Is the Garmin Forerunner 170 good for a first-time runner?

Yes. It’s more capable than a true beginner needs, but nothing is hard to ignore, and it gives you room to grow into features like Training Readiness and Training Status as you improve.

Forerunner 170 vs Forerunner 70: what's the real difference?

The 170 adds a barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, thermometer, Garmin Pay, open water swimming and cycling power-meter support. In testing, the 70 fell well short of its own 23-hour GPS battery claim; the 170’s result sat between its two corrected claims (20 hours GPS-only, 14 hours All-Systems).

Does the Forerunner 170 have GPS accuracy problems?

No. It tracked closely with a Stryd footpod and comparable watches across parkrun, a 10-mile run, urban, and cycling tests, with occasional drift in built-up areas and under tree cover that affects every GPS watch tested alongside it.

How long does the Forerunner 170 battery actually last?

Garmin claims up to 20 hours in GPS-only mode, or 14 hours in All-Systems GNSS mode. Testing found it averaging around 18.75 hours in continuous recording, between those two figures; it isn’t certain which satellite mode was active during testing.

Is the Forerunner 170 worth it over the discounted Forerunner 165?

The 165 is the better value pick if you don’t need Training Readiness, Training Status, or the newer interface. The 170 justifies its higher price mainly in the UK, where the price gap over the 165 is small.