Two years after the launch of the Garmin Forerunner 620, the Forerunner 630 finally launched in October 2015. Both watches still feature a high-resolution color touchscreen, so you might be wondering what all the updates are. Let’s start with the physical appearance.

Forerunner 630 is slightly thinner, heavier, and has a larger screen

physical dimensions

Forerunner 620: 1.8 “x 1.8” x 0.5 “(45 x 45 x 12.5 mm)

Forerunner 630: 1.77 “x 1.77” x 0.46 “(45 x 45 x 11.7 mm)

Screen size, width x height:

Forerunner 620: 1.0 “(25.4mm) diameter

Forerunner 630: 31.1mm (1.23 “) diameter

Screen resolution, width x height

Forerunner 620: 180 x 180 pixels

Forerunner 630: 215 x 180 pixels

Weight

Forerunner 620: 1.5 oz (43.6 g)

Forerunner 630: 1.6 oz (44 g)

Forerunner 630 has all the conveniences that 620 and more!

Like the previous model, the Forerunner 630 has the same advanced features, such as recovery advisor, running predictor, VO2 max estimate, and built-in accelerometer. It still has live tracking and the ability to automatically sync data over Wi-Fi through the Garmin Connect Mobile app, where you can analyze, classify, and share data with your smartphone. Both the FR 620 and FR 630 are waterproof up to 50 meters.

The new features available on the Forerunner 630 are as follows:

  • Activity tracking features like step counter, auto goal, motion bar, and sleep monitoring

  • GLONASS

  • Smart notifications (displays emails, text messages and other alerts when paired with your compatible phone)

  • Share on social networks

  • Audio prompts

  • Music control

  • Find my phone

  • VIRB® control

  • Virtual Racer ™ (compete against other activities)

  • Customize your data fields and download watch faces, widgets and apps, all for free at Connect IQ

Advanced running dynamics and physiological measurements when combined with the HRM4-Run monitor, such as the following metrics:

  • Stride Length – Measures a runner’s stride length in real time.

  • Ground Contact Time Balance: Measures a runner’s ground contact symmetry, which some runners have found to correlate with injury or strength imbalances.

  • Vertical Ratio: The cost-benefit ratio of vertical swing to stride length, which serves as an indicator of a runner’s efficiency.

  • Lactate Threshold: Estimates the level of exertion at which fatigue increases rapidly in terms of a runner’s heart rate and pace.

  • Stress Score – Measures heart rate variability to make an assessment of a user’s overall stress level.

  • Performance Condition – Provides a real-time fitness level measurement relative to a runner’s average baseline, indicating performance readiness for the day’s training or race.

Forerunner 630 offers longer battery life in training mode

Battery life in training mode has now increased to 16 hours on the Forerunner 630 compared to 10 hours on the Forerunner 620. Battery life in watch mode is around 4 weeks on the FR 630 Compared to around 6 weeks in the previous version, additional connectivity features and daily activity tracking that are traded for battery life.

Should you update?

It depends on what watch you are updating. If you have a multisport GPS watch like Garmin Forerunner 920XT, TomTom Multisport GPS or Suunto Ambit3 Sport, or an outdoor watch like Garmin fenix, or epix, or Suunto Ambit2 or Ambit3 Peak, you will miss the functions for swimming, cycling, hiking and others. outdoor functionalities.

If you are using a Forerunner 220/620, or similar GPS running watches from Suunto and TomTom, and would like to have activity tracking and smart notifications from your phone, then upgrading to the Garmin Forerunner 630 is a good decision. The Forerunner 630 is Garmin’s latest flagship GPS running watch. It’s Garmin’s most advanced race-specific watch.

However, if you only need the core functions of a GPS running watch and don’t need phone notifications or advanced running dynamics, then older models like the Garmin Forerunner 220/620, Suunto Ambit2R or TomTom Runner GPS would work just fine. Although these running watches don’t have the latest features available on the newer models, they are still great options for runners.

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