Garmin Forerunner 970 vs RingConn Gen 3
Our pick: Garmin Forerunner 970 takes it — 84 vs 82.
Both are strong — the call comes down to what you prioritise:
- Garmin Forerunner 970 — You coach or train for endurance and triathlon and want maps, the full readiness and load suite, and data you can use to manage clients' weekly volume.
- RingConn Gen 3 — You want Oura-level sleep and recovery data for yourself or clients without a monthly fee, and battery life matters more to you than workout tracking.
Garmin Forerunner 970
The most complete Forerunner yet: a brighter AMOLED under sapphire, a flashlight, speaker and mic, ECG, a Gen 5 heart-rate sensor and new load tools such as Running Tolerance. It also costs about 135 EUR more than the 965 we reviewed, and smartwatch battery drops from 23 to 15 days.
RingConn Gen 3
RingConn's subscription-free formula, refined: up to 14 days per charge, a universal charging case, new haptic alerts and vascular trend insights. It is slightly thicker than the Gen 2, exercise heart rate still lags and the price climbs to 369 EUR, but it remains the strongest no-subscription alternative to Oura.
Compare side-by-side
| Garmin Forerunner 97084Scorefrom€624Review → | RingConn Gen 382Scorefrom€369Review → | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | — | — |
| Battery life | — | — |
| Screen | — | — |
| Sleep tracking | — | — |
| Recovery / HRV | — | — |
| Subscription | — | — |
| Water resistance | — | — |
Prices are our researched reference points.
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