Pros & Cons Garmin Forerunner 255 (Music) Review, Best Running Watch? No Touchscreen Is A Good Thing
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- Опубліковано 10 кві 2023
- Here I am sharing a review on the Garmin Forerunner 255 Music, which I have had for about three months. I'll be going through pros and cons of this watch and my overall thought so far.
Could this be the best sports watch for running?
00:18 Comfort
00:30 Lightweight
00:44 Battery Life
01:38 Exercise Auto-Detection
02:54 GPS
03:28 Touchscreen
04:04 Visible Screen
04:44 Settings
05:04 Everything Just Works
05:53 Bedtime Window
06:47 Music Feature
07:51 Trapped Water
08:52 Price
09:40 Faulty
11:01 Conclusion
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Garmin Forerunner 255 Music
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#Garmin #Forerunner255
Thank you for such a concise and honest review. Your video helped me to purchase my first Garmin - Forerunner 255 music. Thanks! Been using for few days and so far I am loving it.
Congratulations on your new watch. I still love my 255 Music and wear it everyday. I'm glad you're enjoying yours too. What made you decide on the 255? Are you training for anything?
Such a great review, answered so many practical questions!
Thank you for the lovely comment 😊 Glad it was helpful and you found it useful!
succinct and straight to the point - thanks, brilliant review!
Thank you 😊
Great review. I’m enthusiastic athlete, have had a journey of swapping through various of sport watches and somehow always end coming back to Garmin. I mainly run and bike, forerunner 255 seems to fit my needs. Thank for you honest user review. Keep up the good work ! Agree that running is good for health and mental wellbeing.
I don't have a lot of experience with other sports watches, other than Fitbit but Garmin seems to be an affordable option that has the features I want. I'm really loving the Forerunner 255 and have been using it every single day since purchasing it over a year ago. Thank you for watching and taking the time to leave a comment 😊 Keep up the good work yourself with the running and biking!
Great video, finally the visual from a real user!
Thanks for watching 😊 I know what you mean. When I was doing research on this watch there were a lot of videos of someone taking other people's footage and talking over the video (or a robot talking over the video 😒).
Tron-y! Yes! Such a fantastic genre of music :D
Can't believe someone actually noticed 😂
Getting my FR255 tomorrow. Super excited! I also have the same dumbbells! =D
Yay! That's exciting. You'll love it. What colour are you going for?
@@YuennyLam I got the black one =D
@@mikestevenson1334 Black goes with everything 😊 I really like the white too.
I could listen to you talk all day, definite ASMR vibes, I'm getting goosebumps LOL
Never thought my voice would make someone think of ASMR 🤔
@YuennyLam haha! Well, something is calming about it, the tones and the way you sequence your sentences. Honestly gives me tingles lol
@leonard8766 Thanks. I'll take it as a compliment 😊
Love your videos! They’re so helpful… I’m beginning to run do you think it’s too advanced for a beginner?
Thank you. That's very kind 😊 I think it's a very good overall watch for running so I don't think it's too advanced for a beginner. I personally wouldn't go for something this pricey to start with though, but that's because if I was a beginner now I wouldn't know what stats I'd like to see or track. They do the Forerunner 55 which may be more suitable for a beginner with a lot of useful features that the 255 offers. The FR55 is a lot more affordable too. But all in all, I don't think it's too advanced. It'll certainly help you in the future as you become a more experienced runner 😊
I just got the 255 as an upgrade to my 245. I have a similar sized wrist, and while it does seem bigger, (for now) The screen is so nice!! The smaller size would have been closer to the 245 BUT I wasn't a fan of how much smaller the visible screen was on the small, since it was a bit less than 245. Yes! The upgraded metrics are awesome, number 1 reason I got it.
I went for the non touch screen, on the just released 265 for the same reason. Didn't need those features and love an always on display, in MIP.
Mine is the non music in slate. Gonna get a teal band for it.
Congrats on your new watch. It seems a bit big at first, especially having had the 245 before but what I really like is how light the watch is. I generally don't even feel it on my wrist. I hope you'll get used to the bigger size and enjoy the watch as much as I do. The bigger screen is so nice and definitely agree with the always-on screen (and the money you would save not getting the 265).
I was convinced I would get the slate grey because I just don't need the music feature but I really like the black. I'm contemplating if I should get the white strap for the summer. Teal would look really nice on this watch 😊
Great summary Yueeny. I am a physio and the water trapped under a watch every time I wash my hands (between patients) is an issue - may seem minor but for some people this is important!
Yeah, I still have to take my watch off and dry the skin all the time, as it can't be good to leave water sitting there and it's just uncomfortable. Good to know you wash your hands between patients 😊 It's shocking how little people wash their hands, not just because of their jobs but also day-to-day. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Thank you, good review :) Do the buttons on your watch work identically, correctly? A lot of people mention this problem. It's easy to find about it by searching the phrases "forerunner buttons issue"
Thank you 😊 No, I've not had any issues with my buttons and I haven't come across anyone mention this issue until now. All my buttons work perfectly fine (for now 🤞)
It's true, Garmin expects us to set a sleep window, but in my experience it's still pretty good at detecting sleep even when it's totally out of that window - it might take a bit longer after waking up until it figured it out. Often it will tell me I only slept three hours or the like, but when being updated after a while the times make more sense.
I'm using the Forerunner 245 and it's still working fine, although it needs more frequent charging than it did fresh out of the box. I do enjoy Garmins ecosystem (metrics, map creating, sleep tracking etc.) quite a bit and also like that Garmin updates even their older models frequently.
Cheers from Berlin!
I find that my watch (this Garmin and Fitbit in the past) always thinks I've had more sleep than I actually did. I think when I don't get up immediately after waking up the watch thinks I'm still sleeping. And because I suffer from insomnia, most nights I lie awake but my watch would think I've been sleeping that whole time. It's not super accurate for me but it doesn't matter too much because I only use it to get an idea of how much I sleep on average.
I considered getting the FR245 to save even more money but I wanted the longer battery life. It's good to know that an older Garmin is still doing well after all these years, and I agree it's nice that Garmin still offers updates on older models. I'm not a fan of some brands (watch or not) stop offering updates and forces consumers to spend money on the latest models when the existing one is absolutely fine.
As always, thanks for watching and your comment 😊
Looking at getting my first watch so I don’t need to take my phone out on a run. Great video 👍 looking at this or the venu 2 plus. Want to be able to monitor my HR whilst running as I’ve been told by friends I need to slow down. Also the music feature is a must for me.
This is a great watch and I've been really loving it since getting it over 6 months ago. Been wearing it every single day and used it to track every run/workout so far. I'm not able to comment on the Venu 2 Plus with the 255 as I've not used the Venu, but I'm sure either watch would be great for your runs. I've not had the best experience with the music feature, but I haven't tested it extensively. I know some people love having music on the watch without having to take their phones out, so I hope it works well for you. What colour will you be getting?
@@YuennyLam same as the one the have, looks great. Can you set up heart rate monitoring for when you are running on this watch ?
I think the black and the white are the best colours. Yes, it does detect and track your heart rate from the sensors on the back of the watch. You can also set your HR zones as well.
thanks for the review from an average person. "everything just works" :D thats what i really needed to hear
p.s.: on the biceps curl, if you should ever encounter pain in the elbow you can lock them a bit more into place, without moving them away from the body when starting the upward movement
Thank you for watching and taking the time to leave a comment. I like sharing my opinion and experience on things. It also makes me happy that when my videos are somewhat helpful 😁
Thanks for the tip regrading the bicep curls. I've never had training, an instructor or any type of guidance when it comes to strength workouts, so any feedback is appreciated. I feel like there's always room for improvement with everything and I love learning. Thank you 😊
Thanks for the informative video! I've been using 255 since december. The best thing is the suggested running workouts. It has given me much needed variations and rationality in training. Additional info about cadence and ergonomy is enlightining too and the data seems accurate when running with metronome. I also like that I can set target paces based on hr zones, although changing the settings weren't very intuitive. Haven't had any problems with connectivity or any other technical issue. What I don't like, is the accuracy of race predictions. Feels like the algorithms aren't that good, or it takes a lot time to calibrate new data. Would also be nice if the watch analyzed my training more and gave useful insights. Although I too like the lightweight of the watch (easy to sleep) I still kinda miss some kind of 'ruggedness' to have a feeling this isn't a toy, but an expensive watch. I bought the blue model, and I'm not that happy the way it looks.
Thank you for watching 😊 I've been really enjoying the daily suggested workouts and same as you, it has given me motivation to go out and mix up my workouts a bit. I agree that the race predictions are way off. Mine always predicts I can run it 5-10mins faster than I have ever run, so it's not very accurate for me either. Kind of a bit disheartening as well when it feels like the watch tells me I can run faster, but I physically cannot 😞 I enjoy the lightness if the watch too but I know what you mean. It is a very expensive watch for it to feel like it could break. So far it's been really good though. No scratches or scuffs and considering the watch is worn every single day pretty much 24/7, I'm impressed. I've not the seen the blue in person. For some reason nowhere has the 255 on display in any shops in the UK, even now after it's been out a while 😒 I've seen pictures of the blue and it looks nice. What do you not like about it?
@@YuennyLam Well I was hoping it wouldn't be SO blue 😄 Preferably navy blue. Extra bands are very expensive.
My race predictions are slower what I can run. Maybe it's because most of my runs have been easy basic runs. 🤷
I wasn't sure if it was a bright blue or more of a dull blue. I've been wanting to get a white strap for the summer but you're right, they're so expensive. Don't know if I can justify it.
I mostly do normal/slow runs with weekly sprint and hill sessions, but I still don't think the predictions should be as fast as they are.
I had a similar annoying water problem with my Garmin Swim 2. I usually moved it up my forearm or change hands. Plus the watch strap was itchy, so frequent position changes and tightening/loosing.
I guess they replaced your watch in the meantime due to that charging problem and music problem as well. I'm opting for the Music version as well, love the white one, but I must say the black looks good, too.
I didn't get a replacement watch. The charging issue is fine now and I don't use the music feature. I didn't get the music version for that reason. I just wanted the black, but now I'm thinking I should've gotten the white. I changed the black straps to white and haven't changed them back since so I think I like the white colour a lot more.
Thx for great review. The charging issue is a big con unfortunately.
It's annoying, but I've been able to charge and I've had the watch for over 10 months now. I must be unlucky to get one that has a charging issue 😕
@@YuennyLamyes Indeed, however I think you should contact support again if the charger they sent you did not solve the problem. Another question if you don't mind, did you try the 955 ? I can't make a choice between 255 or 955. Thanks
@@theattorney6072 I don't mind at all regarding the question. I really like the 955 and if I could choose either, I'd go for the 955 solar. But it's so much more expensive. The cost is the only reason I got the 255. I still have the 955 on my radar.
Very nice review!
I was on my personal journey of finding my perfect fitness device. Tried Apple Watch Ultra; much too overwhelming as it is literally a phone on your wrist. Tried Garmin Fenix 7; Very good watch but heavy and many of the features are lost on me as I only focus on running and strength training. Then had my eye on a more minimal watch with the Forerunner 255, which this review sold me on. Much cheaper than the Fenix or Ultra and without compromise on my use case.
AMOLED is a neat feature on phones, but I think on fitness trackers, the always on MIP display is much more convenient. Also, the newer 265 is much too loud design wise. The "RUN" on the start button in neon colors is too tacky for my liking.
An aside on the music feature: I can attest that its even buggy on the Fenix even though that's Garmin's flagship. If a Spotify playlist loops, or if I hit back or forward one too many times the audio would cut out. I'd have to manually jiggle the play or previous buttons to get the playlist going again. Very annoying on the tempo runs to get that going again. I reckon that in Spotify's point of view, Garmin support is unfortunately somewhere low on the list of their priorities.
Thank you for your taking the time to comment. I feel like when I do research on an expensive product I would want to find out as much as possible. I love the look of the Fenix 7 but did wonder if it's a bit too chunky and maybe even heavy. I agree that a watch with too many features can be overwhelming. I still haven't tried most of them on this 255 and not sure I ever will actually need them. For me I just wanted something that's reliable and simple in terms of tracking the things I need, mostly running-related and everything is a bonus. I do enjoy some of the extras on there, which I find has helped improve my running.
Couldn't agree more about the AMOLED display. I love that the 255 screen is always on and I can always see the screen without needing it to be "turned on". The screen on the 265 is beautiful, but for me it looks way too bright and again, unnecessary IMO.
It's a shame the music feature isn't better. I would consider using it if it didn't cut out like it does. Nothing worse than when you're trying to focus on training and the music skipping or stopping altogether. Luckily, the music option wasn't my priority when deciding to go for this particular watch, but spending this much on it, you would've thought the feature would just work.
Did you/Are you going for the 255 music or non music? And what size/colour?
@@YuennyLam And thanks for taking the time to reply! My 255 actually just came in today and I was able to take it for a spin. Its the non-music model in gray; in the US Amazon has it listed for 150 dollars less than a 265, which I think is a good deal all things considered. Overall, my suspicions were confirmed! Its a much lighter weight watch, simple to use and minimal for my purposes.
I was convinced I was going to get the non-music grey version but I liked the black one so much more. Congrats on your new watch and I'm glad you seem happy with your purchase. It is surprisingly light considering the size of the watch. The strap is also very comfortable. I really love it, and like you said, simple to use is all we need 😊
Hi, I was on the brink of buying a FR255s Music - the main reason being so I can go for runs and listen to music / podcasts without taking my phone. I watched countless videos reviewing various models and yours is the first I've seen that mentions the actual music function being an issue. Since googling it I've found countless people complaining that they have the same problem - the music just stops playing and cuts out - but they're all 6-months+ old. Has the problem been fixed with a firmware update?
Thanks for bringing this to my attention and potentially saving my hundreds of pounds!
Hi there. The music issue hasn't been fixed, but I'm not too sure if there's been any changes recently. I've only really tried listening to music earlier on this year and most of the times I don't listen to anything on my runs. To be fair, I feel like the Garmin watches are so small to be expecting it to perform brilliantly at everything. Maybe the music function just isn't a strong feature at this point. I've not heard many other people comment on using the music function on their Garmin watches, so I probably wouldn't rely on it to provide you with entertainment while you run. Hope this helps and best of luck in making a decision. Thanks for watching 😊
Hello
Is it possible to disable the activity auto-detection ?
During strength workout? To be honest, I'm not too sure. I had a look in the settings but couldn't see anything obvious. I think it's there to help you track your exercises, otherwise it'll be too manual a job to record it all. If I had to find and save each individual exercise and every single set each time, I wouldn't bother logging everything. Or the other option is to just record the whole workout as one, without separate exercises if that makes sense. Sorry I couldn't help any further.
Good review, thanks. I agree with you about a lot of things. The black colour is so much nicer than the slate grey and I think Garmin know it :)
Agreed about Amoled too. A sports watch that does not stay on all the time does not seem a good idea to me, and paying £100 extra for that... nonsense.
Enjoy your watch. I would not worry too much about the charging thing, I've had both the 935 and the 245 with the same charging socket and it never made perfect connection, but after years of use never really got worse either to the point of not working anymore. Garmin does not seem to get it 100% right.
Thank you for your comment 😊 When I was first looking into getting this watch I was convinced I'd get the slate grey to save some money, but not many people purchase that colour it seems, so not many pictures online to see what it looks like. And the ones I have seen online doesn't look very nice 🙄 The slate grey in certain lighting makes the watch look a bit cheap.
Totally agree about the screen coming on, because I can imagine the AMOLED screen coming on and disrupting sleep in the night and in places like the cinema. I just don't like the idea of it and much prefer the screen on the 255 where it's always visible unless you're in complete darkness. But then you wouldn't want anything to light up in those situations.
Good to know that the charger hasn't gotten worse over time. I was just surprised it was an issue so early on, but hopefully it's a minor thing and, like you said, it won't get worse over time 🤞
My 245 music back button has now started to stick and sometimes impossible to use as you have to pick it out, I’m thinking of getting this in 46mm is this the size you are using , the display and size will be an upgrade for me from 245 , my cable did the same on charging like you mentioned so I order a 3rd party one from Amazon and has worked perfectly since , great review btw
Sounds like the back button is rather annoying. How long have you had the 245 until it started happening? Yes, I have the 46mm and I believe it is quite a bit larger than the 245, but by no means overwhelming comparing the two. That's because I don't find the bigger version of the 255 that big though, despite having a smaller wrist. Happy the third party cable worked for you. I've not experienced charging issues since the new cable (touch wood), so it might've just fixed that. Which version (colour/music) of the 255 are you considering?
@@YuennyLam hi thanks for reply, I have had my 245 a few years now , yes the back button is a pain I once had to abandon a run because it played up, I do like the 255 the one you reviewed same colour same model, I’ve tried cleaning the 245 up as it’s common problem I’ve read on forums but tbh I would like an upgrade to the 255 , I shall see in the next month , your review was very good and looks like you may have tempted me more to get one, glad you cable works too 👍🏼
I can imagine the button being very annoying. Considering you've had and used the 245 so much over the years then it's worth an upgrade I think. You know you will use it loads with the new one which makes it worth it. Thank you for watching and chatting with me. Let me know when you do get it. The black is a great colour and goes with everything.
@@YuennyLam thanks I will let you know ,
@@YuennyLamHi Yuenny long time since last comment, anyway I said I’d let you know what I’d get , I ended up getting the epix gen 2 47mm in a sale price it was only a bit more than the 255 , love the watch with features and display , good to see new video content, good luck with the training for the marathon 👍🏼
I ordered Forerunner 255 non-music version few days ago because it uses MIP display. I don't like new AMOLED version - UI fonts and colors. Too bright for me. I bought that watch strictly for running and the price is really high. I plan to add chest strap as well and it adds 30% for the end price. I remember I used Sigma sport watch PC 25.11 (15.11) for a long time and it worked perfectly because it had HR training zones notifications. Basically all you need. I used RunKeeper on my cellphone for tracking and training programs. And it was cheap. The only downside, chest strap lasted one year, but you could buy a new one like for 30$. RunKeeper is a subscription based these days. So I hope Garmin Connect has good training plans for that price.
Congrats on your new watch 😊 Did you get the grey or blue? You won't regret it. It's great for keeping track of your training and progress. I totally agree about the AMOLED screen. I much prefer the screen on the 255 and it's more than enough to see and for what I use it for. The 265 is definitely too bright and IMO unnecessary. I've been really enjoying the Garmin daily suggested workouts since getting the Forerunner 255. I've been keen to try the running coach option on Garmin Connect, but haven't yet. I also like that you can set your own training sessions, which a lot of them you can find examples online for free. I feel like this watch has helped me and my running in many different ways and I am so glad I invested in one 😊
@@YuennyLam That's great that you like the watch features. The black watch you have is really nice. I think I will enjoy the watch too. I bought Garmin because of features. I ordered grey 46mm version. It was on discount and it's actually the color I prefer. Reminds me my Casio watch. I never had Garmin sport watch before. I have big hopes regarding Garmin suggested workouts. Because RunKeeper programs worked perfectly fine for me. I want to keep it simple, just select any program that suites me. Thanks for the review. I find it interesting that charging wire does not plug perfectly.
@@zhvn89 I almost bought the grey one to save money but I like the black one more, enough to justify spending a bit extra. Considering it's something I wear every single day. It was on offer when I bought mine too, so saved about GBP £50 which isn't bad. I agree that the grey looks like some of the older Casio watches. Classic 😊 Hope the suggested workouts suit your training. I like being able to pick and choose what I feel like that day. Hope you have found the review helpful. I know I'd want to know as much as possible before spending so much on a watch. Enjoy and keep running 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️
@YuennyLam I'm going to buy a GPS watch strictly for running now. I think I will choose 255 over many versions of this brand out there. Yes I agree with you. 255 is enough even it has been released for more than 1 year. I don't like 265, not really worth its price.
How tall are u please. Wanting to buy the 255 but scared its to big. Would consider 255s. I previously wearing garmin 35. Previously had a charging issue and for me was the charging block
I'm 5ft 5 in height. It's hard to gauge how big/small a watch looks without trying it on. I still find the 255 looks too small on my wrist, but I've had other people tell me it looks big on me. It's also down to personal preference. Has the charging issue been resolved? Is that the reason you're thinking of getting a new watch? Thanks for watching 😊
I've used Garmin when I first started training for distance runs over 15 years ago, and I remember that it was rather bulky at that time, but still really useful to keep track of my miles and pace. I've been using the Nike Run app on my Iphone for years now and I really love it since I just wear my Apple watch and AirPods. It keeps track of my miles, pace, calories, elevation, heart rate, cadence, and pretty much everything I can ask for. I can also listen to music, make and receive calls, and hit the emergency button if needed, and I don't need to carry my phone. It's really convenient and the battery lasted until 25 miles during my one marathon I ran with.
I remember having one of the older Garmin Forerunners. I think it was a Forerunner 10 in purple (my favourite colour). I really enjoyed tracking my runs. Then I stopped distance running for a while and really enjoyed the Fitbit for a few years, because they are light and small to comfortably wear everyday. Good you found something that works for you and you're happy with. And the battery life seems pretty impressive for such a long run. I don't have any Apple products but sounds like they're good for sports features.
What do you think of a Garmin connect group where you coud do challenges with your subscribers?
That's an interesting idea. Would be a lot of fun, but I don't know how many people actually take part in the Garmin challenges 🤔 I like your thinking though. Thanks!
I thinkt it‘s worth a try or not?
I'll have a think 😊
@@YuennyLamI’ll join! 😝. Def one of the best reviews of the 255. I bought this after your review 😊. Wearing it for 3 weeks now. How’s it going for you still? :)
@@anelkaisgood2 Awww....thanks. You're very kind and I'm glad it's helpful. It's always good to do as much research as possible before spending on an expensive product. I wear mine every single day still (to the point where I have a massive untanned area of skin where the watch sits 😂). I use it for every workout I do and I absolutely love this watch. It's a great motivation for me to be able to record and look at all my stats. Even if I can choose now I'd still go for the 255 over the 265. What size and colour did you go for?
10:30 How can you have new cable in hands and not trying it ?
I know 🙄 I did try it in the end but it hasn't really fixed the charging issue.