Garmin
Forerunner 970 vs Venu 3S
Size, specs & wrist fit compared
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Which one fits you
On wrists narrower than about 49mm, the Venu 3S is the safer pick — it stays proportionate down to roughly 43mm, where the Forerunner 970 starts to hang over the edge. Above 49mm both sit cleanly, and the Forerunner 970 gives you more presence.
The Forerunner 970 wears larger than the Venu 3S (47mm vs 41mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Venu 3S is the slimmer of the two (12mm vs 12.9mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Venu 3S feels lighter (40g vs 56g, case only).
Both are middle-of-the-pack for thickness among the 47mm and 41mm watches in the database.
The Forerunner 970 is 6mm wider, 6mm longer, 0.9mm thicker and 16g heavier than the Venu 3S. Both are circular.
Forerunner 970
Venu 3S
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Garmin
Forerunner 970
Garmin
Venu 3S
2D Dimension Schematics
Every case drawn to scale on a shared centre — from above, and in profile against the wrist.
- Garmin Forerunner 97047mm · 12.9mm thick
- Garmin Venu 3S41mm · 12mm thick
3D preview
Forerunner 970 vs Venu 3S on a wrist
Sized to your own wrist, turned any way you like.
Shapes are built from published measurements, not manufacturer 3D models — accurate proportions, generic dial.
Specifications
The short version
4 key specs| Spec | GarminForerunner 970 | GarminVenu 3S |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 47mm | 41mm |
| Thickness | 12.9mm | 12mm |
| Weight | 56g | 40g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
Every specification
117 specs| Spec | Garmin Forerunner 970 | Garmin Venu 3S |
|---|---|---|
| Design | ||
| width | — | 41 |
| height | — | 41 |
| volume | — | 20.17 cm³ |
| weight | — | 40 g |
| thickness | — | 12 |
| ATM rating | — | 5 ATM |
| resolution | — | 390 x 390 px |
| screen size | — | 1.2 inches |
| Display type | — | OLED/AMOLED |
| Has a display | — | Yes |
| pixel density | — | 459 ppi |
| width of band | — | 18 mm |
| water resistance | — | Waterproof |
| Always-On Display | — | Yes |
| has a touch screen | — | Yes |
| is designed for kids | — | No |
| Gorilla Glass version | — | Gorilla Glass 3 |
| waterproof depth rating | — | 50 m |
| Watch band is replaceable | — | Yes |
| Has sapphire glass display | — | No |
| maximum operating temperature | — | 50 °C |
| has branded damage-resistant glass | — | Yes |
| lowest potential operating temperature | — | -20 °C |
| Battery | ||
| charge time | — | 1 hours |
| battery life | — | 10 days |
| has wireless charging | — | No |
| has a removable battery | — | No |
| battery life with GPS on | — | 21 hours |
| Has a solar power battery | — | No |
| has a rechargeable battery | — | Yes |
| battery life in power save mode | — | 480 hours |
| Sensors | ||
| has GPS | — | Yes |
| has a compass | — | Yes |
| Has a barometer | — | Yes |
| has a gyroscope | — | Yes |
| Has a cadence sensor | — | No |
| has an accelerometer | — | Yes |
| Monitors perspiration | — | No |
| Has a heart rate monitor | — | Yes |
| Has a temperature sensor | — | Yes |
| Monitors blood oxygenation levels | — | Yes |
| Features | ||
| release date | — | 2023-08-30 |
| Has a stopwatch | — | Yes |
| Has smart alarm | — | No |
| warranty period | — | 1 years |
| Has call control | — | Yes |
| Has silent alarm | — | Yes |
| has HRV tracking | — | Yes |
| internal storage | — | 8GB |
| measures VO2 max | — | Yes |
| Has notifications | — | Yes |
| Has ECG technology | — | Yes |
| Locates your phone | — | Yes |
| has a front camera | — | No |
| has fall detection | — | Yes |
| has voice commands | — | No |
| Acquires GPS faster | — | Yes |
| Has vibrating alerts | — | Yes |
| shows readiness level | — | No |
| Can be used to answer calls | — | Yes |
| measures resting heart rate | — | Yes |
| has irregular heart rate warnings | — | Yes |
| has fast/slow heart rate notifications | — | Yes |
| Has a built-in camera remote control function | — | No |
| Connectivity | ||
| has NFC | — | Yes |
| supports ANT+ | — | Yes |
| supports Wi-Fi | — | Yes |
| supports Galileo | — | Yes |
| has a cellular module | — | No |
| Is compatible with iOS | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Android | — | Yes |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| has aptX | — | No |
| Has auto pause | — | Yes |
| Available on PC | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Windows | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Mac OS X | — | Yes |
| has an external memory slot | — | No |
| Compatible with smart scales | — | Yes |
| has a battery level indicator | — | Yes |
| has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack | — | No |
| Compatible with external heart rate monitors | — | Yes |
| App & Software | ||
| Ad-free | — | Yes |
| Free app | — | Yes |
| Tracks BMI | — | Yes |
| Has coaching | — | Yes |
| Includes maps | — | Yes |
| Supports routes | — | Yes |
| Has achievements | — | Yes |
| Has goal setting | — | Yes |
| Has live tracking | — | Yes |
| Has exercise diary | — | Yes |
| Predicts ovulation | — | Yes |
| Can be personalised | — | Yes |
| Has weight tracking | — | Yes |
| Predicts start date | — | Yes |
| Tracks water intake | — | Yes |
| Has inactivity alerts | — | Yes |
| Has period notifications | — | Yes |
| Has temperature tracking | — | Yes |
| Doesn’t require account | — | No |
| Provides activity reports | — | Yes |
| Displays fertile window notifications | — | Yes |
| Counts how many calories you've burned | — | Yes |
| Activity tracking | ||
| Measures pace | — | Yes |
| Tracks distance | — | Yes |
| Tracks elevation | — | Yes |
| Designed for golf | — | Yes |
| Tracks your sleep | — | Yes |
| Tracks steps taken | — | Yes |
| Designed for diving | — | No |
| Has a route tracker | — | Yes |
| Has exercise tagging | — | Yes |
| Has multi-sport mode | — | No |
| Tracks calorie intake | — | Yes |
| Provides sleep reports | — | Yes |
| Detects activities automatically | — | Yes |
| Has a stroke counter for swimming | — | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Forerunner 970
Sits best on wrists ~49–67mm wide (≈ 13.1–17.9cm circumference).
Garmin Venu 3S
Sits best on wrists ~43–59mm wide (≈ 11.5–15.8cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Forerunner 970 bigger than the Garmin Venu 3S?
The Garmin Forerunner 970 is bigger — 47mm vs 41mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Forerunner 970 or the Garmin Venu 3S?
The Garmin Forerunner 970 suits wrists around 49–67mm wide, and the Garmin Venu 3S around 43–59mm. 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 3S 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.