Garmin Forerunner 245 vs Garmin Instinct

Last Updated & Fact Checked:  October 16, 2022

Are you trying to decide between the Garmin Forerunner 245 and the Garmin Instinct?

Product Versus will provide you with all the product details so you can quickly compare the facts to find which product is right for you – the Garmin Forerunner 245 or the Garmin Instinct – and find out exactly what the differences are.

Both the Garmin Forerunner 245 and the Garmin Instinct are quality products, so read on to find out which one is best for your needs!

Garmin Forerunner 245 quick facts

Garmin Instinct quick facts

Garmin Forerunner 245 product details

On Sale!Bestseller No. 1
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, GPS Running Smartwatch with Music and Advanced Dynamics, Black
6,737 Reviews
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, GPS Running Smartwatch with Music and Advanced Dynamics, Black
  • GPS running smartwatch with music advanced training features, Lens Material:Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Bezel Material: fiber-reinforced polymer, Strap material:silicone
  • Battery life: up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and 6 hours in GPS mode with music
  • Evaluates your current training status to indicate if you’re undertraining or overdoing it; Offers additional performance monitoring features
  • Get free adaptive training plans from Garmin coach, or create your own custom workouts on our Garmin connect online fitness community
  • Provides advanced running dynamics, including ground contact time balance, stride length, vertical ratio and more (When used with Running Dynamics Pod or HRM Run or HRM Tri monitors (sold separately))
On Sale!Bestseller No. 2
Garmin Forerunner 245, GPS Running Smartwatch with Advanced Dynamics, Slate Gray (Renewed)
262 Reviews
Garmin Forerunner 245, GPS Running Smartwatch with Advanced Dynamics, Slate Gray (Renewed)
  • GPS running smartwatch with advanced training features
  • Evaluates your current training status to indicate if you’re undertraining or overdoing it; offers additional performance monitoring features
  • Get free adaptive training plans from Garmin Coach, or create your own custom workouts on our Garmin Connect online fitness community
  • Provides advanced running dynamics, including ground contact time balance, stride length, vertical ratio and more (when used with Running Dynamics Pod or HRM-Run or HRM-Tri monitors (sold separately))
  • Safety and tracking features include incident detection (during select activities) which sends your real-time location to emergency contacts through your paired compatible smartphone
Bestseller No. 3
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, GPS Running Smartwatch with Music and Advanced Dynamics, White (Renewed)
61 Reviews
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, GPS Running Smartwatch with Music and Advanced Dynamics, White (Renewed)
  • GPS running smartwatch with music advanced training features
  • Sync with music streaming services, such as Spotify, to easily store and play your favorite songs right from your watch
  • Evaluates your current training status to indicate if you’re undertraining or overdoing it; offers additional performance monitoring features
  • Get free adaptive training plans from Garmin Coach, or create your own custom workouts on our Garmin Connect online fitness community
  • Provides advanced running dynamics, including ground contact time balance, stride length, vertical ratio and more (When used with Running Dynamics Pod or HRM-Run or HRM-Tri monitors (sold separately))

Garmin Instinct product details

On Sale!Bestseller No. 1
Garmin 010-02064-00 Instinct, Rugged Outdoor Watch with GPS, Features Glonass and Galileo, Heart Rate Monitoring and 3-Axis Compass, Graphite
  • Rugged GPS watch built to withstand the toughest environments
  • Constructed to U.S. Military standard 810G for thermal, shock and water resistance (rated to 100 meters)
  • Built in 3 axis compass and barometric altimeter, plus multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, Glonass and Galileo) support helps track in more challenging environments than GPS alone
  • Monitor your estimated heart rate, activity and stress; Train with preloaded activity profiles. Strap material: Silicone
  • Stay connected with smart notifications (with a compatible smartphone) and automatic data uploads to the Garmin connect online fitness community
On Sale!Bestseller No. 2
Garmin Instinct Solar, Rugged Outdoor Smartwatch with Solar Charging Capabilities, Built-in Sports Apps and Health Monitoring, Graphite
  • Vastly extended battery life through solar charging
  • Rugged GPS Watch is water-rated to 100 meters and constructed to U.S. military standard 810 for thermal, shock and water resistance
  • Built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter plus multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, Glonass and Galileo) track in more challenging environments than GPS alone
  • Track your activities for running, biking, swimming, strength and more
  • Help understand your health and wellness better with all-day health monitoring and Pulse Ox (this is not a medical device and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or monitoring of any medical condition)
Bestseller No. 3
Garmin Instinct Rugged Outdoor GPS Watch, Built-in Navigation Sensors Monitors Heart Rate, Activity and Stress - Graphite (Renewed)
90 Reviews
Garmin Instinct Rugged Outdoor GPS Watch, Built-in Navigation Sensors Monitors Heart Rate, Activity and Stress - Graphite (Renewed)
  • Rugged GPS watch built to withstand the toughest environments
  • Constructed to U. S. Military standard 810G for thermal, shock and water resistance (rated to 100 meters)
  • Built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter, plus multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) support helps track in more challenging environments than GPS alone
  • Monitor your estimated heart rate, activity and stress; train with preloaded activity profiles
  • Stay connected with smart notifications (with a compatible smartphone) and automatic data uploads to the Garmin Connect online fitness community

New products & alternatives to the Garmin Forerunner 245 and the Garmin Instinct

New
Garmin Forerunner 55, GPS Running Watch with Daily Suggested Workouts, Up to 2 weeks of Battery Life, Aqua (Renewed)
  • Easy-to-use running watch monitors heart rate (this is not a medical device) at the wrist and uses GPS to track how far, how fast and where you’ve run
  • Battery life: up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode; up to 20 hours in GPS mode
  • Plan your race day strategy with the PacePro feature (not compatible with on-device courses), which offers GPS-based pace guidance for a selected course or distance
  • Run your best with helpful training tools, including race time predictions and finish time estimates
  • Track all the ways you move with built-in activity profiles for running, cycling, track run, virtual run, pool swim, Pilates, HIIT, breathwork and more
On Sale!New
Garmin Forerunner 245, GPS Running Smartwatch with Advanced Dynamics, Berry & Forerunner 245, GPS Running Smartwatch with Advanced Dynamics, Slate Gray
  • Product 1: GPS running smartwatch with advanced training features
  • Product 1: o Battery life: up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and up to 24 hours in GPS mode
  • Product 1: Get free adaptive training plans from Garmin Coach, or create your own custom workouts on our Garmin Connect online fitness community
  • Product 1: Provides advanced running dynamics, including ground contact time balance, stride length, vertical ratio and more (When used with Running Dynamics Pod or HRM-Run or HRM-Tri monitors (sold separately))
  • Product 2: GPS running smartwatch with advanced training features
On Sale!New
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, GPS Running Smartwatch with Music and Advanced Dynamics, White & Forerunner 245 Music, GPS Running Smartwatch with Music and Advanced Dynamics, Black
  • Product 1: GPS running smartwatch with music advanced training features
  • Product 1: Battery life: up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and 6 hours in GPS mode with music
  • Product 1: Evaluates your current training status to indicate if you’re undertraining or overdoing it; offers additional performance monitoring features
  • Product 1: Get free adaptive training plans from Garmin Coach, or create your own custom workouts on our Garmin Connect online fitness community
  • Product 2: GPS running smartwatch with music advanced training features, Lens Material:Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Bezel Material: fiber-reinforced polymer, Strap material:silicone
On Sale!New
Garmin Forerunner 245 Music, GPS Running Smartwatch with Music and Advanced Dynamics, Aqua & Forerunner 245 Music, GPS Running Smartwatch with Music and Advanced Dynamics, Black
  • Product 1: GPS running smartwatch with music advanced training features
  • Product 1: Sync with music streaming services, such as Spotify, to easily store and play your favorite songs right from your watch
  • Product 1: Evaluates your current training status to indicate if you’re undertraining or overdoing it; offers additional performance monitoring features
  • Product 1: Get free adaptive training plans from Garmin Coach, or create your own custom workouts on our Garmin Connect online fitness community
  • Product 2: GPS running smartwatch with music advanced training features, Lens Material:Corning Gorilla Glass 3, Bezel Material: fiber-reinforced polymer, Strap material:silicone
New
Garmin Forerunner® 955, GPS Running Smartwatch, Tailored to Triathletes, Long-Lasting Battery, Whitestone
218 Reviews
Garmin Forerunner® 955, GPS Running Smartwatch, Tailored to Triathletes, Long-Lasting Battery, Whitestone
  • Built with an always-on, full-color display that’s light on the wrist and easy to read even in direct sunlight
  • Battery life: up to 15 days of battery life in smartwatch mode for a full picture of your health — from sleep to training; plus, get up to 42 hours in GPS mode and up to 80 hours in UltraTrac mode
  • Click or swipe through maps and stats with traditional button controls or a new, responsive touchscreen
  • Whether you’re running on city streets or riding densely covered trails, Forerunner 955 provides full-color, built-in mapping to keep you on track
  • Access multiple global navigation satellite systems, and get access to multiple frequencies sent by navigation satellites for improved accuracy in areas where GNSS signals are reflected, weak or typically don't penetrate — giving you superior accuracy for how far and how fast you’ve run — even in challenging environments

Our conclusion on the Garmin Forerunner 245 vs Garmin Instinct

Both the Garmin Forerunner 245 and the Garmin Instinct are high quality products and we are sure you will be happy with either one. In the end it comes down to your budget and the value for money you are looking for.

Either way, the Garmin Forerunner 245 and the Garmin Instinct are both excellent products that will more than do their job!