Timex and Garmin are two watch brands that occupy a particular niche in the market, and that is with its robust and reliable sports watches. Both brands are also known for manufacturing highly affordable watches making the company a great brand for those who are looking for quality everyday watches that won’t make a dent on their budget. An essential factor to note about Garmin is that they are a tech company that produces various types of gadgets, not just in the watch market.
This watch brand comparison will be one based on watch technology and features, to say the least. Since both watch brands are considered to be entry-level, we cannot base our decision on their prestige or watch movement. Instead, this will be all about watch tech and functionality. Which brand provides better quality features and functionality? Let’s find out.
Timex Brand Overview
Founded back in 1854, Timex comes with a rich and colorful history behind it. The company’s humble beginnings started in Waterbury, Connecticut, and even then, Timex focused on manufacturing affordable watches to the masses. Most Timex watches come with an incredibly flexible price range making sure it covers a broader customer base. While Timex watches are known to be cheap, the quality put into each watch model is not. This is the primary reason why Timex has become as popular as it is today; it is a highly accessible watch brand that comes with an excellent reputation and quality not commonly seen in its price bracket.
Timex began manufacturing affordable pocket watches during the early years, and it wasn’t until 1914 when Timex entered the wristwatch market. This shift was inevitable as the wristwatch was quickly gaining and will soon overtake the pocket watch in the market. One respectable aspect of Timex is how the company easily adapts to the changing times without losing its brand’s heart and soul in the process.
Of course, to have such longevity in the business, a brand also needs to deliver timeless signature products that will stand the test of time. For Timex, one of their most popular watch series came in the form of the V-conic timepieces. Now that they have a calling card, Timex headed on to innovate the industry. Timex was the first watch company to manufacture sports watches, namely the iconic Timex Ironman series. This watch line is known for its durable build and numerous features that made it quite popular with athletes and in marathons in particular.
Nowadays, Timex is still one of the go-to watch brands for those looking for highly reliable and affordable watches, specifically sports watches. Timex has also adapted digital technology as well as watch designs that improve overall shock resistance and water resistance.
Garmin Brand Overview
As we have noted earlier, Garmin is a tech company that develops and manufactures various types of gadgets ranging from GPS to wristwear. The company began its operations in 1989 in Lenexa, Kansas. Founded by Gary Burrell and Min H. Kao, Garmin was initially known as ProNav as in “Professional Navigator” as their first products were GPS units. A couple of years later, ProNav changed their name to Garmin which is a portmanteau of the two founders’ names, Gary Burrell and Min H. Kao.
Garmin managed to climb the ranks thanks in part to their partnership with the U.S. military. By the year 2000, Garmin is one of the leading developers of GPS devices in the world, with over three million units sold and around 50 different GPS models in their catalog. Garmin is also currently developing sleep apnea treatment apparatuses since 2018.
As for their wristwear products, Garmin primarily develops activity trackers and sports watches. This makes Garmin watches ideal for athletes as well as for working out. Their watches utilize GPS and sensors as standard features. Their more recent watch models also incorporate pulse-oximetry and Bluetooth technology.
Popular Garmin wristwear includes the Vivofit, Vivosmart, Forerunner, and the Fenix series. The Vivofit is primarily an activity tracker. The Vivosmart and Fenix are considered to be excellent entries into the sports smartwatch category with their rugged build and sport-centric functionalities. Back in 2018, Garmin improved upon its smartwatch technology by introducing Bluetooth, music playback, and NFC payment into its flagship wristwear products. Garmin is also currently partnered up with Spotify which is now available by default with their newer smartwatch models.
Timex and Garmin Watch Comparisons
Outdoor Watches:
Timex Expedition Acadia Review
🏆 #1 Best Overall
- Heart Rate and Sleep Monitoring: The Fitness Tracker monitors your heart rate automatically all day, and you can select manual mode through the App. The fitness Watch also monitors your sleep at night, providing a detailed analysis of your sleep quality (deep sleep, light sleep, awake time). It is a health advisor for women men in daily life.
- Multi Sport Modes with Activity Tracking: The fitness tracker features 9 sport modes like running, walking and more. Additionally, the activity tracker records daily steps, calories burned, walking distance and active time throughout the day. You can also set a daily steps goals through the App to track your progress.
- Smart Notification Reminder: You can get SMS messages, and SNS notifications directly on your wrist including Facebook, Twitter, Gmail ect. You won't miss any important calls and message and stay updated. Please note: the smart watch can not make calls or text.
- Long Battery Life and IP68 Waterproof: This smart watch only requires 2 hours of charging and can be used for 5-7 days continuously, IP68 waterproof rating can withstand daily sweat, washing hands and rainy day, allowing you to fully enjoy your workouts.
- More Functions & Compatibility: Fitness watch comes with multiple smart functions such as stopwatch, alarm clock, breathing guide and sedentary alert, enhancing convenience to your daily routine. The tracker is compatible with iPhone Android Phones which run on iOS 8.0 or Android OS 4.0 & Bluetooth 4.0 or above. Please note that it is not compatible with tablets or computers.
The Timex Expedition Acadia might be a highly affordable watch model, but it does come with an incredibly sturdy build that is designed to tackle the great outdoors. The Timex Expedition Acadia comes in at 40mm and incorporates a black resin case which gives it an exceptional balance between durability and weight. The dial is also encased in a robust and scratch-resistant acrylic crystal glass making even more suitable to handle the outdoors.
There are two variations of the Acadia series, one with a blue dial and the other with a green one. Both versions use durable fabric with leather stitching which makes it more comfortable to wear and added character. The watch takes on a military-style aesthetic as along with the Arabic hour markers; there is a smaller 24-hour time format displayed within the inner dial. There is also a date window display located at the 3 o’clock position.
As with most of Timex’s outdoor timepieces, the watch comes with the company’s proprietary Indiglo light-up technology which gives the clock optimum visibility even in the dark. The construction of the case is also designed to withstand extreme natural conditions and comes with a decent 100-meter water resistance rating.
Garmin Instinct Review
Rank #2
- Personalized Watch Faces with Practical Tools: The fitness watch for women comes with theme dials and you can personalize the watch face to your liking and customize the display content. Brightness adjustment make you an optiomal experience based on environment change. The smartwatch features practical tools such as stopwatch, timer, music control, breathing training, night mode, alarm clock and wrist up awake, giving more convenience and fun to your life.
- Healthy Monitor on Your Wrist: The smartwatch monitors your heart rate in real time and you can view recorded data on the watch or App. Our watch also allows for manual detection of blood oxygen. Besides, the fitness watch tracks your sleep status automatically, including light sleep, deep sleep and awake time, helping you develop healthy sleep habits and improve sleep quality.
- Multiple Sport Modes with Waterproof: Our fitness watch is equipped with 10 different sports modes suan as yoga, walking, running, ect, tracking automatically your steps, distance, calorie burn, and activity time. The smartwatch also can track your outdoor workout route if connected with your smartphone's GPS. The sport watch features IP68 waterproof rating, ensuring that it can withstand sweat, hand washing, or rain in daily life, and is also suitable for swimming and diving.
- Get Notified on Smartwatches: The smart watch receives incoming call and notifications from SMS, Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp etc, This helps you stay up-to-date and avoid missing important information. (The watch can not make calls or text back). The watch also has a sedentary reminder function and you can create reminders for drinking water, meetings, dinners, appointments and more in the alarm settings, enjoying a healthier lifestyle and a well-planned schedule.
- Long-lasting battery and Extensive Compatibility: The smart watch will take 2 hours to charge and last for up to 7 days of continuous use or 30 days standby time. The watch is compatible with smartphones that run on iOS 10.0 or Android OS 5.0 and have Bluetooth 4.0 or higher. Please note that it is not compatible with tablets or computers.
Garmin is mostly known for its fitness trackers and sports watches, but they showed they could also make an extremely durable outdoor watch as well with the Garmin Instinct. This particular watch from Garmin incorporates their signature features such as GPS, 3-axis compass, and a barometric altimeter. However, Garmin implemented a top-notch construction design when it came to its case. The Garmin Instinct is designed for the rough and tumble nature of the outdoors.
The watch itself meets the requirements of military-grade equipment with its U.S. military standard 810G certification. This means that the watch is shock, water, and thermal resistance. This timepiece utilizes several satellite systems to provide precise location and tracking capabilities, making this timepiece a helpful accessory for outdoor enthusiasts. Additional features include an activity tracker and smartphone connectivity. It also takes full advantage of the Garmin fitness online app to help wearers through their workout routines.
Triathlon Watches:
Timex Ironman Classic 30 Review
Rank #3
- 【24/7 Heart Rate Monitor 】This blood pressure watch supports real-time dynamic heart rate, blood oxygen, blood pressure ,Sleep Tracking,temperature monitoring so you can know more about your physical condition.
- 【Sleep Tracking 】The Smart watches monitors your sleep and analyzes your sleep quality through Deep Sleep, Light Sleep, Awake stage, gives you a nightly sleep score in the app, leading a healthy lifestyle.
- 【25 Sport Modes Activity Tracker】you can select any number of sports modes in the app as your exclusive sports mode to record your sports data.can record all daily health data such as steps, distance, and calorie consumption in the App "Keep Health"
- 【1.10 inch AMOLED HD Touchscreen】 The durable stainless steel frame of C60 pairs flawlessly with the Skin-friendly fitness straps, while its 1.10 inch AMOLED HD Touch Color Screen design and multitude of invigorating watch faces blow you away any moment
- 【Smart Functions】An easy-to-use activity fitness tracker with various intelligent features. Including Call & Message Reminder,Remote Photograph, Drink Water Reminder, Sedentary Reminder, Female Health,Family Health, Alarm Clock, Stopwatch, Find Device, etc
A classic never goes out of style, as proven by the enduring Timex Ironman watch series. One of the most prominent watch brands in marathon events is undoubtedly Timex. Their Timex Ironman watch series is designed specifically for these events and are of great assistance to athletes participating in this great test of physical endurance. As such, the Ironman watch itself is built to withstand the abuse its wearers will need to conquer during the marathon.
What’s more, the Timex Ironman Classic is exceptionally affordable and comes with an entry-level price tag. Operating the watch and its many features are pretty straightforward and easy to grasp. Some of its key features include the 30-lap memory, which helps you record a good chunk of your performance for later review.
The Timex Ironman Classic features the bare bones when it comes to activity tracking functionality. The low-price tag also means that it won’t be equipped with modern activity tracking technology. That said, if all you need is a reliable sports watch to help you track your performance during training, the Timex Ironman Classic is a noteworthy option for those who don’t want to splurge on this particular type of wristwear.
Garmin Forerunner 735XT Review
Rank #4
- Multi-Functional Sports Tracking & 100+ Sport Modes:The fitness watch is equipped with more than 100 sports modes, such as walking, running, swimming, hiking, cycling, mountaineering, yoga, etc. Accurately record all-day activities, this fitness tracker for men and women is waterproof with an IP68 rating, you can safely wear it for swimming, washing hands and showering. However, it is not recommended to use it in hot water (sauna) or sea water (diving).
- All Day Health Monitoring:This smartwatch for Android and Iphone (Please note: it requires iOS 9.0 and above and Android 6.0 operating system) is equipped with advanced sensors that provide insights to help you better understand your health and adjust your lifestyle. It not only can monitors your health indicators (heart rate, blood oxygen, sleep), but also records women's menstrual period. It can also automatically monitor your sleep status and provide a comprehensive sleep quality analysis to help you have a better sleep.
- Smart Notifications & Bluetooth Calling:Make and receive calls directly from your smartwatch with SMS and calling features through the built-in microphone. Stay connected to SMS and app messages (text, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) and never miss anything important. The AI Voice feature on this smartwatch lets you free your hands to control music playback, check the weather, set alarms, timers, and more by just speaking into your watch (message replies are not supported).
- Variety of Watch Faces & Customization Options:This multifunctional smartwatch is equipped with a 1.27-inch round full touch screen, which brings you a refined visual experience and a better appearance experience. You can upload your favorite pictures as the watch face. It contains many daily practical functions that you can choose by yourself, such as message reminders, weather forecasts, music control, stress monitoring, alarm settings, stopwatch, timer, sedentary reminders, breathing guidance, raise to wake, find phone, adjustable brightness, etc.
- Worry-free after-sales services:KEEPONFIT smartwatch supports SMS and call functions, and is seamlessly compatible with most iOS 9.0 and above and Android 6.0 and above smartphones (only for smartphones, not for PC, laptop or iPad), plz make sure download the VeryFit App and turn the bluetooth on before you connect it to your phone.Making it a great gift for boyfriends and girlfriends! We are committed to providing you with the best service, if you have any questions, please feel free to let us know, our professional technical team will serve you within 24 hours!
Garmin watches are typically quite expensive, and as you can see here – the Garmin Forerunner 735XT is considerably pricier than Timex’s entry in this category. Those extra digits on its price tag also equate to more modern features included in its design. This is undoubtedly one of the best runner/triathlon watches that you can buy as it delivers every essential element, and then some.
The Garmin Forerunner 735XT is as feature-rich as they come, especially the tri-bundle package that includes a chest strap as well as an HRM-Swim accessory. If you are going all-in with the Garmin Forerunner 735XT and get the tri-bundle version, the HRM-Swim accessory is an excellent addition. It is irreplaceable for swimmers, however, if you don’t need the HRM-Swim, no need to fret as the standalone wristwear is already filled to the brim with helpful features.
The Garmin Forerunner 735XT comes with features designed to track activity and physical performances regarding running, swimming, and cycling. The watch can be used to track overall performance progress and distance covered per training session. This is even further enhanced thanks to the Vector app which you can install to the Forerunner 735XT.
Conclusion: Timex and Garmin – Which is Better?
If you are looking for a watch brand that provides a broad selection of watch types at a highly affordable price, Timex is a great entry-level brand to check out. However, if you are primarily looking for wristwear that you can use for training and other sports activities, Garmin provides an exceptional list of watches that comes packed with features to help you along the way. Garmin is a go-to brand for activity tracking and smartwatches. While somewhat expensive, you will get your money’s worth with Garmin’s advanced and feature-rich watches.
💰 Best Value
- 【Superb Visual Experience & Effortless Operation】Diving into the latest 1.58'' ultra high resolution display technology, every interaction on the fitness watch is a visual delight with vibrant colors and crisp clarity. Its always on display clock makes the time conveniently visible. Experience convenience like never before with the intuitive full touch controls and the side button, switch between apps, and customize settings with seamless precision.
- 【Comprehensive 24/7 Health Monitoring】The fitness watches for women and men packs 24/7 heart rate, 24/7 blood pressure and blood oxygen monitors. You could check those real-time health metrics anytime, anywhere on your wrist and view the data record in the App. The heart rate monitor watch also tracks different sleep stages for light and deep sleep,and the time when you wake up, helps you to get a better understanding of your sleep quality.
- 【120+ exercise modes & All-Day Activity Tracking】There are more than 120 exercise modes available in the activity trackers and smartwatches, covering almost all daily sports activities you can imagine, gives you new ways to train and advanced metrics for more information about your workout performance. The all-day activity tracking feature monitors your steps, distance, and calories burned all the day, so you can see how much progress you've made towards your fitness goals.
- 【Messages & Incoming Calls Notification】With this smart watch fitness trackers for iPhone and android phones, you can receive notifications for incoming calls and read messages directly from your wrist without taking out your phone. Never miss a beat, stay in touch with loved ones, and stay informed of important updates wherever you are.
- 【Essential Assistant for Daily Life】The fitness watches for women and men provide you with more features including drinking water and sedentary reminder, women's menstrual period reminder, breath training, real-time weather display, remote camera shooting, music control,timer, stopwatch, finding phone, alarm clock, making it a considerate life assistant. With the GPS connectivity, you could get a map of your workout route in the app for outdoor activity by connecting to your phone GPS.