Garmin Approach X10 vs X40 – Differences between Garmin Approach X10 and X40

1. Garmin X40 Problems
2. Garmin X40 Watch Manual

By combining the easy-to-use Garmin TruSwing club sensor (sold separately) with your Approach X40 golf band and compatible smartphone or tablet, you can access real-time, 3-D animations and other useful swing metrics to see how your mechanics affect ball flight and shot results. Our Garmin Approach X40 Golf/Fitness Band Review will be coming soon, but here are our initial thoughts. We love Garmin golf watches and we love Garmin fitness bands, so we find the Garmin X40 band very exciting. Garmin Approach X40: Getting Started Golfing. Your GPS golf band is the perfect everyday companion to wear on your wrist, but especially when you’re on the course.

There are big differences between the Garmin Approach X10 and X40. The Garmin Approach X40 hit the market in April 2016 while the Garmin X10 came out later in January 2018 as a stripped down version of the X40. The main differences between the Garmin Approach X10 and X40 are that only the X40 comes with a heart monitor, step counter, sleep monitor, shot tracker and club tracker. Also only the Garmin X40 comes with smartphone notifications and a vibration feature for notifications and alerts. However, the Garmin X40 is more expensive than the Garmin X10 because of these additional golfing and fitness tracking features. On the other hand, the battery life for the Garmin X10 is a little longer because it has a lot less features.

Both the Garmin X10 and X40 look like a Fitbit but only the X40 comes with any type of fitness tracking features including a wrist-based heart rate monitor, step counter, calories-burned counter and sleep monitor. They both come with hazard information, touchscreen, green view, digital scorecard and stat tracking. However, the Garmin X40 has many more golfing features than the X10 including shot and club tracking and automatic shot distance calculation. The battery life for the Garmin X10 is a little longer because it has no fitness tracking features or vibrating notifications or alerts. It will give you about 10 hours or 2 rounds per charge. None of these watches have the color touchscreen, aerial course maps, touch targeting or advanced swing training metrics of the Garmin Approach S60 or S6.

Garmin Approach X10 or S10?

Both the X10 and S10 come with hazard information, green view, digital scorecard and stat tracking. But they do not have the fitness tracking features (step counter, sleep monitor, etc.) or the shot and club tracking technology found in the X40 and S20. They also do not have an alarm clock or a vibration feature. However, there are some minor differences between the the X10 and S10. The S10 does not have a touchscreen like the X10 does but it does have a longer battery life and the S10 costs much less than the X10. But the X10 is more comfortable than the S10 because it has the slim design of a Fitbit while the S10 has a square shape.

Listed below are some features missing in the Garmin X10 and S10 (that are found in the Garmin Approach S20 and/or X40)

Garmin S20 Club TrackingLearn MoreBoth the Garmin X10 and S10 have no fitness tracking features – The X10 and S10 only have an odometer that tracks time elapsed and distance traveled.
No pedometer for counting steps – Only the Garmin S20 and X40 have a pedometer for counting steps and has an automatically adjusted daily step goal
No sleep monitor or move bar inactivity alerts – Only the S20 and X40 have sleep monitors and move bar inactivity alerts.
No heart rate monitoring – Only the Garmin X40 has a wrist based heart rate monitor
Both the Garmin X10 and S10 have no shot or club tracking technology – Only the S20 and X40 can detect and track your shots and you can view the shot locations and distances on a 3-D overhead course map after your round is over. Also both the S20 and X40 will allow you to manually keep track of which club you used for each shot. After you take your shot, the watch will present you with a club selection menu to choose the club you just used.
No automatic shot distance calculator – must calculate shot distance manually by pressing a button and walking to your ball
No smartphone notifications – The S20 will give you an audio alert and X40 a vibration when you have a smartphone notification
Not TruSwing compatible – cannot use the Garmin TruSwing golf swing sensor to provide metrics to improve your swing consistency
No alarm clock – Only the Garmin X40 has a vibration alarm and the Garmin S20 has an alarm with an audio tone.

Why You Should Purchase the Garmin X10 instead of the X40, S10 or S20

Garmin X10 Green ViewLearn MoreBoth the Garmin Approach X10 and X40 look like a Fitbit watch band. The physical dimensions of the Garmin Approach X40 are similar to those of the Garmin X10. The Garmin X10 has a longer battery life than the X40 because it has none of the fitness tracking features of the Garmin X40.
Both the Garmin X10 and X40 have touchscreen displays – You must use the side buttons on the Garmin S10 and S20 watches to make menu selections.
Garmin Approach X10 and X40 have similar physical dimensions as a Fitbit band – The Garmin X10 has similar physical dimensions to a Fitbit watch band so it will feel more comfortable on your wrist than the Garmin S10 or S20 because it is lighter, narrower and thinner.
Garmin X10 costs less than the X40 or S20 – The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the Garmin X10 is much cheaper than the S20 or X40 because it has no shot tracking, club tracking, fitness tracking or heart rate monitoring features. However, it is more expensive than the S10 because it has a touchscreen and has the same physical dimension as a Fitbit. So if you just want a comfortable watch to wear that will give you accurate distances to the greens and hazards and you don’t care very much about activity tracking features, smartphone notifications, and shot and club tracking, then you should definitely purchase the X10.
Garmin X10 has a longer battery life than the X40 but it is shorter than the Garmin S10 and S20 – The Garmin X10 does not have any fitness tracking features so it has a longer battery life than the X40. However, the X10 has a shorter battery life than the S10 and S20 because they do not have touchscreens and they have different-size batteries. The X10 will give you 12 hours in GPS mode and up to 23 days in watch mode. The X40 has lots of additional fitness tracking features, including step counter and wrist-based heart rate monitor, that drain the battery and significantly shortens the battery life.

Reasons to purchase the Garmin S10 instead of the X10, S20 or X40

Garmin S10 costs less than the X10, X40 and S20 – The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the Garmin S10 is much cheaper than the X10, S20 or X40 because it has no touchscreen, shot tracking, club tracking, fitness tracking or heart rate monitoring features. So if you just want a comfortable watch to wear that will give you accurate distances to the greens and hazards and you don’t care very much about fitness tracking features, smartphone notifications, and shot and club tracking, then you should definitely purchase the S10.
Garmin S10 has a longer battery life than the X10 and X40 – The S10 has a longer battery life than the X10 and X40 because it comes with a different size battery and does not come with a touchscreen, shot tracking, club tracking, fitness tracking or heart rate monitoring features. It will give you 12 hours in GPS mode and up to 14 weeks in watch mode. The X10 will only give you up to 23 days in watch mode and the X40 has lots of additional fitness tracking features that drain the battery and shortens the battery life. However, because the S20 costs more and comes with a different size battery, the Garmin S10 has a shorter battery life than the S20 even though the S20 has more features.

Battery life comparison Garmin Approach X10 vs X40 vs S10 vs S20

Garmin X10 battery life: up to 12 hours in GPS mode, up to 23 days in watch mode
Garmin X40 battery life: up to 10 hours in GPS mode, up to 5 days in smartwatch mode
Garmin S10 battery life: up to 12 hours in GPS mode, up to 14 weeks in watch mode
Garmin S20 battery life: up to 15 hours in GPS mode, up to 8 weeks in smartwatch mode

Comparison Chart – Garmin Approach X10 vs X40 vs S10 vs S20 Golf GPS Watch Comparisons

Common Features found in the Garmin Approach X10, X40, S10 and S20

Yardages to the green – Displays distances to the front, back and middle of the green as well as yardages to hazards, doglegs and layups
Hazard Distances – Accurately shows layup & carry distances for sand traps (bunkers), water hazards and out of bounds or other hazards. Displays the distances to the front and back of the nearest hazard along the fairway for par 4 and 5 holes. Hazards that affect shot selection are displayed individually or in groups to help you determine the distance to layup or carry. You can use the up or down button to view the other hazards for the current hole.
Accurate layup and dogleg distances for par 4 and 5 holes – Layup distances to the pin are given for the 250, 200, 150 and 100 yard markers. Layup and Dogleg distances appear on the left on the screen and the distances required to reach each layup or dogleg appears on the right.
Shot Distance Measurement – The Garmin Approach X10, X40 and S20 will allow you to manually determine the distance of each of your shots. The Garmin Approach X40 and S20 has the ability to determine the shot distance for you automatically. You will finally be able to measure how far your driver, or irons go. With this technology you can accurately determine who got the long drive in your group.
Automatic course and hole recognition
Green View – Displays the true shape and layout of the green and you can manually place the pin to reflect that day’s flag location for more accurate yardage
Stat Tracking – Enhanced Stats Keeps Track Of Fairways Hit, Greens In Regulation And Putts Per Round
Digital scorecard feature – Allows you to keep track of your score hole-by-hole
Hole View – Each of these devices will show the current hole you are playing, and automatically transitions when you move to a new hole. While in hole view, the device, by default, will calculate the distance to the front, middle (pin location), and back of the green from your present location. If you know the location of the pin, you have the ability to set it more precisely. The hole view will display the current hole number, par for the hole, distance to the back of the green, distance to the pin location (biggest number on the middle of the screen) and distance to the front of the green.
Changing Holes manually – You can change holes manually from the hole view screen. While viewing hole information, just tap the screen and select a hole.
Moving the Pin location – You can take a closer look at the green and move the pin location to reflect today’s pin location.
Measuring a Shot – While playing golf, select the shot measurement feature and walk to your ball to get the distance. You can select Reset to reset the measurement. The X40 and S20 will allow you to view previous shot measurements.
No club recommendation feature – Only the Garmin G8 handheld device has a club recommendation feature. The X10, X40, S10 and S20 do not have this feature

Common Features found in the Garmin Approach X10 and X40 and not found in the S20

Touchscreen – Swipe left, right, up or down to scroll through features, data screens, and menus. Tap on the touchscreen to select any items shown on the screen.
Device key – Hold to turn the device on and off. Press to open and close menus. Press to return to previous screens within menus.

Table of Contents

• 1 Garmin Approach X10 vs X40 – Differences between Garmin Approach X10 and X40
• 2 Comparison Chart – Garmin Approach X10 vs X40 vs S10 vs S20 Golf GPS Watch Comparisons

Differences between Garmin Approach S60, S40, S20 and X40

Some of the differences and similarities between the Garmin Approach S60, S40, S20 and X40 are listed below:
1. The main differences between the Garmin S60, S40, X40 and S20 are that only the S60 has slope compensation and distances to any location (touch targeting) while the Garmin S40, X40 and S20 only give you straight line distances to limited locations.
2. Only the Garmin S60 displays aerial views of each hole while the Garmin S40, S20 and X40 only display the green layouts.
3. Both the Garmin S60 and S40 have color touchscreens while the X40 has a black and white touchscreen and S20 has a black and white non-touchscreen.
4. The Garmin S60 has apps for running, cycling, swimming, rowing, skiing, and snowboarding while the S40 only has running, cycling and swimming apps, the X40 only has a running app and the S20 has no sports apps.
5. Only the Garmin S60 has blindshot assistance.
6. Only the Garmin X40 has a heart rate monitor.
7. Only the Garmin S60 and S40 allow you to save up to 5 distances per hole to objects not shown on the course map.
8. The Garmin S60, S40 and X40 have vibration smartphone notifications while the Garmin S20 only has audio notifications.
9. The Garmin S20 has a much longer battery life (S20: 15 hours or 3+ rounds vs S60, S40, X40: 10 hours or 2 rounds) and costs less than the Garmin X40, S40 and S60 primarily because it has no touchscreen, sports apps or vibration notifications.
10. Both the Garmin S60 and S40 have a bigger display size than the S20 or X40 (S60, S40: 1.2″ round diameter vs S20: 0.9″ x 0.9″ vs X40: 1″ x 0.42″).
11. Both the Garmin S60 and S40 have a higher display resolution than the S20 or X40 (S60, S40: 240 x 240 pixels vs S20: 128 x 128 pixels vs X40: 160 x 68 pixels).

Similarities between Garmin Approach S60, S40, S20 and X40

Popular common features found in the Garmin Approach S60, S40, S20 and X40 golf watches are listed below:
Fitness Tracking features – includes move bar inactivity alert, sleep monitor, step counter (pedometer), automatic daily step goal and displays calories burned and distance traveled
List of Distances to Layup Markers and Doglegs – All four watches will display a list of distances for doglegs and 100, 150, 200 and 250 yard (if available) layup markers for each par 4 and 5 hole.
Hazard Information – All four watches will display hazard information. But, since the S40, S20 and X40 do not come with touch targeting, they will display a list of layup and carry distances for each hazard. Since the S60 comes with touch targeting and a 2-D aerial view for each hole, you can touch any points on the hazard to get the relevant distance information.
Automatic shot tracking (comes with AutoShot round analyzer) – Automatically detects your shots (except for putts and chip shots around the green) and enables you to view the shot locations and distances on a 2-D overhead course map after the round is over. If you purchase the Garmin Approach CT10 sensors, you can have all of your shots tracked including putts and chip shots. However, they are not compatible with the Garmin X40.
Manual Club tracking – You can manually enter the clubs you used for each shot so the watch will keep track of the clubs used as well as the average shot distance for each club. When you upload your round information to Garmin connect, it will show you where each of your shots went and shot distances for each club. If you purchase the Garmin Approach CT10 sensors, they will automatically track your clubs and shots so you won’t have to manually enter the clubs you used.
Smartphone Notifications – read your emails, texts, etc. on your watch

Automatic Club Tracking and Better Shot Tracking with Garmin Approach CT10 sensors
Learn MoreThese Garmin Approach CT10 sensors will pair with compatible Garmin golf watches to automatically track every shot, including putts and chips, and automatically track the club used for each shot. They will record the shot locations and distances. Stats for each club with a sensor installed show up on your compatible Garmin golf watch after pulling the club from the bag. Compatible with Garmin Approach S20, S40 and S60 but not with the X40. The sensors attach to the end of a club’s grip. You won’t even know the sensors are there while you play. Add the Garmin Golf app to your compatible smartphone to gather key stats and data you can use to help you work to improve your game. Review your stats in the Garmin Golf app for accuracy to the fairway or green and for drives, approach shots, chip shots and putting to help you know what parts of your game need more focus. You can also track and analyze strokes gained and other stats used by the PGA.

Comparison Chart – Garmin Approach S60 vs S40 vs S20 vs X40

Reasons to purchase the Garmin S60

Garmin S60 Front/Middle/Back Distances to GreenLearn MoreGarmin S60 and S40 come with a color display and both the S20 and X40 have a black and white display
Garmin S60 and S40 have a bigger display size than the S20 or X40 – S60,S40: 1.2″ round diameter vs S20: 0.9″ x 0.9″ vs X40: 1″ x 0.42″
Garmin S60 and S40 have the highest display resolution – S60, S40: 240 x 240 pixels vs S20: 128 x 128 pixels vs X40: 160 x 68 pixels
Only the S60 will display overhead views of each hole – displays bunkers, water hazards, greens, fairways, etc. for each hole
Garmin S60, S40 and X40 come with touchscreens – The touchscreen will allow you to access the different menu items by swiping up or down to go to the next screen. This is great for people who hate pushing buttons on their watch.
Only the S60 comes with touch targeting – Touch any point on the course map, including fairways, sand traps, water hazards and more, and the S60 will display the distance to that point from your location. The S40, X40 and S20 do not come with touch targeting so they will only display a list of hazards and their layup and carry distances which is really convenient.
S60 has many more sports tracking features than the S40, X40 and S20 – The X40 only comes with a running app while the S60 comes with many more sport apps, including running, cycling, swimming, rowing, skiing, snowboarding, XC skiing, and stand-up paddle boarding. The apps come with preloaded activity profiles for measuring different statistics associated these sports. The S20 has no sports tracking features.
S60, S40 and X40 come with vibrating smartphone notifications – The S20 will give you an audio alert when you get a notification on your watch.
Only the S60 comes with PinPointer blindshot directional assistance – directional compass that will tell you where the green is when you are unable to see it
Only the S60 comes with Slope corrected distances (also called PlaysLike distances) – accounts for uphill and downhill elevation changes
Interchangeable QuickFit watch bands – Only the S60 and S40 enables you to change your watch band, without tools, to match your activity
Changeable watch face – Only the S60 allows you to download custom watch faces or customize your watch face with any photo
View past rounds, player statistics and shots on the watch face – Only the S60 allows you to view all of your previously saved rounds, player statistics and shots on the device. For other golf watches, you will have to use a computer or handheld device to see this information.
Garmin S60 comes with more sensors for improved shot detection accuracy – The S60 was released to market in June 2017 so it will come with more sensors for detecting shots than the S20, which was released in February 2016, and the X40, which was released in April 2016.

Reasons to purchase the Garmin S40

Garmin S40Learn MoreThe Garmin S40 was released in March 2019. It is a stripped down version of the popular Garmin S60. The Garmin S40 is not as good as the Garmin S60 but it is a lot cheaper and has a longer battery life. Both the Garmin S60 and S40 have color touchscreens, vibration smartphone notifications and the same display size and resolution. The main differences are that only the Garmin Approach S60 has aerial views of each hole, slope, touch targeting, and blindshot assistance. Other differences are that the Garmin S60 has many more sports apps, fitness tracker features and memory storage capacity than the Garmin S40. However, because the Garmin S60 comes with extra features, it is more expensive than the Garmin S40.

The Garmin S40 is much better than the S20 and X40 but it is more expensive. The major differences between the Garmin S40, S20 and X40 are that the S40 has a color touchscreen and more sports apps while the S20 has a black and white non-touchscreen and no sports apps and the X40 has a black and white touchscreen and a running app.

• sunlight-readable 1.2” color touchscreen display with metal bezel
• Bezel Material: Metal
• quick release bands for easy change of style or color
• The Garmin S40 hit the market in March 2019 and is the newest Garmin watch so it comes with more sensors than previous Garmin watches to improve detection accuracy
• AutoShot game tracking automatically detects shots and records shot distances and locations for post-game analysis on the Garmin Golf app; putts are not tracked, and some other shots, such as chips around the green, may not be tracked as well
• For even more precise automatic game tracking, pair with optional Approach CT10 club tracking sensors
• Use with the Garmin Golf app for live scoring, automatic scorecard uploads and the ability to review all your stats in real time on your smartphone while you are playing or after the round is complete

Reasons to purchase the Garmin X40

Garmin X40 Heart MonitorLearn MoreThe X40 is ideal for anyone looking to buy a Fitbit-style watch with great golfing features, wrist based heart rate monitor, step counter and sleep monitor. While the Garmin X40 comes with a wrist based heart rate monitor and running app, the Garmin S60 does not have a heart rate monitor but has overhead views of each hole, touch targeting, blindshot assistance, advanced swing training features and many more sports apps. However, the X40 has a lower price tag and smaller form factor than the S60. On the other hand, the Garmin X40 is more expensive than the S20 and the X40 has a shorter battery life than the S60 or S20.
Only the Garmin X40 comes with Wrist-based Heart Rate Monitoring – measure heart data without wearing a chest strap.
Similar physical dimensions to a Fitbit – The Garmin X40 is the most comfortable because it has the form factor of a Fitbit fitness band. It has the lightest weight (X40: 1.1 ounces vs S20: 1.5 ounces vs S60: 1.8 ounces) and slimmest design and smallest physical dimensions (X40: 2.5″(L) x 0.8″(W) x 0.5″(D) x S20: 1.5″ x 1.9″ x 0.4″ vs S60: 1.9″ x 1.9″ x 0.6″) of the three watches. It also has the smallest display size at 1.00” x 0.42”.
X40 is the lightest of the four watches – Garmin X40 has the lightest weight at 1.1 ounces (31 grams).

Reasons to buy the Garmin S20

Garmin S20 Club TrackingLearn More• Both the Garmin S60 and S20 have a step counter, sleep monitor, automatic shot tracking and manual club tracking and neither has a heart rate monitor. The main differences between the Garmin S60 and S20 are that only the S60 has a color touchscreen, slope compensation, touch targeting and blindshot assistance. However, the Garmin Approach S20 has a square watch face and is smaller, cheaper and has a longer battery life than the Garmin S60.
• Both the Garmin S20 and X40 have a step counter, sleep monitor, automatic shot tracking and manual club tracking and neither has a color screen. The main differences are that only the Garmin X40 has a touchscreen and heart rate monitor. Another difference is that the Garmin X40 has vibrating notifications while the S20 has audio notifications. Also the S20 has a 15 hour battery life while the X40 only lasts for 10 hours per charge. Additionally, the Garmin X40 has a smaller width than the Garmin S20 (X40: 0.8″ x S20: 1.9″) and is more expensive.
• Both the Garmin S20 and S40 have a step counter, sleep monitor, automatic shot tracking and manual club tracking and neither has a heart rate monitor. The main differences between the Garmin S20 and S40 are that only the S40 has a color touchscreen, metal bezel, and running, cycling and swimming apps. However, the Garmin Approach S20 has a square watch face and is smaller, cheaper and has a longer battery life than the Garmin S40.
Garmin S20 has a longer battery life than the X40 or S60 – On a single charge, the battery for the S20 will last for 15 hours in GPS mode which should give you 3 rounds of golf. In watch mode, the battery will last for 8 weeks. For the X40, you will get 10 hours in GPS mode and 5 days in watch mode. For the S60, you will get 10 hours in GPS mode and 10 days in watch mode.
Garmin Approach S20 has a lower price tag than the X40 and S60
List of Hazard distances for Garmin S20 – The Garmin S20 and X40 will display the layup and carry distances to the front and back of all water hazards and sand traps for each hole. Only one hazard will be displayed at a time. You can see the other hazards for each hole by pressing a button. If you want to get the hazard information on the S60, you will have to tap on the hazard on the screen which can be difficult for people with big fingers.
View shot locations with the AutoShot round analyzer and Garmin Connect – The S20 comes with an AutoShot round analyzer that tracks your shots, measures distances and records shot locations for post-round analysis on your Garmin Connect online golf community account. You will be able to view your shot locations on a 3-D overhead course map, other details for each round or analyze your cumulative stats over time or by club, and view your swing data. Also you can save swing sessions for later review.

Shown below are common features found in the Garmin Approach S60, S40, S20 and X40 golf watches
Fitness Tracking features – includes move bar inactivity alert, sleep monitor, step counter, automatic daily step goal and displays calories burned and distance traveled
List of Layup and Dogleg distances – All four watches will display a list of distances for doglegs and layup markers for each par 4 and 5 hole.
Automatic shot tracking (comes with AutoShot round analyzer) – Automatically detects your shots (except for putts and chip shots around the green) and enables you to view the shot locations and distances on an 3D overhead course map after the round is over.
Manual Club tracking – You can manually enter the clubs you used for each shot so the watch will keep track of the clubs used as well as the average shot distance for each club. When you upload your round information to Garmin connect, it will show you where each of your shots went and shot distances for each club.
Smartphone Notifications – read your emails, texts, etc. on your watch
Digital Scorecard – easily keeps track of your score throughout your round
Stat tracking – keep track of strokes, putts per round, greens in regulation and fairways hit
Hazard Information – All four watches will display hazard information. But, since the S40, S20 and X40 do not come with touch targeting, they will display the layup and carry distances for each hazard. Each screen only displays distance information for one hazard. Since the S60 comes with touch targeting and an overhead view for each hole, you can touch any points on the hazard to get the relevant distance information.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the major differences and similarities between the Garmin Approach S60, S40, S20 and X40?

• The Garmin Approach S60, S40, S20 and X40 all come with a shot tracker, club tracker, step counter, sleep monitor and scorecard and all three will give you distance information to the greens, hazards, doglegs and layup markers.

• The major differences between the Garmin Approach S60, S20 and X40 are that only the S60 comes with a color touchscreen, overhead view of each hole, touch targeting, slope compensation and blindshot assistance. Other differences are that both the S60 and X40 have running apps but only the S60 has sports apps for cycling, swimming, rowing, skiing, and snowboarding. Also only the S60 allows you to save up to 5 hazards that are not shown on the course map.

• In contrast, the S20 has no touchscreen or sports apps and comes with audio smartphone notifications and only the Garmin X40 comes with a wrist-based heart rate monitor. However, the S20 does have a much longer battery life (S20: 15 hours or 3+ rounds vs S60: 10 hours or 2 rounds vs X40: 10 hours) and costs less than the X40 and S60. Some of the other differences and similarities between these three watches are listed below.

• Like the Garmin S60, the X40 comes with a touchscreen, vibrating smartphone notifications, running app, shot tracker, club tracker, step counter, sleep monitor and scorecard. Also both will give you distance information to the greens, hazards, doglegs and layup markers. However, there are big differences between the Garmin Approach S60 and X40. Unlike the Garmin Approach S60, the X40 comes with a wrist-based heart rate monitor and has the form factor of a Fitbit. However, unlike the Garmin X40, the S60 has touch targeting and aerial views of each hole.

• Like the Garmin S20, the X40 has a black and white display, smartphone notifications and does not come with overhead course maps or touch targeting. Unlike the Garmin X40, the S20 does not have a touchscreen, vibrating smartphone notifications or wrist-based heart rate monitor. The S20 is a great purchase if you want an affordable watch with hazard information, step counter, sleep monitor and long battery life (S20: 15 hours or 3+ rounds vs S60: 10 hours or 2 rounds vs X40: 10 hours).

• Like the Garmin S20, the S40 has a step counter, sleep monitor, smartphone notifications and no aerial views of each hole. However, there are big differences between the Garmin S40 and S20. Unlike the Garmin S20, the S40 comes with a color touchscreen, metal bezel, interchangeable watch bands, and running, cycling and swimming apps. Other differences include the bigger display of the S40 (S40: 1.2″ diameter vs S20: 0.9″ x 0.9″) and longer battery life of the S20 (S20: 3 rounds per charge vs S40: 2 rounds).

Garmin X40 Problems

What advanced golfing and fitness tracking features should you look for in a golf watch?

Activity Tracking features – includes a move bar inactivity alert, calories burned, distance traveled, sleep monitoring, step counter, automatic daily step goal
List of Layup and Dogleg distances – Displays a list of layup and dogleg distances for each par 4 and 5 hole. The layup and dogleg distances will appear on the left on the screen and the distances required to reach each layup or dogleg appears on the right. The layup distances are given for the 250, 200, 150 and 100 yard markers.
Smartphone Notifications – Vibrates when you get a text, email, etc. on your watch
Automatic shot detection and tracking – Detects and tracks your shots (except for putts and chip shots around the green), measures distances and records shot locations
AutoShot round analyzer – Allows you to view your shots for each hole while you are playing or after the round is over. It will tell you the distance and location of the shots that were detected.
Digital Scorecard – keeps track of your score throughout your round
Stat tracking – keeps track of strokes, putts per round, greens in regulation and fairways hit

What are the best golfing features that you should expect to see in the more expensive, advanced golf watches?

Display Resolution – Garmin S60 and S40 have the best display resolution at 240 x 240 pixels
Color course maps – The Garmin S60 and S40 will display color course maps which will allow you to see all of the bunkers, water hazards, greens, fairways, etc. on the golf course.
Touchscreen – You can access the different menu items by tapping on the touchscreen. This is great for people who hate pushing buttons on their watch.
Touch Targeting – Only the Garmin S60 has touch targeting so you can touch any point on the screen and it will display the distance to that point from where you are located.
Activity Tracking features – includes the move bar inactivity alert, vibration alerts, calories burned, distance traveled, sleep monitoring, step counter, automatic daily step goal and activity intensity)
Preloaded activity profiles for running, cycling, swimming, rowing, skiing, snowboarding, XC skiing, and stand up paddleboarding
Vibrating Smartphone Notifications – vibrates when you get a notification on your watch.
PinPointer blind shot feature – compass that provides directional assistance when you are unable to see the green
PlaysLike Distance feature – accounts for elevation changes on the course by showing the adjusted distance to the green
QuickFit watch bands – change your stylish watch band without tools to match your activity
Download custom watch faces or customize your watch face with any photo
Download apps, including Uber, to your watch from the Connect IQ store

What should you expect to pay for an advanced golf watch with the best golfing and activity tracking features?

Expensive Suggested Retail Price of $399.95 – The Garmin S60 is the most expensive of the four but it has nearly everything you would want in a golf GPS watch except for wrist based heart monitoring. It is much cheaper than the other three watches.

Are there any golf watches that look like a Fitbit and comes with golfing and fitness tracking features?

The Garmin X40 has similar physical dimensions to a Fitbit and comes with hazard distances, step counter, heart rate monitor and sleep monitor.
Touchscreen – The X40 allows you to access the different menu items by tapping on the touchscreen. This is great for people who hate pushing buttons on their watch.
Vibrating Smartphone Notifications – The X40 vibrates when you get a notification on your watch.
Physical Dimensions – Garmin X40 has the smallest physical dimensions at 2.5 x 0.5 x 0.8 inches of the three watches
Thickness – X40 is the thinnest at 0.5 inches
Weight – X40 is the lightest at 1.1 ounces (31 g)
Lightest and Thinnest – The Garmin X40 is the lightest and thinnest watch because it only weighs 1.1 ounces and it has a small display size of 1.00” x 0.42”
Heart Rate Monitoring – The X40 has wrist based heart rate monitoring which is missing in the other two watches.

What is the best affordable golf watch with hazard distances, step counter, sleep monitor, shot tracking and a long battery life?

Garmin X40 Watch Manual

The Garmin Approach S20 is a great affordable golf watch that comes with a step counter, sleep monitor, shot tracking, club tracking and it will give you distances to the greens, hazards, doglegs and layup markers. Also it has a really long battery life, giving you about 15 hours or 3 rounds on one charge. Unfortunately, it does not come with a touchscreen, color screen, overhead views of each hole, touch targeting or a heart monitor. Garmin S20 Club TrackingLearn MoreCheapest price – The S20 has the lowest price of any watch with shot tracking, fitness tracking features and a long battery life.
Longest battery life – On a single charge, the battery for the S20 will last for 15 hours in GPS mode which should give you 3 rounds of golf before you have to recharge the battery. In watch mode, the battery will last for 8 weeks. For the X40, you will only get 10 hours in GPS mode and 5 days in watch mode. For the S60, you will get 10 hours in GPS mode and 10 days in watch mode.
Lighter, smaller and more comfortable – The S20 weighs less and has a smaller display than the S60 which makes it a little more comfortable to wear while you are swinging a golf club.
List of Hazard distances – The Garmin S20 will display the layup and carry distances to the front and back of all water hazards and sand traps for each hole. Only one hazard will be displayed at a time. You can see the other hazards for each hole by pressing a button. If you want to get the hazard information on the S60, you will have to tap on the hazard on the screen to get that information which can be tedious and difficult for people with big fingers.
Ease of use – The Garmin S20 is much easier to use because the hazard, layup and dogleg distances are already calculated and displayed for you at the click of a button.
People with big fingers will have a tough time with a tiny touchscreen – If you have big fingers, then you might have problems with tapping on a tiny touchscreen to get the distance information to a water hazard, sand trap or dogleg. It does not come with a touchscreen so you can only access the different screens by pressing the buttons on the side of the watch which is great for people who don’t like swiping up or down to go to the next screen like you would do with the S60 and X40.

What are the biggest problems with the Garmin S20 and X40?

No touchscreen for the S20 – Only the X40 comes with a touchscreen. For the S20, you will have to use the side buttons the make menu selections.
No touch targeting – You cannot touch any point on the course map and get the distance to that spot.
No overhead course maps for S20 and X40 – Most Garmin watches do not come with an overhead course map for each hole that shows fairways, bunkers and greens.
No Slope Adjusted Distances – The calculated distances for the S20 and X40 will not take into account the uphill and downhill elevation changes on the course
Very few Sports Tracking Features – The S20 has no sports tracking features and the X40 will only track the pace, distance and location of your running activities.
No vibrating feature for smartphone notifications or alarm – The S20 comes with an audio tone that will tell you when you have smartphone notifications or your alarm has gone off
Cannot view entire scorecard or golf statistics on the watch – The S20 and X40 will not allow you to see your entire scorecard or statistics on the watch. Instead, you will have to wait until your round is over before you can upload the information to your Garmin Connect mobile app to see that information.

Table of Contents

• 8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)