Picking up a dedicated GPS sports watch is the best way to take your running and exercise to the next level.

Whether you're a beginner looking to complete some 5K and 10K runs, an intermediate aiming to gain more insights or a marathon runner who wants a device to help them peak through training, there's now an incredible amount of watches to pick from.

The only problem with the choice on offer is that whittling down the top candidates can often be as time-consuming as an ultra-endurance event.

It's why we've put in the hard yards and tested, rated and ranked the very best running watches to consider. Often these devices are running-focused, but all the options on this list are able to stretch their tracking capabilities to many different sports.

You can check out the in-depth details on each device featured below in our running watch reviews, but continue below for our summary.

Our Top Picks

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Garmin Forerunner 945
1. Best overall

Best overall

For serious exercisers, triathletes or, simply, those who want the most advanced insights into their activity, this watch is the ultimate option.

Pros
  • Incredibly detailed insights
  • Superb battery life
  • The lightweight form is ideal for runners
Cons
  • Fairly expensive
  • Some may find the design cheap-feeling

The Garmin Forerunner 945 is the company's top running watch, and it very much acts like it.

The functions it offers very much match those that you get on the Fenix 6 range - meaning that it basically does everything a Garmin watch possibly can - but it's priced a little cheaper than the flagship line. This is likely because it doesn't have quite the same build and protection, so, if you're not planning on abusing it in the great outdoors, you might find it's the better choice for you.

The 945, handily, now also offers mapping - which the 935 didn't - as well as offline music and Garmin Pay, so it's very much the complete package. Not only that, but it's very accurate (suffering only from the same foibles as other optical heart rate monitors), offers great battery life, is slim and comfortable to wear and provides one of the most comprehensive sets of data that you'll find on a sports watch. It's smart too, giving you notifications, and, if you're an Android user, smart replies to messages, as well.

There's now an LTE model available of the 945, which provides a cellular connection without having to piggyback from your phone. It also features Garmin's fourth-gen heart rate monitor tech, though we haven't yet had the chance to pit these two against one another and decipher the extent of the difference.

Running watches we also recommend

The Garmin Forerunner 945 may be at the peak of our list, but that doesn't mean it's the only device worth considering. The options below should cover most requirements - whether you're in search of something with a different price tag, design or feature set.

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Coros PACE 2
2. Runner Up

Level up

For runners who are mostly interested in an accurate, intuitive tracking experience, this is an outstanding choice.

Pros
  • Comfortable and light
  • Reliable tracking
  • Good battery life
Cons
  • Fairly dull design
  • Only offers smartwatch features
  • No map viewing

It might not be an established name like other brands on this list, but Coros has quickly become a very reliable option when it comes to sports watches. Its Pace 2, which is best suited to runners, is superb value.

You get reliable GPS performance, decent heart rate tracking (which can also be outsourced to a chest strap), advanced training features and metrics and more for a very reasonable rate.

It's not just about running, either, since it works really well for swimming and cycles, as well. For when you're not exercising and want to track sleep, the design is also comfortable enough to wear overnight.

We wouldn't recommend this one to people seeking any kind of smartwatch features - and we're not the biggest fans of the overall design, despite its lightweight nature - but it's top-notch running companion.

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Garmin Fenix 7
3. A Top Pick

Premium option

A truly comprehensive tracking experience that will suit those who love the outdoors and want a watch to match.

Pros
  • Can track an incredible amount of activities
  • Next-level battery life
  • Rugged, premium design with touchscreen
Cons
  • Very expensive
  • The design might be too bulky for some

The Garmin Fenix 7 is an outstanding sports device, with enough intelligence to act independently as a running watch or smartwatch, too. It offers a substantial build, a range of metrics and a battery life that can last between 15 - 20 days, in our testing.

It's not cheap, and you'll find most of its features on other Garmin sports watches for less money, but, whether you're training for a 5K, about to finish your third Ironman or are on a multi-day adventure race, the Fenix has something for you in terms of functions.

It's impossible not to applaud a device as comprehensively impressive as the Fenix 7. As multi-functional sports-focused smartwatches go, there's no equal.

The real challenge with the range is picking between the army of different variations. The regular 7 is 47mm, while the 7X is 51mm and the 7S is 42mm, providing roughly the same watch experience (save for slight differences in battery life). However, this is complicated by the fact that each of these three versions now has a Solar and Solar Sapphire model, as well as the standard model.

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Polar Vantage V2
4. Strong Contender

Excellent alternative

For those who want to take advantage of the superb plans in Polar Flow, this is the flagship device to help power your training.

Pros
  • Lightweight design compared to its predecessor
  • Outstanding training plans
Cons
  • Battery life is disappointing
  • No mapping or music storage

The Vantage line is Polar's flagship range, and the V2 is a very solid improvement on the first-gen model. It features a lighter case, more tactile buttons and a touchscreen, while naturally retaining some of the better features from its predecessor.

For runners, the performance and recovery tests - as well as the training plans available on Polar Flow - provide some really interesting metrics and trends, with the Vantage V2 possessing enough in its locker to guide and track other sports, too.

We wouldn't say the battery life is anywhere close to what some elite running watches offer - stretching to between 4-6 days, typically, when we tracked daily sessions with GPS - and there's also a distinct lack of smartwatch features, but there's still some very strong reasons to consider this device.

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Garmin Forerunner 55
5. Also Great

Basic excellence

For running beginners, or those who are new to tracking their runs, this is an intuitive and handy entry point.

Pros
  • Detailed experience for an entry-level price
  • Full Garmin Connect IQ support
Cons
  • Design is basic
  • No map support

Don't be put off by the fact the Garmin Forerunner 55 is the company's entry-level running watch - there's more than enough featured here to satiate even intermediate runners. Particularly if you're new to running or new to tracking your runs, though, this is a superb device to consider.

It covers the basic features, like heart rate monitoring and GPS tracking, and backs them with more advanced ones, such as Garmin's PacePro feature, cadence alerts, recovery advice, daily workout suggestions and adaptive training plans via Garmin Connect.

In testing, we've found that the battery life typically ranges between 10 - 14 days, depending on GPS tracking, which is very solid.

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Huawei Watch GT Runner
6. Worth Considering

Best of both worlds

An ideal choice for anybody looking for a solid-looking smartwatch that offers a focus on run tracking.

Pros
  • Crisp, AMOLED display
  • Accurate and helpful run tracking
Cons
  • Smartwatch features not elite
  • Not the best third-party app support

Huawei has invested plenty into the research and analysis of sports tracking over the last couple of years, and it pays off with the Watch GT Runner.

It doesn't feature the premium design we've grown accustomed to with other smartwatches from the company, but, crucially, this run-focused device is lightweight and offers protection that makes it ideal to wear all year round.

Naturally, it's the run tracking performance that really helps it shine, though. Huawei has revamped its running plans to be more dynamic and personalised, and the new antennae placement ensures GPS lock-on is snappy and accurate.

The smartwatch features - notably, the lack of offline music and contactless payment support - are lacking slightly, and the third-party apps are also limited, but this is a decent option for those who want a great looking watch with a strong focus on running.

How to choose a running watch

There are plenty of options when it comes to buying a running watch, which makes the task of picking between them all the more complicated. Here are some considerations to help you choose.

Smart or sporty?

There was once a big divide between smartwatches and sports devices. However, that gap has now narrowed, with many smartwatches now integrating sporty features. Health and wellbeing are now at their core.

That might make smartwatches look attractive when you're browsing the features list, but they often fall short in one crucial area: battery life. Many of the dedicated fitness devices have a battery life that far surpasses a typical smartwatch, which typically ranges anywhere from 1-4 days.

Many sports devices now offer smartwatch features, too. Offline music and mobile payments are common across devices, and, while a smartwatch might offer more apps, you don't miss out completely when it comes to functions on a sports device.

Display and interaction

The display size dictates the overall size of the device, and, again, there's plenty to choose from. While big bulky devices give you plenty of screen space, they might just be too large.

From the Apple Watch to Garmin models, many offer a choice of size - and for those who just don't want a watch, there are also fitness trackers. These offer many desirable features in a much more compact form.

The display also dictates how you interact with a device: while touch is commonplace, it's not the most reliable method of interaction when you have sweaty hands or when you're running. That's why a number of devices, like the Garmin Forerunner models, offer button-based interaction.

Expanding ecosystems

While the Apple Watch might seem like it's a member of the biggest ecosystem, even more sensors are available in other models.

Garmin is a huge player here, offering support for things like bike power meters and a whole world of sensors, meaning you can track your sports in any number of ways. This is worth considering - is your device just for your weekend run, or do you want to venture further with cycling, for example?

What does all this data mean?

You'll be presented with a lot of data, but not all watches are equal. Each device has a platform that sits behind it, offering a range of different features.

Brands like Garmin and Polar, as examples, offer a lot of metrics through Garmin Connect and Polar Flow that can help you interpret the data. This can be really useful to target your training, with many devices using metrics specific to running, like running power or cadence.

It's also worth considering the rest of your lifestyle: what impact does your daily activity and sleep have on your recovery? Most devices will offer some of this information, too.

Do I need all these functions?

Bringing it back down to earth, it's worth asking yourself if you need all these functions. Much of it sounds impressive, but, if you only need speed, distance and pace, do you need all those other functions you're buying?

It might be that choosing something lower down a brand's scale will give you everything you need, and save you money in the process.