It looks reasonably likely that there will be a 630 either this year or early next judging by the historical release rates of the past for Garmin.
Does anyone have any views about what might or should be included in the Garmin Forerunner 630? Share them below if you do. I struggled to think of THAT much to add to the 620. ie new running FEATURES rather than bug fixes or bits of
tinkering about.
I wrote an opinion piece on the Garmin Forerunner 630 - if anyone wants to read it. Don't feel obliged to click just add your thoughts below.
Comments
Getting battery life back up to 20 hours is also a must for a decent watch, so they need to do what it takes to do that, which I suggest might simply be dumping the accelerometer and making the battery bigger.
Haven't read your link though.
by coincidence i'm looking at the EPSON RUNSENSE PS-810...might be just what you need. Great bit of hardware...the software around it maybe less so. In fact I did some tests of my garmin vs the Epson a couple of hours ago!! not yet got to analyse them . the epson's hr seemed generally good even up to 170bpm. but as I say will have to look at the results.
Garmin accidentally leaked the specs on their own website about a week ago. Now gone but not before I copied them. There were no pictures though.
GPS Smartwatch with Advanced Running Metrics
All the Numbers to Measure a Runner
Whether you’re training for your first marathon or looking to crush a personal record, Forerunner 630 provides all the extensive data you need for training and racing. Check your form by pairing your 630 with the HRM-Run™ monitor to measure cadence, vertical oscillation and ground contact time¹. Additional running dynamics include ground contact time balance, stride length and vertical ratio.
The Proof of Your Potential
Forerunner 630 uses extended physiological metrics to help you get the most out of your workouts and feel confident with what you can accomplish when you toe the line. Once Forerunner 630 learns your lactate threshold through a guided test, you can apply it to your heart rate training when setting up zones. Overall training load, sleep, nutrition and general life stress play a role in how you will perform in a tough workout. To give you a better idea of what days you should aim for a tough workout or use as a recovery day, Forerunner 630 provides you with a stress score based off your heart rate. Performance condition is another feature that gives you an idea of how you will fare in workout. As you run, this feature analyses your pace, heart rate and heart rate variability to make a real-time assessment of your ability to perform.
When planning a strategy for your next race, Forerunner 630 measures your VO2 max² and can predict your race times for several distances, providing you with a time target. It also lets you know when to back off your training after a grueling workout or race with its built-in recovery advisor2.
More Than Just Pace, Distance and Time
Go past the basics on your watch face with Connect IQ™ at Garmin Connect. Browse through and download free watch faces, widgets, applications and custom data fields. You can also customize your training by downloading advanced workouts and training plans to your watch from Garmin Connect.
Get Connected
Forerunner 630 offers connected features3 like automatic uploads to Garmin Connect, our free online community where you can save, plan and share your activities. Just download the free Garmin Connect™ Mobile app to your smartphone and then pair your watch. You can also wirelessly sync data from your Forerunner to your Garmin Connect account using a Wi-Fi® hotspot. Additional connected features3 include live tracking, which allows your friends and fans to follow along and see your stats in real time. If you plan on running with headphones, audio prompts will keep you on pace with lap time reminders.
The specs (apologies for the bad formatting)
Physical & Performance
Physical dimensions 45 x 45 x 11.7 mm
Display size, WxH 1.23" (31.1 mm) diameter
Display resolution, WxH 215 x 180 pixels
Touchscreen
Color display
Weight 43.7 g
Battery 43.7 g
Battery life Up to 8 weeks in watch mode; up to 17 hours in training mode
Water rating 5 ATM
GPS-enabled
High-sensitivity receiver
Vibration alert
Watch functions Includes date and alarm.
Maps & Memory
History 200 hours of activity data
Running Features
Virtual Pacer™ (compares current pace to target)
V02 max estimate
Recovery advisor
Race predictor
Running dynamics
Accelerometer (calculates distance for indoor workouts, without need for a foot pod)
Personal records
Cycling Features
Bike speed/cadence sensor Yes (optional)
Performance Features
Heart rate monitor Yes (Some versions)
Foot pod Yes (optional)
Virtual Partner® (train against a digital person)
Auto Pause® (pauses and resumes timer based on speed)
Auto Lap® (automatically starts a new lap)
Auto Scroll (cycles through data pages during workout)
Advanced workouts (create custom, goal-oriented workouts)
Pace alert (triggers alarm if you vary from preset pace)
Time/distance alert (triggers alarm when you reach goal)
Interval training (set up exercise and rest intervals)
Heart rate-based calorie computation
Calculates calories burned
Training Effect (measures impact of an activity on your aerobic fitness)
Customizable screen(s)
Shock Resistant
Garmin Connect™
Garmin Connect™ compatible (online community where you analyze, categorize and share data)
Automatic sync (automatically transfers data to your computer)
Or, just PM me and I'll send you back a random number between 20 and 80, which will undoubtedly be a more accurate assessment of your VO2max than the garmin will give you.
It's probably more worthwhile sharing our views with Garmin rather than with a bloke on t'internet who's promoting his blog.
Well, it's still better than those "I've just heard about this brand, which I will namecheck with links and copious social media pointers, what do you people think about it?" first post spam threads, at least
Yet the only picture of the OP on the site is a pair of big hairy hands on the edge of a picture. Hmmm
That's not the hands of a lady! Maybe he thinks he'll get more spamway if he pretends to be a girl?