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In fact, this could be the best watch for running, not just the best Garmin watch. One thing that stands out about this watch is how small it is. It’s so small that you can train and sleep track without even realizing you’re wearing it. It does this without skimping on features or battery life. It can track via GPS for up to 30 hours and stay on standby for more than a week.
Here is everything we know about the Garmin watch Forerunner 255S Music. We’ve already looked at and liked the top-of-the-line Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar, but can Garmin do the same at this lower price point? Yes, is the short answer. As the follow-up to the popular Garmin Forerunner 245, the 255S Music takes things to a new level with features like triathlon support, onboard music storage, and more.
With Garmin’s ability to use multiple GPS bands, this is a very accurate tracking device. With the updated heart rate monitor, you also have a lot of helpful metrics that show how you’re training. Training Readiness and Body Battery help you know when you’re ready to train again, so you can keep getting better without going too far.
Garmin Forerunner 255S Music Specifications
| Display Size | 1.1-inch or 1.3-inch |
| Dimensions | 45.6 x 45.6 x 12.9mm and 49 grams |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM |
| Display | 1.1-inch diameter 260×260-pixel resolution |
Garmin Forerunner 255S Music review: Design and fit
The watch is small and easy to wear. It has a face that fits most wrists and a super-adjustable, comfortable silicone band. It’s important to note that the 255S Music is smaller (41mm) than the 255 (46mm), even though the 255 doesn’t have the music feature. No matter which option you choose, it will be waterproof up to 5ATM, so you can use it to track your swimming both indoors and outdoors.
The display is made so that it can be used even in bright sunlight. This is possible because it has a transflexive memory-in-pixel display, which saves battery while being very clear. The 255S’s 1.1-inch screen has a good resolution of 218 x 218 pixels (the 255 has a 1.3-inch screen with 260 x 260 pixels), and the colour helps make things clear.
Both versions of this watch weigh less than 49 grammes, so you barely notice you’re wearing it. You don’t get a touchscreen, but the buttons work well and the menus are easy to use. This means you don’t have to worry about accidental presses, smudged screens, or problems controlling it in the water. It’s also helpful to be able to change the way your screen looks so you can get to the things you use most quickly. You can buy this smartwatch from its official website.
Garmin Forerunner 255S Music review: Features and Connect app
There are a lot of new features worth talking about, but the one we were most excited about was the ability to track sleep. The Forerunner 255 tracks your heart rate variability (HRV) and sleep stages and gives you an overall Sleep Score. It also has a new Morning Report that includes a daily greeting, the weather, and other information.
It’s like what Apple has to offer. Who tracks her sleep with an Oura ring, use the Forerunner 255 for a few weeks to see how well it worked. (The Forerunner needs to be worn for 19 days before it can make suggestions based on the data it has collected about how you sleep.) To keep this review from getting too long, I’ll just say that the result was that she no longer worries about replacing her Oura.
Given that company’s bad track record. Most of the Forerunner’s information was the same as that of the Oura, and it was almost as complete. But it doesn’t keep track of your body temperature while you sleep, and it doesn’t have some of the other features that the Oura does.
Garmin Forerunner 255S Music review: Exercises and tracking
My workouts use only my own body weight, and we switch between walking and sprinting throughout the week. We also went on hikes, paddleboarded, and tracked my sleep with the 255. The Forerunner 255 has five buttons, three on the left side and two on the right, just like almost all non-touch Garmin watches.
We find it easier to navigate with buttons than with touchscreens, but the most important thing to remember is that there is no touchscreen here. The face of the watch can be changed to your liking, and there are a lot of default faces to choose from. There are a lot of new features worth talking about, but the one we were most excited about was the ability to track sleep.
The Forerunner 255 tracks your heart rate variability (HRV) and sleep stages and gives you an overall Sleep Score. It also has a new Morning Report that includes a daily greeting, the weather, and other information. It’s like what Apple has to offer.
Garmin Forerunner 255S Music review: Battery life
The battery life has also been slightly improved, and a single charge should last about 12 days. I’ve used the Forerunner 255S for about 30 minutes a day for 25 days and only had to charge it once. And at the time I’m writing this, we still have 15% left. The fact that the 255S has a memory-in-pixel display instead of a power-hungry OLED helps make it easier to see in direct sunlight.
It’s a smart choice, since this watch is made for runners who run outside and clearly puts battery life ahead of fancier features like a bright touchscreen. You won’t get much more than the basic smart features like alarms, timers, push notifications, media controls, calendar events, and weather, unless you use NFC payments. Android users can only respond to texts and reject phone calls.
Final Words
This is a great running watch that runners of all levels should buy. In fact, I’m not in a hurry to switch back to my Garmin Fenix 7 after running with the Forerunner 255 for the past few weeks. The smaller, lighter watch has everything you need in a running watch and more.
At $349, the Forerunner 255 is about the same price as the Apple Watch Series 7. However, if you’re looking for a watch to help you train properly, we don’t think there’s any competition. The Forerunner 255 is better at tracking fitness and has a much longer battery life than the Apple Watch.
Garmin Forerunner 255S Music Ratings
Pros
- Full triathlon support
- Onboard music
- HRV tracked
Cons
- No touchscreen
- Lacks Garmin’s Training Readiness score
FAQs
Is Garmin Forerunner 255 music worth it?
Overall, we think the Garmin Forerunner 255 is a very useful watch for keeping track of long-term fitness progress. It has features that make it perfect for experienced athletes who run marathons and triathlons, as well as those who just like to jog in the park.
How does music work on Forerunner 255?
On a Forerunner music watch, you can download audio content from your computer or a third-party provider so you can listen even when your phone isn’t close by. You can connect Bluetooth headphones to your watch so you can listen to music or other sounds that are stored on it.
Does Garmin 255s have maps?
A Garmin Forerunner 255 is a mix of fun and serious. It has some of the same important measurements as high-end watches like the Garmin Epix 2 and Garmin Fenix 7. It does not have everything, though. The 255 can’t have maps put on it.