Smartwatches / Compare
Garmin Forerunner 970 vs Polar Street X
Product A: Garmin
82 of 150 known
Change Garmin Forerunner 970
Product B: Polar
79 of 150 known
Change Polar Street X
61 of 141 fields differ
- 36 different values
- 25 known for one only
- 26 the same
- 54 missing for both
Biggest differences
Each bar uses the scale of all 101 smartwatches.
- Battery life with GPSA: 26hB: 42hPolar is 16 h higher.
- Battery lifeA: 360hB: 240hGarmin is 120 h higher.
Size, drawn to scale
Front and side.
- AGarmin: 47 × 47 mm
- BPolar: 45 × 45 mm
All 150 fields
Every value links to where we found it.


General
6 of 10 differ
Series
Model numbers
010-02969-00, 010-02969-01, 010-02969-02, 010-02969-10, 010-02969-11, 010-02969-121Maker product pagegarmin.com/en-US/p/1462801Read 30 September 2026US part numbers 010-02969-00, -01, -022Maker product pagegarmin.com/en-GB/p/1462801Read 30 September 2026
6J, 900116713, 900116714, 9001167151Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Store feed SKUs 900116713 (Night Black), 900116714 (Forest Green) and 900116715 (Snow White). The manual and the regulatory sheet give the model 6J.3Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/technical-specifications.htmRead 15 October 2026Model 6J.
GTIN / EAN
753759349899, 753759349905, 075375934991210Retailer pageabt.com/Garmin-Forerunner-970-Smartwatch-47mm-Carbon-Gray-DLC-Titanium-Case-with-Black-Translucent-Whitestone-Band-0100296900/p/224204.htmlRead 30 September 2026Visible UPC 753759349899 for 00, 753759349905 for 01, and related Product JSON-LD gtin13 0753759349912 for 02.11Retailer pageabt.com/Garmin-Forerunner-970-Smartwatch-47mm-Whitestone-Titanium-Case-with-Whitestone-Translucent-Amp-Yellow-Band-0100296901/p/224205.htmlRead 30 September 2026Visible UPC 753759349905 for exact 010-02969-01.
725882070766, 725882070773, 7258820707801Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Store feed gtin12: 725882070766 Night Black, 725882070773 Forest Green and 725882070780 Snow White.
Announced
Status
Predecessor
Garmin Forerunner 96517Reviewnotebookcheck.net/Forerunner-970-Garmin-replaces-Forerunner-965-with-new-smartwatch-that-arrives-for-749.1017596.0.htmlRead 23 October 2026Notebookcheck's headline says Garmin replaces the Forerunner 965 with the Forerunner 970 and the text says the 970 effectively succeeds the 965.
Not available
Successor
Not available
Not available
Launch price (US)
Launch price (EU)
Markets
Colours
Carbon Gray DLC Titanium with Black Case, Titanium with Whitestone Case, Soft Gold Titanium with French Gray Case1Maker product pagegarmin.com/en-US/p/1462801Read 30 September 2026
Night Black, Snow White, Forest Green1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Colour options: Night Black, Snow White, Forest Green.
Segment
OS updates promised
Not available
Not available
Security updates until
Not available
Not available
Case
5 of 8 differ
Case size
Case shape
Case material
Fibre-reinforced polymer9Reviewirunfar.com/garmin-forerunner-970-reviewRead 30 September 2026Garmin uses a fiber-reinforced polymer case, with a titanium bezel
Fibre-reinforced polymer1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Tech specs: case material and bezel material Bio-based plastic. The launch release says reinforced polymer body. The manual lists PA11+8GF (glass-fibre reinforced polyamide 11) among the device materials. Stored as fibre-reinforced polymer.3Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/technical-specifications.htmRead 15 October 2026Device materials list PA11+8GF, a glass-fibre reinforced polyamide.
Case material (as published)
Fiber-reinforced polymer case with titanium bezel9Reviewirunfar.com/garmin-forerunner-970-reviewRead 30 September 2026Design and Fit section explicitly distinguishes the polymer case and titanium bezel.
Back
Not available
Not available
Case dimensions
Height47Width47Thickness12.9mm(1.9 × 1.9 × 0.5 in)1Maker product pagegarmin.com/en-US/p/1462801Read 30 September 2026
Height45Width45Thickness13.8mm(1.8 × 1.8 × 0.5 in)1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Tech specs: width 45 mm, height 45 mm, thickness 13.8 mm.
Weight (case only)
Not available
Weight with strap
Not available
Durability
3 of 8 differ
Water resistance
5ATM1Maker product pagegarmin.com/en-US/p/1462801Read 30 September 20264Owner's manualwww8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/GUID-025D75CF-3445-49E1-8D81-1AA74AB4E00F/EN-US/GUID-DEC2B782-96E8-4287-8C8A-5907CC9D3B35.htmlRead 30 September 2026Swim, 5 ATM (pressure equivalent to 50 m)
5ATM1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Tech specs: water resistance WR50. The manual says 50 m, suitable for swimming.3Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/technical-specifications.htmRead 15 October 2026Water resistance 50 m (suitable for swimming).
Water resistance standard
Not available
Dust and water rating
Not available
Not available
Dive rating
Not available
Not available
Max dive depth
Not available
Not available
MIL-STD-810
Not available
MIL-STD-810 tests
Not available
Not available
Operating temperature
Display
4 of 14 differ
Display type
Display type (as published)
Screen size
Resolution
Pixel density
Not available
Not available
Display area
Not available
Not available
Touchscreen
Max refresh rate
Not available
Not available
Min refresh rate
Not available
Not available
Peak brightness
Not available
Not available
Minimum brightness
Not available
Not available
Always-on display
Display cover
Display cover (as published)
Sapphire Crystal1Maker product pagegarmin.com/en-US/p/1462801Read 30 September 2026Lens material: Sapphire Crystal. Bezel material: titanium
Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (AF + DLC coating)1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Manual tech spec: Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (AF + DLC coating).3Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/technical-specifications.htmRead 15 October 2026Watch materials: Corning Gorilla Glass 3 (AF + DLC coating), PA11+8GF, aluminum, stainless steel, PMMA. Wristband: silicone with an aluminum buckle.
Platform
5 of 15 differ
Platform
OS at launch
Not available
Not available
Software
Not available
Not available
Latest OS
Not available
Not available
Works with
Phone requirement
Current Garmin Connect app: iPhone with iOS 18.2 or later, or Android 9 or later with native Google Play Store support. Android Go is not supported.15Maker product pagesupport.garmin.com/en-SGRead 8 October 2026Current official FAQ read through the public search index: Android 9+, native Google Play Store required, Android Go unsupported. It gives general iOS 18+, while the current Garmin-published App Store listing more precisely requires iOS 18.2. The directly opened FAQ returned a script shell, so indexed access is qualified. Older indexed regional iOS 15/Android 7 text is not used as the current app-install requirement. Compatibility still depends on the phone, and Garmin lists some models that did not pass its tests.16Maker product pageapps.apple.com/us/app/garmin-connect/id583446403Read 8 October 2026Current Garmin International App Store listing explicitly requires iOS 18.2 or later and is for iPhone. This is the current companion-app installation minimum, not a claim that this was the watch's launch minimum or that standalone watch functions require an iPhone.
iOS 17 or later, or Android 8 or later with Bluetooth 4.0 capability, running the Polar Flow app15Maker product pagesupport.polar.com/ie-en/polar-flow-app-and-compatible-devicesRead 15 October 2026Street X: iOS mobile devices with iOS 17 or later. Android mobile devices with Bluetooth 4.0 capability and Android 8 or later.
App store
Not available
Voice assistants
Voice Commands, Phone Assistant5Owner's manualwww8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/GUID-025D75CF-3445-49E1-8D81-1AA74AB4E00F/EN-US/Forerunner_970_OM_EN-US.pdfRead 8 October 2026Named manual sections Using Voice Commands and Using the Phone Assistant. Phone Assistant relies on the paired smartphone.
Not available
Chipset
Not available
Not available
Process
Not available
Not available
CPU cores
Not available
Not available
CPU configuration
AGarmin Forerunner 970
Not availableBPolar Street X
| Max clock (GHz) |
|---|
| 0.275 |
Max CPU clock
Not available
0.275GHz
GPU
Not available
Not available
Low-power coprocessor
Not available
Not available
Memory
1 of 2 differ
RAM
Not available
Not available
Health sensors
3 of 8 differ
Heart rate sensor
Garmin Elevate Gen 57Reviewdcrainmaker.com/2025/06/garmin-forerunner-970-in-depth-review-brillance.htmlRead 30 September 2026Added Garmin Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor
Polar Precision Prime optical heart rate sensor (OHR GEN 3.5)1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Tech specs: Precision Prime, OHR GEN 3.5.3Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/technical-specifications.htmRead 15 October 2026Sensors: Precision Prime, Skin Temp GEN 1, OHR GEN 3.5.
ECG capability
Blood oxygen sensing
Skin temperature sensing
Blood pressure feature
Not available
Not available
Body composition sensor
Not available
Not available
Skin conductance (EDA)
Not available
Not available
Medical clearances
Not available
Not available
Motion and environment sensors
0 of 9 differ
Accelerometer
Accelerometer range
Not available
Not available
Gyroscope
Barometric altimeter
Compass
Ambient light sensor
Depth gauge
Not available
Not available
Depth gauge range
Not available
Not available
Water temperature sensor
Not available
Not available
Health and fitness
4 of 5 differ
Health features
Continuous heart rate, Heart rate alerts, ECG app, Blood oxygen app, Heart rate variability, Sleep tracking, Stress tracking, Readiness score, Cycle tracking, Temperature-based ovulation1Maker product pagegarmin.com/en-US/p/1462801Read 30 September 2026Heart rate every second, abnormal heart rate alerts (high and low), Garmin ECG app, Pulse Ox, HRV status, advanced sleep, all-day stress, training readiness, women's health. Ovulation from the press release6Press releasegarmin.com/en-US/newsroom/press-release/sports-fitness/garmin-unveils-the-forerunner-570-and-forerunner-970-its-newest-gps-running-and-triathlon-smartwatches-for-performance-driven-athletesRead 30 September 2026Skin temperature helps provide improved period predictions and past ovulation estimates
Continuous heart rate, Heart rate variability, Sleep tracking, Sleep stages1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Features: continuous heart rate, nightly sleep stages (Sleep Plus Stages), Nightly Recharge, SleepWise. HRV is listed under heart rate. The Daily Readiness card and SleepWise give an alertness forecast, not a readiness score, so readiness_score is not stored. No stress score is listed. Not a medical device.4Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/introduction.htmRead 15 October 2026Introduction: Sleep Plus Stages, Nightly Recharge, SleepWise, continuous heart rate.
Fitness features
VO2 max, Training load, Recovery advice, Running dynamics, Running power, Pool swim, Open water swim, Strength rep counting, Interval workouts, Route navigation, Turn-by-turn navigation, Trackback, Climb detection, Golf courses1Maker product pagegarmin.com/en-US/p/1462801Read 30 September 2026VO2 max, training load, recovery time, running dynamics, running power, pool and open-water swim, automatic rep counting, interval training, course guidance, TracBack, ClimbPro, 43,000 preloaded golf courses. Turn-by-turn from the press release6Press releasegarmin.com/en-US/newsroom/press-release/sports-fitness/garmin-unveils-the-forerunner-570-and-forerunner-970-its-newest-gps-running-and-triathlon-smartwatches-for-performance-driven-athletesRead 30 September 2026get turn-by-turn directions
VO2 max, Training load, Recovery advice, Running power, Pool swim, Open water swim, Interval workouts, Route navigation, Turn-by-turn navigation, Trackback, Climb detection1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Features and cards: Running Performance Test (VO2max), Training Load Pro, Recovery Pro, wrist-based running power, swimming metrics, interval timers and phased training targets, route guidance, turn-by-turn route guidance, Track Back, Back to Start. Hill Splitter detects uphills and downhills automatically (manual). The manual has separate pool and open water swimming sections.4Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/introduction.htmRead 15 October 2026Introduction: Route Guidance, Komoot routes, Track back, Back to start, Running Performance Test with VO2max, Walking test, Training Load Pro, Recovery Pro, running power, swimming metrics with distance and strokes also in open water, Hill Splitter.9Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/swimming-metrics.htmRead 15 October 2026Separate sections for pool swimming (distance, pace, strokes, SWOLF) and open water swimming (distance, pace, stroke rate for freestyle and route).10Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/hill-splitter.htmRead 15 October 2026Hill Splitter automatically detects all uphills and downhills from GPS speed, distance and barometric altitude. It needs a 1 second GPS recording rate. Stored as climb detection.13Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/track-back-and-back-to-start.htmRead 15 October 2026Track back guides you back to the start via the same route you came. Back to start shows the direction by beeline.
Sport profiles
Not available
Not available
Dive modes
Not available
External sensors
Heart rate strap, Power meter, Speed and cadence, Foot pod, Smart trainer1Maker product pagegarmin.com/en-US/p/1462801Read 30 September 2026HRM, power meter, speed and cadence sensor, foot pod, smart trainer control
Heart rate strap, Power meter, Speed and cadence8Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/compatible-sensors.htmRead 15 October 2026Compatible Bluetooth sensors: Polar Verity Sense, OH1, H10 and H9 heart rate sensors, Polar speed sensor and cadence sensor, and third-party power sensors.
Safety
2 of 6 differ
Fall detection
Not available
Not available
Car crash detection
Not available
Not available
Emergency SOS
Not available
Emergency siren
Not available
Not available
Live location sharing
Not available
Dedicated LED flashlight
Yes1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Tech specs: front LED light Yes. Built-in LED flashlight with red light mode.11Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/flashlight.htmRead 15 October 2026Integrated LED flashlight with adjustable white light and a red light mode.
Positioning
3 of 3 differ
Positioning
GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou1Maker product pagegarmin.com/en-US/p/1462801Read 30 September 2026
GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Tech specs, Geo location: GPS, Galileo, BeiDou and QZSS Yes. GLONASS is not listed.18Maker product pagepolar.com/en/guide/polar-street-x-vs-polar-pacer-proRead 15 October 2026Comparison table: GPS constellations GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS for Street X. GLONASS is not named.
Connectivity
7 of 15 differ
Bluetooth
Bluetooth version
Not available
Not available
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi standard
Not available
Not available
Cellular
Network
Not available
Not available
4G bands
Not available
Not available
5G bands
Not available
Not available
NFC
Contactless payments
Payment services
Not available
Ultra-wideband
Not available
Not available
Satellite
Not available
Audio
3 of 4 differ
Microphones
Not available
Not available
Calls on the watch
Not available
Controls
1 of 5 differ
Buttons
55Owner's manualwww8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/GUID-025D75CF-3445-49E1-8D81-1AA74AB4E00F/EN-US/Forerunner_970_OM_EN-US.pdfRead 8 October 2026Button Functions lists five buttons6Press releasegarmin.com/en-US/newsroom/press-release/sports-fitness/garmin-unveils-the-forerunner-570-and-forerunner-970-its-newest-gps-running-and-triathlon-smartwatches-for-performance-driven-athletesRead 30 September 2026purpose-built 5-button design
Named operating buttons
Upper-left button, Middle-left button, Lower-left button, Upper-right button, Lower-right button5Owner's manualwww8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/GUID-025D75CF-3445-49E1-8D81-1AA74AB4E00F/EN-US/Forerunner_970_OM_EN-US.pdfRead 8 October 2026Introduction > Button Functions, printed pages 6-7. These are the manual-published control names, not invented LIGHT/UP/BACK-LAP labels.
Crown
Rotating bezel
Not available
Not available
Gestures
Not available
Not available
Battery and charging
6 of 13 differ
Battery capacity
Not available
385mAh1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Tech specs: battery capacity 385 mAh, Li-Pol.3Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/technical-specifications.htmRead 15 October 2026385 mAh Li-pol rechargeable battery, replaceable at Polar Central Service.
Claimed battery life
AGarmin Forerunner 970
| Mode | With solar | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch | No | 360 |
| GPS | No | 26 |
| GPS, automatic system selection | No | 23 |
| GPS, dual-band | No | 21 |
| GPS with music | No | 14 |
| GPS, automatic system selection with music | No | 13 |
| GPS, dual-band with music | No | 12 |
BPolar Street X
| Mode | With solar | Hours (h) |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch | No | 240 |
| GPS | No | 42 |
| Max battery GPS | No | 170 |
Source1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026Tech specs: performance training mode 42 h, eco training mode 170 h, smartwatch mode 10 d. The page text and the launch release say 43 h for the performance mode, which conflicts with the 42 h in the tech specs and the manual. The manual figure is stored.3Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/technical-specifications.htmRead 15 October 2026Performance training mode up to 42 h (optical heart rate on, GPS recording every second). Eco training mode up to 170 h (GPS every 2 minutes, optical heart rate off). Smartwatch mode up to 10 days with continuous heart rate and phone notifications on. 10 days is 240 h.14Maker product pagesupport.polar.com/en/what-is-the-battery-life-of-street-xRead 15 October 2026Performance up to 42 h: optical heart rate on, GPS every 1 second, always-on display off. The scenario text says Dual-Frequency GPS ON, while the product page never claims dual-frequency GNSS and the5krunner says single-frequency, so the row is stored as plain GPS. Eco up to 170 h: optical heart rate off, single-frequency GPS every 2 minutes. Smartwatch up to 10 days with phone notifications on, always-on display off and Do Not Disturb 8 h at night. Stored eco row as the maximum-saving GPS mode, like the Vantage V3 file.
Smartwatch mode (claimed)
360h
240h
AOD battery life (up to)
Not available
Not available
GPS mode (claimed)
26h
42h
Solar charging
Not available
Not available
Charging method
Charging guidance
Not available
Charge with the included Polar Charge 2.0 cable, which snaps on magnetically. A USB power adapter is not included. Polar asks for an adapter marked output 5 Vdc that provides at least 500 mA and has an approval mark such as LPS, UL listed or CE. The watch can charge during training. An optional charge limit of 80% is in the battery settings.6Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/batteries.htmRead 15 October 2026Charging the battery: custom cable snaps in magnetically. A USB power adapter is not included. Adapter marked output 5 Vdc, at least 500 mA, LPS, UL listed or CE. Charging during training is possible. Charge limit 80% in Settings > General settings > Battery.
Max charging power (watch)
Not available
Not available
Fast charging
Not available
Not available
Quick charge claim
Not available
Not available
Charge 0 to 80% (claimed)
Not available
Not available
Full charge time (claimed)
Not available
Not available
Measured
2 of 4 differ
Peak brightness (measured)
Not available
Not available
Battery life (measured)
Not available
Not available
Battery tests (measured)
AGarmin Forerunner 970
| Test | Hours (h) |
|---|---|
| GPS activity | 25 |
| Mixed use, always-on | 60 |
Source7Reviewdcrainmaker.com/2025/06/garmin-forerunner-970-in-depth-review-brillance.htmlRead 30 September 2026Basics > battery: observational 2.5 days with AOD and high default brightness, plus GPS workouts. 60 h is an exact conversion of the stated 2.5 days, but not a standardized lab benchmark.8Measurementoutdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/gps-watch/garmin-forerunner-970Read 30 September 2026Battery Life section: 25 hours continuously recorded in normal GPS mode. A separate 60 h mixed-use AOD observation from DC Rainmaker uses default high brightness and 1-3 h GPS workouts per day.
BPolar Street X
Not availableFull charge time (measured)
95min8Measurementoutdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/gps-watch/garmin-forerunner-970Read 30 September 2026Measured Charging Time table: 95 min. Watch case 47 mm. Charger/adapter and precise endpoints are not specified on the product review page.13Reviewoutdoorgearlab.com/topics/camping-and-hiking/best-gps-watchRead 30 September 2026Forerunner 970 table: measured charging time 95 min. Battery Life methodology describes empty-to-full charging and default settings. Charger/adapter not specified.
Not available
Strap
3 of 6 differ
Lug width
Quick-release strap
Strap system
Standard 22 mm spring bars with a quick-release knob. No adapters needed7Owner's manualsupport.polar.com/e_manuals/street-x/polar-street-x-user-manual-english/changeable-wristband.htmRead 15 October 2026Standard 22 mm spring bars. Any band that uses 22 mm spring bars fits.
Strap material
Strap
Not available
POLAR Street Wristband, 22mm1Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026What's included: POLAR Street Wristband, 22mm.
Strap sizes
AGarmin Forerunner 970
| Wrist (min) (mm) | Wrist (max) (mm) |
|---|---|
| 135 | 205 |
BPolar Street X
Not availableRegulatory
1 of 3 differ
FCC ID
Not available
SAR limb (US)
Not available
Not available
SAR limb (EU)
Not available
Other certifications
Not available
Not available
In the box
1 of 2 differ
In the box
Forerunner 970 GPS running watch, Charging cable, Documentation1Maker product pagegarmin.com/en-US/p/1462801Read 30 September 2026In the Box tab
POLAR Street X, POLAR Street Wristband, 22mm, Polar Charge 2.01Maker product pagepolar.com/en/street-xRead 15 October 2026What's included: POLAR Street X, POLAR Street Wristband 22 mm, Polar Charge 2.0.
Links
Not compared
Product page
Spec sheet
Manual
EPREL registration number
Not available
Not available
Warranty
1 of 1 differ
Both are also in the API. Back to all smartwatches.














