I review the best Garmin watches for a living and know how expensive it can be to upgrade your running watch.
The good news is that the Garmin Prime Day deals have already started to drop, and right now, the Garmin Forerunner 965 is on sale for $555, making it the same price as the Garmin Forerunner 570. But which one should you buy?
Below, I’ve put the two popular watches head to head to help you decide.
Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Forerunner 570 — Price
At the moment, the Garmin Forerunner 965 is on sale on Amazon in an early Prime Day sale for $555. The Garmin Forerunner 570 is the newer of the two watches, released in May 2025, and is on sale for $549. As a brand new watch, the Forerunner 570 is unlikely to drop in the Prime Day sales.
Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Forerunner 570 — Design and battery life
Both the Garmin Forerunner 965 and Forerunner 570 look like typical Garmin watches. They both have a round face, and five buttons to help you navigate around the watch — three on the left, two on the right. Both have bright AMOLED screens and are comfortable and lightweight on the wrist.
The slight difference here is that the Forerunner 570 comes in two different sizes — a 42mm and a 47mm, whereas the Forerunner 965 only comes in one size, 47mm. The older watch doesn’t come in as many fun color options as the Forerunner 570, but it has a durable titanium bezel, compared to the 570’s aluminum bezel. The Forerunner 570 has a slightly brighter screen, although I’d argue you don’t notice this all that much on the run.
If battery life is a key consideration, the Forerunner 965 comes out on top. The 965 has more than double the battery life of the Forerunner 570, which could be a consideration for long-distance runners heading out on a multi-day adventure, or those who prefer less frequent charging.
The battery life on the Forerunner 965 is up to 23 days in smartwatch mode, and up to 31 hours in GPS mode without music. The Forerunner 570 lasts up to 10 days in smartwatch mode in the 42mm version, 11 days in the 47mm version, and up to 18 hours in GPS mode.
Garmin Forerunner 570 vs Forerunner 965 — Differences in 60 seconds
So what are the main differences between the two watches? You can dive deeper into both watches by reading our Forerunner 570 review and our Forerunner 965 review, but to sum it up, the Forerunner 965 has built-in maps and navigation. In contrast, the Forerunner 570 doesn’t (although it does offer track and follow and direction features). It has advanced features like the Body Battery function, which aren’t on the Forerunner 570, as well as a much longer battery life.
The Forerunner 570 is the newer of the two watches, featuring Garmin’s latest 5th-generation heart rate sensor, which supports additional health metrics, including skin temperature. It also features additional capabilities, including a built-in microphone and speaker for making calls directly from your wrist, as well as a flashlight.
Garmin Forerunner 570 vs Forerunner 965 — Which is the better deal?
So, which should you buy? The answer depends on how much the latest technology and a speaker/microphone matter to you. The Forerunner 965 has advanced training metrics, built-in navigation, and a better battery life, plus it’s probably cheaper in the Prime Day sales. If you’re heading on a multi-day adventure, it’s arguably the better watch to have on your wrist.
That said, if you prefer the brighter colours of the Garmin Forerunner 570, or you’d prefer a smaller watch on your wrist, it’s worth paying a little more for the newer watch.
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