Garmin's latest Forerunner smartwatches feature LTE, two-week battery life

What you need to know

• Garmin has launched its latest Forerunner smartwatches for fitness enthusiasts.
• The Garmin 55 is an affordable option with up to 20 hours of battery life with GPS in use.
• The new Garmin 945 features LTE connectivity and up to two weeks of battery life.

Garmin makes some of the best fitness smartwatches on the market and has just introduced two new models to commemorate Global Running Day. The Garmin Forerunner 55 and 945 LTE both offer impressive battery life, and one even features LTE connectivity.

The Garmin Forerunner 55 (above) is the cheaper model and is available in three different styles. It features built-in GPS with an impressive battery life that can last up to two weeks without location tracking or 20 hours with continuous tracking.

Thanks to the lasting battery, the Garmin Forerunner 55 is ideal for helping fitness enthusiasts train more efficiently. The watch has several features to guide runners to accomplish their goals, many of which are also found on the more expensive Garmin Venu 2. Users can track respiration rate, monitor stress, and even get recommendations on recovery time during a workout.

The Garmin Forerunner 945 GPS is already on our list of the best Garmin smartwatches, and the new LTE model takes things up a notch. Since the watch comes equipped with LTE connectivity, so you can leave your smartphone at home while out on a run. Thanks to built-in maps, users can download routes so they can stay on course.

The 945 LTE is outfitted with plenty of health and fitness tracking features such as a Pulse Ox sensor, menstrual and pregnancy tracking, and plenty of sports apps to help keep track of it all. And even if you don't have your smartphone on you, the built-in LTE can help send your location information to an emergency contact in case of an incident.

The Forerunner 945 features the same two-week battery life as the 55 but takes a hit in GPS mode, coming in at just seven hours with music and LTE LiveTrack enabled.

Both smartwatches are available today, starting at $199 for the Garmin Forerunner 55 and $650 for the Garmin Forerunner 945.