Garmin Approach® S50 vs Garmin Forerunner® 970Size, Specs & Wrist Fit Compared
The Garmin Forerunner® 970 wears larger than the Garmin Approach® S50 (47mm vs 43mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Garmin Approach® S50 is the slimmer of the two (11.4mm vs 12.9mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Garmin Approach® S50 feels lighter (29g vs 56g, case only).
Specification Comparison
| Spec | GarminApproach® S50 | GarminForerunner® 970 |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 43mm | 47mm |
| Thickness | 11.4mm | 12.9mm |
| Weight | 29g | 56g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | Smartwatch mode: Up to 10 days GPS Mode Up to 15 hours (using default display settings: gesture wake-up in Smartwatch mode and always-on while golfing) | Smartwatch mode: Up to 15 days GPS-Only GNSS mode: Up to 26 hours SatIQ (AutoSelect) GNSS mode: Up to 23 hours All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band: Up to 21 hours GPS-Only GNSS mode with music: Up to 14 hours SatIQ (AutoSelect) GNSS mode with music: Up to 13 hours All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band with music: Up to 12 hours See Details |
| Display | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) |
| Released | 2025 | 2025 |
Full Specification Comparison
307 specs| Spec | Garmin Approach® S50 | Garmin Forerunner® 970 |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Family | Garmin | Garmin |
| General | ||
| Battery life | Smartwatch mode: Up to 10 days GPS Mode Up to 15 hours (using default display settings: gesture wake-up in Smartwatch mode and always-on while golfing) | Smartwatch mode: Up to 15 days GPS-Only GNSS mode: Up to 26 hours SatIQ (AutoSelect) GNSS mode: Up to 23 hours All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band: Up to 21 hours GPS-Only GNSS mode with music: Up to 14 hours SatIQ (AutoSelect) GNSS mode with music: Up to 13 hours All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band with music: Up to 12 hours See Details |
| Display Size | 1.2" (30.4 mm) diameter | 1.4" (35.3 mm) diameter |
| Color display | Yes | Yes |
| Lens Material | Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 | Sapphire Crystal |
| Bezel Material | anodized aluminum | titanium |
| Memory/History | 4 GB | 32 GB |
| Strap material | ComfortFit nylon band | silicone |
| Charging method | Garmin proprietary plug charger | Garmin proprietary plug charger |
| Large font option | Yes | Yes |
| Display resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | 454 x 454 pixels |
| Quick Release bands | yes (20 mm, Industry standard) | — |
| Battery type | — | Lithium ion |
| Built-in speaker/microphone | — | Yes |
| QuickFit® watch band compatible | — | yes (22 mm) |
| Sensors | ||
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| GLONASS | Yes | Yes |
| Galileo | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor | Yes | Yes |
| QZSS | — | Yes |
| BeiDou | — | Yes |
| Thermometer | — | Yes |
| SatIQ™ Technology | — | Yes |
| Barometric altimeter | — | Yes |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-03010-00 | 010-02969-00 |
| Product ID | 1604377 | 1462801 |
| Product Name | Approach® S50 | Forerunner® 970 |
| Release Date | 1/22/2025 | 5/15/2025 |
| Product Variation | Slate Aluminum Bezel with Black ComfortFit Nylon Band | Carbon Gray DLC Titanium with Black Case and Black/Translucent Whitestone Band |
| Clock Features | ||
| Timer | Yes | Yes |
| Stopwatch | Yes | Yes |
| Time/date | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm clock | Yes | Yes |
| GPS Time Sync | Yes | Yes |
| Sunrise/sunset times | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic daylight saving time | Yes | Yes |
| Cycling Features | ||
| Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor) | yes (using ANT+ or BLE) | Yes |
| Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories) | Yes | Yes |
| Courses | — | Yes |
| Power guide | — | Yes |
| MTB Grit & Flow | — | Yes |
| Race an activity | — | Yes |
| Power meter compatible | — | Yes |
| Advanced cycling dynamics | — | Yes |
| Power curve and % FTP workouts | — | Yes |
| Compatible with Varia™ lights | — | Yes |
| FTP (Functional Threshold Power) | — | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| Compatible with Varia headlight camera | — | Yes |
| Cycle Map (routable cycling-specific street map) | — | Yes |
| Bike lap and lap maximum power (with power sensor) | — | Yes |
| Compatible with Varia™ radar (rear-facing radar) | — | Yes |
| Compatible with Vector™ and Rally™ (power meters) | — | Yes |
| Compatible with Varia Vision™ (head-mounted display) | — | Yes |
| Golfing Features | ||
| PinPointer | Yes | Yes |
| Swing Tempo | Yes | — |
| Custom targets | Yes | — |
| Full vector map | yes (with Garmin Golf membership) | — |
| Handicap scoring | Yes | Yes |
| Tournament legal | yes (with tournament mode enabled) | Yes |
| Digital scorecard | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin AutoShot™ | Yes | Yes |
| PlaysLike distance | Yes | — |
| Round timer/odometer | Yes | Yes |
| Auto CourseView updates | Yes | Yes |
| Yardage to layups/doglegs | Yes | Yes |
| Hazards and course targets | Yes | Yes |
| Pairs with Garmin Golf app | Yes | Yes |
| Green View with manual pin position | Yes | Yes |
| Preloaded with 43,000 courses worldwide | Yes | Yes |
| Green Contours (with Garmin Golf membership) | Yes | — |
| CT1 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory) | Yes | — |
| CT10 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory) | Yes | Yes |
| Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green) | Yes | Yes |
| Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit) | Yes | Yes |
| Touch-targeting (touch target on display to see the distance to any point) | yes (with Garmin Golf membership) | — |
| Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course) | Yes | automatic |
| Running Features | ||
| Run workouts | Yes | Yes |
| GPS-based distance, time and pace | Yes | Yes |
| Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute) | Yes | Yes |
| Hill score | — | Yes |
| Running power | — | Yes |
| Race predictor | — | Yes |
| Running Economy | — | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| Step speed loss | — | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| Foot pod capable | — | Yes |
| Running dynamics | — | Yes |
| Lactate threshold | — | Yes |
| Running Tolerance | — | Yes |
| Grade-adjusted pace | — | Yes |
| Trail run auto climb | — | Yes |
| Performance condition | — | Yes |
| Run/Walk/Stand detection | — | Yes |
| Stride length (real time) | — | Yes |
| PacePro™ Pacing Strategies | — | Yes |
| Projected race time and pace | — | Yes |
| Vertical oscillation and ratio | — | Yes |
| Ground contact time and balance | — | yes (GCT balance with accessory) |
| Course- and weather-specific race predictor | — | Yes |
| What You'll Love | ||
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Display type | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Garmin Pay™ | Yes | Yes |
| Music storage | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox blood oxygen | yes (spot-check and optionally in sleep) | yes (spot-check, and optional all-day acclimation and in sleep) |
| Sleep score and insights | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 10 days | Up to 15 days |
| Garmin ECG App | — | Yes |
| LED flashlight | — | Yes |
| Multi-band GPS | — | Yes |
| Training status | — | yes (improved) |
| Built-in mapping | — | Yes |
| Training readiness | — | Yes |
| Make calls and send texts via voice | — | yes (with paired compatible smartphone) |
| Activity Profiles | ||
| Gym | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Roping |
| Swim | Pool Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming |
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX |
| Wellness | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking, Mobility |
| In the ring | Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts | Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts |
| Team sports | Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball | Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball |
| On the Water | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Snorkeling, Sailing Expedition |
| Racket sports | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball |
| Snow & winter | Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Snowshoeing | Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing |
| Indoor running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running |
| Outdoor running | Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing |
| Outdoor recreation | Golfing | Hiking, Rucking, Mountaineering, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery |
| Multisport | — | Triathlon, Duathlon, Brick, Pool Triathlon, Swimming/Running |
| Motor sports | — | Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling |
| Other activity profiles | — | Inline skating |
| Swimming Features | ||
| Time and distance alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Auto rest (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater wrist-based heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | Yes |
| Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | Yes |
| Pool swim workouts | — | Yes |
| Critical swim speed | — | Yes |
| Drill logging (pool swim only) | — | Yes |
| Pacing alerts (pool swim only) | — | Yes |
| Countdown start (pool swim only) | — | Yes |
| "Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only) | — | Yes |
| Heart rate from external HRM (real-time during rests, interval and session stats during rests, and automatic heart rate download post-swim) | — | yes (with HRM-Swim, HRM-Pro, HRM-Pro Plus or HRM 600) |
| Daily Smart Features | ||
| Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Passcode | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi® | Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi® |
| Find My Phone | Yes | Yes |
| Find My Watch | Yes | Yes |
| Morning report | Yes | Yes |
| Weather forecasts | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Smartphone compatibility | iPhone®, Android™ | iPhone®, Android™ |
| Controls smartphone music | Yes | Yes |
| On-device Connect IQ™ Store | Yes | Yes |
| Plays and controls watch music | Yes | Yes |
| Pairs with Garmin Connect™ Mobile | Yes | Yes |
| Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobile | Yes | Yes |
| View images from notifications on watch (Android™ only) | Yes | Yes |
| Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only) | Yes | Yes |
| Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields and apps) | Yes | Yes |
| Stocks | — | yes (optional Connect IQ app) |
| Garmin Share | — | Yes |
| Voice command | — | Yes |
| Evening report | — | Yes |
| Red shift mode | — | Yes |
| Smart trainer control | — | Yes |
| Find My Phone during GPS activity | — | Yes |
| Compatible with Garmin Messenger app | — | Yes |
| Battery saver (customizable low power watch) | — | Yes |
| Bluetooth phone calling and voice assistant support | — | Yes |
| Activity Tracking Features | ||
| TrueUp™ | Yes | Yes |
| Move IQ™ | Yes | Yes |
| Step counter | Yes | Yes |
| Calories burned | Yes | Yes |
| Distance traveled | Yes | Yes |
| Intensity minutes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic rep counting | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Connect™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ app) | yes (optional Connect IQ app) |
| Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity) | Yes | Yes |
| Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal) | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | — | Yes |
| Workout and Training Plans | ||
| HIIT workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Yoga workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Cardio workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Pilates workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Strength workouts | Yes | Yes |
| On-screen workout animations | Yes | Yes |
| On-screen workout muscle maps | Yes | Yes |
| Multisport workouts | — | Yes |
| Garmin Cycling Coach | — | Yes |
| Garmin Running Coach | — | Yes |
| Garmin Triathlon Coach | — | Yes |
| Garmin Coach - Strength | — | Yes |
| Garmin Running Coach Experts | — | Yes |
| Garmin Coach - Prebuilt Cycling Plans | — | Yes |
| Daily Suggested Workout - Cycling (Pace and Heart Rate Based) | — | Yes |
| Daily Suggested Workout - Running (Pace and Heart Rate Based) | — | Yes |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Sleep | yes (advanced) | yes (advanced) |
| Hydration | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) |
| Breathwork | Yes | Yes |
| Meditation | Yes | Yes |
| Fitness age | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep coach | Yes | Yes |
| Nap detection | Yes | Yes |
| All-day stress | Yes | Yes |
| Women's health | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) |
| Health snapshot | Yes | Yes |
| Respiration rate | Yes | Yes |
| Resting heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Relaxation reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Abnormal heart rate alerts | yes (high and low) | yes (high and low) |
| Relaxation breathing timer | Yes | Yes |
| Body Battery™ energy monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second) | Yes | Yes |
| Jet lag adviser | — | Yes |
| Skin temperature | — | Yes |
| Breathing variations | — | Yes |
| Safety and Tracking Features | ||
| Assistance | Yes | Yes |
| Incident Detection during select activities | Yes | Yes |
| Incident detection alert on phone for wearables | Yes | Yes |
| Live Event Sharing | — | Android™ Only |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| % HRR | Yes | Yes |
| % HR max | Yes | Yes |
| HR zones | Yes | Yes |
| HR alerts | Yes | Yes |
| HRV status | Yes | Yes |
| Manual lap | Yes | Yes |
| Auto max HR | Yes | Yes |
| HR calories | Yes | Yes |
| Recovery time | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max (Run) | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced workouts | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max (Trail Run) | Yes | Yes |
| GPS speed and distance | Yes | Yes |
| Configurable lap alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable data pages | Yes | Yes |
| Touch and/or button lock | Yes | Yes |
| Downloadable training plans | Yes | Yes |
| Auto Pause® automatic timer halt | Yes | Yes |
| Respiration rate (during exercise) | yoga, breathwork and meditation only | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| Auto Lap® interval tracking feature | Yes | Yes |
| HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices) | Yes | Yes |
| Shortcuts | — | Yes |
| Load ratio | — | Yes |
| Rest timer | — | Yes |
| Auto scroll | — | Yes |
| Finish time | — | Yes |
| Voice alerts | — | Yes |
| Custom alerts | — | Yes |
| Physio TrueUp | — | Yes |
| Training load | — | Yes |
| Course guidance | — | Yes |
| Endurance score | — | Yes |
| Training effect | — | Yes |
| Virtual Partner | — | Yes |
| Race an Activity | — | Yes |
| Realtime stamina | — | Yes |
| Interval training | — | Yes |
| Race glance/widget | — | Yes |
| Training load focus | — | Yes |
| Garmin Live Segments | — | Yes |
| Strava Live Segments | — | Yes |
| Improved recovery time | — | Yes |
| Unified training status | — | Yes |
| Activity history on watch | — | Yes |
| Multisport auto transition | — | Yes |
| Training effect (anaerobic) | — | Yes |
| Manual multisport activities | — | Yes |
| HRM running pace and distance | — | Yes |
| Heat and altitude acclimation | — | Yes |
| Customizable activity profiles | — | Yes |
| Trendline™ Popularity Routing | — | Yes |
| Primary benefit (Training Effect labels) | — | Yes |
| Round-trip course creator (running/cycling) | — | Yes |
| Power Modes - customizable in-activity battery settings | — | Yes |
| Improved interval (includes open repeats, intervals data page, rest screen and auto detection) | — | Yes |
| Outdoor Recreation | ||
| Up Ahead | — | Yes |
| Auto rest | — | Yes |
| TracBack® | — | Yes |
| Sight 'N Go | — | Yes |
| Back to start | — | Yes |
| Fish forecast | — | yes (via Connect IQ™) |
| Explore Nearby | — | Yes |
| UltraTrac mode | — | Yes |
| Vertical speed | — | Yes |
| GPS coordinates | — | Yes |
| Area calculation | — | yes (via Connect IQ™) |
| Elevation profile | — | Yes |
| Projected waypoint | — | Yes |
| Total ascent/descent | — | Yes |
| Future elevation plot | — | Yes |
| NextFork™ navigation | — | Yes |
| Distance to destination | — | Yes |
| Expedition GPS Activity | — | Yes |
| Sun and moon information | — | Yes |
| Point-to-point navigation | — | Yes |
| Preloaded ski resort maps | — | Yes |
| ClimbPro™ Ascent Planner | — | Yes |
| Rest Timer (Ultra Run only) | — | Yes |
| Preloaded road and trail maps | — | Yes |
| Bread crumb trail in real time | — | Yes |
| Downloadable cartography support | — | Yes |
| Barometric trend indicator with Storm Alert | — | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Approach® S50
Sits best on wrists ~45–61mm wide (≈ 12.0–16.3cm circumference).
Garmin Forerunner® 970
Sits best on wrists ~49–67mm wide (≈ 13.1–17.9cm circumference).
2D Dimension Schematics
Accurate scale drawings based on case dimensions. Drag to pan, Ctrl+scroll to zoom. Works for every watch regardless of photo availability.
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Product Photos
Side-by-side product images at matched scale.
Garmin Approach® S50 (010-03010-00)
43mm × 43mm
Garmin Forerunner® 970 (010-02969-00)
47mm × 47mm
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Approach® S50 bigger than the Garmin Forerunner® 970?
The Garmin Forerunner® 970 is bigger — 47mm vs 43mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Approach® S50 or the Garmin Forerunner® 970?
The Garmin Approach® S50 suits wrists around 45–61mm wide, and the Garmin Forerunner® 970 around 49–67mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Garmin Approach® S50 and Garmin Forerunner® 970 side by side at true scale?
Yes — the schematics and photos above show both watches at matched scale, and our fit tool overlays each on your wrist width.
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