The Best GPS Watches of 2025

Whether you’re a backcountry skier venturing off-grid or an ultramarathoner looking for above-average endurance tracking, the best GPS watches cater to diverse needs and activities. This wrist-mounted tech comes in various forms, from solar-powered behemoths lasting days without charging to everyday wearables with on-demand GPS and health tracking. 

Beyond tracking and screen clarity, these watches offer comprehensive health and fitness features. They monitor heart rate, analyze sleep metrics, assess daily recovery levels, and even provide personalized training guidance. But their true strength lies in accurate GPS tracking, with some models like the Garmin fenix 8 offering advanced navigation features like watch-based route planning, turn-by-turn directions, and detailed maps paired with a dynamic touchscreen interface that doesn’t necessarily require a phone to maximize potential.

With prices ranging from $300 for everyday options to $1,200 for expedition-ready precision instruments, the big differences lie in battery life, features, and durability. However, as technology continues to improve and more innovations are introduced, lines have begun to blur, and figuring out which one is best for you isn’t as easy as it used to be. This is why we took the time to test the watches on the list to their extreme in a variety of situations and conditions.

Editor’s Note: We updated this article on May 8, 2025, with new takes on the Garmin fenix 8 and Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED and Price & Value section.

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GPS Watches Comparison Chart

GPS Watch	Price	Battery Life	Weight	Case Size	Display Size	Bezel Material	Water Resistance Rating
Garmin fenix 8	$1,100	Up to 28 days (solar model)	57g (80g with band)	43mm, 47mm, or 51mm	1.3”	Stainless Steel or Titanium	10 ATM
Amazfit T-Rex 3	$300	Up to 27 days	68.3g	48mm	1.5”	Stainless Steel	10 ATM
Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED	$450	Up to 24 days	59g	45mm or 50mm	0.9″ (45mm) or 1.1″ (50mm) ”	Stainless Steel	10 ATM
Suunto Vertical	$839	Up to 60 days (solar model)	74g	49mm	1.4”	Stainless Steel or Titanium	10 ATM
Polar Grit X2 Pro	$750	Up to 10 days	57g (79g with band)	48.6mm	1.39”	Stainless Steel or Titanium	10 ATM
Garmin vivoactive 5	$300	Up to 11 days	23g (36g w/ band)	42mm	1.2”	Aluminum	5 ATM

How We Tested the Best GPS Watches

Our Testing Process

We got our hands on the best GPS watches in the category, putting them to the test in any and all situations. From ultra-marathon training and mountain biking in the Boise foothills to high alpine climbing in Wyoming’s Teton range and navigating through the woods and mountains of New England, these watches were used and abused in our testers’ day-to-day lives.

Needless to say, these watches have been put through the wringer all over North America. In addition to just using the watches as much as possible, we looked closely at battery life, user interface, ease of use, activity tracking, sleep tracking, and advanced heart rate metrics to narrow down our top picks and decide which stood out above the pack. 

Our Expert Testers

For this go-around, we enlisted GearJunkie contributors Will Porter and Nick LeFort. We tasked them with first narrowing down a list of GPS watches worthy of these accolades and then having them test those watches to figure out which ones were the best.

Porter is a runner who likes to get out and run for as long as possible. He relishes the long Sunday run (but loves a hard-hitting track workout) and will spend hours in the local Boise foothills a few times a week for a trail run. He has run multiple marathons, including the Boston Marathon, and has spent time biking, hiking, and running in NYC, San Francisco, Austin, and the mountains of Colorado. GPS watches have been his obsession for years. 

LeFort is an outdoor enthusiast who spends his time hiking, trekking, camping, and exploring. With weather rarely ever being one of his concerns, he loves to head out in all conditions to test out clothing and gear, as well as absorb as much of the scenery around him as possible. Based in New England, LeFort has been using GPS instruments to help him navigate the path least traveled for more than a decade. To date, he’s never been lost – just delayed a few times.

To help us round out where we were testing these watches, we solicited the advice and experience of one of our close friends. She is a NYC-based NICU nurse and avid runner. Not only was her enthusiasm contagious for this assignment, but her urban setting — the Big Apple — provided a fast-paced, action-packed setting for testing. She found the Garmin vivoactive 5 easy to wear on the job and while sleeping. And out running around Prospect Park.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best GPS Watch 

Buying a GPS watch is a big decision. Even the most affordable ones cost a substantial chunk of change, though there is a good range of price options available. GPS tracking is the throughline here, but different watches are better for different things: some will provide turn-by-turn directions on detailed maps, and others track while you’re out and about so that you can check your stats later on.

Some are great for wearing 24/7 and tracking a multitude of health metrics, while others are probably better for navigating a multi-day backcountry adventure. To help you make your decision, we went over some of the most important factors to understand when selecting the best GPS watch for you. 

GPS Tracking

Ensure the watch uses accelerometers for precise data capture during runs, both in the backcountry and in the city. All GPS data will vary slightly depending on where you are and the strength of your watch’s satellite connection — you’ll get more accurate GPS readings on a running track than in a dense forest or among skyscrapers.

However, to get the most from a GPS watch and minimize GPS errors, you’ll want to choose one that connects to multiple GPS satellite systems. For example, the Suunto Vertical utilizes GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, and BEIDOU to aggregate the most accurate positioning possible. 

Battery Life

Battery life is a key specification to look for when buying a GPS watch, especially if you plan to use it on long backcountry trips or endurance races. All of the watches had better-than-average battery life in smartwatch mode, but the specification you’ll want to keep a close eye on is the battery life while using all of its features at once, i.e., training mode, multi-band GPS, and always-on heart rate monitoring.

Some watches will boast a long battery life while in daily smartwatch mode, but you want to focus on the minimum battery life, not the maximum battery life. If you’re looking for a watch with a battery that will really last, we recommend a solar charging option, like the Garmin fenix 8, which can last up to 29 days in smartwatch mode or ~50 hours with all of its features going at once. 

Heart Rate Monitoring

This is crucial for gauging your effort level and optimizing your training intensity. One thing we’ve noticed about wrist-based heart rate, though, is that it tends to fall short of our desired accuracy levels. If you’re a heavy sweater, have tattoos on the top of your wrist, or work out in a way that makes your heart rate go up and down frequently (like a HIIT workout or running intervals), you’ll have trouble getting an accurate reading.

Our tester only relies on heart rate if he wears a chest strap monitor. Luckily, you can connect these to almost every watch we tested via Bluetooth — but it does add an additional cost and another accessory to worry about. 

Training Tools

Look for features like programmable workouts, training schedules, and virtual coaching to enhance your fitness and adventure experience. These watches all come with some type of coaching feature, which can do everything from sleep monitoring and workout recommendations to helping you train to run a sub-3:00 marathon or conquer that week-long backpacking trip you’ve been prepping for. 

Price & Value

The world of electronics is always innovating and evolving. GPS watches aren’t impervious to these changes, which can make it difficult to pick out the right watch for you — especially considering that this category of watches ranges from $280 to $1200. When spending your hard-earned money, it’s important to know what you’re investing in — no matter what the cost.

Budget

In the budget category, you should expect to pay less than $500. In this price range, you should expect to get onboard features like activity tracking, smartphone connectivity, and — of course — GPS tracking. However, the watches in this range may not collect as deep of a layer of data as some of their more expensive counterparts do.

You won’t find many premium materials at this price range; if you want titanium, you’ll have to spend a bit more. The same goes for battery life. Most watches in this range will have decent battery life, but you may find them lacking when it comes to multiday adventures or long days off the grid. You may find that you get a good screen, good battery, or rock-solid GPS, but you’ll always have to give one (or two) of these features up to stay under the $500 mark.

In this price range, the Amazfit T-Rex 3 ($300) proved to be our favorite. It had everything we expected, was easy to use, and provided ample battery life for our busy lives.

Mid-Tier

Mid-tier GPS watches cost between $400 and $600. They offer better battery life than budget watches, more durable displays and casing, and simple user interfaces that are easy to understand and learn. In this range, you’ll start to see some stellar battery power, advanced navigation features, and more comprehensive fitness and health tracking. 

For example, the Polar Grit X2 Pro, which costs $750, has one of our favorite AMOLED displays, an intuitive user interface, and better-than-average battery life. It easily outworks our budget picks, but at this price level, you’re going to have to give a few things up — the Grit X2 Pro has a big case compared to others with equivalent battery life and has a charger that doesn’t always stay on unless you set it down exactly right. This is the price range where the little details really start to matter.

Premium

Premium GPS watches range from $600 to $1,200. This is the category where you’re really going to start seeing some impressive features, like 40-day battery life, AI coaching that actually works, and GPS that gets you from point A to point B with minimal confusion and maximal accuracy. It’s also where you’ll see field-proven materials like Titanium make their debut to increase durability and justify the hit your bank account will take in buying one of these beauties.

At this price, the faults in a watch aren’t glaring and become more of a personal preference — they can all do some pretty incredible things. To give an example, the Suunto Vertical ($839), which we named the best watch for the backcountry, has outrageous battery life, keeping you on the map longer and further than any other watch in the category.

Conversely, our top pick, the Garmin Fenix 8 ($1,100), doesn’t quite have the same battery life as the Suunto, but it’s more comfortable on the wrist, which makes it easier to wear all day, every day, allowing you to take advantage of its advanced heart rate and sleep metrics. This price range offers everything you could ever want, so picking the best option for you comes down to just being really nitpicky. And that’s fair — for $800+, you better get what you want. 

Frequently Asked Questions