10 Best Garmin Smartwatches 2025 in the United States

The Garmin Forerunner 55 is a user-friendly running watch tailored for runners and fitness enthusiasts who want reliable tracking without overwhelming complexity. It features a bright 1.04-inch display that's easy to read during workouts, using buttons for navigation rather than a touchscreen. Battery life is impressive, lasting up to two weeks in smartwatch mode and about 20 hours with continuous GPS use, making it suitable for daily wear and longer training sessions. The built-in GPS provides accurate distance and pace tracking essential for runners, and the PacePro feature helps plan race strategies, although it doesn't support on-device course maps.

This watch covers a variety of activities including running, cycling, swimming, and high-intensity workouts, making it versatile for different fitness routines. Besides sports, it offers wellness tracking like heart rate monitoring, stress levels, and body energy (Body Battery), giving a good overview of health and recovery. It also suggests daily workouts based on fitness and recovery, guiding training without needing extra apps. The design is lightweight and comfortable, with good water resistance suitable for pool swimming, though it’s not a rugged smartwatch for extreme conditions. While it lacks advanced smart features like music storage or contactless payments found in pricier models, its focus on core fitness features, ease of use, and long battery life make it a solid choice for casual to serious runners seeking dependable GPS and health tracking in a straightforward, comfortable package.

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 vívoactive 5 is a versatile health and fitness GPS smartwatch designed for an active lifestyle. It features a bright and colorful 1.2-inch AMOLED display that offers clear visibility. One of its standout strengths is the impressive battery life, lasting up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, which is great for users who prefer not to charge frequently. The built-in GPS provides accurate tracking for outdoor activities, and with over 30 sports apps, users can engage in activities ranging from running to swimming and even golf.

For health monitoring, the vívoactive 5 excels with features like Body Battery energy monitoring, sleep tracking with coaching, heart rate monitoring, and stress tracking. This comprehensive suite helps users gain detailed insights into their health and wellness. Durability and water resistance are also robust, making it suitable for various environments and conditions, including swimming.

The smart features such as music storage and playback, compatibility with both Android and iOS, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity enhance its functionality, making it a well-rounded smartwatch. Comfort-wise, the watch is lightweight at just 1.3 ounces and has a round design that fits well on most wrists. However, there are a few drawbacks to consider. The memory storage capacity of 4 GB might be limiting for users who store a lot of music or apps. Additionally, the advanced health metrics are approximations, which may not be precise for all users. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Garmin vívoactive 5 remains a strong contender for those seeking a durable, feature-rich smartwatch for both fitness and everyday use.