Garmin Approach S50 vs Approach S70 42mm
Size, specs & wrist fit compared
As an Amazon Associate, WatchFitTool earns from qualifying purchases.
Which one fits you
Both need much the same wrist — roughly 44–61mm across the flat of the wrist. Neither will fit where the other won't, so decide on thickness, weight and features instead.
The Approach S50 wears larger than the Approach S70 42mm (43mm vs 42mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Approach S50 is the slimmer of the two (11.4mm vs 12.6mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Approach S50 feels lighter (29g vs 44g, case only).
Among the 318 43mm watches we hold thickness for, the Approach S50 is thinner than 87%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
The Approach S70 42mm is middle-of-the-pack for thickness among the 655 42mm watches in the database.
The Approach S50 is 1mm wider, 1mm longer, 1.2mm thinner and 15g lighter than the Approach S70 42mm. Both are circular.
Approach® S50
Approach® S70 - 42 mm
Switch or add watches
Garmin
Approach® S50
Garmin
Approach® S70 - 42 mm
Watch Fit Tool
For sports watches, lug-to-lug (L2L) is what matters most — it decides whether a watch overhangs your wrist. Bulky is fine; overhang is not.
Measure at the point where you wear your watch — typically just below the wrist bone.
Flat width — lay your arm on a table, palm facing up, and measure straight across the top of your wrist with a ruler. Bone to bone; do not follow the curve down the sides.
Around — wrap a tape measure snugly round the wrist. No tape? Wrap a strip of paper, mark the overlap and hold the strip against a ruler.
Width ≠ circumference. They are different numbers — around 170mm is about 64mm across — so set the toggle to whichever one you actually measured before you type it in.
Garmin Approach® S50
Case 43.0mm · Lug-to-lug 43.0mm · Thickness 11.4mm · 29g
Balanced Fit
43mm on a 55mm wrist
Comfortably inside the edges of your wrist, and it seats and sits low enough to wear without thinking about it.
On a 55mm wrist the sweet spot is 47–53mm lug to lug. This one is 43mm, so you could go bigger.
Measure where you wear it, just below the wrist bone. Either of these works — the tool converts between them.
- 1. Flat width — arm flat on a table, palm up. Measure straight across the top of the wrist, bone to bone, ignoring the curve down the sides.
- 2. Around — a tape, or a strip of paper marked and held against a ruler, snug the whole way round.
Leather: Attaches at the lugs, so the case back rests on your skin. Thins and softens with wear. Typical figures, not this model’s own.
Show the measurementsHide the measurements
- Across the wrist6.0mm spare each side
Comfortable, with visible skin either side.
- Off the wrist11.4mm off the skin
Normal sports-watch height for a wrist this size. (11.4mm case, back against the skin)
- How it seats~4.4mm under the rim
Seats well, with the case back following most of the wrist.
- Weight on the wrist29g
Light enough to forget you have it on. (0.5g per mm of wrist)
Garmin Approach® S70 - 42 mm
Case 42.0mm · Lug-to-lug 42.0mm · Thickness 12.6mm · 44g
Balanced Fit
42mm on a 55mm wrist
Comfortably inside the edges of your wrist, and it seats and sits low enough to wear without thinking about it.
On a 55mm wrist the sweet spot is 47–53mm lug to lug. This one is 42mm, so you could go bigger.
Measure where you wear it, just below the wrist bone. Either of these works — the tool converts between them.
- 1. Flat width — arm flat on a table, palm up. Measure straight across the top of the wrist, bone to bone, ignoring the curve down the sides.
- 2. Around — a tape, or a strip of paper marked and held against a ruler, snug the whole way round.
Leather: Attaches at the lugs, so the case back rests on your skin. Thins and softens with wear. Typical figures, not this model’s own.
Show the measurementsHide the measurements
- Across the wrist6.5mm spare each side
Comfortable, with visible skin either side.
- Off the wrist12.6mm off the skin
Normal sports-watch height for a wrist this size. (12.6mm case, back against the skin)
- How it seats~4.0mm under the rim
Seats well, with the case back following most of the wrist.
- Weight on the wrist44g
Light enough to forget you have it on. (0.8g per mm of wrist)
2D Dimension Schematics
Every case drawn to scale on a shared centre — from above, and in profile against the wrist.
- Garmin Approach® S5043mm · 11.4mm thick
- Garmin Approach® S70 - 42 mm42mm · 12.6mm thick
3D preview
Approach® S50 vs Approach® S70 - 42 mm on a wrist
Sized to your own wrist, turned any way you like.
Shapes are built from published measurements, not manufacturer 3D models — accurate proportions, generic dial.
Battery life compared
Runtime for every power mode either watch publishes, 2 of them directly comparable.
S50S70 42mm
Smartwatch
10 days10 daysGPS
15 hours15 hours
Specifications
The short version
7 key specs| Spec | GarminApproach® S50 | GarminApproach® S70 - 42 mm |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 43mm | 42mm |
| Thickness | 11.4mm | 12.6mm |
| Weight | 29g | 44g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Display type | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) |
| Battery life | Smartwatch mode: Up to 10 days GPS Mode Up to 15 hours (using default display settings: gesture wake-up in Smartwatch mode and always-on while golfing) | Smartwatch mode: Up to 10 days GPS Mode Up to 15 hours (using default display settings: gesture wake-up in Smartwatch mode and always-on while golfing) |
| Released | 2025 | 2023 |
Every specification
188 specs| Spec | Garmin Approach® S50 | Garmin Approach® S70 - 42 mm |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Family | Garmin | Garmin |
| General | ||
| Battery life | Smartwatch mode: Up to 10 days GPS Mode Up to 15 hours (using default display settings: gesture wake-up in Smartwatch mode and always-on while golfing) | Smartwatch mode: Up to 10 days GPS Mode Up to 15 hours (using default display settings: gesture wake-up in Smartwatch mode and always-on while golfing) |
| Display Size | 1.2" (30.4 mm) diameter | 1.2" (32.02 mm) diameter |
| Color display | Yes | Yes |
| Lens Material | Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 | Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 |
| Bezel Material | anodized aluminum | ceramic |
| Memory/History | 4 GB | 16 GB |
| Strap material | ComfortFit nylon band | silicone |
| Charging method | Garmin proprietary plug charger | Garmin proprietary plug charger |
| Large font option | Yes | — |
| Display resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | 390 x 390 pixels |
| Quick Release bands | yes (20 mm, Industry standard) | — |
| QuickFit® watch band compatible | — | yes (20 mm) |
| Sensors | ||
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| GLONASS | Yes | Yes |
| Galileo | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Barometric altimeter | — | Yes |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-03010-00 | 010-02746-00 |
| Product ID | 1604377 | 847697 |
| Product Name | Approach® S50 | Approach® S70 - 42 mm |
| Release Date | 1/22/2025 | 5/24/2023 |
| Product Variation | Slate Aluminum Bezel with Black ComfortFit Nylon Band | Black/Peach Ceramic Bezel with White Silicone Band |
| Clock Features | ||
| Timer | Yes | Yes |
| Stopwatch | Yes | Yes |
| Time/date | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm clock | Yes | Yes |
| GPS Time Sync | Yes | Yes |
| Sunrise/sunset times | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic daylight saving time | Yes | Yes |
| Cycling Features | ||
| Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor) | yes (using ANT+ or BLE) | yes (using ANT+ or BLE) |
| Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories) | Yes | Yes |
| Golfing Features | ||
| PinPointer | Yes | Yes |
| Swing Tempo | Yes | Yes |
| Custom targets | Yes | Yes |
| Full vector map | yes (with Garmin Golf membership) | Yes |
| Handicap scoring | Yes | Yes |
| Tournament legal | yes (with tournament mode enabled) | yes (with tournament mode enabled) |
| Digital scorecard | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin AutoShot™ | Yes | Yes |
| PlaysLike distance | Yes | Yes |
| Round timer/odometer | Yes | Yes |
| Auto CourseView updates | Yes | Yes |
| Yardage to layups/doglegs | Yes | Yes |
| Hazards and course targets | Yes | Yes |
| Pairs with Garmin Golf app | Yes | Yes |
| Green View with manual pin position | Yes | Yes |
| Preloaded with 43,000 courses worldwide | Yes | Yes |
| Green Contours (with Garmin Golf membership) | Yes | Yes |
| CT1 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory) | Yes | Yes |
| CT10 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory) | Yes | Yes |
| Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green) | Yes | Yes |
| Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit) | Yes | Yes |
| Touch-targeting (touch target on display to see the distance to any point) | yes (with Garmin Golf membership) | Yes |
| Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course) | Yes | Yes |
| Tempo Training | — | Yes |
| Virtual caddie | — | Yes |
| TruSwing™ compatible | — | Yes |
| Wind speed and direction (requires connection to Garmin Golf app) | — | Yes |
| Running Features | ||
| Run workouts | Yes | Yes |
| GPS-based distance, time and pace | Yes | Yes |
| Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute) | Yes | Yes |
| Foot pod capable | — | Yes |
| What You'll Love | ||
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Display type | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Garmin Pay™ | Yes | Yes |
| Music storage | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox blood oxygen | yes (spot-check and optionally in sleep) | yes (spot-check and optionally in sleep) |
| Sleep score and insights | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 10 days | Up to 10 days |
| Training status | — | Yes |
| Activity Profiles | ||
| Gym | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing | Strength, Cardio, HIIT, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing |
| Swim | Pool Swimming | Pool Swimming |
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking | Biking, Mountain Biking, Indoor Biking |
| Wellness | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking |
| In the ring | Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts | — |
| Team sports | Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball | — |
| On the Water | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking |
| Racket sports | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball |
| Snow & winter | Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Snowshoeing | Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Snowshoeing |
| Indoor running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running |
| Outdoor running | Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running |
| Outdoor recreation | Golfing | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Golfing |
| Swimming Features | ||
| Time and distance alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Auto rest (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Underwater wrist-based heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | Yes |
| Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | — |
| Daily Smart Features | ||
| Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Passcode | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi® | Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi® |
| Find My Phone | Yes | Yes |
| Find My Watch | Yes | Yes |
| Morning report | Yes | Yes |
| Weather forecasts | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Smartphone compatibility | iPhone®, Android™ | iPhone®, Android™ |
| Controls smartphone music | Yes | Yes |
| On-device Connect IQ™ Store | Yes | Yes |
| Plays and controls watch music | Yes | Yes |
| Pairs with Garmin Connect™ Mobile | Yes | Yes |
| Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobile | Yes | Yes |
| View images from notifications on watch (Android™ only) | Yes | Yes |
| Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only) | Yes | Yes |
| Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields and apps) | Yes | Yes |
| Stocks | — | Yes |
| Activity Tracking Features | ||
| TrueUp™ | Yes | Yes |
| Move IQ™ | Yes | Yes |
| Step counter | Yes | Yes |
| Calories burned | Yes | Yes |
| Distance traveled | Yes | Yes |
| Intensity minutes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic rep counting | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Connect™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ app) | yes (optional Connect IQ app) |
| Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity) | Yes | Yes |
| Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal) | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | — | Yes |
| Workout and Training Plans | ||
| HIIT workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Yoga workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Cardio workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Pilates workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Strength workouts | Yes | Yes |
| On-screen workout animations | Yes | Yes |
| On-screen workout muscle maps | Yes | Yes |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Sleep | yes (advanced) | yes (advanced) |
| Hydration | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) |
| Breathwork | Yes | Yes |
| Meditation | Yes | — |
| Fitness age | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep coach | Yes | Yes |
| Nap detection | Yes | Yes |
| All-day stress | Yes | Yes |
| Women's health | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) |
| Health snapshot | Yes | Yes |
| Respiration rate | Yes | Yes |
| Resting heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Relaxation reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Abnormal heart rate alerts | yes (high and low) | yes (high and low) |
| Relaxation breathing timer | Yes | Yes |
| Body Battery™ energy monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second) | Yes | Yes |
| Jet lag adviser | — | Yes |
| Safety and Tracking Features | ||
| Assistance | Yes | Yes |
| Incident Detection during select activities | Yes | Yes |
| Incident detection alert on phone for wearables | Yes | Yes |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| % HRR | Yes | Yes |
| % HR max | Yes | Yes |
| HR zones | Yes | Yes |
| HR alerts | Yes | Yes |
| HRV status | Yes | Yes |
| Manual lap | Yes | Yes |
| Auto max HR | Yes | Yes |
| HR calories | Yes | Yes |
| Recovery time | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max (Run) | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced workouts | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max (Trail Run) | Yes | Yes |
| GPS speed and distance | Yes | Yes |
| Configurable lap alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable data pages | Yes | Yes |
| Touch and/or button lock | Yes | Yes |
| Downloadable training plans | Yes | Yes |
| Auto Pause® automatic timer halt | Yes | Yes |
| Respiration rate (during exercise) | yoga, breathwork and meditation only | Yoga and Breathwork only |
| Auto Lap® interval tracking feature | Yes | Yes |
| HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices) | Yes | Yes |
| Auto scroll | — | Yes |
| Custom alerts | — | Yes |
| Physio TrueUp | — | Yes |
| Training load | — | Yes |
| Training effect | — | Yes |
| Virtual Partner | — | Yes |
| Interval training | — | Yes |
| Training load focus | — | Yes |
| Improved recovery time | — | Yes |
| Activity history on watch | — | Yes |
| Training effect (anaerobic) | — | Yes |
| Primary benefit (Training Effect labels) | — | Yes |
| Outdoor Recreation | ||
| Total ascent/descent | — | Yes |
| Kid Activity Tracking Features | ||
| Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app | — | yes (optional Connect IQ app) |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Approach S50
Sits best on wrists ~45–61mm wide (≈ 12.0–16.3cm circumference).
Garmin Approach S70 42mm
Sits best on wrists ~44–60mm wide (≈ 11.7–16.0cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Approach S50 bigger than the Garmin Approach S70 42mm?
The Garmin Approach S50 is bigger — 43mm vs 42mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Approach S50 or the Garmin Approach S70 42mm?
The Garmin Approach S50 suits wrists around 45–61mm wide, and the Garmin Approach S70 42mm around 44–60mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Garmin Approach S50 and Garmin Approach S70 42mm side by side at true scale?
Yes — the schematics and photos above show both watches at matched scale, and our fit tool overlays each on your wrist width.