The Best Running Watches Review of 2024 for Every Level

The best running watches and fitness accessories are a great way to better prepare yourself for your endurance sports, such as running, cycling, swimming, and other exercises. 

These portable fitness equipment have a ton of features to help you break your previous records, such as virtual pacers, training suggestions, route creation with GPS, and all the standard heart rate, time, and pace data you receive when running. 

The vast range of features that these products offer might make choosing the best watch for runners a bit difficult. 

Are you looking for the best smartwatch for running? This is our guide to the best fitness trackers if you don't need a specific running watch but still want to monitor your fitness levels. 

Our guide to the best affordable running watches offers everything you need if you're on a tight budget. 

Top Running Watches forr 2023

1. MyKronoz ZeTime Hybrid Smartwatch

The MyKronoz ZeTime is a smartwatch incorporated with mechanical movement. This hybrid smartwatch is currently the first and only example of a traditional touchscreen display being combined with a historical mechanical movement. Many people would be curious to know how the technology works since it is a one-of-a-kind watch.  

We can conclude that the MyKronoz ZeTime is a design that appeals to those with intense addiction since it has the classic appearance and operating principles of mechanical timepieces. 

MyKronoz ZeTime Hybrid Smartwatch

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2. HEALBE GoBe3 Smartband | Best GPS Running Watch

Throughout the past year, HEALBE has aggressively collected consumer feedback and studied all of it to determine how to best enhance its distinctive smart band. 

In order to lessen any discomfort on the wearer's wrist, the HEALBE team decided to create the sensors using hypoallergenic titanium contact points and a soft-touch band. Essentially, when building the GoBe fitness band, the main concern was the comfort factor. 

Furthermore, the design was given an update and the screen was swapped out for an always-on, memory-in-pixel display that completely eliminates glare. This is one of the best smartwatches for running. 

HEALBE GoBe3 Smart Band

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3. Cubitt CT2 Pro Series 2 Watch

The Cubitt CT2 Pro Series 2 Smart Watch provides you with everything you need and more to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is also the best GPS running watch. This watch has a superior 1.69" touch screen and built-in Alexa voice control, both of which make it highly user-friendly. 

Furthermore, the CT2 Pro Series 2 can track your fitness throughout the day by logging your steps, kilometers traveled, and calories burned. It offers 14 different sports modes, including walking, swimming, yoga, and others. 

Cubitt CT2 Pro Series 2 Watch

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4. Cubitt CT4 Smart Watch

With the tagline "Go fit beyond imagination," Cubitt-official introduces the best running watches that force you to monitor the results and changes in how your body functions while you engage in various physical activities. 

The wristwatch strives for fitness beyond expectations by providing readings and alerts to keep you informed of your heart rate, the number of calories burned, and the number of calories still to burn when you are exerting yourself strenuously. 

Cubitt CT4 Smart Watch

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5. Garmin Vivoactive 4

Is it a smartwatch, is it a GPS running watch, or is it a fashion watch? It’s all three in one. This is the first Garmin watch that truly targets the fashion-conscious runner, competing with the likes of the Apple Watch and Android Wear gadgets. 

It's true that it isn't technically as powerful as some of its rivals on our list, but in terms of value for money - an appealing appearance and an attractive price - it's tough to beat. 

As you would already guess, it has all the Garmin smarts, including full GPS and heart rate tracking, multi-sport support, and even on-watch music streaming for Deezer and Spotify, just like all the best running watches. You can also use this watch when completing your office fitness challenges.

6. Garmin Fenix 7

With its advanced training options, the Garmin Fenix 7 is a running watch that will help you maximize your weekly training and fine-tune your race day strategy. All of the Fenix 6's best features are maintained, but it now has some great new tools, like a real-time stamina meter that displays how your energy level is dissipating as you run, so you can adjust your effort. 

7. Garmin Instinct 2

If you've ever laced up your shoes and been ready to head out the door, only to realize your watch is going to run flat before you're finished, then the Garmin Instinct 2 is a great running watch for you. 

The Instinct 2 has battery life that can be measured in weeks rather than days or hours, and in the right conditions, its solar variants can keep it running indefinitely. 

A two-hour run with all sensors turned on a sunny day scarcely made a dent in the battery, despite the fact that tracking workouts need a little extra power.

8. Garmin Forerunner

The Garmin Forerunner 255S is a fantastic watch for you if you like to run as part of your triathlon training. If you can't afford some of Garmin's more pricey products, this is the perfect reasonably priced watch for you. 

Thanks to the most recent Garmin software and multi-band GPS, its location-tracking and biometrics are quite accurate, and it's packed with genuinely helpful training tools to help you get more out of your runs, bike rides, and swims. This is one of the best running watches in 2023! 

9. Coros Pace 2

Coros Pace 2 is a fantastic mid-range running watch with a ton of functions, it is incredibly light and thin. Even though it weighs only 29g, it has several features we'd expect to see in more expensive running watches, such as an "AI trainer," to help you manage your training load before events, interval, triathlon, and multi-sport modes. It is also compatible with external sensors like foot pods and chest-strap heart rate monitors.

10. Apple Watch Ultra

This is another top running watch for your consideration. The Apple Watch Ultra is likely already on your radar if you take your jogging seriously and use the iOS software. Many kinds of athletes and adventurers, from runners to divers to mountaineers, can benefit from Apple's amazing new watch. 

11. Polar Pacer Pro

The Polar Vantage V2 and, funny enough, other Polar gadgets have a lot in common with the Polar Pacer Pro. It is a simple, incredibly light watch for athletes without the trimmings of a smartwatch. 

This is a great watch and is reasonably priced; however, it lacks a few features that the more expensive models on our list have.

12. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

The best real Wear OS watch for serious runners and Samsung users is without a doubt the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, a stylish watch with tons of features that are ideal for runners. Therefore, it is one of the best smartwatches for running. 

This top running watch features an Exynos W920 dual core 5nm chipset suitable for advanced GPS tracking, turn-by-turn navigational direction, and Samsung's new Route Workout functionality, as well as improved sleep tracking and a terrific body composition feature for general health. 

You can use this watch to plan your route and share it with others if you want to run the same course with friends. 

13. Garmin Enduro 2

The Garmin Enduro 2 is a monster watch with all the features we've come to expect from Garmin plus, and the best battery life we've ever seen in a watch. There aren't many flaws in the Enduro 2's design outside its obvious size and price. The old Enduro lacked topographical charts, which have recently been included. 

Essentially, the Enduro series offers pretty much everything you may need to track runs. This top running watch offers sleep monitoring in addition to providing sophisticated fitness tracking metrics.

14. Polar Grit X Pro

The stylish Grit X Pro, which replaces Polar's ruggedized, trail-friendly Grit X, offers all the training, running, and recovery features found on the company's top watches like the Vantage V2 but in a more hench frame. 

Also, it offers a variety of additional navigational features for running more difficult routes. You get trustworthy turn-by-turn navigation and top-notch route planning with Komoot. Elevation profiles provide information about the upcoming roads and trails. Additionally, TrackBack can also safely guide you back home based on the route you just ran. 

15. Suunto 9

This big beast of a watch weighs 81 grams and offers a suite of features designed for longer, wilder runs. The real headline is the battery life, which eats ultras for fun despite having a sizable, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal touchscreen display and 100m water resistance. 

You get 25 hours of performance mode, 120 hours of ultra-power save mode, and suggestions for the best battery option to use before a run to make sure the watch lasts the distance. This is definitely one of the best running watches on the market!

16. Polar Vantage V2

The second-generation Vantage V2 is Polar's most feature-rich watch and is specifically designed for people who are serious about running and improving their fitness. Everything from the well-liked original watch is still present, and its specific flaws have been addressed. 

This includes a touchscreen and button controls that are more responsive, all-in-one housing, and softer, more comfortable silicone straps.

17. Apple Watch Series 8

The Apple Watch Series 8 is still first and foremost a smartwatch, then a running watch. You're receiving a best-in-class selection of run-supporting tools with calls, contactless payments, music, and a million more conveniences that operate off its 4G connection. 

However, the Series 8 also carries over everything we enjoy from the Series 7 and is unquestionably Apple's best running gadget. In addition, this is the closest a smartwatch has ever gone to replace a "real" running watch.

18. Polar Grit X

The Polar Grit X is a tool for trail runners who are less experienced and is essentially a watch in a bracket of its own. Price aside, it's worth a serious look if you occasionally run off-road, or you often switch between city marathons and wilder running adventures. 

You will receive many of the same run tracking and training insights as the Vantage V2, as well as the same 40-hour battery life in full GPS mode, making it sort of an outdoor-oriented Vantage V2 Lite (though our tests suggested 30-35 hours in reality).

19. Garmin Instinct Solar

Because of its adventure skew, the Instinct often goes forgotten in the "normal" running mix. Although this military-grade monitoring device is made for tough outdoor battles, if you don't mind giving up certain training and recovery insights, it's actually an all-around running tool on and off the road. This is one of the best running watches to have if you like to practice your fitness on running machines.

20. Coros Apex Pro

The Apex Pro is another best running watch designed for long-distance off-road running and ordinary road running. Essentially, the most notable aspect of this product is Coros's renowned battery, which may last up to 40 hours with a full GPS battery and up to 100 hours with UltraMax mode. 

With options like track mode, where you pick your lane to tweak the GPS accuracy, interval session builder, pre-loaded training sessions, and running power on the wrist, the Apex Pro is more than simply a tool for trail runners.

Bottom Line

Unlike your Timex and usual gym equipment, these watches probably won't stay fashionable for many years. Hold off buying a smartwatch until you find one that you genuinely want to wear because the designs are evolving quickly. 

Moreover, remember that smartwatches are still gadgets. The coming year is sure to bring new updates of pretty much every watch and home gym idea on this list, not to mention completely new models.