10 Best Gps Running Watches 2025 in the United States

The Apple Watch Series 11 is a strong candidate for runners looking for a smart, all-around fitness companion. Its built-in GPS supports multiple global satellite systems, ensuring accurate tracking of your routes and pace, which is crucial for running. Battery life offers up to 24 hours under normal use, enough for most daily runs, and it charges quickly, but might need daily charging if used extensively for long workouts or multiple GPS sessions. Heart rate monitoring is advanced, with notifications for irregularities and even sleep apnea, giving a thorough view of your health beyond just exercise. Water resistance rated to 50 meters means you can safely wear it in rain or while swimming, and its IP6X dust resistance adds durability.

The watch also shines with detailed training metrics like Heart Rate Zones, training load, and a smart Workout Buddy that leverages your iPhone to help you train smarter. On the smartwatch side, it offers cellular connectivity with 5G, letting you make calls and receive messages without your phone, plus safety features like fall and crash detection for peace of mind. Design-wise, it’s thin and lightweight, comfortable enough for all-day wear including sleep tracking, and has a bright always-on display that’s easy to read outdoors.

Compared to some dedicated running watches, the battery life may be shorter if you rely heavily on GPS and advanced metrics. Also, while it has many features, some runners might find specialized running watches offer more in-depth performance data or longer battery endurance. This makes it a premium, stylish smartwatch that covers running needs well, especially if you want a device that doubles as a powerful health and everyday wearable.

The Garmin Forerunner 165 Music is a feature-rich running smartwatch designed for those who enjoy tracking their fitness and listening to music on the go. Its standout feature is the brilliant AMOLED touchscreen display, which offers vibrant visuals and is paired with traditional button controls for ease of use. The built-in GPS ensures accurate pace and distance tracking, essential for runners. The wrist-based heart rate monitoring helps keep track of your cardio health without the need for additional equipment. With up to 11 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and up to 19 hours in GPS mode, it is suitable for both daily use and long training sessions.

The smartwatch also supports over 25 activity profiles, including running, cycling, and HIIT, making it versatile for various fitness activities. One of the highlights is the music feature, allowing you to download songs and playlists from popular services like Spotify and Amazon Music for phone-free listening. The Garmin Coach and personalized daily suggested workouts adapt based on your performance and recovery, helping you reach your fitness goals efficiently. The device also provides recovery insights and training effect labels, offering a comprehensive overview of your fitness progress.

Safety features like incident detection and Assistance are valuable for outdoor activities, ensuring peace of mind. The smartwatch supports smart notifications, so you never miss important calls or texts, and Garmin Pay for contactless payments adds convenience. On the downside, the memory storage capacity is limited to 4 GB, which might be insufficient for some users who want to store a large number of songs. Additionally, the small 1.2-inch screen size might not be ideal for everyone. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Garmin Forerunner 165 Music is an excellent choice for fitness enthusiasts who want a reliable and multifunctional running smartwatch.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (2025) is a solid choice for runners seeking a versatile GPS smartwatch with a sleek, lightweight design. Its built-in GPS provides dependable location tracking for outdoor runs, paired with a Running Coach feature that offers real-time feedback and training plans for different race distances like 5Ks and marathons. The watch also excels in heart rate monitoring and adds vascular load tracking to provide deeper insights about stress influenced by your lifestyle. Battery life supports daily use comfortably, lasting through a full day of activity and notifications, though heavier GPS use may require more frequent charging.

Comfort-wise, its thin and snug fit means it stays out of the way during workouts and everyday wear. The Galaxy Watch 8 includes advanced sleep coaching and an Energy Score metric that sums up your health data, helping you optimize your recovery and daily energy. Samsung’s watches generally handle sweat and light water exposure well, making this model suitable for most fitness activities but not recommended for serious swimming.

Beyond fitness, it functions well as a smartwatch with a personal AI assistant, clear display, and easy-to-navigate interface for notifications and updates. If you want a reliable, stylish running watch that doubles as a smart daily companion with strong health tracking features, the Galaxy Watch 8 is worth considering. Those who prioritize ultra-long battery life or highly specialized swim tracking might want to explore other options.