Compare Garmin Lily 2 vs Garmin Approach S70

Automatic activity detection was consistently useful for walks and casual movement, with reviewers noting reliable walk detection and Garmin Move IQ, though its automatic detail is limited.

Auto-detection is supported mainly through automatic shot tracking and measured-shot behavior, with positive convenience but some manual confirmation or sensor caveats.

The Lily 2 is constrained as an app platform: reviewers noted no Connect IQ widgets and no native third-party app installation.

The Garmin ecosystem is praised for tying golf, fitness, watch faces, and Connect IQ-style additions together.

Band quality is a clear upgrade, with standard 14mm quick-release bands repeatedly praised for flexibility, comfort, and easy replacement.

Band quality is mixed: reviewers like comfort and integrated looks, but several dislike the molded strap not laying flat or prefer older straps.

Battery life was generally strong for a small wearable, usually landing around four to five days, with a few heavier-use reviews seeing closer to three days.

Battery life is one of the strongest positives, with reviewers reporting long smartwatch use, multiple rounds, and much better endurance than Apple Watch comparisons.

Blood oxygen tracking is present through Pulse Ox or SpO2, but one reviewer warned readings could run low, so confidence is moderate rather than excellent.

Pulse ox and blood oxygen tracking are present in several reviews and treated as part of the S70’s higher-end health sensor package.

Bluetooth-related connectivity is limited: phone pairing and notifications work, but reviewers noted no gym-equipment broadcast, no direct Bluetooth headphone use, and no external HR sensor pairing.

Bluetooth connectivity is supported through Bluetooth music and headphone pairing, though the evidence is functional rather than deeply evaluated.

Brightness drew mixed reactions: one reviewer found direct-sun visibility excellent, while several others wanted a brighter screen through the patterned lens.

Brightness is repeatedly praised, with reviewers describing the screen as bright, crisp, colorful, and clear.

Build quality improved versus the original Lily, with aluminum, Gorilla Glass, and a more premium feel appearing repeatedly in reviews.

Build quality is viewed positively, with reviewers describing a lightweight, well-designed build and confidence-inspiring construction.

Button controls are a weak point because the Lily 2 depends on touch and a pseudo-button; reviewers wanted real side buttons or easier pause controls.

Button controls are generally praised, with reviewers liking the three-button setup and easy navigation support.

Call handling works best with Android predefined responses, while iPhone users mostly just receive alerts and still need the phone to act.

Call handling is limited because reviewers say the watch can show or manage calls but cannot be used to actually speak through the watch.

Calorie tracking was present but not especially trusted, with direct reviewer evidence saying calories were slightly off or generous.

Charging is functional but not universally convenient: the magnetic or clip-style charger is easy enough, yet proprietary clips and travel cable needs were recurring caveats.

Charging convenience is mixed to negative, with reviewers repeatedly mentioning proprietary charging, USB-C adapter issues, and awkward face-down charging.

Charging speed was mixed, ranging from roughly an hour to full charge in some tests to slower 30-minute gains versus Apple Watch.

Charging speed has limited but positive support from one reviewer who says it does not take long to fully charge.

Coaching features are useful but limited, including hydration adaptation, timers, alerts, plans, and VO2 Max mentions, while richer recovery guidance is absent.

Coaching features are one of the S70’s strongest themes, with virtual caddie, PlaysLike, club suggestions, shot dispersion, and scoring advice appearing across many reviews.

Comfort is one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly saying the watch is lightweight, barely noticeable, and suitable for day-and-night wear.

Comfort is a major strength, with reviewers saying the watch disappears, sits comfortably, and does not bother them during golf or sleep.

Garmin Connect provides deep data and useful dashboards, but app clarity was split between reviewers who found it intuitive and those who called it clunky or unclear.

Companion app quality is generally positive, especially Garmin Golf for round data, stats, and ecosystem value, with setup requirements noted.

Garmin Pay is a useful addition on Classic models, though regional bank support limits how valuable it is for some reviewers.

Contactless payments are available through Garmin Pay, but evidence is mixed because bank support and setup can be limiting in some regions.

Cross-platform compatibility is generally good across Android and iPhone, but Android gets more interactive notification and call-response features.

Cross-platform compatibility is positive overall because the watch pairs with iPhone and Android, though notification controls differ by platform.

Customization is strong for bands and morning reports, with watch-face and patterned-lens customization more limited.

Customization is strong, with reviewers noting data fields, colors, golf settings, watch faces, and movable pin or flag controls.

Display quality is intentionally minimalist and readable for many, but several reviewers criticized the basic monochrome LCD and lack of AMOLED vibrancy.

Display quality is the strongest consensus attribute: reviewers repeatedly praise the AMOLED screen’s sharpness, clarity, color, and impact on maps.

Durability looks improved thanks to Gorilla Glass and aluminum construction, though few reviews included long-term abuse testing.

Durability has limited direct support but is positive where mentioned, with the scratch-proof lens cited.

ECG functionality is essentially absent, with reviews explicitly noting no ECG recordings or wishing for newer sensor hardware.

Fit was praised for small wrists, snug wear, and a low-profile shape that sits comfortably without bulk.

Fit is positive, helped by wrist comfort, swing clearance, and the smaller 42mm option for users who found larger cases too big.

Fitness tracking accuracy was mostly positive for casual use, especially activity and heart-rate basics, but HIIT and unsupported activities produced caveats.

Fitness and shot-tracking accuracy is mostly positive, with reviewers praising Garmin-level sensor accuracy and convenient data, though some note shot-tracking limitations.

GPS accuracy depends on the phone because there is no onboard GPS; connected GPS could work well, but carrying a phone is required for maps and reliable distance.

GPS and yardage accuracy are consistently praised, including quick GPS lock, accurate yardages, and close agreement with rangefinder-style measurements.

Health tracking accuracy was generally reliable for core metrics like heart rate, steps, sleep, respiration, and wellness trends, with some sleep and SpO2 caveats.

Reviewers describe broad health tracking as useful and Garmin-level accurate, especially when combining sleep, stress, heart rate, pulse ox, and fitness metrics.

Heart-rate accuracy was a consistent strength, with several reviewers comparing it favorably to straps, Oura, Apple Watch, or Garmin watches, though intense intervals could wobble.

Heart rate appears as part of the S70’s fitness and wellness tracking, with reviewers treating it as a useful everyday metric rather than a golf-only add-on.

Mapping and navigation are a major strength, with detailed hole maps, hazard views, pin movement, blind-shot tools, and full-color course layouts repeatedly praised.

Materials quality improved with aluminum, but one reviewer still viewed aluminum as cheaper and less durable than stainless steel.

Materials quality is positive in the available evidence, especially the ceramic bezel and premium-feeling build.

Menu navigation was workable and often easy enough, but some reviewers still described learning curves or extra steps.

Menu navigation is mixed: several reviews praise simple starts and quick menus, while touch-heavy hole navigation frustrates one reviewer.

Music controls are available for controlling a paired phone, but reviewers consistently distinguished that from true onboard music.

Music controls are present, but reviewers split between liking access and finding Garmin’s menu path less convenient than Apple Watch behavior.

Onboard music storage is missing, and multiple reviewers explicitly called out no music storage or offline listening.

Onboard music storage is a clear plus, with multiple reviewers noting downloaded songs or playlists from services such as Spotify or Amazon Music.

The operating system experience is Garmin-centric and lean, optimized for fitness and notifications rather than native Apple or Google app ecosystems.

Operating system experience is mixed: one reviewer finds Garmin software mostly intuitive, while another says the OS hurts enjoyment on the course.

Outdoor visibility was mostly good to excellent, especially in DC Rainmaker and DesFit testing, though one reviewer found bright sun harder to read.

Outdoor visibility is excellent across reviews, with several reviewers saying bright sunlight or sun glare did not prevent easy reading.

Pairing reliability for connected GPS and phone handoff was much improved, with reviewers reporting quick locks and strong connection maintenance.

Pairing reliability has limited but positive evidence, with one reviewer calling phone pairing straightforward through Garmin’s apps.

Recovery insights are a partial win: Body Battery gives readiness-style guidance, but dedicated recovery time and workout benefit features are absent.

Recovery insight evidence is limited but supported by HRV readiness language, tying recovery-style feedback to sleep and heart-rate variability.

Reliability was good in user-level evidence, with reviewers calling tracking reliable and one owner saying it did what they wanted.

Reliability is mixed: GPS/course lock and battery endurance are praised, but one reviewer reports missed shot detections.

Safety features are a real strength for this class, including incident detection, LiveTrack, emergency contacts, and assistance alerts through a phone.

Safety features have limited support, with one guide noting an assistance/fall-detection-style safety feature.

Size options and wrist fit favor small wrists and compact-wearable shoppers, though the product line itself remains very small and style-focused.

Size options are widely praised because the S70 offers both smaller and larger versions, though color choices are limited in some reviews.

Sleep tracking was mixed: some reviewers found scores and timing aligned, while others saw missed sleep duration and less useful graphs.

Sleep tracking gets frequent attention, with reviewers noting sleep scores, deep sleep or REM data, and morning feedback, though one reviewer questions how helpful the messaging feels.

Smartphone notifications arrive reliably, but control is limited, especially on iPhone and when trying to filter app-specific alerts.

Notifications are useful but mixed: reviewers like seeing messages and alerts, yet some call them distracting or limited for replies and conversation flow.

Smartwatch features are useful but lean, including notifications, weather, calendar, Find My Phone, Morning Report, Garmin Pay on Classic, and music controls.

Smartwatch features are strong for a golf watch, but reviewers still flag limitations compared with dedicated Apple or Android smartwatches.

Software smoothness improved over the original Lily, especially gesture wake and connected GPS handoff, though some touch controls remained less fluid.

Software smoothness is a noted weakness in limited evidence, especially around pan-and-zoom behavior on the course.

Step counting was broadly supported and valued, including pool-length and walking evidence, though one user contrasted it with an older inaccurate watch rather than direct lab validation.

Step counting is mentioned positively in limited evidence, mainly as an advanced counter one reviewer found useful.

Stress tracking was praised as engaging and useful, often linked with Body Battery and daily wellness patterns.

Stress tracking is widely mentioned; some reviewers found it surprisingly accurate or habit-changing, while one reviewer considered it less valuable.

Style and design were the broadest positive theme, with reviewers repeatedly describing the Lily 2 as elegant, classy, jewelry-like, and more wearable than sporty watches.

Style and design are positive, with reviewers calling the S70 stylish, modern, and suitable beyond the course.

Third-party app support is limited overall, but manually started workouts can sync to outside services like Strava through Garmin Connect.

Third-party app support is useful but not always seamless, with Connect IQ and downloadable apps/features appearing as the main support path.

Touchscreen responsiveness was mixed to weak, with several reviewers finding it sluggish, less fluid, or insufficiently refined despite one positive touch-screen comment.

Touchscreen responsiveness is mixed: some reviewers find it good or responsive, while others find on-course panning and zooming fiddly.

The user interface is usable but not polished; reviewers described it as fine, simple, or learnable, while also noting extra steps and learning curves.

User interface evidence is limited but negative where cited, focused on the touchscreen interface feeling fiddly during golf use.

Value is context-dependent: reviewers liked the style, battery, and feature set, but comparisons to cheaper Fitbits or similarly priced Garmin models limited enthusiasm.

Value for money is mixed but generally favorable for advanced golfers: reviewers praise value if using the full feature set, while warning basic-yardage users can spend less.

Watch face quality is basic, with a handful of monochrome options and repeated wishes for more color or more choices.

Watch face quality is well supported, with reviewers praising built-in faces, Connect IQ options, and the AMOLED screen making faces look better.

Water resistance is a strength, with 5ATM or 50-meter swim/shower-safe evidence across multiple reviews.

Water resistance is positive, with reviewers citing 5 ATM or 50-meter ratings and shower/swim use.

Wellness insights are a standout, especially Body Battery, stress, hydration, sleep score, and Garmin Connect data that help users understand daily energy.

Wellness insights are a major differentiator, especially Body Battery, sleep, stress, energy, and Garmin’s explanations of what the metrics mean.

Wi-Fi connectivity is lightly supported by setup/menu evidence showing the watch can connect to Wi-Fi for updates.

Workout variety is good for casual users with 18 profiles and new dance, HIIT, rowing, and meditation options, but missing indoor cycling and some sports frustrates reviewers.

Workout variety is a clear strength, with reviewers citing running, cycling, swimming, yoga, skiing, pickleball, and other activity modes.