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Head to Head

Garmin Enduro 3 vs Garmin Forerunner 970

Same max-tier analytics, but the Enduro 3 is built around battery life for ultra and multi-day efforts while the 970 is built around race-day features like calls and ECG, different runners, different watch.

Garmin Enduro 3Garmin

Garmin Enduro 3

4.7
Top for Battery Life
Garmin Forerunner 970Garmin

Garmin Forerunner 970

4.7
Editor's Pick
$899
MSRP
$749
Lower price
Semi-Smart
Watch Type
Full Smartwatch
Maximum Depth
Training Data
Maximum Depth
iOS & Android
Phone
iOS & Android
4.7
Rating
4.7
90 hrs
Longer battery
GPS Battery Life
26 hrs
Dual-Band
GPS
Dual-Band
63g
Weight
56g
Lighter
51mm
Case Size
47mm
Yes
Wrist Calls
Yes
Yes
Offline Maps
Yes
Spotify/Amazon Music
Offline Music
Spotify/Amazon Music
10 ATM
More water resistant
Water Resistance
5 ATM
Top for Battery Life
Notable For
Editor's Pick
Best For
  • Your training blocks or races run long enough that battery life is the deciding factor
  • You're an ultra or multi-day adventure racer, not a weekend 5K runner
  • You want calls, mic, and ECG features on race day
  • $150 less and a lighter case matter more than extended battery life
The Full Story

The Enduro 3 trades AMOLED brightness for a solar-assisted screen and battery life that laps every other watch on this list. Ultra runners and multi-day adventure racers are the actual target market here, not weekend 5K runners.

The 970 adds a built-in speaker and mic for calls, an ECG sensor, and Garmin's deepest race-specific analytics in a Forerunner-sized package. If you're a serious runner who wants the top training tools without going full Fenix, this is the watch.

*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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