Garmin Forerunner 170 vs Polar Pacer Pro
The Pacer Pro costs $50 more than the 170 but carries a noticeably lower user rating, this is one of the more one-sided comparisons in the budget tier.
GarminGarmin Forerunner 170
PolarPolar Pacer Pro
- •You want the better-reviewed watch at a lower price
- •You have no existing brand loyalty and just want the strongest all-around budget pick
- •You're already invested in Polar's app and heart rate ecosystem
- •A specific Polar-only feature is a must-have for your training
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.
Pacer Pro upgrades the screen and adds training load and recovery pro features on top of the standard Pacer's foundation. It remains one of the lighter, more comfortable options at this price point.
*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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