Looking to upgrade to a new Garmin Forerunner but aren’t sure which model to choose? This guide is here to help.
Considering the Garmin Forerunner 570 scored a solid four-star rating and the Forerunner 970 boasts a 4.5-star review, which sports tracker is best? Do either have the possibility of making it into our best Garmin watch guide?
We’ve compared our time with both the Garmin Forerunner 570 and the 970 and highlighted any key differences alongside notable similarities below.
Price and Availability
The Garmin Forerunner 970 is the pricier of the two, with an RRP of £629.99/$749.99 for its 47mm-sized wearable.
Although it’s cheaper than the 970, it’s worth noting that our biggest issue with the Forerunner 570 is its price. Starting at £459.99/$549.99 for the 42mm, the 570 is significantly more expensive than its Forerunner 265 counterpart.
Design and Screen
- Garmin Forerunner 570 comes in two sizes: 42mm or 47mm
- Forerunner 970 has a larger and brighter 1.4-inch display
- Much like the Garmin Fenix range, the Forerunner 970 has an LED flashlight
Unlike the Forerunner 970, the Forerunner 570 comes with a choice between two sizes: a 42mm or a slightly larger 47mm, with both equipped with a 1.2-inch touchscreen. The 970, on the other hand, is only available as a 47mm model, and sports the same 1.4-inch AMOLED display as the Forerunner 965.
The Forerunner 570 also boasts an AMOLED display, although with a smaller 390 x 390 resolution compared to the 970’s 454 x 454. We found both displays to be bright and comfortable to use outdoors, although Garmin doesn’t explicitly state the exact number of nits you can expect.
While both are equipped with the usual five physical buttons to control the watch, the Forerunner 970 sports a built-in LED flashlight that’s found in the Garmin Fenix range, which can be activated by double-tapping the top left button. It’s a useful tool for camping or when you’re exercising outdoors in the evening.
Otherwise, both smartwatches are equipped with a 5ATM rating, which means they’re swim-proof.
Winner: Garmin Forerunner 970
Garmin Forerunner 570
Garmin Forerunner 970
Performance and Software
- Both run on Garmin’s latest proprietary operating system, which is both Android and iOS supported
- Both now benefit from an Evening report in addition to the Morning report
- Connect IQ Store remains packed with useful apps
There isn’t much separation between the Forerunner 570 and 970 in terms of software, as both run on the latest version of Garmin’s operating system. With both devices, you can swipe across the watchfaces to see your widgets or swipe down for your notification stream, while both offer access to the Connect IQ store for downloading third-party apps.
Garmin has expanded on its useful morning reports, which provide users with an overview of their sleep, recovery and HRV status as soon as they wake up, and now offers an evening report too. Found in both the 570 and 970, the evening report helps you prepare for the next day by suggesting exercises based on how you trained during the present day.
Both smartwatches also allow you to make calls over Bluetooth and offer voice controls that allow you to set timers, adjust settings or bring up your smartphone’s assistant, all without needing to touch your smartwatch.
Finally, if you wish, you can subscribe to a Connect Plus subscription, which allows users to access exclusive features and insights, such as AI-powered insights into your workouts, additional guidance from coaching plans and enhanced LiveTrack functionality too. At £6.99/$6.99 a month, it’s a nice addition but isn’t a necessity.
Winner: Tie
Tracking and Features
- Both the Forerunner 570 and 970 include Garmin’s latest Gen 5 optical sensor
- The Forerunner 970 has an ECG sensor
- Both have Garmin’s latest dual-band GPS technology, which we think offers among the best GPS tracking performance
The most significant difference between the 570 and 970 is that the latter sports an ECG sensor, which can check if your heart rate rhythm is normal or detect signs of afib.
It’s a surprising omission from the 570, especially as both smartwatches include the latest Gen 5 optical sensor, which is what powers the ECG capabilities. If you’re happy with just general heart rate tracking, then fortunately, the 570 can do this.
Otherwise, both smartwatches are designed to cater for various sports tracking needs, covering running, cycling, swimming and even pursuits like skiing and paddleboarding. The 970 in particular includes many features aimed at runners, including automatic lap splits on race courses, running tolerance, plus two features that are only available when paired with a Garmin HRM-600 chest strap: running economy and step speed loss.
Naturally, Garmin’s latest dual-band GPS technology makes its way into both the 570 and 970, which we’ve hailed as some of the best GPS tracking performance compared to other dual-band watches.
Alongside the tracking features, there’s plenty of metrics and insights to explore, including VO2 Max, changes in skin temperature while you sleep and Garmin’s Training Readiness score, which helps guide you into making the right decision about exercising.
Winner: Garmin Forerunner 970
Battery Life
- Brighter displays in both mean battery life isn’t as high as other Garmin offerings
- The Forerunner 570 offers up to 10 days of battery while the 970 boasts up to 15
- GPS mode drops the 570 to just 13 hours while the 970 lasts up to 21 hours
As both the Forerunner 570 and 970 sport a bright, AMOLED display, it’s unsurprising that we’re seeing slightly lower battery scores compared to other Garmin smartwatches. Even so, the Forerunner 970 promises up to 15 days of battery when in smartwatch mode, although this drops down to seven days when always-on is enabled.
In comparison, the Forerunner 570 offers up to 10 days of battery life, or 5.5 days when always-on is switched on.
Otherwise, if using GPS mode, you will see a significant decrease in battery life with both options. While the 970 maxes out at 26 hours, the 570 can last up to just 18 hours on basic GPS mode.
Winner: Garmin Forerunner 970
Verdict
With an ECG sensor, longer battery life and a larger and higher resolution touchscreen display, the Forerunner 970 is a seriously mighty device for anyone looking for a powerful sports watch.
However, with an RRP of £629.99/$749.99, such power comes at a high cost. With that in mind, if you’re happy to lose out on the ECG, built-in flashlight and are comfortable with a lower battery life, then the Forerunner 570 is a slightly cheaper alternative. Plus, as we hailed the 570 as able to deliver where it matters most, it’s an excellent choice for those who want a solid tracker.
