Garmin Forerunner 70 and 170 Bring AMOLED Displays and Premium Training Features to an Accessible Price Point

Garmin has quietly launched two new running watches that punch well above their price bracket. The Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170 arrive with AMOLED displays, advanced training tools, and adaptive coaching features that until now were reserved for the brand's more expensive lineup, making both watches a genuinely interesting proposition for beginner and aspiring runners who do not want to compromise on capability.

Both watches feature a 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen and Garmin's familiar five-button controls, offering the clarity of a smartwatch with the tactile feedback preferred during workouts. Despite their more accessible pricing, the feature list reads closer to a mid-range device than an entry-level one. Training readiness, training status, wrist-based running power, running dynamics, and adaptive daily suggested workouts are all present, alongside Garmin Coach plans that now support run and walk sessions and lower-volume training for those building up gradually.

The Forerunner 70 adds a new quick workouts feature that generates sessions based on a runner's desired duration and intensity, a genuinely useful addition for days when planning ahead is not realistic. Both watches also include advanced sleep tracking, HRV status, Body Battery energy monitoring, breathing variations, and access to more than 80 built-in sports apps, which makes them capable well beyond running alone.

The Forerunner 170 builds on the standard model with Garmin Pay contactless payments, while the Forerunner 170 Music adds offline music storage with playlist support from Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer. Battery life holds up despite the AMOLED screens, with Garmin claiming up to 13 days in smartwatch mode for the Forerunner 70 and up to 10 days for the Forerunner 170 lineup.

Susan Lyman of Garmin described the watches as bringing premium running and training features pulled from the brand's more advanced Forerunners while remaining approachable for newer runners. On the evidence of the spec sheet, that description is accurate.

The Garmin Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170 are available from May 15 via Garmin's US, UK, EU and Australian websites. The Forerunner 70 starts at $250 and £220, the Forerunner 170 at $300 and £260, and the Forerunner 170 Music at $350 and £300. 

www.garmin.com.