Forerunner 970 and Venu X1 are the latest smartwatches released by Garmin in May and June 2025. The costs are comparable.
Let us dig deeper between the two smartwatches and find which one will tick your requirements.
As usual, this comparison study does not have any affiliate links etc. So, expect it to be an unbiased comparison to genuinely help your cause.
This difference note only compares the core features of Forerunner 970 with Venu X1. We are not going deep into the specific workout profiles. If you are looking for a smartwatch for a specific workout profile, please check with Garmin directly.
Main differences
- Forerunner 970 continues to have a round dial while the Venu X1 takes a cue from Apple smartwatch and comes in a box or square shape.
- Venu X1 is considerably lighter and thinner than Forerunner 970. Garmin is marketing Venu X1 as its thinnest watch.
- Forerunner 970 includes multi-band GPS feature. It also includes the SatIQ sensor for effective battery management. This vastly improves GPS reliability, readiness and accuracy. Venu X1 lacks multi-band sensor and the SatIQ sensor.
- Forerunner 970 is fully compatible with the Garmin ECG app. Venu X1 cannot work with the Garmin ECG app.
- Battery backup of Forerunner 970 is almost twice the backup offered by a new Venu X1 watch.
- Venu X1 watch comes with nylon strap. Nylon straps are considered premium over the silicone straps that the Forerunner 970 ships with. You could upgrade the band anytime though.
Let us review these features to see how these may impact you.
Display
Forerunner 970 and Venu X1 come with AMOLED display. Both watches use Sapphire glass in the display.
And, the display resolution for both watches is high. Forerunner 970 has a display resolution of 454 x 454 pixels while the Venu X1 has a display resolution of 448 x 486 pixels.
The only thing that merits attention in terms of display is the shape of the watch. Forerunner 970 has a round display while Venu X1 comes with a box display
GPS
GPS readiness, reliability and overall accuracy on a Forerunner 970 is considerably better than Venu X1.
Forerunner 970 has a multi-band GPS sensor. It allows users to pull in GPS data from multiple satellite systems at any given point in time. The feature is especially useful when you are in geographic areas with poor GPS connectivity or GPS signal strength. Take the case of walking through a skyscraper city. Or, while you are hiking in a terrain that is inhabitable.
For runners, it is our experience, that the Forerunner 970’s multi-band GPS sensor does pull in reliable GPS data quickly and easily.
And, to top it, you get a SatIQ sensor in a Forerunner 970 to manage battery usage more efficiently.
Venu X1 lacks multi-band GPS sensor and SatIQ sensor.
For runners or people requiring reliable GPS connectivity in the smartwatch, Forerunner 970 would be the apt choice.
Garmin ECG
Garmin ECG app is an FDA approved app that allows you to take on-demand ECG or electrocardiogram to monitor cardiac health status.
The ECG taken through the Garmin ECG app relies on the sensor at the back of the watch to take a graph of rhythm of the heart. The ECG so taken can be shared with any cardiac specialist for a review.
Forerunner 970 is compatible with the Garmin ECG app. You can use it anytime to take an on-demand ECG through the watch.
Venu X1, however, is not compatible with the Garmin ECG app.
Battery
The battery of Forerunner 970 is designed to work for extended periods of time. That is a requirement of most runners and athletes.
Forerunner 970 can last for up to 15 days on the smartwatch mode. A Venu X1 will go up to 8 days on the smartwatch mode.
The difference remains the same between these two watches on other smartwatch modes.
Both watches, however, use the Garmin proprietary USB chargers. And both watches support fast charging. You can go from zero to full battery in less than 2 hours.
Appearance and weight
Forerunner 970 looks an all around runner watch. It continues to use the fiber body and bezel.
Venu X1 does offer a different perspective, especially in terms of other Garmin smartwatches.
It is almost 50 percent lighter (34 g) in comparison with the Forerunner 970 (56 g). And VenuX1 has a titanium bezel to give it a premium finish.
Summary
For runners, Forerunner 970 is the best tracking smartwatch as of June 2025. Venu X1 is a contemporary watch with no specific target audiences. Anyone can get a Venu X1 and enjoy wearing a thin and light Garmin smartwatch.