The Garmin Forerunner 570 is a powerful running watch but the price is all wrong

Garmin Forerunner 570 The Garmin Forerunner 570 is a sleek, high-performing running watch that nails the essentials and then some, but its price puts it in a strange no man’s land between its better-value siblings. With advanced training tools, added smart tools, and highly accurate sensors, it’s easy to love while wearing it, but unless you find it discounted, it's tricky to justify buying in the first place. I’ve spent the past few weeks testing the Garmin Forerunner 570, Garmin’s latest addition to its long-running Forerunner lineup. On paper, it’s as close to perfect as a running watch gets. I love everything from its looks to its excellent battery life, and it offers the kind of performance data serious endurance athletes will fully appreciate. But as good as it is, I’ve come away wondering who it’s actually for. Depressingly priced at a princely $549, it’s too expensive (and frankly too advanced) for casual users, yet probably not comprehensive enough for the high-end Garmin crowd. Looking the part Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority Starting with what I genuinely loved, the Forerunner 570’s aesthetics nail the balance between athletic and refined. The watch is available in two case sizes, 42mm and 47mm, both of which feature an aluminum bezel that adds just enough polish to make it elevated without going full luxury. I tested the 42mm model in Cloud Blue, which is white with icy blue detailing, and could easily award it a permanent spot in my everyday wardrobe. It’s subtle, modern, and versatile enough to wear all day, not just during workouts. Both case sizes come in a few different colorways, and while I haven’t worn all of them myself, every version looks equally attractive, even if some are quite a bit bolder. The full lineup touts colorful AMOLED displays just like the 265 and 965, suggesting Garmin has really nailed the coffin shut on new MIPS in this product line. The 570’s case itself is a little thick, but still lightweight enough to feel plenty comfortable during long runs. The bulk was also non-issue when I wore it to bed for sleep tracking. The adjustable band is soft, breathable, and very easy to rinse. Most importantly, it keeps the watch flush on my wrist with zero movement or bounce during workouts. With a polished look and a full-color AMOLED display, the Forerunner 570 is as attractive as it is comfortable. It’s not just the hardware that shines either. Below the glass, Garmin’s revamped interface is also a noticeable upgrade. The updated look, which has been making its way across the Garmin stable, feels long overdue and makes the watch far easier to navigate. The software experience is faster, more modern, and just nicer to use. Overall, it’s a watch that doesn’t scream “serious triathlete,” but definitely whispers it. A packed feature list with confusing omissions Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority The Forerunner 570 brings almost every modern Garmin feature to the table. It includes dual-band GNSS and a boatload of sport modes (including more than 20 new ones), plus a broad list of health tracking features and uniquely Garmin tools like Body Battery. Health-wise, the device adds overnight skin temperature tracking and past ovulation estimations for those who menstruate. Training-wise, it adds a bit more. Many of its fitness tracking upgrades have been seen elsewhere in the Garmin stable, but new adds include Finish Line Estimates, Automatic Lap by Timing Gate and structured multisport workouts, plus access to new Garmin Coach Triathlon Plans, all of which highlight that this is a watch designed for runners (in case the name didn’t make it clear). I used it for tempo runs, long hikes, treadmill sessions, and neighborhood jogs, and it kept up without missing a beat. The 570 packs a range of new features for runners, plus all the expected health and fitness tracking tools. I also loved the addition of Projected Race Time. I don’t have any events on the calendar, but checking what my potential 5K or 10K time might be helped me analyze my training regimen, aka motivated me to run a little harder. As for smartwatch tools, the watch still boasts 8GB to support onboard music storage, but now adds a built-in speaker as well as a microphone. This lets you go full James Bond with Bluetooth-connected phone calling as well as voice assistance and onboard voice commands. I can’t say I see myself making many calls from my wrist, and I don’t typically carry my phone on runs or rides, but the quality here is good if needed in a pinch. Voices came through clearly, and the watch registered my input efficiently. The newest Forerunners also debut Evening Reports, which offer recaps of your activity plus guidance for your evening and the following day. It’s basically that one coworker in an excessively long meeting who pays really good attention so they can sum up all the key takeaways at the end in case you zoned out. I love this automated summary and the sleep coach tips it hits me with right as I start thinking about whether or not to put on a show or hit the bed. Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority Yet even with a truly bloated feature set, I’m left wanting. With a price tag listed at $549, it is hard to ignore what is missing. First, while the Forerunner 570 features Garmin’s Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor, it does not include the brand’s ECG app. This is baffling when you consider the Garmin Venu 3, priced much lower at $349, offers ECG support. It is also a feature shoppers expect from most smartwatches in this price range. Leaving it off makes the watch feel intentionally limited, potentially so that the company can justify the 970s price tag. While the Forerunner 570 boasts Garmin's latest heart rate sensor, it does not feature ECG support. Likewise, the watch doesn’t add a flashlight like the 970 and lacks any built-in mapping. I appreciated the ability to follow a breadcrumb trail when I veered off-path, but I am disappointed that the device doesn’t have detailed topographic maps like the 970, especially at this price bump. There are other tools differentiating the pricier model from this mid-tier one, and that’s fair, but these are the biggest offenders in my mind when asking shoppers to drop half a grand. The 570 is, without a doubt, a better watch than the 265. But it is not a huge leap forward. And when you compare it to the 970, which adds ECG, the 570 feels like it is stuck in a weird in-between space. It is a tough sell when the 265 gives you 90 percent of the experience for $200 less, or the 970 gives you everything for just $100 to $150 more. Accurate as always Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority When it comes to core metrics like GPS and heart rate tracking, Garmin is nothing if not consistent. The Forerunner 570 delivers accuracy on both fronts. I compared its dual-band GNSS tracking to routes logged with a chest strap and reference-grade devices, and the results were near flawless. It hugged tight corners accurately, avoided common GPS drift in tree cover and urban areas, and maintained smooth, believable pace and elevation data even during trail runs. On the map above, you can see one of my tracked neighborhood runs that nearly matches the route recorded by my Apple Watch Ultra 2. There are small fluctuations, but not enough to impact my training data, and the two devices recorded identical total distances. Heart rate performance was just as reliable. Across tempo efforts, interval sessions, and long steady-state runs, the Elevate Gen 5 sensor held impressively close to my chest strap readings with minimal lag. I’ve garnered the same level of results from other devices with the same hardware, like the Venu 3, so I wasn’t surprised, but still pleased. Whether you’re training by heart rate zone or just need confidence in your data, the 570 doesn’t flinch. Garmin Forerunner 570: The verdict Kaitlyn Cimino / Android Authority The Garmin Forerunner 570 is a polished, high-performing, and impressively accurate running watch. It is comfortable, looks great, and has nearly every feature a serious runner could want. But at $549, it is also a watch that feels caught between tiers. It doesn’t offer enough over the Forerunner 265 ($449.99 at Garmin), which often goes on sale to below $400, to warrant the price bump for most users, and it holds back just enough to make the Forerunner 970 ($749.99 at Amazon) a better long-term investment. It’s a fantastic watch caught in a pricing purgatory. For most people, better value lies on either side. In a vacuum, the 570 is a fantastic watch, but its price and feature set are hard to position in Garmin's stable. Every time I start a Garmin review, I assume I’m going to love the device. The truth is that the company rarely misses. In a vacuum, the Forerunner 570 retains that pattern with reliable hardware, a refined interface, and more training tools than I can reasonably make use of in one review period. But the watch doesn’t exist in a bubble, and that makes it hard to recommend. Garmin Forerunner 570 MSRP: $549.00 Accurate running watch. The Garmin Forerunner 570 is a sleek, high-performing running watch with advanced training tools, added smart tools, and highly accurate sensors. See price at Amazon Positives Stylish, attractive aesthetic Stylish, attractive aesthetic Full-color AMOLED display Full-color AMOLED display Updated, more premium UI Updated, more premium UI Accurate heart rate and GPS tracking Accurate heart rate and GPS tracking New training features, especially for runners New training features, especially for runners Added smartwatch tools and Evening reports Cons Baffling price positioning in Forerunner series Baffling price positioning in Forerunner series No ECG support No ECG support No built-in maps