Skip to main content

Garmin Forerunner 945 vs. 935: Running watch gets more power, but is it worth it?

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Garmin recently unveiled not one, but five new fitness smartwatches in its running-focused Forerunner series. The new flagship watch is now the Forerunner 945, which replaced the Forerunner 935. The Forerunner 945 sits atop Garmin’s Forerunner lineup, and overflows with fitness and wellness features. We’ve compiled a list of these new features so you can decide if the Forerunner 945 is worthy of your wrist — and your money.

What’s New

Garmin packs as many new features as possible into its new Forerunner 945. Those who don’t like to bring their phone on a long workout will appreciate its support for onboard music. The watch holds up to 1,000 songs and allows you to sync playlists from Spotify or Deezer. The Forerunner 945 also includes another major highlight: full-color maps. Just use the navigation function to follow a preloaded course, navigate your way back to the start of a run, and more.  This feature is critical for runners who enjoy long runs in uncharted or unfamiliar territory.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Garmin knows the Forerunner 945 is for serious athletes and has added several useful training features to help you dial in your workouts. Those who are training for a triathlon or any other multisport activities will appreciate the new training feature, training load focus, that breaks your training history into categories and doesn’t just lump them all together. There’s also an improved VO2 max (the maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during incremental exercise) calculator that now adjusts for heat and altitude. Runners who hit the hills or rack up mileage in the hot weather will absolutely love this feature.

Garmin introduced its first wearable with a pulse oximeter last year, and now that sensor has migrated to other devices including the Forerunner 945. The sensor will monitor your oxygen absorption while you sleep so you can detect sleep disturbances like apnea. It also can be used while hiking or mountaineering to check your acclimation at higher elevations.

And that’s not all. Other new features include:

  • Garmin Pay
  • Stress level
  • Body battery
  • Training effect labels
  • EPOC (Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption)
  • Heat and altitude acclimation
  • Improved race predictor
  • Incident detection
  • Assistance discrete messaging
  • New profiles for skiing, hiking, golfing and more

Who should buy the Forerunner 945?

If you are serious about your running, then the Forerunner 945 is hands down the best watch for your training. It takes all the features from the Forerunner 935, one of our favorite fitness watches, and adds even more. All this training goodness is packaged into a watch tailor-made for runners and other elite athletes.

Should you upgrade to the Forerunner 945?

Absolutely! The music, maps, training load focus and updated VO2 max calculations on the Forerunner 945 are all compelling reasons to upgrade. Sell your old watch on eBay, Craigslist, or a running group website and use those funds to snag the Forerunner 945. You won’t be disappointed.

Editors' Recommendations

Kelly Hodgkins
Kelly's been writing online for ten years, working at Gizmodo, TUAW, and BGR among others. Living near the White Mountains of…
The best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 screen protectors
Person holding skateboard while wearing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.

A new, sleek design and digital bezel help the Galaxy Watch 4 stand out in the crowd and set it apart from the traditional style of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Whether you've picked up a 40mm model with a 1.2-inch Super AMOLED screen or opted for more screen real estate with the 44mm model, that stand-out design needs protecting from scratches and knocks. That means it's time for our picks of the best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 screen protectors, with something to suit all budgets.

These screen protectors will all fit the 40mm or 44mm models of the Galaxy Watch 4. If you've got a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, these won't fit.
Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit Screen Protector

Read more
How to remove watch links from the strap on your new watch
how to remove watch links fossil q explorist

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all smartwatch. If your wrists are on the smaller size, then you may find that your new smartwatch is dangling from your wrist and sliding up your forearm. No need to worry — it's a common problem. Chances are there are at least one too many chain links on the strap, but adjusting a metal-link smartwatch band isn't as difficult as you might think — and doesn't usually require a trip to the jewelers.

We'll take you through everything you need to know and the tools you'll need handy to remove links from your smartwatch so it fits snugly on your wrist.

Read more
Best Cyber Monday Deals 2022: Laptops, TVs, AirPods, and more
Best Cyber Monday Deals 2022

Cyber Week is here! With some truly epic deals out there, this is the best time of year to buy a new tech gadget. If you slept through the Black Friday sales, then the Cyber Monday sales, you better grab what you need during this week of slowly diminishing deals. From tablets to air fryers, laptops to smartwatches, we've rounded up the best Cyber Monday deals across a range of categories, and you'll find them all below.
Cyber Monday sales: Quick links

Amazon: Huge discounts on laptops, Echo devices, and tablets
Best Buy: Your destination for sales on super-sized TVs
Dell: Unbeatable discounts on gaming laptops, monitors, and more
Gamestop: Cheap video games, console accessories and monitors
HP: Gaming PCs, laptops, monitors, and printers from $129
Kohl's: Home decor, clothing and kitchen appliance steals
Lowe’s: Up to 60% off appliances like refrigerators and decor
Staples: Save big on laptops, home office hardware and supplies
Target: Tons of cheap kitchen appliances and stocking-fillers
Walmart: Great for laptops, and is restocking PS5 and Xbox Series X

Read more