Do I upgrade ?

Depends on how much you expect from the OHRM...

For running at a steady pace it's decent (though cadence lock is an issue). For interval training it kinda sucks... If you really want to train based on HR I wouldn't recommend it. If you want to train based on pace and use HR as a more general guideline, I guess it's ok-ish.

For cycling I haven't heard great stories either wrt OHRM.

All in all I wouldn't recommend it to others, I like the watch overall but the OHRM isn't what I expected and as such I can't really justify the price. Still hoping Garmin wil sort things out, but after a month or 2 already without any real improvements I'm not sure what to expect.

I'd at least buy it from a place with a good return policy.

Depends on how much you expect from the OHRM...

For running at a steady pace it's decent (though cadence lock is an issue). For interval training it kinda sucks... If you really want to train based on HR I wouldn't recommend it. If you want to train based on pace and use HR as a more general guideline, I guess it's ok-ish.

For cycling I haven't heard great stories either wrt OHRM.

All in all I wouldn't recommend it to others, I like the watch overall but the OHRM isn't what I expected and as such I can't really justify the price. Still hoping Garmin wil sort things out, but after a month or 2 already without any real improvements I'm not sure what to expect.

I'd at least buy it from a place with a good return policy.

Thanks for coming back to me on my question ... appreciated, so overall, putting the HR aside, you don't sound that keen on the watch as a whole, rather than just HR functionality ?

the 235 watch itself is great imo. it really includes many improvements compared to the older watches.
so if you are asking if upgrading is worth it in general, i would say probably yes.

if you are thinking about upgrading just because of the OHRM, i would suggest you read about it here on the forum first.
for most people it works, if you are doing short intervalls however, it sucks at the moment and for all the running dynamics you still need a strap.

if you just like to get your 24h heartrate it may be worth it, however garmin seems to change the timeframe in which the heartrate is measured quite often and many people are not happy with the current rate.
i'm sure garmin will find an optimal solution here soon, but you can never be sure, so maybe wait a bit to make sure first.

compared to the 630, it is almost the same watch, the 630 has no OHRM but some interesting additional running dynamics, which might be fun.
The 630 however has a touchscreen and i never was a fan of touchscreens on watches (i always have troubles using them, and during a run or in the rain it is much harder (for me) to operate a touchscreen instead of a few "real" buttons).

So for me the 630 is a no go, just because of the touchscreen, if it had regular buttons, i would buy it instantly.

In the end i bought a 230, because it has all the cool features the 235 has, besides of the OHRM which does not work as i would like it at the moment anyways. and it has real buttons, so it is easier to use for me than the 630.

If you like an indepth comparsion i can recommend rays reviews for the 230/235 http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/11/garmin-fr230-fr235-review.html and the 630 http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/12/garmin-forerunner-630-depth-review.html

Thanks for coming back to me on my question ... appreciated, so overall, putting the HR aside, you don't sound that keen on the watch as a whole, rather than just HR functionality ?

Nah, I actually DO like the watch as a whole. The looks, possibilities, functionality.

But I bought the watch also mainly because of the OHR (coming from a TomTom with OHR going back to a chestwrap is not an option for me) and in that area it disappoints me quite a bit. And since the OHR adds another 100 dollar/euro to the price that's something to take into consideration and perhaps go for a 230 instead for example.

Then again, the OHR is usable in some situations/for some... But just keep this all in mind :)

I like it, but I'm not really a runner (though because of the 235 I have started running more). I was mainly looking for a watch with the 24/7 optical heart rate, the option of pairing an ANT+ HRM, and an all day activity tracker and the 235 is the best I can find out in the market right now.

My budget only allows me to get the FR235 right now, but the ultimate for me would be a Fenix 3 HR.

As someone who bought the 235 for running.

As a running watch it's an improvement over the 220 if only for the larger screen, and if you buy it aware of both the limitations of oHRM itself and the fact that this is first gen tech for Garmin rolling their own sensor the built in HRM is acceptable. Of course I say this as someone who has managed to avoid some of the issues that others have had.

If you don't feel the need for the always available HRM or don't want to deal with the teething issues the 235 is having the 230 would be a good choice, unless you want the added metrics that the 630 provides, as long as you have the HR strap with the correct sensors on it. Of course the 630 seems to have some of it's own issues with the touch screen.

What watch are you using?

I plan on upgrading from my 210 to the 235 this weekend. Reason #1 & #2 are really why I'm upgrading but here's the things that caught my attention over my current 210:

1. Wireless data downloads! My 210 is a complete pain when it comes to "CAREFULLY" clipping the data/charge cable. Quite often it doesn't connect correctly ~ sometimes I can simply "try again" several times I've had to disconnect it and reboot the watch ~ sometimes 2 or 3 times.

2. Faster satellite connections. There's times when I've waited 5 minutes before my 210 finally got it's bearings. Yup, the running club would be long gone before I could even press "start".

3. Bigger watch face and colors in the display ~ this one is kind of petty. On the surface this isn't a big deal, but I do not like having to stare at my just to get a quick update, these updates make taking a quick glance "quicker with more clarity".

4. The OHRM, but it can be paired with a chest strap for more in depth running info (if you really want it).

5. Bike functions. Not sure if this will replace my Edge 500, but the 235 does have some bike specific data fields.