The Garmin Forerunner 170 is a lightweight running watch made by Garmin, priced at $299 for the standard version and $349 with music storage, available globally. It strips away the premium price tag without cutting the training intelligence that serious runners expect, making it a rare entry-level watch that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
Key Takeaways
- Advanced training metrics like Training Readiness, VO2 max, and race time predictions come standard at $299.
- Quick Workout feature generates custom 15-60 minute workouts based on your intensity preference.
- Lightweight 40-gram design with AMOLED touchscreen feels premium despite plastic construction.
- 16-23 hours GPS battery life covers most outdoor runs without mid-week charging.
- Forerunner 170 outperforms the Forerunner 165 with improved training analysis and gyroscope sensor.
Why the Garmin Forerunner 170 Changes the Entry-Level Game
For years, budget running watches forced a choice: lightweight and simple, or feature-rich and expensive. The Garmin Forerunner 170 collapses that divide. It weighs just 40 grams and fits a 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen into a 42.6-millimeter case, yet includes training readiness scores, acute load tracking, and personalized coaching that typically live on watches costing twice as much. This is the watch Garmin should have released years ago.
The case uses fiber-reinforced polymer—fancy plastic—which keeps weight down without feeling cheap on the wrist. Water resistance to 50 meters means it survives rain and pool sessions, though it is not a swim-focused watch. The bright AMOLED display handles bright daylight better than the matte screens on older entry-level models, making it readable even when you are checking splits mid-run.
Training Features That Usually Cost Extra
The Garmin Forerunner 170 includes Training Readiness and Training Status—metrics that tell you whether your body is ready to push hard or needs recovery. These features help prevent overtraining, a common pitfall for runners following generic training plans. Acute Load tracking shows cumulative training stress, while race time predictions estimate your potential for upcoming 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and full-marathon distances based on recent fitness data.
Running dynamics go beyond basic pace and distance. The watch captures ground contact time, vertical oscillation, stride length, and vertical ratio—the biomechanical details that help identify form issues before they become injuries. Heart rate variability and VO2 max estimates add context to your aerobic fitness. Running power, a metric usually reserved for premium watches, appears here too, showing how efficiently you convert effort into forward motion.
The new Quick Workout feature lets you punch in your available time (15 to 60 minutes) and desired intensity (easy, moderate, hard, or very hard), then the watch generates several exercise options to choose from. It sounds simple, but it solves the paradox of having a coaching watch but no time to plan. For runners juggling work and life, this feature alone justifies the purchase.
How Garmin Forerunner 170 Compares to Its Predecessor
The Forerunner 165, released earlier, sits one rung below the 170. Both share the same GPS chipset and optical heart rate sensor, but the 170 adds a gyroscope that improves movement tracking during activities. More importantly, the 170 delivers superior training analysis software and more features overall, making it the stronger choice for runners serious about data-driven training. The 170 does not have multi-band GPS, which some competing watches offer, but for the price, single-band GPS is a reasonable trade-off.
Garmin Run Coach personalized training plans are included, with structured workouts for 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and full-marathon distances. The watch generates custom daily workouts and delivers morning and nightly health reports, turning your wrist into a personal coach. This level of coaching usually appears on watches costing $500 and up.
Battery and Practical Considerations
Battery life sits between 16 and 23 hours using GPS for outdoor workouts, which covers a full week of daily runs for most people. In smartwatch mode without GPS—when you are just checking notifications and tracking daily steps—the battery stretches to 13 days per charge. That means you can train hard all week and charge just once on Sunday night.
The music edition stores songs directly on the watch, letting you leave your phone at home during runs. For runners who hate pocket weight and pocket bounce, this is a genuine quality-of-life upgrade. Garmin Pay enables contactless payment, so you can grab coffee post-run without carrying a wallet. The watch supports over 80 workout types, from trail running to open-water swimming to cycling with a power meter or smart trainer.
The watch includes meditation mode and openwater swimming mode, expanding its appeal beyond pure running. It is not a triathlon watch, but it covers enough ground sports to serve active people with varied training interests.
Does the Garmin Forerunner 170 Have Real Weaknesses?
No watch is perfect. The plastic case, while practical, will not impress someone expecting metal bezels. The lack of multi-band GPS means it may struggle with signal in dense urban canyons or thick forest cover, though most runners will never notice the difference. Battery life in GPS mode is good but not exceptional—some rival watches stretch past 30 hours.
If you demand the absolute latest tech or want to flex premium materials, look elsewhere. But if you want a watch that trains you like a $700 model at a third of the price, the Garmin Forerunner 170 has no serious competition at this price point.
Is the Garmin Forerunner 170 worth buying?
Yes, especially if you are a runner ready to move beyond basic pace and distance tracking. The combination of advanced metrics, personalized coaching, and lightweight design makes it the strongest entry-level running watch available right now. Even experienced runners upgrading from older models will find the training readiness and acute load features valuable.
Should I choose the music edition or standard version?
Choose the music edition ($349) if you run without your phone and want to stream music or podcasts directly from your wrist. Choose the standard version ($299) if you run with your phone or prefer silence. The training features are identical—music is the only difference.
How does battery life compare to other Garmin running watches?
The Forerunner 170 delivers solid GPS battery life at 16-23 hours, matching many mid-range Garmin watches. It will not outlast premium models with larger batteries, but it easily handles a week of training on a single charge.
The Garmin Forerunner 170 proves that affordable does not mean stripped-down. It brings the training intelligence of premium Garmin watches to runners who refuse to overspend, without forcing them to sacrifice the metrics and coaching that separate serious training from casual jogging. For most runners, it is the right watch at the right price.
Where to Buy
$299.99 at Amazon | $299.99 at Amazon
Edited by the All Things Geek team.
Source: Tom's Guide
