The Forerunner 305 and 405 are premium sports watches by Garmin, a company that develops and sells consumer, aviation and marine products for the Global Positioning System (GPS). Although the watches are essentially in the same product series, the 405 version is the more advanced--and thus the more expensive--of the two.
Main Features
Every Forerunner 305 and 405 watch has a GPS receiver that monitors running time, distance, calories and pace. The Forerunner 305 comes with a heart rate monitor to measure heart rate; the 405 has two versions: one with a heart monitor and one without it. The 405, however, has the automatic sync feature to automatically transfer data to a computer--a feature that the 305 does not have. Other common features include Virtual Partner for training against a digital person, Auto Pause for pausing and resuming the timer based on speed, Auto Lap to automatically start a new lap, and Garmin Training Center software to track your progress in detail.
Memory
The Forerunner 305 and 405 can record up to 1,000 laps of lap history, plus store up to 100 waypoints (reference points in physical space for navigation purposes). Garmin, however, gives the 405 the additional ability to store up to 50 routes; the 305 lacks that feature.
Battery
Both watches have rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The battery life, however, differs between the two. The battery of the Forerunner 305, when fully charged, is expected to last 10 hours. That of the Forerunner 405, on the other hand, can last eight hours in training mode and two weeks in power save mode.
Physical Dimensions
The Forerunner 305 is 2.1 inches wide and 2.7 inches high, and it has a diagonal measurement of 0.7 inches. It has a display resolution of 160 x 100 pixels. It weighs 2.72 oz. The Forerunner 405 is slightly smaller at 1.88 inches wide and 2.78 inches high, with a diagonal measurement of 0.7 inches. It has a display resolution of 124 x 95 pixels and a weight of 2.11 oz.
Price
The manufacturer's suggested retail price of the Forerunner 305 is $199.99. The Forerunner 405 has a MSRP of $299.99 for the regular version and $349.99 for the version with the heart rate monitor.
Tags: heart rate, with heart, diagonal measurement, diagonal measurement inches, display resolution, display resolution pixels, Forerunner Forerunner
