Garmin Forerunner 235: 2024 Review by NanaDC -- Still Worth Buying Today?

Written by – Updated on March 5, 2024

The Garmin Forerunner is a GPS smartwatch that offers innovative tracking technology, highly accurate sensors, impressive durability, and amazing dependability as an all-in-one multi-sport device.

This review will cover the following:

  • What It Can Do
  • Key Features
  • Battery Life
  • Style, Design, and Display
  • Frequently Asked Questions

What Can the Garmin Forerunner 235 Do?

forerunner 235

The watch helps optimize workouts or customize entirely new exercises and training regimens. The smartwatch syncs with your smartphone or other smart devices.

It offers health benefits that go beyond regular fitness in the form of sleep insights and 24/7 heart rate monitoring. It also tracks your blood-oxygen saturation levels to maximize workouts or show daily stress levels.

The fast and accurate GPS gives runners, cyclers, and other athletes valuable data while on the move. The device also records your distance, number of steps taken, speed, and much more.

Key Features

This watch has a staggering amount of impressive features. It is an excellent upgrade option if you’re already a Garmin smartwatch owner.

The Elevate heart-rate tracking wrist-based technology means you can do away with chest straps. Make sure the watch is secure for the most accurate readings.

The GPS and Glonass software connect fast and can report on your specific site for safety and security purposes if you were to have an incident or if you’re navigating an unfamiliar running path. Advanced workouts and laps bring an added level of data.

This Garmin smartwatch is an excellent running companion for the casual and marathon elites alike. Monitors and alerts encourage you to go faster to meet whatever predetermined fitness goals you’ve set.

The ConnectIQ app store is available for new watch-faces, apps, widgets, and more.

It is not the cheapest option but still ranks high as a great value. It has a lightweight design, color screen, and a comfortable silicone strap.

Moreover, to help optimize your sleep, it offers the Smart trainer for the best in sleep recovery.

Some other key features include:

  • Race predictor
  • Automatic smartphone and smart device syncing
  • Smartwatch skills
  • Week-long battery life
  • Bluetooth capabilities
  • Smaller dimensions with a bigger display
  • Activity tracking to count steps
  • Waterproof up to a depth of 50 meters
  • Data tracking that includes time, distance, speed, pace, and calories burned
  • Logs and displays workout history
  • Training aids for customizable and interval workouts
  • Food pod and bike cadence sensor available as accessories
  • Workout and location sharing through social media with Garmin Connect
  • Time & Date
  • Alarms & Stopwatch
  • VO2 Max sensor to measure blood-oxygen saturation levels

Battery Life

Garmin smartwatches offer the very best in battery life among competitors. On average, this model has a week-long battery life.

The company’s official estimate is 11 hours when in fully active mode (using GPS along with the heart rate monitor and tracing).

Smartwatch mode has an impressive 9-day battery life, and the device comes with a special charging cable.

Style, Design & Display

Garmin is known for its products’ durability and dependability. This one is a lighter thinner model weighing in at 42 grams.

The silicone strap is stylish and perforated for maximum comfort when sweating during workouts.

A sharp, high-resolution color screen and less bezel make it noticeably different than its 225 predecessors.

The second-generation heart rate monitoring sensor can be viewed on display.

Buttons are responsive and easy to press while active or on the move.

Lastly, Smartwatch Skills syncs with your notifications and shows the full text or email message rather than just a subject line.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Your questions answered.

Can Garmin Forerunner 235 be Used for Swimming?

Yes! It's entirely waterproof for up to a depth of 50 meters, making it an excellent option for freedivers, SCUBA divers, and those involved in water-based activities. No specific swim-sports mode is used or particularly needed.

Can the Garmin Forerunner 235 Play Music?

One of its biggest, if not only, drawbacks is that it cannot play, store, or stream music. However, it does allow you to control your smartphone’s music player through syncing.

Is Garmin Forerunner 235 a Smartwatch?

Yes, it is most definitely a fantastic smartwatch choice. You can receive call and notification alerts and view all incoming text and email messages.

Wrap Up

The Forerunner boasts some of the most sophisticated tracking and reporting technology the smartwatch industry has to offer.

Garmin has proudly manufactured a superior product for more years than most other competitors have been in business.

An extended battery life, high durability, and proven dependability are among this brand’s most treasured selling points.

Whether you’re looking for a digital health and fitness companion to help reduce stress, improve sleep, burn calories, or train for a marathon, you will find that the Forerunner has some great features [R].

All of the traditional features have not been forgotten.

GPS login speed and accuracy has been improved considerably as well as the old beloved standard date, time, weather, and stopwatch features.