4Rank 04 of 10 · GPS Running Watches
Garmin Forerunner 170
Garmin's 2026 entry-level running watch brings Training Readiness, an AMOLED screen and very accurate wrist heart rate, but keeps single-frequency GPS: 14 h All-Systems, no L5.
7.4BPR score
- €260Price
- up to 14 h All-Systems (no multi-band); 20 h GPS-only — per the5krunner's reviewGPS battery life in the most accurate published mode
- 4 of 10in GPS Running Watches
- 7.4BPR score 0–10
Review
What this product is
Written after the analysis, from the same sources the score is built on: the manufacturer's documentation, available studies and verified owner feedback.
The Garmin Forerunner 170 suits new and intermediate runners who want Garmin's training metrics and payment support at a moderate price. The5krunner's August 2026 review lists a 1.2-inch AMOLED (390 × 390), 41 g, 5 ATM, up to 10 days in smartwatch mode (4 days always-on), 20 hours GPS-only and 14 hours All-Systems GNSS. Multi-band L1+L5 is not supported; the reviewer calls the receiver previous-generation. The Music edition stores Spotify, Amazon Music and Deezer playlists, at up to 7 hours with GPS and music.
Test evidence is good. The Elevate Gen 4 optical sensor showed a −0.1 bpm bias at parkrun (95% limits −2.6 to +2.5 bpm) and zero bias on the bike. GPS matched a Stryd footpod on suburban streets, was 7 m out at parkrun, +40 m in an urban canyon and +57 m over a 63 km ride. The reviewer measured roughly 18.75 hours of continuous recording and scored the watch 86%.
Gaps: no on-watch maps (Google Maps turn-by-turn only on Android), glass that scratches easily, and only a modest step up from the cheaper Forerunner 70. Garmin's product page did not render specs or a price for us; €260 is the lowest Dutch listing we saw (UK list £259.99).
Technical data
Specification
Figures from the manufacturer's documentation, verified against available outside sources. Values we could not confirm are marked as declared.
- GNSS
- Single-frequency, All-Systems (no L1+L5)
- Battery, GPS-only
- up to 20 h
- Battery, All-Systems
- up to 14 h
- Battery, smartwatch
- up to 10 days (4 days always-on)
- Battery, GPS + music
- up to 7 h (Music edition)
- Display
- 1.2-inch AMOLED, 390 × 390
- Weight
- 41 g
- Water resistance
- 5 ATM
- Maps
- None on watch
- UK list price
- £259.99 (Music £299.99)
Component scores
Where the score
comes from.
Four components, equal weight, each on a 0–10 scale and each resting on a named source. The overall score is their mean — the full procedure is in the methodology.
What we liked
- Optical HR bias −0.1 bpm at parkrun (the5krunner)
- AMOLED, 41 g, 5 ATM
- Training Readiness and Training Status
- Garmin Pay and barometric altimeter
- Up to 10 days smartwatch battery
Worth knowing
- No multi-band L1+L5 GPS
- 14 h All-Systems, shortest here with Forerunner 570
- No on-watch maps
- Glass scratches easily (the5krunner)
Comparison
How it compares
within the category
All values come from the same analysis and are comparable only within the category GPS Running Watches.
| Product | Score | GPS battery life in the most accurate published mode | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Run 2Top score | 7.8 | up to 24 h with dual-band GPS — published by Suunto | €299 |
| Forerunner 170This product | 7.4 | up to 14 h All-Systems (no multi-band); 20 h GPS-only — per the5krunner's review | €260 |
| Category average10 products analysed | 7.1 | — | — |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is the Forerunner 170 multi-band?
No. The5krunner's review states it uses previous-generation single-frequency GPS; All-Systems mode lasts up to 14 hours.
Forerunner 170 or Forerunner 70?
The5krunner calls the 170 only a modest hardware upgrade over the cheaper Forerunner 70 (UK £219.99 versus £259.99), so compare the feature lists on Garmin's page before paying the difference.
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The same protocol, the same key parameter, the same set of sources.
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