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The Garmin Forerunner 170 is the successor to the Garmin Forerunner 165 and sits just above the Garmin Forerunner 70 in the brand’s line-up. It’s a running-focused watch with more smarts and sensors than the Forerunner 70, and competes with other affordable options like the Coros Pace 4 and Suunto Run.
Mike, Kieran and Nick have all been testing the Forerunner 170 for several weeks and it’s impressed us with is accuracy and ease of use. Key upgrades on the Forerunner 165 include more extensive training analysis and this helps to make the Forerunner 170 one of the best running watches available, though the Forerunner 70 and Pace 4 both arguably offer better value.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £259/$299 (standard); £299/$349 (music)
- Size: 42.6 x 42.6 x 11.9mm
- Weight: 41g
- Display: 1.2in AMOLED
- Case material: Plastic
- Screen material: Glass
- Water resistance: 5 ATM
- Battery life (watch, raise to wake): Up to 10 days
- Battery life (all-systems GPS, always-on): 14 hours
- Storage: 4GB
Garmin Forerunner 170 review
What’s New?
The Garmin Forerunner 170 is a small but significant update on the Forerunner 165, with some of the most important new features on the watch including more extensive training analysis, including Garmin’s Training Readiness and Training Status features, and a new user interface that brings with it a lot of new widgets like Battery and Sports Scores.
Another notable addition is Garmin’s Quick Workout feature. This instantly creates a running workout based on the intensity you want to work at and the time you have available.
Garmin didn’t make big changes to the design of the watch though, with the Forerunner 170 having the same lightweight, plastic case and AMOLED display as its predecessor, and it has the same heart rate sensor and GPS options as the older watch.
Compared to the cheaper Forerunner 70, which launched at the same time, the Forerunner 170 has more smart features and sensors, and also supports cycling power meters.
The Run Test: Likes
The Forerunner 170 is a great-looking little watch that’s very lightweight and comfortable to wear at all times, and the AMOLED display is easy to read in all conditions. The updated user interface is also an improvement and makes using the watch a little easier and brings it into line with pricier models like the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970.
For us the major addition to the watch is the extra training analysis you now get, which makes the Forerunner 170 a capable training partner for runners of all levels. Training Readiness is a handy stat for gauging the state of your body, while Training Status includes the info you need on your overall training load to keep it balanced.
While Garmin didn’t give the Forerunner 170 its best GPS and heart rate hardware, the watch has still proved to be reliably accurate in all of our testing, matching the GPS tracks from the Forerunner 970 and Coros Pace 4 in multi-band mode, and the heart rate readings from a chest strap. For peace of mind, especially in cities, we’d still like to have seen multi-band on the watch though.
The new quick workout feature is a handy tool for runners who don’t follow structured training plans. It can set quite hard targets in our experience, and you’d have to be careful not to overuse the tougher workout settings each week, but it will help you get fitter and faster if you use a variety of quick workouts over time.
Finally, the Forerunner 170’s key upgrade on the Forerunner 70 is its smart features, which will be the main selling point of the watch to many users. NFC payments and the ability to link with streaming services is something you can’t get from other sports watch brands, so it does set the Forerunner 170 apart from Coros, Suunto and Polar options.
Check out more of the best Garmin running watches
The Run Test: Dislikes
The Forerunner 170 is a small watch with a bright display so we didn’t expect wonders on battery life, but how often you need to charge it is still a negative. With the screen always-on and running each day, you’ll have to charge it every 3.5 days or so, which is shorter battery life than other small AMOLED watches like the Forerunner 70 and Pace 4.
While the accuracy of the watch was good in our testing, it’s still a shame Garmin didn’t put multi-band GPS and its latest heart rate sensor on the watch. Other affordable watches like have multi-band, and if you’re an inner-city runner you might miss not having Garmin’s top multi-band option.
Other missing features on the Forerunner 170 are more understandable, like a flashlight and maps (you only get breadcrumb navigation). We didn’t expect these features, but they’d have been a lovely surprise. It’s also doesn’t have a triathlon mode, unlike the Pace 4.
The Forerunner 170 is also a step-up in price on the Forerunner 165 and it leaves room below it for better value options, whether they’re current rivals like the Forerunner 70, Suunto Run and Pace 4, or older watches like the Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 165.
Verdict And Alternatives
The Garmin Forerunner 170 is a terrific running watch and one that will cover all the essentials for very serious runners and beginners alike. It’s a welcome upgrade at the affordable end of Garmin’s line-up, and offers handy smart features on top of its reliable tracking.
It’s not a complete slam dunk though, because of some missing features that are available elsewhere, and its price being higher than other excellent entry-level watches like the Coros Pace 4 and Forerunner 70. If you don’t need the smart features on the Forerunner 170, both of those would be better value picks for runners.
Older Garmin watches will also be competitive with the Forerunner 170. If you’re not concerned about the new training analysis on the watch, the Forerunner 165 is cheaper in sales, and the Forerunner 265 is a full triathlon watch with multi-band that comes in two sizes and often drops near the price of the Forerunner 170 in sales.