Garmin Forerunner 570 & 970: Are the New Features Worth Less Battery Life?

Garmin’s done it again. Just when we thought the Forerunner 965 was the crown jewel for serious runners, they’ve gone ahead and released two new contenders: the Forerunner 570 and the Forerunner 970. And let me tell you—there’s a lot to love… and a few things that made me raise an eyebrow.

So, what’s the deal? On paper, these watches are packing some serious upgrades: brighter AMOLED screens, new training features, voice control, even a built-in flashlight (yep, for real). But—and it’s a big but—the battery life isn’t what it used to be. And for runners who train hard, go long, or just don’t want to charge every few days, that’s not a small issue.

When I first saw the specs, my head was spinning: “Do I go for the sleeker 570 or the feature-loaded 970? Is it even worth upgrading from the Forerunner 265 or 965? And what exactly am I giving up with that shorter battery life?”

If you’re on the fence or just trying to make sense of Garmin’s new lineup, don’t worry—I’ve done the homework for you. In this deep-dive review, I’ll walk you through everything I’ve learned, from side-by-side comparisons to the hidden features you might miss on Garmin’s product page.

So grab your coffee, lace up those sneakers (metaphorically or literally), and let’s figure out whether the Forerunner 570 or 970 deserves that spot on your wrist.

Garmin Forerunner 570 vs 970: Key Differences at a Glance

Price and Positioning: Where Do These Watches Fit?

Let’s talk money. The Forerunner 570 will set you back $549. The Forerunner 970 jumps up to $749.

That’s creeping close to the Fenix line, which typically lives around the $1000 mark. In fact, the 970 shares a lot of DNA with what you might call a “Fenix 8 light.”

• Check out the Garmin Forerunner 970
• Explore the Garmin Forerunner 570

It’s also worth noting that the Forerunner 570 is really the next step in the Forerunner 265/265s series, despite the name change.

Garmin Forerunner 570: The Essentials

The Forerunner 570 comes in two sizes: 42mm and 47mm. The features are identical between the two; the only differences are the display size and battery life.

Garmin has upped the ante with the 570’s design. You now get an aluminum bezel and metal buttons, giving it a more premium feel compared to the older 265.

While it doesn’t have full offline maps, the 570 does offer breadcrumb navigation. You’ll also get 8GB of internal storage for music and apps from the Connect IQ store.

Of course, all the expected health and fitness features are present, including Body Battery, stress tracking, HRV, and Garmin Pay.

• See the Garmin Forerunner 265 and 265s on Amazon.

Garmin Forerunner 970: Premium Features

The Forerunner 970 is where things get interesting. It boasts a titanium bezel and buttons for a more luxurious feel.

The biggest upgrade? A scratch-resistant sapphire lens. This is a feature many users have been requesting for a while.

The 970 only comes in a 47mm size. It also includes a built-in flashlight, similar to the Instinct 3, Enduro, and Fenix models. It might sound like a gimmick, but it’s surprisingly useful in everyday situations.

Like the Fenix 8, the 970 has a sensor guard to protect the barometer and add a touch of color. The 1.4″ AMOLED display is the same as the 965, but with some tweaks.

Unlike the 570, the 970 has full offline mapping with detailed streets, trails, and points of interest. It also has 32GB of storage for maps, music, and apps.

• See the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED on Amazon

Forerunner 970: New Software and the HRM600

The Forerunner 970 has two exclusive new training tools that will likely make their way to the Fenix 8 in the future.

Running Economy

This feature requires the new HRM600 heart rate monitor. It analyzes your running mechanics to determine how efficiently you’re running.

The HRM600 uses additional sensors to make this happen. It will be interesting to see how valuable this metric proves to be.

• Find the Garmin HRM 600 Sensor on Amazon

Running Tolerance

This feature doesn’t need the HRM600. It evaluates how your body is handling your running activity and estimates the maximum weekly volume you can handle before risking injury or overtraining.

Shared Features: Forerunner 570 and 970

Both watches share some key upgrades.

Brighter Display

Garmin claims these watches have their brightest displays ever, about twice as bright as previous models.

While they don’t provide specific numbers, the display is very bright and easily visible in direct sunlight. The same display is used on both models, though it’s smaller on the 42mm 570.

Built-in Speaker and Microphone

Both watches now have speakers and microphones, enabling offline voice commands. You can launch apps, control the flashlight, check the weather, and set timers using your voice.

Gen 5 Heart Rate Sensor

These watches feature Garmin’s latest Gen 5 heart rate sensor. It’s more accurate than the Gen 4 sensor and enables skin temperature detection. However, only the 970 gets ECG functionality.

Multi-Band GNSS

Both watches are multi-band enabled for improved GPS accuracy. More testing is needed to confirm this.

Evening Report

Similar to the Morning Report, the Evening Report provides information on upcoming training and the next day’s weather.

Projected Race Predictor

This feature estimates your race times for various distances based on your training data.

Autolap by Timing Gate

This corrects GPS distance based on known race distances at major events. Garmin plans to support 25 marathons initially.

Suggested Finish Line

This identifies when you cross the finish line and suggests stopping the watch if you forget.

Battery Life: A Step Back?

Unfortunately, both the Forerunner 570 and 970 have less battery life than their predecessors.

• Forerunner 570:
  • Up to 11 days (default settings)
  • 18 hours (GPS mode)
  • 14 hours (all systems mode)
• Forerunner 970:
  • Up to 15 days (default settings)
  • 26 hours (GPS mode)
  • 21 hours (all systems mode)

The reduction is likely due to the added speaker, microphone, flashlight (on the 970), and brighter display. The 26 hours of GPS on the 970 might be a concern for ultramarathon runners.

Final Verdict: Worth the Upgrade?

The Garmin Forerunner 570 and 970 offer a range of new features, but they come at the cost of reduced battery life.

The brighter display, built-in speaker and microphone, and new training tools are compelling additions.

However, the shorter battery life may be a deal-breaker for some users, especially those who participate in longer endurance events.

What do you think of the new Garmin Forerunner 570 and 970? Would you upgrade from a 965? Is the trade-off in battery life worth the new features? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Also See:-

• Garmin Forerunner 975 Release Date: Everything You Need to Know.
• Garmin Forerunner 275: What to Expect & When It Might Arrive.