Garmin 235 or 645?
I recently upgraded my Garmin 235 with a Garmin 645 watch. I could not be happier with this decision and purchase.
If you are in the market for a new watch or planning to buy a Garmin, I suggest checking a Marathon Expo at a nearby race for a Garmin booth. I bought my watch at The Air Force Marathon Expo to save 10% on my purchase. Garmin watches almost never go on sale, and with a fairly hefty price tag it is worth going to an Expo if possible to get a deal.
So what’s the difference between the 235 and 645?
The 645 watch has a slightly smaller face, silver bezel, and the quick release changeable watch bands. I was drawn to this watch because of its dressier look. I really like the black band and sliver bezel combination especially when I dress up.
Both watches offer sleep tracking metrics. The 235 tracks light sleep and deep sleep, but I have noticed the 645 also includes the REM cycles.
Both watches include heart rate monitors on the watch. The 645 heart rate monitor is slightly more comfortable and doesn’t make a huge dimple on my wrist, as the 235 did, although I eventually got used to it and it wasn’t a big deal.
The 645 has quick release bands, the 235 doesn’t. I love the option to occasionally wear a different color watch band, and easily swap to the teal or cherry red bands I bought for a few bucks on Amazon.
The 645 watch has the option for Garmin Pay, which allows you to make purchases right from your watch. I haven’t set this up yet, but it would be convenient if I wanted to buy something while I was out running as I don’t typically carry my wallet or credit cards with me during runs.
Both watches can calculate an estimated VO2max and predict race finishing times.
The 645 watch also includes Training Load and Training Status.
Training Load is a measure of effort over the past 7 days, including exercise duration and intensity. Training Load shows if your load is too low, optimal, or too high.
Training Status shows how your training affects fitness and performance. It is based on changes to your Training Load and VO2Max. Trading Status includes categories such as: detraining, unproductive, recovery, maintaining, productive, peaking, and overreaching.
The 645 watch also measures HRV stress. Stress and rest are measured through variable heart rate to calculate an all day stress score.
The 645 watch can track how many fights of stairs you climb or descend each day, the 235 didn’t. My office is on the second floor, and I climb 24 steps, plus 12 more each time I enter the building. It is fun to see this stat on my watch as I go up and down stairs frequently throughout the day.
Both watches can receive smart alerts from your phone and sync directly to your phone through Bluetooth using the Garmin Connect App.
The charging cables for both the 235 and 645 watches look the same. I get an error message if I try to use the 235 cable for the 645, but I am still able to charge my watch with it. I like this style clip on plug that both of these watches use because you can see the watch face while it charges.
Both watches can track running, treadmill, or biking. The 645 watch also includes categories such as cardio, strength, hiking, and the ability to add your own custom categories. I added a category for “dance party” and can select this directly from my watch when I dance. On the 235 I used the Other category for other types of exercise or walking.
The 645 watch also has a music option 645M (M for Music), which I opted not to buy, as I rarely run with music and when I do I just use my phone. The 645M watch allows you to preload the watch with music from your computer and play using Bluetooth head phones while you run. Playing music through the watch does drain the battery quicker. Other than the ability to play music, the 645 and 645M watches are the same.
So what watch do I recommend?
The Garmin 645 is my top choice, or 645M if you like to listen to music. I also tried on the Fenix 5s watch and felt it was way too big for my small wrist. I like the fit and look of the 645 much better. The 645 is much cheaper than the Fenix 5s or 5s Plus.
But if you can not afford the Garmin 645, or you think you don’t quite need all its options, the 235 is also a great watch. After I upgraded myself I gave my 235 watch to my daughter and she loves it. The 235 is also a slightly older watch and you may find a good deal on Amazon or eBay as people sell their old 235 watches when they upgrade to a newer model.
Good luck finding the right Garmin for your needs. Remember to check the Expos for sales, especially if you live near or plan to attend a large Marathon.
Please leave a comment if this review was helpful.
Run Cari 