Although Garmin has had other watches in the past with solar charging capabilities, like its Fenix 7, today, the company announced its first watch with solar charging aimed at runners, the Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar. In addition, the firm also announced the affordable Garmin Forerunner 255 line. The Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar uses a Power Glass solar charging lens that should help it provide up to 20 days of battery life at its peak. Of course, if you're thinking of being a bit more aggressive, the watch can provide up to 49 hours of use in GPS mode. The Forerunner 955 Solar also features a full-color, always-on touchscreen display. Those that want something more tactile will be happy to know that the watch also comes equipped with five physical buttons. As you'd expect, the watch offers excellent fitness tracking features and guidance tips that have become synonymous with the Garmin name.
Black Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar on white background White Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar on white background
The Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar also has internal storage, enough for up to 2,000 songs from your favorite supported services like Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer. Furthermore, it provides contactless payments at supported terminals with Garmin Pay. The watch pairs with supported iOS and Android devices, allowing users to receive notification updates. The Forerunner 955 Solar is now available for $599.99. If this is a bit too much for your wallet, you can also opt for the non-solar variant, which comes in at $100 less.
If you're looking for an even more affordable option, Garmin also launched the Forerunner 255 series today. The watches offer up to 14 days of battery life on a single charge and top out at 30 hours in the GPS mode. The Forerunner 255 series builds on its predecessors, offering a variety of activity tracking features, from triathlon to heart rate tracking and more. The Forerunner 255S and Forerunner 255S Music are available in 41mm sizes, while the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 255 Music are available in a larger 46mm size.
Blue Garmin Forerunner 255 on white background Pink Garmin Forerunner 255S on white background Black Garmin Forerunner 255 Music on white background White Garmin Forerunner 255S Music on white background
The Forerunner 255 series also offers contactless payment via Garmin Pay. In addition, the Garmin Forerunner 255S Music and Garmin Forerunner 255 Music offer the ability to store up to 500 songs from supported services like Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer. Like other watches in Garmin's lineup, the Forerunner 255 series offers support for both iOS and Android devices. The Forerunner 255S and Forerunner 255 are priced at $349.99, while the Forerunner 255S Music and Forerunner 255 Music start at $399.99.
Source: Garmin (1, 2)