vs
5.3Display6.5
2.9Battery life4.7
4.9Health tracking8.3
4.7Sports & outdoor6.6
3.1Build & durability4.8
Dimensions
Size comparison
Forerunner 170Forerunner 970
| Forerunner 170 | Forerunner 970 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 42.6 mm | 47 mm | −4.4 mm |
| Width | 42.6 mm | 47 mm | −4.4 mm |
| Thickness | 11.9 mm | 12.9 mm | −1 mm |
| Weight | 41 g | 56 g | −15 g |
Drawn to the same scale from the official dimensions (front and side).
Why is Forerunner 170 better than Forerunner 970?
- Weight41 g vs 56 g+37%
- Thickness11.9 mm vs 12.9 mm+8%
Why is Forerunner 970 better than Forerunner 170?
- Battery life (smartwatch mode)10 days vs 15 days+50%
- GPS battery life20 h vs 26 h+30%
- Storage4 GB vs 32 GB8×
- Sapphire crystalNo · Forerunner 170: Yes
- Screen size1.2″ vs 1.4″+17%
- Sport profiles78 vs 94+21%
- Resolution (width)390 px vs 454 px+16%
Specifications
Side by side
| Design & durability | ||
| Case size | 43 mm | 47 mm |
| Weight | 41 g | 56 g |
| Thickness | 11.9 mm | 12.9 mm |
| Height | 42.6 mm | 47 mm |
| Width | 42.6 mm | 47 mm |
| Case material | Plastic / polymer | Titanium |
| Sapphire crystal | No | Yes |
| Lens / cover glass | chemically strengthened glass | Sapphire Crystal |
| Strap material | silicone | silicone |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Water rating (maker) | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 1.2″ | 1.4″ |
| Display technology | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Panel | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| AMOLED / OLED display | Yes | Yes |
| Always-on display | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Resolution (width) | 390 px | 454 px |
| Resolution (height) | 390 px | 454 px |
| Pixel density | 325 ppi | 324 ppi |
| Battery | ||
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | 10 days | 15 days |
| Battery life with always-on display | 4 days | — |
| Battery saver mode | 19 days | — |
| GPS battery life | 20 h | 26 h |
| GPS battery life (dual-band) | — | 21 h |
| Battery type | Lithium ion | Lithium ion |
| Wireless charging | No | No |
| Charging | Garmin proprietary plug charger | Garmin proprietary plug charger |
| Health sensors | ||
| Optical heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Blood oxygen (SpO2) | Yes | Yes |
| ECG | — | Yes |
| Skin temperature | — | Yes |
| Temperature sensor | Yes | Yes |
| HRV tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Sensors | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Elevate wrist heart rate monitor, Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation monitor, Barometric altimeter, Compass, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Thermometer, Ambient light sensor | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, SatIQ technology, Elevate wrist heart rate monitor, Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation monitor, Barometric altimeter, Compass, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Thermometer, Ambient light sensor |
| Sports & navigation | ||
| Built-in GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Dual-band GPS | — | Yes |
| Satellite systems | GLONASS, GALILEO | GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS |
| Offline maps | — | Yes |
| Barometric altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| Multisport / triathlon mode | — | Yes |
| Sport profiles | 78 | 94 |
| LED flashlight | — | Yes |
| Connectivity | ||
| NFC payments | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | — | Wi-Fi 4 |
| ANT+ sensors | Yes | Yes |
| Smart features | ||
| Calls from the wrist | — | Yes |
| Speaker | — | Yes |
| Microphone | — | Yes |
| Voice assistant | — | Yes |
| Music on the watch | — | Yes |
| Storage | 4 GB | 32 GB |
| Third-party apps | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | ||
| Operating system | Garmin OS | Garmin OS |
| Platform | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Works with | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
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