Garmin Forerunner 955 and Enduro 2 were released in June and August 2022 respectively. Both watches make for compelling buys.
We look at Garmin Forerunner 955 and Enduro 2 and discuss the main points of differences below.
Main differences
The main differences between Garmin Forerunner 955 and Enduro 2 are listed below:
- Forerunner 955 costs less than half of Enduro 2. Forerunner 955 has a list price of $499.99 and Enduro 2 has a cost price of $1099.99.
- Enduro 2 is a solar smartwatch while the Forerunner 955 is a regular smartwatch suited to runners.
- Enduro 2 is considerably broader than Forerunner 955.
- The titanium bezel of the Enduro 2 gives it a premium look in comparison with Forerunner 955.
- Enduro 2 has a higher water resistance rating of 10 ATM in comparison with Forerunner 955’s water rating of 5 ATM.
- Enduro 2 offers considerably longer battery backup than Forerunner 955.
- Forerunner 955 offers a spectator messaging feature to bolster the safety of the watch owner.
- Enduro 2 has additional profiles for tracking outdoor recreational activities and cycling.
- Enduro 2 has an LED Flashlight.
We review these differences in detail below.
Display specifications
Garmin Forerunner 955 comes with a DX-coated 3rd generation Corning Gorilla glass in the display lens.
The DX coating of Corning Gorilla Glass is an anti-reflective coating that helps in improving display readability under bright sunshine. It also helps in improving the screen brightness.
Enduro 2 has a Power Sapphire Glass.
Power Sapphire glass is another form of sapphire glass. It is actually a sapphire glass coated with PV cells or Photo-voltaic cells.
The thin layer of PV cells helps in tapping sunlight to change solar energy into the battery charge of the watch.
The other display specifications for both watches are presented below in a side-by-side comparison.
| Display specifications | Garmin Forerunner 955 | Garmin Enduro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Display lens | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 DX | Power Sapphire |
| Display type | MIP (Memory in pixel) | MIP (Memory in pixel) |
| Display resolutions | 260 x 260 pixels | 280 x 280 pixels |
| Display size | 1.3″ or 33 mm | 1.4″ or 36 mm |
| Color display | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| LED Flashlight | No | Yes |
| Ambient light sensor | No | No |
The most significant difference between Enduro 2 and Forerunner 955 is the display lens. Power Sapphire glass in Enduro 2 is definitely the costlier lens as it also affords solar charging.
Physical specifications
The physical attributes of Enduro 2 lend it a premium look and finish. The titanium bezel and rear cover make for a stunning finish.
Enduro 2, in our experience, has a more rugged or sturdy look in comparison with the Forerunner 955. Keep both watches side by side and you will notice that Enduro 2 has a commanding presence of its own.
We look at the physical specifications of Enduro 2 and Forerunner 955 below.
| Physical specifications | Garmin Forerunner 955 | Garmin Enduro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Watch size | 46.5 x 46.5 x 14.4 mm | 51 x 51 x 15.6 mm |
| Watch weight | 52 g | 64 g |
| Thickness | 14.4 mm | 15.6 mm |
| Band material | Silicone | Ultra light-weight elastic nylon hook and loop |
| Band size | 22 mm | 26 mm |
| Bezel | Fiber-enforced polymer | Titanium |
| Watch body | Fiber-enforced polymer | Fiber-enforced polymer with titanium rear cover |
| Water rating | 5 ATM or 50 Meters | 10 ATM or 100 Meters |
| Device storage | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO |
| Multi-band GPS or Dual-frequency GPS | Yes | Yes |
| NFC Payments | Garmin Pay | Garmin Pay |
| Barometric Altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes | Yes |
In terms of the hardware of both watches, Enduro 2 has a better water resistance rating and better-looking bezel. The nylon band in Enduro 2 is another premium feature of the watch.
Battery
The battery life of the Enduro 2 is considerably longer than the Forerunner 955. Both watches take almost 2 hours to fully charge from zero to full charge.
Solar charging in Enduro 2 definitely adds to the battery charge if the underlying charging conditions are fulfilled.
We have mentioned the battery life of both watches in different watch modes below.
| Watch mode | Garmin Forerunner 955 | Garmin Enduro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | Up to 15 days | Up to 34 days / 46 days with solar |
| GPS mode | Up to 42 hours | Up to 110 hours / 150 hours with solar |
| All Systems GPS Mode | Up to 34 hours | Up to 78 hours / 96 hours with solar |
| All Systems GNSS mode plus Multi-Band without music | Up to 20 hours | Up to 68 hours / 81 hours with solar |
| All-Systems GNSS mode plus Multi-Band with music | Up to 8.5 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| Ultratrac mode without music | Up to 110 hours | – |
| Battery saver mode | – | Up to 111 days / 550 days with solar |
| Max Battery GPS | – | Up to 264 hours / 714 with solar |
| Expedition GPS: | – | 77 days / 172 days with solar |
About Solar Charging
Solar charging in Enduro 2 enables building charge through sunlight. However, for solar charging to be effective, the underlying conditions need to be fulfilled:
- You need to expose your solar watch to the bright sunshine of 50000 lumens or more.
- The solar watch needs at least 3 hours of sunlight for solar charging to add a meaningful charge to the battery backup.
Unless you are spending over 3 hours under bright sunlight every day, solar charging may not add to the battery charge.
In such cases, you will have to rely on the Garmin wire charger to charge the battery like a normal smartwatch.
Additional activity profiles
There are additional activity profiles in both watches. The additional profiles in either smartwatch are listed below.
| Additional profiles | Garmin Forerunner 955 | Garmin Enduro 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Running | Bouldering | – |
| Outdoor recreation | XC Skate Skiing, Mapping, Navigating, Padel, Track me | Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Mountain Biking, Backcountry Skiing, Surfing, Hunting, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Horseback Riding, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Sailing Expedition, Jumpmaster, Obstacle Course Racing, Tactical |
| Cycling | – | Triathlon |
The number and range of outdoor recreation profiles reflect the endurance activities that are available on Enduro 2.
Enduro 2 is designed for endurance sports and activities. Forerunner 955 does a very decent job in terms of tracking running activities diligently.
Costs
Forerunner 955 has a cost price of $499.99 and Enduro 2 has a cost price of $1099.99. You may be able to get special discounted pricing from time to time on both watches.
Final verdict
The difference between Forerunner 955 and Enduro 2 is in the basic type or character of the watches. For a runners’ watch, Forerunner 955 is a value proposition.
However, if you wish to go beyond running and basic training tracking, you could look at Enduro 2 for the vast array of intense endurance activities that are in-built into the watch.
And, Enduro 2 being a solar watch does offer a unique perspective for the right smartwatch enthusiast.
Suggested Smartwatch Comparisons
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