I’ve rated the Garmin Forerunner 970 as the best Garmin watch available since it launched, even ahead of the Garmin Fenix 8, because the 970 is lighter and sleeker than Garmin’s flagship adventure watch while having the same great sports features.

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro has recently launched and now sits at the top of the brand’s range, offering LTE and satellite connectivity as a key upgrade on the standard Fenix 8.

I’ve been testing out the Fenix 8 Pro in recent weeks and wore both it and the Forerunner 970 to race a half-marathon at the weekend to test out the GPS accuracy and battery life on both models, and how the design compares.

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro vs. Garmin Forerunner 970: Price

The Garmin Forerunner 970 comes in one size and costs $749.99. It launched in May 2025 and is avail

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