The Garmin Forerunner 955 has been released as a replacement for Garmin’s high-end running watch, the Garmin Forerunner 945. We concluded in our review of the Forerunner 955 that the Forerunner 945 is an excellent choice for a running watch. This article thoroughly compares and contrasts the Forerunner 955 vs 945.
The 900 series is the Forerunner line’s crown jewel, incorporating many of the Fenix line’s features in a smaller package. That tells us it will not be cheap.
The Forerunner 955 is available in both solar and chargeable configurations. The solar model is understandably more expensive. Without solar power, it costs $499 (£479). The 955 solar costs $599/£529 if you choose it.
To be completely honest, the Forerunner 945 is still more costly at $599 (£499), with the 945 LTE costing $649 (again, this is a US-only model) (still US only).
If you want to save money, you can get the older running watch for around $420 (£450) on Amazon.
955 vs 945: Display and Design
When compared, the Forerunner 955 and 945 appear to be very similar. It’s worth noting that screen size and resolution can vary greatly.
Both watches have polymer cases with 22mm QuickFit watch straps and Corning Gorilla Glass DX lenses. Even though the 945 (non-LTE and LTE) and 955 (Non-LTE) are a few grams lighter than the 955, the difference is subtle.
While the transflective screen on the Forerunner 945 is only 1.2 inches across, the 955 has a higher resolution of 260 by 260 pixels. As a result, you get a higher resolution and a larger display in a thicker but smaller case.
This means you can see clearly even in direct sunlight without worrying about running out of battery.
When you purchase a Forerunner 955 series smartwatch, you will receive a touchscreen. The Forerunner 945 did not have a touchscreen. In order to keep up with the times, the Fenix 7 series now includes a touchscreen. Furthermore, the Forerunner 955 series now includes touchscreen capabilities.
The touchscreen feature also has the advantage that you can deactivate it. Many athletes turn off the touchscreen at the start of a training session.
955 vs 945: Build
Both models are water-resistant to 50m, making them ideal for swimming and showering.
The operating temperature range of the Forerunner 955 has been expanded, which is a welcome development.
The Forerunner 955 is designed to withstand extreme temperatures. The operating temperature range of the Forerunner 945 is -20 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Forerunner 955 smartwatch has a higher maximum temperature than the Forerunner 945 series fitness tracker.
The Forerunner 955 is a minor cosmetic upgrade over the Forerunner 945, with the addition of a capacitive touchscreen.
Forerunner 955 vs. Forerunner 945 positioning sensor with multiple frequencies
A multi-GNSS sensor has been added to the Forerunner 955. GPS accuracy is improved for cross-country runners. Multi-point GNSS provides valuable GPS accuracy and signals in densely populated areas.
Turn on the All + Multi-band GPS mode to use the Forerunner 955’s multi-frequency sensor.
Storage
When it comes to media storage, the Forerunner 955 is the clear winner. The Forerunner 955’s memory can store up to 2000 tracks of music. Specifically, the Forerunner 945 can store up to 1000 songs. The Forerunner 955 has a storage capacity of 32 GB. The media storage capacity of the Forerunner 955 watch is twice that of the Forerunner 945 watch.
955 vs 945: Sports modes
The 945 and 955 were both designed for all types of sports tracking. While the mapping and navigation features do not cover the most popular outdoor activities such as hiking, climbing, and even skiing, there are plenty of other ways to track your progress.
Tennis, pickleball, and skiing are just a few of the additional Forerunner 955 profiles available, but they all cover the same essential and more specialized sporting interests.
They both provide daily recommended workouts, Garmin Coach access, the capability to sync training programs, enhanced interval training assistance, and other cycling and running statistics (using external sensors).
Navigation
The full-color maps include turn-by-turn directions, round-trip routing, and a more sophisticated version of ClimbPro. On the 945, there is no Up Ahead mode, which allows runners to see places of interest along a route, as well as performance metrics and stats like distance traveled and hill handling.
955 vs 945: Training characteristics
These high-end watches go much further than tracking in terms of data delivery. If you’re worried about overtraining or simply want to know when to rest after a hard workout, these watches can help. They can also track your training volume.
Based on prior training data, runners can use Garmin’s excellent PacePro pacing tactics and race predictions to better understand how they’ll perform on race day. Both watches can sync training plans.
The Forerunner 955, on the other hand, has a few more training options.
With the help of a new race widget that offers advice and suggestions, you can count down toward your upcoming race.
Garmin has released new real-time stats to help you avoid running out of gas early in a race.
There’s also an improved race forecaster, which appears to be far more helpful than the 945.
The watch may also provide data for training analysis. The 955 is similar in many ways, but it offers slightly more in this regard. Both include training effect, training load, training status, training load emphasis, and performance condition.
What’s new?
The 955 adds four critical features to the 945’s standard features.
Accurate load analysis is a new feature on the Forerunner 955 that provides information about your current fitness levels. It analyses how hard you’ve worked out recently and the appropriate intensity range.
Sleep quality, training load, and recovery are all factors considered when assessing your ability to handle a demanding training day.
With the new morning reports, you’ll get a rundown of your most recent sleep, recovery time, and training regimen.
Only after three weeks of baseline data for HRV status can an accurate picture of your recuperation and training capacity be obtained. Because of its useful software additions, the 955 may be a better option than the 945 if you’re looking for information on training and recovery.
955 vs 945: Smartwatch features
There are only a few minor differences between Garmin’s top-tier smartwatch capabilities and the capabilities of these high-end Forerunners.
Offline support for Spotify and Deezer is built into both Android and iOS music players. The 955, on the other hand, has the distinct capability of switching from stereo to mono mode while streaming audio.
Each has notifications and can respond to actions and notifications when connected to an Android phone.
All of the Connect IQ store, Garmin Pay, LiveTrack, and safety features are included.
If you choose the LTE version of the 945, you can use LiveTrack and safety features without being connected to a smartphone. LTE users who do not have a cellular contract or phone cannot make or receive calls or receive notifications.
If you use LiveTrack’s spectator messaging feature, your fans can send text and voice messages during a run. This is possible through the LiveTrack feature of the Garmin ConnectTM app. Only Bluetooth® headphones connected to your Forerunner device can hear audio messages.
Spectator messaging is now available on the Forerunner 955. This feature is already available to Forerunner 945 LTE users. This feature is not available on the Forerunner 945. You can instantly share your location with another spectator by using spectator messaging.
Health tracking
Both watches can track a person’s overall health, well-being, and exercise. Menstrual cycles, as well as steps, sleep, heart rate, blood oxygenation, and stress, can be tracked using specific widgets and applications to benefit women’s health.
The same sensors are used in Garmin’s Elevate heart rate monitor, Pulse Ox sensor, and satellite support.
The multi-band capability of the Forerunner 955, which is also found on the Forerunner 255, Fenix 7 series, and Epix watches, is the key difference here. It can potentially improve the accuracy of outdoor timepieces under challenging conditions. If precision is important to you, the 955 will outperform the 945 in our testing.
The 955’s heart rate performance is more reliable during high-intensity workouts than the 945’s, but if accuracy and taking advantage of Garmin’s heart rate-fueled training features are important to you. You’ll need to pair the two devices together with a dedicated external heart rate monitor.
You can view your heart rate variability (HRV), blood oxygen levels, stress, and respiration data on the 955’s single-screen Health Snapshot mode.
These sensors appear to be the same as activity and health trackers in terms of performance and dependability.
They’re great for monitoring your heart rate and pushing you to walk more, but they fall short when tracking your sleep.
The Forerunner 955 is the watch with the best overall battery life and in the majority of tracking modes.
Battery life
The 955 has better numbers (for either version)t. It has a wristwatch mode with a battery life of up to 15 days (20 days with solar), a GPS mode with a battery life of up to 42 hours (49 hours with solar), and an UltraTrac mode with a battery life of up to 80 hours (or, 110 hours if you go with the solar).
When you use the new Multiband mode, your battery life decreases, giving you 8 to 22 hours of playback time depending on your solar consumption and whether or not you’re streaming music.
To obtain those solar battery numbers, you must spend at least three hours per day outside in the sun.
Read more: Smartwatches with the longest battery life
You can expect a smartwatch battery life of up to two weeks, a GPS battery life of 12 hours (if you use music streaming), an LTE battery life of 10 hours, and a GPS battery life of 35 hours if you upgrade to the 945.
In our testing, we discovered that both watches are fantastic for about a week, maybe longer. With regular tracking, music streaming (on both watches), and use of the 955’s Multiband option and PulseOx sensor, battery drains below these maximums.
Both watches can withstand a full week of training, but the 955 may last a little longer in more demanding conditions.
Which Garmin Forerunner model should you get? The 955 or 945?
They are both excellent watches, in our opinion, combining some of Garmin’s best high-end functions with a slim design. It’s a personal preference, but we believe both options are worth considering.
Garmin’s Forerunner 955 has better tracking accuracy, a longer battery life, and mapping compatibility with the Fenix 7 series watches. The watch can use solar energy to power your smartphone. Until the price of the Forerunner 945 drops significantly, the newer watch is the clear winner.
The Garmin Forerunner 945 is an excellent choice for those looking for a small, lightweight running watch with Fenix features, high tracking accuracy, and the ability to use safety features without a phone. However, before you sign anything, make sure that you understand everything.
Read Next: Garmin Comparison: The Forerunner 955 vs Fenix 7 vs Epix 2
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Last Updated on October 23, 2022
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