GPS Accuracy Contrast Between the 45s and Instinct

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Yesterday afternoon I was looking at the GPS track for a run I did with the 45s and I was struck by how wide of the mark it was, compared to the same run with the Garmin Instinct. With the Garmin instinct the GPS track fits like a rail to the satellite and road map. With the Garmin Forerunner 45s it is quite a way out.

How Big Is The Difference?

With the Garmin Instinct GPS track you can see so precisely that you can tell which side of the road I was running on, as well as when I switched from one side to the other. The GPS track is highly aligned with the walk or run.

In contrast with the Forerunner 45 the track is a few meters it. It shows you as running through trees and buildings, instead of along the road. It’s when you zoom in that you see the flagrant difference in accuracy between the two devices.

Does It Matter?

Now that I notice the difference I don’t think that it really matters. I need to check whether when it is GPS alone or GPS and Glonass, whether it is more accurate than GPS and Magellan. I think the GPS chip is cheaper, and that’s what affects accuracy.

Working On Fitness

My reason for running is to improve my fitness, according to fitness apps, and with the Garmin Forerunner 45s I get a measure of my vo2max and how it is progressing with each run. I don’t get that data with the Instinct.

And Finally

If you want to create a GPS route for others to follow use the Garmin instinct because it will give a clear, accurate route, but if you’re just running and tracking for fun then the Forerunner 45s is fine. Sometimes the cheap option is fine.