If you’ve been searching for a watch between a serious training tool and an everyday smartwatch, the Garmin Forerunner 570 is perfect for you. Brighter screen, upgraded heart rate sensor, a brand-new speaker and mic, and a bold new design. It checks almost every box a runner or triathlete could want.
At $549.99, it also has one of the most debated price tags in Garmin’s history, and it’s missing two features that competitors offer at a lower price point.
Personally, FR570 is a great watch, and I hope I’m not bad-mouthing anyone who owns it. It’s more about Garmin’s product strategy. I think the majority of people who own it are happy with it.
So is it still worth it? After digging deep into expert testing data, real user feedback, and head-to-head comparisons of Garmin Forerunner 570 review, here’s everything you need to know before buying.
Quick Verdict
Overall Rating: 4.1 / 5
| Best For | Runners and triathletes upgrading from older Garmin models |
| Skip If | You need offline maps or ECG, or are on a tight budget |
| Price | $549.99 (42mm & 47mm) |
| Standout Feature | Elevate Gen 5 HR sensor + brightest AMOLED Garmin has ever made |
Garmin Forerunner 570
Pros
Cons
Specs Overview
| Spec | 42mm | 47mm |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 1.2″ AMOLED, 390×390 | 1.4″ AMOLED, 454×454 |
| Weight | 42g | 50g |
| Battery (Smartwatch) | Up to 10 days | Up to 11 days |
| Battery (GPS) | Up to 18 hours | Up to 18 hours |
| GPS | Multi-band (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS) | |
| Heart Rate Sensor | Elevate Gen 5 | |
| Water Rating | 5 ATM | |
| Storage | 8GB | |
| Bezel Material | Aluminum + Gorilla Glass 3 | |
| Price | $549.99 | $549.99 |
| Released | May 2025 |
Price
The Garmin Forerunner 570 retails at $549.99 for both the 42mm and 47mm models, a notable $100 jump over the Forerunner 265’s launch price of $449.99, which was itself $100 more than the Forerunner 255 in 2022.
This pricing trajectory is one of the most polarizing things about the 570. It pushes the watch past the psychological $500 barrier and it starts competing with discounted flagship models like the older Forerunner 965, which can often be found at reduced prices and includes offline maps that the 570 lacks.
| Watch | Price | Maps | ECG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin FR570 | $549.99 | No | No |
| Garmin FR265 | ~$350 (discounted) | No | No |
| Garmin FR970 | $749.99 | Yes | Yes |
| Coros Pace Pro | ~$399 | Yes | No |
| Suunto Race | ~$449 | Yes | No |
| Polar Vantage M3 | ~$449 | Yes | No |
The value question is real. If budget matters and you can live with older hardware, the discounted FR265 or FR965 is hard to ignore. If you want the best Garmin has to offer for serious running, the FR970 at $749.99 is a bigger but arguably more complete step up.
Related: Best GPS Watches For Running
Design
Garmin finally had a difference. The Forerunner 570 is the most visually expressive watch the brand has released in years and it works.
Gone is the standard black-on-black Garmin look. In its place, you get bold color options: a mango yellow bezel, a raspberry-mango combo, a cloud blue, and even semi-translucent bands that give the watch a playful, almost sporty lifestyle feel. Black models are still available for traditionalists, but the colorful options stand out on the wrist.
Beyond looks, the upgrade from a polymer bezel (on the FR265) to an aluminum bezel gives the 570 a noticeably more premium feel without adding much weight. At 50g for the 47mm and just 42g for the 42mm, it stays light enough for marathon and triathlon use.
The classic five-button layout plus touchscreen returns a combination that works well both during sweaty workouts and everyday use. The silicone bands feel soft and comfortable for all-day wear.
One small note: Garmin swapped its design language between the 570 and 970 this generation. The 570 now uses the flat-edged screen design previously seen on the older 965, while the 970 adopted the sloped edges of the 265. It’s a minor shuffle that has no real impact on usability but has left some buyers scratching their heads.
Display
The display is one of the 570’s strongest arguments for its price.
Garmin calls this its brightest AMOLED ever and from everything reviewers report, that claim holds up in real-world use. The 47mm model features a 1.4-inch screen at 454×454 resolution, while the 42mm model offers a 1.2-inch display at 390×390. Both are crisp, colorful, and highly readable even in direct sunlight, something that has historically been a weakness for AMOLED displays.
Compared to the FR265, the difference is striking. The 570 offers roughly twice the maximum brightness, making it far easier to glance at your pace mid-run without breaking stride.
You get two main display modes:
Beautiful always on display, but drains battery faster, real-world smartwatch life drops to 3–4 days
Wrist raise wakes the screen, saves significant battery with gesture-activated feature, but occasionally misses a gesture
The always-on capability is useful for racing and training sessions where you need instant glanceability. For everyday wear, gesture mode is the smarter choice.
Training Features
Running-Specific Tools
A new feature, Autolap by timing gates, that snaps your lap splits to the actual markers of known race courses for more accurate race-day data. If you forget to stop your watch post-run, the watch suggests finish lines to remove the unwanted data automatically
Track Mode detects when you’re on a track and locks GPS to lanes for improved accuracy. Race Time Predictor estimates your potential race performance based on your current training, not just your current fitness
Triathlon & Multisport
The 570 now includes the full Garmin Triathlon Coach program, a free adaptive training plan across swim, bike, and run that adjusts week by week based on your performance and recovery. This alone makes it a significantly better triathlon tool than the FR265.
Recovery & Readiness
- Body Battery, Training Readiness, HRV Status, and Training Load are all present
- The new Training Balance metric shows whether your load is building sustainably or spiking dangerously
- Heat & Altitude Acclimation data helps you understand how your body is adapting to environmental conditions
- Nightly Skin Temperature readings add an extra layer to sleep and recovery analysis
Daily Smart Tools
A new pre-bed evening report summary delivering your sleep goals, tomorrow’s workout, weather, and schedule is a great companion to the existing Morning Report
Golf Mode
For runners who also play golf, the 570 now includes full golf features: yardage to front/middle/back, hazard data, shot tracking, scorecards, and full Garmin Golf app integration. A pleasant surprise at this price point.
Garmin Connect Plus
Some of Garmin’s richest insights, advanced sleep tracking, adaptive training plans, full HRV trend analysis, and AI-powered coaching feedback now sit behind a $6.99/month subscription called Garmin Connect Plus. This is a recent change that has frustrated many long-time Garmin users, especially those spending $550 on hardware. The free tier still covers workout syncing, metric viewing, and training history, but the premium layer now costs extra.
Among the most comprehensive mid-range packages, the bottom line is on the training features available. The triathlon and recovery tools are best. The subscription model is a frustration worth knowing about before you buy.
Performance
GPS Accuracy
The Forerunner 570 uses multi-band GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS), the same chipset shared with the FR970.
In testing across expert reviews, GPS tracking is consistently described as leading. Lock times are fast, tracks are clean, and multi-band mode keeps accuracy high even in challenging environments like urban canyons or dense forest trails.
Heart Rate Accuracy
The Elevate Gen 5 sensor is a meaningful upgrade over the Gen 4 found in the FR265. Accuracy improvements are most noticeable in high-intensity session intervals, cold-weather runs, and downhill segments where wrist motion makes optical HR harder to read. In a head-to-head 10K race test against a Garmin HRM-600 chest strap, the FR570’s wrist HR reading tracked closely throughout, with only one brief dip noted during the race.
It also adds nightly skin temperature readings a useful addition for sleep and recovery tracking.
What’s Missing
Two omissions stand out at this price point and are worth being direct about:
At $549, every major competitor, Coros Pace Pro, Suunto Race, and Polar Vantage M3 includes proper offline maps. The 570 offers breadcrumb navigation only, which works but is far less useful on unfamiliar trails or routes
ECG isn’t available in FR570, even on Garmin’s own cheaper Venu 3 and is standard on almost all competing watches in this category available. The hardware (Elevate Gen 5) is technically capable, but Garmin has simply disabled it, almost certainly to protect the FR970’s positioning
These aren’t dealbreakers for road runners who stick to familiar routes. But if you’re a trail runner or someone who wants comprehensive health monitoring, they’re hard to overlook.
Who Should Buy It?
Buy the Garmin Forerunner 570 if:
- You’re upgrading from a Forerunner 245, 255, or older model and want a major step forward
- Road running and triathlon are your primary sports
- You want the best wrist HR accuracy in the mid-range category
- Smart features like on-wrist calls, music streaming, and notifications matter to you
Skip it if:
- You need offline maps for trail running, hiking, or unfamiliar routes. Look at the Coros Pace Pro, Suunto Race, or step up to the FR970
- You want ECG monitoring, the Garmin Venu 3 or competing watches offer it for less
- You already own a recent FR265 or FR965; the upgrade isn’t compelling enough to justify the cost
- Budget is a priority, the discounted FR265 still delivers excellent training features at a much lower price
- You’re switching from Apple Watch and expect a rich third-party app ecosystem. Garmin’s app store remains limited compared to watchOS
Final Verdict
The Garmin Forerunner 570 GPS and heart rate accuracy are leading, the new AMOLED display and the triathlon and recovery feature set are the deepest you’ll find in a mid-range multisport watch.
At $549.99, buyers reasonably expect offline maps and ECG. Both features exist on cheaper watches, including some from Garmin itself. Combined with the new Garmin Connect Plus subscription, adding another ongoing cost, the value proposition is less clear-cut than it was for the FR265 in 2023.
If you’re upgrading from an older Garmin, you’ll love it. If you’re comparison shopping across brands, you’ll have questions and they’ll be valid ones.
Scores:
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Design | 4.5 / 5 |
| Display | 4.8 / 5 |
| Training Features | 4.5 / 5 |
| Performance | 4.5 / 5 |
| Value | 3.5 / 5 |
| Overall | 4.1 / 5 |
This review is based on aggregated expert testing data, technical specifications, and real user feedback from across the running and fitness community. We compile the most accurate and up-to-date information so you can make an informed decision without having to read 15 different reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Forerunner 570 worth it?
For runners upgrading from older Garmin models (FR245, FR255, or earlier), yes, it’s a significant hardware leap. For buyers comparing across brands, the missing maps and ECG make the value harder to justify at $549.99.
What is the difference between the Forerunner 570 and 265?
The 570 adds an aluminum bezel, Elevate Gen 5 HR sensor, built-in speaker/mic for calls, a brighter AMOLED display, full triathlon coach tools, Evening Report, and new running metrics. The tradeoff is a $100–$200 higher price, depending on current FR265 discounts.
Is the Forerunner 570 good for triathlons?
Yes, it’s now one of the better mid-range triathlon watches available. It includes the Garmin Triathlon Coach adaptive training plans, seamless multisport switching, swim/bike/run tracking, and open water swimming support.
What sizes does the Forerunner 570 come in?
The Forerunner 570 is available in both 42mm and 47mm, with multiple colorway options including black, mango yellow, raspberry, cloud blue, and purple. Both sizes are priced at $549.99.
Should I buy the Forerunner 570 or 970?
If you need offline maps, ECG, an LED flashlight, or the most advanced running metrics, the FR970 at $749.99 is worth the $200 premium. If you’re happy with breadcrumb navigation and want a lighter, more affordable option, the FR570 is the better choice just factor in the additional $169 HRM-600 chest strap the 970 needs for its best features.
Is the Garmin Forerunner 570 worth it?
For runners upgrading from older Garmin models (FR245, FR255, or earlier), yes, it’s a significant hardware leap. For buyers comparing across brands, the missing maps and ECG make the value harder to justify at $549.99.
