Garmin Forerunner 405 vs Garmin Forerunner 610 Compared

I recently got a Garmin Forerunner 610 as a gift.  I was excited to open the box and see how the GF 610 is different from the Garmin Forerunner 405.  From the looks alone, the differences are striking.  The GF 610 is slimmer and lighter.  Here’s a comparison between the the GF 610 and the GF 405.

The Face

The size of the watch is similar.  However, the screen in the GF610 is bigger and occupies the whole face.  It doesn’t have the Garmin logo on top like the GF405.

The face of the GF610 is flat since it doesn’t have the touch bezel.  I won’t have problems with the scratches on the face compared to GF405.

The Buttons

The Start/Stop button and the Lap/Reset button are placed on the same side for both GF610 and GF405.  The difference is the Power and Light button on the GF610.  I like this feature so that I can save more battery life by turning off the watch when not in used.

Thickness

The Garmin Forerunner 610 is thinner.  The watch itself and the straps are thin and makes the watch lighter.  The back of the GF610 is metal compared to that of the GF405 which is plastic.

Backlight and Display 

The backlight of the GF405 is brighter compared to the GF610.  But the display has a poor contrast.  The GF610 on the other hand have a strong display contrast making it more visible in low light conditions.

Overall, the Garmin Forerunner 610 has better features in this upgrade.  The display and the power buttons are good additions to this bestselling gps watch.  Since it is lighter, the GF610 is easier to carry along.