Any $50 fitness band can track your daily running stats with a decent amount of accuracy, but they’re going to come up short if you’re looking more advanced physiological data. If you desire the cutting-edge in fitness tracking, it’s probably time to upgrade to the Garmin Forerunner 630.
The “most advanced GPS running watch” in Garmin’s roster, it records an unprecedented amount of dynamics and physiological measurements, ensuring you get precise data on every aspect of a run. Whether you’re looking to improve a personal speed record, train for a marathon, or simply do better at avoiding injuries, the extensive metrics this watch provides should help you better than any other wearable in the market.
The Garmin Forerunner 630 is a GPS running watch with a 1.63-inch color touchscreen display, making it easy to see your stats in real time. It records all the usual running metrics from previous Garmin watches (cadence, calories, speed, vertical oscillation, and more), but reinforces it with advanced dynamics (ground contact time balance, stride length, and vertical ratio, among others) and physiological measurements (stress score, performance condition, and lactate threshold, among others). All the new data can be factored not just in your stats but in planning your next training session: your lactate threshold, for instance, is applied to your heart rate training when setting up zones, while your pace, heart rate, and heart rate variability allows the software to assess your performance ability.
It comes with built-in WiFi, which it uses to automatically upload data to Garmin Connect, as well as receive smart notifications and control music playback. Features include compatibility with any ANT+ heart rate monitor, up to 16 hours of battery life in training mode (30 days in watch mode), and 50 meters of water resistance.
Slated for availability in November, the Garmin Forerunner 630 is priced at $399.99.