The Garmin Forerunner 945 is the much anticipated successor to the Foreunner 935. It is Garmin’s best triathlon watch, with almost all of the features of the Garmin Fenix 5 Plus. In this post, we take a deep dive into the expected features and other key details about this watch.
Garmin Forerunner 945 Release Date
At this point, the FR945 is most likely to be released in June 2019, although it could arrive at the end of May. It will released in conjunction with the Forerunner 45 and the Forerunner 245, although there might be a week or two between each release window.
The only caveat here is whether not you should wait for the 945, or look for a deal on the 935. Hopefully, by the end of this article, you should know if it’s worth waiting for.
Will the Forerunner 945 Have Music? 🎧
Oh yes. The FR945 will definitely have music. This is probably the biggest upgrade on the 935, with contactless payments being the other key upgrade.
Unlike the Forerunner 645 which has a music version and a non-music version, there is only one version of the 945, which has built-in music storage as a standard feature.
Where does the FR945 sit in the Garmin Pecking Order?
This is pretty simple to to explain, and the symmetry is quite beautiful actually.
- Garmin FR45 – Entry Level Running Watch (Expected Release – June 2019)
- Garmin FR245 – Mid Level Running Watch (Expected Release – May 2019)
- Garmin FR645 – Advanced Running Watch (Already Available)
- Garmin FR945 – Advanced Triathlon Watch (Expected Release – June 2019)
In other words, the Forerunner 945 sits at the very top of the Forerunner series. It’s Garmin’s flagship watch for competitive triathletes, and it actually has more features than the Fenix 5 Plus.
Also, if you are already familiar with Garmin’s watches, the following formula will make a lot of sense to you:
Garmin Forerunner 945 = Garmin Forerunner 645 + Garmin Forerunner 935
If that statement seems a bit cryptic, it basically means that all the features of the FR645 and all of the features of the FR935 will be packaged into the FR945. So it’s basically a 645 with with triathlon features as well (ie open water swimming and multisport tracking).
Expected Features
FR945 Features
Expected Release - Q4 2019-
GPS Tracking
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Optical Heart Rate
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GLONASS & GALILEO
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Music Storage
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Contactless Payments
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Multisport (Triathlon) Tracking
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Outdoor + Indoor Swimming
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Outdoor + Indoor Running
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Outdoor + Indoor Cycling
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Outdoor + Indoor Rowing
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24/7 Activity Tracking
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Strength Training
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Yoga Tracking
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Cardio Training
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Barometric Altimeter
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Sleep Tracking
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V02 Max Estimates
Garmin Forerunner 945 Battery Life
The Forerunner 935 has a pretty good battery life. We can expect something similar with the 945. This is our estimate:
- GPS Battery Life: Up to 30 Hours
- Standard Battery Life: Up to 2 Weeks
Garmin Forerunner 945 Price
The Garmin Forerunner 945 will retail for $599.99 at launch. So it’s not the cheapest Garmin but it’s still more affordable than the Fenix 5.
Forerunner 945 Colours
The Garmin Forerunner 945 will be available in the following colors:
- Black version – Only includes the watch
- Blue version – Comes bundles with the HRM-Tri and HRM-Swim Belts
Can the Forerunner 945 measure running power?
The short answer is yes.
However, for you to measure running power with the Forerunner 945 you have to use one of the following three accessories:
Also keep in mind that you will need to download the Garmin Running Power App.
Will there by any improvements to the Wrist-based HRM?
Oh yes. The FR945 is built with an upgraded version of Garmin Elevate HRM. The key to this update is slightly improved heart rate measurements, and the inclusion of a Pulse Oximeter.
Will it come with a chest strap heart rate monitor?
Oh yes. Serious athletes will be glad to know that the Forerunner 945 comes in with a bundle version that includes a chest strap.
Garmin have always released chest strap bundles with their triathlon specific watches. This trend will continue with the FR945.
What about contactless payments?
100% yes. Like the FR645, the Fenix 5 Plus and the Vivoactive 3 Music, the Forerunner 945 will also have contactless payment technology. This is a suprisingly convenient feature to have, and together with music storage, it means there really is no need to take your phone when you train.
And does it have Golf tracking?
Indeed it does. The Forerunner 945 comes pre-loaded with 41 000 courses, and all of the golfing features found in the Fenix 5 Plus. The attached screenshot shows all the golf specific features:
Is there anything else you should know?
These are the most important things you need to know about the Forerunner 945.
- It has all the features of the Fenix 5 Plus, and a few more
- It’s the best mulitsport GPS watch that Garmin has ever made (even better than the Fenix 5 Plus)
- It looks almost identical to the Forerunner 935 (which is currently on special)
- It currently available for pre-order on Amazon
- It includes a lot of the technology that’s only available in the Garmin Marq Series (Garmin’s most expensive watches)
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