At a Glance: The Verdict
| Garmin Forerunner 970 | Suunto Vertical 2 |
|---|---|
|
Best For: Serious runners and triathletes who want the deepest training toolkit on the wrist. 56g of titanium, ECG, skin temp, NFC payments, and Garmin’s coaching ecosystem. Smaller battery, but lighter and smarter for race-day analytics. |
Best For: Ultra runners and multi-day expedition users who need monster battery and 100m water rating. 65 hours of multi-band GPS and 20 days of smartwatch life for $150 less. The trade-off is a heavier case, no NFC, and no ECG. |
Quick Buy Path
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If these are already your two finalists, compare current pricing now, then keep reading for the full verdict.
Both watches sit in the premium multi-sport AMOLED tier, but they pull in opposite directions. The Forerunner 970 is built around training intelligence and weight. The Vertical 2 is built around battery life and toughness for very long days outdoors.
Key Differences
- Weight: The Forerunner 970 is 56g. The Vertical 2 is 87g. That’s a 31g gap you’ll feel on a long run.
- Battery in GPS: Vertical 2 hits 65 hours of multi-band GPS. The 970 manages 26 hours. Not close.
- ECG and skin temperature: Garmin includes both. Suunto does not.
- NFC payments: Garmin Pay works on the 970. The Vertical 2 has no contactless payments.
- Price: $749 vs $599. Suunto undercuts Garmin by $150 at launch.
- Water rating: Vertical 2 is rated to 100m. The 970 is 5 ATM (50m).
Deep Dive Comparison
Design & Comfort
The Forerunner 970 wears like a serious training watch should — 47mm titanium case, sapphire crystal lens, and just 56g on the wrist. You can sleep in it without noticing. The Vertical 2 is a 49mm case in 316L stainless (with a pricier Grade 5 titanium variant) and weighs 87g in the standard build. That’s adventure-watch territory: built to take a beating, but you’ll feel it on a marathon and especially in bed. If your priority is “wear it 24/7 and forget it’s there,” Garmin wins outright.
Battery Life
This is the Vertical 2’s main argument. It runs 480 hours (20 days) in smartwatch mode and 65 hours of multi-band GPS. The Forerunner 970 does 360 hours (15 days) smartwatch and 26 hours of multi-band GPS. For a weekend trail event or a guided expedition, the Vertical 2 doesn’t even need a charger in the pack. For a 26.2-mile road race or a half-Ironman, the 970 has more than enough — but on a 100-mile ultra, you’d be charging Garmin on the move.
Health & Fitness Features
Both run multi-band GPS, optical heart rate, SpO2, and standard motion sensors. Garmin pulls ahead with on-wrist ECG and skin temperature tracking, plus a flashlight that’s genuinely useful on dark early-morning runs. On the training side, Garmin’s running power, training readiness, race predictor, and Stamina metrics are the most mature wrist-based coaching tools on the market right now. Suunto’s analytics have improved a lot, but Garmin Connect is still the deeper ecosystem if you actually use the data.
Smart Features
Both have a microphone and speaker for call handling. Both run Bluetooth, ANT+, and Wi-Fi, with 32GB of onboard storage for offline music and maps. The split is contactless payments: Garmin Pay is native on the 970, and the Vertical 2 has no NFC at all. If you tap-to-pay on the run or at the gym, the Suunto is a downgrade.
Price & Value
The Forerunner 970 launched at $749. The Suunto Vertical 2 launched at $599. Suunto is offering a more rugged case, more battery, and a bigger 1.5-inch display for $150 less. The catch is that you give up ECG, skin temperature, NFC, and Garmin’s training brain. The Vertical 2 is the better value on a feature-per-dollar basis. The 970 is the better watch if those Garmin-exclusive features matter to your training.
Technical Specs
| Spec | Garmin Forerunner 970 | Suunto Vertical 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Price | $749 | $599 |
| Case Size | 47mm | 49mm |
| Weight | 56g | 87g |
| Case Material | Titanium with sapphire lens | 316L stainless (titanium variant available) |
| Display | 1.4-inch AMOLED, 454 x 454 | 1.5-inch LTPO AMOLED, 466 x 466 |
| Water Rating | 5 ATM (50m) | 100m |
| Battery (Smartwatch) | 360 hours (15 days) | 480 hours (20 days) |
| Battery (Multi-band GPS) | 26 hours | 65 hours |
| GPS | Multi-band | Multi-band |
| Sensors | HR, ECG, SpO2, skin temp, altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, LED flashlight | HR, SpO2, barometric altimeter, barometer, thermometer, compass, accelerometer, gyroscope |
| NFC Payments | Yes | No |
| Mic & Speaker | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | 32GB | 32GB |
The Verdict
The Forerunner 970 wins for most runners and triathletes. It’s lighter, it has ECG and skin temperature, it has Garmin Pay, and Garmin Connect is still the strongest training platform on a wrist. Buy the 970 if you’re training for a marathon, a 70.3, or a full Ironman and you actually use the analytics.
The Vertical 2 wins on battery, price, and bombproofing. Buy the Vertical 2 if you run ultras, do multi-day fastpacking, lead expeditions, or you simply don’t want to charge a watch more than once a month. It’s also the smarter pick for buyers who don’t need ECG and don’t want to spend Garmin money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which watch is better for marathon training?
The Garmin Forerunner 970. It’s 31g lighter, has running power on the wrist, race predictor, and Garmin’s training readiness score. The Vertical 2 will track the same run, but Garmin’s coaching toolset is more useful between race days.
Which has better battery life?
The Suunto Vertical 2, and it’s not close. You get 65 hours of multi-band GPS versus 26 hours on the Forerunner 970, and 20 days of smartwatch life versus 15 days. For 100-milers, weekend backpacking trips, or anyone who hates charging, Suunto wins this category outright.
Is the $150 price gap worth it for the Forerunner 970?
Yes, if you’ll use ECG, skin temperature, NFC payments, and Garmin’s deeper training analytics. No, if you mostly need GPS, heart rate, and battery — in that case the Vertical 2 gives you more raw watch for less money.
Do both work equally well with iPhone and Android?
Yes. Both pair over Bluetooth with iOS and Android and sync to their respective apps (Garmin Connect and Suunto). Notifications and music control work cross-platform, though some advanced features like text replies are still Android-only on Garmin.
Which is better for swimming and water sports?
The Vertical 2 has the edge with a 100m water rating, while the Forerunner 970 is rated to 5 ATM (50m). Both handle pool and open-water swims fine, but the Vertical 2 is the safer pick for snorkeling, surf, or any high-impact water activity.
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