The Garmin Instinct 2 is a rugged smartwatch designed to withstand more wear and tear, while the Garmin Forerunner 255 is a circular, sporty smartwatch designed for athletes and adventure seekers.
Below, we’ll be comparing both of these smartwatches to find out who reigns supreme. I’ll also give you my top pick to make it easier for you to decide which one to choose.
Key Takeaways
Instinct 2 resembles a circular watch design appealing to hikers or adventure seekers, and it can withstand being exposed to dust and water without getting damaged, while the Forerunner 255 resembles a circular design appealing to athletes with advanced GPS and scratch resistant glass. Ultimately, the choice will depend on your budget and personal preference.
Garmin Forerunner 255 vs Instinct 2: Comparison
| Device name | Garmin Forerunner 255 | Garmin Instinct 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Device type | Smartwatch | Smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Release date | June, 2022 | March, 2022 |
| Versions | Standard edition | Standard edition |
| Body | ||
| Dimension | 45.6 x 45.6 x 12.9 mm | 45 x 45 x 14.5 mm |
| Weight | 49 grams | 52 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 | 22mm | 22mm |
| Screen protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Chemically Strengthened Glass |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM | 10 ATM |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Display | ||
| Display size | 1.3 | 0.9” x 0.9” |
| Display type | Transflective Memory-In-Pixel (MIP) | Transflective Memory-In-Pixel (MIP) |
| Display resolution | 260 x 260 pixels | 176 x 176 pixels |
| Pixel density | 283 PPI | 124 PPI |
| Always on | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | No | No |
| Connectivity | ||
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth calling | No | No |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | — | — |
| Internal Storage | 4 GB | 32 GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No |
| Cellular Connectivity | ||
| Technology | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None |
| Band | — | — |
| Sensors | ||
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Altimeter | No | No |
| Ambient light | No | No |
| Barometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| ECG | No | No |
| Gyroscope | No | No |
| HRM | No | No |
| Pulse oximeter (SpO2) | Yes | No |
| Thermometer | Yes | Yes |
| Battery | ||
| Battery type | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer |
| Battery capacity | — | — |
| Battery life | 14 days | 28 days |
| Charging type | Plug Charger | Plug Charger |
| Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar charging | No | No |
Price
The Forerunner 255 is $50 more expensive compared to the Instinct 2 and is priced at $349. It comes in Tidal Blue and Slate Gray colorways. The Instinct 2, on the other hand, is priced at $299 and comes in Graphite and Electric Lime colorways.
Design and Display
Both smartwatches come with a fiber-reinforced polymer glass, but the Forerunner 255 uses a more durable and scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3, while the Instinct 2 uses a chemically strengthened glass that is still durable to survive different conditions but not as durable as the FR 255 one.
Both offer the same Garmin’s five-button setup and 22-mm quick-release silicone band, making the watch comfortable to wear for prolonged periods without feeling it on the wrist. The Forerunner 255 measures 45.6 x 45.6 x 12.9 mm and weighs 49 grams, while the Instinct 2 measures 45 x 45 x 14.5 mm and weighs 52 grams.
Although there’s a slight difference in the measurements of both of these smartwatches, they offer a huge difference in screen size and resolution. The Forerunner 255 boasts a 1.3 inch, 283 PPI, 260 x 260 pixels transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display, while the Instinct 2 boasts a 0.9 x 0.9 inch, 124 PPI, 176 x 176 pixels transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display. The FR 255 bigger display makes it easier to scroll maps and view texts, while the Instinct 2 shorter display might not be great for casual users or those who want to view more texts at a glance.
The Instinct 2 has a water rating of 10 ATM and can withstand being submerged underwater up to 100 metres, compared to the 5 ATM rating of the Forerunner 255.
Health and Activity Tracking
When it comes to health tracking, both devices offer similar features, but the FR 255 added a few additional ones. Both have a heart rate monitor, respiration rate, SpO2 (blood oxygen) tracking, body battery energy monitor, stress tracking, sleep tracking, hydration, women’s health, and a health snapshot. However, the Instinct 2 features map detection, which detects your naps and syncs them into your overall sleep data to provide a comprehensive view of your overall sleep.
They also offer a sleep score, which is based on your multiple nights of sleep and ranges from 0-100. You should aim for above-80 to perform better and recover faster from your workouts.
The Garmin Instinct 2 features training readiness, which provides insights to let you know when your body is ready for your next hard workout and when it’s time to take a step back to let your body recover. But the Garmin Forerunner 255 features multiple-band GPS, which uses multiple frequencies to provide more accurate readings in challenging areas. Plus, both offer training status, which provides insights into how your training is progressing and your fitness level.
Both have multiple available sports modes for sports lovers and adventure seekers, but the FR 255 offers more activity profiles, including basketball, volleyball, hockey, boxing, mixed martial arts, inline skating, and more. Both can track basic activities such as steps, floors climbed, distance travelled, calories burned, and intensity minutes.
Apart from this, you get on-screen workout animations and muscle maps on the FR 255, which are not available in the Instinct 2. But both offer additional features for athletes and runners, such as VO2 max tracking, HR zones, recovery time, training load, training effect, and much more. They also feature a virtual partner, which lets you compete against yourself by comparing your current running pace to your previous ones.
On top of these, they also offer various features for runners, swimmers, cyclists, and golfers. Plus, they also offer additional features for ultra runners, such as back to start, which lets you get back from where you started, tracback, ultratrac mode, which saves battery by turning GPS off periodically, elevation profile, but the FR 255 added up ahead, which provides upcoming course points, aid stations, water stations, course turns, and much more.
Smartwatch Features
In terms of smartwatch features, both offer smart notifications, text response and reject phone calls with texts (Android only), morning report, calendar, weather forecasts, battery saver, smartphone music control, find my phone, and find my watch.
You also get Connect IQ Store to download watch faces, widgets, and apps on both devices, but the Instinct 2 requires a connected phone to access the store; however, the Forerunner 255 lets you access the store without being connected to your smartphone.
The FR 255 also lets you do contactless payments via Garmin Pay, which is not available in the Instinct 2. Both of these devices don’t offer Wi-Fi, but you get Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity. Plus, they can be synced with a wide range of iOS and Android devices.
Battery Life
Both devices offer excellent battery life that can last for several days on a single charge, but the Garmin Instinct 2 takes the lead with significantly longer battery life. In smartwatch mode, the Instinct 2 can last for up to 28 days, compared to only 14 days in the Forerunner 255.
However, with GPS enabled, both drop to 30 hours. But you get 70 hours of GPS tracking on the Instinct 2 in max battery GPS mode, which basically turns off all the power features and sets GPS recording to ultratrac, which increases the time between charging. This way, you get additional GPS tracking.
With all-systems GNSS mode, the FR 255 lasts for up to 25 hours and up to 16 hours with all-systems GNSS mode plus multi-band GPS. This mode is not available in Instinct 2.
Verdict
Both devices showed excellent capabilities, whether in health tracking, battery life, build, or pricing. But it comes down to your personal preferences as to which features you want in your smartwatch.
If you want to save some bucks while getting longer battery life, excellent health and activity tracking, and an excellent water rating, then the Garmin Instinct 2 might be a good choice for you.
But if you want a bigger display with more activity profiles, excellent battery life, and advanced GPS tracking, then the Garmin Forerunner 255 is the way to go.