WatchFitTool

Garmin Forerunner® 970 vs Garmin Venu 3Size, Specs & Wrist Fit Compared

The Garmin Forerunner® 970 wears larger than the Garmin Venu 3 (47mm vs 45mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.

The Garmin Venu 3 is the slimmer of the two (12mm vs 12.9mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.

On the wrist the Garmin Venu 3 feels lighter (47g vs 56g, case only).

Specification Comparison

SpecGarminForerunner® 970GarminVenu 3
Case Width47mm45mm
Thickness12.9mm12mm
Weight56g47g
ShapeCircularCircular
Water Resistance5 ATM
GPSYes26 hours
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 Details14 days
DisplayAMOLED (optional always-on mode)1.4 inches
Always-On DisplayYes
Released20252023

Full Specification Comparison

421 specs
SpecGarmin Forerunner® 970Garmin Venu 3
Overview
FamilyGarmin
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 Details
Battery typeLithium ion
Display Size1.4" (35.3 mm) diameter
Color displayYes
Lens MaterialSapphire Crystal
Bezel Materialtitanium
Memory/History32 GB
Strap materialsilicone
Charging methodGarmin proprietary plug charger
Large font optionYes
Display resolution454 x 454 pixels
Built-in speaker/microphoneYes
QuickFit® watch band compatibleyes (22 mm)
Sensors
GPSYes
QZSSYes
BeiDouYes
CompassYes
GLONASSYes
GalileoYes
GyroscopeYes
ThermometerYes
AccelerometerYes
SatIQ™ TechnologyYes
Ambient light sensorYes
Barometric altimeterYes
Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation MonitorYes
Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitorYes
has GPSYes
has a compassYes
Has a barometerYes
has a gyroscopeYes
Has a cadence sensorNo
has an accelerometerYes
Monitors perspirationNo
Has a heart rate monitorYes
Has a temperature sensorYes
Monitors blood oxygenation levelsYes
Product Info
Main SKU010-02969-00
Product ID1462801
Product NameForerunner® 970
Release Date5/15/2025
Product VariationCarbon Gray DLC Titanium with Black Case and Black/Translucent Whitestone Band
Clock Features
TimerYes
StopwatchYes
Time/dateYes
Alarm clockYes
GPS Time SyncYes
Sunrise/sunset timesYes
Automatic daylight saving timeYes
Cycling Features
CoursesYes
Power guideYes
MTB Grit & FlowYes
Race an activityYes
Power meter compatibleYes
Advanced cycling dynamicsYes
Power curve and % FTP workoutsYes
Compatible with Varia™ lightsYes
FTP (Functional Threshold Power)yes (with compatible accessory)
Compatible with Varia headlight cameraYes
Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor)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
Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories)Yes
Golfing Features
PinPointerYes
Handicap scoringYes
Tournament legalYes
Digital scorecardYes
Garmin AutoShot™Yes
Round timer/odometerYes
Auto CourseView updatesYes
Yardage to layups/doglegsYes
Hazards and course targetsYes
Pairs with Garmin Golf appYes
Green View with manual pin positionYes
Preloaded with 43,000 courses worldwideYes
CT10 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory)Yes
Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green)Yes
Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit)Yes
Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course)automatic
Running Features
Hill scoreYes
Run workoutsYes
Running powerYes
Race predictorYes
Running Economyyes (with compatible accessory)
Step speed lossyes (with compatible accessory)
Foot pod capableYes
Running dynamicsYes
Lactate thresholdYes
Running ToleranceYes
Grade-adjusted paceYes
Trail run auto climbYes
Performance conditionYes
Run/Walk/Stand detectionYes
Stride length (real time)Yes
PacePro™ Pacing StrategiesYes
Projected race time and paceYes
Vertical oscillation and ratioYes
Ground contact time and balanceyes (GCT balance with accessory)
GPS-based distance, time and paceYes
Course- and weather-specific race predictorYes
Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute)Yes
What You'll Love
TouchscreenYes
Display typeAMOLED (optional always-on mode)
Water rating5 ATM
Garmin Pay™Yes
Music storageYes
Garmin ECG AppYes
LED flashlightYes
Multi-band GPSYes
Training statusyes (improved)
Built-in mappingYes
Training readinessYes
Pulse Ox blood oxygenyes (spot-check, and optional all-day acclimation and in sleep)
Sleep score and insightsYes
Battery life (smartwatch mode)Up to 15 days
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 Roping
SwimPool Swimming, Open Water Swimming
CyclingBiking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX
WellnessWalking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking, Mobility
MultisportTriathlon, Duathlon, Brick, Pool Triathlon, Swimming/Running
In the ringBoxing, Mixed Martial Arts
Team sportsBasketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball
Motor sportsMotorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling
On the WaterStand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Snorkeling, Sailing Expedition
Racket sportsTennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball
Snow & winterSkiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing
Indoor runningTreadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running
Outdoor runningRunning, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing
Outdoor recreationHiking, Rucking, Mountaineering, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery
Other activity profilesInline skating
Swimming Features
Pool swim workoutsYes
Critical swim speedYes
Time and distance alertsYes
Auto rest (pool swim only)Yes
Drill logging (pool swim only)Yes
Pacing alerts (pool swim only)Yes
Countdown start (pool swim only)Yes
Underwater wrist-based heart rateYes
"Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only)Yes
Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only)Yes
Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only)Yes
Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories)Yes
Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories)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)
Outdoor Recreation
Up AheadYes
Auto restYes
TracBack®Yes
Sight 'N GoYes
Back to startYes
Fish forecastyes (via Connect IQ™)
Explore NearbyYes
UltraTrac modeYes
Vertical speedYes
GPS coordinatesYes
Area calculationyes (via Connect IQ™)
Elevation profileYes
Projected waypointYes
Total ascent/descentYes
Future elevation plotYes
NextFork™ navigationYes
Distance to destinationYes
Expedition GPS ActivityYes
Sun and moon informationYes
Point-to-point navigationYes
Preloaded ski resort mapsYes
ClimbPro™ Ascent PlannerYes
Rest Timer (Ultra Run only)Yes
Preloaded road and trail mapsYes
Bread crumb trail in real timeYes
Downloadable cartography supportYes
Barometric trend indicator with Storm AlertYes
Daily Smart Features
Stocksyes (optional Connect IQ app)
CalendarYes
PasscodeYes
ConnectivityBluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi®
Garmin ShareYes
Find My PhoneYes
Find My WatchYes
Voice commandYes
Evening reportYes
Morning reportYes
Red shift modeYes
Weather forecastsYes
Smart NotificationsYes
Smart trainer controlYes
Smartphone compatibilityiPhone®, Android™
Controls smartphone musicYes
On-device Connect IQ™ StoreYes
Plays and controls watch musicYes
Find My Phone during GPS activityYes
Pairs with Garmin Connect™ MobileYes
Compatible with Garmin Messenger appYes
Battery saver (customizable low power watch)Yes
Bluetooth phone calling and voice assistant supportYes
Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobileYes
View images from notifications on watch (Android™ only)Yes
Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only)Yes
Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields and apps)Yes
Activity Tracking Features
TrueUp™Yes
Move IQ™Yes
Step counterYes
Floors climbedYes
Calories burnedYes
Distance traveledYes
Intensity minutesYes
Automatic rep countingYes
Garmin Connect™ Challenges appyes (optional Connect IQ app)
Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity)Yes
Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal)Yes
Workout and Training Plans
HIIT workoutsYes
Yoga workoutsYes
Cardio workoutsYes
Pilates workoutsYes
Strength workoutsYes
Multisport workoutsYes
Garmin Cycling CoachYes
Garmin Running CoachYes
Garmin Triathlon CoachYes
Garmin Coach - StrengthYes
Garmin Running Coach ExpertsYes
On-screen workout animationsYes
On-screen workout muscle mapsYes
Garmin Coach - Prebuilt Cycling PlansYes
Daily Suggested Workout - Cycling (Pace and Heart Rate Based)Yes
Daily Suggested Workout - Running (Pace and Heart Rate Based)Yes
Health & Wellness Monitoring
Sleepyes (advanced)
Hydrationyes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)
BreathworkYes
MeditationYes
Fitness ageYes
Sleep coachYes
Nap detectionYes
All-day stressYes
Women's healthyes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget)
Health snapshotYes
Jet lag adviserYes
Respiration rateYes
Skin temperatureYes
Resting heart rateYes
Breathing variationsYes
Relaxation remindersYes
Abnormal heart rate alertsyes (high and low)
Relaxation breathing timerYes
Body Battery™ energy monitorYes
Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second)Yes
Safety and Tracking Features
AssistanceYes
Live Event SharingAndroid™ Only
Incident Detection during select activitiesYes
Incident detection alert on phone for wearablesYes
Training, Planning and Analysis Features
% HRRYes
% HR maxYes
HR zonesYes
HR alertsYes
ShortcutsYes
HRV statusYes
Load ratioYes
Manual lapYes
Rest timerYes
Auto max HRYes
Auto scrollYes
Finish timeYes
HR caloriesYes
Voice alertsYes
Custom alertsYes
Physio TrueUpYes
Recovery timeYes
Training loadYes
VO2 Max (Run)Yes
Course guidanceYes
Endurance scoreYes
Training effectYes
Virtual PartnerYes
Race an ActivityYes
Realtime staminaYes
Advanced workoutsYes
Interval trainingYes
Race glance/widgetYes
Training load focusYes
VO2 Max (Trail Run)Yes
Garmin Live SegmentsYes
Strava Live SegmentsYes
GPS speed and distanceYes
Improved recovery timeYes
Configurable lap alertsYes
Customizable data pagesYes
Unified training statusYes
Touch and/or button lockYes
Activity history on watchYes
Multisport auto transitionYes
Downloadable training plansYes
Training effect (anaerobic)Yes
Manual multisport activitiesYes
HRM running pace and distanceYes
Heat and altitude acclimationYes
Customizable activity profilesYes
Trendline™ Popularity RoutingYes
Auto Pause® automatic timer haltYes
Respiration rate (during exercise)yes (with compatible accessory)
Auto Lap® interval tracking featureYes
Primary benefit (Training Effect labels)Yes
Round-trip course creator (running/cycling)Yes
Power Modes - customizable in-activity battery settingsYes
HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices)Yes
Improved interval (includes open repeats, intervals data page, rest screen and auto detection)Yes
Design
width45
height45
volume24.3 cm³
weight47 g
thickness12
ATM rating5 ATM
resolution454 x 454 px
screen size1.4 inches
Display typeOLED/AMOLED
Has a displayYes
pixel density458 ppi
width of band22 mm
water resistanceWaterproof
Always-On DisplayYes
has a touch screenYes
is designed for kidsNo
Gorilla Glass versionGorilla Glass 3
waterproof depth rating50 m
Watch band is replaceableYes
Has sapphire glass displayNo
maximum operating temperature55 °C
has branded damage-resistant glassYes
lowest potential operating temperature-20 °C
Battery
charge time1 hours
battery life14 days
battery power297 mAh
has wireless chargingNo
has a removable batteryNo
battery life with GPS on26 hours
Has a solar power batteryNo
has a rechargeable batteryYes
battery life in power save mode624 hours
Features
CPU speed4 x 1.5 GHz
release date2023-08-30
Has a stopwatchYes
Has smart alarmNo
warranty period1 years
Has call controlYes
Has silent alarmYes
has HRV trackingYes
internal storage8GB
measures VO2 maxYes
Has notificationsYes
Has ECG technologyYes
Locates your phoneYes
has a front cameraNo
has fall detectionYes
has voice commandsNo
Acquires GPS fasterYes
Has vibrating alertsYes
shows readiness levelYes
Can be used to answer callsYes
measures resting heart rateYes
has irregular heart rate warningsYes
has fast/slow heart rate notificationsYes
Has a built-in camera remote control functionNo
Connectivity
has NFCYes
Wi-Fi versionWi-Fi 5 (802.11ac)
supports ANT+Yes
supports Wi-FiYes
supports GalileoYes
Bluetooth version5.3
has a cellular moduleNo
Is compatible with iOSYes
Is compatible with AndroidYes
Miscellaneous
has aptXNo
Has auto pauseYes
Available on PCYes
Is compatible with WindowsYes
Is compatible with Mac OS XYes
has an external memory slotNo
Compatible with smart scalesYes
has a battery level indicatorYes
Provides the sunrise/sunset timeYes
has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jackNo
Compatible with external heart rate monitorsYes
App & Software
Ad-freeYes
Free appYes
Tracks BMIYes
Has coachingYes
Includes mapsYes
Supports routesYes
Has achievementsYes
Has goal settingYes
Has live trackingYes
Has exercise diaryYes
Predicts ovulationYes
Can be personalisedYes
Has weight trackingYes
Predicts start dateYes
Tracks water intakeYes
Has inactivity alertsYes
Has period notificationsYes
Has temperature trackingYes
Doesn’t require accountNo
Provides activity reportsYes
Displays fertile window notificationsYes
Counts how many calories you've burnedYes
Activity tracking
Measures paceYes
Tracks distanceYes
Tracks elevationYes
Designed for golfYes
Tracks your sleepYes
Tracks steps takenYes
Designed for divingNo
Has a route trackerYes
Has exercise taggingYes
Has multi-sport modeNo
Tracks calorie intakeYes
Provides sleep reportsYes
Detects activities automaticallyYes
Has a stroke counter for swimmingYes

Wrist Fit

Garmin Forerunner® 970

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

Garmin Venu 3

Sits best on wrists ~4764mm wide (≈ 12.617.1cm 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…

Product Photos

Side-by-side product images at matched scale.

Garmin Forerunner® 970 (010-02969-00)
Garmin Forerunner® 970 (010-02969-00)
47mm × 47mm
Garmin Venu 3
Garmin Venu 3
45mm × 45mm

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Garmin Forerunner® 970 bigger than the Garmin Venu 3?

The Garmin Forerunner® 970 is bigger — 47mm vs 45mm case width.

Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Forerunner® 970 or the Garmin Venu 3?

The Garmin Forerunner® 970 suits wrists around 49–67mm wide, and the Garmin Venu 3 around 47–64mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.

Can I see the Garmin Forerunner® 970 and Garmin Venu 3 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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