The Forerunner 970 just dropped, and it’s loaded with serious upgrades over the already solid 965. From a brighter AMOLED display with sapphire crystal to a built-in flashlight, ECG sensor, and smarter training tools—this watch means business. But is it $150 better? In this video, we break down the key differences in design, features, battery life, and more to help you decide which one fits your style, goals, and budget.
Questions Answered in the video:
What’s new in the design and build of the Forerunner 970 compared to the 965?
Does the 970 offer better health and fitness tracking features?
How do the smart features differ between the two watches?
Which one has better battery life for your usage style?
Is the Forerunner 970 really worth the higher price tag?
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[Music] all right So both the Garmin 4Erunner 965 and the new 970 are built for people who run train sweat repeat and maybe obsess over data a little too much But if you’re eyeing an upgrade or just trying to figure out which one deserves a spot on your wrist the 970 launched recently definitely brings some shiny new toys to the table Let’s talk about what’s changed and what actually matters The 4Erunner 970 and 965 sport titanium cases each measuring 47 mm The 970 edges out a bit with a slimmer profile which could be a plus during those longer workout sessions When it comes to protecting that vibrant display the 970 steps up with sapphire crystal offering top-notch scratch resistance compared to the 965’s Corning Gorilla Glass 3DX Plus the 970’s AMOLED display shines brighter fitting right in with Garmin’s premium line like the Phoenix series Now what really sets the 970 apart are the extras It has a flashlight built into the watch It’s got white and red LEDs with adjustable brightness Um if you run at night or camp or just don’t want to fumble with your phone in the dark this thing is ridiculously handy and it’s not something you’ll find on the 965 Um then there’s the heart rate sensor The 970 steps it up with the new Garmin Elevate Gen 5 which includes ECG support That means you can do an ondemand heart rhythm check right from your wrist If you care about heart health or just like having that extra insight this is a big deal Also Garmin finally added a speaker and mic on the 970 You can take calls use voice commands all that good stuff as long as you’re paired with your phone Super convenient if you’re mid-run or can’t grab your phone The 970 borrows a ton of features from Garmin’s top tier watches such as Fenix 8 and Venue 3 level stuff The user interface feels smoother cleaner and more intuitive It’s still familiar if you’ve used the 965 but it’s been polished And then there’s the ridiculous number of new features We’re talking things like running economy impact load factor step speed loss stuff that sounds intense because it is If you’re the kind of person who loves breaking down your performance to the tiniest detail this watch is basically a data buffet Health tracking also levels up You now get skin temperature readings evening reports and provides past ovulation estimates Yep Garmin’s really going allin on health this time around And if you thought the sport modes were already overkill the 970 throws in even more Snorkeling fishing horseback riding sail racing Basically if it gets your heart rate up it probably has a mode for it now So here’s the trade-off The 965 actually wins on battery life In smartwatch mode you’ll get around 23 days on a full charge while the 970 gives you about 15 days Not a huge deal but if you hate charging stuff it might matter But once GPS and music come into play things flip a bit The 970 seems better optimized for active use with audio so it’s more balanced depending on how you use it Here’s the part where it gets real The 970 costs $749 while the 965 goes for $499 So yeah that’s a $250 difference But for that you’re getting premium glass protection ECG support a flashlight speaker and mic and a bunch of upgraded software features If you’re tight on budget the 965 still totally holds its own It’s not like it suddenly became outdated You’re just not getting all the bells and whistles That’s it for this video Thanks for watching Peace [Music]
22 Comments
No. Both are garbage because of the AMOLED ;].
Simple answer no…on top of everything battery went from 23 days to 15 days( venu 3 level)….Fr965 is much more worth the price!!
Why another vids? nobody believe 970 respond to any needs beyond Garmin cash grab.
Excelente vídeo pero el 965 también mide la temperatura de la piel
You could justify it in this way. $50 more for elevate 5 sensor, $50 flashlight, $50 saphire glass, $50 microphone for taking calls, $50 for bezel and more premium features and brighter screen=$250.
Wow, straight to the point. Thank you.🎉
C'est dommage entre autre qu il n' y ait pas les mêmes couleurs de montres comme les 570. Sur le site Garmin, il existe la 970 en bronze que je trouve très belle mais pas en vente. Seulement 3 couleurs disponibles
Si vous aviez un lien pour payer moins cher, je suis preneuse (France)
hello! thank you for the review, what about the volume of the 5 bips countdown for the interval training? is this improved or is still not possible to hear? did they allow for volume increase? E-Sim still missing but this is the best upgrade they could do to go doing sport without the mobile (the big block.. especially now that the phones are always bigger…)
Will never get an AMOLED screen sports watch. I'll keep my FR955 forever!
Will the new activities be able to be done on the 965 ?
In just two years is not possible that a watch need to be replaced, that’s not sustainable for the planet.
The coros pace pro is 260 on govx. Hard to turn down for this.
I agree with everything but that torch hits different! Very useful and a great thing to have! The speaker is convenient too, although I could live without it!Then again should have been 650 USD
I have 965 and it is so good. I love the watch. Has all I need and the battery life is fantastic.
I m going to wait for the 970 price to go down to upgrade my old fenix 6s, mostly because of the flashlight
965 is still better deal
i dont see any motive to change my 965 for 970 honestly. and i paid 350$ for my 965
I'm thinking of taking the 970 or the Phoenix 7 pro? I've never used garmin before
Honestly another microphone, kills it for me. I want some semblance of privacy. Every device is now a spy device. It looks like the 965 may be my last Garmin.
The only useful upgrade would be the wireless charging.
I’m not interested in another amoled smartwatch. For me it’s MIP or nothing.