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The best running watches of 2026

Roel25 JANUARY 2026
Man in gray shirt and orange shorts kneels on road, checking watch. Grassy fields and buildings in background.

Are you an avid runner, or do you want to become one? With one of the best running watches, you’re taking a good first step. On this page, in random order, you’ll find our top 5 of the best running watches for your next work-out.

What are the best running watches?

A person runs on a path in a wooded area. They wear a gray jacket, shorts, socks and dark shoes. Trees are in the background.

When choosing a running watch, there are several important factors to consider. First of all, battery life is important, especially if you’re planning to run long distances. In addition, the size and weight of the watch are important. Choose a watch that sits comfortably on your wrist and isn’t too heavy. Pay attention to smart extra features such as GPS tracking, heart rate monitoring, step counter, sleep tracking and training programmes, which help you improve your performance and monitor your health. Also check whether the watch is water-resistant, especially if you plan to swim with it, often run in the rain or sweat a lot. Connectivity is important as well. Make sure the watch is compatible with your smartphone and other devices, so you can easily sync your data and read it in an app. Finally, durability is an important consideration. Choose a watch made from high-quality materials that is resistant to wear and dust.

Also view the best smartwatches

Garmin Forerunner 255

A gray smartwatch displays the time, 6:15, the date, Saturday the 1st, and the greeting, "Good Morning Riley!"

The Garming Forerunner 255 is a suitable running watch for the most fanatical sports fanatics. This water-resistant watch also comes in handy if you practise other sports. You can very easily switch to one of the 30 sport profiles. This is for example very useful if you’re training for a triathlon and want to quickly switch from cycling to running tracking. The smart Garmin Forerunner learns from your sports performance and then helps you with smart tips and training suggestions to become even fitter and better. You use the Garming Connect app for this.

+ The watch learns from your sports routine and gives tips via the Garming Connect app.
+ Tracks 30 sports, including running, cycling and swimming.
+ Water-resistant casing.
- No touchscreen.

View the Garmin Forerunner 255

Polar Ignite 2

A digital watch with a round black face and a light-colored wristband is displayed. The face shows the brand "Polar" and "Wed 24".

The Polar Ignite 2 is a versatile sports watch with a stylish and slim design. With the included straps you can choose a casual or sporty look. You can also fully customise the watch face on the bright 1.2-inch screen. This watch is suitable for various training activities, including running, fitness and swimming. The Polar Ignite 2 also has a water-resistant casing. Fanatical runners and cyclists use the built-in GPS tracker to determine their favourite routes wherever they want to train. The watch becomes your personal fitness coach. With FitSpark you receive recommendations for workouts that match your current condition and goals. In addition, you receive notifications from your smartphone on the Ignite 2 and you choose your favourite music while training. On a full battery you can train for up to 20 hours with the Polar Ignite 2. In daily life a full battery lasts for up to 4 days.

+ Built-in GPS tracker.
+ Suitable as a sports watch and as a casual watch.
- Doesn’t store music: you still need your smartphone to play music while exercising.

To the Polar Ignite 2

Apple Watch S10

A black smartwatch with a digital face displaying the time 10:09 is centered on a white background.

With its large display, available in 1.65 inch or 1.81 inch, you can very easily read notifications from your smartphone or the watch itself on the Apple Watch S10. This powerful aluminium or titanium display is crack-, dust- and water-resistant. The Watch S10 monitors your health using sensors. For example, it analyses your heart rate, your sleep pattern and your stress level. In addition, the watch is a great training partner thanks to its versatile functions for different sports activities, including running. Install the accompanying Workout app to become even fitter. You use the Apple Watch S10 while exercising without needing your iPhone. This way you can make calls, send messages and listen to music via the Apple Watch.

+ Large screen on which you can easily read all messages.
+ No phone needed while exercising to listen to music.
- Doesn’t work in combination with Android.
- Relatively low battery life of 1 day.

To the Apple Watch S10

Garmin Forerunner 165

A black Garmin watch displays a heart rate of 68 and a graph of the last four hours on a white background.

The Garmin Forerunner 165 is a versatile smartwatch for runners. It offers functions such as Body Battery and extensive training statistics that help improve your health and performance. The stylish design has a water-resistant casing and a bright 1.2-inch AMOLED screen. With access to 25 sports apps and the Garmin Coach app, you can train for many different sports goals. Do you want to run a marathon, for example, or are you even training for a triathlon? The Forerunner 165 and the Garmin Coach app help you achieve your goals. The smartwatch tracks your health and offers stress management with guided breathing exercises. In addition, you can control music, make calls, send texts and pay contactless with Garmin Pay. In terms of stamina, you can take an example from the Garmin Forerunner 165. The battery lasts up to 11 days and once empty, it also recharges very quickly.

+ Receive tips to run and train better with the Garmin Coach app.
+ Powerful battery that lasts up to 11 days.
- To play music via the watch, your mobile has to stay nearby.

To the Garmin Forerunner 165

Garmin Forerunner 55

A black Garmin watch displays 10:10 and 'Mon 1' on its face, set against a plain white background.

The Garming Forerunner 55 is a running watch and running trainer in one. This smartwatch gives you personal guidance while running with the PacePro function. The watch remembers every running session and the Garmin Coach function then provides increasingly personal training sessions and tips to improve your performance. Even when you’re not running, the Garming Forerunner 55 helps you get through the day in a healthy way. It tracks your step count, monitors your breathing and knows how intensively you have exercised in a day. In addition, this running watch has a strong battery that lasts up to 14 days in smartwatch mode.

+ Watch learns from your running rhythm and gives tips thanks to PacePro and Garmin Coach.
+ Long battery life (up to 14 days).
- To listen to music while running, you can’t head out without your mobile.

View the Garmin Forerunner 55

The best running watches at MediaMarkt

A person in a blue shirt looks at a watch. A second person in pink is in the snowy background.

The 5 running watches on this page are among the best at the moment. Each of them has smart features that help you become a better runner, have good battery life, are water-resistant and work together with a handy app on which you can read your sports performance. There are many other sporty wearables that match your needs. So definitely take a look at other running watches if you’re unsure whether your ideal choice is in this top selection. You might even discover that an activity tracker suits you better at this moment. Make sure you’re well informed and find out which watch best matches your needs.

Heart rate monitor on your wrist and chest

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