Garmin Forerunner 970
Exact average 85.6 · 5 printed, 4 estimated · printed scores only: 87
Image: Garmin9 professional reviewers tested the Garmin Forerunner 970, and 9 recommend it. Most praised: health tracking and display. Most common complaint: price.
Reviewed by TechRadar, Android Central, Trusted Reviews and 6 more
The catch: It is very expensive, and battery life is shorter than the 965.
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What 9 critics said
Highest score first · all converted to 0–100- 90TechRadar
After nine months of use the reviewer found it a strong, feature-packed training companion worth its high price.
Read TechRadar review - 90Android Central
A fantastic training watch for serious runners that adds many perks to the 965.
Read Android Central review - 90Trusted Reviews
Garmin's best running watch, excellent for sport tracking and smart features.
Read Trusted Reviews review - 83OutdoorGearLab
Called the best running GPS watch available, with elite accuracy and a light premium build.
Read OutdoorGearLab review - 80WIRED
A very feature-rich flagship running watch with a super bright screen and strong training tools.
Read WIRED review - 90est.The Run Testers
The Garmin Forerunner 970 is a highly reliable and feature-rich running watch that stands out for its lightweight design and accurate tracking.
Read The Run Testers review - 85est.Desfit
The Garmin Forerunner 970 is a highly capable and comfortable sports watch that offers nearly all the features of the more expensive Fenix series.
Read Desfit review - 83est.Wareable
The best running watch available, with a tougher display and deep running metrics, but a big price rise, reliance on a separate chest strap for key features and worse everyday battery life.
Read Wareable review - 79est.DC Rainmaker
The Garmin Forerunner 970 is a feature-packed watch that offers significant upgrades in hardware and software, though its high price and some minor software bugs make it a less compelling upgrade for existing Forerunner 965 owners.
Read DC Rainmaker review
"Est." means the outlet printed no score, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates
Watch a video review
- The Run Testers on YouTube ↗Counted in the score: 90
- Desfit on YouTube ↗Counted in the score: 85
From YouTube channels we vetted by hand. Videos paid for by the brand are never listed.
What critics praise most
What critics dislike most
Other smartwatches critics rate highly
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Common questions
Is the Garmin Forerunner 970 worth it?
Most critics think so: 9 of 9 recommend it. It is very expensive, and battery life is shorter than the 965.
Do critics agree about the Garmin Forerunner 970?
Critics agree: scores range from 79 (DC Rainmaker) to 90 (TechRadar), a spread of 11 points across 9 reviews. Reviewers broadly agree.
What do critics dislike about the Garmin Forerunner 970?
Price (9 of 9 reviews), Battery life (5 of 9 reviews), Software (3 of 9 reviews).
What is the best alternative to the Garmin Forerunner 970?
The Coros Nomad (critic score 89), top pick, narrowly.