Garmin Reviews 85

I bought a new white Garmin watch in Harvey Norman‘s Vicoactive 5 the watch froze a week after I bought it
Returned it to England to be told it would be take 10 days it’s now over three weeks and I still have no watch such a bad after sales service disappointed customer

I have an Approach 42 golf watch that looks nice on my wrist , so happy with that. However the watch has been replaced twice as I have on both occasions been unable to update using their Garmin Express app on a laptop. I do not possess a laptop and have had to borrow one to try and update when watch fails. The support staff expect you to be very tech savvy and provide them with all sorts of technical
info. I just want a golf watch that works plain and simple. My watch is again out of action and I have spent 2 days trying to update it ….do not buy from this company.

I bought a Garmin watch expecting something close to an Apple Watch but with better battery. Yes, Garmin lasts longer - some models run up to about 14 days on a single charge in smartwatch mode, which is impressive.

But the everyday experience is disappointing. The interface is old and clunky, notifications are basic, and the screen doesn’t look nearly as good as an Apple Watch. If you compare it with something like the Apple Watch Series 9, the Apple device just smoother and more modern for daily use

My watch failed on software for swimming after 2,5 years and I received the suggestion to by a new one, I had to return my watch and I would get a discount of 25%. So it seems that it is normal that a perfect watch is failing after 3 years. Keep that in mind when buying a 1000€ watch.

I liked my forerunner 645 but beware, if the plastic where the strap connects breaks (& if you Google, you'll see it does, frequently), the only solution garmin offers is a discount on a new watch. That's several hundred € every couple of years. I would have thought a huge, respected company like this would be more ethical and reliable. I just put a perfectly working watch in the bin as it is unusable thanks to a known design flaw. Shoddy cowboys

Pathetic web site!! Do Garmin think you have all day to pass their picture puzzle!yesterday and today tried to enter the web site to connect my solar watch to update and cannot because of their stupid site! what are you doing Garmin, don't you care, all the money you must be making and are happy to let your customers down! bought the watch (not cheap 2 years ago) but can't get past your small how many bikes, buses, pedestrians fir hydrants etc etc etc Until they cut you out and say try again later!

WE, your customers don't have all day and don't say it's for security when other don't employ backward anti quainted measures!

I bought a Garmin Forerunner expecting it to cope with everyday water exposure, as it is marketed as water resistant.

The watch stopped working after normal use involving water. Garmin have inspected it and say it is water damage and not covered by warranty, offering only a paid replacement.

I find this unacceptable for a sports watch sold as water resistant. I did not misuse the watch, and it has not been dropped or damaged.

I would not recommend Garmin based on this experience, as their definition of “water resistant” does not match what most customers would reasonably expect.

The ONLY reason I am giving a 1 star is because the watch includes all sports you can imagine - EXCEPT for Squash.. which probably is the best and most fun sport anyone can ever come by (that’s my view at least),

Other than that - the watch is really good (I’ve got Venu 2). This score would easily change for a 5 star if they simply where inclusive of all sports.
Squash will be in the Olympics as of 2028, so I believe it’s more of a slow product development situation, Or possibly someone at garmin who hasn’t tried / dosent appreciate all kind is sports activities? :)
(Apparently you can add Squash but you need to download a third party app…)

Garmin Venu 4 (41 mm) — Balanced User Review

I’ve been using the Garmin Venu 4 (41 mm) for about two weeks and wanted to share a balanced and realistic review based on daily use.

I hesitated for a while between the Apple Watch Series 11 and this model: I chose Garmin. The watch looks elegant and is clearly designed with everyday comfort in mind.

I have a severe allergy to several metals, which makes wearing most watches impossible — yet this is the first one I can wear all day with zero reaction. That alone already makes it stand out in its category.

The build quality is excellent, and the connection to the phone has been flawless — even when my phone was in another room. As an active user, I appreciate the wide range of sport profiles, the ECG and stress detection, and the bright AMOLED display that remains readable even in direct sunlight.
The dual flashlight (white and red) seemed unnecessary at first but turned out to be genuinely practical — perfect for night shifts, cycling, or dim environments.

Battery life for me is around five days with fast charging, and Garmin Connect syncs smoothly, offering detailed workout metrics that truly help track progress.

⸻

✅ Pros
• Elegant, lightweight, and hypoallergenic design
• Bright AMOLED display, visible outdoors
• Excellent Bluetooth connection — never lost sync
• Reliable ECG, stress, and heart-rate tracking
• Dual flashlight (white + red) useful in real life
• Fast charging and 4–6 days of battery life
• Smooth Garmin Connect ecosystem

⚠️ Cons
• Menu navigation is a bit complex at first and takes time to learn
• No standalone LTE or call feature
• Sleep tracking accurate but not deeply detailed
• Hard to view the current time during workouts

⸻

🩶 Verdict
For me, the Garmin Venu 4 is a very good smartwatch — elegant, practical, and durable for everyday life, while still offering solid fitness tracking for those who exercise regularly.
I’m not sure it would fully satisfy a professional athlete, but for anyone active, health-conscious, or with sensitive skin, it’s an excellent choice.
For a sedentary user, however, the investment might not be justified.

I don't know if I am doing something wrong with my Sat Nav but when I went on holiday to Spain I drove through France and wanted to visit Paris first but when I typed in Paris it stated that there was nothing found It it wasn't for google maps I would never have been able to avoid the tolls and arrive at my destinations. Is it out of date or just useless ?

Bought a Garmin epix pro gen 2. Stopped working after 2 days. The product claims to be a sports watch for tracking water sports. On my first session in the water it completely broke. I contacted Garmin and they offered me a refund. I have had a look at other reviews of products and it does not seem to be an isolated occurrence. Very disappointing for what advertised itself as a premium product.

I like the look of my Garmin Vivosmart watch but … I just missed a bus (which caused me a 3 hour delay in travel) because of the synch functionality. I’ve definitely learned from this mistake. SERIOUSLY, TELLING THE TIME IS A WATCH’S NO 1 FUNCTION! Very disappointed. But, I will say, they have excellent customer service people, short hold times.

My husband spent nearly £400 on his Garmin solar watch. He wears it every day and loves it, good looking, great tech, does everything he needs.

However, at under a year old he has a number of water or mould drops on the inside of the glass face cover. The girl he spoke within Customer Services, said the seal could have failed. He sent photos and he was asked how he looked after it and were there any other problems with the watch so far, which there aren’t.

He was told that the problem was then cosmetic and would not be covered under warranty until something else goes wrong with the watch!

So if you want a watch which develops moisture spots inside and affects the appearance of your watch with a warranty which is not fit for purpose and a customer experience service which leaves you thinking why did buy from Garmin then they are the firm for you!!!!

Really disappointed and does not match the reputation I mistakenly held on this firm

I cannot believe that Garmin, as a market leader, makes it so difficult to transfer routes to your navitgation device... Would very much recommend to chang to Wahoo or another provider.

I couldn’t be happier with my watch. The build quality is excellent, lightweight yet durable and comfortable to wear all day. The fitness and health tracking features are top notch and detailed workout metrics help me improve.

It great as an every day watch to. Highly recommend to anyone serious about fitness or just wanting a reliable smartwatch.

Prior to purchasing, I was impressed with the advertising — the watch looked stylish and the face seemed a good size. In reality, the watch face is smaller than expected, and I can only assume the models in the adverts had smaller wrists.

Another drawback was the strap. With a larger wrist, I was told by Garmin it would cost an extra £35 for a longer strap. When I mentioned cancelling, the agent did provide a free replacement, which was the right thing to do.

In terms of use, I can’t say the Garmin 55 is completely user-friendly. The menus can be a little fidgety, and overall it feels like the design is better suited to slimmer wrists — possibly more for women than men.

That said, the positives are clear: it’s lightweight, has excellent GPS tracking, a solid range of beginner-friendly features, and the battery life is very good.

Pros
• Lightweight and comfortable for exercise
• Accurate GPS and activity tracking
• Good training features for beginners
• Strong battery life
• Customer service resolved strap issue fairly

Cons
• Small watch face compared to advertising images
• Standard strap not suitable for larger wrists
• Initially charged extra for longer strap
• Navigation feels fiddly and not very intuitive
• Overall design feels aimed at women or slimmer wrists

Verdict: A decent entry-level running watch with solid features, but not ideal if you have larger wrists or want a more straightforward, user-friendly experience. I personally wouldn’t recommend it.

Garmin Fenix 7X Pro DLC bezel worn after 18 months – no help from support

I bought a Garmin Fenix 7X Pro (Titanium with DLC coating) in November 2023. After just 18 months of regular use, the DLC-coated bezel shows severe, uneven wear. This is not minor cosmetic fading – it looks like the coating has failed in patches.

I contacted Garmin Thailand (place of purchase) and Garmin Germany. Both refused technical evaluation, claiming it’s “cosmetic wear.” I even wrote to Garmin Executive Support in the US – no response in over 2 weeks.

I didn’t ask for a warranty replacement. I requested a technical review of what appears to be a coating defect or material failure, not user damage.

This is very disappointing for a premium watch in this price range. Has anyone experienced similar DLC issues?

I have Garmin forerunner watch and it seems just okay!

Firstly, can't fault customer service.
My first Garmin tactical solar failed while in warranty.
Garmin replaced this. The replacement has now failed within its warranty period !!!
Garmin support said they will replace it with a 'recertified' watch. when quizzed the said it was 'built' but would not have new packaging and only a 90 day warranty.
As I did not hear 'a new watch but not in new packaging I declined the replacement'.
As this would be the third watch I no longer have any faith in Garmin and will look elsewhere.
Perhaps a good job it failed when it did as I was going to buy a dedicated golf watch from them but no longer.

Shocking product quality. My first watch developed a screen defect. I sent it back for a warranty repair - they replaced it. Now, the replacement has developed the same issue! Spoke to the company helpline and they have stated I need to pay £105 to get repairs done. It seems the replacement watch is out of warranty. Be warned - DO NOT BUY THESE WATCHES.