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This is only the article with the presentation of the model. Click here if you want to know all the details of the Garmin Forerunner 45
And finally, on a day loaded with news, we have the Garmin Forerunner 45Well, there are actually two models, Forerunner 45 and Forerunner 45S, although the only difference is the size (the S is slightly smaller).
The Forerunner 45 has been presented with the Forerunner 245 and Forerunner 945Completing the completely updated Forerunner range, we now have 45 in all of them (45, 245, 645 and 945).
As with the day's other two introductions, the Garmin Forerunner 45 receives features from the model immediately above it, but from the previous range. So in the Forerunner 45 we find almost all the features that were present in the Forerunner 235 that led the mid-range a couple of years ago.
So the lowest Forerunner in the range is no longer the simple-to-use, cheap-to-own Garmin of yesteryear. It's no longer so simple (not because it's difficult to use, but because it has many more options) and it's no longer so cheap; which is why the Garmin Forerunner 35 during a good season as the access range.
There are quite a few new features in Forerunner 45 as opposed to Forerunner 35. You want to know what they are? Let's go with them.
New Garmin Forerunner 45
As I was saying, Forerunner 35 was a simple clock. Easy to use, easy to set up and with very few options that could mess you up. But it did give you access to the Garmin ConnectThat simplicity and ease of use was the main selling point for a watch that was certainly very basic.
But Forerunner 45 goes a little further, obviously continuing the same path of trying to be an easy to use, uncomplicated watch for the more basic wearer, but still incorporating a lot of features from mid-range models - these are its new features, compared to Forerunner 35:
- It changes the format. It used to be square and now it has moved to the round screen, like the rest of the range. It also changes from having 4 buttons to having 5
- It changes the screen which is logically round, but now it's colour. The FR35 only had a black and white screen
- Allows you to change the clock face via Connect IQ (but does not support applications or widgets)
- There are now two models available, the Forerunner 45 (42mm circumference) and the smaller Forerunner 45S, only 39mm
- New wrist pulse sensor, the Garmin Elevate v3, which includes pulse oximetry estimation for the Body Battery function
- New Sony GNSS chip with support for GPS, GLONASS and Galileo
- Differentiated sport profiles, such as cycling
- Constant recording of heart rate at rest, with alerts if it exceeds a certain range
- Pace/speed alerts
- Compatible with advanced trainings that can be designed from the application or from the web. Until now, no watch in the lower range has ever offered this possibility
- Allows you to synchronize Garmin Coach workouts and has support for workout schedules
- Accident detection that sends a message to the chosen contacts in case of a sudden deceleration or any situation that the watch may assume to be a fall. It is conditional on carrying the phone with you as it will be the one to take care of the communication (the watch itself is not capable of doing this)
- VO2Max estimation
- Support for ANT+ sensors and, new, also for Bluetooth Smart
- Autonomy of up to 13 hours in GPS mode
Not bad for a watch whose focus is on simplicity, right? Technically there's nothing new about Forerunner 45 that stands out, it just does because many of the features that were reserved for higher end models are now available in the lower end.
There is a downside to all of this: as with all of today's models, the price has gone up for the model it directly replaces. Both the Garmin Forerunner 45 and Forerunner 45S come to market with a price tag of £199.
Update 1 May
It's now possible to order the Garmin Forerunner 45, the first units come in a week's time and you can reserve it, and remember that if you buy it through the links on the page you'll be doing your bit to keep it going.
Opinion Garmin Forerunner 45
Indeed, that's my main drawback. The price is high to be considered low-end, especially when it's aimed at a user who wants basic functions or who is entering the world of running and sport.
Those 199 euros are dangerously close to other models on the market, especially if we look at the field of smart watches. Without going any further, at Garmin we have the Vivoactive 3 which, without having the latest hardware additions or some of the more sporty features Forerunners may have, does have other advantages: barometric altimeter, Garmin Pay and even a version with music playback.
In any case, wait for the complete test that will arrive in the next weeks/months.
And with that... thanks for reading!
And the million dollar question, Polar M430 or Garmin Forerunner 45???
Well... you'll have to wait until I can try out the Forerunner 45 🙂
And if we compare the M430 with the immediate one or the one that would be similar to the forerruner 45 you've tried?
There are many changes to be able to extrapolate... new GNSS/GPS chip, new optical pulse sensor, new clock concept...
Keep an eye on the shopping guidewhere there is a section dedicated to FR35 and M430.
How's that Forerunner 45 going? ???? I've started using it and it's my first watch and I'm very happy!
I just got a unit 15 minutes ago, so... I'm on it ????
Hi Eduardo, how are you? I started running a few months ago and I would like to buy my first pulsometer. I run twice a week about 20K and I would like to start professionalizing, making series, backgrounds, etc. In addition, I want a watch for every day that controls my pulsations, steps, etc. I am between 2 pulsometers, between the Garmin FR 45 and the Polar M430, since I think they are the 2 that I can buy (knowing that the Garmin is more expensive).
Now, I also want to use it to go play soccer hahaha and from what I saw the Polar has the activity to add it (by polar flow) to the watch, and garmin doesn't have it (or I didn't see it). From your point of view, which one should I choose? Thank you very much for everything! Greetings from Argentina
Both will perfectly fulfill what you are looking for. The M430 has more features, but its aesthetics is perhaps too "old-fashioned" and, if you want it for everyday use, the FR45 is a more discreet watch.
As far as adding the football profile, the only difference is that by synchronizing the workout it will mark it directly to you, but it doesn't offer any other benefits beyond having a different profile with different data, but I don't think in football you'll be looking at the clock much. Marking the workout as football is something you can also do in Garmin after synchronizing the activity.
Dear Eduardo, first of all, thank you very much for your kind answer. I just need to ask you how to mark the activity as "fubtol" after it when I synchronize it with Garmin Connect, how is that done? On the other hand, I understand, from what you indicated above, that you have the Garmin FR 45 since August, what impressions podes give us? I ask you since you are the authoritative word for it. Again, thank you very much for your response! Best regards
It is done directly from Garmin Connect, editing the activity.
I no longer have the FR45, it was returned to Garmin after completion of the test.
Does the forerunner 45s watch have an altimeter? If not, when you pass the route to the strava app, does it show you the elevation gain you have done on that route? Thank you.
No, it doesn't have a barometric altimeter, but as you say after synchronizing your workout you will have level data in both Strava and Garmin. Here you can find all the information you need about the barometric altimeter.
Okay, thank you very much.
Hello Eduardo, as you say that it does not have altimeter I would like to know if the polar has it, and if when I synchronize it with strava through connect it marks me the accumulated slope for what is the barometric altimeter worth?to know the altitude at the time you look at the relog alone? Thank you. And a question that is important to me, with the garmin 45 I have the possibility to put on the same screen heart rate, pace and distance? Thank you very much!
No, the Polar does not have a barometer either.
Regarding doubts about the barometer, here you have all the answers.
No problem to configure the screen you want.