Garmin Enduro 3 vs Garmin Forerunner 970 - Ultimate Comparison for 2025 Buyers

Are you torn between the Garmin Enduro 3 and Garmin Forerunner 970 when choosing a top-tier sports smartwatch? You’re not alone. These two flagship models from Garmin have captured the attention of runners, triathletes, and outdoor adventurers alike. The Forerunner 970 excels with its lightweight build and advanced training features, making it ideal for users who prioritize smart performance and efficient workouts. In contrast, the Enduro 3 is built for endurance, offering rugged durability and exceptional battery life - perfect for long-distance expeditions and extreme sports. While both belong to Garmin’s high-performance lineup, their design philosophy and target audiences differ significantly.

This in-depth comparison will break down their key differences across core categories such as design, battery life, sports features, health tracking, and smart connectivity. Whether you’re a results-driven athlete or a thrill-seeking explorer, this guide will help you make a clear, informed decision on which watch best suits your lifestyle and training needs.

Garmin Enduro 3 vs Forerunner 970-Specifications

Garmin Enduro 3 vs Forerunner 970-Design

Similarities:

• Both watches use high-quality sapphire glass, offering strong scratch resistance.
• Titanium alloy bezels on both models provide durability and a refined look.
• Both are suitable for various sports and daily wear, with high water resistance ratings.

Differences:

• Design Style: The Forerunner 970 is slim and stylish, ideal for runners and triathletes who value comfort and aesthetics; the Enduro 3 is rugged and heavier, built for outdoor adventures and extreme endurance.
• Display Type: The Forerunner 970 features a vibrant AMOLED screen with crisp visuals, while the Enduro 3 uses a reflective display that is power-efficient and highly readable in sunlight.
• Weight & Bands: The Forerunner 970 weighs around 50g with a soft silicone band; the Enduro 3 is about 63g with a durable, lightweight fabric strap. You can also check Garmin Forerunner Watch Bands including Garmin Forerunner 970 Watch Bands and Garmin Enduro Watch Bands including Garmin Enduro 3 Watch Bands.
• Functional Details: The Enduro 3 includes an LED flashlight and reinforced buttons tailored for outdoor use; the Forerunner 970 focuses on refined button feel and family-style design elements.
• Color Options: The Forerunner 970 offers multiple vibrant colors, whereas the Enduro 3 comes in more subdued military green and black tones.

It’s worth noting that compared to models like the Garmin Forerunner 570 and Garmin Forerunner 965, the Forerunner 970 pushes the envelope further with more refined materials and smart aesthetics.

Winner: Garmin Forerunner 970 

Its lightweight, comfortable design and stylish appearance make it better suited for users seeking versatile wear and strong sports performance.

Garmin Enduro 3 vs Forerunner 970-Display

Similarities:

• Both watches feature a 1.4-inch round screen, providing a familiar size for users.
• Both support touch operation and adjustable backlighting to suit different environments.

Differences:

• Screen Type: The Enduro 3 uses a semi-reflective color MIP display, ideal for bright outdoor conditions with clear visibility and excellent power efficiency; the Forerunner 970 has a vibrant AMOLED display, offering rich colors and detailed visuals, better suited for complex data and maps.
• Resolution: Enduro 3 has a resolution of 280×280 pixels, suitable for basic sports data; Forerunner 970 offers a much higher 454×454 pixels for sharper and clearer images.
• Brightness: Enduro 3 relies on reflected light for excellent visibility in bright sunlight; Forerunner 970 reaches peak brightness of 1500–2000 nits, adapting well to various lighting conditions.
• Touch Experience: Enduro 3’s touch sensitivity is slightly lower, requiring more precise input; Forerunner 970 delivers highly responsive, multi-touch capabilities for smoother operation.
• Battery Life: Enduro 3 offers an impressive 320 hours of GPS mode battery life, perfect for extended outdoor use; Forerunner 970 lasts about 21 hours, better suited for daily training and shorter workouts.

In the Garmin Forerunner 970 vs. Garmin Forerunner 570 comparison, the 970’s display superiority is evident - making it a far more premium choice for users who prioritize screen quality.

Winner: Garmin Enduro 3

Thanks to its superior outdoor visibility and exceptional battery life, it’s the better choice for extreme endurance and outdoor sports enthusiasts.

Garmin Enduro 3 vs Forerunner 970-Battery Life

Similarities:

• Both watches support solar charging technology, which can extend battery life to some extent.
• Both offer long battery life in smartwatch and GPS modes to meet different user needs.

Differences:

• Smartwatch Mode: Enduro 3 lasts up to 36 days, extending to over 90 days with solar assistance; Forerunner 970 lasts about 15 days, with significantly reduced battery life when always-on display is enabled.
• GPS Battery Life: Enduro 3 provides around 120 hours in standard GPS mode, extendable to 320 hours with solar charging - ideal for ultra-long outdoor activities; Forerunner 970 offers about 21 to 26 hours, better suited for daily training and shorter workouts.
• Multi-Frequency GNSS: Enduro 3 lasts about 80 hours, extended to 144 hours with solar charging; Forerunner 970 lasts around 21 hours.
• Battery Advantage: Enduro 3’s exceptional battery life stems from its low-power display and robust solar charging; Forerunner 970 supports solar but gains minimal battery improvement.

When comparing the Garmin Forerunner 970 vs Fenix 8, the Garmin Fenix 8 offers slightly better battery endurance, but the Forerunner 970 remains more lightweight and training-focused. Similarly, in a Garmin Enduro 3 vs Fenix 8 comparison, the Enduro 3 outpaces even the Fenix in battery life, especially for multi-day expeditions.

It's also worth noting that models like the Garmin Tactix 8 share similar long-lasting power features with the Enduro 3, making them top picks for tactical and military-grade use.

Winner: Garmin Enduro 3 

With outstanding battery performance and solar technology, the Enduro 3 is the top choice for extreme outdoor use and extended wear.

Garmin Enduro 3 vs Forerunner 970-Health and Fitness Tracking

Similarities:

Both watches feature Garmin’s 5th generation Elevate optical heart rate sensor, supporting all-day heart rate monitoring, sleep analysis, stress tracking, and recovery guidance.Both support blood oxygen saturation monitoring, suitable for high-altitude environments, offer multiple sport modes like running, cycling, swimming, and hiking, and provide route navigation and smart notifications.Both include heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring to help users adjust training plans and improve recovery.

Differences:

• Sport Focus: The Forerunner 970 is tailored for runners and triathletes, offering advanced running metrics such as running endurance, running economy, and pace loss, with enhanced accuracy when paired with the HRM 600 chest strap; the Enduro 3 focuses on endurance sports and outdoor multi-activity training, emphasizing long-duration use and durability.
• Advanced Health Features: Forerunner 970 includes ECG and skin temperature sensors for deeper health insights and female health tracking, while Enduro 3 has more basic health monitoring capabilities.
• Sleep and Recovery:Forerunner 970 provides more detailed and precise sleep tracking and analysis, detecting subtle sleep stage changes; Enduro 3 covers fundamental sleep metrics, designed for users engaged in long outdoor activities.
• Training Plans and Guidance: Forerunner 970 uses Firstbeat algorithms to deliver personalized training and recovery recommendations, ideal for users seeking scientific training; Enduro 3 offers simpler training advice focused on practicality and endurance support.

Winner: Garmin Forerunner 970

With richer sport analytics and advanced health features, it better suits professional athletes and users seeking a comprehensive training experience.

Garmin Enduro 3 vs Forerunner 970-GPS Navigation and Mapping

Similarities:

Both watches support multi-band GNSS (including GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo), offering high-accuracy positioning in complex terrains. They are also equipped with TracBack for retracing routes and support course planning and waypoint navigation - ideal for hiking, trail running, and other outdoor sports.

Differences:

• Garmin Enduro 3: While it includes essential navigation tools, the Enduro 3 is built for “light navigation” scenarios. Prioritizing ultra-long battery life and efficiency, it forgoes full-color topo maps in favor of breadcrumb trails and directional prompts - perfect for users who only need basic route guidance.
• Forerunner 970: This model features full-color topographic maps with zoom and panning capabilities. It supports point-of-interest search, course creation, and layered map views, making it the go-to option for city runners, triathletes, and anyone needing a high-precision, visual navigation experience.

Winner: Garmin Forerunner 970

Because it delivers a more complete, professional-grade mapping and navigation experience, especially for athletes who rely on detailed visual routes.

Garmin Enduro 3 vs Forerunner 970-Price and Positioning

The Garmin Enduro 3 targets high-end outdoor enthusiasts, designed for extreme adventures and long-duration outdoor activities. Priced around $850 to $950, it offers exceptional battery life and rugged durability, making it ideal for ultrarunners, hikers, and multi-day trekkers who require long-lasting GPS tracking.

The Garmin Forerunner 970 is positioned for the high-end running and triathlon market, balancing precise sports data and smart features. It suits professional training and everyday lightweight wear. Priced around $650 to $700, it is more affordable and fits athletes who need solid training support without extreme battery demands.

Winner: Garmin Enduro 3

Reason: With outstanding battery life and rugged design, the Enduro 3 is the best choice for extreme outdoor sports and long activities, especially for users needing reliable and long-lasting GPS support.

Summary and Recommendation-Garmin Enduro 3 vs Forerunner 970

Both the Garmin Enduro 3 and Forerunner 970 showcase Garmin’s leading technology in the high-end sports watch market, yet they cater to different user needs. The Enduro 3 focuses on ultra-long battery life and rugged outdoor durability, making it ideal for adventure seekers and those engaged in extended outdoor activities. In contrast, the Forerunner 970 emphasizes professional training features and everyday wearability, offering a richer set of smart functions and a high-quality display tailored for runners and triathletes.

If your lifestyle leans toward extreme challenges and outdoor exploration with a priority on battery endurance, the Enduro 3 is the clear choice. However, if you value precise training data, a lightweight design, and advanced smart capabilities, the Forerunner 970 will better suit your needs.

When comparing Garmin Forerunner 570 vs 970 vs Fenix 8, it's evident that the Forerunner 970 strikes a balance between performance and wearability, while the Fenix 8 leans toward ruggedness and comprehensive outdoor tools. The Forerunner 570 remains a solid entry in the lineup for users who need core features without the added complexity.

Both watches excel in their respective areas; the key is to select the one that best matches your actual usage scenarios and training habits. This Garmin Enduro 3 vs Forerunner 970 comparison aims to help you find the perfect Garmin companion to support your health and fitness goals.