A Complete Side-by-Side Comparison of Garmin's Most Popular Entry-Level Running Watches
When Garmin launched the Forerunner® 55 in 2021, it quickly became one of the most popular GPS running watches for beginners. Offering accurate GPS tracking, excellent battery life and Garmin Coach training plans, it delivered incredible value for runners starting their fitness journey.
Fast forward to 2026, and Garmin has introduced the all-new Forerunner® 70—a watch that builds on everything people loved about the Forerunner 55 while adding a brighter display, more advanced training metrics and improved health tracking.
So, if you're trying to decide between the two, which one is right for you?
Let's take a closer look.
At a Glance
| Feature |
Garmin Forerunner® 55 |
Garmin Forerunner® 70 |
|---|---|---|
| Release Year | 2021 | 2026 |
| Display | 1.04" Memory-in-Pixel (MIP) | 1.2" AMOLED Touchscreen |
| Screen Resolution | 208 × 208 | 390 × 390 |
| Controls | Five Buttons | Touchscreen + Five Buttons |
| GPS | Single-band GPS | Multi-GNSS GPS |
| Smartwatch Battery | Up to 14 days | Up to 13 days |
| GPS Battery | Up to 20 hours | Up to 23 hours |
| Weight | 37 g | 40 g |
| Water Rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Garmin Coach | ✔ | ✔ |
| Daily Suggested Workouts | ✔ | ✔ |
| Running Power | No | ✔ |
| Training Readiness | No | ✔ |
| Training Status | No | ✔ |
| HRV Status | No | ✔ |
| Sleep Score | Basic Sleep Tracking | Advanced Sleep Score & Insights |
| Recovery Time | Basic | Advanced |
| Morning Report | No | ✔ |
| Garmin Pay | No | No |
| Music Storage | No | No |
Design & Display
The biggest improvement is immediately obvious.
The Forerunner 55 features Garmin's traditional sunlight-readable Memory-in-Pixel (MIP) display. It is incredibly power efficient and easy to read outdoors but appears fairly basic by today's standards.
The new Forerunner 70 introduces a beautiful 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen, producing vibrant colours, sharper graphics and a much more modern appearance. Garmin has also retained the familiar five-button controls, allowing the watch to be operated even with wet hands or gloves.
Winner: Forerunner® 70
Running & Training Features
Both watches are designed specifically for runners and include:
-
Built-in GPS
-
Wrist-based heart rate monitoring
-
Pace and distance tracking
-
Garmin Coach training plans
-
Daily Suggested Workouts
-
Race Predictor
-
Recovery Time
-
Virtual Run
-
Interval Workouts
-
Track Run Mode
However, Garmin has significantly expanded the training capabilities of the Forerunner 70.
New features include:
-
Training Readiness
-
Training Status
-
HRV Status
-
Wrist-based Running Power
-
Advanced Running Dynamics
-
Improved recovery recommendations
-
Morning Report
-
More than 80 built-in activity profiles
These additions help runners better understand their fitness, recovery and overall training progress.
Winner: Forerunner® 70
Health & Wellness
Both watches monitor:
-
Heart Rate
-
Stress
-
Body Battery™ Energy Monitoring
-
Respiration
-
Sleep
-
Women's Health Tracking
The Forerunner 70 expands on this with:
-
Sleep Score and personalised sleep insights
-
HRV Status
-
Enhanced Health Snapshot
-
More detailed recovery information
-
Improved wellness reporting
For users interested in tracking both performance and overall health, the Forerunner 70 offers a noticeable step forward.
Battery Life
Garmin has managed to improve battery performance despite introducing the brighter AMOLED display.
Garmin Forerunner® 55
-
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 14 days
-
GPS Mode: Up to 20 hours
Garmin Forerunner® 70
-
Smartwatch Mode: Up to 13 days
-
GPS Mode: Up to 23 hours
In real-world use, both watches offer excellent endurance, with the Forerunner 70 providing longer GPS runtime while sacrificing just one day of smartwatch battery.
Smart Features
Both watches include:
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Smartphone notifications
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Calendar
-
Weather
-
Find My Phone
-
LiveTrack
-
Incident Detection
-
Garmin Connect™ compatibility
Neither model includes onboard music storage or Garmin Pay, helping keep them affordable.
Which Watch Is Best for You?
Choose the Garmin Forerunner® 55 if:
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You're new to running.
-
You mainly want accurate GPS and heart-rate tracking.
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You're looking for the best value.
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You don't mind the older display technology.
-
You want an affordable Garmin running watch.
The Forerunner 55 remains one of the best entry-level GPS running watches available.
Choose the Garmin Forerunner® 70 if:
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You want Garmin's newest technology.
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You train several times each week.
-
You enjoy analysing your training data.
-
You want a brighter AMOLED display.
-
You plan on keeping the watch for several years.
The additional training metrics and health insights make it a much more capable long-term training companion.
Pros & Cons
Garmin Forerunner® 55
Pros
✔ Excellent value
✔ Lightweight
✔ Great battery life
✔ Reliable GPS accuracy
✔ Easy to use
Cons
✘ Older MIP display
✘ Limited training analysis
✘ Basic sleep tracking
✘ No Running Power
Garmin Forerunner® 70
Pros
✔ Stunning AMOLED display
✔ Running Power
✔ Training Readiness
✔ Training Status
✔ HRV Status
✔ Sleep Score
✔ Longer GPS battery
✔ More activity profiles
Cons
✘ Higher purchase price
✘ Slightly shorter smartwatch battery life
Final Verdict
The Garmin Forerunner® 55 remains an outstanding option for beginner runners looking for a dependable and affordable GPS running watch. It covers all the essentials and continues to offer excellent value.
However, the Garmin Forerunner® 70 is a significant leap forward. Its vibrant AMOLED touchscreen, advanced training metrics, improved health monitoring and longer GPS battery life bring features previously reserved for Garmin's more expensive running watches into an affordable package.
If you're buying your first running watch today, or upgrading from an older Garmin model, the Forerunner® 70 is undoubtedly the better long-term investment.
For casual runners on a tighter budget, the Forerunner® 55 still offers everything needed to train successfully. But for those wanting deeper insights into performance, recovery and overall fitness, the Forerunner® 70 is the clear winner.
