The Approach S10 is Garmin’s entry-level GPS golf watch. It gives you all Garmin’s basic golf stats, it’s relatively cheap, and it has a long smartwatch battery life (up to 14 weeks).
The Garmin Approach S20 is a considerable upgrade on the S10, without costing too much more (the price difference is about $50). By opting for the Approach S20 you can unlock activity tracking features, sleep tracking, smartphone notifications, and a bunch of extra golf-specific features that aren’t available in the Approach S10.
Now that we have introduced each watch, it’s time to dive into the details of this product comparison.
Key Similarities - Garmin Approach S10 vs S210
Approach S10
Approach S20
Key Differences - Garmin Approach S10 vs S210
Approach S10
Approach S20
Reasons To Choose the Garmin Approach S10
It's An Affordable Golf Watch
There is one primary reason to opt for the Garmin Approach S10 over the Garmin Approach S20. That reason is price.
By opting for the Approach S10, you can save about 50 dollars. The RSP of $150 is actually quite reasonable. It’s less than you would pay for a new lob wedge, and most golfers should have the disposable income required to make this part of their equipment setup.
Longer Smartwatch Battery Life
The Smartwatch Battery Life of the Garmin Approach S10 is 14 weeks, which is actually quite impressive. It’s almost double the smartwatch battery life of the Approach S20, which is 8 weeks.
On the subject of battery life, it’s also worth pointing out that the GPS battery life of the S10 (12 hours) is slightly shorter than the S20 (15 hours).
Reasons To Choose the Garmin Approach S20
Activity Tracking Features
Unlike the S10 which is quite literally limited to golf features only, the Approach S20 also has activity tracking features. This includes:
- Step Counting
- Move Bar
- Auto Step Goal
- Calories Burned During The Day
- Distance Travelled During The Day
Automatic Shot Distance Tracking
While both watches can measure shot distance, the Approach S10 does this manually, whereas the Approach S20 does it automatically.
This is quite a nifty feature to have, especially if you want to get a better sense of how far you drive the ball and how far you hit your iron shots. However, it is significantly more convenient when this process is automatic. You simply need to take a cursory glance at your watch between shots, rather than actively engaging with the watch interface every time you want access to this information.
Smartphone Notifications
Unlike the Approach S10 which is severely limited in terms of smart features, the Approach S20 can actually interact with your phone. This means you can establish a bluetooth connection with your phone, which allows you to receive messages and notifications directly on the watch, without having to pick up your phone.
More Golf Features
In addition to measuring shot distance automatically, the S20 also boasts a number of additional golfing features that aren’t found in the S10. More specifically:
Garmin Approach S10 Golf Features
- Pre-loaded with 42,000 courses worldwide
- Yardage to front middle and back of green
- Yardage to layups and doglegs
- Measures shot distance (manually)
- Digital scorecard
- Hazards and course targets
- Round timer/odometer
Garmin Approach S20 Golf Features
- Pre-loaded with 42,000 courses worldwide
- Yardage to front middle and back of green
- Yardage to layups and doglegs
- Measures shot distance (automatically)
- Digital scorecard
- Hazards and course targets
- Round timer/odometer
- Garmin Autoshot
- Automatic Courseview updates
- Green view with manual pin position
- Stat Tracking (Strokes, Putts Per Round, Fairways and Greens in regulation)
- TruSwing Compatible
- Automatic club tracking compatible (with accessory)
Final Thoughts
In the end, it’s pretty clear that the Garmin Approach S20 is the winner of this particular product comparison.
If you just want a barebones GPS golf watch, the Approach S10 can do the job. However, the S20 only costs 50 bucks more, and it gives you:
- Activity tracking features
- Sleep tracking
- Better GPS battery life
- Additional golf features
From our perspective, it makes sense to spend a bit more and purchase the S20 rather than the S10. It is undoubtedly a better golf watch.
