The Forerunner 55 is one of the oldest watches in the forerunner series, and the watch comes with all the basic features with a basic interface. At the same time, Garmin Instinct ranks at the top in the list of rugged Watches.
Both watches have similar features like GPS, wrist-based heart rate, stress tracking and more. At the same time, there are some major differences between these two watches that make one superior to the other.
Garmin Instinct VS Forerunner 55: Comparison Table
| Features | Garmin Forerunner 55 | Garmin Instinct |
| Weight | 37g | 52g |
| Display size | 1.04″ | two-window design; 0.9” x 0.9 |
| Physical size | 42 x 42 x 11.6 mm | 45 x 45 x 15.3 mm |
| Display resolution | 208 x 208 pixels | 128 x 128 pixels |
| Color display | Yes | No |
| Display type | MIP | MIP |
| Battery Life | ||
| In smartwatch mode | 2 weeks | 2 weeks |
| In GPS mode | 20 hours | 16 hours |
| UltraTrac mode | No | 40 hours |
| Health Features | ||
| Wrist based heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Body battery energy | Yes | Yes |
| Respiration rate | Yes | No |
| Fitness age | Yes | No |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Women’s health | Yes | Yes |
| Stress tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Relaxation alters | Yes | No |
| Sports Features | ||
| Interval training | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 max (Run) | Yes | No |
| Recovery time | Yes | No |
| Advance workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Pacepro | Yes | No |
| Run workouts | Yes | No |
| Race predictor | Yes | No |
| Point to point navigation | No | Yes |
| Trail run auto climb | No | Yes |
| Vertical speed | No | Yes |
| HIIT workouts | No | Yes |
Garmin Instinct VS Forerunner 55: Display & Size
The look of the Garmin Forerunner 55 is more sporty, whereas the Garmin Instinct looks very durable. Both watches have very different designs and display specs.
The Garmin Instinct is considered the most durable watch in the Garmin lineup because this watch is made of premium chemically strengthened glass, and bezels are made of fibre-reinforced polymer. The dial is much more durable and scratch-resistant and can withstand every harsh condition.
Whereas Forerunner 55 also come with chemically strengthened glass, but bezels are not as durable as Instinct have.
You can guess the durability of both watches from their weight, too; Forerunner 55 has 37 g of weight, whereas Garmin instinct weighs 52g. But both watches are more comfortable to wear, as both offer silicon strap, which is pretty soft and cosy.
Similarly, another big difference between these two watches is the water rating. Garmin Instinct, the most durable watch, gives a 10 ATM waterproof rating, so you can use it to track water activities without any hesitation. Whereas Garmin Forerunner 55 offers a 5 ATM water rating, you should take care of your smartwatch while performing water activities.
Most Garmin watches come with MIP displays that are not as vibrant as Apple or Galaxy watches but still give clear visuals. Garmin Forerunner 55 comes with a 1.04″ display with 208 x 208 pixels resolution. Garmin Instinct has a two-window design; 0.9″ x 0.9″, and lacks a color display.
In a nutshell, Garmin Instinct looks more durable on the wrist, and you can’t even use it with formal dressing. Whereas forerunner 55 has an elegant and sporty feel, you can use it with every outfit.
Garmin Forerunner 55 VS Garmin Instinct: Battery Life
Talking about the battery life, these Garmin watches have impressive battery backup. Unlike the rest of the smartwatches like Apple or Fitbit, these Garmin wearables come with powerful batteries that fulfil all your needs.
Especially in the case of Garmin Instinct, it gives 14 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. The reason behind such long-lasting batteries is the low power consumption of the monochrome display. In GPS mode, the watch lasts for 16 hours. Garmin Instinct also added ultratrac mode for long trips and adventures, giving 40 hours of battery backup.
On the other hand, Forerunner 55 has better battery life to track your activities for 2 weeks easily. When using GPS, this lasts for 20 hours.
I have not seen many differences in the battery department. Both watches last for 14 days, but Instinct wins the race by giving ultratrac mode.
Garmin Forerunner 55 VS Garmin Instinct: Price
Comparing prices is one of the special and exciting parts for me. I have tried 10 of the most popular Garmin watches over the last few years, and they are expensive. I have experienced that the majority of the Garmin watches are over $200.
Similarly, in the case of Forerunner 55, it will cost you $199, which could be a worth it deal.
Whereas Garmin Instinct is a little more expensive, costing $299 for its solar version. But the standard version is cheaper that cost you around $170.
Garmin Forerunner 55 VS Garmin Instinct: Sports & Health Features
Firstly, being a sports enthusiast, you should look for sports features in your watch. Luckily, Garmin watches have more impressive sports tracking capabilities, but few models don’t offer more sports and health features.
The Forerunner series is specifically designed for sports enthusiasts and runners. Although the Forerunner 55 is one of the oldest models, it still has many sports features. Garmin Instinct is not only the best sports tracking watch but also gives some extra strength training features.
Both watches offer advanced wrist-based heart rate monitor that measure your HR and send alters when your heart rate beats fast while you’re at rest. Controlling stress is one of the essential things to maintaining a healthy lifestyle; that’s why both watches offer stress tracking.
In the health department forerunner, 55 beats Instinct by offering more premium features, including; fitness age, intensity minutes, and respiration tracking.
Garmin Instinct doesn’t show weakness in sports tracking and gives three profiles that Forerunner 5 lakhs, including Strength training, Outdoor Rowing, Indoor Rowing. Instinct has 24 sports modes, whereas Forerunner 55 offers only 14 sports modes.
But for runners, Forerunner 55 has some unique features, including Pacepro technology, track run, cadence alerts, recovery advisor and race predictor. All these running features help runners keep an eye on their weaknesses and improve their performance.
Garmin Forerunner 55 VS Garmin Instinct: Other Features
Garmin has added many other features in both Forerunner 55 and Instinct. You will get built-in GPS in both watches, but the Instinct has GLONASS and Galileo support that tracks a more challenging environment.
The other extra thing in Garmin Instinct is an ABS sensor that allows you to monitor the weather and directions using an electronic compass, whereas forerunner 55 lacks this.
Garmin has added trackback routing in Instinct to make your outdoor adventures more amazing and navigates any route back to your starting point. Further, both watches have various safety features like live track, live event sharing, and incident detection.
You will also get a smart notification feature on both watches that keeps you updated about every SMS, call, and other social notification.
Moreover, you will get calendar, sun and moon information, fish calendar, area calculation, smartwatch, find my phone, auto laps, weather updates, etc.
Garmin Forerunner 55 VS Garmin Instinct: Which One To Choose?
Now it’s time to make a decision. But If you go through the above comparison guide, you might see some differences that help you make a decision. Overall, Garmin Forerunner 55 is made for sports enthusiasts, and if you are a person with a sports mind, you should go for Forerunner 55.
On the other hand, Garmin Instinct is made for people involved in harsh outdoor environments; it has a very rugged case and is built to the US military standard 810 for thermal and shocks. Especially for construction workers, it is the best durable Garmin watch that also gives ultratrac mode.
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