Garmin's latest Forerunner 645 Music smartwatch can store up to 500 songs

Garmin announced its first smartwatch for 2018 at CES (Consumers Electronics Show), the Forerunner 645 Music. As the name suggests, the wearable device is aimed at active people who like listening to music while running.

There are two selling points that make the Forerunner 645 Music a decent alternative to other smartwatches launched by bigger brands. The first one is the option to store up to 500 songs directly inside the Forerunner 645 Music so that you can listen to them while running.

The second advantage is the so-called Garmin Pay service, a contactless payment solution that allows Forerunner 645 Music users to pay for their purchases with their watch while on the move.

Besides that, Garmin's new smartwatch comes with high-end fitness, wellness and smart connectivity features which were available on previous models the company launched in the past.

You'll be able to download offline playlists from select music streaming services, including iHeartRadio, Deezer and others, or, as mentioned earlier, transfer music from a computer directly to the smartwatch.

It's got built-in GPS and GLONASS and a decent battery that offers up to 7 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and up to 5 hours in GPS mode with music. According to Garmin, the Forerunner 645 Music is its first smartwatch to feature a stainless-steel metal bezel and always-on Garmin Chroma Display.

Now, the bad news is Garmin Forerunner 645 Music is not going to come cheap. The smartwatch is available with a black or cerise band for $445. On the bright side, Garmin is selling an option without the integrated music capabilities, with a black or sandstone band, for $399.99.