Garmin Forerunner 935 vs Forerunner 970
Size, specs & wrist fit compared
Which one fits you
Both need much the same wrist: neither overhangs from 16.5 cm (6.5 in) round, and both are in their sweet spot around 17.5–19.5 cm. Wrist size will not decide between these two.
What else differs
- Screen: the Forerunner 970 has the larger screen, 1.4 in across against 1.2 in on the Forerunner 935.
- Battery: 15 days for the Forerunner 970 against 14 days for the Forerunner 935 in everyday use; 26 hours for the Forerunner 970 against 24 hours for the Forerunner 935 with GPS on.
- Only the Forerunner 970 has a sapphire lens.
The Forerunner 935 and Forerunner 970 share a near-identical 47mm case, so on the wrist the difference is thickness and weight.
The Forerunner 935 is 1mm thicker and 7g lighter than the Forerunner 970.
Forerunner 935
Forerunner 970
Case width
47mm
47mmsame
Thickness
13.9mm
12.9mm−1mm
Weight
49g
56g+7g
Forerunner 935 or Forerunner 970 by wrist size
| Wrist round (mm left each side) | Forerunner 935≈54mm lug to lug, est. | Forerunner 970≈54mm lug to lug, est. |
|---|---|---|
| 14 cm / 5.5 in | Overhangs (4.4mm over) | Overhangs (4.4mm over) |
| 15 cm / 5.9 in | Overhangs (2.8mm over) | Overhangs (2.8mm over) |
| 16 cm / 6.3 in | Overhangs (1.2mm over) | Overhangs (1.2mm over) |
| 17 cm / 6.7 in | Bold (0.4mm) | Bold (0.4mm) |
| 18 cm / 7.1 in | Sweet spot (2mm) | Sweet spot (2mm) |
| 19 cm / 7.5 in | Sweet spot (3.6mm) | Sweet spot (3.6mm) |
| 20 cm / 7.9 in | Balanced (5.3mm) | Balanced (5.3mm) |
Switch or add watches
Garmin
Forerunner 935
Garmin
Forerunner 970
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Battery life compared
Forerunner 935Forerunner 970
Smartwatch
2 weeks15 daysUltraTrac™
60 hours—GPS only
24 hours26 hoursAll systems + multi-band
—21 hoursGPS with music
—14 hoursAll systems + multi-band with music
—12 hours
More comparisons
2D Dimension Schematics
- Garmin Forerunner 935 47mm × ≈54mm (est.) · 13.9mm thick
- Garmin Forerunner 970 47mm × ≈54mm (est.) · 12.9mm thick
3D preview
Forerunner 935 vs Forerunner 970 on a wrist
Specifications
The short version
6 key specs| Spec | GarminForerunner 935 | GarminForerunner 970 |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 47mm | 47mm |
| Thickness | 13.9mm | 12.9mm |
| Weight | 49g | 56g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Battery life | Smartwatch Mode: Up to 2 weeksGPS/HR mode: Up to 24 hoursUltraTrac™ mode: Up to 60 hours without wrist heart rate | 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 |
| Released | 2017 | 2025 |
Where the specifications differ
24 differences| Spec | Garmin Forerunner 935 | Garmin Forerunner 970 |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Battery life | Smartwatch Mode: Up to 2 weeksGPS/HR mode: Up to 24 hoursUltraTrac™ mode: Up to 60 hours without wrist heart rate | 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 |
| Lens Material | chemically strengthened glass | Sapphire Crystal |
| Bezel Material | fiber-reinforced polymer | titanium |
| Memory/History | 64 MB | 32 GB |
| Display resolution | 240 x 240 pixels | 454 x 454 pixels |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-01746-00 | 010-02969-00 |
| Product ID | 564291 | 1462801 |
| Product Name | Forerunner® 935 | Forerunner® 970 |
| Release Date | 3/29/2017 | 5/15/2025 |
| Product Variation | Black | Carbon Gray DLC Titanium with Black Case and Black/Translucent Whitestone Band |
| Running Features | ||
| Running dynamics | yes (with compatible accessory) | Yes |
| Lactate threshold | yes (with compatible accessory) | Yes |
| Stride length (real time) | yes (with compatible accessory) | Yes |
| Vertical oscillation and ratio | yes (with compatible accessory) | Yes |
| Ground contact time and balance | yes (with compatible accessory) | yes (GCT balance with accessory) |
| What You'll Love | ||
| Training status | Yes | yes (improved) |
| Activity Profiles | ||
| Gym | Strength and Cardio Training, Indoor Rowing | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Roping |
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking, Mountain Biking | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX |
| Outdoor recreation | Hiking, Climbing, Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Jumpmaster, Tactical | Hiking, Rucking, Mountaineering, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery |
| Swimming Features | ||
| 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-Tri™ and HRM-Swim™) | yes (with HRM-Swim, HRM-Pro, HRM-Pro Plus or HRM 600) |
| Outdoor Recreation | ||
| Sun and moon information | yes (via Connect IQ™) | Yes |
| Daily Smart Features | ||
| Connectivity | Bluetooth® Smart, ANT+®, Wi-Fi® | Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi® |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Fitness age | yes (in app) | Yes |
The other 136 specifications both list are identical.
Full Garmin Forerunner 935 specifications →Full Garmin Forerunner 970 specifications →