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Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE:Garmin 620 Review}} The {{Garmin 620}} is an intriguing device, adding some cool advanced features but it has appalling GPS accuracy that prevents me recommendi..."
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Garmin 620 Review}}
The {{Garmin 620}} is an intriguing device, adding some cool advanced features but it has appalling GPS accuracy that prevents me recommending it. This is a real shame as other than the accuracy problems I love using the 620. However, I've had the 620 record only 12 miles on a 13 mile run, something that I consider unacceptable.
[[File:Garmin620.jpg|thumb|none|200px|The {{Garmin 620}}, showing the display of Cadence, Vertical Oscillation and Ground Contact Time. Note that the display is color, but I found the colors muted and not always easy to distinguish. ]]
===Garmin 620 Pros===
* The 620 is small and light, but the display is quite legible for its size. I find it much easier to read than either the 610 or the 10.
* Like the Fenix 2, the 620 will show and record [[Cadence]], Vertical Oscillation (VO) and Ground Contact Time (GCT). The 620 has a nice display of Cadence, VO, and GCT that gives a color coded indication of how well you're doing.
* Like several other devices, the 620 displays [[Firstbeat| Training Effect]], an indicator of how hard or effective a training session is.
* The 620 includes an estimation of the [[Firstbeat| Recovery Time]] before the next workout, just like the Fenix 2.
* The 620 will cache the locations of the GPS satellites for the next few days, which will reduce the satellite acquisition time when travelling to a new location. In my usage the satellite acquisition was very rapid.
* The touchscreen works better than any other I've tried while running.
* There is a prediction of your [[VO2max|V̇O<sub>2</sub>max]], which worked well for me, but I would not rely on its accuracy.
* The 620 will upload your workouts to Garmin Connect via WiFi without needing a computer. It will also link to a smart phone to upload a workout as it takes place, which is nice for folks tracking you during a race, though it means wearing the watch and the phone together.
* The 620 will cache the locations of the GPS satellites for the next few days, makes for faster satellite lock. However, if you've not connected the 620 to the internet for a few days, the 620 can be painfully slow to acquire a lock.
* The 620 will not display [[Heart Rate Variability]] but it is possible for it to record [[Heart Rate Variability]] for later analysis. To enable this recording, you need to download a special FIT file from the firstbeat.com web site.
===Garmin 620 Cons===
* The [[GPS Accuracy]] of the 620 is grim. I found the 620 consistently worse than the 610 or the 310XT when I ran with multiple devices. The 620 would sometimes be over a mile out on a 13 mile run!
* To make the poor GPS accuracy even more annoying, there is no way of displaying your current pace from the [[Footpod]] while using GPS for overall distance and course. (Earlier versions of the firmware would always display the pace and distance from the Footpod when it's connected, but this was fixed in a recent update.)
* The 620 includes an internal accelerometer to give you an idea of pace and distance while running on a treadmill without a footpod. While firmware updates have improved the accuracy, I found it was too far out to be of any use, giving a display that was off by 1-3 minutes/mile. A lot will depend on your running style and how you use a treadmill.
* There is no map display or navigation, but on a device this small it would be hard to make that useful anyway.
* The battery life is a little short for ultramarathons, but it is fine for the most runners.
* You need to have the new HRM for the new features. It will display Heart Rate and calculate [[Firstbeat| Training Effect]] with the older Garmin HRM, but not Ground Contact Time or Vertical Oscillation.
=Comparison Table=
{{:Best Running Watch-table}}
The {{Garmin 620}} is an intriguing device, adding some cool advanced features but it has appalling GPS accuracy that prevents me recommending it. This is a real shame as other than the accuracy problems I love using the 620. However, I've had the 620 record only 12 miles on a 13 mile run, something that I consider unacceptable.
[[File:Garmin620.jpg|thumb|none|200px|The {{Garmin 620}}, showing the display of Cadence, Vertical Oscillation and Ground Contact Time. Note that the display is color, but I found the colors muted and not always easy to distinguish. ]]
===Garmin 620 Pros===
* The 620 is small and light, but the display is quite legible for its size. I find it much easier to read than either the 610 or the 10.
* Like the Fenix 2, the 620 will show and record [[Cadence]], Vertical Oscillation (VO) and Ground Contact Time (GCT). The 620 has a nice display of Cadence, VO, and GCT that gives a color coded indication of how well you're doing.
* Like several other devices, the 620 displays [[Firstbeat| Training Effect]], an indicator of how hard or effective a training session is.
* The 620 includes an estimation of the [[Firstbeat| Recovery Time]] before the next workout, just like the Fenix 2.
* The 620 will cache the locations of the GPS satellites for the next few days, which will reduce the satellite acquisition time when travelling to a new location. In my usage the satellite acquisition was very rapid.
* The touchscreen works better than any other I've tried while running.
* There is a prediction of your [[VO2max|V̇O<sub>2</sub>max]], which worked well for me, but I would not rely on its accuracy.
* The 620 will upload your workouts to Garmin Connect via WiFi without needing a computer. It will also link to a smart phone to upload a workout as it takes place, which is nice for folks tracking you during a race, though it means wearing the watch and the phone together.
* The 620 will cache the locations of the GPS satellites for the next few days, makes for faster satellite lock. However, if you've not connected the 620 to the internet for a few days, the 620 can be painfully slow to acquire a lock.
* The 620 will not display [[Heart Rate Variability]] but it is possible for it to record [[Heart Rate Variability]] for later analysis. To enable this recording, you need to download a special FIT file from the firstbeat.com web site.
===Garmin 620 Cons===
* The [[GPS Accuracy]] of the 620 is grim. I found the 620 consistently worse than the 610 or the 310XT when I ran with multiple devices. The 620 would sometimes be over a mile out on a 13 mile run!
* To make the poor GPS accuracy even more annoying, there is no way of displaying your current pace from the [[Footpod]] while using GPS for overall distance and course. (Earlier versions of the firmware would always display the pace and distance from the Footpod when it's connected, but this was fixed in a recent update.)
* The 620 includes an internal accelerometer to give you an idea of pace and distance while running on a treadmill without a footpod. While firmware updates have improved the accuracy, I found it was too far out to be of any use, giving a display that was off by 1-3 minutes/mile. A lot will depend on your running style and how you use a treadmill.
* There is no map display or navigation, but on a device this small it would be hard to make that useful anyway.
* The battery life is a little short for ultramarathons, but it is fine for the most runners.
* You need to have the new HRM for the new features. It will display Heart Rate and calculate [[Firstbeat| Training Effect]] with the older Garmin HRM, but not Ground Contact Time or Vertical Oscillation.
=Comparison Table=
{{:Best Running Watch-table}}
