Garmin Forerunner 245 was released in the year 2019. It is a dated variant in the Forerunner series. But, it continues to do well as athletes and triathletes love the watch for its simplicity and durability.
Fitbit Sense 2 was released in September 2022 and is a relatively newer variant of the Fitbit smartwatch.
We look at a comparison between the Forerunner 245 and Fitbit Sense 2 to help you pick the right one.
Main differences
- Fitbit Sense 2 uses an AMOLED display screen. Forerunner 245 has a MIP or Memory-in-pixel screen. Sense 2 has better display resolution and performance.
- Forerunner 245 has a much better GPS performance and accuracy than Sense 2. It supports GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo networks while the Sense 2 only supports GPS and GLONASS networks.
- Forerunner 245 has a better battery life than the Fitbit Sense 2 smartwatch, especially on the GPS mode.
- Fitbit Sense 2 offers an ECG app to take on-the-spot electrocardiogram readings. Forerunner 245 does not have an ECG app.
- Forerunner 245 has limited music support. Fitbit Sense 2 lacks music functionality. For full music support, you could upgrade to Forerunner 245 Music edition by paying an additional cost of $50.
- Forerunner 245 supports ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity. Fitbit Sense 2 supports Bluetooth connectivity. If you were to get a Forerunner 245 Music edition, you could additionally get access to Wi-Fi connectivity.
- Fitbit Sense 2 has an in-built speaker and microphone. You can make calls or answer calls directly from the Sense 2 smartwatch. Forerunner 245 does not have an in-built speaker or mic.
We look at these differences in detail below.
Display specifications
Forerunner 245 uses the 3rd-generation Corning Gorilla Glass in the display lens. It is one of the best display lenses available for smartwatches. Not much information is available about the display lens used in a Fitbit Sense 2.
However, Sense 2 offers an AMOLED display.
The AMOLED display leads to the following benefits:
- The display resolution of Sense 2 is higher than the resolution of Garmin Forerunner 245.
- Sense 2 supports Always-on-display or the AOD mode.
A side-by-side comparison of the display features of Forerunner 245 and Fitbit Sense 2 is shared below.
| Display specifications | Garmin Forerunner 245 | Fitbit Sense 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Display lens | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | No information |
| Display shape | Round | Box or Square |
| Display type | MIP (Memory in Pixel) display | AMOLED display |
| Display size | 1.2″ (30.4 mm) | 1.58″ or 40 mm |
| Display resolution | 240 x 240 pixels | 336 x 336 pixels |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes |
| Color display | Yes | Yes |
| Always-on-display | No | Yes |
| Ambient light sensor | No | Yes |
For its display performance and configuration, Fitbit Sense 2 is a better option than the Forerunner 245.
Forerunner 245’s MIP display has lower display resolution than Sense 2. Forerunner 245 also misses an ambient light sensor and a touchscreen functionality.
Physical specifications
You will find some essential features missing in the Forerunner 245.
Forerunner 245 does not have an in-built speaker or mic. It also lacks NFC functionality and Garmin Pay will not work on the device.
Fitbit Sense 2 allows you to make calls or answer calls from the watch. It has an in-built speaker and microphone. Sense 2 also supports NFC or contactless payments.
| Physical specifications | Garmin Forerunner 245 | Fitbit Sense 2 |
|---|---|---|
| iOS compatible | iOS 15 and higher versions | iOS 15 and higher versions |
| Android compatible | Android 7 and higher versions | Android 9 and higher versions |
| Watch size | 42.3 x 42.3 x 12.2 mm | 40 x 41 x 11mm |
| Watch weight | 38.5 g | 46 g |
| Thickness | 12.2 mm | 11 mm |
| Band size | 22 mm | Small and Large bands |
| Bezel | Fiber-enforced polymer | Aluminum body with bezel-less design |
| Band material | Silicone | Silicone |
| Watch body | Fiber-enforced polymer | Aluminum |
| NFC or Contactless Payments | Not Available | Fitbit Pay and Google Wallet |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM or 50 Meters | 5 ATM or 50 Meters |
| Device storage | 4 GB | 7 days of activity data |
| Speaker | No | Yes |
| Microphone | No | Yes |
The physical specifications of Fitbit Sense 2 are definitely better than Forerunner 245. Especially, the contactless payments or NFC payments are supported on Fitbit Sense 2.
Ability to make or answer calls directly from the Sense 2 is another useful feature.
GPS
Forerunner 245 has a more accurate and reliable GPS performance. It supports GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo GPS networks.
The Galileo GPS network of satellites is managed by the European Space Agency. It does augment the GPS accuracy in Europe.
Fitbit Sense 2 supports GPS and GLONASS networks. It does not have any native support for the Galileo GPS network.
For people looking to get reliable GPS performance and connectivity, Forerunner 245 will outsmart a Fitbit Sense 2 any time of the day.
Music
Forerunner 245 does come with the ability to manage music on the paired smartphone. However, it does not have the ability to store audio content on the watch storage.
Should you want to get offline music storage functionality, you could buy Forerunner 245 Music edition in place of the Forerunner 245 standard edition. There is an additional cost of $50 when you get a Forerunner 245 Music edition instead of the Forerunner 245 standard edition watch.
Forerunner 245 Music edition adds the ability to store music content on the watch storage. You can play this music directly from the watch.
Fitbit Sense 2 does not have any music features.
Wireless connectivity
Forerunner 245 supports ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity while the Fitbit Sense 2 only supports Bluetooth connectivity.
ANT+ connectivity is useful in sharing data from the watch to an ANT+ receiving device on a real-time basis. A practical example of ANT+ connectivity is the ability to share the heart rate data from the watch to the ANT+ receiving device.
Forerunner 245 Music edition smartwatch comes with additional support for Wi-Fi connectivity.
If you were to buy Forerunner 245 Music in place of the regular or standard edition of Forerunner 245, you would get ANT+, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Forerunner 245 and Forerunner 245 Music edition smartwatches have better wireless connectivity options than the Fitbit Sense 2 smartwatch.
Battery
Forerunner 245 has a battery life of up to 7 days on a full charge. On the GPS mode, a Forerunner 245 can last for up to 24 hours.
Fitbit Sense 2 comes with a battery life of 6 days. However, the Sense 2 battery drains very fast on GPS usage.
Both watches support fast charging.
You can go from zero battery charge to full battery charge on both watches in less than 2 hours. In fact, the 12-minute charging of Fitbit Sense 2 adds a day’s worth of battery charge.
ECG app
Fitbit Sense 2 has an ECG app. It can be used to take electrocardiogram readings and share them with a medical practitioner.
The ECG readings can help detect cases of Atrial Fibrillation (Afib) or irregular heart rate rhythm.
Garmin Forerunner 245 does not have an ECG app.
Fall detection
Garmin Forerunner 245 has an incident detection feature or fall detection feature.
Upon detecting a hard fall during specific activities. a Garmin Forerunner 245 will send an emergency notification message to the designated emergency contacts.
The message is sent through the paired smartphone and contains your GPS location.
The incident detection feature comes in handy to seek timely assistance in the event of a fall.
Fitbit Sense 2 does not have the fall detection feature yet.
Costs
Fitbit Sense 2 comes at a list price of $299.99 and Garmin Forerunner 245 costs $299.99 as well. The Garmin Forerunner 245 Music edition smartwatch comes at a cost of $349.99.
But, with a Fitbit Sense 2, you will need to take into account the Fitbit Premium subscription as well. Not all health tracking features are available outside the Fitbit Premium subscription.
Fitbit Premium is $9.99 a month or $79.99 when paid annually.
So, the costs of Fitbit Sense 2 over a 2-year period of ownership will escalate over the list price of $299.99.
Final verdict
There are things that work in favor of Fitbit Sense 2. You can consider Fitbit Sense 2 over Forerunner 245 for the following features:
- The ECG app is a game changer. If you wish to track your heart health more closely, Fitbit Sense 2 with Fitbit Premium subscription will make more sense.
- The AMOLED display of Fitbit Sense 2 is definitely livelier than the display of the Forerunner 245.
- NFC or contactless payments are possible in Fitbit Sense 2. Garmin Forerunner 245 or Forerunner 245 Music lack NFC payments or NFC support.
Forerunner 245 is an apt choice for runners and athletes for the following reasons:
- Forerunner 245 offers better GPS performance and accuracy
- It has the incident detection feature
- Forerunner 245 offers more in-built programs for training, outdoor recreation, running, and cycling.
- You could have limited or full access to the music features in Forerunner 245 and Forerunner 245 Music editions respectively.
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