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The Garmin Forerunner 570 strikes the right balance between form and function, sitting comfortably on your wrist whilst delivering extensive fitness and health insights, all for a reasonable price.
The Good
- Loads of battery life
- Highly detailed data breakdowns
- Fits nicely on your wrist
The Not So Good
- UI can be a bit clunky at times
Need-to-knows
- Incredibly impressive 12-day battery life
- Endless data insights
- Comfy on the wrist
- UI could be slightly more polished
I’ve worn an Apple Watch since the original landed on my wrist in 2015. That’s a solid decade of notifications, stand goals, and, as any honest Apple Watch user will tell you, battery anxiety. So, when I decided to give the Garmin Forerunner 570 a go, I had a few concerns but also causes for optimism.
Would it play nicely with my iPhone? Would the UI be a pain? Would I spend every run longing for my little digital rings?
The answers, thankfully, surprised me in the best way possible.
Shop the Garmin Forerunner 570 below!
At a glance
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| Case Size | 42 mm |
| Physical Dimensions | 42.4 × 42.4 × 12.9 mm |
| Weight | 42 g |
| Wrist Fit | 115–178 mm |
| Strap Material | Silicone (20 mm quick-release) |
| Bezel Material | Aluminium |
| Lens Material | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Display Type | AMOLED (optional always-on) |
| Display Size | 1.2″ (30.4 mm) |
| Resolution | 390 × 390 px |
| Water Rating | 5 ATM |
| Battery Life | Smartwatch: up to 10 days |
| GPS only: up to 18 hrs | |
| All-systems + Multi-Band: up to 13 hrs | |
| Multi-Band + Music: up to 8 hrs | |
| Charging | Garmin proprietary charger |
| Memory | 8 GB |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi |
| GPS Systems | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, BeiDou, SatIQ |
| Heart Rate Sensor | Garmin Elevate wrist HR |
| Pulse Ox | Yes |
| Speaker & Microphone | Yes (calling + voice assist with phone) |
| Smart Features | Notifications, Garmin Pay, Music storage, Morning/Evening Report, Voice commands |
| Training Features | Training Readiness, Improved Training Status, Daily Suggested Workouts, VO2 Max, HRV Status |
| Activity Profiles | Running, Cycling, Swimming, Multisport, Strength, Yoga, HIIT, Golf, Outdoor Rec + more |
| Safety Features | Incident Detection, Assistance, Live Event Sharing (Android) |
| Price | $549/£459 |
Read our Apple Watch Series 10 review here!
First impressions: thin strap, big leap
The first thing I thought when strapping on the Forerunner 570 was, “this strap feels a bit thin.” But after a single workout, I got it. It hugs the wrist like a second skin, never feels too hot, and has enough holes in it to ensure the perfect fit.
Compared to the Apple Watch’s thicker silicon bands, it’s actually more comfortable for long sessions, especially when you’re sweating like a maniac halfway through a half-marathon training plan (yes, that’s how I put this watch to the test!).
How does the UI stack up?
One of my biggest worries was getting used to the interface. Garmin isn’t Apple. The UI feels very foreign and some people notoriously dislike Garmin’s approach. There are buttons. Menus. Apps you have to download separately.
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But after about 15 minutes of poking around, I had the basics down. You’ll want to install:
- Garmin Connect: The mothership for setup and stats.
- Garmin Connect IQ: For custom watchfaces and apps.
- Garmin Golf (if that’s your thing).
- Garmin Dive (if you’re into exploring the deep blue, I’m not, so skipped it).
Once that’s done, the experience starts to feel more cohesive. Yes, it’s clunkier than Apple’s “it just works” vibe, but there is more functionality and detail with Garmin that makes the UI feel worthwhile.
iPhone compatibility: no drama here
I didn’t bother trying to connect the Forerunner 570 to my Mac because, frankly, why would I? But with the iPhone? It was surprisingly seamless. Notifications came through without a hitch, syncing was smooth, and it quickly settled into my daily flow.
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It’s not quite as buttery-smooth as the Apple ecosystem obviously, there is the Garmin app involved as a middle man, but it was close enough that I didn’t care. I can safely say that after a day or two, you don’t notice that the Garmin isn’t Apple ecosystem certified.
Let’s talk battery life
Here’s where Garmin obliterates Apple, and where most other smartwatches do too, to be fair.
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The Forerunner 570 is rated for a staggering 12 days of battery life. Let me say that again, with feeling, 12 days.
After years of daily charging with my Apple Watch, this felt like witchcraft. I don’t plan charging sessions anymore, I just glance down, notice I’ve got a few days left, and top it up at my leisure. I can’t remember the last time a battery gave me this much peace of mind. Although I do wish it had wireless charging, I miss not being able to just plonk it on my MagSafe dock once a week.
All in all, the battery life is an absolute win and a major reason to consider buying this watch over an Apple Watch.
Fitness focus
I originally used the Apple Watch as a nudge to get me to move more. Those rings did a good job of gamifying fitness, but I’ve come to realise they were a bit…fluffy. Almost too forgiving.
Garmin’s approach is totally different. This is a training tool, not a wrist-mounted cheerleader. The data it gives me, especially during runs and bike rides, is on another, unmatched level. And because I’m currently training for a half-marathon, I appreciate the deep insights and focus on performance.
The Garmin doesn’t have thing like the stand up reminders but I haven’t missed them. If I want to stand up, I’ll stand up. I don’t need a tap on the wrist every hour.
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One of my fears was fumbling around with buttons at the start of a long run. But Garmin’s nailed this. Tap the top-right button and you’re in workout mode. From there, it’s easy to pick from pinned activities or scroll through the full list. It’s idiot-proof, which is exactly what I needed.
Data overload (in the best way)
The Garmin Connect app is a data nerd’s dream. Want to see your sleep score, stress level, body battery, training readiness, calories, steps, heart rate, VO2 Max, and more? It’s all there. Better still, you can customise what you see so it doesn’t become overwhelming.
Personally, I’ve become obsessed with the Body Battery and Sleep Score. They’ve helped me realise how important recovery really is. If the battery’s drained, I take a rest day. Simple.
There are also coaching plans and challenges you can join. I’m already mid-way through a plan, but I gave Garmin’s version a whirl and it’s easy to follow. The challenges look fun too and could be a great motivator down the road.
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In short, if you like running and want to know everything you could possibly need about your form, pace and bodily response to exercise loads, then the Forerunner 570 has you covered.
Watchfaces
You can download loads of different watchfaces via the Connect IQ store, many of which are focused on displaying your favourite stats in just the right way. I’ve played with a few, but ended up going back to the default face. It’s clean, customisable, and shows exactly what I want: VO2 Max, weekly mileage, and readable colours.
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Final thoughts
Switching to the Garmin Forerunner 570 was a risk. I wasn’t sure if I’d miss the slickness of the Apple Watch or get bogged down by the learning curve.
Instead, I found a more focused, less needy experience. It’s not trying to be everything to everyone, it’s trying to be the best training partner you’ve ever had. And if you’re a fellow Apple Watch user wondering if you can make the leap? You absolutely can.
Just don’t be surprised when you realise you don’t miss the Apple Watch that much after all.
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