In the past few years, I’ve gone from being a defiant minimalist runner, to becoming a humble fan of Garmin’s most entry-level running watch, to now falling in love with the company's top-of-the-line Forerunner.
The Forerunner 165 is a solid entry-level watch, especially for its price
In fact, for a truly casual to intermediate runner, I think the 165 punches above its weight. It comes with daily suggested workouts, HRV Status, a morning report, running power, and over 25 sport profiles. What it lacks are features I’d always told myself I didn’t really need: Training Readiness, Training Status, multi-band GPS, built-in maps, and more. As I write in my full review, this watch is the perfect for athletes who want running-specific metrics without the complexity of a big ol’ multi-sport behemoth. But if your training is becoming more structured (as mine is these days), you might outgrow the 165.
Garmin Forerunner 165 $199.99 at Amazon $249.99 Save $50.00 Shop Now Shop Now $199.99 at Amazon $249.99 Save $50.00The Forerunner 970 is one of the best running watches on the market
On the sensor side, the 970 has a new Elevate Gen 5 heart rate sensor, which brings with it ECG capability—another first for any Forerunner. There's also skin temperature tracking, which feeds into more accurate recovery and sleep metrics. A new GNSS chip improves satellite acquisition and positioning accuracy, particularly in tricky GPS environments, like the city high-rises I’m usually darting around.
I share in my full review why it doesn’t quite earn five full stars, with the main reason being its steep price jump over the 965. What to know for our purposes here is I find myself consistently impressed by how all the data from the 970 has helped me level up my training.
Garmin Forerunner 970 $749.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $749.99 at AmazonUnfortunately, there's some immediate disappointment: Running economy and step speed loss require Garmin’s HRM-600 chest strap. Since I don’t have one, I can’t report on how helpful these features are. What I can say is it’s a bummer to have to factor this additional cost into the watch’s total value before you buy.
For me, going from the 165 to the 970, the daily running metrics are where I can best compare the value of this upgrade. For instance, the running tolerance feature was the one that changed my training most immediately. It sets a weekly mileage ceiling based on your individual impact history, essentially acting as a guardrail against the kind of overtraining that leads to injury. For someone like me who tends to pile on mileage too aggressively when training for a race, this is a valuable insight—even if I somewhat override Garmin’s recommendations.
Who should upgrade from the Garmin Forerunner 165 to the 970?
If you're a dedicated runner training seriously for events, a triathlete, someone who runs trails and needs navigation, or anyone who has maxed out what the 165's metrics can offer, the 970 offers a lot. You’ll experience a major jump in sensor quality, training intelligence, navigation capability, and overall feel of the watch. When used right, all these features can actively change how you train, not just how much data you collect.
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