Preloaded Courses: 41,000+
Display Area Size: 1″ x 0.42″/25.4 x 10.7 mm
Weight: 1.1 oz/31 g
Battery Life Time: 10 hours
Recharge Time: 3-4 hours
Waterproof: Yes
Tournament Legal: Yes
Our Rating: 
Garmin Approach X40 GPS Golf Watch Review
It’s about time Garmin caught up with the sleek and clean lines of a conventional fitness watch. But, since it’s a Garmin, we know this watch isn’t just any old fitness gadget, it’s a golf GPS watch too.
The X40 combines every golf and fitness feature complete with Bluetooth connectivity.
As a Garmin golf watch, it’s compatible with the brand’s TruSwing device that is not included. But, it does have over 41,000 pre-loaded courses around the world.
Of course, you have distances displayed in bold numbers for the front, middle, and back of the green, and you’ll also have distances to hazards, doglegs, and layups.
Garmin AutoShot, shot distance calculator, digital scorecard, and so much more golf features are jam-packed into this compact and lightweight watch.
This watch has everything golf related that you could want.
But, more than golf, it’s also a fitness tracker. It measures your heart rate, steps taken, and calories burned. It can also track your running style including speed, distance, and time.
On top of all this, it functions as a souped-up watch complete with time, date, and an alarm clock.
But, it wouldn’t be a Garmin if it wasn’t a Smart watch too.
It can sync with your smart phone via Bluetooth and allows for instant access to your emails, texts, and alerts, so you can stay connected while on the green.
Other smart features include Calendar, Weather, Smartphone Music control, and Find My Phone.
Most buyers love that they don’t have to switch out their watch after they’re done with a round.
They turn Golf Mode off and it’s their regular watch and fitness tracker that they would usually wear all day long.
However, some quality control issues shorten the life of the X40 to less than a year.
- Price
- Fitness tracker
- Bluetooth
- Multiple golf features
- Smart watch
- Some quality control issues reported
Garmin Approach X40 Q&A
Garmin says a full charge should last about 10 hours. A lot of buyers average around 2 rounds, but multiple reports say they have to charge it before every round.
The main point of concern is the splintering face of the watch. Although the face isn’t something that is covered by Garmin, they have been known to replace the unit free of charge when this has happened.
Additionally, some report the unit holds a very poor charge, inconsistent heart rate monitor, and a rash caused by the band.
Yes, the heart rate sensor can be turned off via the Settings Menu. Go to Activity Tracking and turn off the Heart Rate setting.
The X40 is the upgraded version of the Approach X10.
The X10 is really just a golf GPS watch that provides simplicity for the no-fuss golfer.
With the X10, the date, time, and standard golf features expected for a Garmin are the only features.
The X40 adds fitness tracking, smart features, and Bluetooth connectivity to smart phone.
When it comes to the X40 vs. the S10, S20, and S60, you’ll soon appreciate the features of the X40. The X40 watch is like a cross between all these watches.
It might not have the PlaysLike that calculates for slope, or the color touch screen that the S60 has, but the X40 has the heart rate sensor built into the band that none of the S model watches have.
The fitness tracking activities are much more advanced on the X40 versus the S20, and it’s not as expensive as the S60.
The Smartphone connectivity is compatible with both Android and iPhone platforms. It’s also compatible with Garmin Connect Mobile.
Yes, the fitness tracker will work while on a treadmill.
The watch is rated to 5ATM meaning it is water resistant up to 50 feet of pressure.
Although water-resistant and waterproofness are two very different qualifications, the X40 can handle rain, snow, splashes, and showering.
In this respect, it’s waterproof enough for golf.
Noteworthy Features:
- Feature-loaded with smart, fitness, and golf features for everyday use
- Bluetooth technology to stay connected to important messages and alerts
- Over 41,000 preloaded courses for course identification around the globe
- Heart rate sensor built into the watch band
- Durable for use in less than ideal weather including wearability while showering
Our Verdict on the Garmin Approach X40
To ping up the strokes, the Approach X40 is a welcome addition to the Garmin GPS watch line.
It’s priced to compete with the S model watches, but it offers its own set of unique benefits to the avid golfer who also appreciates the benefits of fitness tracking.
But, wearable isn’t every golfer’s ideal GPS gadget.
The S60 might come in too expensive, even for the hardcore golfer, so the compromising ground is the new Approach G30 handheld GPS. It’s competitive in price with the X40, but it has a color touch screen.
It also keeps things golf-related as it does away with fitness tracker capabilities. Everything golf may be just what you need. Check out our review of the G30 here.
However, if you can do without the fitness tracking, you may as well come down in budget, right?
The Golf Buddy WT6 golf watch will fit the bill. It’s cheaper, simple, and it gets straight to the point – the distance. Loaded with the essential, automatic golf features you need to maximize a round, why pay more than this?
We like the Garmin X40 golf watch. It has the right look, the right features, and a proven track record behind it. If there’s a watch that offers everything in one band, it’s the X40.
