Garmin S60 vs S62 (2021): What Does The GPS Golf Watch Upgrade Bring?

Three years later, Garmin has released an upgraded model for their popular GPS golf watch Garmin Approach S60. Called the Garmin Approach S62, the new premium flagship does not seem to offer much based simply on its name. However, a close look at their features will reveal that the S62 has plenty of new functionalities over the S60, which we aim to list below. In this post we’ll help you decide which golf watch to get or whether it’s worth upgrading to the new Garmin golf watch.

Garmin S60 vs S62 GPS Golf Watch Comparison Chart

Design

The Garmin Approach S62 has a larger display and more premium build than the S60.

The biggest design difference between the Garmin Approach S60 and S62 is their display size. The S60 has a 1.2-inch display with a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels while the S62 has a 1.3-inch display and 260 x 260 resolution. The increase might be minimal but it’s considerable and noticeable for a smartwatch. You’ll have a bit more screen real estate on the new Approach so it’s easier to read on.

Garmin also upgraded the standard build of the Approach S62. While the standard S60 has a polymer bezel and silicone strap, the new S62 has a tougher ceramic material to go with its silicone strap. This also makes the S62 heavier, though not to an uncomfortable degree. We should note that you can get the Approach S60 in ceramic, too, but it’ll cost as much as the S62 without the extra features.

The other easy-to-spot difference is the disappearance of the clock numbers on the S62’s bezel. It’s replaced by simpler notches, giving it a more minimalist appeal for casual wear. The topmost knob is also colored orange on the S62, inverting that of the S60, so it’s a smidge easier to find.

Both Garmin golf watches are water-resistant up to 5 ATM. Their Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lenses mean they’re resistant to scratches, too. Lastly, the S60 and S62 let you change watch bands easily with the new QuickFit bands. There’s a variety of styles, colors, and materials you can choose from to match exactly how you want your Approach golf watch to look.

Health and Activity Tracking

The Garmin Approach S62 has a heart rate monitor while the S60 doesn’t.

The Approach S60’s lack of a heart rate monitor, which, for a premium smartwatch, felt like a critical omission, has finally been addressed in its successor. You can now track your overall health and workout intensity with the S62’s built-in optical HR monitor. Whereas you had to purchase a separate HRM-Dual heart rate strap for the S60, the S62 will start monitoring your pulse as soon as you wear it.

Garmin further gave the Approach S62 a pulse oximeter for good measure. This lets you measure oxygen saturation levels in your body to create a more complete picture of your overall health and fitness using its Body Battery energy monitor. It also improves the S62’s sleep tracking over the S60, and also facilitates all-day stress tracking and relaxation reminders.

Both Approach models have step counters and can track calories burned, distance traveled and intensity minutes. But while they come preloaded with gym and outdoor recreation activity profiles, the S62 has more tracking options for indoor workouts, which include strength, cardio, treadmill, yoga, etc., in addition to the S60’s sole indoor rowing.

Golfing Features

The Garmin Approach S62 has more golf features over the S60.

Likely to be the most interesting new feature of the Garmin Approach S62 is the Virtual Caddie. This app helps you improve your performance by recommending which club to use and where to aim based on your personal capabilities, wind direction, and your location on the course.

To use the Virtual Caddie effectively, it first needs to know the distance you swing with each club using the Approach CT10 Club Sensor (which can be purchased separately or as a bundle with the S62). The S62 itself can measure wind speed and direction, allowing the Virtual Caddie to assist you with every shot on any course.

Both S60 and S62 have 41,000 preloaded golf courses, which are full-color topographical maps of nearly every course in the world. With built-in GPS, courses load automatically as soon as you enter them, and you can download updates for your favorite courses.

Other features they share in common include PlaysLike Distance, which adjusts yardage based on downhill or uphill shots; Green View, which displays the green’s actual shape for greater pin accuracy; PinPointer, which indicates the pin direction for blind shots; and Hazard View, which show critical info for every hazard on the course.

Battery Life and Other Features

The Garmin Approach S62 has a longer battery life than the S60.

More battery life is always a good thing. Garmin addressed this annoying issue with the Approach S60, since its ten hours with GPS turned on often becomes insufficient for a whole day of play. Now the S62 has almost double the battery capacity, lasting 20 hours on a full charge with the GPS turned on. Switching to smartwatch mode only allows the S62 to last for two weeks, while the S60 only lasts for 10 days without GPS.

In smartwatch mode both Garmin S60 and S62 perform similarly, showing you smart notifications from your paired smartphone. You can download watch faces from Garmin’s Connect IQ store to customize how your Approach watch looks. There’s also a Face It app that lets you use any photo in your phone’s library as a watch face.

Another common smartwatch feature has also been added to the Garmin S62: NFC connectivity. This allows wearers to use their watches for contactless payments via Garmin Pay. That about wraps up all of the new functionalities that the S62 has in addition to the S60’s.

Verdict

The Garmin Approach S62 is simply superior to the S60.

Garmin released a true upgrade with the Garmin Approach S62 GPS golf watch, as it’s better than its predecessor in every way. It has a larger display, longer battery life, and a slew of new golfing and health tracking features not available on the S60. While you need to spend much more to get full use of its Virtual Caddie, it’s well worth it for golf enthusiasts looking to improve their game.

The Garmin Approach S60 golf GPS smartwatch is no longer the brand’s top offering, but it remains a good lower-priced choice if you don’t need the new features of the S62. However, we’d still recommend saving up and getting the new S62, as its bigger battery and health tracking are a huge addition you’ll sorely miss.

FAQs