Is the Garmin Forerunner 170 worth it?

No need to rush.

The price gives you no reason to hurry.

Price checked Oct. 21, 2026

See why

Independent iDevice advice

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At a glance.

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Current price

$299.99

at Garmin · Checked Oct. 21, 2026

Works with

iPhone: Works with limits · Android: Works

Why we think so.

Timing

No newer model is expected in the next 90 days.

Price

Nothing's forcing the decision right now, so there's no need to rush. We started tracking this price on Oct 21, 2026, so it's too soon to compare it with past prices.

Works with

Works with Android. Works with iPhone, with limits.

Worth choosing?

Of the 27 other watches we compare, some do better on durability and water (Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar and Amazfit T-Rex Ultra 2) and battery life (Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar and Amazfit T-Rex). We can't compare running and training, gps and navigation and sleep tracking yet.

Price check

Checked Oct. 21, 2026

$299.99

$299.99 at Garmin, checked Oct. 21, 2026.

Will it work for you?

iPhoneWorks with limits

With one limit. The Forerunner 170 pairs with iPhone through the Garmin Connect app and shows notifications, but text replies and pictures in notifications work with Android only.

The Garmin Connect app.

Replying to texts, rejecting a call with a text and seeing pictures from notifications work with Android only.

AndroidWorks

The Forerunner 170 pairs with Android phones through the Garmin Connect app and can send text replies from the watch.

The Garmin Connect app.

Where this one stands out..

How it compares with the other products we’ve looked at.

Durability and water

The Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar leads with 10 ATM. This one: 5 ATM. 10 of 18 compared do better.

Battery life

The Amazfit T-Rex Dual Solar and the Amazfit T-Rex are best for battery life.

Health sensors

The Apple Watch Series 12 and the Pixel Watch 5 are best for health sensors.

Independent decisionsNo AI-generated verdicts. Commissions never change the answer.

Evidence-basedEvery key fact links to a source.

We’ll tell you when to buyGet an email if our advice changes.