Garmin Forerunner 970 was first released in May 2025. The technical specifications of Forerunner 970 variant are specific to the 47 mm model.
Display
| Display lens | Sapphire glass |
| Display size | 36 mm |
| Display resolution | 454 x 454 pixels |
| Display technology | AMOLED |
| Always on display | Available |
| Color display | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
The display glass of Forerunner 970 is made of Sapphire crystal. This makes Forerunner 970 a rugged smartwatch that is virtual scratch-proof.
GPS
| GPS Compatibility | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou |
| Multi-band GPS (Dual GPS) | Yes |
| SatIQ sensor | Available for automatic multi-band management |
Storage, Connectivity, Compatibility
| Storage internal | 32 GB |
| Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth, ANT+, WiFi |
| Smartphone compatibility | Android operating system version 9 or higher |
| Smartphone compatibility | iOS version 16 or higher (iPhone 8 and higher models) |
Sensors
| GPS sensors | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou |
| Heart Monitoring | Garmin Elevate Sensor |
| Blood oxygenation tracking | PulseOX sensor |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes |
| Compass | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes |
| Temperature tracking | Yes (through tempe sensor) |
| Cadence sensor (cycling) | Yes |
| Speed sensor (cycling) | Yes |
| Depth sensor | Not available |
Water resistance
| Water rating | 5 ATM Swim |
| Dive rating | NA |
| Depth pressure | NA |
| Swimming profiles | Pool swimming, open water swimming |
| Diving profiles | NA |
| Diving Compression Model | NA |
You need to be careful in using Forerunner 970 in water. A rating of 5 ATM does allow you to swim in shallow waters.
However, no DIVE rating has been assigned to the Forerunner 970. So, you should avoid using a Forerunner 970 for scuba diving also.
On a similar note, you need to limit the length or duration of water exposure. There is no clarity on the suggested time duration for which you can wear Forerunner 970 under water.
But, the general rule is to limit water exposure to under 20 minutes to prevent smartwatch damage that may be caused by water ingress.
NFC/Cardless payments
| NFC Payments/Contactless payments | Yes |
| NFC App | Garmin Pay (link credit and debit cards to the Garmin wallet for contactless payments and cardless payments through Garmin Pay) |
Garmin app
| Garmin apps in-built (compatibility) | Garmin Pay, Garmin Coach, Garmin Golf, Garmin Running Coach, Garmin Messenger, Garmin Connect |
| ConnectIQ compatibility | Yes |
Music
| Music compatibility | Yes |
| Play smartphone music | Yes |
| Music storage | Yes |
| Control smartphone music | Yes |
| Spotify compatibility | Yes, requires premium subscription |
On Garmin Forerunner 970 watch, you can download audio content to your watch from your computer or from a third-party provider, so you can listen when your phone is not nearby.
To listen to audio content stored on your watch, you can connect Bluetooth® headphones.
Forerunner 970 also has its own in-built speaker and mic. So, you could use the Forerunner 970 speaker to listen to audio content.
The audio quality of Bluetooth speaker will be considerably better than the audio quality of the default speaker of the smartwatch.
Battery
| Battery | Rechargeable, built-in lithium-ion battery |
| Primary Charging | USB C Charging through Garmin proprietary charger |
| Secondary Charging | Not available |
| Battery backup | up to 15 days (Smartwatch mode); |
Device specifications
| Physical size | 47 x 47 x 12.9 (mm) |
| Thickness | 12.9 mm |
| Watch weight with band | 50 g without case |
| Watch case or body | Titanium body |
| Operating and storage temperature range | From -20º to 60ºC (from -4º to 140ºF) |
| USB charging temperature range | From 0º to 45ºC (from 32º to 113ºF) |
| EU wireless frequencies and transmit power | 2.4 GHz @ 17 dBm maximum for 47 mm model |
| EU SAR values | <0.18 W/kg torso |
Safety and tracking
| Incident detection | Yes |
| Emergency contacts | Yes (for safety and tracking) |
| LiveTrack | Yes |
| Assistance | Yes |
Incident detection – when the Forerunner 570 watch detects an incident during certain outdoor activities, the watch sends an automated message, LiveTrack link, and GPS location (if available) to your emergency contacts. (The incident detection feature works in specific situations only.)
Livetrack – allows friends and family to follow your races and training activities in real time. You can invite followers using email or social media, allowing them to view your live data on a web page.
Requesting assistance – allows you to send a message with your name, LiveTrack link, and GPS location (if available) to your emergency contacts. (The assistance feature allows you to send your location
to an emergency contact. This is a supplemental feature
and should not be relied upon as a primary method to
obtain emergency assistance.)
Forerunner 970 – Product Comparisons
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