Hmmm, interesting that they call it a "GPS Running Watch with Multisport Features" rather than a "Multisport watch". That page says that it supports Garmin's multi-sport activities, so as you say, for all intents and purposes, it looks just like a 920XT or Fenix 3 with optical HR in a FR630 body.

Judging by the specs tab, it appears that the "Advanced swim metrics" just refers to the existing swim functionality in Garmin's products (i.e. distance, pace, strokes, stroke type etc etc), although interestingly it does list the Swim Workouts on there that have been coming-and-going on Garmin Connect over the last couple of months. Hopefully that feature is close to launch!

I personally think the 920-line watches will never come with optical HRM, because the QR kit and bike mount render optical HR useless and many triathletes want their data in front of their eyes and not on their wrist during the longest portion of their race.

We'll see if they come out with a 935xt/Fenix 4 or something soon, but my guess is that the 735 is aimed at more recreational triathletes.

Very interesting... thanks for the catch. My 910XT is dying, so I go to Garmin's site nearly daily looking for the next generation 900 watch. The 700 is a whole new product series. I think I like the larger, square screen on the 900 for the readable data it can show. But, this 735 is intriguing. I will wait for DCR's review before I make a decision on it.

And I am in the group that really wants writs HRM on the 900. I hate chest straps, and I am currently living with a Rhythm+. I use a 520 on my bike, so I do not need to look at my watch during the bike stage. But, I am curious about HR in the pool, and I absolutely need it on the run.

Edit: Looking at the comparison between the 920XT and 735XT, these are the major feature differences that caught my eye...

• Much higher resolution display
• 14 hour battery, so it is on the bubble for an Ironman
• No barometric altimeter
• Does more music and phone integration stuff
• 2x memory
• No multiple bike profiles (though this may be moot, if they changed the whole concept of profiles, like with the 520)
• No courses (which I never used on a run)

Edit: Corrected errors from the Garmin web site. DRC says the watch is not touchscreen, and elsewhere Garmin's website states the watch supports Vector.

Not sure that "no power meter support" is correct. In the specs, Garmin says it works with Vector. If it works with the Vector pedals, it presumably works with other ANT+ power meters.

Good catch; it probably does have power meter support. But, in the comparison view, it does not have a check for the box: "Power meter compatible (displays power data from compatible 3rd party ANT+-enabled power meters)." That may be an omission on the web site.

Ray has had hands on the new watch.

It is NOT touchscreen.

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/...triathlon-watch.html

---

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson

Apart from the battery life, why do you think this is aimed at recreational athletes (which is 99.9% of their target audience anyway)? You can still use a HR strap for more accurate data?

Holy hell these watches are just getting out of hand price wise! I get that it has cool features but $450?! Wow.

---

Twitter - Instagram

I don't know much about US pricing, but the list price of the Fenix 3 and 920XT were higher than that right?

As a side note, the lack of WiFi upload would be annoying for me if I was in the market for a new watch, I love that feature on my Fenix 3. I don't understand this decision by Garmin, they had it in 620 so can it really be a size constraint issue? They left it out of the Edge 520 too for some reason and that was one of the main reasons I didn't upgrade from my ancient Edge 800; if I have to faff around with a Bluetooth connection to my phone after every workout then I may as well just plug it in to my laptop.

Have Garmin just run out of WiFi chipsets?!

I've had the 235 since mid-December and absolutely love it. The one thing that I found lacking was power meter support but considering that I'm mainly running these days and not actively bike training it wasn't such a big deal. This is a game changer for me. I see myself promptly picking up the 735 one they are available.

Haha. Garmin needs to fire their web content team. At least two errors on the product compare page.

The 920XT came out 2 years ago around Kona. I'd expect another tri watch later this year. This watch looks like a filler until the next Forerunner comes out.

---

Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

Yeah, wifi upload is sweet. I finish my run, walk in the house, hit save, and it's uploaded like 20 seconds later.

Now I get annoyed that my 510 doesn't do the same for my rides.

---

Proud Member of Chris McDonald's 2018 Big Sexy Race Team "That which doesn't kill me, will only make me stronger"
Blog-Twitter-Instagram-Race Reports - 2018 Races: IM Florida 70.3, IM Raleigh 70.3, IM 70.3 World Championships - South Africa, IM North Carolina 70.3

I've just seen it on twitter! It looks perfect
much nicer to look at than the 920

---

-

http://www.thetrinerd.com

This.

"oh cool, it's like my vivoactive only not neutered, I would pay a bit more for that" "$450... nope"

Garmin is in a bind. They have very functional sub $300 watches because they have to, it's a price point that too many players are in to release anything but a good product, but they're going to stubbornly cling to much higher prices for features they aren't going to add to cheaper watches like multisport mode because they know it would kill the 930xt sales. The average triathlete doesn't use 75% of what a 920xt can do, but nope, can't build a cheap simple triathlon watch.

So we get an overpriced watch but hey, it supports electronic shifting and garmin heads up display support.

battery...battery...battery
Need 20HR for the long course with GPS and HR.

I used to think this, until I bought an Apple Watch. Now, the Garmin watches seem like a bargain to me.

Yeah, it looks like Garmin is shifting its major products to a 2 year update cycle. The Fenix got shortened a lot, and the 200 series also shortened. I am still dreaming that they move up the 900 series to less than 2 years, but I am anticipating a fall buy.

Your 510 can basically do that, just through an intermediary like your cell phone (or iPad/tablet/whatever).

The battery life, price and form factor of my Ambit 3, plus it's super fast satellite signal acquisition and strength, plus the bluetooth power meter capability (which I think uses less power than ANT+) still makes it a much better value I think. If you don't need a HRM or barometric altimeter, I picked mine up for I think $225.... 1/2 the price of the Garmin.

However, the music features and high resolution screen will keep it competitive for more users that want a wrist mounted i-phone for workouts. Heaven forbid you not have music while you workout or use a separate device for that purpose.

---

TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

$450 for 1/2 920xt... no thanks

---

The entire event (IM) is like "death by 1000 cuts" and the best race is minimizing all those cuts and losing less blood than the other guy. - Dev

My thoughts exactly. They could even loose a feature or two most of us wouldn't even care about and price it $350 and just market it as the midpoint between the Vivoactive HR (even though no actual multisport) and 920xt.

---

There's not really much to do, you just have to have the phone near the Garmin at some point after the ride. You don't have to manually connect it.

---

--Chris

I am not a fan of the built in optical HR monitor because what do I do when I am running in the winter with long sleeves? I cannot put it over my jacket and get my HR or I can put in under my jacket and get my HR but not see it.

The 910 was announced October 2011. The 920 was announced three years later in October 2014. At the time the 920 was announced, people were screaming for a replacement & the rumors of the 920 were abundant. Personally, I think this watch is a filler to placate those wanting new technology and built in HR so Garmin can survive another 3 year cycle with the 920.

I don't hear the screams for a new 900 series watch right now. It seems everyone is happy with what the 920 does & there are very few prevalent issues with it. Garmin can keep releasing these intermediary products to keep sales up while not having to push a new 900 out just for the sake of it.