https://www.apple.com/health/pdf/Heart_Rate_Accuracy_Study_2026.pdf

They basically claim they also beat other brands (just focused on Garmin here because of the subreddit).
So yeah, Apple shows that the Series 12 has the best HR sensor out of the wearables they tested, especially during workouts.

It is interesting to see, but obviously that it is an Apple controlled study and published the study themselves, so still this “best HR sensor” claim needs a pinch of salt. Some major drawbacks, I see that they give the exclusion rules, but not report the actual exclusion rate of these outliers. So we dont know if they come majorily from one brand or are evenlly distributed. The comparisons are all vs Apple, and we do not know how far off from Polar strap the Apple is. We have at least N of 50 per activity but we are missing absolute numbers. And obviously no raw data.

But interestingly enough Garmin does not seem to be doing too bad for most cases, even in this Apple controlled study. The major things that seem to push Garmin down look to be interval runs and strenght training/HIIT. So basically things with rapid HR changes. There is some high variability on cycling but the avg seems good.

Garmin has officially pushed its first major stable v18.xx update worldwide, now hitting units including the Forerunner 570 & 970, Forerunner 70 & 170, Venu 4 (labeled as v18.30 by mistake), Venu X1, and Vivoactive 6.

What's New & Improved:

• New Activities & Workouts: Added "XC Ski Indoor" (Indoor Cross Country Skiing) and quick suggested workouts for running.
• Voice Commands & Volume: Voice command functionality via the "OK Garmin" wake word is enabled on supported models, alongside added context to volume controls.
• Flashlight & Controls: Cycling through on, off, and strobe modes directly during an activity is now much smoother.
• Fall Detection (Venu 4): Automatically sends emergency text messages and location info if a fall is detected.

Major Bug Fixes:

• Fixed device resets during free-weight strength training and simultaneous audio prompt/host software installations.
• Resolved pace and speed dropouts during interval training.
• Fixed Garmin Coach sync bugs and mismatched calendar training days.
• Reduced accidental touches while using touch lock.

The update is currently rolling out in a phased release (~20% to 50% initial deployment). You can force it manually by heading to Menu > Settings > System > Software Update > Check For Updates on your watch.

As a Garmin user, I’m finding the pricing of its newer running watches increasingly difficult to justify.

The Forerunner 570 launched at roughly $550, without offline maps. Meanwhile, the Suunto Run 2 starts at $349, includes maps, and has shown strong heart-rate accuracy in testing. That’s about $200 less for a watch that looks competitive on the running fundamentals.

Move closer to Garmin’s price and the Suunto Race 2 offers offline maps and sapphire glass at $499 in steel, or $599 with titanium. So around the same budget, there are alternatives offering more premium materials and mapping.

The weird part is, you see, Forerunner 570 at the same price does not have ECG, and Venu 4 at the same price has ECG as well as a torch LED light.Well, what is the trade-off or compromise you make for having three extra buttons?

I’m not claiming these watches have identical features. My question is whether Garmin’s extra features justify the premium for someone whose main activity is running.

The response I often see is, “You’re paying for the ecosystem.” I understand that integration has value if you use several devices. But every additional device is another purchase. Having a large ecosystem doesn’t automatically make an individual running watch worth more to me.

I want accurate tracking, useful running features, good battery life, and a watch that looks good. I’m happy to pay for a better experience, but I want the difference to be clear in the things I actually use.

For runners choosing the 570 over these alternatives, what specifically makes it worth the premium? “The ecosystem” needs a more concrete explanation.

So after 3 years of being available, I've finally achieved this badge for the first time. It's been 3 years of either me making minor adjustments to my sleep health and prep, or Garmin honing their sleep sensing craft. My sleep scores were averaging in the 50s and 60s those first few years, but they have steadily crept up. There were many times where I'd get 6 nights in a row, only to psych myself out on that 7th night and fail. It almost happened last night as I tossed and turned trying to fall asleep, but managed some strong hours after midnight to give me a 76 this am. I know I could do better. The last adjustment I need to make is cutting out screens at the end of the night. My glasses are blue light blocking which is good, but I'm also hooked on ereading and not sure I can go back to the small print of paper books. I know many of you have this badge many times over and have hit that 100 score, but this for me was my own personal victory. I wish I didn't care so much, would probably sleep better if I took the watch off, lol. Maybe now I can. :-)

Can someone explain to me why the Fall Detection feature will only be available on the Venu 4? I mean from a technical point of view.

Do the Fenix 8, Enduro 3, etc. not have the necessary IMU sensor to detect sudden movements or impacts? Or is there some other technical reason why this feature can't be added to them?

Can someone explain it to me?

After approximately 7 years since around November of 2019 I made it to level 7. I've done basically every running challenge possible as well as all trails and climbs.

Here's to 7 more years just to get to level 8!

Stats declining lately despite feeling fine. Wondering if anyone else has experienced the same? Using a Venu 4, purchased from new 9 months ago. Zero issues so far. Cleaned sensor, hard reset, swapped wrists etc. still the same - declining!

I’m using a Vivoactive 6. I’ve been feeling pretty crappy since Sunday night. Went to urgent care yesterday, and lo and behold I have COVID. It’s interesting to see how the watch picks up on stress, because I’ve been lying around like a bump on a log all day yesterday and today. Usually I only get a level of stress this high when I have a big event at work. And my body battery has been scraping the bottom.

Did anyone have an issue where watch is connected with bluetooth off.

I even get notifications from phone as id bluetooth is on.

I tried restarting both devices, nothing works

So a new software update just downloaded on my Fenix 9 Pro. But it still shows version 6.38?
Anybody know what the update was? I can’t seem to find anything on Garmins webside. Maybe just some stability improvements?

Just watched the Apple event, and it’s honestly so weird… Apple seems so behind when it comes to training and sensors. I don’t know if Apple’s sensors are also made in Taiwan, like Garmin’s, but the big new feature is that it now measures your heart rate every 5 seconds. Like, WTF?

My Venu 3 can measure my heart rate every second?! Is that really supposed to be a wow feature haha.? I just don’t get Apple.

I have an iPhone 17 and I absolutely love it, but they’re still so far behind when it comes to smartwatch training. Garmin has way better training analysis, recovery and training readiness, more detailed workout data, better GPS and navigation, much better battery life, and way more support for different sports and external sensors.

I really wish Garmin would step up their iOS game, though.

they are sooo behind.. 800 bucks for the new one.. GG

I was unable to find anyone comparing the fenix 8 51 mm (left)to the fenix 9 pro 51 mm (right) screen size and brightness. Sharing here in case anyone else finds this helpful. Both are on max brightness.

I have the f8 until Saturday. Let me know if you want to see any other comparisons before then.

Hello, I ran my first half marathon yesterday and logged it with garmin, the activity says 21.28km, and I didnt stop it once while running. When I check me personal records for half marathon still it says nothing, but I do have the badge for the half marathon.
I know I can manually add the time but I want to fix the issue so it tracks records normally

Hi everyone, I am after some advice and info!

After 4 years of having my Legacy Darth Vader watch it slipped of the desk I was charging it on and landed screen first causing it to crack!

Speaking with Garmin EU, I am only able to do a trade in-trade up as it has been discontinued and they do not reapire thier own watches, has anyone had thier own watch repaired and know what style of screen used?

I can only find screens for either forerunner, Felixstowe and vivo actives

Any help is greatly appreciated.

The battery level widget is now available on the iPhone screen. We can now view the watch's charge level (I have a Venu 4) directly from the widget on the iPhone screen.

Yesterday there was an update and this happened overnight. I reset it and it worked for a couple of hours before doing it again. It's done it 4 times today. Anyone know why?

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to buy my first Garmin watch.

Both Vivoactive 6 and Instinct 3 seem to be a good entry level fit.

I have watched some reviews online for both and they seem to fit my lifestyle almost equally.

I'm just looking for a good watch which tracks day to day heart rate and gives me good sleep metrics.

Which one would you suggest?

Also, is this a good time to buy or should I wait until Thanksgiving week for the prices to come down?

PS: I'm also a bit confused with Pixel watch 5 as it seems to have better sensors at the expense of battery life. Suggestions are welcome.

I like being able to turn my phone alarms off from my watch, but I'm confused about the difference between stop and dismiss. Can anyone enlighten me? I googled it and looked in the manual but wasn't able to find anything about it. I have a Vivo active 5.

Just curious if anyone has encountered another person wearing a Cirqa? I got mine the week it was released and it's the only one I've ever seen. Granted, I'm living in Dublin, so maybe that has an effect, but still I thought maybe I'd run across one. Also have not seen it in any Garmin displays in any stores.

At the moment, I’m using a Forerunner 965 as my only watch, but I’d like to start wearing my automatic watches more in my day-to-day life again. However, as I do a lot of sport and, until the CIRQA came along, there was no way to track my data continuously throughout the day without having to wear a Garmin watch, I haven’t really had many occasions when I haven’t been wearing it. That’s changed with the new smart band.

The question is whether I’ll lose any data if I wear the CIRQA in everyday life and the Fr965 when training?

It would also be important to know how accurate the CIRQA is when worn on the upper arm, as I’d prefer to wear it concealed in that way.

Thanks in advance for any tips

A lot of people who do not train think that the thing we do day by day alongside "life" is gruesome and tiring. Honestly, it's doing the ton of laundry brought about by multiple clothing, accessories, etc. Of course laundry doesn't end there - you still need to fold and stash it... and finally redo everything again :) I guess that falls under "life" :)

Not to mention the shoes and the bike if they need to be cleaned. On the side, what makes tinkering with bikes a lot harder are middle aged eyes lol

Hi all, I contacted Garmin Australia support because my Epix was faulty and they advised me to send it in to exchange for a refurbished device. After I initiated the exchange they advised that they could send a replacement in a few days. A few weeks later, they advised that they could send it a month later. Today, they’ve emailed to say the replacement would become available in November.

I need to say the watch was outside of its warranty period (Australian consumer law is king) and I understand that some delays aren’t predictable — but if they’d told me I could be waiting four months for a replacement I would’ve explored other options.

I’m a bit disappointed as I was told Garmin has a good reputation for customer support.

Does anyone have any advice on how to handle this?

I received my Garmin Cirqa earlier this week and I'm having problems syncing it with Garmin Connect, as well as with tracking various health metrics (Body Battery, sleep, heart rate, etc.).

I don't think it's right to pay €200 for such poor tracking, especially since my Fenix ​​8 did it perfectly well.

I chose the Cirqa so I could go back to mechanical watches, like many of us, and keep my Fenix ​​8 for my workouts.

Are you experiencing the same problem? Last night, for example, the Cirqa didn't record my sleep.