Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS Receiver and Sports Watch Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've run 4 times a week with the Garmin 201 for the past 2 years so I was anxious to get the 205. After 10 runs with the 205 (some runs with both) here is my take on the new 205:
Pros:
- better form factor (although still big and same weight as the 201)
- Buttons are more intuitive (less guessing in the dark)
- More accurate - If I run the same run 3 times (e.g. a regular 6 miler) all 3 distances are within .02-.09... the 201 varied by as much as .3 miles. The 205 also appears to be more accurate according to "known distances"
- Less satellite drops compared to the 201 (although see the BIG con below!)
- The strap is rubber so it doesn't act as a sweat band (the 201 was harder to clean and smelled for weeks after a marathon)
- Better software
CONS:
- Fonts are smaller (especially on history and other screens)
- The strap is rubber and doesn't fit as well as the cloth/Velcro on the 201 (although the pro I think outweighs the con!)
- BIG CON: On one regular run along the bay in San Francisco (no hills, trees, or buildings) the 205 lost satellite in a "usual" area (common for my 201 to drop in the same place) one mile into the run, but the 205 never recovered during the whole run. So the 205 doesn't drop satellites as much, but when it does it might not recover - this is a fatal issue if it continues (note: the 201 drops often, but always recovers right away).
Overall I would still highly recommend the unit. I definitely prefer to run with the 205 instead of the 201. I will be watching the drop-recover issue carefully to see if others report a similar problem.


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