Garmin released the Forerunner 35 in September 2016 and, a year later, the Forerunner 30, a GPS watch that is very similar to it but offered for € 50 cheaper. What do we lose for this € 50 difference? Which model to buy? How to make the right choice ? What’s the comparison Forerunner 30 vs 35?So many questions that we asked ourselves when analyzing these two quality GPS watches. We have described for you the differences between the two models (see also our summary table) and give you our recommendations to help you choose from these two smart health watches.
Buy the Forerunner 30
Commercial links. Non contractual prices. Please consult the merchant website.
Buy the Forerunner 35
Comparison Forerunner 30 vs 35: what differences?
The goal of Garmin, with these 2 entry-level GPS watch models, is to offer sport watches that are both affordable and accessible to everyone, that is to say easy to use. The Forerunner 35 already brought simplicity of use with functions limited to the bare essentials. With the Forerunner 30, Garmin wanted to offer an even simpler and above all cheaper watch. Certain functions, widgets and sensors have thus been removed for a watch which could not be more refined but which nevertheless includes the essential functions.
Thus, the 2 models are perfectly suited for most athletes for sports such as running, swimming or cycling. That said, the Forerunner 30 is clearly designed for running.
→ Read our review of the Garmin Forerunner 30
The forerunner 30 is therefore a lighter version of the Forerunner 35. The essential functions have been retained: GPS (without GLONASS), optical heart rate monitoring on the wrist, accelerometer for indoor activities, course recording, activity tracking, VO2max measurement, SMS and call notifications, goal setting, alerts and more. To get a cheaper watch, Garmin has mainly cut into other areas that can make a big difference depending on how you want to use this watch.
The main differences are in a few functions removed, battery life, sensors and bracelet colors.
Design
The design of the 2 watches is almost the same except for the different colors of the straps (gray, purple, turquoise for the Forerunner 30 with the on / off button of the same color, and black, lime, water green and white for the Forerunner 35). Garmin has also chemically reinforced the glass of its youngest for improved resistance to bumps and scratches.
The functions
In terms of functionality, Garmin has removed, on the Forerunner 30, a certain number of more or less useful functions but which can nevertheless constitute eliminatory criteria for certain athletes. The Forerunner 30 offers only one running profile while the other watch offers 4 (running, treadmill, bike and cardio) and allows you to program a display according to the profile chosen. This makes the watch less flexible and above all definitely oriented towards running.
The following functions, present on the Forerunner 35, have been removed from the Forerunner 30: Virtual Pacer (motivating tool encouraging the athlete to run at a defined speed), programming of interval training, weather, music control from the Smartphone, alarms heart rate. The watch screen is also no longer customizable.
Battery
To save money, Garmin pulled on the battery without reducing the weight of his watch. We go from 13 hours of use announced in GPS mode to only 8 hours on the Forerunner 30 and from 9 days in watch mode to 5 days.
The sensors
It’s probably the sensors that make the biggest difference between the 2 watches. With the Forerunner 30, it is not possible to use external ANT + wireless sensors (cardio belt, accelerometer, foot pod, cadence sensor for running or cycling) while this was possible with the Forerunner 35. For the heart rate reading, only the optical monitoring on the wrist can be used or it is unusable (or very unreliable) for interval training and in water. This choice is made at the expense of the versatility of the watch: the use of the watch for sports other than running is rather limited.
Summary table of the differences between the Forerunner 30 and the Forerunner 35
| Characteristics |
Forerunner 30 |
Forerunner 35 |
|---|---|---|
| Glass material | Chemically reinforced glass | Glass |
| Weight | 37.3 g | 37.3 g |
| Dimensions | 35.5 x 40.7 x 13.3 mm | 35.5 x 40.7 x 13.3 mm |
| Bracelets | Gray, turquoise or purple silicone | Black, lemon yellow, water green or white silicone |
| Display | Monochrome 128×128 px | Monochrome 128×128 px |
| GPS |
•
|
•
|
| GLONASS | ||
| Sealing | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Optical HR sensor |
•
|
•
|
| Autonomy(1) | 5d / 8h | 9d / 1pm |
| Memory | 7 activities | 7 activities |
| VO2max function |
•
|
•
|
| Accelerometer |
•
|
•
|
| Alarm clock |
•
|
•
|
| Stopwatch |
•
|
•
|
| Smart notifications |
•
|
•
|
| Weather forecast |
•
|
|
| Music function |
•
|
|
| Find my phone |
•
|
•
|
| Garmin Connect mobile |
•
|
•
|
| Move IQ |
•
|
•
|
| Activity monitoring |
•
|
•
|
| Customizable activity profiles |
•
|
|
| Audio instructions |
•
|
•
|
| HR zones |
•
|
|
| Calories from HR |
•
|
•
|
| HR broadcast |
•
|
|
| Cadence and speed sensor support |
•
|
|
| Split workouts |
•
|
1 : Autonomy in watch mode / GPS mode
How to choose between the Forerunner 30 and the Forerunner 35?
The Forerunner 30 and the Forerunner 35 are GPS watches that are aimed at athletes looking for a quality watch, simple to use, affordable and incorporating the essential functions for indoor or outdoor running. The 2 watches can also be used for cycling, swimming or indoor sports such as the elliptical or spinning. It is clear that if you are a regular sportsman, a slightly more sophisticated watch like the Forerunner 235 will be more suitable for a barely higher price, better autonomy, a color screen and other interesting functions (race predictor, altimeter, etc.).
Forerunner 35: more suitable for regular athletes or regular cycling or swimming
If you plan to use your watch for cycling or swimming, in addition to running, prefer the Forerunner 35: it offers several sport profiles (with the possibility of programming your displays by sport) and it is compatible with ANT + sensors (cadence sensor and speed for the bike, foot pod, accelerometer, heart rate belt). In particular, it will allow you to wear a chest strap for heart rate measurements in water, which the Forerunner 30 does not allow (the optical sensor does not work underwater). The belt is also necessary for reliable HR measurements in interval training.
This watch also offers more advanced tools such as the possibility of programming a interval training, access to weather data, personalization of the screen, the Virtual Pacer function (to encourage you to run at a predefined pace) or even control. music on your Smartphone. But if you like to listen to music while running, take a look at the Tom Tom Runner 2 (with integrated wireless mp3 player) or the Tom Tom Runner 3 (with display of the GPS track in addition) which are very good watches at similar prices.
Forerunner 30: for the price and the simplicity
Are you looking for a good GPS watch at a low price and easy to use for running? The Forerunner 30 will fit perfectly while bringing you advanced functions. She will also be able to accompany you for occasional outings by bike or for swimming. This watch is really excellent value for money and a good compromise between the low end and a little more expensive and sometimes complex watches. It is truly a model offering quality at a good price. But if you plan to use it for other sports than running, you may be disappointed. See our file Best 2020 cardio GPS watches for running instead.
Where to buy the Forerunner 30 and 35?
The Forerunner 30 is available on the Internet (see below) and in sports stores. We offer it to our partners. Take advantage of our discount coupons.
Buy the Forerunner 30
Commercial links. Non contractual prices. Please consult the merchant website.
