Garmin has been releasing smartwatches to the world since 2003, and since then has made many improvements to their line of Forerunner, Venu, Vivoactive, and other watches!
However, Garmin does have stiff competition from companies such as Apple, Samsung, and Fitbit among others.
If you want to learn more about these incredible watches and how they can help you stay fit and make life just a little more convenient, read on below to find out which smartwatch compares to Garmin.
Table of Contents
What is Garmin Known For?
First and foremost, it’s important ot understand what makes Garmin watches so unique and how they differ from traditional smartwatch designs.
Most people might know Garmin as the company that creates GPS navigation tools. You might find Garmin in various other tools such as:
- Cycling computers
- RV navigators
- Heartrate monitors
- Bike computers
- Car navigators
- Sonar equipment
- Trucking headsets
On the other hand, companies such as Samsung and Apple have made their mark on smart technology, including computers and phones.
Garmin smartwatches, at first glance, might not appear to be geared toward phone compatibility, but they do harness the power of navigation and are thus beloved by avid outdoors enthusiasts.
Garmin Then Vs. Now
Garmin has many watches available for sports enthusiasts, and continues to cater to those that need a watch for fitness purposes.
In fact, when the Forerunner was introduced in 2003, this watch (more of a display system) was created with the purpose of tracking heart rate, breathing, steps, and calorie burning.
Since then, Garmin has designed its Forerunner watches to be suitable for different types of sports besides running.
Subsequent Garmin smartwatch models do still have advanced GPS systems, but they also have a variety of different sports modes to choose from, such as:
- Swimming
- Cycling
- Running
- Diving
- Golfing
Garmin Vs. Suunto
GPS Multisport Smartwatch 1.7 in. with Call and Text Music, Adv HM+FF, Cream Gold Bezel with Ivory Cas and Wearable4U.
- Premium GPS for Running and Cycling
- Adventure Watch with Route Navigation
- Large 50mm Size Touch Screen
- Up to 170 Hours GPS Battery Life
The first watch that most people might try to compare the Garmin to is the Suunto. Suunto is also an outdoor sports smartwatch manufacturing company.
Suunto watches are notable for their rugged design, excellent tracking abilities, and their ability to be used for trail hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts that need a watch that helps with their ultra-endurance. For instance, the Suunto 9 Baro even has a barometer for avid hikers.
For smartwatch lovers, they might find more versatility with Garmin Venu 2 Plus as opposed to the Suunto line of smartwatches. This updated smartwatch has capabilities including:
- Call answering
- Microphone for voice to text
- 9 days of battery life
- Health monitoring like pulse, stress, and respiration levels
- Sleek design
- Pulse Ox monitor
- GPS monitoring
Garmin Vs. Samsung and Apple
Other smartwatches that are now dominating the game include Samsung and Apple. While you might think that Garmin can’t compare to Samsung and Apple, it has a couple of features that make it a stand-out among the competition.
- Designed for golfers
- Smart text response
- GPS time sync
- Daily heart rate monitoring
- Pulse ox monitoring
- Relaxation and breathing reminder
- Sleep reminder
Pros
Garmin is much better suited for those that want a niche watch for their specific sport. For instance, the Garmin Approach S62 was designed for golfers and combines the best of GPS, in addition to adding features such as:
- Smart text response
- GPS time sync
- Daily heart rate monitoring
- Pulse ox monitoring
- Relaxation and breathing reminder
- Sleep reminder
All of this in addition to showing the topography of your specific golf course. Garmin is better suited for people that have a specific sport in mind and a watch that offers some smart features, but is still mostly geared toward fitness and health monitoring in a niche area.
Cons
On the other hand, Samsung and Apple smartwatches are incredibly well-suited to fit into Apple and Android ecosystem.
That is to say, if you have an existing Apple phone, Samsung or Android phone, or other apple and Samsung products, then using a smartwatch made by these companies might be better for your overall convenience.
However, you might lose out on certain fitness features and battery life. In addition, Garmin takes on a more holistic approach to their smartwatch design, incorporating elements like:
- Sleep
- Overall energy levels
- Resting heart rate
- Stress levels
While Apple does have an excellent ability to integrate with other existing Apple products, as does Samsung, these watches aren’t primarily designed for holistic health monitoring. On the plus side, Apple does offer an ECG monitoring feature to give you accurate assessments of your heart rate, irregular heart rhythm, and other types of relevant cardiac related information.
Choosing the Between Garmin and Other Watches
By far, the best way to choose a Garmin watch is by the niche that you’re thinking about (golfing, diving, swimming, running, hiking, etc.) as well as the types of features you want.
If you want a watch that will integrate seamlessly with your Samsung or Apple smartphone, you’re better off choosing the corresponding Apple or Samsung watch to go with your smartphone!
While Garmin does have the ability to connect to Bluetooth and pair to your Android or iOS, it isn’t the top choice as far as smartwatches go.
