The Garmin Forerunner 30 is a streamlined smartwatch for serious runners

If you’re after a feature-loaded smartwatch, there are plenty of options to consider. Some people, though, just want an affordable running watch with enough notifications to keep them in the loop. The Garmin Forerunner 30 (£129.99) is that gadget. Built-in Garmin Elevate means you get a 24/7 heart rate monitor, while GPS will keep track of where you’ve been putting your miles in. There’s no mode-switching here; it’s running only. However, thanks to Garmin’s Move IQ tech the Forerunner 30 will know when you’ve changed activity. As a pure fitness tracker, it excels, measuring your VO2 max on top of the usual progress indicators. In terms of battery life, you’re looking at up to five days in smartwatch mode (complete with text and call alerts) and eight hours for activity.

Matt Tate Contributor

About

I'm fascinated by all things tech, but if you were going to leave me on a desert island, I'd probably ask for my Nintendo Switch, a drone, and a pair of noise-cancelling cans to block out the relentless seagull racket. When I'm not on Stuff duty you'll probably find me subscribing to too many podcasts, playing too many video games, or telling anyone who will listen that Spurs are going to win a trophy this season.

Areas of expertise

Video games, VR, smartwatches, headphones, smart speakers, bizarre Kickstarter campaigns