Garmin Forerunner 945 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 945, and the Forerunner 945 uses a memory-in-pixel screen that is easy to read in sunlight and sips battery, the Forerunner 970 a bright AMOLED screen.
- Battery: 15 days for the Forerunner 970 against 14 days for the Forerunner 945 in everyday use; 36 hours for the Forerunner 945 against 26 hours for the Forerunner 970 with GPS on.
- Only the Forerunner 970 has a sapphire lens.
The Forerunner 945 and Forerunner 970 share a near-identical 47mm case, so on the wrist the difference is thickness and weight.
The Forerunner 945 is 0.8mm thicker and 6g lighter than the Forerunner 970.
Forerunner 945
Forerunner 970
Case width
47mm
47mmsame
Thickness
13.7mm
12.9mm−0.8mm
Weight
50g
56g+6g
Forerunner 945 or Forerunner 970 by wrist size
| Wrist round (mm left each side) | Forerunner 945≈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 945
Garmin
Forerunner 970
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Battery life compared
Furthest apart in GPS with music mode, where the Forerunner 945 lasts 2.6× as long as the Forerunner 970 (36 hours against 14 hours).
Forerunner 945Forerunner 970
Smartwatch
2 weeks15 daysGPS with music
36 hours14 hoursGPS only
—26 hoursAll systems + multi-band
—21 hoursAll systems + multi-band with music
—12 hours
More comparisons
2D Dimension Schematics
- Garmin Forerunner 945 47mm × ≈54mm (est.) · 13.7mm thick
- Garmin Forerunner 970 47mm × ≈54mm (est.) · 12.9mm thick
3D preview
Forerunner 945 vs Forerunner 970 on a wrist
Specifications
The short version
7 key specs| Spec | GarminForerunner 945 | GarminForerunner 970 |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 47mm | 47mm |
| Thickness | 13.7mm | 12.9mm |
| Weight | 50g | 56g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Display type | Sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) |
| Battery life | Smartwatch Mode: Up to 2 weeksGPS mode with music: Up to 10 hoursGPS mode without music: Up to 36 hours | 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 | 2019 | 2025 |
Where the specifications differ
32 differences| Spec | Garmin Forerunner 945 | Garmin Forerunner 970 |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Battery life | Smartwatch Mode: Up to 2 weeksGPS mode with music: Up to 10 hoursGPS mode without music: Up to 36 hours | 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 | Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 DX | Sapphire Crystal |
| Bezel Material | fiber-reinforced polymer | titanium |
| Memory/History | 16 GB | 32 GB |
| Display resolution | 240 x 240 pixels | 454 x 454 pixels |
| QuickFit® watch band compatible | yes (22 mm compatible) | yes (22 mm) |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-02063-10 | 010-02969-00 |
| Product ID | 621922 | 1462801 |
| Product Name | Forerunner® 945 | Forerunner® 970 |
| Release Date | 4/30/2019 | 5/15/2025 |
| Product Variation | Blue Bundle | 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 | ||
| Display type | Sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) |
| Training status | Yes | yes (improved) |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 2 weeks | Up to 15 days |
| 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 |
| Cycling | Biking, Mountain 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 | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking, Mobility |
| Multisport | Swimming/Running | Triathlon, Duathlon, Brick, Pool Triathlon, Swimming/Running |
| On the Water | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Snorkeling, Sailing Expedition |
| Snow & winter | Skiing, Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing | Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing |
| Outdoor running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing |
| Outdoor recreation | Hiking, Climbing, Golfing | 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, HRM-Swim, HRM-Pro or HRM-Pro Plus) | yes (with HRM-Swim, HRM-Pro, HRM-Pro Plus or HRM 600) |
| Outdoor Recreation | ||
| Sun and moon information | yes (via Connect IQ™) | Yes |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Fitness age | yes (in app) | Yes |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices) | yes (using ANT+ or BLE) | Yes |
The other 181 specifications both list are identical.
Full Garmin Forerunner 945 specifications →Full Garmin Forerunner 970 specifications →