Sporting watch for common life and everyday trainings Garmin Forerunner 25 is a clear continuation of my favorite Forerunner 15, which has been written very much about, and the first one at now is one of the most remarkable offers on a market according its price and quality. The mentioned Garmin Forerunner 25 is a model of initial level of sporting watches, but it’s more developed comparing with its earlier brother. It’s pleasant, that Garmin brand hasn’t manufactured the identical model with a new cover but represented really new watch with an excellent functional kit.
The model of Garmin Forerunner 25 has received a new appearance, its sizes are less, thinner, weight is lighter, and in spite of it, the comfort of using and general ergonomics had not suffered. Navigation buttons are smaller and have changed their place from edges closer to the center; it doesn’t affected at their practical using, pushes have stayed sharp but false operations during everyday wear has become a little more. The general watch dimensions are: 3.59 x 4.39 x 1.39 cm, weight of 0.039 kg.
The way of the watch bracelet fixing at a gadget body has changed; if the Forerunner 15 has been fixed tightly, then 25 Forerunner strap is hold at the edges of the corp and has a wide band of degrees of freedom. Both versions are developed in such way that even gentlemen with a large wrist have no problems because of the convenience of watch wearing, but in the case of timer Garmin Forerunner 25, its way of mounting is explained by the reduction of model size and weight. It’s worth to note that with device decreasing the limit of charging hours has changed, the charger becomes smaller and lighter, it can be used only for this one model, no more other watches.
Garmin Forerunner 25 has received a monitor with a higher density of pixels, now it is 128 x 128 pixels, in comparison by the side of 55 x 32 pixels of the previous model. This improvement had a helpful influence at the overall mapping information, it permitted to display pictograms and messages from smart phone, but about these functions little later. Now watch supports the Russian alphabet, while the previous model had only the Latin.
Despite the increasing of pixel density, the display proportions have remained the same and permit to display only two data indexes in the exercises mode. The figures are large, they are red well even during the run, and to scroll screens with data is possible by pushing the button with arrow down. Even for models of initial level, Garmin specifies rather wide opportunities of displaying, setup of workout data and demonstration of useful information at the gadget display. The setting operations can be made in the watch itself and also at Garmin Connect App.
Now the protective plastic glass, which defends the display from damages, is placed upon that one level as watchcase is. The glass has confirmed to be fine in the earlier model, it’s not prone to regular rubbing and scratching, in spite the fact that it’s produced of plastic and has to operate the entire lifecycle of the watch.
The presence of Bluetooth node wireless technology in the Garmin Forerunner 25 is the one of the conceptual innovations and it was lacked in the previous model; it gives the possibility to synchronize your watch with a smart phone, transfer all the data about exercise and daily activity in the Garmin Connect Mobile and receive announcements about messages from your smart phone. At my opinion, the mode of announcements about messages is more fashionable than useful, in spite it many people, no doubts, will evaluate it, but loading the data about exercise in the mobile application is a great step forward. Bluetooth node in the watch is used only for pairing with smart phone and transmitting data at Garmin Connect Mobile, to connect the heart rate sensor protocol ANT + is used.
There is a storage battery of lithium-ion alloy inside model Garmin Forerunner 25; unfortunately, we do not know its exact capacity but upon manufacturer’s declaration, the duration of battery work lasts for 10 hours of exercise mode together with operating GPS and for 10 weeks for mode of common watch. In case when the reviewed watch model is used in pair with a smart phone, the battery duration will be cut. In defiance of all expectations, even with significantly smaller case, where no place for higher capacity battery, having optimized the power consumption, the Garmin engineers have ensured that under all scenarios of Forerunner 25 using, the watch is working longer than its predecessor. In practice, having tasted watch in pair with GPS, they have not been working during 10 hours, but their operational period was very close to nine hours and it’s an excellent result.
If simply use Garmin Forerunner 25 as a watch, you’ll receive that promised 10 operating weeks without recharging; if to use it in pair with a smart phone, it’s difficult to forecast its working period, everything will depend on intensity using of messages notification. On the average, Garmin Forerunner 25 will ensure a steady week of operation with using announcements during a functioning day and a couple of outdoor workouts, what is a fine index for initial level models. To load exercises into computer is possible via classical way too – through USB cable. In this case the watch charging also works. And if you do not apply service of Bluetooth, the gadget can be recharged completely in a period of transmitting your workout information from the watch to your personal computer.
As mention above, one of the newest innovations of Garmin Forerunner 25 is an option of wireless connection to a phone by resources of Bluetooth, what gives a possibility to display at the watch screen different notifications. It’s a pity but without vibration signal it looks rather poor, and it’s very simply to ignore a massage at smart phone if it use no sound mode; but if some function presents it will be used, no doubts.
As its predecessor, Garmin Forerunner 25 has a fit bit tracking system that counts an amount of steps have done during a day, doesn’t permit to seat at one place reminding constantly that you have to walk and also it registers sleeping periods. As for a model of initial level, the presence of tracking mode, surely, is a plus, it makes wider the possibility to control your physical state. The common pattern and operational algorithm of a tracker is a similar for all Garmin’s products and more detailed information you can take from a review of a previous model Forerunner 15.
Considered all, the using of Garmin Forerunner 25 brings only positive emotions. The watch has obtained a new and interesting appearance, a new display, an option of wireless connection, it’s smaller and lighter, what is a plus for everyday using. Another plus is its duration of autonomous operation that is hard on heels of more expensive watches; and who knows, what Garmin engineers will be able to do with future models of initial level. It’s rather difficult for me to stress minuses of Forerunner 25 model, they will be personal for every owner, but in general this watch is well-balanced according all parameters, it is a real hardy beast for everyday workouts and using and Bluetooth node existence is an actual salvation from wires and computer connections.
I would like to emphasize that everything mentioned above is about Garmin Forerunner 25 into a large case, because a product line has an analogous watch with a smaller case and other colors. The both models differ only by their sizes, weight, the junior one is lighter in 8 grams, and capacity of its battery is smaller, what causes the watch autonomous work for about 2 hours less in exercise mode with GPS and for a week in watch mode.
