The Garmin Forerunner 245 is a dedicated GPS running watch that includes most of Garmin’s best running technology, together with a good selection of sports modes.
The Garmin Forerunner 745 is dedicated GPS triathlon watch, that could also be called a Foreunner 945 lite. It effectively gives you all of Garmin’s best triathlon tracking technology, together with music storage, body battery, pulse oximeter and much more.
In essence, the Forerunner 245 is a good value for money GPS watch for runners, while the Forerunner 745 is a good value for money GPS watch for triathletes.
Now that you know a bit more about each watch, let’s dive into the details.
Key Similarities - Forerunner 745 vs Forerunner 245
Forerunner 745
Forerunner 245
Key Differences - Forerunner 745 vs Forerunner 245
FR745
FR645
Sports Modes Comparison
FR745 Sports Modes
- Strength Training
- Cardio Training
- Elliptical Training
- Stair Stepping
- Floor Climbing
- Indoor Rowing
- Yoga
- Running
- Treadmill Running
- Indoor Track Running
- Trail Running
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- XC Skiing
- Stand Up Paddleboarding
- Rowing
- Cycling
- Indoor Cycling
- Pool Swimming
- Walking
- Pilates
- Outdoor Track Running
- Virtual Running
- Kayaking
- Mountain Biking
- Open Water Swimming
- Swimrun
- Triathlon Tracking
FR245 Sports Modes
- Strength Training
- Cardio Training
- Elliptical Training
- Stair Stepping
- Indoor Rowing
- Yoga
- Running
- Treadmill Running
- Indoor Track Running
- Outdoor Track Running
- Trail Running
- Virtual Running
- Cycling
- Indoor Cycling
- Pool Swimming
Reasons To Choose The Forerunner 245
1. It's Much Cheaper
Simply put, the Forerunner 245 is considerably cheaper than the Forerunner 745. In many ways, it’s one of the best value for money Garmin watches that you can buy. If your primary sport is running and you’re on a tight budget, the FR245 should definitely be on your short list.
2. The GPS Battery Life Is Better
The biggest weakness of the Forerunner 745 is the GPS battery life. Fortunately there is no such problem for the Forerunner 245. The battery life differences are highlighted below.
FR245 Battery Life
- Smartwatch Battery: Up to 7 Days
- GPS Battery Life: Up to 24 Hours
- GPS + Music Battery: Up to 6 Hours
FR745 Battery Life
- Smartwatch Battery: Up to 7 Days
- GPS Battery Life: Up to 16 Hours
- GPS + Music Battery: Up to 6 Hours
3. It's A Very Good Choice For Runners
If running is your primary sport, it’s hard to look past the value offering of the FR245. It gives you:
- All Garmin’s standard running features
- Garmin running coach
- Advanced running dynamics
- Compatibility with Stryd
- Outdoor Running
- Treadmill Running
- Trail Running
- Indoor Track Running
- Outdoor Track Running
Then also, you might be wondering what advanced running dynamics is all about. The bullet points below should help clarify what this actually means:
- Ground Contact Time – The amount of time your foot spends on the ground with each stride.
- Ground Contact Balance – The symmetry between your left and right foot when running.
- Vertical Oscillation – The degree of upward ‘bounce’ in your running motion. Lowering this stat can increase running efficiency.
- Vertical Ratio – The cost-benefit ratio with stride length. This allows you to discover the ideal stride length for chasing down a new PB.
- Cadence – Real time cadence stats displayed on the FR245
- Stride Length – Real time stride length stats displayed directly on the Forerunner watch.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning that both the FR245 and the FR745 offer advanced running dynamics.
Reasons To Choose The Forerunner 745
1. Open Water Swimming
The Forerunner 745 can track pool swimming and open water swimming, with all the SWOLF metrics that you would expect. The Forerunner 245 is limited to pool swimming, but it also includes SWOLF metrics.
2. Triathlon Tracking
This is probably the biggest difference between the Forerunner 245 and the Foreunner 745. The FR745 is ultimately a dedicated triathlon watch that gives you just about every triathlon feature that Garmin has to offer.
3. Garmin PacePro
PacePro offers pace guidance for to help you stay on track during training. When PacePro is applied to a course loaded to your watch, it analyzes elevation changes along the course to calculate a pace strategy. The strategy calculates when to increase or decrease your pace along the course for the best overall pace.
4. Garmin ClimbPro
ClimbPro detects the climb sections of a cycling course. When ClimbPro is activated, you will be able to see:
- The number of the climb including total climbs for the course
- The distance remaining in the climb (Dist. to Go)
- The ascent remaining for the climb (Asc. Remain.)
- A chart showing the profile of the climb
- The total climb distance
- The remaining distance to each climb (Dist. to)
- Average gradient for each climb (Grade)
- Length of each climb
5. Better Cycling Features + Cycling Power Meter Compatibility
The Forerunner 745 is a better sports watch for cyclists specifically. You can access additional cycling modes, functional threshold power, and cycling power meter compatibility. The bullet points below further highlight the difference between the FR245 and the FR745 in terms of cycling features.
FR245 Cycling Features
- Cycling Alerts
- Cycling Courses
- Outdoor Cycling
- Indoor Cycling
- Race an activity
- Compatible with Varia Vision
- Compatible with Varia Radar
- Compatible with Varia Lights
- Speed and Cadence Sensor Support
FR745 Cycling Features
- Cycling Alerts
- Cycling Courses
- Outdoor Cycling
- Indoor Cycling
- Race an activity
- Compatible with Varia Vision
- Compatible with Varia Radar
- Compatible with Varia Lights
- Speed and Cadence Sensor Support
- Mountain Trail Biking
- Bike Lap And Lap Maximum Power
- Functional Threshold Power (FTP)
- Cycling Power Meter Compatible
- Advanced Vector Support
6. It's The Better Sports Watch Overall
Ultimately, the Forerunner 745 can do everything the Forerunner 245 can, plus a whole lot more. The FR745 is a considerable upgrade on the FR245, with significantly more sports modes. If you’re a dedicated triathlete, the Forerunner 745 should definitely be placed on your shortlist.
Final Thoughts
We’ve outlined all the major differences between the Forerunner 745 and the Forerunner 245. If you’re still on the fence, these final buying tips may help:
Go for the Forerunner 245 if:
- Running is your primary sport
- You’re on a tight budget
- You are unlikely to transition to triathlons any time soon
Go for the Forerunner 745 if:
- You want a high-quality GPS triathlon watch
- You’re passionate about cycling
- You want access to Garmin ClimbPro & Garmin PacePro
- You want the better sports watch overall