I tested Garmin's new running watch, Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, and compare it in this article with Vivoactive 3 Music, Forerunner 235, Forerunner 45, Forerunner 645 Music, Forerunner 945, Instinct, and Fenix 5 Plus. See the differences in the video or at the bottom of the article.
Video review of Garmin Forerunner 245 Music
The comparison with the other Garmin watches starts after 13:50 in the video.
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music - A dedicated running watch
245 Music is a dedicated mid-range running watch aimed at the serious runner. It replaces the super popular Garmin Forerunner 235, which has been on the market since 2015.
Garmin has launched two editions of the Forerunner 245: Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, which is the version I tested, and then the version simply called Garmin Forerunner 245. The two watches are identical except that the Music version has built-in music functions. But if you don't need that, you can save some money by choosing the version without music.
First impression of Garmin Forerunner 245 Music
My immediate impression of Forerunner 245 Music is really good. I think it's a nice watch. Compared to Forerunner 235, it seems much more elegant, and the build quality appears more robust and not nearly as “plastic-like”, even though it is primarily made of plastic. There are still 5 buttons to control the watch, but on Forerunner 245 Music, they are made of metal. The watch has a new strap with Quickfit, making it easy to change – without tools. It also has a new and also a new charging plug, which is the same as used in .
Those were the things that immediately caught my eye.
Evaluation of Garmin Forerunner 245 Music
I have now worn 245 Music around the clock for the past 7 days.
And I would like to start by saying that it is one of the absolute best dedicated running watches I have ever tested. Although I love my Garmin Fenix 5 Plus, it can do a lot of things that I, as a runner, don't use at all. And I would say that if you just want a pure and dedicated running watch, Forerunner 245 Music has, in my opinion, EVERYTHING you need as a serious runner.
I love the watch's visual expression and how it feels on the arm. It has a slim and sleek design and is extremely light. It fits well on the arm and stays in place regardless of how much I shake it. Yes, I actually don't think about wearing it at all.
The watch has a beautiful and clear color display that is easy to read, even in sunlight. Unlike a watch like Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music, it doesn't have a touchscreen but instead 5 large buttons. I am personally a big fan of this because I find it easier to control the watch with buttons – especially when running.
GPS, Wrist-based Heart Rate Monitor, and Running Dynamics
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music naturally has built-in GPS (including the European satellite system Galileo), making GPS measurements a bit more accurate in Europe. It has a wrist-based heart rate monitor and measures all the things you expect from a running watch: Time, distance, pace, heart rate, etc.
And as something completely new for a watch in this price range, has been up in the high-end running watch, Garmin Forerunner 645, and borrowed all the advanced Running Dynamics – or Running Dynamics measurements as they are called in English.
Running Dynamics requires that you have either a Running Dynamics Pod, a or Garmin HRM-Tri heart rate belt. But if you have it, you get extra data about your run in the form of things like vertical oscillation (how much you bounce up and down), Ground Contact Time (how long you are in contact with the ground), stride length, and several other things.
Statistics after the run
Another thing that has also “borrowed” from the more expensive , is advanced training functions. These include training effect, which tells you how your run is expected to affect your fitness. You also get estimates of your VO2-Max, so you can monitor how your fitness is developing. And not least, you get training load, training status, and recommended recovery times, which all serve as good guidance to avoid overtraining, while also ensuring that you train hard enough to improve your fitness positively. These are some great tools that I am a big fan of!
And if you want to see even more details about your run, there's the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone, which can show you all sorts of data and statistics about your runs, your training status, your fitness, etc., etc.
Pulse OX sensor - measuring blood oxygen saturation
So, the Forerunner 245 Music also has a new Pulse OX sensor, which we first saw in the top model 5X Plus, later in, among others, Vivosmart 4, and now also in Forerunner 245 - and probably in more models in the future. It is a sensor that measures the oxygen saturation level in the blood. It is especially useful for people at high altitudes who want to avoid altitude sickness, and it can help assess your body's general condition, especially when you sleep. Because measuring oxygen levels requires you to stand or lie completely still. So it's not something you can use directly while running.
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music as an activity tracker
Furthermore, Forerunner 245 is also an excellent activity tracker that measures all the things you need. It measures steps, calories, heart rate, active minutes. It has advanced sleep monitoring, and as something new, it also measures the body's general stress level and the so-called Body Battery. Body Battery is an indicator of your overall fatigue and energy level. It starts at 100 when you wake up fresh and well-rested in the morning, and then it slowly goes down during the day. And it varies depending on what you do. A run can, for example, lower it a bit, but afterwards, it can maintain the level better than if you hadn't run. And if you really relax at some point during the day, for example, sit on the couch for an hour, it can also rise again. How scientifically accurate it is, I don't know. But I actually think it matches the feeling of fatigue I have in my body fairly well. And it's a fun feature that we will surely see in many Garmin watches in the future.
Smart notifications
Like most Garmin watches, you can of course also receive smart notifications on the Garmin Forerunner 245 watch with messages, emails, notifications from social media, incoming calls, weather reports, traffic alerts, calendar reminders, etc., etc.
I have set it to show only calls. I feel I'm disturbed a bit too much if all notifications pop up on the watch. But that’s a personal preference.
Music in Garmin Forerunner 245 Music - Spotify, Deezer, and mp3
One of the major upgrades for many will be the ability to play music directly from the watch – without needing your phone nearby. On Forerunner 245 Music, you can store up to 500 songs. These can be mp3 files or if you have a Premium subscription with either Spotify or Deezer, you can also transfer offline playlists from there to your watch. Forerunner 245 Music has WiFi so you can wirelessly transfer songs and playlists without connecting the watch to a computer.
To play music, it requires that you have a pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones, but if you do, then the music function works really, really well. If you want to know more about this topic, there is an article on RunningXpert.com/inspiration, where I explain how Spotify works on Garmin watches.
Activity profiles
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music has several pre-installed activity profiles. These are:
- Running
- Trail running
- Treadmill
- Indoor track
- Cycling
- Pool swimming
And more can be added... But as a starting point, it is primarily a running watch.
Crash detection and tracking feature
New to the Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is a safety and tracking feature that allows you to send messages via email and SMS to your contacts if you have an accident. In the Garmin Connect app, you need to register 1 to 3 contacts to be notified in emergencies.
The watch has a built-in Crash Detection (or Incident Detection) feature, which means that if the watch detects a strong impact (like if you fall) followed by a period of no movement, it will automatically send a message to your contacts informing them that an incident has occurred. The message will include a GPS link with your exact location. It's also a “live-track” link so your contacts can see exactly where you are, even if you've been picked up by an ambulance, for instance.
You can also send the message manually if you suddenly feel unwell. It's done very simply by holding down the top left button for about 5 seconds until the watch vibrates 3 times.
It's asmart feature, which I think will provide extra assurance and security for many people.
Note that the function only works if you have your smartphone nearby, and it is paired with your watch.
Battery life in Garmin Forerunner 245 music
Garmin states that Forerunner 245 Music lasts up to 7 days in Smartwatch Mode. With GPS on, it lasts up to 24 hours, which is impressive. If you turn on GPS and Music simultaneously, the watch lasts about 6 hours, which is plenty for most to get through a marathon.
If you need even longer battery life, Forerunner 245 has a new feature previously only available in more expensive watches – UltraTrac.
The UltraTrac function reduces GPS sampling rate, meaning it doesn't check GPS position as often as in regular GPS mode. This saves on battery significantly. It's not a function for your regular 5 km run as it becomes less accurate. However, it's great if you're into ultrarunning or on a long hike and want enough power to track the entire trip.
Garmin Coach - Training programs
Garmin Forerunner 245 is also compatible with Garmin's free training programs, known as Garmin Coach. In Garmin Coach, you can choose to train towards 5k, 10k, or half-marathon. By providing Garmin with information about your training state and goal, it will create a running program tailored to you. As you hopefully improve, it adjusts accordingly. All training sessions in the program can be easily transferred to Forerunner 245, and it's just a matter of starting the training on the watch and following its instructions. It's super easy and works great!
In Garmin Connect, you can also design your own workouts to transfer to the watch. When you start running, the watch guides you to maintain the right pace, which is a huge help.
Improved Race Predictor
If you've previously had a Garmin watch with Race Predictor (Race Calculator), you may have wondered about the overly optimistic race times Garmin suggests. Previously, Garmin based predictions on age, gender, and VO2-max, calculating what you should perform in half-marathon and marathon. However, it often missed the mark, at least for everyone I know. If you can run a fast 5k, Garmin assumes you can perform similarly in a marathon without the necessary miles to maintain a high pace for so long.
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music has a new improved version of Race Predictor that now ALSO considers your base fitness, i.e., the number of kilometers you've covered. It gives a more realistic picture of what you can achieve over longer distances. I've only had the pleasure of Forerunner 245 Music for a week, so it doesn't have a complete picture of my base fitness yet. But there's no doubt that the race calculator in Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is far more accurate than in my Garmin Fenix 5 Plus.
Left: Garmin Fenix 5 Plus. Right: Garmin Forerunner 245 Music.
Comparison with other Garmin watches
Now I will make a quick comparison with some of the most popular Garmin watches. See the differences here.
Garmin Forerunner 45 vs. Garmin Forerunner 245 Music
The first watch is Garmin Forerunner 45.
Garmin Forerunner 45 is a running watch at the lower end of the price scale and like Forerunner 245, it's a new watch on the market. I haven't had the chance to try it yet.
Forerunner 45 is a very good running watch for the casual runner, and it's much better than the Forerunner 35 it replaces.
But compared to Forerunner 245, 245 is a better watch in all parameters. Forerunner 245 Music does everything Forerunner 45 does and more.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Forerunner 245 Music are:
+ Better battery life.
+ Advanced training features.
+ Music in the watch (Forerunner 245 Music).
+ Pulse OX sensor.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Forerunner 45 are:
+ None.
Garmin Forerunner 235 vs. Garmin Forerunner 245 Music
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is, as mentioned, the direct successor to Forerunner 235. And there's not much to discuss here: Forerunner 245 Music is simply better in all areas! I could mention 117 things, but the key improvements are listed below.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Forerunner 245 Music are:
+ More modern look, feels less plasticky (though it's primarily made of plastic).
+ Color display and higher screen resolution.
+ Advanced running features: Running Dynamics, training effect, training status, VO2 Max.
+ Better GPS and Battery life.
+ Latest wrist heart rate monitor – Pulse OX.
+ Music (Forerunner 245 Music).
The biggest advantages of Garmin Forerunner 235 are:
+ None.
Garmin Instinct vs. Garmin Forerunner 245 Music
Price-wise, Garmin Forerunner 245 and are roughly in the same price range. However, they target slightly different audiences. Garmin Forerunner 245 is a running watch. Garmin Instinct is an outdoor watch for tough environments.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Instinct are:
+ More resistant to heat, shock, and water.
+ More Outdoor functions and activity profiles: Hiking, climbing, mountain biking, skiing, swimming (open water), SUP, Jumpmaster, etc.
+ Barometric altimeter and better navigation.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Forerunner 245 Music are:
+ Better running watch.
+ Color display and higher screen resolution.
+ Advanced training features.
+ Music (Forerunner 245 Music).
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music vs. Garmin Forerunner 245 Music
3 Music is a versatile training watch, price-wise and functionally similar to Garmin Forerunner 245 Music. Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music is a great all-around watch. Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is a better running watch.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Vivoactive 3 Music are:
+ Touchscreen. (Vivoactive 3 Music has a touchscreen. Whether it's an advantage or disadvantage is up to each person to decide, but personally, I prefer physical buttons as they're easier to control while running.)
+ More activity profiles – e.g. Golf, skiing, SUP, Rowing.
+ Garmin Pay (A feature where you can link a payment card to your watch. You can pay with the watch anywhere contactless payment is possible.)
The biggest advantages of Garmin Forerunner 245 Music are:
+ Better battery life.
+ Advanced running features: Running Dynamics, training effect, training status, VO2 Max.
+ Latest wrist heart rate monitor – Pulse OX.
Garmin Forerunner 645 Music vs. Garmin Forerunner 245 Music
Garmin Forerunner 645 Music is the watch that most closely resembles the Forerunner 245 Music. Both are dedicated running watches. Except for a stainless steel bezel, the watches physically look very much alike. Functionally, Forerunner 245 Music has borrowed many training features from the more expensive 645 Music, but there are still some small advantages to 645 Music.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Forerunner 645 Music are:
+ Barometric altimeter (The barometric altimeter provides more accurate altitude measurements. Unlike Forerunner 245 which gets altitude info from GPS. So if you run a lot of trail, mountain bike, or other activities, and want precise altitude measurements, 645 is the best choice.)
+ Gyroscope and thermometer.
+ Garmin Pay.
+ Slightly more activity profiles – Skiing, SUP, Rowing.
+ Stainless steel bezel.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Forerunner 245 Music are:
+ Latest wrist heart rate monitor w. Pulse OX.
+ Better battery life in GPS mode.
Garmin Forerunner 945 vs. Garmin Forerunner 245 Music
945 is like Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, also a new watch. Forerunner 945 can do everything 245 does plus more. Forerunner 945 is aimed more at triathletes as it has all the features a triathlete could dream of.
At the same time as Garmin brings some advanced features down to Forerunner 245, they are introducing with Forerunner 945 some entirely new advanced training features, which might make the serious athlete lean more towards 945.
Garmin Forerunner 945 is physically slightly larger. It's the size of Fenix 5. But it's made of plastic, so it's significantly lighter than the watches in the Fenix 5 series.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Forerunner 945 are:
+ Full topographic map with true navigation.
+ Triathlon activity profile.
+ Latest and most advanced training features – even better than Fenix 5 Plus. (One of the new features is something Garmin calls “Load Focus” – here you get tips on what type of training you should focus more on in your upcoming training to improve your overall form. It's a cool feature.)
+ Heat and altitude acclimatization. (A useful feature if you travel a lot – e.g., for competitions. It tells you how quickly your body adapts to new environments. So you know when you're ready to perform your best.)
+ Garmin Pay.
+ Better battery life.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Forerunner 245 Music are:
+ None.
Garmin Forerunner 945 is, in my eyes, the market’s best training watch.
Garmin Fenix 5 Plus vs. Garmin Forerunner 245 Music
Again, this isn't a completely fair comparison. Garmin Fenix 5 Plus is arguably the market's best allroundtraining and outdoor watch.
Except for the new wrist heart rate monitor with Pulse OX sensor, and Body Battery function, Fenix 5 Plus has everything the same as Forerunner 245 Music, and much, much more.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Fenix 5 Plus are:
+ Many more activity profiles and outdoor functions. (Also more than Forerunner 945)
+ Full topographic map with true navigation.
+ Barometric altimeter and gyroscope.
+ Garmin Pay.
The biggest advantages of Garmin Forerunner 245 Music are:
+ Latest wrist heart rate monitor – Pulse OX.
+ Body Battery.
Overall, Garmin Fenix 5 Plus is of course a better watch, but this is also reflected in the price.
Conclusion
If you're looking for a pure running watch, the Garmin Forerunner 245 Music will, in my opinion, meet all the demands of most runners. Considering price and features, you get a lot for your money here. All in all, Garmin Forerunner 245 Music is just an excellent running watch.
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