Garmin gave beginners runners features that used to cost more

Garmin recently announced the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170, two new GPS running watches aimed at users who want more structure than a basic fitness tracker without having to jump straight to a high-end training watch. In other words, the new watches are arriving in the middle of Garmin’s own lineup.

Garmin’s premium Forerunner lineup has become increasingly intense over the past few years as the company has been piling on advanced recovery metrics, endurance tools, and race analytics. The Forerunner 70 and 170 feel like an effort to make Garmin’s ecosystem more accessible to casual runners who still want meaningful training guidance.

However, that doesn’t mean that Garmin removed these too aggressively. Both watches still offer built-in GPS, heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, HRV status, Pulse Aux support, smart notifications, and access to over 80 sports apps. Battery life is also comfortable compared to most traditional smartwatches, with the Forerunner 70 rated for up to 13 days in smartwatch mode and the Forerunner 170 rated for up to 10 days. Both also have 1.2-inch AMOLED displays, touchscreen support, and Garmin’s standard five-button setup.

The watches also bring a number of premium training tools to Garmin’s lineup, including training preparation, training status, wrist-based walking power, and walking mobility. Garmin has also added a new Quick Workout feature that generates simplified workout suggestions based on the length and intensity of the runner’s chosen workout. Meanwhile, Garmin Coach now includes additional run/walk plans and lower volume training options, aimed at new runners trying to build consistency. The Forerunner 70 will be launched in six colours, which include Citron, Tidal Blue, Cool Lavender, Soft Pink, Black and Whitestone.

The Forerunner 170 adds a few extra features on top of the 70, including Garmin Pay and optional onboard music storage. Both the Base and Music models will be available in black with amp yellow detailing and whitestone with white and cloud blue bands. 170 Music includes brighter combinations, including teal green with teal and citron bands, and reddish pink with pink and mango bands.

The watches will be available from May 15th garmin.com. Pricing for the Forerunner 70 starts at $249.99, while the Forerunner 170 and Forerunner 170 Music are priced at $299.99 and $349.99, respectively.