I ran 10K with the Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Garmin Forerunner 170: is the new watch worth the upgrade?
The article compares the Garmin Forerunner 165 and the newer Forerunner 170 after a 10K run to assess whether the upgrade is worthwhile. The Forerunner 170 offers hardware and software improvements but comes at a higher price point. Both models are part of Garmin's updated entry-level running watch lineup for 2026.
- ▪The Garmin Forerunner 170 replaces the Forerunner 165 and is available in standard and music versions priced at $299 and $349 respectively.
- ▪The Forerunner 165 is frequently on sale, making the actual price difference between the two models around $100 rather than the listed $50.
- ▪The new Forerunner 70 is a more affordable option at $249 but lacks music storage, NFC payments, and an altimeter.
- ▪The author tested both watches for GPS and heart rate accuracy during a 10K run.
- ▪Garmin released three new entry-level running watches in 2026, targeting beginners and budget-conscious runners.
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Wellness Smartwatches I ran 10K with the Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Garmin Forerunner 170: is the new watch worth the upgrade? Face Off By Nick Harris-Fry published 16 May 2026 Garmin’s new watch has some useful updates When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Future) Copy link Facebook X Reddit Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Garmin launched a lot of watches in 2025 but didn’t update the more affordable end of its Forerunner line, so it’s not a surprise that the first major Garmin release of 2026 is an entry-level running watch.Three entry-level running watches in fact.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Tom's Guide.
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