8.4Staff pick
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GPS Watches · Garmin
Forerunner 970
AMOLED, offline maps, a flashlight and training metrics you'll actually read.
8.7 Elite
Runsletter Score out of 10. Among the best we've tested. Buy with confidence.
Buy it if
- Training readiness and load metrics worth reading
- Offline maps and flashlight in a race-weight watch
- Bright, crisp AMOLED screen
- Reliable multi-band GPS
Skip it if
- Expensive for a Forerunner
- AMOLED costs battery against MIP rivals
$750
List price; often discounted in seasonal sales
Check price at retailers ↗When does it go on sale?We may earn a commission
Staff pick
- Battery
- Up to 15 days
- Display
- AMOLED
- Maps
- Offline topo
The verdict
The Forerunner 970 is Garmin's flagship running watch, and it finally has everything. AMOLED screen, offline topo maps, a built-in flashlight and the full training-readiness suite, in a body light enough to race in.
It's for runners who train with a plan and want the watch to tell them when to push and when to back off. Next to the Fenix 8 it's lighter and more runner-focused; next to the Coros Pace Pro it costs a lot more, but the metrics and the app ecosystem are a step ahead.
Multi-band GPS locks on fast and holds steady under trees and between buildings. Battery runs to roughly two weeks of normal use, and maps work well enough to get you home from a wrong turn without reaching for your phone.
“The watch serious runners stop shopping after.”
Specs
| Battery | Up to 15 days |
|---|---|
| Display | AMOLED |
| Maps | Offline topo |
| Weight | 56 g |
| GPS | Multi-band |
| Heart rate | Elevate Gen 5, with ECG |
| Water rating | 5 ATM |
| Lens | Sapphire |
| Case | Fibre-reinforced polymer, titanium bezel |
| Music | Onboard storage |
| Sizes | 47 mm |
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links. Scores are sample editorial data.
How it stacks up
Compare side by side →| Product | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin Forerunner 970 · this one | 8.7 Elite | $750 |
| Coros Pace 3 | 8.4 Strong | $229 |
| Garmin Forerunner 570 | 8.3 Strong | $550 |
| Coros Pace Pro | 8.2 Strong | $350 |
Mentioned in
From the Journal
Versus · 8 min
Garmin Forerunner 970 vs Coros Pace Pro: Which GPS Watch Is Worth It?
Both put maps on an AMOLED screen. Garmin lists the 970 at $749.99. Coros lists the Pace Pro at $349. What the gap buys, and whether Black Friday is worth the wait.
Story · 6 min
Do You Need a GPS Watch, or Just Your Phone?
A $750 watch won't make you faster. But it might change how you train. We looked at who actually benefits.
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