Garmin Forerunner 735XT Technical Specifications
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Year of Release: 2016
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Display: 1.23-inch transflective color LCD, 215 x 180 resolution, chemically strengthened glass
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Case & Weight: 44.5 x 44.5 x 11.9 mm, 40.2 grams, fiber-reinforced polymer case, silicone strap
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Sensors: Garmin Elevate optical wrist heart rate monitor, GPS, GLONASS, Accelerometer
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Battery: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion (up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, up to 14 hours in GPS mode with wrist HR, up to 24 hours in UltraTrac mode)
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Connectivity: Bluetooth Smart, ANT+, USB (no Wi-Fi)
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Water Rating: 5 ATM (water resistant up to 50 meters)
Design
The Garmin Forerunner 735XT is a lightweight multisport GPS watch engineered specifically for triathletes and endurance runners. Weighing just 40.2 grams with a 44.5 mm fiber-reinforced polymer casing, it offers a significantly more compact and streamlined feel compared to traditional square-shaped triathlon watches like the Forerunner 920XT. The device is operated using Garmin's classic five-button physical layout situated along the sides, providing tactile control that remains easy to use while swimming or wearing gloves. The watch features soft, perforated silicone bands designed for breathability during high-intensity training, and it carries a 5 ATM water resistance rating suitable for lap swimming, open water swimming, and showering.
Display
The smartwatch features a 1.23-inch sunlight-readable transflective color LCD display operating at a resolution of 215 x 180 pixels. The transflective technology leverages ambient sunlight to keep data fields clearly visible during outdoor training sessions without draining extra battery power. A built-in backlight can be triggered for low-light conditions and nighttime workouts. The screen panel is protected by chemically strengthened glass to guard against scratches and minor impacts during multi-sport transitions.
Performance
Location tracking utilizes built-in GPS and GLONASS satellite reception to track speed, distance, and real-time mapping metrics across open terrain. The Forerunner 735XT was the first multisport watch from Garmin to integrate the optical Garmin Elevate heart rate sensor directly into the back of the case for 24/7 heart rate monitoring without requiring a chest strap. For deeper performance analysis, the watch pairs via ANT+ with optional chest straps (such as the HRM-Run or HRM-Tri) to calculate advanced running dynamics including ground contact time balance, stride length, vertical ratio, lactate threshold, and VO2 max estimates for both running and cycling.
Battery and Charging
Power is supplied by an internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery tailored for long training sessions and race days. In standard smartwatch mode with continuous wrist-based heart rate tracking enabled, the battery provides up to 11 days of usage on a single charge. During continuous activity tracking, the battery delivers up to 14 hours in full GPS mode with optical heart rate, or up to 24 hours when operating in UltraTrac power-saving mode. Recharging and data transfer are accomplished using a proprietary USB charging clip attached to the side of the housing.
Features and Software
The Forerunner 735XT provides specialized activity profiles for outdoor running, indoor treadmill, road cycling, indoor cycling, pool swimming, open water swimming, hiking, cross-country skiing, strength training, and paddle sports. A dedicated auto-multisport feature allows athletes to transition between sport disciplines with a single button press during workouts or races. Connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth Smart, the watch supports automatic wireless sync to Garmin Connect, incoming call and text notifications, LiveTrack real-time location sharing, and music controls for a connected phone. It also supports custom watch faces, data fields, and third-party widgets downloaded via the Garmin Connect IQ Store, coming preloaded with the Strava Live Suffer Score app.