Timex's FIRST-EVER fitness smartwatch costs less than a Fitbit Versa 2 and comes with built-in GPS

Also costs way less than a Garmin Forerunner 945

Times Ironman R300 GPS
(Image credit: Timex)

Just a day after Casio has announced its new fitness smartwatch, the Casio G-Shock GBD-H1000, we got the news that Timex – also more experienced in watch making and not a major player in the wonderful world of fitness wearables, just like Casio – is also releasing its first ever smart fitness watch, the Timex Ironman R300 GPS. But unlike the Casio, it can bought, right now, for a mere $120 at Timex.

• Buy the new Timex Ironman R300 GPS at Timex for $120

And if the Timex Ironman name rings a bell, you are right: the non-smart variety of this range has long been a die-hard triathlete favourite, so much so that we included it on our best triathlon watch guide as a bonus entry at the end. Granted, the Timex Ironman Classic 30 doesn't do much apart from telling the time and lap times, but thanks to its retro looks it still has a cult following.

Now, the new Timex Ironman R300 is much smarter than its predecessor. It comes with a touch-screen display, built-in GPS, speed and distance tracking features and if all is true, the Timex Ironman R300 will also support some level of smart notifications as well.

New Timex Ironman R300 GPS announced

The new Timex Ironman R300 GPS rocks the retro looks

(Image credit: Timex)

The $120 price tags sounds very reasonable, quite cheap in fact, and we don't know much about the precision or even the features of the fitness smartwatch. On Timex's website, the description has the following to say:

  • "Accurate on-wrist heart rate"
  • "Easy-to-use menus"
  • "Fast accurate GPS"

And apart from the fact that the above features could be classified as grammatically incorrect, they also don't shed much light on what technology has actually been included in the Timex Ironman R300 GPS.

What we do know is that the battery life will be an excellent "up to 25 days" in smartwatch mode and up to 20 hours in GPS tracking mode, which is not too shabby. Timex is also very keen to advertise the guided coaching feature: "send workouts directly to your watch, including Jared Ward's 12-week running program. Get ready to train for your next big race – from 5Ks to half- or full-marathons." Not sure if it is a match to the Garmin Coach but for this money, the "Timex Coach" is definitely admirable.

• Buy the new Timex Ironman R300 GPS at Timex for $120

There is quite literally no information about what the type of position tracking and heart rate sensor has been included in the Timex Ironman R300 GPS. We do know that it is water rated to 30 metres, which was kind of expected, especially since it has the word "Ironman" included in the watch's name.

We are keen to learn more about this fitness smartwatch in the near future.

New Timex Ironman R300 GPS announced

Mystery optical heart rate sensor included

(Image credit: Timex)
Matt Kollat
Section Editor | Active

Matt Kollat is a journalist and content creator who works for T3.com and its magazine counterpart as an Active Editor. His areas of expertise include wearables, drones, fitness equipment, nutrition and outdoor gear. He joined T3 in 2019. His byline appears in several publications, including Techradar and Fit&Well, and more. Matt also collaborated with other content creators (e.g. Garage Gym Reviews) and judged many awards, such as the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance's ESSNawards. When he isn't working out, running or cycling, you'll find him roaming the countryside and trying out new podcasting and content creation equipment.