WatchFitTool

Garmin Forerunner® 970 vs Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon EditionSize, Specs & Wrist Fit Compared

Garmin Forerunner® 970 (010-02969-00)
Garmin Forerunner® 970 (010-02969-00)
Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition (010-02722-10)
Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition (010-02722-10)

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Garmin Forerunner® 970 (010-02969-00)

Garmin

Forerunner® 970 (010-02969-00)

Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition (010-02722-10)

Garmin

MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition (010-02722-10)

For sports watches, Lug-to-Lug (L2L) is what matters most. Bulky is fine — overhang is not.

mm
40.0mm (small)85.0mm (large)
How to Measure
1

Lay arm flat, palm up.

2

Measure the flat width across top of wrist.

Garmin Forerunner® 970 (010-02969-00)
Case: 47mmL2L: 47mmThick: 12.9mm
Sweet Spot4mm clearance. Perfect for sports watches - bold presence, no overhang.
Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition (010-02722-10)
Case: 46mmL2L: 46mmThick: 15mm
Balanced Fit4.5mm clearance. Comfortable everyday wear with room to spare.

The Garmin Forerunner® 970 wears larger than the Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition (47mm vs 46mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.

The Garmin Forerunner® 970 is the slimmer of the two (12.9mm vs 15mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.

On the wrist the Garmin Forerunner® 970 feels lighter (56g vs 75g, case only).

Specification Comparison

SpecGarminForerunner® 970GarminMARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition
Case Width47mm46mm
Thickness12.9mm15mm
Weight56g75g
ShapeCircularCircular
GPSYesYes
DisplayAMOLED (optional always-on mode)AMOLED (always-on)
Battery lifeSmartwatch 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 DetailsSmartwatch: Up to 16 days (6 days always-on) Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 21 days GPS Only: Up to 42 hours (30 hours always-on ) All Satellite Systems: Up to 32 hours (24 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Multi-band: Up to 20 hours (15 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 10 hours (9 hours always-on) Max Battery GPS: Up to 75 hours Expedition GPS: Up to 14 days
Battery typeLithium ion
Battery life (smartwatch mode)Up to 15 daysUp to 16 days (6 days always-on)
Battery saver (customizable low power watch)YesYes
Body Battery™ energy monitorYesYes
Power Modes - customizable in-activity battery settingsYesYes
Released20252023

Full Specification Comparison

322 specs
SpecGarmin Forerunner® 970Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition
Overview
FamilyGarminGarmin
General
Battery lifeSmartwatch 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 DetailsSmartwatch: Up to 16 days (6 days always-on) Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 21 days GPS Only: Up to 42 hours (30 hours always-on ) All Satellite Systems: Up to 32 hours (24 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Multi-band: Up to 20 hours (15 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 10 hours (9 hours always-on) Max Battery GPS: Up to 75 hours Expedition GPS: Up to 14 days
Battery typeLithium ion
Display Size1.4" (35.3 mm) diameter1.2” (30.4 mm) diameter
Color displayYesYes
Lens MaterialSapphire Crystaldomed sapphire crystal
Bezel Materialtitaniumtitanium (Grade 5)/fused carbon fiber
Memory/History32 GB32 GB
Strap materialsiliconesilicone rubber
Charging methodGarmin proprietary plug chargerGarmin proprietary magnetic charger
Large font optionYesYes
Display resolution454 x 454 pixels390 x 390 pixels
Built-in speaker/microphoneYes
QuickFit® watch band compatibleyes (22 mm)yes (22 mm)
Case materialfused carbon fiber with titanium rear cover
Sensors
GPSYesYes
QZSSYes
BeiDouYes
CompassYesYes
GLONASSYesYes
GalileoYesYes
GyroscopeYesYes
ThermometerYesYes
AccelerometerYesYes
SatIQ™ TechnologyYesYes
Ambient light sensorYesYes
Barometric altimeterYesYes
Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation MonitorYesyes (with acclimation)
Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitorYesYes
Product Info
Main SKU010-02969-00010-02722-10
Product ID1462801815448
Product NameForerunner® 970MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition
Release Date5/15/202510/12/2023
Product VariationCarbon Gray DLC Titanium with Black Case and Black/Translucent Whitestone BandModern Tool Watch
Clock Features
TimerYesYes
StopwatchYesYes
Time/dateYesYes
Alarm clockYesYes
GPS Time SyncYesYes
Sunrise/sunset timesYesYes
Automatic daylight saving timeYesYes
Cycling Features
CoursesYesYes
Power guideYes
MTB Grit & FlowYesYes
Race an activityYesYes
Power meter compatibleYesYes
Advanced cycling dynamicsYesYes
Power curve and % FTP workoutsYes
Compatible with Varia™ lightsYesYes
FTP (Functional Threshold Power)yes (with compatible accessory)yes (with compatible accessory)
Compatible with Varia headlight cameraYesYes
Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor)YesYes
Cycle Map (routable cycling-specific street map)YesYes
Bike lap and lap maximum power (with power sensor)YesYes
Compatible with Varia™ radar (rear-facing radar)YesYes
Compatible with Vector™ and Rally™ (power meters)YesYes
Compatible with Varia Vision™ (head-mounted display)YesYes
Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories)YesYes
Golfing Features
PinPointerYesYes
Handicap scoringYesYes
Tournament legalYesYes
Digital scorecardYesYes
Garmin AutoShot™YesYes
Round timer/odometerYesYes
Auto CourseView updatesYesYes
Yardage to layups/doglegsYesYes
Hazards and course targetsYesYes
Pairs with Garmin Golf appYesYes
Green View with manual pin positionYesYes
Preloaded with 43,000 courses worldwideYesYes
CT10 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory)YesYes
Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green)YesYes
Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit)YesYes
Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course)automaticautomatic
Swing TempoYes
Custom targetsYes
Tempo TrainingYes
Virtual caddieYes
Full vector mapYes
PlaysLike distanceYes
TruSwing™ compatibleYes
Green Contours (with Garmin Golf membership)Yes
Wind speed and direction (requires connection to Garmin Golf app)Yes
Touch-targeting (touch target on display to see the distance to any point)Yes
Running Features
Hill scoreYesYes
Run workoutsYesYes
Running powerYesYes
Race predictorYesYes
Running Economyyes (with compatible accessory)
Step speed lossyes (with compatible accessory)
Foot pod capableYesYes
Running dynamicsYesYes
Lactate thresholdYesyes (with compatible accessory)
Running ToleranceYes
Grade-adjusted paceYesYes
Trail run auto climbYesYes
Performance conditionYesYes
Run/Walk/Stand detectionYesYes
Stride length (real time)YesYes
PacePro™ Pacing StrategiesYesYes
Projected race time and paceYes
Vertical oscillation and ratioYesYes
Ground contact time and balanceyes (GCT balance with accessory)yes (GCT balance with accessory)
GPS-based distance, time and paceYesYes
Course- and weather-specific race predictorYesYes
Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute)YesYes
What You'll Love
TouchscreenYesYes
Display typeAMOLED (optional always-on mode)AMOLED (always-on)
Water rating5 ATM10 ATM
Garmin Pay™YesYes
Music storageYesYes
Garmin ECG AppYes
LED flashlightYes
Multi-band GPSYesYes
Training statusyes (improved)yes (improved)
Built-in mappingYesYes
Training readinessYesYes
Pulse Ox blood oxygenyes (spot-check, and optional all-day acclimation and in sleep)Yes
Sleep score and insightsYesYes
Battery life (smartwatch mode)Up to 15 daysUp to 16 days (6 days always-on)
Make calls and send texts via voiceyes (with paired compatible smartphone)
Activity Profiles
GymStrength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump RopingStrength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Jump Roping
SwimPool Swimming, Open Water SwimmingPool Swimming, Open Water Swimming
CyclingBiking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMXBiking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX
WellnessWalking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking, MobilityWalking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking
MultisportTriathlon, Duathlon, Brick, Pool Triathlon, Swimming/RunningSwimming/Running, Triathlon
In the ringBoxing, Mixed Martial ArtsBoxing, Mixed Martial Arts
Team sportsBasketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, BaseballBasketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball
Motor sportsMotorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, SnowmobilingMotorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling
On the WaterStand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Snorkeling, Sailing ExpeditionStand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Snorkeling, Sailing Expedition, Whitewater
Racket sportsTennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, RacquetballTennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball
Snow & winterSkiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, SnowshoeingSkiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing
Indoor runningTreadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual RunningTreadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running
Outdoor runningRunning, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle RacingRunning, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing
Outdoor recreationHiking, Rucking, Mountaineering, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, ArcheryHiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery
Other activity profilesInline skatingJumpmaster, Tactical, Inline Skating
Swimming Features
Pool swim workoutsYesYes
Critical swim speedYesYes
Time and distance alertsYesYes
Auto rest (pool swim only)YesYes
Drill logging (pool swim only)YesYes
Pacing alerts (pool swim only)YesYes
Countdown start (pool swim only)YesYes
Underwater wrist-based heart rateYesYes
"Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only)YesYes
Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only)YesYes
Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only)YesYes
Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories)YesYes
Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories)YesYes
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)yes (with HRM-Tri, HRM-Swim, HRM-Pro or HRM-Pro Plus)
Outdoor Recreation
Up AheadYesYes
Auto restYes
TracBack®YesYes
Sight 'N GoYesYes
Back to startYesYes
Fish forecastyes (via Connect IQ™)Yes
Explore NearbyYesYes
UltraTrac modeYesYes
Vertical speedYesYes
GPS coordinatesYesYes
Area calculationyes (via Connect IQ™)yes (via Connect IQ™)
Elevation profileYesYes
Projected waypointYesYes
Total ascent/descentYesYes
Future elevation plotYesYes
NextFork™ navigationYesYes
Distance to destinationYesYes
Expedition GPS ActivityYes
Sun and moon informationYesYes
Point-to-point navigationYesYes
Preloaded ski resort mapsYesYes
ClimbPro™ Ascent PlannerYesYes
Rest Timer (Ultra Run only)YesYes
Preloaded road and trail mapsYesYes
Bread crumb trail in real timeYesYes
Downloadable cartography supportYesYes
Barometric trend indicator with Storm AlertYesYes
Tidesyes (via Connect IQ™)
Tide glanceYes
Reference pointYes
Daily Smart Features
Stocksyes (optional Connect IQ app)Yes
CalendarYesYes
PasscodeYes
ConnectivityBluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi®Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi®
Garmin ShareYesYes
Find My PhoneYesYes
Find My WatchYesYes
Voice commandYes
Evening reportYes
Morning reportYesYes
Red shift modeYesYes
Weather forecastsYesYes
Smart NotificationsYesYes
Smart trainer controlYesYes
Smartphone compatibilityiPhone®, Android™iPhone®, Android™
Controls smartphone musicYesYes
On-device Connect IQ™ StoreYesYes
Plays and controls watch musicYesYes
Find My Phone during GPS activityYesYes
Pairs with Garmin Connect™ MobileYesYes
Compatible with Garmin Messenger appYesYes
Battery saver (customizable low power watch)YesYes
Bluetooth phone calling and voice assistant supportYes
Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobileYesYes
View images from notifications on watch (Android™ only)YesYes
Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only)YesYes
Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields and apps)YesYes
Connected GPSYes
VIRB® RemoteYes
Activity Tracking Features
TrueUp™YesYes
Move IQ™YesYes
Step counterYesYes
Floors climbedYesYes
Calories burnedYesYes
Distance traveledYesYes
Intensity minutesYesYes
Automatic rep countingYesYes
Garmin Connect™ Challenges appyes (optional Connect IQ app)yes (optional Connect IQ app)
Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity)YesYes
Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal)YesYes
Workout and Training Plans
HIIT workoutsYesYes
Yoga workoutsYesYes
Cardio workoutsYesYes
Pilates workoutsYesYes
Strength workoutsYesYes
Multisport workoutsYes
Garmin Cycling CoachYesYes
Garmin Running CoachYesYes
Garmin Triathlon CoachYes
Garmin Coach - StrengthYes
Garmin Running Coach ExpertsYesYes
On-screen workout animationsYesYes
On-screen workout muscle mapsYesYes
Garmin Coach - Prebuilt Cycling PlansYesYes
Daily Suggested Workout - Cycling (Pace and Heart Rate Based)YesYes
Daily Suggested Workout - Running (Pace and Heart Rate Based)YesYes
Health & Wellness Monitoring
Sleepyes (advanced)yes (advanced)
Hydrationyes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)
BreathworkYesYes
MeditationYes
Fitness ageYesyes (in app)
Sleep coachYesYes
Nap detectionYesYes
All-day stressYesYes
Women's healthyes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)
Health snapshotYesYes
Jet lag adviserYesYes
Respiration rateYesYes
Skin temperatureYes
Resting heart rateYesYes
Breathing variationsYes
Relaxation remindersYesYes
Abnormal heart rate alertsyes (high and low)yes (high and low)
Relaxation breathing timerYesYes
Body Battery™ energy monitorYesYes
Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second)YesYes
Safety and Tracking Features
AssistanceYesYes
Live Event SharingAndroid™ OnlyYes
Incident Detection during select activitiesYesYes
Incident detection alert on phone for wearablesYesYes
Training, Planning and Analysis Features
% HRRYesYes
% HR maxYesYes
HR zonesYesYes
HR alertsYesYes
ShortcutsYesYes
HRV statusYesYes
Load ratioYesYes
Manual lapYesYes
Rest timerYesYes
Auto max HRYesYes
Auto scrollYesYes
Finish timeYesYes
HR caloriesYesYes
Voice alertsYesYes
Custom alertsYesYes
Physio TrueUpYesYes
Recovery timeYesYes
Training loadYesYes
VO2 Max (Run)YesYes
Course guidanceYesYes
Endurance scoreYesYes
Training effectYesYes
Virtual PartnerYesYes
Race an ActivityYesYes
Realtime staminaYesYes
Advanced workoutsYesYes
Interval trainingYesYes
Race glance/widgetYesYes
Training load focusYesYes
VO2 Max (Trail Run)YesYes
Garmin Live SegmentsYesYes
Strava Live SegmentsYesYes
GPS speed and distanceYesYes
Improved recovery timeYesYes
Configurable lap alertsYesYes
Customizable data pagesYesYes
Unified training statusYesYes
Touch and/or button lockYesYes
Activity history on watchYesYes
Multisport auto transitionYesYes
Downloadable training plansYesYes
Training effect (anaerobic)YesYes
Manual multisport activitiesYesYes
HRM running pace and distanceYesYes
Heat and altitude acclimationYesYes
Customizable activity profilesYesYes
Trendline™ Popularity RoutingYesYes
Auto Pause® automatic timer haltYesYes
Respiration rate (during exercise)yes (with compatible accessory)Yes
Auto Lap® interval tracking featureYesYes
Primary benefit (Training Effect labels)YesYes
Round-trip course creator (running/cycling)YesYes
Power Modes - customizable in-activity battery settingsYesYes
HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices)YesYes
Improved interval (includes open repeats, intervals data page, rest screen and auto detection)YesYes
HRV stress test (measures your heart rate variability while standing still, for 3 minutes, to provide you with an estimated stress level; the scale of this is 1 to 100; low scores indicate lower stress levels)Yes
Gaming Features
Gaming ActivityYes
GameOn™ app compatibleYes
Boating Features
Wearable trolling motor remoteYes
Tactical Features
XERO™ LocationsYes
Dual grid coordinatesYes
Kid Activity Tracking Features
Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges appyes (optional Connect IQ Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app)

Wrist Fit

Garmin Forerunner® 970

Sits best on wrists ~4967mm wide (≈ 13.117.9cm circumference).

Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition

Sits best on wrists ~4866mm wide (≈ 12.817.6cm 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.

Loading schematics…

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Garmin Forerunner® 970 bigger than the Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition?

The Garmin Forerunner® 970 is bigger — 47mm vs 46mm case width.

Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Forerunner® 970 or the Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition?

The Garmin Forerunner® 970 suits wrists around 49–67mm wide, and the Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition around 48–66mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.

Can I see the Garmin Forerunner® 970 and Garmin MARQ® Athlete (Gen 2) - Carbon Edition 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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