This post is part of the 2023 LITPro GPS Device Shootout series. To learn more about the details of this shootout, including format, devices we tested, and how we determine a winner, go here: 2023 GPS Shootout Intro.

Matchup #2 - Garmin Forerunner 235 vs Garmin Forerunner 255

 

Testing was conducted at Barona Oaks MX in Lakeside, CA.  This is a Southern California motocross track in a great location for GPS testing.  There isn’t a lot of tree cover, or mountainous landscape to obscure satellites on the horizon.  

Garmin Forerunner 235 vs Garmin Forerunner 255 (on the wrist)

10:03AM - GPS Watches Mounted on Wrist
Lap	Reference GPS	Garmin 235	Garmin 255	Garmin 235 vs. Reference	Garmin 255 vs. Reference
1	01:58.6	01:58.9	01:58.9	00:00.3	00:00.3
2	01:59.4	01:59.2	01:59.2	00:00.2	00:00.2
3	01:55.6	01:56.4	01:55.7	00:00.8	00:00.1
4	01:59.4	02:00.1	01:59.1	00:00.7	00:00.3
5	01:57.0	01:56.7	01:57.2	00:00.3	00:00.2
6	01:56.6	01:56.6	01:56.7	00:00.0	00:00.1
7	01:59.5	01:59.1	01:59.4	00:00.4	00:00.3
8	02:03.9	02:03.5	02:03.9	00:00.4	00:00.0
Average	01:58.8	01:58.8	1:58.8
Largest Delta				00:00.8	00:00.3
Total	15:50.5	15:50.5	15:50.1

 

Reference GPS on Fender	Garmin Forerunner 235 (green) vs. reference GPS on fender (red)	Garmin Forerunner 255 (green) vs. reference GPS on fender (red)

 

Garmin Forerunner 235 vs Garmin Forerunner 255 (on the handlebars)

11:02AM - GPS Watches Mounted on Handlebars
Lap	Reference GPS	Garmin 235	Garmin 255	Garmin 235 vs. Reference	Garmin 255 vs. Reference
1	02:07.5	02:06.8	02:07.5	00:00.7	00:00.0
2	01:56.1	01:55.4	01:56.0	00:00.7	00:00.1
3	02:00.8	02:01.2	02:01.1	00:00.4	00:00.3
4	01:58.7	01:58.1	01:58.8	00:00.6	00:00.1
5	01:56.4	01:56.6	01:56.4	00:00.2	00:00.0
6	01:57.5	01:57.9	01:57.8	00:00.4	00:00.3
7	01:58.0	01:58.5	01:58.2	00:00.5	00:00.2
8	01:59.3	01:59.3	01:59.6	00:00.0	00:00.3
Average	01:59.3	01:59.4	01:59.3
Largest Delta				00:00.7	00:00.3
Total	15:54.3	15:54.8	15:54.4

 

Reference GPS on Handlebar	Garmin Forerunner 235 (green) vs. reference GPS on fender (red)	Garmin Forerunner 255 (green) vs. reference GPS on fender (red)

 

Head to Head Results:

On the wrist:

#1 Top-down visual ranking Garmin Forerunner 255 vs. Garmin Forerunner 235 on the wrist (subjective):

The winner in this category is the Garmin Forerunner 255. In fact, this is the biggest difference we've seen yet. The Garmin 255 works really well, both on wrist and handlebars. It's an exceptionally accurate GPS device, so much so that you can tell insides versus outsides. We trust this data.

#2 Timing accuracy Garmin Forerunner 255 vs. Garmin Forerunner 235 on the wrist (non-subjective ):
The winner of lap time accuracy is the Garmin Forerunner 255. It had the smallest peak delta from the reference lap time. All of the laps were within 0.3 seconds of the reference lap time, and for comparing to a friend’s lap time or appearing on a leaderboard, this is the most critical. However, neither watch was ever off by more than 0.8 seconds.

On the handlebars:

#1 Top-down visual ranking Garmin Forerunner 255 vs. Garmin Forerunner 235 on the handlebars (subjective):

Again, the winner in this category is the Garmin 255. If you look at the 235 on the handlebars route line images above, you'll see fewer off-track excursions (you can click on the route line images to see full-sized versions for more details).  In general the 235 is a lot less accurate compared to the reference GPS or the Garmin 255.  The Garmin Forerunner 255 works really well in a motocross setting. It's an accurate GPS watch that you can trust.  

#2 Timing accuracy Garmin Forerunner 255 vs. Garmin Forerunner 235 on the handlebars (non-subjective ):
The winner of lap time accuracy is the Garmin 255. It had the smallest peak delta from the reference lap time. All of the laps were within 0.3 seconds of the reference lap time, and for comparing to a friend’s lap time or appearing on a leaderboard, this is the most critical. 

Wrap Up Summary:

The Garmin Forerunner 255 is the superior GPS watch, and the difference is huge in the context of riding motocross. The Garmin 235 is an older GPS chipset. It precedes the current generation by a few years, and is a dramatically different Garmin watch. It's more like the Polar Vantage M or the Polar Pacer Pro in terms of overall GPS accuracy. You'll see all sorts of stray route lines, and this is typical of the older generation Garmin watches. We also see in this test, as well as many unofficial tests we've done over the past few years, that GPS watches from Garmin prior to this new GPS chipset will have higher accuracy from the handlebars than the wrist. 

If you have an older watch, and have the means to upgrade, be sure to get a newer model Garmin watch with the newer chipset. Garmin's newer chipset (MediaTek/Airoha chipset AG3335M) comes standard starting with these models:  Forerunner 255, 265, 955, 965, Epix gen2, Fenix 7, and Taxtix 7. 

 

The winner of this round is the Garmin Forerunner 255!