtual Caddie at all, and a subscription is required to use Playslike distance.

To be honest, I didn't really want to go into too much detail about the features, because one table is worth a thousand words.

A table summarizing the major differences:

I want a smart watch for diving

A user in this target might say, "I dive with a device or practice freediving and I want a watch on my wrist that shows me depth, dive time, water temperature, decompression limits and records the entire dive. It needs to be waterproof and clear even at depth."

Garmin's line of this category:

• Descent

The top model in this range is undoubtedly the Descent Mk3, which offers a full suite of diving features. If you simply want the best, there's no need to compromise.

The runner-up is the Descent Mk2, which lacks the bright AMOLED display as well as some of the advanced features - such as the ability to send messages underwater (within 30 meters), DiveView dive maps, LED flashlight, or the Ready to Dive feature.

On both current Descent Mk models, you may see the "i" in the name. This means that they are able to pair to the T1 transmitter, which transmits cylinder pressure information. This feature is especially appreciated by instructors who can monitor the status of several cylinders simultaneously.

The lower model is the Descent G2, which offers DiveView maps, a Ready to Dive feature, and a nice AMOLED display. On the other hand, it doesn't support connecting multiple T1 sensors, has a shorter battery life, and only features mineral glass.

The table summarizes the key differences:

I want to pilot a smartwatch

A user in this target audience might say, "I fly and I want flight functions right on my wrist. The watch should display an airport database, altimeter, compass, NEXRAD radar, navigation and even smart features on the ground - ideally in a sleek aviation design."

Garmin's line of this category:

• D2

The pinnacle of pilot watches is clearly the D2 Mach 1.

Leaving aside the fact that this smartwatch looks really good, it's also equivalently equipped.

The standard in aviation watches tends to be a pulse oximeter, barometer and sleek design.

But the biggest advantage is that the pilot has everything he needs right on his wrist - the watch includes an airport database and allows access to detailed weather and storm information via NEXRAD and METAR/TAF.

In 2023, the D2 will be upgraded with the D2 Mach 1 PRO. This has a higher resolution AMOLED display, ECG support, longer battery life and everyone's favourite LED flashlight.

The number two is the Delta PX, which is almost identical but uses a transflective LCD display and lacks multiband GPS. As a result, positioning may not be as accurate as the D2 Mach 1. The Delta PX (51mm) also comes in a smaller Delta S (42mm) variant.

The base model is the D2 Air X10, which like the Delta PX does not support multiband GPS and also lacks interactive mapping. Navigation is thus done using only numerical indicators and simple directional screens. While you can be guided to airports from the available database, it's not as convenient as with higher models. In addition, it only has access to METAR/TAF data, not NEXRAD radar. However, it does offer a phone function in return, which no other model in this series does. :)

Table summarizing the major differences:

I want a smart watch for sailing

A user in this target might say, "I spend time on the water and want a watch that displays wind information, automatically records RPMs, helps with navigation, and can handle sea water. Marine modes and normal sports functions come in handy."

Garmin's line of this category:

• Quatix

The Quatix series shares a lot of similarities with the flagship Fenix, but has marine features beyond that.

Probably the most interesting feature is the remote boat control - from the comfort of your wrist you can control the autopilot, control the pumps, navigation lighting or even multimedia. All data is streamed directly to the watch, so you can see the boat's speed, water depth and temperature, wind direction and strength, or your exact position from the GPS chartplotter. All of this is complemented by BlueChart G3 chart support, which only this series offers. However, they need to be purchased separately.

Similarly, the watch can be used for sailing - it displays upwind speed, wind direction estimation and allows you to set regatta start timing and race timing with countdown.

Boating, of course, includes fishing. You can store waypoints of your favourite spots in the watch and get an overview of sunrise and sunset, tide and tide.

The most equipped model is currently the Quatix 8 - it offers a bright AMOLED display, LED flashlight, higher water resistance (it even meets the EN 13319 diving certification), diving functions, plus the ability to make phone calls and use the voice assistant.

The Quatix 7 PRO' s predecessor lacks the essential diving certification and the ability to make phone calls.

For lovers of the transflective LCD display, there is the Quatix 7X Solar variant. While it offers an older heart rate sensor, it lacks nothing in terms of marine features. The biggest attraction, however, is probably the metalwork. :) As the name of the watch suggests, the model supports solar charging. And on the water, you'll certainly have no shortage of sunlight.

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The base model is the Quatix 7 Base, which lacks an LED flashlight, has less storage without pre-installed maps (you have to finish them additionally), doesn't have a multiband GPS, and uses a mineral crystal instead of a sapphire crystal.

A table summarizing the major differences:

I want a luxury smart watch

User from this target: "I want a watch that looks premium - titanium, sapphire, ceramic - but has all the advanced features of a Garmin. Navigation, sports modes, health tracking and stamina - all wrapped up in a high-end design."

Garmin's line of this category:

• MARQ

I could break down for you here what features each Marq model has and how functionally reminiscent it is of, say, the Fenix line, but honestly - you don't choose this watch by heart. You choose it with your heart. You have to fall in love with the Marq.

Each belongs to a slightly different world, but they all have one thing in common - they showcase originality, top-notch materials and precision craftsmanship.

Interestingly, each model has design elements that fit exactly into the world where it belongs. The marine watches have a lunette with a regatta timer, the running watches have a recovery time and VO2 Max indicator, the golf watches have a hole counter... Like I said, they just build on uniqueness.

Yes, buying a watch from the Marq line makes absolutely no sense and I can't justify it in any way. But that's what the entire line is built on. You have to want to buy it.

What's left?

The observant reader and Garmin connoisseur may have noticed that I've left out two lines - the Vívosmart and the Vívofit. I honestly had no idea where to put them. These are Garmin's most basic. But if you're a fan of minimalism, you're fine with counting steps, calories burned and don't want to deal with recharging, the Vívofit, which uses a classic battery and lasts up to 1 year, may be for you.

Similarly minimalist is the Vívofit Junior kids' wristband, which motivates kids to exercise and discipline.

If you want a minimalist wristband with a lightweight body, the Vívosmart 5 is the way to go. While it's already rechargeable, it has a heart rate sensor so you can get a better overview of your health and sleep.

So hopefully the article has helped you get a better understanding of the Garmin range. Now it's up to you - which category and model do you choose?

Other articles you might be interested in:

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Photo source:

• Watch 365 photographers
• cover photo and photo of Vívofit 3 junior Pink - official Garmin photos