I’m seeing this everywhere not just FR55, but multiple Garmin models. Reddit, X, TechRadar… battery life collapses after just 1.5–3 years. Some even suggest it might be deliberate. If true, Garmin could be in real trouble with EU regulators.
This is my second FR55. Again, battery drops from 14 days to 4. Completely unacceptable. A 10–20% drop over 5 years? Fine. This? Outrageous.
To put it in perspective:
| Model | Official Garmin spec | What users report in practice |
|---|---|---|
| FR55 | ~7–14 days | Some report 1–3 days after ~1.5–2 years (forums.garmin.com) |
| 265S | ~15 days | Reports of 5–7 days or faster drain, even without heavy use (reddit.com) |
| 965 | ~23 days | Some users see much faster depletion, reboot sometimes helps but not consistently (reddit.com) |
Feels like planned obsolescence buy a new watch every few years because the battery dies. Even the 265S has the same complaints.
I love Garmin products, but this is frustrating. Huawei, Polar… they don’t have these issues. It’s easy to check online. The pattern is clear: battery degradation is widespread, systematic, and way too fast.
