Garmin Forerunner 970 compared to Forerunner 965
Based on Garmin’s official info, here are the main differences in specifications and features between the Garmin Forerunner 970 and the Garmin Forerunner 965:
TL;DR – Aesthetics are very similar, but it is a notably improved hardware package AND with a decent mix of new sport and smart features. I’m happy.
Availability: May 21st, $750, £630, Eu750
Hardware and Design Differences:
The upgrades here represent a fantastic hardware upgrade over the FR965 – the best lens material is used, there’s a flashlight, and new speaker/microphone capabilities like Fenix 8. Even better, the latest Gen 5 optical HR sensor includes an on-demand ECG feature! I’m happy.
- New User Interface – it’s like Fenix 8, not hugely different, but you will like the improvement.
- Optical Sensor
- Garmin ECG App: The Forerunner 970 has the Garmin ECG App for on-demand ECG readings.
- More accurate in exercise
- Adds a skin temperature sensor
- LED Flashlight: The Forerunner 970 includes a new LED flashlight covering 3 shades of white and one of red!
- Lens Material: The Forerunner 970 features Sapphire Crystal lens material, while the Forerunner 965 uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3 DX.
- Physical Size: The Forerunner 970 has a physical size of 47 x 47 x 12.9 mm, making it slightly thinner than the Forerunner 965, which measures 47.2 x 47.2 x 13.2 mm.
- Weight: The Forerunner 970 weighs 56 g, slightly heavier than the Forerunner 965 at 53 g.
- Built-in Speaker/Microphone: The Forerunner 970 has a built-in speaker/microphone. This hardware supports features like phone calls and voice assistant support, and is a major upgrade for smart feature support in the future (and now)
- Display Size: While both are listed as 1.4″ diameter, the measurements are slightly different: 35.3 mm for the Forerunner 970 and 35.4 mm for the Forerunner 965.
Battery Life Differences:
There’s a mixed bag here. For me, numerous negatives are outweighed by the modest boost in battery life, specifically for the SatIQ mode and when playing music. Meh!
- Smartwatch mode: Up to 15 days for the Forerunner 970 vs. Up to 23 days for the Forerunner 965. The 965 has a longer estimated battery life in standard smartwatch mode.
- GPS-Only GNSS mode: Up to 26 hours for the Forerunner 970 vs. Up to 31 hours for the Forerunner 965. The 965 has a longer estimated battery life in GPS-only mode without music.
- Satiq (AutoSelect) GNSS mode: Up to 23 hours for the Forerunner 970 vs. Up to 22 hours for the Forerunner 965. The 970 has a slightly longer estimated battery life in SatIQ mode without music.
- All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band: Up to 21 hours for the Forerunner 970 vs. Up to 19 hours for the Forerunner 965. The 970 has a longer estimated battery life in Multi-Band mode without music.
- GPS-Only GNSS mode with music: Up to 14 hours for the Forerunner 970 vs. Up to 10.5 hours for the Forerunner 965. The 970 has a longer estimated battery life in GPS-only mode with music.
- SatIQ (AutoSelect) GNSS mode with music: Up to 13 hours for the Forerunner 970 vs. Up to 9.5 hours for the Forerunner 965. The 970 has a longer estimated battery life in SatIQ mode with music.
- All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band with music: Up to 12 hours for the Forerunner 970 vs. Up to 8.5 hours for the Forerunner 965. The 970 has a longer estimated battery life in Multi-Band mode with music.
Battery profiles (power modes) are introduced to enable you to tweak power management.
I expect there are several factors contributing to the odd changes to battery life – new GNSS sensor (Synaptics), new Elevate Gen 5, possibly new screen (higher brightness claims), possibly a new Bluetooth version (>5.2 – more energy efficient and some more energy efficient when playing music)
Smart Features Differences:
These smart features are all new for the Forerunner 970, and the 970 is placed on a sound footing to benefit from new smart features unless they require 4G LTE (that’s for the FR975).
- Make calls and send texts via voice: The Forerunner 970 supports this feature when paired with a compatible smartphone. A significant step towards becoming a smartwatch – now we need 4G LTE.
- VIRB Remote: The Forerunner 970 has a VIRB Remote feature.
- BLUETOOTH phone calling and voice assistant support: The Forerunner 970 supports BLUETOOTH phone calling and voice assistant support using its built-in speaker/microphone.
- Voice command: The Forerunner 970 supports voice command functionality.
Health & Wellness Differences:
Improved support for women’s features and improved sleep support
- Skin temperature: The Forerunner 970 is listed as having Skin temperature tracking, which aids in better period predictions and past ovulation estimates for women’s health. A new sensor capability provides this.
- Ovulation Estimate: additions
- Evening report: The Forerunner 970 includes an Evening report (reminders of sleep need, tomorrow’s workout, weather, and events). This feature was already on other Garmin watches; elements resemble Whoop‘s sleep coach, and nicely complement the 965’s Morning Report.
Workout and Training Plans Differences:
These are new to the 970 and fill some glaring gaps in the coaching and workout support that previously existed for multisports.
- Garmin Triathlon Coach: The Forerunner 970 explicitly lists Garmin Triathlon Coach support. This fills the gaps in Coach: the ability to set triathlon race dates in the calendar, and hopefully also creates better-specified bike/run workouts.
- Multisport Structured Workouts: The Forerunner 970 supports Multisport workouts that you can now create in Connect
Activity Profile Differences (Exclusive to 970):
Over 10 activity profiles for the Forerunner 970 are new:
- Multisport: Brick workouts, Duathlon and Pool triathlon are added (I think they are new, I created them manually before)
- Wellness: Mobility
- Outdoor running: Obstacle Racing (I’m slightly disappointed this doesn’t include sports like Hyrox, though maybe this can be customised?)
- Outdoor recreation: Hunting, Horseback Riding
- On the Water: Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Snorkelling, Sailing Expedition
Running Features Differences:
There are some interesting features here which might turn out to be useful. Two require a very expensive chest strap to make them work.
- Step speed loss: new Step speed loss metrics (compatible with the HRM 600).
- Running Economy: new Running Economy metrics (compatible with the HRM 600).
- Running Tolerance:
- Mileage – how far can you run this week in total? (Useful!)
- Impact Load: how surfaces and gradients affect the load as you run, great for managing injury risks
Golfing Features Differences:
- Auto CourseView updates:
- Tournament legal
- CT10 Compatible
Outdoor Recreation Features Differences:
- Expedition GPS Activity.
- ‘Improved’ maps, including radius arc.
Other New Features
- Dynamic Round-Trip Routing: whilst this feature was on the FR965, what’s new is the dynamic nature of the feature now. Meaning you can re-plan after starting.
- Auto Lap by Timing Gates: This is a flavour of autolap triggered at gates marked on any preloaded course. This is useful for trail/Ultra or city marathons to align recorded laps with laps according to the correct race line distances.
- Suggested Finish Line: The Forerunner 970 overview mentions a feature where, if you have a course loaded for your race, the watch can suggest trimming your data to the finish line if you forget to stop your timer. Neat!
Surprising Omissions
I expected some behind-the-paywall features for Garmin Connect+. There are none for now – they will come, don’t worry.
Take Out (for now)
The Forerunner 970 adds several hardware features like a speaker/microphone, LED flashlight, and a Sapphire Crystal lens.
It also introduces health metrics like Skin Temperature and ECG app, along with new software features related to smart notifications (evening report, voice commands), training (Triathlon Coach, specific multisport workout listing, Power Modes, detailed running dynamics like Step Speed Loss/Tolerance/Economy, Projected Race Time/Pace), modest new golf features, and minor activity profile boosts.
The Forerunner 965 generally offers longer battery life in standard smartwatch and GPS-only modes, but the 970 has longer estimates in SatIQ and Multi-Band modes, particularly with music playing.
For some sports people, the Forerunner 970 is a lighter and superior option to the Fenix 8, especially if the new features listed here aren’t passed to the Fenix.
Q: Is it worth the upgrade?
A: Probably not, but I’m doing it. The lens, new oHR and audio feature perhaps justify a $100-$150 bump, but $150-$200 factors in tariffs, inflation, and knowing you can afford to pay.
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Reader-Powered Content
With sapphire screen and all the rest it makes me thinking why one would like to buy more priced fenix.
Before (at least for me) it was sapphire glass. But now …
Totally agree. I hope that the screen is flush with the bezel this time like on the 955. The puff is a pain for scratchy. Even if it were sapphire, the puff might get scratched.
The f970 appears to close the materials gap significantly with a fenix. It’s very similar to a flyweight amoled version of the enduro 3. I think there is some smart SKU differentiation here actually.
To the question of why you sill buy a fenix it would be in no particular order:
– aesthetic
– available 51mm for more range
– dive functionality
– inductive buttons vs gaskets. I have seen the gasket seals fail.
I assume all of the HRM 600 -related features will come to the fenix 8.
yes!
The put a chartreuse or purple cover over the barometric altimeter port which means anyone out off by chartreuse or purple will have to get a black fenix. Ha! 😉
Garmin promotes metrics for all day use of the watch, but then only make models with that ugly side panel colors. Why not even releasing a single one with uniform colors. This one just screams look at me I am a runner, but not everyone wants to look like that in day to day activities.
I agree. These colored patches are annoying. I am considering removing the patch or painting it over with a permanent marker. Would like to know whether one could remove it without marks or holes underneath.
precisely so.
they have to add all the smart features to get the high prices and margins. if they just sold a running wtach they would be in a niche market position rather than a dominating one. the problem is they cant produce a proper smart watch. although this (970) goes some way towards that and is a good step in that direction
How do the step speed loss and running economy compare to what you’d get with Stryd pods? It looks like both of those new metrics require a $170 HRM so the cost difference is shrinking
I’ll have to see wht Stryd says on that but a good point. Ultimately the foot must be the best place to measure these things. Stryd used to do a chest strap but changed to a pod for a reason!
Literally zero reason to buy Fenix 8 now, except I’m missing something. Unless they cook up some serious improvement over 8 in the Pro/microled version, I have no idea how are they going to sell it.
I honestly have no idea how they’ve been selling the Fenix 8 even before this 970 announcement. Other than to the small minority who might actually use the speaker/mic or go diving regularly, it’s a terrible value compared to the previous generation’s Pro models.
There’s only one thing I need to know, 970’s screen brightness. 965’s 1000 nits don’t cut it for me, so I’d like to know if screen brightness is bumped.
I like the 965 design more than this new one. No stupid color plate between buttons and nice “minute markings” around the bezel. Will wait for some thorough tests and maybe take 965 on sale instead.
They do say “our brightest displays yet” but not sure on the details
well spotted
I’d guess not. but will delve deeper
Much as I like new gadgets, don’t see any compelling reason to get this to replace a 965. Guess I’ll just have to wait for the 975/985 & look again then but of course probably everything will be locked behind a subscription at that stage!
My words. Admittedly, it’s been 10 years now—I still wear a 920XT and train twice a day without missing a thing.
We all know 99% sure that these features will pass to fenix… like always in past
For me, this will leave me zero reasons to keep my very crappy F8 (due to bugs/battery life issues). I have the solar don’t care about the solar side. I got mip for battery life, but unless I turn off the phone connection, the 47mm F8 solar just can’t go over 10 days battery life. The amoled F8 easily beats that with the same usage, which is absurd. Turn OFF the BT, and it gets 22 days. Garmin says it’s working as intended. Might get this instead, and paint the polarizing side panel.
i’m guessing there will be bugs here…but i take the sentiment.
So it seems there is a new GNSS chipset which is more efficient for dual channel – good.
But less battery life for GPS only is an issue (for me)…too bad!
Question is whether they finally upgraded the CPU – map operations became painfully slow on Fenix 8.
yes, i think that is the correct reading
as i wrote here: https://the5krunner.com/2025/04/22/garmin-changes-gps-chips-why-and-what-does-this-mean-going-forward/
Looks a good watch. Will other retailers stock from 21st or only Garmin? When can we expect to see early reviews ?
It seems to be just a facelift. I’ll wait till an LTE variant is released.
Any thoughts on how this compares to the Epix Pro (Gen 2). I can get a sweet deal on that and don’t need to make/receive calls on my watch.