Comparing Chronos and Forerunner 935
The Garmin Chronos and Garmin Forerunner 935 are two popular smartwatches designed with fitness enthusiasts in mind. These devices offer a wealth of features and capabilities specially tailored to help users achieve their personal fitness goals. Choosing the right smartwatch can play a vital role in enhancing one’s workout experience and monitoring overall health and fitness progress.
Garmin is a well-respected brand with a long history of producing high-quality GPS and wearable devices. Their commitment to quality, innovation, and functionality has cemented their status as a leading player in the wearables market. In this article, we’ll explore the differences and similarities between the Garmin Chronos and Forerunner 935, delving into their design, features, user interface, price, and value, to aid potential buyers in making an informed decision.
Design and Build
Garmin Chronos
- Materials: Metal housing, sapphire crystal lens, and metal or leather bands
- Size and weight: 49 x 49 x 15mm, 80-160g (depending on the band)
- Display/Screen: 1.2-inch MIP color touchscreen with 218 x 218 resolution
Garmin Forerunner 935
- Materials: Plastic housing, glass lens, and silicone bands
- Size and weight: 47 x 47 x 13.9mm, 49g
- Display/Screen: 1.2-inch LCD color touchscreen with 240 x 240 resolution
Comparison of design and build quality
Both the Garmin Chronos and Forerunner 935 sport a circular watch face with an intuitive touchscreen display. However, the Chronos has a more premium design with metal housing, a sapphire crystal lens, and the choice of metal or leather bands, making it heavier and more durable than the Forerunner 935. The Forerunner 935 is more lightweight with a plastic housing, a glass lens, and silicone bands, catering to runners and athletes looking for a comfortable, lightweight device to wear during their workouts.
Features and Functionality
Garmin Chronos
- Operating System: Wear OS
- Sensors: GPS, heart rate monitor, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, and compass
- Battery life: 8 days in smartwatch mode
- Fitness tracking: Various activity profiles, calories, distance, heart rate, oxygen, steps, sleep, and swim tracking
- Other features: Bluetooth, phone function, text and email notifications, and music control
Garmin Forerunner 935
- Operating System: Proprietary Garmin OS
- Sensors: GPS, heart rate monitor, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, compass, thermometer, and altimeter
- Battery life: Up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode
- Fitness tracking: Various activity profiles, calories, distance, heart rate, oxygen, steps, sleep, and swim tracking
- Other features: Bluetooth, phone function, NFC, Wi-Fi, text and email notifications, and music control
Comparison of features and performance
The Garmin Chronos and Forerunner 935 share many similarities in terms of functionality, offering various fitness tracking features and phone compatibility. Both devices have built-in GPS, heart rate monitoring, and activity tracking across multiple sport profiles. Additionally, they both offer smartphone integration, providing users with call, text, and email notifications. The Forerunner 935, however, boasts additional sensors, including a thermometer and an altimeter, as well as Wi-Fi and NFC capabilities, while offering a longer battery life of up to two weeks.
User Interface and User Experience
Garmin Chronos
- Display: 1.2-inch MIP color touchscreen
- Navigation: Touchscreen and physical buttons
- Apps and customization: Various watch faces and data fields available
- Compatibility: Android and iOS smartphones
Garmin Forerunner 935
- Display: 1.2-inch LCD color touchscreen
- Navigation: Touchscreen and physical buttons
- Apps and customization: Various watch faces and data fields available
- Compatibility: Android, iOS, and Windows Phone smartphones
Comparison of user interface and user experience
Both the Garmin Chronos and Forerunner 935 offer an intuitive user interface with touchscreen navigation and physical buttons for easy access to various features. Customization is also a strong suit for both devices, providing users with the ability to personalize their watch faces and data fields. However, the Forerunner 935 takes a slight edge in compatibility, offering support for not only Android and iOS but also Windows Phone devices.
Price and Value
Garmin Chronos
At a hefty $1,500 price tag, the Garmin Chronos is a luxury smartwatch offering premium design and materials.
Garmin Forerunner 935
With a more affordable $500 price point, the Garmin Forerunner 935 delivers excellent value for money and a more accessible option for fitness enthusiasts.
Comparison of price and value
While the Garmin Chronos offers a high-quality, premium design, its significantly higher price may not be justifiable for users seeking predominantly fitness and sports tracking features. The Forerunner 935, on the other hand, provides exceptional value for money, packing a wide range of features at a fraction of the cost of the Chronos.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the choice between the Garmin Chronos and Forerunner 935 will depend on individual needs and preferences. The Chronos is perfect for consumers looking for premium quality, unmatched aesthetics, and durability, while the Forerunner 935 is a more budget-friendly option, boasting an extended battery life and compatibility with additional smartphone platforms. Both devices offer a comprehensive suite of fitness tracking capabilities, ensuring users will not be disappointed in their quest for better health and fitness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which device has better battery life?
The Garmin Forerunner 935 has a longer battery life of up to 2 weeks, compared to the 8 days offered by the Garmin Chronos.
Are both watches water-resistant?
Yes, both the Garmin Chronos and Forerunner 935 are water-resistant. The Chronos has a water resistance rating of 10 ATM, while the Forerunner 935 has a 5 ATM rating.
Which watch is more lightweight?
The Garmin Forerunner 935 is significantly lighter, weighing only 49 grams, compared to the Garmin Chronos, which weighs 80-160 grams depending on the band.
Do both watches support notifications from smartphones?
Yes, both the Garmin Chronos and Forerunner 935 can receive call, text, and email notifications from compatible smartphones.
Which device offers better compatibility with various smartphone platforms?
The Garmin Forerunner 935 has broader compatibility, supporting Android, iOS, and Windows Phone devices, while the Garmin Chronos is compatible with Android and iOS smartphones only.
