At a Glance: The Verdict
| Garmin Forerunner 970 | Apple Watch Ultra 4 |
|---|---|
|
Best For: Runners and multisport athletes who want a watch that lasts Our pick for most people reading this. It runs 15 days between charges in smartwatch mode, weighs 56 g, and costs $749.99. |
Best For: iPhone owners who want cellular, satellite and dive features The better choice if you want to leave your phone behind, head offshore, or dive. You charge it about every two days, and it costs $799. |
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Both watches are titanium, multi-band GPS, and built for serious training, but they solve different problems. The Garmin Forerunner 970 is a training tool that happens to be a smartwatch. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is a connected adventure watch that happens to track workouts.
For most buyers choosing between them, we pick the Forerunner 970. It costs less, lasts many times longer, and weighs 7 g less. The Ultra 4 wins when you need cellular, satellite messaging, or recreational scuba depth.
Key Differences
- Battery: The Forerunner 970 gives you 360 hours (15 days) as a smartwatch. The Ultra 4 gives you 50 hours (2.1 days).
- GPS endurance: 26 hours (1.1 days) on the Garmin versus 18 hours (0.8 days) on the Apple, using Apple’s standard outdoor workout figure.
- Connectivity: The Ultra 4 adds 5G RedCap/LTE cellular and satellite for Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My. The Forerunner 970 lists Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi and NFC only.
- Water rating: The Garmin is rated 5 ATM. The Ultra 4 is rated to 100m and EN13319 recreational scuba to 40m, and it carries a depth gauge and water temperature sensor.
- Price: $749.99 for the Garmin, $799 for the Apple.
- Storage: 32GB on the Garmin, 64GB on the Apple.
- Weight: 56 g versus 63 g.
Deep Dive Comparison
Design & Comfort
The Forerunner 970 is a 47 mm watch that weighs 56 g, with a titanium case and a sapphire crystal lens. The Ultra 4 is a 49 mm titanium (Grade 5) watch at 63 g. That is a 7 g gap, which you will notice on a long run or when sleeping with the watch on. The extra 2 mm of case also sits larger on a small wrist.
The Garmin has an LED flashlight built in, which is handy for early-morning runs and camp use. Both watches have a microphone and speaker.
Displays are both bright, modern panels. The Garmin uses a 1.4-inch AMOLED at 454 x 454 pixels. The Ultra 4 uses an always-on wide-angle LTPO3 OLED Retina display at 422 x 514 pixels. Apple does not publish a screen diagonal in inches, so we will not compare sizes directly.
Battery Life
This is the biggest gap in the comparison. The Forerunner 970 runs 360 hours (15 days) as a smartwatch, so a week away from a charger is no problem. The Ultra 4 lasts 50 hours (2.1 days), which means a nightly or every-other-night charging habit.
In GPS mode the gap narrows but stays real. The Garmin gets 26 hours (1.1 days), and the Apple gets 18 hours (0.8 days) in its standard outdoor workout. If you run ultramarathons or plan a long day outdoors, the Garmin gives you more room.
Health & Fitness Features
Both watches use multi-band GPS, which gives better tracking near tall buildings and under tree cover. Both include heart rate and blood oxygen sensing, plus a temperature sensor. The Garmin lists ECG, skin temperature, altimeter, compass, gyroscope and accelerometer. The Apple lists a second-generation electrical heart sensor, an optical heart sensor, an always-on altimeter, a compass, a high-g accelerometer and a high dynamic range gyroscope.
The Ultra 4 adds sensors the Garmin does not list: a depth gauge and a water temperature sensor. If you dive, that is a real reason to pick it. If you run, ride and race, the Garmin’s longer battery and ANT+ support for external sensors are the more useful pieces. Both watches also support Bluetooth for pairing accessories.
Smart Features
Both watches support NFC payments and have a microphone and speaker for calls and voice features. The Ultra 4 goes further with 5G RedCap/LTE cellular, so you can take calls and messages without your phone nearby. It also has satellite connectivity for Emergency SOS, Messages and Find My, which matters when you are somewhere with no cell signal.
The Garmin has Wi-Fi and 32GB of storage for music and maps. The Apple has 64GB, Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth 5.3 and second-generation Ultra Wideband. If your phone is an iPhone and you want a watch that does almost everything a phone does on your wrist, the Apple is the stronger smartwatch.
Price & Value
The Forerunner 970 launched at $749.99 and the Ultra 4 at $799, a gap of about $49. For that extra money, you get cellular, satellite and a deeper water rating. You give up 13 days of smartwatch battery and carry 7 g more on your wrist.
If you will use the cellular and satellite features, the Apple is fair value. If you will not, the Garmin delivers more training-focused value for less money.
Technical Specs
| Spec | Garmin Forerunner 970 | Apple Watch Ultra 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $749.99 | $799 |
| Release Date | May 21, 2025 | September 18, 2026 |
| Case Size | 47 mm | 49 mm |
| Weight | 56 g | 63 g |
| Case Material | Titanium with sapphire crystal lens | Titanium (Grade 5) |
| Water Rating | 5 ATM | 100m (ISO 22810:2010); EN13319 recreational scuba to 40m |
| Display | 1.4-inch AMOLED, 454 x 454 | Always-on LTPO3 OLED Retina (wide-angle), 422 x 514 |
| Battery (Smartwatch) | 360 hours (15 days) | 50 hours (2.1 days) |
| Battery (GPS) | 26 hours (1.1 days) | 18 hours (0.8 days) |
| GPS | Multi-band | Multi-band |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi, NFC | Wi-Fi 4, Bluetooth 5.3, Ultra Wideband (2nd gen), 5G RedCap/LTE cellular, satellite |
| NFC Payments | Yes | Yes |
| Sensors | HR, ECG, SpO2, skin temperature, altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, LED flashlight | Electrical heart sensor (2nd gen), optical heart sensor, blood oxygen, temperature, depth gauge, water temperature, compass, always-on altimeter, high-g accelerometer, high dynamic range gyroscope, ambient light sensor |
| Mic & Speaker | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | 32GB | 64GB |
The Verdict
The Garmin Forerunner 970 is the better pick for most people. It costs $49 less, lasts 15 days in smartwatch mode against 2.1 days, gets 26 hours of GPS against 18, and weighs 56 g. For a runner, triathlete or anyone who wants to stop thinking about charging, that adds up to a clear win.
Buy the Garmin Forerunner 970 if you train seriously, race, travel often, or wear your watch to bed and do not want to charge it every other day. It works for you if you want ANT+ sensor support and a built-in flashlight.
Buy the Apple Watch Ultra 4 if you own an iPhone and want cellular and satellite connectivity, dive recreationally, or want 64GB of storage and the most capable smartwatch features. Accept that you will be charging it about every two days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, the Garmin Forerunner 970 or the Apple Watch Ultra 4?
For most people, the Forerunner 970 is better. It costs $749.99 against $799, runs 15 days between charges, and weighs 7 g less. The Ultra 4 is better only if you need cellular, satellite messaging, or dive features.
How big is the battery difference between these two watches?
In smartwatch mode the Garmin lasts 360 hours (15 days) and the Apple lasts 50 hours (2.1 days). In GPS mode it is 26 hours (1.1 days) against 18 hours (0.8 days). The Garmin wins both tests.
Is the Apple Watch Ultra 4 worth $49 more?
Yes, if you will use cellular, satellite Emergency SOS, or the depth gauge for scuba to 40m. You also get 64GB of storage instead of 32GB. If you only run and ride, the extra money buys features you will not use.
Can I use the Apple Watch Ultra 4 with an Android phone?
No. Apple Watches pair with iPhones, so Android users should choose the Forerunner 970. It lists Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi and NFC, and works with both iPhone and Android.
Which watch is better for a marathon runner?
The Forerunner 970. It lasts 26 hours in GPS mode against 18 hours for the Ultra 4, so a long race or a long training day will not run it down. It is also 7 g lighter and supports ANT+ for external sensors.
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