Garmin Forerunner 255 vs. 255S vs. 245 vs. 55 – Which Garmin do we recommend?

Whenever we are asked which are the best purely sports smartwatches, those from Garmin are in our top 3. Specifically, those from the Forerunner range, one of those with the clearest sports orientation of the entire brand. But, as often happens, that same series has several different models. How to choose between them? In this article, we compare the detailed features and specifications of the Garmin Forerunner 255, 255S, 245, and 55 to help you decide.

The first thing that comes to mind is that, following the series numbering, the Garmin Forerunner 55 is the simplest (and, therefore, the cheapest) of the four. But how are the Garmin Forerunner 255 and 255S different? Basically, the Garmin Forerunner 255S is a ‘lite’ version of the 255 (which is also the 255 Music in our case). In general, one of the clearest differences between the four sports watches is the size of the screen, but it is not the only one.

The autonomy, both in watch use mode and with GPS, is not exactly the same in the four models. Likewise, although all four are designed to measure our sports performance, the Garmin Forerunner 255 and 255S have more activity profiles than the 245 and 55. And, although all of them integrate Garmin Coach, only two include other functionalities such as Garmin Pay .

To make it clearer how to choose between the four Garmin Forerunners, we have analyzed in detail all the differences, no matter how small. Join us to discover them!

Garmin Forerunner 255 vs 255S vs 245 vs Garmin Forerunner 55 – Comparison Table

Below, we show you a table in which we summarize the main characteristics of the four sports smartwatches in Garmin’s Forerunner range. This way, you can check which one best suits what you are looking for:

(Swipe the table to see all the content)

Colors and size are the main aesthetic difference

The design line of the four Garmin smartwatches is quite similar, it cannot be denied that they are from the same range. All four have a silicone strap and a round dial whose bezel is flanked by 5 buttons. The high number of buttons, along with the wider bezel, is one of the things that most reminds us of a sports watch. However, there are two aspects in which we do find differences.

On the one hand, the size of the smartwatches. In this sense, pay close attention to the versions you choose, because there are some models available in two sizes. We are going to talk to you about these four that we have specifically chosen. We see that the Garmin Forerunner 255 is the largest of all, and also the heaviest. The other three watches, however, are more similar in size. On the other hand, each one is available in different colors.

Screen: same type, different size

We now look at the screen of the four smartwatches, which is the same type in all cases. Seeing that the Garmin Forerunner 255 is the largest, it is logical to see that it is the one with the largest screen, 1.3 inches. They are followed by the Forerunner 245 and 255S, with 1.2 and 1.1 inches respectively.

In last place we find the Forerunner 55, whose screen is the smallest, 1.04 inches. In the case of resolution, there are no surprises either, since they follow the same order as the size. That is, the largest screens are the ones with the best resolution. On the other hand, the Garmin Forerunner 255, 255S and 245 have the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens, while the Forerunner 55 has a reinforced glass lens.

Autonomy: some surprises

If we analyze the maximum autonomy of smartwatches, we must take into account that there are two types of autonomy: the one that the watch has only as such, and the one that it has when the GPS is used. Battery life with GPS continues to decline; the Forerunner 255 lasts up to 30 hours, which is reduced to 26, 24 and 20 in the 255S, 245 and 55. However, there is a little surprise when it comes to standard autonomy.

In both the Garmin Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 55 we found that the autonomy as a watch can reach two weeks. On the other hand, this is reduced to 12 days in the Forerunner 255S, and 7 days in the Forerunner 245. However, it must be taken into account that the Forerunner 55 has the least storage capacity, which can influence the autonomy .

Health metrics under examination

When we evaluate which sports smartwatch to buy, one of the aspects we look at most is the set of health-related features that each one has. In this case, we must say that the four are, in general, quite even, except for some details. For example, all of them have the possibility of measuring heart rate and stress level. In addition, they can analyze the quality of sleep and the menstrual cycle.

However, the Forerunner 55 does not have a sensor to measure blood oxygen saturation, unlike its three rivals. Additionally, both Forerunner 255s generate a daily report in the morning summarizing key health metrics.

Which smartwatch has the best sports performance?

When it comes to measuring sports activity, there is also a clear difference between the Forerunner 255 and its predecessors. It should be noted that the Garmin Forerunner 255 includes almost twice as many sports activities that they can measure, amounting to more than 30. Some of those that we only find in these two smartwatches are those related to Pilates, triathlon, HIIT, hiking, surfing and paddle surfing. , skiing, snowboarding, etc.

As far as swimming sports are concerned, all four watches have the same level of swimming resistance, about 50 meters deep in a pool. And, although they all have Garmin Coach, the two Forerunner 255 are the ones that achieve the highest level of personalization in training.

Connectivity and contactless payments, the same?

Before finishing, we analyze the differences related to connectivity and NFC technology, which enables the possibility of making contactless payments through Garmin Pay. In this sense, you should know that only the Garmin Forerunner 255 and 255S have this function, which we do not find in the 245 and 55. Apart from this difference, the four sports watches in the range are compatible with Bluetooth and ANT+, as well as Android and iPhone devices.

What is the Garmin Forerunner smartwatch that we recommend?

We reach the end of the review with a fairly clear conclusion: Garmin has made an important leap in the two Forerunner 255 models. The main difference between them comes down to size, which is smaller on the 255S. This makes it a more interesting alternative for people who have a smaller wrist. However, its price is practically the same because, for the rest of the features (except for a few hours or so of autonomy), they are the same.

If we compare them with the Garmin Forerunner 245, which is cheaper, we see important improvements. Especially when it comes to sports performance, which is one of the main reasons (if not the most important) to buy this type of device. Honestly, if you have doubts between the Garmin Forerunner 255 and 245, we would go directly for the 255, which is more complete. 

Now, if you cannot afford such a high financial expense and prefer to opt for the Garmin Forerunner 55, you should keep in mind that you will have fewer features to choose from. The efficiency and precision of what you measure will be good, but you will be able to measure fewer different things. From here on, the last word is yours.