Garmin Forerunner 970
Expert Reviews
86/100
6 experts
User Reviews
92/100
264 users
Video Reviews
Description
The Forerunner 970 is a premium GPS running and triathlon smartwatch featuring a bright 1.4-inch AMOLED touchscreen, advanced multisport training and recovery metrics, a new optical heart rate sensor (Elevate Gen5), and enhanced SatIQ multi-band GPS chipset for superior accuracy. It includes a built-in LED flashlight, microphone, speaker, ECG-capable sensor, and detailed color topographic mapping with route creation capabilities. Designed for performance-driven athletes, it offers extensive training load and recovery metrics, safety features, and up to 26 hours of GPS battery life.
Highlights
- 1.4-inch bright AMOLED touchscreen
- SatIQ multi-band GPS chipset for high accuracy
- Up to 26 hours GPS battery life
- Built-in LED flashlight, microphone, and speaker
- ECG-capable sensor included
- Advanced training load and recovery metrics
- Color topo mapping with route creation
- Water-resistant up to 50 meters
Specifications
| display size | 1.4 inches AMOLED touchscreen |
| gps | SatIQ multi-band GPS chipset |
| battery life | gps_mode : up to 26 hours , smartwatch_mode : up to 15 days , gps_with_music : up to 14 hours |
| heart rate sensor | Garmin Elevate Gen5 optical wrist-based sensor |
| led flashlight | true |
| microphone | true |
| speaker | true |
| ecg capable | true |
| maps | color_topographic :true, preloaded : Road , Topo , programmable_routes :30, waypoints :1000 |
| altimeter | Pressure-based |
| compass | true |
| water resistance | 50 meters |
| activity tracking | pool_lap_recognition :true, stroke_recognition :true, sleep_tracking :true, steps :true, calories_burned :true, interval_training :true, pace_alert :true |
| connectivity | ANT+ , Bluetooth |
| compatibility | Cadence Sensor , Heart Rate Monitor , Power Meter |
| training metrics | Training Readiness , Training Status , Acute Load , Running Economy , Race Predictor , Recovery Advising , VO2 Max Estimate |
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Unmatched breadth of training features
- Best-in-class GPS and heart rate accuracy
- Long battery life in GPS mode
- Incorporates safety and incident detection features
- Comprehensive multisport support including triathlon
- Detailed offline topographic mapping
Cons
- Can be buggy and slow with maps
- Steep learning curve for casual users
- Some metrics' accuracy and value may be questionable
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Expert Reviews
86/100
6 experts
User Reviews
92/100
264 users












