It’s got everything runners love about Forerunner models like the 245, plus tons of extra upgrades that no Forerunner can match (besides the 945.more on that later). From a value for money perspective, it’s a very good GPS Sports Watch.The Garmin Fenix 6 is one of, if not the best, sports watch money can buy. However, if you’re on a super tight budget, the Forerunner 35 is arguably the better Garmin product, and it will give you all the same core features for significantly less money. So in the end, the Forerunner 235 is the better Garmin smartwatch if you aren’t too worried about cost. It isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, but the ability to add your favorite metrics to the default watch face (when training) is a nice feature to have.
Simply put, a color screen is more attractive and more desirable than a black and white equivalent.ģ) Connect IQ: The ability to download custom watch faces, apps and data fields is another big plus for the Forerunner 235. Because these watches are so similar in terms of technical features, it can be difficult to justify the extra cost for the FR235.Ģ) Color Screen: This is arguably the biggest advantage that the FR235 has over the FR35. To me, this ultimately comes down to 3 things.ġ) Price: If you’re on a tight budget, there’s no question that the Forerunner 35 gives you better value for money. Access to the Garmin Connect App is a key selling point for the Forerunner 235, and one of the main reasons it can be considered a better fitness tracker overall. Having more flexibility with the data fields and overall functionality of the watch is actually pretty valuable. This is probably the most meaningful difference between these two watches (the color screen comes in a close second). You can then see if you are behind schedule, ahead of schedule or right on time!Ħ) Garmin Connect IQ : The Garmin Connect IQ app allows you to download custom watch faces, widgets, apps and data fields for free. It allows you to pick a target time for a particular distance, and then try to keep up with the pace that the watch sets. You can read more about the FR245 here.Ĥ) Color Display: The Forerunner 235 has a color display, whereas the Forerunner 35 has a black and white display.ĥ) Virtual Pacer: This feature can only be found on the Forerunner 35. It’s about to be replaced by the Forerunner 245 Music. The only extra thing worth mentioning is that a lot of retailers are discounting the Forerunner 235, because it’s at the end of its life cycle. It’s been on my wrist ever since.ģ) Price: The FR35 is a lot cheaper than than the FR235. The square design didn’t stop me from buying the FR35 back in 2016. Personally, I prefer the round design of the FR235, but the FR35 is also pretty attractive. Garmin clearly found way to squeeze out a bit more GPS battery life in the newer forerunner.Ģ) Appearance: The Forerunner 235 has a round watchface, whereas the Forerunner 35 has a square watch face. This is mainly because the Forerunner 35 was released after the Forerunner 235. Despite being the more expensive GPS watch, it’s not that easy to justify the difference in price.ġ) GPS Battery Life : Surprisingly, in GPS mode FR35 actually has slightly better GPS battery life than the FR235. There’s just one slight issue with the Forerunner 235. It also has built-in GPS mode, a wrist-based heart rate monitor, It’s Garmin’s mid-level GPS running watch that sits right between the Garmin Forerunner 35 and the Garmin Forerunner 645 in terms of pricing. Garmin Forerunner 235 : In theory, the Forerunner 235 is a step up on the Forerunner 35.
For most runners, it’s a perfectly good option for any outdoor run, that will track mile after without letting you down. It includes GPS, wrist-based heart rate tracking, and 24/7 activity tracking.
It can comfortably power you through a full length marathon, and it also tracks cycling and cardio workouts.
Despite it’s entry-level status, it packs a powerful punch in terms of technical features. It’s also one of the most popular GPS running watches that has ever been made.
Garmin Forerunner 35: This is Garmin’s entry-level running watch. Read on and you will soon understand how I came to this conclusion. In fact, I find it annoying AF that Garmin is charging two different prices for basically the Garmin device. I was expecting some fairly meaty differences, but the simple truth is that they are basically twins. Spoiler Alert: While doing the research for this article, I was shocked to see how similar these products actually are. To help you choose between the Garmin 235 vs 35, I’ve put together this simple guide, which shows the key differences and the key similarities between the Forerunner 35 and the Forerunner 235. If you’re reading this article, you probably want to figure out which of these watches you should buy.