Looking for a good running watch that offers great features and performance for the price?
As a team we’ve tested every new running watch that’s launched in 2024. Whether you’re on a tight budget or have a lot more money to play with, we know the good ones you should be looking out for.
If you’re eyeing up a new watch to snag during Black Friday or for a Christmas present,
Testers Nick, Mike and Kieran will take you through what we look for in a good value running watch and then pick out our favourites that get the full Run Testers seal of approval.
WATCH NEXT Looking for the perfect beginner running watch? Check out our video on the best running watch for beginners here
CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Intro
00:57 – Garmin Forerunner 255
03:57 – Coros Pace 3
06:23 – Suunto Race S
10:04 – Garmin Forerunner 955
12:35 – Great running watches to look out for in the sales
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Some other videos you might find useful:
Suunto Race S Review:
Coros Pace 3 Review:
Garmin Forerunner 255 Review:
Garmin Forerunner 255 vs 245:
Forerunner 965 vs 265:
Hello and welcome to run testers my Name's Nick I'm here with Mike and Kieran and today is the second our Series of best running watch videos We're doing different categories in each One we've done the best beginner watches Already we're now moving on to the best Value running watches now the key for Value here is getting a lot of features For the price in our opinion so it's a Great balance of features and price it's Not just very very cheap watches it's Also watches are bit more expensive but Are coming in significantly cheaper than Other watches that have similar features And we're going to do a couple of Watches that are is cheap generally They've got a very good kind of list Price or retail price and then a few That are now so consistently in sales I Think it's very much worth flagging them Up because you know though kind of Watches in the real world you're looking And seeing for a really good price and Considering buying especially in a big Sales period like Black Friday right now When whiches are everywhere are being Reduced so the first one we're going to Flag up is the one I think we all agreed We probably thought was the best value Watch overall if we are looking at it Because it's a slightly older watch it's The Garmin 4 on a 255 there's a music Version a non-music version a small
Version crucially and a bigger version So it's very good for small wrists even The bigger version is pretty good for Small wrists it's been around for few Years it's basically the last of the two X5 series uh after very popular 235 245 Then the 255 and now it's gone AMOLED With the 265 which means the older watch Is a lot cheaper it's not AMOLED but you Still get dual band tracking it's a Multisport watch it's very accurate and It's usually now in sales for you're Probably looking at 1002 200 less than The 4265 hard really not to rate this as a Very good value watch just fair to say Kieran Yeah again it's like this this one I Think if you went back in time when we Were doing kind of reviews on the 265 All these other watches didn't exist This would have been one of our top Picks back in the day and yeah I mean This is a fascinating question people Always go to be you know should when Should we upgrade do these watch if if Someone landed that watch and you hadn't Seen the new ones and we were running we Were all running with the 255 we' be Perfectly happy with the capability of It right and if so if you can get it at A knockdown deal it will cover Everything you really need it to do on a Run if you never seen an AMOLED screen
You could pretend that you haven't and You're not drawn to that kind of bright Shiny it's a fully you know it's a fully Featured very capable watch decent Battery life I think you know all the All the um relative accuracy that you Need and yeah I think I'm kind of saying That if everything else got wiped out And someone handed you a 255 you'd run With it very happily so if you can get It cheap and that's you know you're on a Budget then you're not compromising in Too many areas really no I think couple Of features you're missing out on things Like training readiness there's a lot of Stuff that a lot of people might Consider bells and whistles you're Missing out on I mean you don't get a Very Hardy design of fa to say mic or Very long battery life but otherwise You're pretty much set right I mean for For me like particularly what we've see With the 265 and it's kind of slightly Moved out of that mid-range price status In terms of where it sits where this Very much does sit at mid-range and now If you look around the sales I mean I've Seen it for around 20000 £220 that is a Very good deal for a watch that's Effectively the same as a 265 minor that Am display I would say it's getting you A bit more in terms of battery life kind Of dayto day um so you're going to get a Little bit more out it from that point
Of view I found that I think something That really stood out for me was the Heart rate performance I know you know We don't all kind of you know will Bank On kind of obstacle heart rate you know If you're really kind of trusting out For training and you're from a kind of a Heart rate based uh point of view But Ultimately if you were and you did kind Of didn't want to kind pair up with External heart mon i' I found that it's Been very good overall so I think you Know there are some definite um kind of Qualities there in the t55 and I say Ultimately you my experience has been Very similar to the t65 from a core run Tracking experience I think Smartwatch Experience as well too if you can live Without that AMOLED display you know That drum drop in price isn't getting Giving you a kind of drop in terms of Features no fantastic watch and yeah Definitely one that's going to be in the Sales a lot then we move to a watch that Is very rarely reduced this is the coros Pace free in generally coros don't do Big reductions on their watches their Statement is basically that we price Watches you know lower than other brands And so we don't need to reduce them and It is kind of true because most of the Time the brands that compete with chorus Is because their watches do get reduced Something like the 255 but the pace3 at
Its full price is an incredible package I would say it's a full multisport watch You've getting the same training Analysis you get on chorus's top watches You're getting pretty good battery life It's a dinky little plastic thing which I think has quite an appealing design it Might not appeal to everyone because it Is a small plastic watch but it is Really lightweight and that's something That a lot of watches are going away From they seem be getting heavier in General it's a very lightweight really High performance watch one of my my Favorites in general and also really Good value so yeah Kieran you love the Past three as well right no this is so This is a watch that's already Represents good value I agree yeah it it Does you know it covers a lot of the Bases bang for buck in all the reviews That I've done when I've written this up Bangb when you compare it to to watches That are much pricier this sort of comes In and competes really nicely good Design good reliability in terms of the Accuracy uh really good battery life Which I love and yeah I think just Represents really nice value I think Yeah I think the biggest takeaway for me I think it's really important in terms Of the cor coros kind of ecosystem is It's really trying to and striving to Kind of have a the same software
Experience across its watches and that Includes the pace three as well too so You know while it might not you know Match the vertic and the Apex in all Aspects from a hardware point of view The software you know CH is really Striving to kind of make sure that it's Consistent so you know going cheaper Doesn't necessarily mean that you're Going to going to miss out on all these Big features that car was talking about It it tries its hardest to make sure That it's rolling back to its most Affordable watches so don't you know I Think that's a real kind of important Thing for me that your watch is going to Improve and you're not going to sit There and watch other people with an Apex and vertex think oh you know I'd Love to have that software feature Because you know carus is really trying To make it consistent across its range Yeah I agree Anyway next watch I'm going to throw you Is one it's the sunto races now sunto Has not been known I think it's fair to Say for been making great value watches And then suddenly the sunto race came Out which was very good value for its Price and then Theo race s came out Which is a smaller version of the watch But has all the same kind of features Youve got dual band GPS you've got a Really kind accurate tracking in quite
An attractive and hard wearing display And it's really cheap so it's a Mid-range watch but it's undercutting The other big hitters in this area like Pace Pro the Vantage M3 Garmin 4 and a 265 it's kind of undercutting all of Those watches whilst offering nearly all The same features and a slightly harder Design and you know you're not just Getting an all plastic watcher you're Getting quite you know a bit of metal on There nice screen and it's got a pretty Good tracking experience around as well So I don't if youve test this Kieran but Mike you have right and it's just Surprised all of us how good this watch Is yeah I mean I guess this is a classic Example of don't judge a watch by its Price because I think people would Probably look at it and think oh it's Going to be just another kind of Mid-range watch but you know it's Effectively taking what we really liked I think probably is one of the watches Or has really surprised Us in terms of Performance in terms of what is on offer Here and gives you that for less money And I think you know I think what really Impressed me from a cinto point of view Has been their kind of dual band's kind Of application to its watches what what How that kind of experiences in terms of Battery life I think the mapping support As well too you know that core you know
Experience is very very good and I think There's some areas where I think Ultimately it can improve it's not you Know alone on that I think particularly From a kind of presentation it's kind of Training and Analysis um side of things But what it will do is make sure that It's going to play with other kind of You know third party platforms and Giving you the scope to kind of share That information in the places that you Maybe potentially do use from a training Point of view but I think yeah Ultimately it is sat at a midrange price But it has got the features that you Know ultimately is going to let it Compete with kind of much you know more Expensive watches that we all kind of You know like but ultimately sunto is Going to give it to you for Less i' I've Actually been testing the titanium Version which is a bit more expensive Bit more bit more premium materials but It's still good value actually and yeah And actually you know in terms of the Way it operates it does everything else Exactly the same as the uh as the non Titanium version and I think I I Completely agree with you this has been A bit of a surprise it's been a while Since I strapped on a sunto watch and Actually felt really positive about it And this one has been yeah a bit of an Eye opener I think it's it's kind of hit
A sweet spot they've done something very Clever here in terms of offering that Kind of full breadth of features uh lots Of the kind of hardware and um Functionality you're going to want but They've come in at that price point it Feels like they've done a little bit of A coral In this and made it and made it just so Much more attractive there to the point Where there are things I don't Necessarily like about the sunto kind of Platform I'm not I've never been in love With their UI I find it very hard to Navigate sometimes I know that you get Used to watches but I have to find I Have to get used to this one a little More than others but there's some of Those things that have always been a bit Of a bug bear with me that I'd be Willing to foro a bit more because of The performance and the breadth of Features and just the way it looks I Think it's a really nice looking watch And everything you're getting out of This package is is there's a there's a Lot more to like than dislike and that's It's been a while since I've sort of Felt that about sunto 100% we actually I Don't think we' even said this at any Point it's an AMOLED watch it's got a Lovely AMOLED screen uh and this is one That we're talking about as great value At its full price but sunto unlike
Chorus does reduce watches so you might Even get a better deal on this watch From time to time but I 100% agree with All the kind of little Annoying quirks About the UI in sunos interface which Always annoyed me in all the reviews are Still present on this watch but you just Kind of forgive them because it is Really good value and it does other Stuff really well whereas in the past You know really annoyed me even more Because you were paying so much for a Watch that wasn't competing so yeah Really massive hat tip Toto for the race And the races coming in really good Value and taking it to Garmin like you Say like they've done a choros but Actually even undercut the choros pace Pro a little bit in the UK in particular So very good value watch then a couple Other picks we have in this category are Going to be G watches that are going on Sale and this is I think the big problem Actually most brands have with releasing Watches that are good value is that yeah But you're you're actually competing With last year's garming on sale which Still has more features and is now you Know saying kind of price couple of the Big ones here so one is the Garmin 4 and A 955 so this is the last 95 watch uh so The 9 that wasn't an AMOLED watch the 965 brought in an AMOLED screen but it Is still very much up to date with all
Of GT software features you've got dual Band GPS you've got offline maps it's It's basically a top Garmin in a Lightweight plastic design with a memory And pixel display now you do not going To get that in the future I think from Now on you're only going to get top Watches with AMOLED displays and they're Going to start introducing more and more Metal so last chance for this kind of Watch still an amazing watch very Accurate full featured dropping in sales Now so I think this watch going to start Hovering in the low 300s do we think That kind of price yeah I think so I Think at the moment it's probably under 400 but given what's happening elsewhere In garmin's range it it seems inevitable That it will it will drop and it's it's Essentially a bit like the 265 255 kind Of situation ultimately where you you're Effectively paying for that amade Display and you're paying a premium for It but if you can live without that Everything you're going to get on the The 955 you know from a functionality Point of view I think largely from a Design point of view to feel feel very Similar you know it's not a huge large Watch like the kind of more expensive Phoenix ranges but it's going to give You that kind of level of support in Terms of mapping in terms of navigation In terms of that multiband um support as
Well too and yeah I think it you know Considering it's I think it's very Likely it's going to drop even less than It already is uh now it's going to be an Option for a lot of people I think want That kind of a little bit more in terms Of that overall kind of comprehensive um Kind of feature set um but ultimately Maybe wanted for a bigger watch then you Know the 265 and 255 will will give you Definitely and it is a it's a highend Watch it's you know it's not that cheap But it's definitely good value there's Also the for and a 945 which is the Previous version now all of these older Watches you're going to struggle a bit In terms of you're not going to get that Many software updates going forward I Think the 9945 is now out of the Garmin Cycle but I have seen it today for like You know well under 300 so that's that's That's an interesting watch in that case That's still a very good watch but 955 Is probably the more it gives you more Value in terms of future proofing a Little bit more I would say the last Watch though gin Phoenix 8 is just Coming out the Garmin phoenix8 has just Come out I mean to say which has Replaced the Epic Pro and Phoenix 7 Pro Lines also the Epix 2 and Phoenix 7 have Kind of now been suaded by two watches Which means there are great deals to be Had on what were you know the top
Watches in garmin's range one or two or Three years ago Max and these are still Outstanding watches so Phoenix 7 is Certainly one that's going to be in Sales a lot but the one that's standing Out for me a lot every time I look at This on Amazon it seems an amazing deal Which is the Garmin epics 2 is always The white titanium version now the key Is the titanium version of the Epic 2 is The one that has dualband GPS as well as A sapphire screen whereas the base steel Model is doesn't have dual dual band GPS Is a bit heavier so the Epic Ste I think Is one of the best value watches on the Market these days because it is dropping To under £400 in some places it's Usually $450 I noticed in America and That is still basically a top-of the Range garment in many ways like you miss Out the new Phenix 88 now has things Like a mic and speaker it's got a better Optical heart rate monitor you've got a New user interface how much that bothers You I don't know but you have got pretty Much all the same software features you Do not get a flashlight which is a bit Gutting so I think you know this is the Watch I used for a year and loved you Know and there is upgrades of the Epic Pro and the Phoenix 8 but I I can't help But think this is unbelievable value Given that you are basically getting a Top software and feature an AMOLED
Screen Garmin watch for so much less Than the new models is that what do you Guys think of this Kieran come on tell Me I'm right no I I yeah I mean you are Although it wouldn't it would never have Been my first choice of watch out of the Whole range but when you put it like That and you couch it and you're putting It up against yeah I mean there are new Bells and whistles on on the Phoenix 8 And it's there's some sort of fun Tools In there the voice notes the sort of Voice activation of certain things and That new UI but I don't think they're You know they're not deal breakers They're not particularly they're good to Have they're nice to have but I think Yeah if you can save hundreds of pounds On having a or you know 100 pound on Having a watch that's got the very Similar functionality I wouldn't be Leaping to spend the extra on the Garin 8 so this is going to look very good Value by comparison I think for me it's Like you know it was probably the first Example of an Amal gar where I felt or You know with along with the n65 it's Like you're going to get the battery Life you kind of still crave and you're Willing to make compromises with but I Think ultim what that price is going to Do is put up against things in gin's own Range which Hammer displays like a 265 I Think and it like well do I go for 265
Or I go for this granted they're Different in terms of design but in Terms of what you're getting for your Money for probably a little bit less Money than that watch you're getting a Lot more a lot more um you know and I Think it feels like a no-brainer if you Want that kind of more rugged design um You know kind of more of those kind of Latest kind of um kind of Hardware um Innovations that Garmin has done with The epics and I think you know this is For me this is the one that's that kind Of stands out because it's dro poing Alongside a lot of other G watches that You think it seems like this is the one That you should be going for yeah it is If you wanted we've talked a lot about Kind of lightweight watches in this area Often they are the ones that are a bit Better value but this is you know the Full deal especially the titanium model Rugged all that kind of stuff just just A great watch and a watch that is a real Killer for lots of new watches even from Garmin themselves I think these days When you launch a premium topend AMOLED Watch and you go well the epics 2 IS300 Cheaper straight away again not looking At that you know you have been updated Up to this point with the Epic 2 you're Not going to get the new user interface On the Phoenix X8 there's going to be Some stuff phased out I'm sure but for a
Watch that came out I think in early 2022 it still very much stands up as one Of the best on the market I think and Certainly good value which is the whole Theme of this video so now we're going To attempt to really Flawless goodbye From all of Us uh but thanks very much for watching We' also got the best beginner watches Up already we have got some other come We're going to do best high-end watches Uh we'll talk about watches that cost a Lot more than the epics 2 we're going to Do best smart watches for full smart Experience and we're going to do best Mid-range watches cuz it's suddenly got Very hot in the mid-range category of Late with two new watches coming out but For now it's goodbye from me goodbye From me goodbye from me yeah beautiful
