Garmin Forerunner 70 vs 170 Comparison: All 27 Differences Hands-On!

Here's a complete look at the Garmin Forerunner 70 vs Forerunner 170, with every single difference detailed.

The Forerunner 70 & Forerunner 170 may be two of the most similar watches I’ve ever seen Garmin produce, though, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The units have a mere $50 price difference, or $100 if you include the music edition of the Forerunner 170. Still, while they are similar there are a handful of differences that may matter depending on what you care about - or more specifically, mostly what types of sports you intend to track.

Still, these two units are the most feature-packed and price-focused watches Garmin has released this decade. It’s an astonishing shift from the sky-high prices of 2025 across their lineup. Garmin is very clearly trying to undercut the bulk of their budget competitors here, and likely doing so successfully.I’ve been putting both watches through their paces side-by-side (one on each wrist) just to understand those differences in real life, beyond the specs.