Garmin MARQ Athlete Gen 2 Review: A Luxury Sports Watch With Real Running Credentials

Introduction

Garmin’s MARQ line exists to bridge two worlds: the capability of its top-end sports watches and the materials of a luxury timepiece. The MARQ Athlete Gen 2 is the second attempt at that formula, and on first runs it feels like a genuinely better watch than its predecessor. It costs £1,600 in the UK or $1,900 in the US, matching the original Athlete’s launch price, but brings a much more modern feature set with it.

After several test runs, the short version is this: it is a well-equipped, great-looking running watch that shares nearly everything with Garmin’s Fenix 7 and Epix range. Whether that justifies the premium over those cheaper siblings is the question worth asking before buying.

Design and Display

Design is the big deal with the MARQ range, and Garmin has leaned into it here. The Gen 2 uses grade 5 titanium in the case, which is tougher and more durable than the material on the original while helping keep weight down. Color accents on the bezel and the main tracking button give it a refined, considered look. There is only one 46mm case size, and the watch is slightly thicker than before, so if you dislike a chunky profile, that is worth factoring in.

The headline change is the screen. The original MARQ’s transflective display was easy to read outdoors but did little to sell the luxury feel. The Gen 2 moves to a 1.2-inch, 390 x 390 resolution AMOLED touchscreen, matching the Epix and Venu 2 generation. It is not the best AMOLED screen Garmin makes, but it is sharp, vibrant, responsive, and supports an always-on mode that, as on the Epix, cuts into battery life.

Other practical details: the 22mm strap is removable, though the lug connector differs from other Garmin watches, and the charging setup is a proprietary clip-on cable rather than the universal style used elsewhere in the range. It is also waterproof to 100 meters.

Features From the Fenix and Epix Range

Feature-wise, you get essentially everything found on Garmin’s Fenix 7 and Epix watches: the same sport and activity modes, smartwatch features, preloaded topo maps, training readiness insights, HRV status, and the Morning Report. Wrist-based running power is included too.

The newest software addition is the Jet Lag Advisor, new to the Garmin range, which offers sleep, light exposure, and exercise recommendations as you approach a flight to help you adjust to a new time zone. It is a nice feature, though it is expected to arrive on the Epix and Fenix ranges eventually, so it may not stay exclusive for long.

Running Performance and GPS Accuracy

On the run, the experience is very similar to the Epix and Fenix 7. The multiband GNSS mode and SatIQ technology, which automatically selects the best positioning mode for your location, are the big upgrades over the original MARQ. In testing, GPS tracking proved very solid and reliable, with the multiband mode demanding more battery but delivering dependable accuracy.

Heart rate monitoring follows the pattern seen on the larger Fenix models: fine for steady-paced runs, but at higher intensities you may see discrepancies and occasional spikes in maximum heart rate data. Pairing a chest strap, which the watch supports, remains the safe bet for serious training sessions.

One thing to note is the weight. It comes in around 10 grams more than the Epix and the Fenix 7X, and it is noticeable, particularly when worn overnight for sleep tracking. Otherwise, the running experience, data analysis, workout creation, and mapping navigation all match what you would expect from a top-end Garmin.

Battery Life and Charging

Battery life is a genuine step up from the original MARQ. You get up to 16 days in smartwatch mode, or six days with the always-on display, an improvement of four days over the first model. In top multiband tracking mode it offers up to 20 hours, which is better on paper than the Epix, though real-world use lands closer to 25 hours in that mode. GPS-only mode reaches up to 42 hours, up from 28 on the original.

The proprietary clip-style charging cable is the one daily annoyance inherited from the original MARQ. It works fine, but it is one more non-standard cable to keep track of compared with the rest of Garmin’s lineup.

Who Should Buy It

There are two ways to look at this watch. If you liked the original MARQ and had the budget, the Gen 2 is clearly a better watch and a better running watch, with the AMOLED screen finally matching the premium materials.

If you are judging pure value, the answer is less clear. The Epix delivers essentially the same feature set for considerably less money, often with a bigger and better screen, a thinner body, and, depending on the model, lighter weight. You give up the titanium-on-titanium design and a little battery life, but gain most of the same experience.

Buying Advice

Choose the MARQ Athlete Gen 2 if you want the bolder, bulkier luxury look, grade 5 titanium construction, the extra multiband and GPS-only battery life, and you can live with the higher price. Choose the Epix if you can live without that design language and the Jet Lag Advisor, which is confirmed to be coming to the Epix and Fenix ranges anyway. For most runners, the Epix represents the better value; for those who want a sports watch that dresses like a premium timepiece, the MARQ Athlete Gen 2 is the closest Garmin has come to justifying the price tag.

Conclusion

The Garmin MARQ Athlete Gen 2 is a better-equipped and better-looking watch than its predecessor, with a screen that finally suits its premium ambitions and a running feature set lifted straight from Garmin’s flagship watches. It is a very solid, reliable running watch with excellent GPS accuracy and improved battery life. The main caveat is value: unless the titanium design and luxury feel matter to you, the Epix gets you nearly everything for less money. Plenty more testing remains before a final verdict, but first impressions are strong.