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How do the GPS chipsets (and accuracy) compare between the Garmin Forerunner 920XT, 935 and 945?

Former Member
Former Member
I've recently bought a 945 and am a little dissapointed with the GPS accuracy, but I'm not sure if I'm just being hyper critical because it's such an expensive piece of kit. I'm upgrading from the 920XT which has served me well, and am not using any of the 945's music/pay/map features so I'm wondering whether I should have instead upgraded to the 935 (which I've read can be more accurate) or even not at all?
Is the 935 a better upgrade choice? Is the GPS more accurate than the 920XT? Or the same chip and just the software & heart rate additions?
Or is the older 920XT kit more accurate for some reason?
NB: I'm using GPS GLONASS along with 1 second GPS recording

e.g. This is todays 945 run and a lap across the river's edge, the same route there and back, but both routes were drastically different and wrong for different reasons, putting me through buildings and into the water

e.g. I was on the top side of the road halfway through this length but it didn't register me crossing 

To the 945's credit it did this bridge crossing well
  • Thanks .. just out of curiosity, I changed mine up from +GLOSNASS to +GALILEO (in Chicago :) )

  • I have a Swim2 (Sony chipset as well), and it seems that close to sunset the GPS+GLONASS option gives terrible results, lots of GPS signal loss. Should I switch to +GALILEO or GPS only? During the day the +GLONASS option seems to be ok.

  • Galileo is not designed to work better in Europe than elsewhere.

  • Please note that the Galileo constellation is not complete yet: https://www.gsc-europa.eu/system-service-status/constellation-information

    The results are usually good, but depending on your location, time of day, etc. they might not be as good as they could be. On the other hand, there is little knowledge available about the performance of the Russian Glonass. You may want to compare both on different days and chose the one which works better for you.

  • The weird thing is that I'm on a bike ride with the watch on the handlebars the track is 100% perfect. 

    Running with the watch on the wrists sometimes makes weird tracks. I must remember to try the watch on the right wrists instead of the Left to see if is there any differences.

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 4 years ago

    I'll be honest, after testing and comparing to my existing 920XT it just isn't worth the upgrade to me - it seems to be of a similar or worse level in terms of GPS accuracy, which is my main reason for using a watch. I've sent the 945 back, and after considering the 935, which is supposedly a bit more accurate, have opted to stick with the 920XT.

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 4 years ago

    I'll be honest, after testing and comparing to my existing 920XT, I've sent the 945 back as a return. I considered the 935 which is supposedly a bit more accurate, but have opted to stick with the 920XT as can't justify spending £450 to get a watch that's potentially worse than my current one.

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 4 years ago in reply to Levon

    North East, UK