Please stop saying that the details you are showing are boring etc. Your expertise is much appreciated! On TH-cam or full written pages. Athletes have a tendency to appreciate details. You have saved me many hours of searching for settings/comparison/... greetings from Belgium and keep up the excellent work!
I just bought the 945 because of your videos and it's my first Garmin watch. I'm in absolutely poor shape and have to monitor everything I do along my pathway to getting better. Couldn't be happier with my decision.
@@upping5 not dead yet! Going through physical therapy and indoor cycling and rowing. Feeling better every week and should be able to walk in the next couple of months (diabetic foot injury). Thanks for asking mate and hope you're well.
@@vincenovoa hey Vince! I love it and use it every day. To be honest, it was pretty expensive when I first got it a year ago because I wasn't doing many sports or anything. But now I use it religiously and it hasn't failed me once. Hope you find a good deal and I highly recommend it.
@@Dcrainmaker should i buy watches from retailer that says NHO it says A newly overhauled (NHO) device is a device that was returned to Garmin to be factory refurbished?? i am just worried about the gps and the sensors will they be accurate or any other defects in the watch its like 100 buxs off the original price that i see most retailer selling it for or $150 buxs which is a lot....right now i see it going on sale from lots for 549 instead of 599....a few selling for 499 and this one was at 459 now increase slightly to $479...i checked amazon price watch and lowest amazon sold it for was 499 and that was last year around november...since then it never gone as low as like 539 but it was sold by retailers and not straight from amazon selling it??? also, do they have counterfeit versions of these watch? i find out for $499 but it says free shipping and it don't even charge you any tax. and new reviews on the seller web page but i google the entire site and they have a location in the US and find lots of reviews with 4 + stars just not review on the 945 watch and one person brought it so far and 2nd time this listing is being put up when i first saw it few days ago it had 11 left so this second time it went up when i check yesterday one person brought it and now there's 10 left...its a deal if its 499 and no tax and free shipping???
Ray, from a medical stand point, respiration rate has a far greater value in determining effort, fitness and even wellness at rest than any Pulse oximetry device. I could write paragraphs on this. Great video and product review and you are the best on TH-cam for this. I wish they would add sapphire screen option to this range.
Thanks! Indeed - there's a ton of interesting potential there (I was digging through some of the studies yesterday). My challenge is how to make that useful to 99.99% of athletes that purchase the device. In some ways, it's not unlike SPO2, in the right hands/situations, it can be super valuable.
I'm surprised someone hasn't added a respiration rate sensor to HR straps. In theory it should be fairly easy (eg, tension or elongation of the strap as chest expands). And some new fields in the ANT+/BT profiles.
Disappointing to hear about the GPS accuracy decrease; loving the music features though. That's probably my favorite new thing on this gen of watches, especially supporting Spotify. Been wanting that for years. 👍
Just picked up the Forerunner 945 bundle. Super excited to see it in action. This video was a great reference and is now more useful that I have one in hand(on arm!)
Thank you for the detailed text review! It had all the nerdy info about training load/effect I was looking for. I really like the overhaul of the training effect system. I'm pretty sure that's all software though, just fancier calculations, etc. Don't see why they couldn't have that on the 935, though it might be a little less accurate with the older sensor. All the new bells and whistles are neat, but that's the only thing that I really really want over the 935. :(
Hi Ray, awesome work, thank you and good luck with the blisters on your fingers from writing and preparing all these reviews over the course of a week!
Thanks! I actually enjoy shooting the 'X new things' videos, because I can mentally get my head around them. And then they match up to the written reviews well.
Great review Ray. Nice camera work in the intro. I'd suggest switching to 60 or 120 frames per second then slowing it down to 24 to get an even smoother slide. If your camera doesn't do 4k at 120 then upscale it. It'll still look
So what I hear is: Buy a RED. :) Yeah, it's a bit of a challenge as I max out at 4K/30 on my Nikon. I've been looking at the GH5, so I can go 4K/60 and then slow from there. Though realistically actually on these slider moves I was speeding things up (it's fully automated). I just need to figure out the sweet spot so I don't have to speed/slow down at all, but take the raw footage since it's fully automated anyway.
DC Rainmaker - Skip the GH5 and just wait for the Sony A7S 3 Or Red . . . Definitely Red 😉 I’m guessing you’ll always want to adjust frame rate in post even if it’s automated but 🤷🏻♂️. Keep cranking out all this great content!
Same GPS chip as Suunto... I look forward to seeing if the GPS consistently works better than on Suunto. My friend bought a Suunto 9. Consistently gets roughly 1/10th mile less for organized 5k's and roughly 1/5th mile less for organized 10k's. I am glad that you mentioned that thus far it operates better on the Garmin. I'll keep my Fenix 5x for a while. Lol this bad boy cost me $650. We wont go our separate ways yet. Lol thank you for your videos. Subscribed and liked!
I hope Garmin is adding at least the safety features to the 935. Also I hope they figure out a way to get you a training status without a powermeter on the bike.
HR readings can be affected by a variety of factors such as position on wrist, density and colour of hair, density of muscle, skin tone, tightness/looseness of band, amount of light in surrounding area, activity being conducted etc. It's just the issues of using a light based WRHM. Every technology for HRM has flaws and factors that can affect the results. This is why particularly they struggle on their own with lots of wrist flexion - generally this is why for high intensity exercises or areas where HR is critical to you - pair the device with a chest strap HRM.
Finally, Garmin finally closing the loop. Out for your run, listening to your favourite music, both ears blocked with bluetooth headphones. Have your loved one being instantly notified when you are run over whilst you are totally unaware of your surroundings and pay for the hospital invoice right from your brand new watch. What can be better? For me, I am staying with my square faced 920XT and its sturdy charging mechanism. Quite glad that Garmin is no longer tempting me to invest in these expensive 'upgrades'.
Hi Ray you put the most insightful videos. Could you please do a Garmin Connect vs Polar Flow review? In terms of data metrics etc. This would give folks an idea as to what platform they want to be on.
Really the first most important part of these watches is GPS accuracy. I'd love to see a test of 910 , 920 ,935 and 945 to see how things have progressed. Also try with 3 945 to see if their is variance with them. The real accuracy problems come when they show you running in the ocean or doing 2min miles. I think the Iconic might be the only one able to look at steps data and say the GPS is wrong. Garmin seems to ignore steps over dodgy GPS. Can you do testing with deliberate bad GPS to try how they handle conditions. A warning of bad GPS would be nice. Also would be good to compare a heap of strava data for a race and see how different watches compare. Cheers and thanks for another top video.
Yup - check out my written reviews for incredible depth on GPS accuracy. I've done a bit of it on TH-cam, but it seems people get bored of it quickly. :-/
The big bezel is a disappointment. I'd get the 245 (currently have the 230), but I like all the exercise metrics, esp those pillboxes. And the maps are nice. If I buy this in the US I'll have US maps if I understood correctly, can I download European maps if I travel there? Price is a bit steep though.
Ray - awesome work as usual, thanks. Couple of questions you might know.. 1. Is the 945 being offered with sapphire glass and if not is it the same as the 935? 2. Battery life - is it the same as the 935 in workout/smart watch mode (without music)? and 3. the buttons - do they feel exactly the same with less tactile feedback than the fenix 5? I know that some users found them sticky sometimes. Thanks!
If you are worried about the screen you can get very inexpensive glass screen protectors, I have had one on my 935 for a year and you cant even tell it is there. 2 he puts up a graphic during the video that lists the claimed run time for lots of different usage scenarios. It looks to be significantly longer battery life with GPS running than what I get on my 935.
Sometimes I forget to start my activity during a workout. It would be nice to be able to go into GC and insert a stop and start time and have Garmin at least record it and give me my basics that would be derived from my ongoing hrm
If you forget to start it during runs/walks/hikes you should be able to go into the settings of your device and effectively enable auto detection after a certain period of time... e.g. if you run for more than 5 minutes start recording.
This might seem like a silly question, but the wife wants a new tri-oriented watch with a wrist-based heart rate. She wants to upgrade to something with wrist-based HR monitoring. The thing that she mentioned also is a walking mode. The 920XT she uses right now does not have a mode called walking and it's something she is looking for. I told her it's a serious training watch, but she wears it ALL THE TIME and she wants to track her walks before and after training, and active recovery days. Additionally, is there any reason the 745 should NOT be on the table? She doesn't golf nor would she use any of the outdoor activities features of the 945 that is missing on the 745.
So wondering - as a mountain biker would you be better off buying this and then just getting a basic head unit for the bike rather than going for the new Edge 530 as the head unit which obviously is only of use while riding but this can track all activities.
First of all, very nice review video. I currently have a Garmin Vivoactive HR but I'm looking to get a new device since I just recently got into Triathlon. Could you please try/compare the Forerunner 945 with the 935 and Fenix 5 in an open water swim to see what the GPS is like while swimming? Thank you and keep up the good work
Yes, the big black bezels are disappointing. Doesn't seem like that on the new 245 - wonder if they are using the same screen, but the case on the 245 is just smaller?
Carry a phone. You dont need a bigger screen unless your blind. It's a watch not s tablet. Nobody wants to carry the extra weight of a bigger screen. That's why I like the 935 so much better than the fenix. So much lighter than that heavy case on the fenix.
I upgraded from a 245 to a 945 and this is the biggest let down. Theres the physical bezel and then another black circle around the actual screen. Theres room for atleast a 30% bigger screen and it looks ridiculous imo
@@jamesgaither8085 yea, but it really depends if you'll take advantage of the additional features. I got used to the larger size within a few days and the improved battery life + garmin golf is great. Overall the 245 is the best bang for the buck, 645 sucks (older components), 945 best if you're willing to spend the extra. Note that new models are rumored to be coming out really soon
I have owned a 935 pretty much since it was realised. Although I really like it, there were things I would have wanted to know before buying it: - The GPS is not so precise. I regularly have the distances >10% off reality (measured) which is annoying in running for many reasons (including threshold values are off). This is probably due to me living in a city and likely similar with other product, however, it is a big downside in any case. - While the handling of the watching may not be on Apple level, it is easy enough to get into it also for someone like me being new to such a watch, middle aged and not at all a digital native. That is a big upside for anyone new to it. - Forget about all the swimming features. The counting in the pool is even more off than in running and the chest strap in the tri bundle too stiff to regularly use. I may actually not have bought the watch knowing the distance issues. However, I have gotten used to it and would not want to give it up anymore.
Same here. Great watch, gave up on GPS accuracy and optical HR a while ago and got a Stryd footpod / HR strap. Have applied an adjustment factor for my running style on the Stryd and its gets distance more consistently accurate than GPS. Did a 10,000m tempo on the track last week GPS v Footpod = 10.61 v 10.09. But then a 10k road race on Sunday was 10.04 v 10.04. Swimming wise I've found it perfect. Although I'm only swimming freestyle and do tumble turns at each end, plus pause between reps/sets which keeps it accurate. I'll upgrade to 945 for the contactless payments option and podcasts once my 935 dies.
Yes, fully agreed, that optical HR is rather a rough indication while slow. I recall having read that tumble turns with a strong push off make distance more precise. I don’t always do that, though. Have never tried out Stryd, is that complicated to install?
@@freeridefried Stryd is a footpod that you sync to your watch like a HR monitor. Configure it to be your source for distance and speed, and then manually calibrate it on a track. Good summary: fellrnr.com/wiki/Stryd
So there's literally no reason to buy a Fenix 5+ anymore. Better battery life, maps, pulse ox, smaller and lighter... just needs a Sapphire option! Also I regret buying a Fenix 5+ now.
@@LacayoDe I love my 5+ but I wouldn't mind the battery life and smaller form factor of this new 945. I have to carry a power bank along with me for ultra marathons because the Fenix will die in a 15-16 hour effort. The 945 claims to last for 36 hours! That's huge! Plus the other new features look pretty neat!
Great video!! Thx. I liked the GPS map feature but I am mainly concerned abut the battery life. Have you done any reviews on Solar Powered GPS watches?
the battery is fine, i ran for four hours straight using gps + bluetooth + spotify and had 20% left With normal 1 hr workouts, I'll prob charge my watch once in 4 days
Thanks for the great video. Would you still recommend the 945 if you want the topo maps? Or is there any other good Option on the market with a similar price? Is the 945 still up to date and gets updates for long time? I don't want a watch and don't get new updates after a few years of this invest.
Is this a good heart watch? I have heart disease and need to look for certain things to tell me to stop. I have followed you on internet for years but only found you today on UTube. Thank you for your time and trouble.
Garmin totally fudged it by sticking with 935 design. Should’ve updated the chassis of 945. Not worth $599. Will wait for the next model update. 735xt will serve me very well until then.
Really want to like it but can't get past the massive waste of space that is the bezel. The 935 was the same and I dunno why the Fenix 5 looks so much better and makes better use of the screen size when they're almost the same.
Agreed, that is one big black bezel .. looks better on the 245, wonder if they are the same screen on both models, but the case of the 245 is just smaller?
I wonder to what degree the assessment of “body battery” is Ray’s application of his feeling to the numbers provided (rather than the numbers accurately matching his perceived energy level)? The mind is very powerful in taking external indicators and adapting perception. Of course, it isn’t inherently an either/or, but rather both. Recognizing the psycho/physio relationship is important in non-quantifiable, judgement-based analysis. Perceived exertion is useful over a long period in a trending way (when paired to quantitative metrics), but not particularly instructive at the moment-by-moment aspects of training by itself.
Been waiting for this for so long, thanks for the video! Quick question - when filming, do you have the backlight on or off on the watch? Looking to see what the difference is between the screen visibility between this and the Fenix 3 HR in „normal“ light
It totally depends on the light, or more specifically the angle of the light as it his the screen relative to the camera. Generally speaking anything outdoors is usually backlight off, and anything indoors is a blend depending on how poor my lighting is where I'm shooting.
Hey, I follow you a lot for advice on watches so thank you very much. I have just bought the 945 and was wondering if you recommend buying a screen protector for it or not? Thank you!
You just said you are in Colorado, the map on the watch told me otherwise, namely around the corner in de Pilotenstraat in Amsterdam. Or near the Grandcafe Mahler... :P
Not quite. I said "If you go from here, to say, Colorado. Where I'm right now at I think, 6 meters below sea level, and then go to Colorado where it's 5,000ft above sea level..." :)
Wonder if some of those new features will come to the fenix 5 Plus.. 7.1 FW just got released yesterday so need to wait few more months to see if it will happen
Can you plan and draw a route on Garmin Connect or Strava then import the route into a 945? Will the 945 then show the route on its map. Similar to how Garmin Edge cycling computers work?
Hi ! Just bought it and found 3 problems : 1) To choose the best watch faces, I wld like to know the meaning of some icons. Where can I find photos of the icons proposed and their meaning ? 2) At 2'40'', I see you have very nice colorful detailled map on your watch. Mine has only the shape of Hong Kong (where I live) WITHOUT ANY DETAILS, blue (water) around, and that's it ! Do you know why ?? Do I have to specially get some map from somewhere ?? 3) When creating a route, a trail, if it's a loop, no problem but if the trail goes from point A to B, then has to come back to A, the system doesn't work ! The blue line seem to go only 1 way and can't turn back on the same line !! Is there a way ? Tks a lot for yr tips
After some time, when I have done activities like runs or walks that are recorded in the watch (and in my garmin account), they always appear as red line on the map and cover the actual map information. This is more than just annoying, it makes the map entirely useless as I just see red lines everywhere and not map any more. I do not see how to hide these red lines. I tried all map settings already. Any advice? To me this dumb behaviour is an entire show stopper.
I was looking for a lightweight premium running watch for my small wrist (I had the Fenix 3, very big and buggy, so I sold it). Thus, while I was watching this video, an ad came for a bargain fenix 5plus for 415euros! So, I got the f5+ . It's way better than the plastic 945 and way too cheaper
Did a run test today. Garmin 935 on one wrist and 945 on the other. Sometimes the HR is 25 to 30 beats different. I had the 935 for 2 years and not really trusting the 945. Did I get a lemon.
Hey Bro, thanks for useful content, I am looking for a decent solar watch with the most accurate and quick GPS which has direct contact to satellite to keep the tracks anywhere in USA Europa, Asia Africa, etc where there are no Buzz stations and can be used without connection to mobile devices. Thanks
Sorry, somehow went to the wrong comment. Yes, this will work anywhere. You won't be able to download your finished activities to Garmin Connect Mobile (smartphone app) though without internet. But in terms of the watch and reviewing data and such there, you can go months without internet.
@@Dcrainmaker thanks again, but the brand doesn't matter too much for me, mostly I am thinking for a worth case scenario, if you are in the woods in middle of nowhere, your mobile is dead, you have only your watch to find the nearest civilization, do you know any brand or models which I can study?🙏👍
Your written and video reviews of this watch are fantastic. Thanks for that. Can you please help me figure out how to locate the V02 Max on the watch? I have it the phone app but I can't for the life of me find it on my 945. Thx.
On garmin forum many people were not satisfied with gps accuracy of 945....can someone confirm that updates that garmin made, helped and improve gps...
Please stop saying that the details you are showing are boring etc. Your expertise is much appreciated! On TH-cam or full written pages. Athletes have a tendency to appreciate details. You have saved me many hours of searching for settings/comparison/... greetings from Belgium and keep up the excellent work!
I just bought the 945 because of your videos and it's my first Garmin watch. I'm in absolutely poor shape and have to monitor everything I do along my pathway to getting better. Couldn't be happier with my decision.
How you holding up?
@@upping5 not dead yet! Going through physical therapy and indoor cycling and rowing. Feeling better every week and should be able to walk in the next couple of months (diabetic foot injury). Thanks for asking mate and hope you're well.
@@mdtaylor2274 Love to hear that. I hope everything continues forward for you. And yeah, I am doing quite well. Merry Christmas!
Hey Mick how are you doing now with the watch? I'm considering this one now.
@@vincenovoa hey Vince! I love it and use it every day. To be honest, it was pretty expensive when I first got it a year ago because I wasn't doing many sports or anything. But now I use it religiously and it hasn't failed me once. Hope you find a good deal and I highly recommend it.
Had this for last 2yrs. Great for iopen water and 🏃♂️. Love it. ❤️
Guys like this post if you want to see a video of 945 vs fenix 5x plus!!! Pleasseeeee this would be a very much needed comparison video
Your comment has aged well...might even do such a video. :)
Yeah im looking for the same
that's exactly what i'm looking for
Running&Cycling DAD I have both watches, the Fenix 5x plus is more accurate
@@Dcrainmaker should i buy watches from retailer that says NHO it says A newly overhauled (NHO) device is a device that was returned to Garmin to be factory refurbished?? i am just worried about the gps and the sensors will they be accurate or any other defects in the watch its like 100 buxs off the original price that i see most retailer selling it for or $150 buxs which is a lot....right now i see it going on sale from lots for 549 instead of 599....a few selling for 499 and this one was at 459 now increase slightly to $479...i checked amazon price watch and lowest amazon sold it for was 499 and that was last year around november...since then it never gone as low as like 539 but it was sold by retailers and not straight from amazon selling it??? also, do they have counterfeit versions of these watch? i find out for $499 but it says free shipping and it don't even charge you any tax. and new reviews on the seller web page but i google the entire site and they have a location in the US and find lots of reviews with 4 + stars just not review on the 945 watch and one person brought it so far and 2nd time this listing is being put up when i first saw it few days ago it had 11 left so this second time it went up when i check yesterday one person brought it and now there's 10 left...its a deal if its 499 and no tax and free shipping???
Ray, from a medical stand point, respiration rate has a far greater value in determining effort, fitness and even wellness at rest than any Pulse oximetry device. I could write paragraphs on this. Great video and product review and you are the best on TH-cam for this. I wish they would add sapphire screen option to this range.
Thanks! Indeed - there's a ton of interesting potential there (I was digging through some of the studies yesterday). My challenge is how to make that useful to 99.99% of athletes that purchase the device. In some ways, it's not unlike SPO2, in the right hands/situations, it can be super valuable.
I'm surprised someone hasn't added a respiration rate sensor to HR straps. In theory it should be fairly easy (eg, tension or elongation of the strap as chest expands). And some new fields in the ANT+/BT profiles.
I don't need it, but I need it. 😀
Ivan C. T. i dont regret it, thing is badass and exceeds my expectations.
Sam here, i'm a sucker for gadgets like this. Currently i'm selling it to myself
I don't need it, but I bought it and love it. ❤️👈🏼
SUCKA LA MINK
Disappointing to hear about the GPS accuracy decrease; loving the music features though. That's probably my favorite new thing on this gen of watches, especially supporting Spotify. Been wanting that for years. 👍
Time to change my perfectly working 920XT
Just picked up the Forerunner 945 bundle. Super excited to see it in action. This video was a great reference and is now more useful that I have one in hand(on arm!)
Thanks!!! Enjoy!
What’s the bundle, what does it include?
Thank you for the detailed text review! It had all the nerdy info about training load/effect I was looking for. I really like the overhaul of the training effect system. I'm pretty sure that's all software though, just fancier calculations, etc. Don't see why they couldn't have that on the 935, though it might be a little less accurate with the older sensor. All the new bells and whistles are neat, but that's the only thing that I really really want over the 935. :(
Great review! Especially the 1:46 Taylor Swift “delicate” moment.
Easy to assemble, good strong materials, feels good, looks good.
Hi Ray, awesome work, thank you and good luck with the blisters on your fingers from writing and preparing all these reviews over the course of a week!
This week has been insane!
Just bought my FR935 and loving it. Then the FR945 comes out. Talk about timing hahahaha. Great review Ray. Thanks!
I know that feeling. I also just bough FR935 in end of Mar and then FR945 come out to market
Shouldn't come as a surprise since these watches tend to be renewed every two years or so.
Thank you very much indeed Ray!!!!! Awesome review as always. I have preordered mine already, lets see when does it come??? CAN´T HARDLY WAIT
Thanks!
Resp rate and pulse oximetry likely to be used when training at very high altitude to assess vitals
New format is much better than the old for easy video consumption. I still really enjoy your written reviews as well
Thanks! I actually enjoy shooting the 'X new things' videos, because I can mentally get my head around them. And then they match up to the written reviews well.
And finally screen protection! Corning® Gorilla® Glass DX
Loving the x # of things we need to know approach. It helps those of us with previous models. You’re going to hit 1M subscribers in no time!
Love your hands on sessions! Thanks a lot for that!!!
OMG! That is new member of Forerunner!
Your review and this video very detail, thank you very much!
Great review Ray. Nice camera work in the intro. I'd suggest switching to 60 or 120 frames per second then slowing it down to 24 to get an even smoother slide. If your camera doesn't do 4k at 120 then upscale it. It'll still look
So what I hear is: Buy a RED. :)
Yeah, it's a bit of a challenge as I max out at 4K/30 on my Nikon. I've been looking at the GH5, so I can go 4K/60 and then slow from there. Though realistically actually on these slider moves I was speeding things up (it's fully automated). I just need to figure out the sweet spot so I don't have to speed/slow down at all, but take the raw footage since it's fully automated anyway.
DC Rainmaker - Skip the GH5 and just wait for the Sony A7S 3 Or Red . . . Definitely Red 😉 I’m guessing you’ll always want to adjust frame rate in post even if it’s automated but 🤷🏻♂️. Keep cranking out all this great content!
best Garmin watch reviews
Same GPS chip as Suunto... I look forward to seeing if the GPS consistently works better than on Suunto. My friend bought a Suunto 9. Consistently gets roughly 1/10th mile less for organized 5k's and roughly 1/5th mile less for organized 10k's. I am glad that you mentioned that thus far it operates better on the Garmin. I'll keep my Fenix 5x for a while. Lol this bad boy cost me $650. We wont go our separate ways yet. Lol thank you for your videos. Subscribed and liked!
Jojojjjojjjjjjjjojjoj
Thank you for that great review!
Can we expect real life battery comparison with 935?
PS. Great video as usual!!!
thanks for this great review, Ray.
I hope Garmin is adding at least the safety features to the 935.
Also I hope they figure out a way to get you a training status without a powermeter on the bike.
Another great video! This beats the Apple iPhone launch back in the early days 🙌
Love this watch. Battery lasts for days and days and days.
thanks for the review. had a bad experience with basic HR tracking on the forerunner 35, but i can't imagine shelling out the money for this.
HR readings can be affected by a variety of factors such as position on wrist, density and colour of hair, density of muscle, skin tone, tightness/looseness of band, amount of light in surrounding area, activity being conducted etc.
It's just the issues of using a light based WRHM. Every technology for HRM has flaws and factors that can affect the results.
This is why particularly they struggle on their own with lots of wrist flexion - generally this is why for high intensity exercises or areas where HR is critical to you - pair the device with a chest strap HRM.
Finally, Garmin finally closing the loop. Out for your run, listening to your favourite music, both ears blocked with bluetooth headphones. Have your loved one being instantly notified when you are run over whilst you are totally unaware of your surroundings and pay for the hospital invoice right from your brand new watch. What can be better? For me, I am staying with my square faced 920XT and its sturdy charging mechanism. Quite glad that Garmin is no longer tempting me to invest in these expensive 'upgrades'.
Aftershokz headphones. Listen to music without plugged up ears. Get with the times people!
BRILLIANT
How can anybody dislike this video???
Might be time to finally update my forerunner 225....
Hi Ray you put the most insightful videos. Could you please do a Garmin Connect vs Polar Flow review? In terms of data metrics etc. This would give folks an idea as to what platform they want to be on.
Really the first most important part of these watches is GPS accuracy. I'd love to see a test of 910 , 920 ,935 and 945 to see how things have progressed. Also try with 3 945 to see if their is variance with them.
The real accuracy problems come when they show you running in the ocean or doing 2min miles. I think the Iconic might be the only one able to look at steps data and say the GPS is wrong. Garmin seems to ignore steps over dodgy GPS. Can you do testing with deliberate bad GPS to try how they handle conditions. A warning of bad GPS would be nice.
Also would be good to compare a heap of strava data for a race and see how different watches compare.
Cheers and thanks for another top video.
Yup - check out my written reviews for incredible depth on GPS accuracy. I've done a bit of it on TH-cam, but it seems people get bored of it quickly. :-/
Thanks for your work now i know that i buy this watch 😁👌
The big bezel is a disappointment. I'd get the 245 (currently have the 230), but I like all the exercise metrics, esp those pillboxes. And the maps are nice. If I buy this in the US I'll have US maps if I understood correctly, can I download European maps if I travel there?
Price is a bit steep though.
Ray - awesome work as usual, thanks. Couple of questions you might know.. 1. Is the 945 being offered with sapphire glass and if not is it the same as the 935? 2. Battery life - is it the same as the 935 in workout/smart watch mode (without music)? and 3. the buttons - do they feel exactly the same with less tactile feedback than the fenix 5? I know that some users found them sticky sometimes. Thanks!
If you are worried about the screen you can get very inexpensive glass screen protectors, I have had one on my 935 for a year and you cant even tell it is there. 2 he puts up a graphic during the video that lists the claimed run time for lots of different usage scenarios. It looks to be significantly longer battery life with GPS running than what I get on my 935.
no saphire, but has gorilla glass. gps mode - 935 - 24 hours, 945 - 36 hours. cant speak about buttons
@@energeez thanks, yeah looks to be the same casing, gorilla screen and poor sticky button design as the 935 just with upgraded internals
Chatlow i dont think 935 is gorilla
So that's what you look like DC Rainmaker
Sometimes I forget to start my activity during a workout. It would be nice to be able to go into GC and insert a stop and start time and have Garmin at least record it and give me my basics that would be derived from my ongoing hrm
If you forget to start it during runs/walks/hikes you should be able to go into the settings of your device and effectively enable auto detection after a certain period of time... e.g. if you run for more than 5 minutes start recording.
This might seem like a silly question, but the wife wants a new tri-oriented watch with a wrist-based heart rate. She wants to upgrade to something with wrist-based HR monitoring. The thing that she mentioned also is a walking mode. The 920XT she uses right now does not have a mode called walking and it's something she is looking for. I told her it's a serious training watch, but she wears it ALL THE TIME and she wants to track her walks before and after training, and active recovery days.
Additionally, is there any reason the 745 should NOT be on the table? She doesn't golf nor would she use any of the outdoor activities features of the 945 that is missing on the 745.
Wow I literally bought the 935 a month ago lol.
Is there a difference to the Garmin Fenix 5X+? Would be great to see a size comparison.
Good video. Thanks for talking about the mapping.
this or the polar vantage v. really tough choice...
This
So wondering - as a mountain biker would you be better off buying this and then just getting a basic head unit for the bike rather than going for the new Edge 530 as the head unit which obviously is only of use while riding but this can track all activities.
First of all, very nice review video. I currently have a Garmin Vivoactive HR but I'm looking to get a new device since I just recently got into Triathlon.
Could you please try/compare the Forerunner 945 with the 935 and Fenix 5 in an open water swim to see what the GPS is like while swimming? Thank you and keep up the good work
Wiggle is already serving the watch. Any idea about Clevertraining delivery??? They just say “early may”. Cheers!!!
What I really will love to se in a new garmin is a bigger screen. The case is big but the display is not.
Yes, the big black bezels are disappointing. Doesn't seem like that on the new 245 - wonder if they are using the same screen, but the case on the 245 is just smaller?
Carry a phone. You dont need a bigger screen unless your blind. It's a watch not s tablet. Nobody wants to carry the extra weight of a bigger screen. That's why I like the 935 so much better than the fenix. So much lighter than that heavy case on the fenix.
I upgraded from a 245 to a 945 and this is the biggest let down. Theres the physical bezel and then another black circle around the actual screen. Theres room for atleast a 30% bigger screen and it looks ridiculous imo
Dr R are you happy you made that upgrade? I’m deciding on upgrading myself from 245.
@@jamesgaither8085 yea, but it really depends if you'll take advantage of the additional features. I got used to the larger size within a few days and the improved battery life + garmin golf is great. Overall the 245 is the best bang for the buck, 645 sucks (older components), 945 best if you're willing to spend the extra. Note that new models are rumored to be coming out really soon
At least helped the world today.
I have owned a 935 pretty much since it was realised. Although I really like it, there were things I would have wanted to know before buying it:
- The GPS is not so precise. I regularly have the distances >10% off reality (measured) which is annoying in running for many reasons (including threshold values are off). This is probably due to me living in a city and likely similar with other product, however, it is a big downside in any case.
- While the handling of the watching may not be on Apple level, it is easy enough to get into it also for someone like me being new to such a watch, middle aged and not at all a digital native. That is a big upside for anyone new to it.
- Forget about all the swimming features. The counting in the pool is even more off than in running and the chest strap in the tri bundle too stiff to regularly use.
I may actually not have bought the watch knowing the distance issues. However, I have gotten used to it and would not want to give it up anymore.
Same here. Great watch, gave up on GPS accuracy and optical HR a while ago and got a Stryd footpod / HR strap. Have applied an adjustment factor for my running style on the Stryd and its gets distance more consistently accurate than GPS. Did a 10,000m tempo on the track last week GPS v Footpod = 10.61 v 10.09. But then a 10k road race on Sunday was 10.04 v 10.04.
Swimming wise I've found it perfect. Although I'm only swimming freestyle and do tumble turns at each end, plus pause between reps/sets which keeps it accurate.
I'll upgrade to 945 for the contactless payments option and podcasts once my 935 dies.
Yes, fully agreed, that optical HR is rather a rough indication while slow. I recall having read that tumble turns with a strong push off make distance more precise. I don’t always do that, though.
Have never tried out Stryd, is that complicated to install?
@@freeridefried Stryd is a footpod that you sync to your watch like a HR monitor. Configure it to be your source for distance and speed, and then manually calibrate it on a track. Good summary: fellrnr.com/wiki/Stryd
So there's literally no reason to buy a Fenix 5+ anymore. Better battery life, maps, pulse ox, smaller and lighter... just needs a Sapphire option! Also I regret buying a Fenix 5+ now.
Chase The Summit the titanium plus sapphire is just so so good
@@LacayoDe I love my 5+ but I wouldn't mind the battery life and smaller form factor of this new 945. I have to carry a power bank along with me for ultra marathons because the Fenix will die in a 15-16 hour effort. The 945 claims to last for 36 hours! That's huge! Plus the other new features look pretty neat!
Chase The Summit if i was running ultras id sell that fenix and get a 945!
@@energeez yup... already did 👍
Chase The Summit how do you like it compared to the fenix
Great video!! Thx. I liked the GPS map feature but I am mainly concerned abut the battery life. Have you done any reviews on Solar Powered GPS watches?
the battery is fine, i ran for four hours straight using gps + bluetooth + spotify and had 20% left
With normal 1 hr workouts, I'll prob charge my watch once in 4 days
Thanks for the great video.
Would you still recommend the 945 if you want the topo maps? Or is there any other good Option on the market with a similar price? Is the 945 still up to date and gets updates for long time? I don't want a watch and don't get new updates after a few years of this invest.
Is this a good heart watch? I have heart disease and need to look for certain things to tell me to stop.
I have followed you on internet for years but only found you today on UTube. Thank you for your time and trouble.
Tommy Cheshire get the Apple Watch...pretty accurate.
Garmin totally fudged it by sticking with 935 design. Should’ve updated the chassis of 945. Not worth $599. Will wait for the next model update. 735xt will serve me very well until then.
if only they could update the 735xt this year. just a barebones tri watch!
What is the charging time? How many hours until full charge?
Really want to like it but can't get past the massive waste of space that is the bezel. The 935 was the same and I dunno why the Fenix 5 looks so much better and makes better use of the screen size when they're almost the same.
Agreed, that is one big black bezel .. looks better on the 245, wonder if they are the same screen on both models, but the case of the 245 is just smaller?
What's the name of the t-shirt your are wearing and where can I get hold of it? Thanks.
Would this be a good watch for a full IM, with an slow Ironman wearing it?
I wonder to what degree the assessment of “body battery” is Ray’s application of his feeling to the numbers provided (rather than the numbers accurately matching his perceived energy level)? The mind is very powerful in taking external indicators and adapting perception. Of course, it isn’t inherently an either/or, but rather both. Recognizing the psycho/physio relationship is important in non-quantifiable, judgement-based analysis. Perceived exertion is useful over a long period in a trending way (when paired to quantitative metrics), but not particularly instructive at the moment-by-moment aspects of training by itself.
Been waiting for this for so long, thanks for the video!
Quick question - when filming, do you have the backlight on or off on the watch? Looking to see what the difference is between the screen visibility between this and the Fenix 3 HR in „normal“ light
It totally depends on the light, or more specifically the angle of the light as it his the screen relative to the camera. Generally speaking anything outdoors is usually backlight off, and anything indoors is a blend depending on how poor my lighting is where I'm shooting.
Can I please import a gpx map into the maps? thank you for a response
Hey, I follow you a lot for advice on watches so thank you very much. I have just bought the 945 and was wondering if you recommend buying a screen protector for it or not? Thank you!
Thank you very much for this presentation. Could you give a short opinion comparing this to the vantage V? Thanks
You just said you are in Colorado, the map on the watch told me otherwise, namely around the corner in de Pilotenstraat in Amsterdam. Or near the Grandcafe Mahler... :P
Not quite. I said "If you go from here, to say, Colorado. Where I'm right now at I think, 6 meters below sea level, and then go to Colorado where it's 5,000ft above sea level..." :)
@@Dcrainmaker ah! damn thought i had you there! :)
According to Sony, the new GPS chip set is very low power and works better in harsh environments, like building canyons in NYC or Tokyo.
That's true, I've seen incredibly good results in NYC with it.
DC Rainmaker I need to replace my 935 soon (battery life flagging) so will try around Central Hong Kong, where GPS is terribly inaccurate.
Wonder if some of those new features will come to the fenix 5 Plus.. 7.1 FW just got released yesterday so need to wait few more months to see if it will happen
I got the Garmin Fenix 5s Sapphire.. for 334 pounds.. I could not say no to that deal so definitely not going back on it!
May I enquire which company you purchased it from?
I want his watch! :(
thanks for the video you seem to have missed on the most important issues can you swim in it for over an hour fully waterproof?
Can you plan and draw a route on Garmin Connect or Strava then import the route into a 945? Will the 945 then show the route on its map. Similar to how Garmin Edge cycling computers work?
Hi ! Just bought it and found 3 problems :
1) To choose the best watch faces, I wld like to know the meaning of some icons. Where can I find photos of the icons proposed and their meaning ?
2) At 2'40'', I see you have very nice colorful detailled map on your watch. Mine has only the shape of Hong Kong (where I live) WITHOUT ANY DETAILS, blue (water) around, and that's it ! Do you know why ?? Do I have to specially get some map from somewhere ??
3) When creating a route, a trail, if it's a loop, no problem but if the trail goes from point A to B, then has to come back to A, the system doesn't work ! The blue line seem to go only 1 way and can't turn back on the same line !! Is there a way ?
Tks a lot for yr tips
After some time, when I have done activities like runs or walks that are recorded in the watch (and in my garmin account), they always appear as red line on the map and cover the actual map information. This is more than just annoying, it makes the map entirely useless as I just see red lines everywhere and not map any more. I do not see how to hide these red lines. I tried all map settings already. Any advice? To me this dumb behaviour is an entire show stopper.
The screen looks a little brighter.
Fenix 6 light!
Can you pair Bluetooth headphones and the included heart rate monitor to the watch and use them at the same time?
Which watch is better now to buy: FR945 or FR255 Music?
Can you use TH-cam Music as a streaming software? Love the video
No, unfortunately not. A TH-cam limitation per se.
I was looking for a lightweight premium running watch for my small wrist (I had the Fenix 3, very big and buggy, so I sold it). Thus, while I was watching this video, an ad came for a bargain fenix 5plus for 415euros! So, I got the f5+ . It's way better than the plastic 945 and way too cheaper
Did a run test today. Garmin 935 on one wrist and 945 on the other. Sometimes the HR is 25 to 30 beats different. I had the 935 for 2 years and not really trusting the 945. Did I get a lemon.
Does this watch support Apple Music subscription?
Worth waiting for the Wahoo watch, yes or no?
I wouldn't wait for something that doesn't appear to exist.
Ha! Just trying to trick you into revealing any inside info ;) I've heard it has onboard 'weather control'
is the forerunner 955 coming out any soon should we wait on that one?? the price will drop some more if that watch comes out?
How does FR935 compared to the new watch ??? Besides the music, does the new features really worth buying it in your opinion ?
Totally depends on how much you value them. I was perfectly happy with my FR935 (which was my mainstay) until now.
Hey Bro, thanks for useful content, I am looking for a decent solar watch with the most accurate and quick GPS which has direct contact to satellite to keep the tracks anywhere in USA Europa, Asia Africa, etc where there are no Buzz stations and can be used without connection to mobile devices. Thanks
@@Dcrainmaker Sorry, was this replay for my question?
Sorry, somehow went to the wrong comment. Yes, this will work anywhere. You won't be able to download your finished activities to Garmin Connect Mobile (smartphone app) though without internet. But in terms of the watch and reviewing data and such there, you can go months without internet.
@@Dcrainmaker thanks again, but the brand doesn't matter too much for me, mostly I am thinking for a worth case scenario, if you are in the woods in middle of nowhere, your mobile is dead, you have only your watch to find the nearest civilization, do you know any brand or models which I can study?🙏👍
@@loveonlysolution3749 This watch and the Garmin brand is what you’re looking for. Nobody else more features in that specific use case.
@@Dcrainmaker And it needs maps download fxp for Alaska?
Your written and video reviews of this watch are fantastic. Thanks for that. Can you please help me figure out how to locate the V02 Max on the watch? I have it the phone app but I can't for the life of me find it on my 945. Thx.
Never mind. I watched your really long video but not this one. LOL. I got it. Thx.
Can you tell me how to get to the ABC of this 945? Altimeter, Barometer & Compass. Thanks.
Just paid for a used fenix 5 plus. Damn it. Besides the more rugged design, did I now pay the exact amount for less features?
Note that this watch supports maps can you create a route and upload it to the watch?
EMERGENCY/SOS MESSAGE NOTIFICATION - this was added to Feinx 5s plus in latest 7.10 software
Totally useless if u don't have ur smartphone besides u. And It happens 99% of the times when u go out for running
For my case I see that feature useful for cycling(MTB) that it is more risky than running and I have my phone
About the maps-how does the device prompt you to turn? Or do you actually have to constantly read the map?
Whats the difference between glonass and galileo gps???
2 different gps systems that are being used world wide ...China has their own one too to compete GLONASS
Does it only track 4 hours of your pulse ox during your sleep? This is something I encountered in my review of the vivosmart 4
On garmin forum many people were not satisfied with gps accuracy of 945....can someone confirm that updates that garmin made, helped and improve gps...
If you could get one today would you do the 945 or 255? 945 is only $40 more (sale)
You think they’ll release a new Fenix series soon?
Hmm, this or a Fenix?
This or wait IMO.
Answer is simple. If you wanna pose or hike then Fenix. If you wanna sweat then FR.
Needs a touchscreen man