Garmin Forerunner 70 Review: The Best Running Watch for Beginners Just Got a Major Upgrade

The Garmin Forerunner 70 might be Garmin’s entry level running watch, but it doesn’t feel particularly entry level anymore. After testing it through easy runs, workouts and everyday wear, I think this is enough watch for the vast majority of runners, especially if you care more about training data than smartwatch features.

At $249, though, the decision gets tricky. The Forerunner 165 is still hanging around, while another $50 gets you the newer Forerunner 170. So the real question isn’t whether the Forerunner 70 is good. It’s whether Garmin has given you enough reasons to stop here rather than spending more.

Let’s take a closer look at the Garmin Forerunner 70 features and what you get for the price point.

Garmin Forerunner 70 Overview

I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for an AMOLED display.

And when Garmin pairs that bright, colorful screen with one of its best-looking watch color options? It’s hard not to be impressed when you first pull the Forerunner 70 out of the box.

Okay, maybe calling it a piece of artwork is a little dramatic, but it really is a good-looking watch.

The display is crisp, the colors pop, and it has that premium feel you’d expect from a much more expensive model.

The best part? You get all of that without completely draining your wallet.

What’s it like running with the Forerunner 70?

Coach Amanda here and I’ve used GPS watches at all price points. Sure there are some things that I would like to see improved on the 70 (i.e. no onboard barometric altimeter meaning less accurate elevation measurements because I’m in the mountains a lot), but as an entry level watch that’s going to last for years with nearly every data point you want…it’s pretty great.

To be clear with GPS it will give you elevation, it’s just not nearly as accurate. So probably not an ideal trail watch or for those who really care about that specific data point.

The screen is so easy to read in a variety of light situations and the feel of the watch is very similar to the more expensive models.

Garmin Forerunner 70 Features

Here are some of the newer and unique features that you’ll find on the Garmin Forerunner 70. Our article about the best Garmin watches goes into more detail about what you’ll typically find on a Garmin device, so we won’t get into that here.

Touchscreen Display

I’ve already mentioned it, but the Forerunner 70 features a bright, colorful AMOLED display that’s easy to read whether you’re checking it mid-run or scrolling through the watch during the day.

And while the watch does have a touchscreen, Garmin was smart about it. During activities, the touchscreen automatically locks to help prevent accidental taps and swipes.

That means no accidentally ending your workout, pausing your run, or flipping through data screens when all you wanted to do was wipe some sweat off.

It’s a small feature, but one that’s easy to appreciate once you’re out on the run.

Training Features

There are 80+ sport apps on the Forerunner 70, including swimming, cycling, strength training, and more.

On the watch, they’re all sorted into categories such as Running, Gym, Outdoor, Racket Sports, and the list goes on.

You can pin your favorite sports to the top so that you’re not endlessly scrolling through the long list of options.

A few other training features that most Garmin watches have:

• Ability to program workouts and HR Zones
• Heart Rate Variability
• Running power
• Pulse OX tracking
• Lifestyle Logging– log behaviors like caffeine and alcohol intake to see how it impacts health/training
• Body Battery – tracking stress and energy levels, sleep tracking, step tracking
• Pacing Pro – Helping you come up with your race day pacing plan
• Race Predictor – Using your workouts, it will help determine potential race times (5k, 10k, half, and full marathon only)
• Track Running– Record a workout on the track and get accurate lap distances in meters

New- Quick Workouts

Quick workouts are suggestions tailored to the users fitness level. It’s easy to set up with just entering your desired time and intensity level.

Garmin will take it from there and suggest three different workouts to give a try.

New- Run/Walk Workout

Another new feature is the Run/Walk Workouts and lower volume training.

Garmin Run Coach now provides Run/Walk workouts and lower-volume training.

This is great if you’re just starting out your running journey or returning after a period of time off. It’ll help you get into a routine without over doing it.

Overall Health and Wellness Tracking

If you’re someone who loves data, you won’t be disappointed with the 24/7 health and wellness tracking.

Wearing your watch all the time will help gather data around:

• Sleep tracking (and a sleep coach)
• Breathing Variations while you’re sleeping
• Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
• Pulse Ox
• Lifestyle Logging
• Health Snapshot- if you’re feeling off, you can take a 2-minute session to record key health stats to share with your doctor
• Stress Tracking
• Women’s Health Tracking for menstrual cycles or pregnancy
• Body Battery Energy Monitoring
• Nap Detection

Smart Phone Features

You can decide what kinds of notifications come through to your Forerunner 70 and how many.

When paired with your iPhone or Android, you will receive emails, texts, and app alerts directly to your watch.

For on-wrist texting, you can use Android phones or the Garmin Messenger app.

Garmin Safety Features

It’s always nice to know there’s an extra added layer for safety, especially when out on the roads and trails.

• Livetrack Location Sharing– you can autostart this or manually start this to then provide a link that will show your contact exactly where you are while GPS is active
• Incident Detection – if your watch senses that an incident occurred (like you fall really hard while running/cycling), it’ll send a message to your emergency contact with your live location. Or if you find yourself in a situation that you feel unsafe, you can trigger it manually

Garmin 70 vs 55 vs 170 vs 165

There are so many models and variations that’s it’s hard to understand what’s changed and what’s still available. So here is a quick rundown of the models and upgrades.

Garmin 70 vs 170: Is the Upgrade Worth It?

There really isn’t a huge difference between the Garmin Forerunner 70 and 170, which makes choosing between Garmin’s already very large watch lineup a little more complicated.

Both watches give runners the big training features we care about, including Training Readiness, Training Status, running dynamics and Garmin Coach. So spending another $50 on the Forerunner 170 isn’t really about getting a dramatically better running watch.

Instead, you’re paying for a handful of extra everyday and outdoor features.

The Forerunner 170 is $299.99 compared with $249.99 for the Forerunner 70, and adds:

• Garmin Pay for contactless payments
• A barometric altimeter for better elevation and floors climbed data
• A magnetic compass
• A temperature sensor
• Additional workout and activity features

If you want music stored directly on the watch, you’ll need the Forerunner 170 Music, which costs $349.99.

Interestingly, the cheaper Forerunner 70 actually wins on battery life. Garmin lists up to 13 days in smartwatch mode for the 70 versus 10 days for the 170.

So from a pure running and training standpoint, we think the Forerunner 70 gives most runners what they actually need. The 170 starts to make more sense if you want Garmin Pay, care about more accurate elevation data, or simply want those additional smartwatch and outdoor features.

Garmin 70 vs 165: Same Price Different Strengths

This is where Garmin’s lineup gets a little strange. The Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 165 are both $249.99, and both have that bright AMOLED touchscreen, but Garmin has split the features in a way that makes neither watch the obvious upgrade.

The Forerunner 70 is the better training focused option. You get Training Readiness and Training Status, a longer battery life of up to 13 days, and a much larger selection of built in sport profiles.

The Forerunner 165 leans a little more toward everyday smartwatch features. It includes Garmin Pay, a barometric altimeter, and more built in sensors, while still giving runners PacePro, Garmin Coach and the core running metrics most people need.

Where the Forerunner 70 has the edge

• Up to 13 days of battery life versus 11 days on the 165
• Training Readiness
• Training Status
• More built in sport and activity profiles
• Android users can send quick text replies from the watch
• More customization options for watch colors and displays

Where the Forerunner 165 has the edge

• Garmin Pay contactless payments
• Barometric altimeter for elevation data
• More built in sensors
• The option to upgrade to the Forerunner 165 Music for phone free music storage
• Garmin Trails and additional navigation features in supported areas

Both watches have an AMOLED touchscreen, PacePro and plenty of running features for a beginner or recreational runner.

For the same $249.99, I’d lean toward the Forerunner 70 if training data is your priority. The Forerunner 165 makes more sense if Garmin Pay, elevation data and smartwatch features matter more to you.

Find the Garmin Forerunner 165 here >>

What About the Garmin Forerunner 55?

If you don’t need all the extra training metrics and smartwatch features, the Garmin Forerunner 55 is still worth considering. It’s one of the most affordable Garmin running watches and remains a solid option for runners who mainly want accurate GPS, pace, heart rate and basic training guidance.

At around $199, it keeps things simple. You don’t get the bright AMOLED touchscreen or the deeper training and health features found on the newer watches, but it still does the core running watch job really well.

For about $50 more, the Forerunner 70 gives you a much more modern display, additional health and training data, more sport profiles and more advanced recovery insights.

So the decision really comes down to how much data you want.

If you want a straightforward running watch and would rather save the money, the Forerunner 55 still makes sense. If you know you’ll want more training feedback as you progress, the Forerunner 70 gives you quite a bit more for that extra $50.

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