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Forerunner 745 or 255?

Hey Community!

I am about to buy a new sports smartwatch and my favourites for now are the Forerunner 255 and the 745. At the moment the 745 model is cheaper than the newer 255 model. I don't know how i should decide, i like both of them very much.

Do you have any recommandations for me?

Thank you! Blush

  • I had the 745 and I bought the 955 not the 255 for the following reasons:

    1. The price difference is much less than it traditionally was between the 2XX and 9xx series

    2. The 955 has a touch screen (which can be switched off in various ways if needed) which I enjoy having had the 620/630 

    3. Has navigation (well when it eventually gets fully functional)

    4. Has live segments  (The 745 has this , the 255 does not)

    So it depends what's important to you.

    I would likely take the 255 as its newer (if the 955 is over the top for your used case or too far to stretch) and will be supported longer I suspect and it has some of the newer metrics (which I suppose may arrive on the 745 sometime)

    See the comparison link I attache below. This is on "Show differences", if you want to see all features there is a button there to select that.

    https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/catalog/product/compareResult.ep?compareProduct=777655&compareProduct=713363&compareProduct=780196

  • Also see this:

    https://youtu.be/McruLrkEVYI

    The 255 and 955 also have multiband GPS which 745 doesn’t . That makes it more accurate under tough conditions although I never had an issue with the 745

  • The single most important feature (to me) that is present in the 745 but not in the 255 is hotkeys. You can literally save a dozen clicks a days with hotkeys. You can also go back to the home screen during an activity with hotkeys.

  • Thank you so much for your replie. I have already looked over the FR955. But i have several problems with it, 1. i have a really small wrist which makes this watch look huge on it. I also want to wear it as a daily watch and the 955 is jsut a beast and doesnt fit that well. 2. I don't really need (at least i think so) the excellent navigation mode - because i already have a wahoo elemnt bolt for my bikes. - And just for running/swimming/hiking (with music) and daily health tracking i think a 955 is just a bit of an overkill for me.

    So the 745 and the 255 would both hit the sweetspot for my usage. The 255 is still more expensive at the moment than the 745. So i am very confused if the 745 may be an invest that may not get updates any more in 1-2 years? What do you think? Would you prefer the 745 if it is cheaper than the 255 music?

  • For me I would take a cheaper 745 than the 255 as some of the functionality the 745 has are nice from my perspective. As it is still reasonably new in Garmin terms I imagine it will still get updates. I had my 630 for 5 years and it was great through that time. I didn't notice that the 745 GPS was anything but accurate in my use case either. You can still add routes for guidance with the 745, I used that quite often. 

  • Thanks a lot for your advice. Have a nice day!

  • Pleasure, Good luck with the decision. Have a good day also.

  • Hey

    I would by the 255 because the 745 doesn't get any updates any more ( have one myself: last 6 month only bug fixes but no real update)

    Then there is the better battery life and beter gps accuracy of the 255

  • Hey

    I would buy the 255 because the 745 doesn't get any updates anymore: have one myself and last six months only bug fixes but no real update

    Then there is the better battery life and beter GPS accuracy of the 255

    Good luck!