Garmin S42 vs S62 [Two Great Golf Watches Compared]

Picking a new golf watch is fun! But can be a bit challenging when the options are both so good. Garmin makes tons of awesome watches, but from my personal experience, I like the S62 better than the S42.

I thought the visual look of the S62 was better. And the data on each was very similar.

Read on for all my details on what I found with these two watches. But remember that I liked the S62 best!

For years, Garmin has dominated the golf watches industry. The reliability of their watches and the wide range of choices provide golf players of all levels with what they need.

The two golf GPS watches in our spotlight today are the mid-range GPS watch Garmin S42 vs S62, the high end version.

We’re going to walk you through everything you need to know about each of them, starting with individual golf features and ending with similarities, differences, and features.

S62 vs S42 Comparison Table

    FEATURES

Garmin S42

Garmin S62

Display Size

1.2 inch color touchscreen 240 x 240 resolution

1.3 inch color touchscreen 260 x 260 resolution

Weight

1.5 ounces

2.2 ounces

GPS Mode

Battery Life

~15 Hours (10 days in smartwatch mode)

~20 hours (14 days in smartwatch mode)

Garmin Approach S42

Garmin Approach S42 golf GPS watch is a mid-range golf watch that succeeds its previous model, the Garmin S40. Performance-wise, the S42 golf GPS sits between the S12 and the S62 and S60.

Garmin S42 golf GPS watch isn’t a major improvement over the S40. Both watches look similar with some slight design changes. But both the screen size and the performance remain the same.

The one aspect where you’d find some change is the battery life. Both watches have lithium-ion batteries that can last for 10 days in standby mode when not in golf mode.

However, in GPS Mode, the S42 can last for about 15 hours. That’s 5 more hours compared to the S40’s 10 hours.

manual pin positioning and shot tracking with the green view on a slightly larger screen
Longer battery life on the S42

Now that we know how different (or rather how similar) the S42 is to its predecessor, it’s time to talk about the S42 on its own.

The Garmin Approach S42 golf GPS watch comes pre-loaded with 42,000 courses to give you that extra edge in the competition. Among its Garmin peers, the S42 is considered one of the most stylish golf watches in the market.

This GPS watch also comes with a step counter and various profiles for other sports. However, there’s no heartbeat monitor.

S42 can connect to the Garmin application to track your performance. If you’d like to up your game, you should have a look at the CT10 sensors.

These sensors automatically track your shots and give you useful information so you can plan the next shot accordingly.

Garmin S62 Premium Golf Watch

Much like how the Garmin Approach S42 succeeds the S40, the Garmin Approach S62 dethrones the S60 as the best golf watch available on the market.

We said “dethrones” because the S62 was a good improvement over its predecessor. The S62 comes with a larger 1.3 x 1.3-inch display. The display is also brighter, sharper, and crispier. It’s protected with scratch-resistant gorilla glass to keep your display safe.

The battery has also improved from 10 to 20 hours in GPS mode, and from 10 days to 14 days in standby mode.

Like all Garmin Watches, the S62 connects to the Garmin application to give you all the live tracking feed you’d need. It also has the Green View feature which shows you the shape and the layout of the field.

garmin golf watch comparison for your golf game with virtual caddie watch
Unboxing the S62

Garmin Approach S62 golf GPS watch also comes with Virtual Caddie; a feature that allows you to select the club based on your performance. It also provides information on wind, slope, shot direction, and field hazards before you even take your shot.

S62 vs S42 Golf GPS Watches: Golf Features Similarities

Now that we have a good idea about each GPS watch individually, it’s time to put them side by side. Let’s start with what both watches offer equally.

GPS Golf Watch Screen

Both watches offer a scratch-proof touch screen that is resistant to damage. Both displays are colored and covered by glass.

The display is also sunlight-visible, which means that the sun won’t interfere with how you see your screen.

The Strap Material

The Garmin Approach S42 and Garmin Approach S62 are both made from highly resilient silicon. Silicon has a high resistance to temperature changes, meaning your watch won’t feel too hot in summer or too cold in winter.

Silicon is used in many digital watches because of how comfortable it is on the skin and the variety of colors it can have.

Water Rating

Both of these golf GPS watches have a water resistance rating of 5 ATM. These watches can resist water pressure down to a depth of 50 meters.

extended battery life in golf gps mode for green distances golf watch
S42 and S62 Side by Side

You won’t have to worry about splashes or liquids spilling on your watch. Each Garmin golf GPS watch will have you covered.

Clock Features

Both watches offer the same clock features. They provide the time/date, GPS, daylight saving time, alarm, timer, and a stopwatch.

Garmin Approach S42 vs S62: (Differences)

This is where the Garmin Approach S62 establishes its dominance over its younger sibling; the S42, with advanced golf features.

The Display

The Garmin Approach S62 has a larger display of 1.3 x 1.3 inches in comparison to the 1.2 x 1.2 inches of the S42.

garmin users get the cool feature of club distances

The screen is also protected by a stronger Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 for more protection than the S42’s chemically enhanced glass.

Additionally, the resolution on the Garmin Approach S62 comes at 260 x 260 pixels which are richer than the 240 x 240 pixels of the S42.

Battery Life

S42’s battery life can last up to 10 days in standby or smartwatch mode. On the other hand, the S62’s key feature is that it can stretch 4 more days to land at 14 days in standby mode.

As for GPS mode, S62’s battery life can last up to 20 hours. That’s 5 more hours than the Garmin Approach S42.

Health Monitoring

Garmin Approach S42 offers three health monitoring features or fitness features: sleep monitoring, hydration, and women’s health information.

Garmin Approach S62 provides the same features but with a lot more additions. S62 provides a heart rate monitor and a pulse oxygen saturation feature.

S62 hazard view
S62 hazard view

Also, it provides information about the body’s energy and stress levels. It also has relaxation reminders and relaxation breathing timers.

Sensors

S42 provides you with a GPS, a gyroscope, and an accelerometer.

In addition to those three sensors, an Garmin Approach S62 will also provide you with a handy compass. It’s easy to lose your sense of direction in long golf sessions.

Golf Features

The core of Garmin watches is the diversity of their golfing features. Here’s what the Garmin Approach S42 golf GPS has to offer:

  • Comes preloaded with 42,000 courses         
  • Automatically measures shot distance
  • Yardage to layups and doglegs         
  • Stat tracking
  • Digital scorecards and custom targets
  • Handicap scoring       
  • Yardage to the front, back, and middle
  • Garmin Autoshot™    
  • Auto golf course view updates     
  • Odometer

The S62 offers all of the key features we mentioned, in addition to the following premium features:

  • Full vector map
  • Pinpointer
  • PlaysLike distance
  • Touch targeting
  • Swing tempo and tempo training
  • Wind speed and direction (Requires Garmin Golf App connection)
  • Virtual Caddie

Smart Features

The Garmin Approach S42 comes with a list of useful features that you can use daily, including:

  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Smart notifications
  • Calendar
  • Weather information
  • Find my phone feature
  • Compatibility with iPhones® and Android™ phones
  • The ability to pair with both Garmin Golf App and Garmin CONNECT™ App

You’ve probably already guessed that S62 will provide all of that plus some more, including:

  • Connect IQ (downloadable apps and widgets)
  • Text response and phone call rejection (Android™ only)
  • Smartphone music control
  • Find my watch feature
  • Garmin Pay™ feature
garmin app for shot tracking using club sensors

S62 vs S42 Which Should You Buy?

The deciding moment on which one of these premium watches should you buy comes down to two main questions:

  • What are the features you seek?
  • How much money are you willing to pay?

The Garmin Approach S62 offers a lot more features off the golf course than the S42 but with some extra monies needed. Are those features worth the hefty difference in the price tag? Well, we might be able to help here.

If you’re not advanced in golf and looking for a mid-range watch that gives a great value for money, the Garmin Approach S42 is for you. You have no use for all of the extra features that the S62 has to offer.

Decision Time!  S62 or S42?
Decision Time! S62 or S42?

However, if you’re invested in golf and want every bit of edge you can get, the Garmin golf watch S62, with its wide range of features, like the Virtual Caddie, will give you the edge you need to win.

All things considered, both watches are excellent and you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Final Words

Comparing Garmin’s Approach S42 vs S62 isn’t about which is better; the Garmin S62 is clearly the better golf watch. It’s more about what works best for you.

Keep in mind that both watches give you all the basic features you’ll need to get better at golf. If you’re concerned about tournaments, both watches are tournament-legal as well.

Just note that you need to set the Garmin Approach S62 to (tournament mode) for it to disable some features. The Garmin S62’s arsenal of features can give an unfair advantage to the wearer in the context of a tournament.

Both watches also have enough battery life to stay alive during those long rounds. You won’t have to recharge them every so often.

We can safely say that both are an excellent pick, but you get to choose whether you want more features. You also have to take your budget into consideration.

Travis
Latest posts by Travis (see all)
Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap