Garmin Forerunner 970 – Garmin’s latest top-tier GPS triathlon watch, officially announced May 15, 2025, is packed with new hardware and training features. It succeeds the Forerunner 965 as the flagship Forerunner, adding premium materials and triathlon-focused innovations. Key upgrades include a brighter 1.4" AMOLED display, a rugged sapphire crystal lens with titanium bezel, a built-in LED flashlight, and the first-ever Garmin Triathlon Coach adaptive training plan.
The Forerunner 970 is designed for performance-driven athletes, offering advanced training tools, recovery insights, and connected features to help triathletes and runners reach their next personal record.
Hardware and Design Upgrades
Premium Build
The Forerunner 970 maintains a 47 mm case size like the 965, but is slightly thinner. It introduces sapphire crystal glass (replacing the 965’s Gorilla Glass DX) and a titanium bezel for greater durability. This aligns the 970 with Garmin’s premium Fenix/Epix series. The watch weighs approximately 56 g (versus 53 g for the 965).
AMOLED Display
Both the 965 and 970 use a bright 1.4" AMOLED color touchscreen (454×454 px). Garmin touts the 970’s screen as its brightest smartwatch display yet, paired with a 5-button layout for reliable operation in all conditions.
New LED Flashlight
Borrowing from the Fenix line, the FR 970 includes a built-in LED flashlight integrated into the watch face edge, useful for low-light training and nighttime safety.
Speaker and Microphone
The 970 adds a built-in speaker and microphone, enabling Bluetooth phone calls, voice assistant support, and on-watch voice commands—new to the Forerunner series.
Next-Gen Heart Sensor + ECG
Garmin upgraded from the Elevate v4 optical HR sensor to Elevate v5. The FR 970 supports on-demand ECG recordings via the new sensor and Garmin ECG App, marking the first Forerunner with electrocardiogram capability.
Skin Temperature Tracking
A new sensor on the 970 tracks variations in skin temperature, improving menstrual cycle tracking and providing insights related to exercise intensity, sleep environment, and health conditions.
Battery Life Comparison
Due to the brighter display and added hardware, the 970 offers mixed battery life compared to the 965:
- Smartwatch Mode: FR965 up to ~23 days vs FR970 up to ~15 days.
- GPS-only Mode: FR965 ~31 hours vs FR970 ~26 hours.
- SatIQ GNSS Mode: FR970 ~23 hours vs FR965 ~22 hours.
- All-Systems + Multi-Band GPS: FR970 ~21 hours vs FR965 ~19 hours.
- GPS + Music: FR970 ~12–14 hours vs FR965 ~8–10.5 hours.
Health, Wellness, and Smart Features
Evening Report
The 970 introduces an Evening Report summarizing nightly sleep, next-day workouts, weather, and calendar events, complementing the Morning Report feature.
Breathing Variations
Tracks breathing variability during sleep via the Pulse Ox sensor, providing insights into sleep quality and potential health issues.
Women’s Health
Improved menstrual cycle tracking, including accurate period and ovulation predictions.
On-Watch Maps
Like the 965, FR970 features onboard color topo maps and built-in navigation.
VIRB Camera Remote
Acts as a remote for Garmin VIRB action cameras—new to the 970.
Music and Payments
Both 965 and 970 have onboard music storage/streaming and Garmin Pay, with the 970 adding speaker playback capability.
Advanced Running & Performance Metrics
Running Tolerance
Suggests a recommended weekly mileage to prevent overtraining based on recent running stress.
Running Economy
Measures energy efficiency during runs (requires Garmin HRM 600 chest strap).
Step Speed Loss
Quantifies deceleration at foot strike, aiding in optimizing running form (requires HRM 600 strap).
Projected Race Time & Pace
Enhanced race predictor estimates finish times and paces, updating continuously based on training progress.
Training Readiness & Load
Carries over Garmin’s Training Status, Readiness scores, acute training load, and VO₂ max metrics.
Recovery Insights
Provides recovery time recommendations and all-day stress tracking, with the Evening Report offering next-day readiness insights.
Triathlon & Multisport Features
Garmin Triathlon Coach Training Plans
Adaptive training plans that adjust daily workouts across swim, bike, and run disciplines based on performance, recovery, and fitness.
Expanded Multisport Profiles
Adds dedicated Duathlon, Brick workouts, and Pool Swim Triathlon profiles.
Custom Multisport Workouts
Allows creating detailed multisport workouts (e.g., brick sessions) via Garmin Connect.
Auto Transitions and Tracking
Supports automatic multisport transitions, triathlon splits, and structured training integration.
Power Modes for Long Events
Customizable battery modes extend battery life during long races, crucial for Ironman-distance events.
Garmin Triathlon Coach – New Adaptive Training Plan
Adaptive Multisport Training
Garmin Triathlon Coach dynamically adjusts training sessions based on real-time performance and recovery metrics across all triathlon disciplines.
Personalized & Goal-Driven
Customize training volume/intensity for specific triathlon distances (Sprint, Olympic, 70.3, Ironman), with weekly structured workouts viewable and customizable via Garmin Connect.
Forerunner 970 vs 965 – Feature Comparison
| Feature/Spec | Forerunner 965 | Forerunner 970 |
|---|---|---|
| Lens Material | Gorilla Glass 3 DX | Sapphire Crystal |
| Bezel & Build | Fiber-reinforced polymer | Titanium bezel |
| Display | 1.4" AMOLED | 1.4" AMOLED (Garmin’s brightest) |
| Flashlight | No | Built-in LED flashlight |
| Speaker & Mic | No | Bluetooth calling, voice assistant |
| ECG | No | Yes |
| Skin Temperature | No | Yes |
| Battery Life (smartwatch/GPS) | ~23 days / ~31 hrs | ~15 days / ~26 hrs |
| Battery Life (multi-band + music) | ~8.5 hrs | ~12 hrs |
| Multisport Profiles | Basic Triathlon | Adds Duathlon, Brick, Pool Triathlon |
| Garmin Triathlon Coach | No | Yes |
| Custom Multisport Workouts | No | Yes |
| New Running Metrics | No | Running Tolerance, Economy, Step Speed Loss |
| Evening Report | No | Yes |
| Price at Launch (USD) | $599.99 (2023) | $749.99 (May 2025) |
Pricing, Availability, and Early Coverage
The Forerunner 970 is priced at $749.99 USD, launching May 21, 2025. Early reviews highlight the AMOLED display, built-in speaker, and innovative Triathlon Coach training plan as significant upgrades over the 965. Garmin positions the FR970 as the premium multisport watch offering advanced training metrics and a superior hardware build for serious athletes.