Garmin Forerunner 570 & 970: Are the Latest Upgrades Worth the Price?
Garmin has launched its new Forerunner 570 and 970 watches, promising enhanced features for runners and triathletes. But with prices climbing, are these upgrades truly worth the investment? This in-depth look explores the key features, price points, and what sets these models apart from their predecessors and competitors.
In a recent event in New York City, Garmin showcased the Forerunner 570 ($550) and 970 ($750), along with the HRM 600 ($170) heart rate monitor. Product manager Joe Heikes highlighted the significant hardware and software upgrades that aim to provide a more personalized and accurate running experience.
Key Upgrades: Hardware and Features
The Forerunner 570 comes in 42mm and 47mm sizes with aluminum bezels and translucent band options. The Forerunner 970 boasts a titanium bezel, durable sapphire lens, and a built-in LED flashlight – a feature highlighted as essential for safety, especially for runners in low-light conditions. Both models include speakers and microphones for voice commands and music playback, and feature new AMOLED displays that are twice as bright as previous generations, improving visibility in sunny conditions.
Battery life is a trade-off. The Forerunner 965 offers 23 days in smartwatch mode, while the 570 (42mm) provides 10 days, the 570 (47mm) 11 days, and the 970 15 days. "Still plenty to run a 100-miler," Heikes commented, acknowledging the impact of the brighter display on battery performance.
Software and Training Enhancements
The new Forerunners introduce Tri-Coach and multisport workout capabilities, allowing users to group various activities into a single workout session. Garmin has also addressed user feedback regarding race prediction accuracy. The updated feature projects finish times based on the user's training plan and race date, provided they adhere to the plan.
A new Evening Report provides a summary of sleep data, HRV, the next day's weather, and scheduled workouts. The Race Mile Marker Auto-Lap feature uses a library of major races to record mile markers accurately, aligning with course markers instead of GPS data. This feature aims to provide runners with precise split times, especially helpful during races.
New Running Dynamics Measurement
Paired with the HRM 600, the Forerunner 970 introduces a new "Step Speed Loss" measurement, quantifying the velocity lost with each step. This metric, along with running history, helps determine running economy and provides insights into training. Running Tolerance estimates how much a runner can increase their running volume over time, helping to avoid plateaus.
The Price of Progress
While the Forerunner 970 incorporates the Gen5 HR accuracy boost, ECGs, skin temperature readings, a flashlight, and mic & speaker, these features come at a significant price jump compared to the Forerunner 965. This raises questions about Garmin's strategy of holding back features on mid-tier watches like the Forerunner 570 to incentivize upgrades.
Michael Hicks of Android Central notes that Garmin seems to compete primarily against itself, often price-locking features to promote higher-end models. While the Forerunner 165 offers training load data, access is restricted to push consumers toward the Forerunner 265. As Garmin watch prices continue to climb, some users might find these feature restrictions harder to accept, especially when compared to competitors like Apple or Samsung.
Available for purchase starting May 21, prospective buyers will need to weigh the benefits of these new features against the increased cost. Are the advanced metrics, brighter display, and enhanced accuracy worth the premium? That's a question only individual users can answer based on their priorities and budget.
What are your thoughts on Garmin's latest Forerunner models? Will you be upgrading, or do you find the price too steep for the offered improvements? Share your opinions in the comments below.
