Garmin refreshes Forerunner line with 45/45S, 245/245 Music and 945
After months of leaks and rumors, Garmin has officially launched a number of new GPS watches in its Forerunner line. This includes the 45/45S, 245/245 Music and 945. There will still be 6 devices across the entire Forerunner range but they are now more modern looking and come with some additional features.
Forerunner 45 and 45S
This is the most affordable of the new bunch and is the option for those looking for an entry into the world of running watches. The device replaces the Forerunner 35.
Unlike the B&W screen of its predecessor, the display of the new model is full color. Garmin has also moved from a rectangular screen to a circular one.
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The watch comes with Garmin’s Elevate wrist-based heart rate technology, built-in GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO and accelerometer. In addition to being a running watch, the thing also doubles-up as a 24/7 activity tracker delivering steps, calories, distance, intensity minutes, stress and sleep.
Garmin has thrown in a few advanced performance stats, too. This includes VO2 max, Fitness Age, the new Body Battery function, heart rate zones, cadence and more.
An interesting addition is incident detection. This has been around for a while now in Garmin’s bike computers and the LTE version of Vivoactive 3 Music. When an incident is detected the app will send an automated text message and email with your name and GPS location to your emergency contacts. The watch uses your paired compatible smartphone to do this.
Although far from being a fully featured smartwatch, the Forerunner 45 will also spit out notifications for incoming calls, voicemails and text messages. Battery life is up to 7 days in watch mode, and 13 hours in GPS mode.
There is a small (Forerunner 45S: 39.5 x 39.5 x 11.4 mm) and large (Forerunner 45: 42 x 42 x 11.4 mm) model to choose from. Both are available in a choice between Iris, White, Black, Lava Red colors.
The watch can be ordered from Garmin’s website for $199.99 and Amazon (check price).
Forerunner 245 and 245 Music
The only difference between the 245 and 245 Music is the option to locally store up to 500 songs. Other than that, the watches take everything from the Forerunner 45 line and slap on a pulse Ox sensor and compass. Interestingly, both the 45 and 245 lack a barometric altimeter for counting floors.
The 245 is meant for more advanced runners. Its performance analysis includes VO2 max, aerobic and anaerobic training effects, recovery time and training status. Furthermore, the watch connects to external sensors such as running dynamics pods and heart-rate chest straps to capture even more data.
In addition to running, the 245 also tracks strength workouts, cycling, swimming and outdoor recreation activities (hiking, climbing, skiing, snowboarding, rowing, kayaking and more).
In normal mode the 245 has the same one-week battery life of the 45. But it will last a full 24 hours with GPS switched on and six hours when using both GPS and music playback.
The 245 and 245 Music can be ordered from Garmin’s website. The regular version will set you back $299.99 and the music version $349.99. Both are available in a choice between White, Black, Aqua, Slate Gray and Berry colors. It’s also available on Amazon (check price).
Forerunner 945
The daddy of the new bunch is the Forerunner 945. It takes everything the other ones can do and slaps on NFC for Garmin Pay, a barometric altimeter, thermometer and gyroscope. Music memory is larger allowing storage for up to 1,000 songs.
Built for those serious about training, the watch comes with advanced physiological features. Training status now has adjustments for heat and altitude acclimation status. There is training load focus which separates your training load into different categories based on the intensity and structure of each activity recorded. Other new Firstbeat features include recovery time, and more detailed aerobic and anaerobic training effects.
The other important upgrade are full-color, onboard maps that guide you on your run so you never get lost. This is similar to what you get on the most recent Fenix line.
Despite the extra features, battery life is pretty much unchanged from the predecessor device (the 935). Users will get up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode, 10 hours in GPS mode with music or 36 hours without music.
The 945 is available on Garmin’s website. You can pick up the $599.99 device in black. There is also a blue option if you choose the $749.99 bundle that includes the HRM TRI & HRM Swim HR monitors. It’s also available on Amazon.
Technical specs
Check out how the new Forerunner watches compare below. A more detailed comparison of features can be seen on Garmin’s website.
| Garmin Forerunner 45/45S | Garmin Forerunner 245/245 Music | Garmin Forerunner 945 | |
 |  |  | |
| Tech specs | |||
| Size | Small: 39.5 x 39.5 x 11.4 mm Large: 42 x 42 x 11.4 mm | 42.3 x 42.3 x 12.2 mm | 47 x 47 x 13.7 mm |
| Material | Lens material: chemically strengthened glass | Lens material: Corning® Gorilla® Glass DX Bezel and case material: fiber-reinforced polymer | Lens material: Corning® Gorilla® Glass DX Bezel and case material: fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Charging | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | Lithium-ion | Lithium-ion | Lithium-ion |
| Battery life | Smartwatch Mode: Up to 7 days GPS mode: Up to 13 hours | Smartwatch Mode: Up to 7 days; GPS mode: Up to 24 hours; GPS mode without music: Up to 24 hours (245 Music) | Smartwatch Mode: Up to 2 weeks; GPS mode with music: Up to 10 hours; GPS mode without music: Up to 36 hours |
| Water-resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Weight | Small: 32 g Large: 36 g | 38.5 g | 50 g |
| Sensor | GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO, accelerometer, heart rate | GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO, compass, accelerometer, heart rate, Pulse OX | GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO, barometric altimeter, compass, accelerometer, gyroscope, thermometer, heart rate, Pulse OX |
| Display | 208 pixel diameter; sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | 240 pixel diameter; sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | 240 pixel diameter; sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) |
| Screen size | 1.04" (26.3 mm) diameter | 1.2" (30.4 mm) diameter | 1.2" (30.4 mm) diameter |
| Colors | Iris, White, Black, Lava Red | White, Black, Aqua, Slate Gray, Berry | Black, Blue |
| Other | PLATFORM: Home Grown OS PROCESSOR: Unknown MEMORY: 200 hours of activity data CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth | PLATFORM: Home Grown OS PROCESSOR: Unknown MEMORY: 200 hours of activity data CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth, ANT+ | PLATFORM: Home Grown OS PROCESSOR: Unknown MEMORY: 200 hours of activity data CONNECTIVITY: Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi |
| Activity tracking | |||
| Steps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calories burned | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Activity | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Floors | Yes | ||
| Sleep | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate | 24/7 | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| Stress & recovery | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox | Yes | Yes | |
| Respiration rate | |||
| UV exposure | |||
| Skin temperature | |||
| Galvanic skin response | |||
| Hydration level | |||
| Calorie intake | |||
| GPS | GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO | GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO | GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO |
| Running features | VO2 max estimate, cadence, GPS-based distance, time and pace, run workouts, foot-pod compatible | GPS-based distance, time and pace, Running dynamics (with compatible accessory), cadence, performance condition, run workouts, race predictor, foot pod compatible. | GPS-based distance, time and pace, Running dynamics (with compatible accessory), cadence, performance condition, run workouts, race predictor, foot pod compatible. |
| Swimming features | Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count/rate, calories), Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly), Swim efficiency (SWOLF), drill logging, pool swim workouts. | Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count/rate, calories), Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly), Swim efficiency (SWOLF), drill logging, pool swim workouts. | |
| Other | - VO2 Max - Body Batter Energy Monitor - Incident detection | - outdoor recreation and cycling features - Physiological measurements: Vo2Max, Training Status, Training Load, Recovery Time, Training Effect and more. - Body Batter Energy Monitor - Incident detection | - outdoor recreation, golf and cycling features - Physiological measurements: Vo2Max, Training Status, Training Load, Recovery Time, Training Effect, Heat and altitude acclimation, Training load focus, Primary benefit (Training Effect labels) and more. - Body Batter Energy Monitor - Incident detection |
| Non-fitness functions | |||
| Smartphone notifications | Yes. | Yes, Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only) | Yes, Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only) |
| On-board music storage | Up to 500 songs. Plays and controls watch music (245 Music) | Up to 1000 songs, Plays and controls watch music | |
| Connected pay | Yes | ||
| LTE | |||
| Links | |||
| Affiliate link* | Amazon | Garmin | Amazon | Garmin | Amazon | Garmin |
| Read more | Article | Article | Article |
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