The Garmin Forerunner series has many great smartwatches for both casual users and athletes, ranging from $200 to $1,000. The smartwatches we are going to compare are the Garmin Forerunner 955 and the Garmin Forerunner 255, which fall in between these price ranges.
If you are considering buying either of these smartwatches, then read further to find out which is the best fit for your needs and budget.
Key Takeaways
Both the Forerunner 255 and the Forerunner 955 are great choices for fitness enthusiasts. With a 1.3” display, multi-band GPS, fiber-reinforced polymer body, multiple sports modes, and a battery life of 2 weeks, these watches are great choices for athletes as well as casual users.
Garmin Forerunner 255 vs Forerunner 955: Comparison
| Device name | Garmin Forerunner 955 | Garmin Forerunner 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Device type | Smartwatch | Smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Release date | June, 2022 | June, 2022 |
| Versions | Standard edition | Standard edition |
| Body | ||
| Dimension | 46.5 x 46.5 x 14.4 mm | 45.6 x 45.6 x 12.9 mm |
| Weight | 52 grams | 49 grams |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Case material | Fiber-Reinforced Polymer | Fiber-Reinforced Polymer |
| Strap material | Silicone | Silicone |
| Bezel material | Fiber-Reinforced Polymer | Fiber-Reinforced Polymer |
| Strap size | 22 mm | 22 mm |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 DX | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Display | ||
| Display size | 1.3 inch | 1.3 inch |
| Display type | Transflective Memory-In-Pixel (MIP) | Transflective Memory-In-Pixel (MIP) |
| Display resolution | 260 x 260 pixels | 260 x 260 pixels |
| Pixel density | 283 PPI | 283 PPI |
| Always on | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | No |
| Connectivity | ||
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth calling | No | No |
| GPS | Multi-Band GPS | Multi-Band GPS |
| NFC | Garmin Pay | Garmin Pay |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | No |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | — | — |
| Internal Storage | 32 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No |
| Cellular Connectivity | ||
| Technology | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None |
| Band | — | — |
| Sensors | ||
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light | No | No |
| Barometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| ECG | No | No |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| HRM | No | No |
| Pulse oximeter (SpO2) | Yes | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | ||
| Battery type | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer |
| Battery capacity | — | — |
| Battery life | 15 days | 14 days |
| Charging type | Plug Charger | Plug Charger |
| Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar charging | No | No |
Price
The Garmin Forerunner 955 comes with a price tag of $499 and also has a solar version, which costs an additional $100, totaling $599. The smartwatch is available in two colors — Black and Whitestone with silicone band.
The Garmin Forerunner 255 comes with a price tag of $349 and has a version with the ability to play music on your smartwatch, which costs an additional $50. The device is available in two colors — Tidal Blue and Slate Gray.
Design and Display
These devices are similar in so many categories, and their design and display are two of them.
Both devices feature a rounded design with five buttons — two on the right and three on the left—for navigation, up, down, start/stop action, and more. The Forerunner 955 offers touch-screen functionality to explore its UI and other functionalities, which are not available in the Forerunner 255.
The FR 255 measures 45.6 x 45.6 x 12.9 mm and weighs 49 grams, while the FR 955 measures 46.5 x 46.5 x 14.4 mm and weighs 52 grams so you can wear them for an extended period without feeling it on the wrist.
The FR 255 features 1.3”, 283 PPI, 260 x 260 pixels, a transflective memory-in-pixel display housed in a fiber-reinforced polymer body, and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top, providing durability and scratch resistance for extreme beatings.
The FR 955, on the other hand, also features a 1.3”, 283 PPI, 260 x 260 pixels, transflective memory-in-pixel display housed in a fiber-reinforced polymer body with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 DX on top.
Both have a water rating of 5 ATM, so you can wear them while showering and swimming.
Health and Activity Tracking
Health Tracking
Both the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 955 feature a heart rate monitor, a 24*7 respiration rate, a body battery energy monitor, stress monitoring, hydration, women’s health, and a health snapshot.
They also offer sleep monitoring in multiple stages, including deep, light, and REM stages, plus the ability to detect naps, providing a comprehensive view into your overall sleep metrics.
Garmin also added a sleep coach, which provides suggestions to improve your sleep schedule and the amount of sleep you need based on your activities and previous night’s sleep.
Some basic features, such as calories burned, floor climbed, distance travelled, and step counter, are also present on both of these devices.
Activity Tracking
Both the FR 255 and FR 955 offer various sports modes for fitness enthusiasts and adventure seekers, including running, swimming, walking, yoga, pilates, and so much more (check out the chart below for further information).
| Category | Garmin Forerunner 955 | Garmin Forerunner 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Gym | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Roping | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Roping |
| Multisport | Swimming/Running, Triathlon | Triathlon |
| Wellness | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking |
| Indoor Running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running |
| Outdoor Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running |
| Outdoor Recreation | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Golfing, Disc Golf | Hiking |
| Cycling | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross | Biking, Mountain Biking, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking |
| Swim | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming |
| Racket Sports | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball |
| On The Water | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing |
| Motor Sports | Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling | — |
| Snow & Winter | Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing | Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing |
| Team Sports | Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball | Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball |
| Ring Sports | Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts | Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts |
| Others | Inline Skating | Inline Skating |
The devices also offer similar features as other Garmin watches, such as customisable training plans, HR zones, recovery time, HRV status, VO2 max, load ratio, training load, virtual partner, and much more.
Some additional features of the Garmin FR 955 include real-time stamina and endurance scores, which are not present in the Garmin FR 255.
Additionally, these smartwatches also have features like back-to-start, up-ahead (shows upcoming courses and stations), tracback, elevation profile, vertical speed, and much more for ultrarunners. Plus, various features for runners, swimmers, and cyclists are available as well.
Smartwatch Features
Both the Garmin Forerunner 955 and Forerunner 255 feature smart notifications, view images from notifications, a calendar, weather forecasts, a battery saver, smartphone music control, find my phone, find my watch, and Connect IQ to download watch faces, widgets, and apps.
These devices also offer the ability to pay contactlessly via Garmin Pay and multi-band GPS, which uses multiple frequencies to provide more accurate and faster readings in challenging situations with buildings and trees.
The Garmin Forerunner 955 features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and ANT+ connectivity, while the Garmin Forerunner 255 doesn’t feature Wi-Fi but offers Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity.
Battery Life
The Garmin FR 255 can last up to 14 days on a single charge, and with GPS enabled, it drops down to 30 hours. If you want to use all systems plus multi-band GPS, it drops down to 16 hours.
The Garmin FR 955 can last up to 15 days in between charges, and even with GPS, the watch can still survive for 42 hours. The watch also has ultratrac mode, which strategically turns GPS on and off so you can use GPS for 80 hours before needing to recharge your smartwatch again.
Both devices come with a Garmin proprietary plug charger, which takes 1.5–2 hours to fully charge.
Verdict
These watches are identical in all aspects, so I don’t think you need to think much about choosing between these smartwatches. But to help you further, if you want a smartwatch with a touchscreen, Wi-Fi, and music support, then the Garmin Forerunner 955 is the way to go.
But if you don’t care about the above features and want to save some additional bucks, the Garmin Forerunner 255 will be a better choice for you.
Check out other FR 255 and FR 955 comparisons below: