Garmin Forerunner 170 vs Garmin Forerunner 55
The 170 is a full generation newer with an AMOLED touchscreen, altimeter, compass, and Garmin Pay, for $100 more than the button-only 55.
GarminGarmin Forerunner 170
GarminGarmin Forerunner 55
- •You want Garmin's newest entry-level hardware with AMOLED and touch
- •Altimeter, compass, and Garmin Pay are worth $100 more to you
- •You want Garmin's classic button-only simplicity for $100 less
- •You don't need an altimeter, compass, or Garmin Pay
The Forerunner 170 keeps the Forerunner 70's AMOLED touchscreen and training metrics, then adds a barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, thermometer, and Garmin Pay on top. It's single-frequency GPS rather than the 265's dual-band, but for most runners, it closes almost the entire gap for $150 less.
The Forerunner 55 sticks to buttons and a simple display, but still includes race predictor, suggested daily workouts, and recovery tracking underneath. It's proof that a watch doesn't need AMOLED or a touchscreen to actually coach you.
*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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