Garmin today announced a new GPS running watch. The Garmin Forerunner 25 is a cheaper alternative to the Forerunner 225 that the company unveiled back in May and succeeds the Forerunner 15. At the same time, it offers a number of connected features typically found on smarwatches.
“Whether you’re preparing for your first 5k or gearing up for a marathon, the Forerunner 25 is a great tool to keep runners motivated and on track with training,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “The Forerunner 25 keeps runners connected to family and friends while keeping them active by tracking data during runs and the rest of their day.”
The Garmin Forerunner 25 trades in its sibling’s more expensive touchscreen colour LCD display for a monochrome one and drops the touchscreen feature. But it is 32% larger than that of the Forerunner 15. It is thinner than its predecessor and water resistant to 50 meters.
As a running watch the Forerunner 25 comes with basic fitness tracking capabilities. Distance, pace, heart rate and personal records are all measured during workouts. It will also track steps, calories and distance throughout the day. It can also measure heart rate when paired with a heart monitor. Paired with a smartphone, it will also offer a range of notifications including incoming call, text and emails as well as upcoming calendar events.
Additional connected features include social media sharing and automatic uploads to Garmin Connect™, a free online fitness community, to join fitness challenges, analyze training progress, set and track goals and share activities with other Garmin Connect users.
The Garmin Forerunner 25 is expected to launch in Q3. It will be available in either black and red or black and blue with a large face or black and purple or white and pink with a small face. It will sell for US$169.99 or US$199.99 when bundled with a heart rate monitor.
While it may not earn many points as a fashion statement, it would certainly be a good option to anyone looking to get a running watch but unsure whether they are ready to make a significant investment in one.
Source : Garmin