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Head to Head

Amazfit Active 3 Premium vs Garmin Forerunner 70

This is a genuine budget shootout: the Active 3 Premium is $80 cheaper and already carries a 'Best Under $200' badge, but the Forerunner 70 buys you into Garmin's training software and long-term app ecosystem.

Amazfit Active 3 PremiumAmazfit

Amazfit Active 3 Premium

4.6
Best Under $200
Garmin Forerunner 70Garmin

Garmin Forerunner 70

4.3
New for 2026
$169
Lower price
MSRP
$249
Full Smartwatch
Watch Type
Bare-Bones GPS
Solid Training Data
Training Data
Solid Training Data
iOS & Android
Phone
iOS & Android
4.6
Higher rated
Rating
4.3
24 hrs
Longer battery
GPS Battery Life
23 hrs
Single-Band
GPS
Single-Band
38g
Lighter
Weight
40g
45mm
Case Size
43mm
Yes
Takes calls
Wrist Calls
No
Yes
Has maps
Offline Maps
No
Local files only
More music options
Offline Music
No
5 ATM
Water Resistance
5 ATM
Best Under $200
Notable For
New for 2026
Best For
  • •You want the most watch for the least money, full stop
  • •You don't have a strong preference for Garmin Connect over other apps
  • •You want Garmin's specific training metrics (Training Readiness, Training Status) and plan to stick with the brand
  • •Long-term app ecosystem and accessory compatibility matter to you
The Full Story

Active 3 Premium punches well above its price with actual navigable maps and running power metrics, features usually reserved for watches twice the cost. One of the best values in this entire list.

The Forerunner 70 swaps the old MIP screen and button-only design of the 55 for AMOLED and touch, while finally bringing Training Readiness, Training Status, and wrist-based Running Power down to Garmin's cheapest running watch. It skips the altimeter, compass, and Garmin Pay found on the 170, but for straightforward road running, it's the new baseline to beat at this price.

*Estimated — this model's exact GPS battery life isn't published by the manufacturer. All figures are standard GPS mode, midsize case, no solar boost.

†Estimated — this model launched too recently to have an established customer rating yet.

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