The 8 Best Running Watches Of 2023

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There was a time when all you needed to train as a runner was a decent pair of shoes and, if you were ambitious, a stopwatch to track your time. It's still possible to get by on that bare-bones setup, but ever since Casio released the first GPS-enabled watch in 1999, wearable tech has become the runner's best friend, making it increasingly easier to track distance, time, pace, and performance in one device you wear on your wrist.

Early GPS watches were bulky, bare-bones when it came to features, and sometimes not the best at positioning, making their utility and value debatable. A lot has changed, however, in the past couple of decades. Today's fitness-focused wearables are pushing the frontier forward in accurate locational tracking, and many come with a raft of applications to assist in tasks like planning routes, keeping a tab on your biometrics, and exercising to your peak capacity. 

What's more, a number of competing manufacturers have entered the field, offering up a wide range of options to suit anyone's fitness goals and budget. That's to say nothing of the modern, jack-of-all-trades smartwatch, the producers of which have recognized the value in serving the running set. It's safe to say that aspiring road racers are spoiled for choice when shopping for a GPS-enabled watch in 2023. Here are the leaders of the pack, guaranteed to give you the edge when the rubber (sole) hits the road.

As Garmin is to running watches, Apple Watch Ultra is to the all-purpose smartwatch — there are other brands, but it's likely the first name that enters your mind when someone mentions the product type. That said, the average Apple Watch's utility as a training tool has lagged behind more fitness-focused brands, which is one of the reasons the Apple Watch Ultra was released in late 2022. It's not a Garmin-killer, but it's the best bet for iOS users looking for a smartwatch that can approach matching strides with the big boys.

At 49 millimeters, the Ultra's form factor is bigger than the standard Apple Watch, but that size increase is all about making room for more battery. The Ultra claims between 30 and 36 hours of mixed use on one charge, or around 15 hours with GPS tracking enabled. That's a significant step up from Apple's standard, although still behind the field in the fitness space. Biometrics tracking and onboard music capabilities are robust, and the Ultra has incorporated dual-band GPS for better positioning than the standard Apple Watch. And, of course, it's an Apple smartwatch: Feature-rich, sleekly designed, and versatile.

As with most Apple products, the biggest downside here is the price point. The Apple Watch Ultra is currently listed at $799, which makes it one of the most expensive options on our list. If bang for your buck beyond fitness matters to you, though, you're going to get a lot of function for your money.

Many runners stick to paved roadways, but if training takes you off the beaten path, you're going to need a GPS watch that's made for trail running. As should be expected, Garmin has you covered with the Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar. If the 265 is the down-the-middle choice for the mainstream runner, the Fenix is for the serious adventure enthusiast. It's rugged, fully decked out with features, and possessed of both serious battery life and the ability to charge with the very energy of the sun itself.

Of course, just because the Fenix 7 is made for rougher terrain doesn't mean it can't be pretty. The watch features a big, beautiful screen that incorporates touch control functionality and displays onboard maps clearly and colorfully. It's packed with advanced training tools, including modes for cycling, swimming, and other activities for those times when you want to give your knees a break. The big selling point, however, is the Fenix 7's battery life, which is advertised as stretching to 89 hours with the GPS active. Couple that with the ability to charge via solar power, and you've got a device that's not going to die on you no matter how far afield you roam.

This is a top-of-the-line watch, which means it's not for the light of wallet — the Garmin Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar clocks in at $799, and all without the smartwatch features of the Apple Watch Ultra. Still, if you can stomach the investment, though, you won't find many higher-end alternatives.

In the ongoing GPS watch arms race, the urge to add features and expand functionality has been hard for many manufacturers to resist, especially once smartwatches became a thing. Chinese wearables manufacturer Coros has made a splash in the space since arriving in 2014 by focusing on runners, including securing endorsements from the likes of marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge. The Pace 2 is a little more bare-bones than some of the watches on this list, but for serious runners, it's absolutely worth a look.

Let's start with the most noticeable thing — the Pace 2 is very light. At only 29 grams, it's easily the lightest watch on this list. While a matter of a few grams here and there might seem trivial, it's worth noting, especially for long-distance runners. Controls are streamlined and limited to two buttons, one of which rotates like a digital crown. Battery life is another big selling point, with the Pace 2 offering 30 hours of GPS activity or approximately 20 days in standard use on a full charge.

The trade-off in all this streamlining is that the Pace 2 lacks some of its competitors' bells and whistles. The display is LCD, which is a step behind today's standards. Features like onboard music or any sort of communications technology are absent. While access to Coros' EvoLab training program comes subscription-free with the purchase of a Coros product, the platform isn't as fully fleshed-out as options from the bigger names. Still, at a price of only $200, the Coros Pace 2 delivers enough to make it worth a look for anyone who wants a quality watch focused on running.

Battery life can seem like not that differentiating a feature in the GPS watch space. After all, once you get up in the dozens of hours, is there really that much of a difference? As anyone who's ever had their watch die on them deep into a distance run can tell you, though, duration of charge is one of the more vital specs for training-focused wearables.

Finnish manufacturer Suunto recognizes this, so they've equipped their 9 line of watches with an absolutely absurd amount of battery life. The company claims 120 hours of tracking activity on one charge, making use of an Ultra setting that only geolocates every two minutes while filling in the gaps with onboard sensors. Those are numbers to make an ultrarunner's ears perk up, and they also make the Suunto 9 suited to a weekend on the trails without easy access to a power source.

All that juice comes at a cost in construction, making the Suunto 9 one of the bigger and heavier watches on this list. That said, it's not an unattractive package, and you also get more than just a hefty battery with that bulk, as the Suunto 9 features an altimeter, barometer, and compass for enhanced outdoor performance.

While its interface may have a steeper learning curve compared to some other watches, its durability, long battery life, and extensive tracking capabilities make it an excellent companion for serious runners. The Suunto 9 Baro starts at $239.