Garmin no longer sells either watch new, so you would be buying from a reseller. If you find both, choose the Approach S40 unless you specifically want the S60's extra golf features. Both have a 1.2-inch, 240 x 240 colour touchscreen, but the S40 runs up to 15 hours in GPS mode against the S60's 10, weighs 43 g against 52 g, and cost less at launch. The S60 adds PlaysLike distance, touch targeting, PinPointer and swing tempo. This is a head-to-head; see all four models in our S-series comparison.
S60 vs S40 specs
| Approach S40 | Approach S60 | |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | March 2019 | May 2017 (available June 2017) |
| Launch price (US) | $299.99 | $399.99 (standard), $499.99 (premium) |
| Display | 1.2 in, 240 x 240 pixels, colour touchscreen | 1.2 in, 240 x 240 pixels, colour touchscreen |
| Size | 43.4 x 43.4 x 11.7 mm | 46 x 46 x 14.5 mm |
| Weight | 43 g | 52 g (standard), 61 g (premium) |
| Bezel | Metal | Polymer or ceramic |
| Battery, GPS golf mode | Up to 15 hours | Up to 10 hours |
| Battery, watch mode | Up to 10 days | Up to 10 days |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Preloaded courses | 41,000 | 41,000 |
| AutoShot distances | Yes | Yes |
| Phone notifications | Yes | Yes |
| TruSwing sensor support | Yes | Yes |
| PlaysLike distance | No | Yes |
| Touch targeting | No | Yes |
| PinPointer | No | Yes |
| Swing tempo | No | Yes |
Launch prices are Garmin's announced prices at release, not current prices. "No" means Garmin's owner's manual does not describe the feature.
Sources
- Garmin product pages: S40, S60
- Owner's manuals: S40 owner's manual, S60 owner's manual
- Press releases: S40, S60
Where the S60 is better
The S60 is the one to want if these features matter to you:
- PlaysLike distance. Garmin's manual says it accounts for elevation change between you and the target when it calculates the distance.
- Touch targeting. You can measure the distance to any point on the course map.
- PinPointer. A compass-style arrow that points to the pin when you cannot see the green. Garmin says not to use it while in a golf cart.
- Swing tempo. It measures and analyses your swing tempo.
- Materials. Garmin lists a polymer or ceramic bezel for the S60 against a metal bezel on the S40, with QuickFit 22 mm bands on the S60.
Our Approach S60 review covers it in more detail.
Where the S40 is enough
For the core job, the two give you the same information: distance to the front, middle and back of the green, hazards, layups and doglegs, you can move the pin position (tap on the S40, tap or drag on the S60), and both give automatic shot distances. The S40 does it in a smaller, lighter case with a battery that lasts about half as long again in GPS mode (up to 15 hours against up to 10, Garmin's maximums). Garmin's S40 manual also covers the Approach CT10 club sensors for automatic club tracking.
If you play a lot of rounds between charges, or plan to wear the watch all day, that battery and weight difference is the most practical gap. Our Approach S40 review has more.
Who should skip both
Both are older models. On 5 October 2026 Garmin's own store pages for the S40 and S60 no longer offered them for sale, so any purchase would be from a reseller. We have not verified current stock or prices. If you want something Garmin still sells, look at the newer Approach range, or browse our golf GPS watch guide. Golfers who only want a yardage and do not care about a watch should also look at a rangefinder; see GPS or rangefinder.
Garmin Approach S40, Stylish GPS Golf Smartwatch, Lightweight with Touchscreen Display, Black
Garmin Approach S60, Premium GPS Golf Watch with Touchscreen Display and Full Color CourseView
Source and date
Specs checked against the Garmin pages and manuals linked above on 5 October 2026. Battery figures are Garmin's maximums.
