Best Running Watch-table

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Review

Score How far did

you run?

How fast are

you running?

Where are
you?
What's your
cadence?
Bonus Points Value for money

Price at Amazon.com

Garmin Epix Review 20 3 5 5 5 2 3 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Garmin 920XT Review 19 4 5 3 5 2 3 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Garmin 910XT Review 18 7 5 3 3 0 6 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Suunto Ambit3 Run Review 18 9 2 3 3 1 6 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Suunto Ambit3 Peak Review 18 9 2 3 3 1 3 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Leikr Review 18 6 5 5 2 0 3 Leikr ($380)
Garmin Fenix 3 Review 18 3 5 3 5 2 3 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Garmin 310XT Review 17 7 5 3 2 0 10 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Suunto Ambit2 R Review 17 8 2 3 3 1 7 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Suunto Ambit2 Review 17 8 2 3 3 1 5 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Polar V800 Review 17 10 2 2 3 0 4 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Garmin 610 Review 16 6 5 2 3 0 3 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Garmin 620 Review 11 5 1 0 5 0 4 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Garmin Vivoactive Review 10 1 0 2 5 2 5 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
TomTom Cardio Runner Review 10 5 1 0 3 1 3 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Garmin 235 Review 8 0 0 2 3 3 2 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Garmin 225 Review 9 3 1 0 3 2 3 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Garmin Fenix 2 Review 9 1 0 3 5 0 2 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Polar M400 Review 3 0 0 2 1 0 1 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!
Garmin 10 Review 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 Error: Could not parse data from Amazon!

The score is the sum of how well each watch can answer the four basic questions (how far, how fast, where are you, what's your cadence), plus some bonus points. I give 1-2 bonus points for application support and 1-2 bonus points for Optical Heart Rate Monitoring. Value for money is the score divided by the price (at the time I last updated the table.) Your needs may be different, so you might weight the different aspects of the watches differently, or be basing your decision on different criteria totally. Hopefully this table will give you a good starting point for your decision. (Older Reviews: Polar RC3 GPS, Soleus 1.0, Motorola Motoactv.)

Features

Review

GPS
Accuracy
Weight (oz) Size (CM3) Display (mm) Resolution (Pixels)

Waterproofing

Pace from
FootPod with GPS Enabled

Heart Rate
Monitor

Cadence

Data Upload

Battery
Life (hr)
Tested Battery
Life (hr)
Extended
Battery
Life (hr)

Altimeter

Navigation

Training
Effect

HRV

GPS cache

Sensors

Charge on the run?
Garmin Epix Review 5.3 3.0 48 29 x 21 (609mm2) 205 x 148 (30.3K total) Good (50m) Yes Yes Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert Yes 24 17.6 50 Yes Color Maps, Track Outline, Course Outline, Back To Start, Back To Waypoint, Compass Yes Record Yes Ant+ Yes*
Garmin 920XT Review 6.6 2.2 35 29 x 21 (609mm2) 205 x 148 (30.3K total) Good (50m) Yes Yes Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert Yes 24 19 40 Yes Track Outline, Course Outline, Back To Start, Back To Waypoint, Compass Yes Record Yes Ant+ No (terminates)
Garmin 910XT Review 7.4 2.5 49 33 x 20 (660mm2) 160 x 100 (16K total) Good (50m) Yes Yes Footpod/Alert Yes 20   20 Yes Track Outline, Course Outline, Back To Start, Back To Waypoint Yes Record No Ant+ Yes, but no display
Suunto Ambit3 Run Review 7.9 2.5 30 29 (round) (661mm2) 128 x 128 (16.4K total) Good (50m) No Yes Internal/Footpod Yes 10 10.5 100 Optional Course Outline, Back To Start, Back To Waypoint, Compass Yes Record Yes Bluetooth Yes
Suunto Ambit3 Peak Review 7.9 3.1 30 29 (round) (661mm2) 128 x 128 (16.4K total) Good (100m) No Yes Internal/Footpod Yes 20 10.5 100 Optional Course Outline, Back To Start, Back To Waypoint, Compass Yes Record Yes Bluetooth Yes
Leikr Review 7.5 2.4 25 41 x 31 (1271mm2) 206 x 148 (76.8K total) Fair (IPX6) Yes Yes Footpod Limited 5 6.5 5 No Color Maps, Track Outline, Course Outline No No Yes (few hours) Ant+ Yes, but tricky
Garmin Fenix 3 Review   2.9 33 30 (round) (726mm2) 218 diameter (37.3K total) Good (100m) Yes Yes Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert Yes 20 22 50 Yes Track Outline, Course Outline, Back To Start, Back To Waypoint Yes No Yes Ant+ Yes*
Garmin 310XT Review 7.5 2.5 63 33 x 20 (660mm2) 160 x 100 (16K total) Good (50m) Yes Yes Footpod Yes 20   20 No Track Outline, Course Outline, Back To Start, Back To Waypoint No No No Ant+ Yes, but no display
Suunto Ambit2 R Review 7.6 2.5 30 29 (round) (661mm2) 128 x 128 (16.4K total) Good (50m) No Yes Internal/Footpod Yes 8 7.3 25 No Course Outline, Back To Start, Back To Waypoint, Compass Yes Record Yes Ant+ Yes
Suunto Ambit2 Review 7.6 3.1 30 29 (round) (661mm2) 128 x 128 (16.4K total) Good (100m) No Yes Internal/Footpod Yes 15   50 Yes Course Outline, Back To Start, Back To Waypoint, Compass Yes Record Yes Ant+ Yes
Polar V800 Review 8.1 2.8 31 23 x 23 (529mm2) 128 x 128 (16.4K total) Good (30m) No Yes Internal/Footpod Limited 13 24 50 Yes Course Outline, Back To Start, Back To Waypoint Yes Display Predictive Bluetooth No (terminates)
Garmin 610 Review 7.1 2.5 41 25.4 (round) (507mm2) 128 diameter (12.9K total) Fair (IPX7) Yes Yes Footpod/Alert Yes 8   8 No Back To Start, Back To Waypoint Yes Record No Ant+ Yes, but no display
Garmin 620 Review 6.9 1.5 20 25.4 (round) (507mm2) 180 diameter (25.4K total) Good (50m) No Yes Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert Yes 10   10 No No Yes Record Yes Ant+ No (resets)
Garmin Vivoactive Review   1.3 13 29 x 21 (592mm2) 205 x 148 (30.3K total) Good (50m) No Yes Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert Yes 10   10 No Back to start No No Yes Ant+ Yes*
TomTom Cardio Runner Review 6.7 2.2 30 22 x 25 (550mm2) 144 x 168 (24.2K total) Good (50m) No Yes (optical) Internal/Footpod Yes 8 6.3 8 No No No No Yes Bluetooth No (resets)
Garmin 235 Review   1.5 19 31 (round) (755mm2) 215 x 180 (38.7K total) Good (50m) No Yes Internal/Footpod Yes 11   11 No Back To Start, Back To Waypoint Yes No Yes Ant+ Yes, but no optical HR
Garmin 225 Review 6.9 1.5 24 25.4 (round) (507mm2) 180 diameter (25.4K total) Good (50m) No Yes Internal/Footpod Yes 10 11 10 No No No No Yes Ant+ No (resets)
Garmin Fenix 2 Review 5.5 3.2 32 31 (round) (755mm2) 70 diameter (3.8K total) Good (50m) No Yes Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert Yes 15   50 Yes Track Outline, Course Outline, Back To Start, Back To Waypoint, Compass Yes No Yes Ant+ Yes*
Polar M400 Review 4.0 2.0 24 23 x 23 (529mm2) 128 x 128 (16.4K total) Good (30m) No Yes Limited Footpod Limited 8   8 No Back to start No No No Bluetooth Yes, but tricky
Garmin 10 Review 5.0 1.3 33 25 x 24 (600mm2) 55 x 32 (1.8K total) Good (50m) No No No Yes 5   5 No No No No No None No

For "navigation":

  • Color Maps gives you full color maps, rather like a smart phone, with roads and paths marked out.
  • Track Outline is a display of where you've run, rather like a breadcrumb trail. If there are maps, the outline is superimposed otherwise this is just the outline on its own without any context.
  • Course Outline is an outline of a route that can be downloaded. I've found this useful during ultras or in unfamiliar cities where I've needed to know where to go.
  • Back To Start is a simple arrow point to your starting point, so it won't help you backtrack.
  • Back To Waypoint returns you to a previously marked location using a simple arrow to point.
  • Compass. A magnetic compass can help you orient yourself or the map. Without a magnetic compass you have to be moving for the GPS to give you a sense of direction.