Best Garmin Smart Watch for button controls

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Best for button controls

Garmin Lily 2 Active

5.0 feature score

Highest scored product for this feature based on supporting review evidence.

Safest pick

Garmin Forerunner 165

4.9 feature score

Balances feature score, supporting reviews, and overall product strength.

Most evidence

Garmin Forerunner 255

10 supporting reviews

Has the broadest review evidence for this feature.

Best overall product

Garmin Tactix 8

4.4 overall score

Strongest overall product among items with scored evidence for this feature.

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#1 Garmin Lily 2 Active
5.0
5 reviews

Button controls are a unanimous strength because they make workouts and navigation much easier than touch-only Lily models.

Pros: health tracking accuracy, blood oxygen tracking

Cons: ECG functionality, onboard music storage

#2 Garmin fēnix 7X Pro
5.0
3 reviews

Button controls were consistently praised for intuitive navigation, glove/rain usability and reliable interaction during activity.

Pros: GPS accuracy, app ecosystem

Cons: ECG functionality, calorie tracking usefulness

#3 Garmin Forerunner 165
4.9
8 reviews

Button controls were a major strength, especially for workouts, gloves, sweat, rain, and avoiding touchscreen reliance.

Pros: smartphone notifications, watch face quality

Cons: music controls, Wi-Fi connectivity

#4 Garmin Enduro 3
4.8
2 reviews

Physical button controls were praised as reliable and satisfying, with the touchscreen-button blend described as the best of both worlds.

Pros: contactless payments, reliability

Cons: onboard music storage, watch face quality

#5 Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)
4.6
3 reviews

Button controls are a standout usability feature, especially for workouts, with praise for tactile clicks and mid-activity control.

Pros: GPS accuracy, charging speed

Cons: ECG functionality, voice assistant quality

#6 Garmin Forerunner 570
4.6
3 reviews

Button controls were strongly praised, especially for wet hands, sweaty workouts, swimming, and glove use.

Pros: charging speed, GPS accuracy

Cons: ECG functionality, smartphone notifications

#7 Garmin Forerunner 955
4.5
6 reviews

Button controls were a major strength, especially during workouts, gloves, movement, and wet conditions.

Pros: outdoor visibility, charging speed

Cons: LTE connectivity, call handling

#8 Garmin Approach S44
4.5
2 reviews

Button controls were a clear upgrade over the S42, with reviewers calling the second button easier, more intuitive, and better for navigation.

Pros: user interface, brightness

Cons: wellness insights, charging convenience

#9 Garmin Vivoactive 6
4.4
5 reviews

Button controls are generally well-liked, with reviewers praising the raised button, simplicity, and tactile workout controls.

Pros: software smoothness, comfort

Cons: LTE connectivity, voice assistant quality

#10 Garmin MARQ Gen 2
4.3
8 reviews

Button controls were repeatedly praised as intuitive, sturdy, tactile, polished, and useful alongside the touchscreen.

Pros: pairing reliability, reliability

Cons: size options, call handling

#11 Garmin Tactix 8
4.3
7 reviews

Button controls were mostly praised for texture and feel, but dive-rated buttons created mixed feedback from users who preferred older tactile clicks.

Pros: wellness insights, build quality

Cons: LTE connectivity, band quality

#12 Garmin Forerunner 970
4.3
3 reviews

Button controls were useful and reliable, preserving full control when touch is unavailable, though one reviewer wanted a more tactile click.

Pros: stress tracking, customization options

Cons: menu navigation, companion app quality

#13 Garmin Forerunner 255
4.3
10 reviews

Button controls were polarizing but mostly positive: many liked reliability during workouts, while some found the buttons numerous or squishy.

Pros: durability, cross-platform compatibility

Cons: stress tracking, app ecosystem

#14 Garmin Forerunner 255S
4.3
4 reviews

Button controls were mostly praised for workouts, water use, and avoiding accidental touches, though the button-only approach may not suit touchscreen-first users.

Pros: step counting accuracy, fit

Cons: blood oxygen tracking, charging convenience

#15 Garmin fenix 8 Pro
4.3
2 reviews

Button controls were praised for premium haptics and easier, quicker operation than earlier Fenix buttons.

Pros: workout tracking variety, pairing reliability

Cons: size options, companion app quality

#16 Garmin Forerunner 265
4.2
7 reviews

Button controls were widely praised for workout reliability, tactile feedback, and the larger Run button, though one reviewer disliked squishy secondary buttons.

Pros: step counting accuracy, third-party app support

Cons: ECG functionality, LTE connectivity

#17 Garmin Approach S70
4.2
5 reviews

Button controls are generally useful and easy, though one reviewer still noted a learning curve.

Pros: recovery insights, GPS accuracy

Cons: software smoothness, fitness tracking accuracy

#18 Garmin Forerunner 965
4.2
6 reviews

Buttons were consistently praised as tactile, easy to use during workouts, and a dependable alternative to touch controls.

Pros: water resistance, workout tracking variety

Cons: LTE connectivity, ECG functionality

#19 Garmin Instinct 3
4.1
10 reviews

Button controls are mostly praised for predictable wet/glove use, though a few reviewers found the buttons harder to press or slower than touch controls.

Pros: customization options, charging speed

Cons: onboard music storage, voice assistant quality

#20 Garmin Fenix 8
4.0
7 reviews

Button controls remain useful and reliable, but the new leakproof/inductive feel drew mixed reactions compared with older mechanical buttons.

Pros: workout tracking variety, onboard music storage

Cons: LTE connectivity, value for money

#21 Garmin Approach S62
3.8
6 reviews

Button controls were appreciated for gloved use and click feel, though the touch-button mix sometimes caused confusion.

Pros: software smoothness, style and design

Cons: voice assistant quality, onboard music storage

#22 Garmin Approach S50
3.8
2 reviews

Button controls were usable but not ideal for button-first users; reviewers found navigation workable while still preferring more physical controls on higher-end models.

Pros: touchscreen responsiveness, health tracking accuracy

Cons: call handling, voice assistant quality

#23 Garmin Instinct Crossover AMOLED
3.6
3 reviews

Button controls split opinion: one reviewer found them second nature, while others found the no-touchscreen button workflow slower or fiddly.

Pros: heart rate accuracy, GPS accuracy

Cons: onboard music storage, mapping and navigation

#24 Garmin Venu 3
3.5
4 reviews

Button controls are useful during workouts, but opinions are mixed because some reviewers wanted more button navigation or found the smaller buttons less usable.

Pros: health tracking accuracy, software smoothness

Cons: LTE connectivity, mapping and navigation

#25 Garmin Venu Sq 2
3.4
2 reviews

Button controls were mixed: one reviewer found the system simple and workable, while another thought the two-button setup felt clunky.

Pros: charging speed, coaching features

Cons: ECG functionality, call handling

#26 Garmin Vivoactive 5
3.4
4 reviews

Button controls drew mixed reactions: some liked having dual navigation, while others preferred more dedicated buttons or found presses fiddly.

Pros: fitness tracking accuracy, wellness insights

Cons: software smoothness, ECG functionality

#27 Garmin Venu 4
2.9
7 reviews

Button controls were one of the most repeated tradeoffs: the two-button layout looks cleaner, but several reviewers missed more physical controls during activity.

Pros: activity auto-detection, style and design

Cons: LTE connectivity, charging convenience

#28 Garmin Venu X1
2.7
9 reviews

The two-button design was the most repeated control complaint, with reviewers missing Garmin’s extra buttons or wanting another shortcut button.

Pros: pairing reliability, watch face quality

Cons: ECG functionality, LTE connectivity

#29 Garmin Lily 2
2.2
5 reviews

The no-button design and pseudo-button are a recurring frustration, especially for pausing workouts or navigating during activity.

Pros: pairing reliability, wellness insights

Cons: ECG functionality, body temperature tracking

#30 Garmin Vivomove Style
2.0
2 reviews

The absence of physical buttons frustrated reviewers who felt a button would reduce touchscreen problems.

Pros: style and design, comfort

Cons: outdoor visibility, coaching features

#31 Garmin vivomove Trend
2.0
2 reviews

Button controls were a recurring weakness because reviewers missed even a single physical button and found touch-only exercise control harder.

Pros: activity auto-detection, build quality

Cons: blood oxygen tracking, Bluetooth connectivity

#32 Garmin Vivomove Sport
2.0
1 review

Lack of side buttons hurt navigation for reviewers who wanted physical controls on a small touchscreen device.

Pros: pairing reliability, reliability

Cons: contactless payments, onboard music storage