Do I really need a dedicated running watch instead of an Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch?

For casual jogging, a mainstream smartwatch is fine. Reviewers consistently cite three reasons to step up to a dedicated running watch: multi-day battery life that survives long runs and races, more granular running-specific metrics (training load, recovery, running dynamics, structured workouts), and more accurate multi-band GPS in trees and urban canyons. If you train more than three times a week or race, the running-watch advantages start to dominate in the reviews we read.