Garmin Forerunner 170 Review

The Forerunner 170 is Garmin's entry-level runner's watch. It sits near the bottom of the Forerunner range and uses previous-generation internals rather than the company's latest hardware. That sounds like a compromise, but the feature list suggests Garmin has been generous with software at this price. Training Readiness and Training Status are reported as new at this tier, and they arrive alongside HRV, Recovery Status, VO2max and a race predictor.

At $290, it looks aimed at newer and casual runners who want serious training guidance without paying for a flagship. It also suits multisport dabblers, thanks to cycling power-meter and smart-trainer support and an open water swim profile. ZDNET named it the best Garmin for casual runners, while The5krunner called it more watch than most beginners need. That could be a plus or a drawback depending on how much you want to grow into your watch.

Testing reported in our sources points to the essentials being done well. GPS and heart rate accuracy were rated excellent across parkrun, a 10-mile run, gym sessions and cycling, and in normal use the watch beat its own claimed GPS battery life. For a running watch, accurate tracking and reliable battery life matter more than anything else, and both appear to be solid here.

The feature set is the other big draw:

• Garmin Coach adaptive training plans give beginners structure.
• Wrist-based Running Power and Running Dynamics add depth for more data-minded runners.
• Garmin Pay means you can leave your wallet at home.
• A Music edition stores offline Spotify, Amazon Music and Deezer playlists, so you can run without a phone.

The compromises are mostly about build and polish:

• There are no premium case materials.
• The glass lens scratches more easily than Gorilla Glass or sapphire, which is worth knowing if you train on trails or wear it all day.
• The default watch faces are poor.
• The Garmin Connect app can feel complex, especially for the beginners this watch targets.

We haven't been given detailed specs such as display type, exact battery figures or water rating, so we can't judge those aspects here. Based on what we do know, the Forerunner 170 gets the important things right. Accurate tracking, better-than-claimed battery life and an unusually rich training toolkit outweigh its basic build and interface quirks. It's a strong buy for casual and improving runners, as long as you don't need premium materials.