Spring is the perfect time to refresh your running routine, whether you're training for a race, getting back into a fitness habit, or simply making the most of the longer days. A great running watch can help you stay on track, monitor progress, and make running more enjoyable.
Our team has spent years testing running watches, putting them through everything from speed sessions to long runs. We've tested these watches on the run, looking at various things like GPS accuracy, heart rate tracking and battery life. We’ve also considered comfort, ease of use, and extra features like music storage and simple training tools.
At the top of our list is the Garmin Forerunner 265, which is a brilliant all-rounder with crisp AMOLED visuals, advanced training tools, and reliable GPS. If you're looking for great value, the Coros Pace 3 is a solid choice with solid battery life, accurate tracking, and plenty of useful features at a lower price.
But our top picks don’t stop there. Read on to discover the best running watches we've tested to date.
The quick list
The best overall
The Garmin Forerunner 265 is the best overall Garmin for most people. It has a bright AMOLED screen, comes in two different screen sizes, has accurate GPS and advanced training metrics.
Best value
The Coros Pace 3 offers reliable tracking, long battery life and useful training analysis in a lightweight design, and all at a price that undercuts most rivals. It’s excellent value and a great option for runners at any level.
Best for beginners
The Garmin Forerunner 55 is an entry-level running watch for those looking to track their training, without all the extras. It still looks and feels like a Garmin, without the price tag.
Best for triathletes
The Garmin Forerunner 965 is the best Forerunner we’ve ever tested. It’s got a bright AMOLED screen, a 23-day battery life, and some of Garmin’s most advanced training features.
Best for first-time marathoners
The Garmin Forerunner 165 is a lightweight, easy-wearing GPS running watch, perfect for first-time marathoners, featuring onboard maps, fall detection, live route tracking, and extended battery life.
Best Coros
The Pace Pro is the first Coros with an AMOLED screen, and it backs up that impressive display with accurate tracking and useful features like maps, all at a reasonable price.
Best Polar
Overtraining is a common cause of running injuries. Through a number of unique features, the Polar Vantage V3 is designed to help serious runners train, recover and rest well.
Best Apple
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best Apple Watch to buy if you're doing any serious running. It has a third button — the Action Button, which makes pausing the watch easier.
Best for adventurers
The Garmin Enduro 3 stands out for its excellent battery life and rugged durability. It's a solid choice for those who need reliable sports tracking, and it comes at a more affordable price point than the Fenix 8.
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Best premium watch
The Garmin Fenix 8 doesn't come cheap, but if the price doesn't deter you it's the best running watch you can get, offering all of Garmin's top features in an attractive, diveproof design.
Best running watch overall
Our pick for the best sports watch and one of the best Garmin watches is also our top running watch: The Garmin Forerunner 265. This lightweight device gives you everything you’d want in a running watch, from accurate tracking to music controls to the ability to create custom workouts, for the price of an Apple Watch. The device also offers access to Garmin’s wide range of training metrics, which help you not only plan workouts but also recovery time.
During testing, we found the Garmin Forerunner 265's beautiful AMOLED display to be bright and easy to read, even in direct sunlight. It also has a touchscreen, which makes it easy to navigate around the watch. The battery is long enough to last through a few workouts, even with music playing.
The Forerunner 265 has inherited some of the more advanced health features usually reserved for Garmin’s more expensive running watches. The watch has Garmin’s latest Elevate V4 sensor — the green light records heart rate, the red light records blood oxygen levels (referred to as Pulse Ox on the watch). This sensor is used to calculate breathing rate, HRV, and stress. It also now has the ability to track multisport training sessions in the triathlon mode, and Garmin's Training Readiness Score.
It's a fantastic improvement on an already fantastic watch and a great buy for all levels of runner.
Read our Garmin Forerunner 265 review.
Best value running watch
Given its small, lightweight design and relatively low price, the Coros Pace 3 is a remarkably full-featured running watch. It offers reliable tracking, with a more accurate multi-band GPS setting that’s rare to find at this price point, and it lasted five to six days on a charge even with heavy use during our testing.
The Coros Pace 3 is a full multisport watch and has a dedicated track run mode for runners, and while it doesn’t suggest workouts each day like Garmin watches, you can download full training plans for events like 5Ks and marathons from Coros onto the watch, with all abilities and experience levels catered to.
The Pace 3 isn’t the most stylish watch and lacks some smart features found on other running watches, including streaming music support, as you’ll need to manually transfer MP3 files instead. However, when it comes to the essentials runners need, it delivers and does so at a price that undercuts many of its rivals.
Read our full Coros Pace 3 review.
Best running watch for beginners
If you’re starting to get into running, chances are you want a device that’s a step up from a basic fitness tracker but also won’t overwhelm you with too many features. Among Garmin watches, the Forerunner 55 is a clear choice.
At its core, the Garmin Forerunner 55 is an entry-level fitness watch, replacing the popular Forerunner 45. While it looks very similar to its predecessor, Garmin made some important changes, adding some of the more advanced training tools usually reserved for their more expensive watches. The Forerunner 55 has Garmin's new PacePro technology, which gives you gentle speed and cadence alerts on the run. There are also suggested recovery times and workouts, based on your training history, fitness levels, and recovery. This is a differentiator from similarly priced watches such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active or the Fitbit Charge 5 which track workouts but don’t offer custom coaching plans.
It’s worth noting that the Garmin Forerunner 55 doesn’t support music storage, mobile payments, or third-party apps. It also has a relatively small display, at just over 1 inch. If these are must-have features for your Garmin watch, you may want to consider a higher-end device. If you are looking for a cheaper watch, the Forerunner 45 is often discounted following the release of the Forerunner 55, so it's a good time to buy.
Read our full Garmin Forerunner 55 review.
Best running watch for triathletes
Our pick for the best running watch for triathletes is the Garmin Forerunner 965. With a bright 1.4-inch AMOLED touchscreen and a lightweight titanium bezel, it feels just as good off the course as it does during training.
It builds on the Forerunner 955 with the same advanced training tools, including Training Readiness Score, Morning Report, and Chronic Training Load, giving athletes deep insights into their performance. GPS accuracy is excellent across swimming, cycling, and running, and the battery life remains impressive, lasting up to 31 hours in GPS mode.
During testing, we found the screen to be one of the best we have seen on a sports watch, making metrics easy to read in all conditions. While the upgrades from the Forerunner 955 are minimal, the 965 refines an already excellent formula and is a top pick for triathletes looking for a powerful and reliable training tool.
Read our full Forerunner 965 review.
Best running watch for first time marathoners
The Garmin Forerunner 165 is a fantastic choice for first-time marathon runners that offers a solid mix of training tools and health-tracking features to help you reach the start line feeling confident. It’s lightweight and comfortable enough for long training runs, and certainly won’t weigh you down on race day.
One of the standout features is Garmin’s PacePro, which works like a coach on your wrist, helping you pace your efforts across different terrains. The watch also tracks recovery, sleep quality, and stress levels with Body Battery, giving you a better idea of when to push and when to rest. Alos, safety features like fall detection provide extra peace of mind during solo runs.
During testing, we loved the bright 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen, which stayed easy to read even in direct sunlight. The combination of touch controls and buttons makes it simple to navigate mid-run, even with sweaty hands. With 19 hours of battery life in GPS mode, the Forerunner 165 can comfortably last through marathon day, and its 50-meter water resistance means it can handle rain, sweat, and post-run ice baths without any issues.
Read our full Garmin Forerunner 165 review.
Best Coros running watch
The Coros Pace Pro is the first Coros watch to have an AMOLED display, but it's not just its pretty face that makes it one of the best running watches available. It's also packed with features including offline maps and has a small, lightweight design that's comfortable on any wrist size.
For such a small watch the Pace Pro has outstanding battery life, usually lasting me six days on a charge with the screen always-on and running every day. If you opt for the raise-to-wake display or train less often, it will last weeks.
The GPS tracking has proved reliably accurate throughout my testing as well, which has included a twisting 10K race in the center of Paris, and the maps and bright and easy to follow thanks to the AMOLED display.
While the smart features aren't great on the Pace Pro, with the music storage only extending to MP3 files, it certainly excels as a running watch and also offers good value for such a feature-packed device.
Read our full Coros Pace Pro review.
Best Polar running watch
The Polar Vantage V3 is designed to help serious runners and multisport athletes train, rest and recover. Bursting at the seams with fitness and wellness tracking tech, the V3 also boasts a bright, beautiful touchscreen and fantastic battery life, not to mention, an accurate dual-band GPS.
Training metrics are easy to digest and plentiful, and recovery insights are in abundance: After a run, you can use the Polar Vantage V3 to conduct a Leg Recovery test, which helps you determine how long to wait before your next hard run. Other watches provide recovery recommendations, but metrics specific to legs are unique to the Polar Vantage V3. In addition, the Nightly Recharge feature puts sleep quality in the context of workout recovery.
During testing, one feature we found impressive was the training plans. Plugging workout data into Polar Flow lets you create training plans and share them with personal trainers or coaches, which is another way to help prevent injuries.
If you're after a bargain, the Polar Vantage V2 is also a competent running watch and is likely to be on sale right now.
Read our full Polar Vantage V3 review.
Best Apple running watch
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the best Apple Watch for serious running training. It doesn’t completely overhaul the original Ultra, but it does make some smart improvements.
One of the new and notable features is the Action Button. If you've ever fumbled to pause your watch mid-run with sweaty fingers, you’ll appreciate how much easier it is to lap or stop a workout with a simple press. The 49mm screen is big—no getting around that—but it’s designed for adventure. It’s now brighter, too, jumping from 2,000 to 3,000 nits. The difference is subtle in direct sunlight, but during testing, we found it noticeably clearer than the Apple Watch Series 9.
Under the hood, the Ultra 2 gets a real power boost. The new S9 processor is Apple’s first real upgrade since the Series 6, improving efficiency by 25% and making animations snappier. Battery life is the best of any Apple Watch, lasting 36 hours in normal use and up to 72 hours in low power mode. That’s solid for Apple, but if you need multi-day GPS tracking, recovery insights, or offline maps, a Garmin might be a better pick.
Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 2 review.
Best running watch for adventurers
The Garmin Enduro 3 is built for adventurers who need a watch that lasts as long as they do. If you're heading out for an ultra, multi-day hike, or an off-grid expedition, this watch is designed to go the distance without weighing you down.
At just 2 ounces, it’s lighter than the Fenix 8 and even the Enduro 2, making it surprisingly comfortable for a watch built to handle extreme conditions. The titanium bezel, sapphire screen, and nylon UltraFit band strike a balance between durability and comfort. The built-in flashlight and multi-band GPS are game changers for night runs or deep-wood trails.
Battery life is where the Enduro 3 really shines. With solar assistance, it can last up to 90 days in smartwatch mode and 144 hours in GPS mode. You can focus on your adventure instead of your next charge. Training metrics like endurance and hill-climbing analysis help fine-tune your efforts, making this more than just a rugged tracker.
We also tested the Garmin Fenix 8 and found that while it offers premium features like an AMOLED screen, onboard mic, and diveproof design, the Enduro 3 stands out for its superior battery life, solar charging, and lighter feel. If you need longevity in a watch and fancy saving $100 we recommend opting for the Garmin Enduro 3.
Read our full Garmin Enduro 3 review here.
Best premium running watch
The Garmin Fenix 8 is the flagship sports tracker in Garmin's range, and it lives up to that status by offering more features than any other device, with a new mic and speaker and diveproof design being the main upgrades on the older Garmin Epix Pro.
It's the best sports watch you can get from any brand, but the Fenix 8 does come at a huge price. If that doesn't put you off, you get a choice of three sizes, and either an AMOLED or memory-in-pixel screen, with the latter also offering solar-charging.
We tested the Fenix 8 AMOLED 51mm model, which has outstanding battery life for an AMOLED watch, lasting me almost two weeks even when running every day with the screen set to always-on.
All of Garmin's top features are here as you'd expect, including best-in-class sports tracking, training analysis and navigation, all in an elegant design. That said, those with thinner wrists might need to opt for a smaller Fenix 8, and might prefer the svelte design of the Forerunner 965 in general.
Read our Garmin Fenix 8 review.
How we test the best running watches
Even today’s low-end running watches typically come with GPS sensors, heart rate monitors, and step counters. In addition to evaluating watches on these features, we look at more advanced functionality such as VO2 Max data, sleep tracking, music storage, and the presentation of training data such as recovery time and recommended workouts.
Our reviewers are experienced runners who test devices on several runs in open spaces, around tall buildings, and in the woods. We pay attention to accuracy, ease of use, and comfort during our runs, and we evaluate each watch and its companion app together after our runs. We wear watches for several days to compare battery performance to manufacturers’ claims.
If a running watch also has smartwatch capabilities, we look at the software, application ecosystem, and use of special features such as mobile payments or notification responses.
Features compared
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Garmin Forerunner 265 | Coros Pace 3 | Garmin Forerunner 55 | Garmin Forerunner 965 | Garmin Forerunner 165 | Coros Pace Pro | Polar Vantage V3 | Apple Watch Ultra 2 | Garmin Enduro 3 | Garmin Fenix 8 |
Screen size and type | 1.3-inch AMOLED | 1.2 inch MIP | 1.08-inch MIP | 1.4-inch AMOLED | 1.2 inches AMOLED | 1.3-inch AMOLED | 1.39-inch AMOLED | 1.92-inch LTPO OLED | 1.4in 280 x 280 MIP | 1.4-inch AMOLED |
Weight | 1.7 ounces | 1.3 ounces | 1.3 ounces | 1.9 ounces | 1.3 ounces | 1.3 ounces | 1.37 ounces | 2.2 ounces | 2 ounces | 2.6 ounces |
GPS battery life | 20 hours | 38 hours | 20 hours | 31 hours | 19 hours | 38 hours | 61 hours | 36 hours (70 with low power mode) | 80 hours (144 hours with solar) | 54 hours |
Water resistance | 50 meters | 50 meters | 50 meters | 50 meters | 50 meters | 50 meters | 50 meters | 100 meters | 100 meters | 100 meters |
Music storage | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Mobile payment | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Workout recommendations | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
How to choose the best running watch for you
Training Frequency and Goals
The type of running watch you need largely depends on how often you run and your running goals. Casual runners should find they have all they need in a simpler model with GPS and heart rate tracking, while runners and athletes training for marathons or triathlons may need advanced features like interval training, VO2 max monitoring, and recovery suggestions to aid their training.
Features and Metrics
For beginners, basic tracking of distance, pace, and heart rate should be enough to monitor progress and stay motivated. Those who consider themselves as a more intermediate runner looking to improve performance may want watches with metrics like cadence, stride length, and heart rate zones to help fine-tune their training. Meanwhile, for those training for races or aiming for specific fitness goals, advanced features such as lactate threshold, VO2 max, and interval training support can offer more detailed insights.
If you’re a fan of cross-training with cycling, swimming, or hiking, multi-sport modes allow you to track all your activities seamlessly.
Battery Life
Battery life is key if you’re running long distances or doing multi-day events. Watches designed for ultra runners or adventurers can last for days on a single charge, while others may need daily charging if you use GPS and other features regularly.
Style and Comfort
You’ll want a watch that fits comfortably, especially if you plan to wear it all day and get better metrics from your watch . Consider the strap material and whether the design matches your personal style, as some watches are bulkier or sportier than others.
Budget
Your budget will influence the features your watch packs in. Higher-end models come with extras like onboard music storage, route planning, and smart notifications. Mid-range options often strike a balance between advanced metrics and affordability, while entry-level watches focus on core tracking features, such as distance, pace, and calories burned.
FAQs
What is the best watch to keep running pace?
Pace is a metric that's offered on a wide range of sports watches and smartwatches, and as long as the watch offers good GPS accuracy you can expect its pacing stats to be quite reliable.
However, I personally don't think current or instant pace is the best stat to use on the run, because even slight GPS wobbles can make pace jump around. I prefer to use lap pace, which shows the average pace of your current mile or kilometer, or rolling pace, which shows the pace of the last mile of kilometer you've run.
By virtue of using longer distances to measure the stat, these are both more accurate than current pace no matter what running watch you're using. You can also adjust the length and type of the lap you're using for lap pace on most watches if you'd like a shorter or longer distance, or to use time instead of distance.
Is Garmin better than Apple Watch?
First and foremost, neither is a bad option. Garmin tends to hold the majority vote for being the more reliable brand in the running watch sphere.
However, Apple has made large leaps in increasing its running watch credentials such as the option to create custom runs, the addition of heart rate zones, plus plenty of performance metrics such as feedback on your power, cadence and ground contact time. Read our roundup of the 10 best Apple Watch running features you should try to find out more.
That being said, Garmin not only has a much larger range of running watches for runners of all abilities and budgets to choose from but, Garmin watches also provide a more seamless user experience for runners with features like route planning and coaching tools integrated into the watch and Garmin Connect app. Meanwhile, Apple requires the effort of third-party apps for advanced features like route planning.
Ultimately, it depends on your needs as a runner. If you want all the smartwatch features Apple has to offer then an Apple watch can act as a great running watch. Alternatively, if your fitness and running progress is your main concern, this is Garmin's bread and butter as a brand.
Are smartwatches worth it for running?
Smartwatches don't offer the battery life and extensive training analysis you get on the best sports watches, but they can still be excellent and accurate run trackers.
The Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 both impressed me with their run tracking when I tested them, and I actually trained for and ran a 2:27 marathon using the Apple Watch Ultra 2 alongside the Garmin Epix Pro.
As long as you accept some limitations, especially on battery life, you can use the best smartwatches as your running watch no matter how serious a runner you are. You then gain the advantages of having a smartwatch strapped to your wrist, such as cellular connectivity and proper app stores.
