Garmin today announced the Forerunner 630, their most advanced running watch. The $400 touchscreen GPS sport watch boasts more running dynamics than its predecessor, and additional physiological measurements so runners can be more aware of their bodies before, during and after a run. Runners can stay connected and motivated throughout and in-between workouts with smart notifications, music controls and audio prompts via a compatible smartphone and daily activity tracking features. The 630 is also compatible with the Connect IQ smartwatch platform. With Connect IQ, users are able to customize their watch with additional apps, widgets, watch faces and data fields.
Advanced Running Dynamics and Physiological Measurements
Building off the advanced running dynamics introduced with Forerunner 620, the new 630 provides more data and physiological measurements to keep runners aware of their bodies while training, help avoid injury and improve overall performance. The new metrics include:
- Stride Length: Measures the length of a runner’s stride in real time.
- Ground Contact Time Balance: Measures a runner’s ground contact symmetry, which some runners have found to correlate with injuries or strength imbalances.
- Vertical Ratio: The cost-benefit ratio of vertical oscillation to stride length, serving as one indictor of a runner’s efficiency.
- Lactate Threshold: Estimates the level of effort at which fatigue rapidly increases in terms of a runner’s heart rate and pace.
- Stress Score: Measures heart rate variability to make an assessment of a user’s overall level of stress.
- Performance Condition: Provides a real-time fitness-level measurement relative to a runner’s average baseline, which indicates performance readiness for the day’s workout or race.
The Forerunner 630 tracks cardio data such as heart rate, heart rate zones and VO2 max estimate with any ANT+ compatible heart rate monitor. By estimating VO2 max, it can predict race times, as well as provide a recovery advisor so runners know how long to rest after an intense workout. Additionally, when paired with HRM-Run, the 630 can measure a runner’s cadence, vertical oscillation and ground contact time. The high-resolution color touchscreen is 44% larger with an updated graphical interface is also easy-to-read at a quick glance, so users can stay focused on their run.
With the Forerunner 630, Runners can stay connected and motivated throughout the day. Through a connected smartphone, users can get call, text and email notifications right on the watch at any time, as well as audio alerts for lap and lap times while running. Users can also use their watch to control their smartphone’s music player. Additionally, the 630 is compatible with the Connect IQ smartwatch platform, so runners can download additional apps, widgets, watch faces and data fields from the Connect IQ store.
The Forerunner 630 offers automatic uploads via Wi-Fi to the recently updated Garmin Connect mobile app when in range, so users can check in any time throughout the day to view their run data and progress toward goals, track their sleep hours, join challenges and more. Garmin Connect Mobile’s easy-to-use interface provides daily information and trends over time and can be linked to a MyFitnessPal account to automatically sync calorie and nutritional information, allowing users to view active and consumed calories, and remaining calories (based on goals set in MyFitnessPal).
Between runs, the Forerunner 630 has daily activity tracking features to monitor valuable data including steps, distance, calories burned, and sleep, and its move bar with vibration alert provides motivation to stay active all day. It is water resistant to 50 meters and boasts up to 16 hours of battery life in training mode and 4 weeks in watch mode with activity tracking and smart notifications. With all of these additional features, the 630 isn’t exclusively for running. It can be worn all day, every day to keep users active and connected all day long.
Price and Availability
The Forerunner 630 will be available in black/white and midnight blue, and will begin shipping in Q4 2015. It will have a suggested retail price of $399.99, and the performer bundle with HRM-Run will have a suggested retail price of $449.99.
