Smartwatches · owner-verdict comparison

Garmin Forerunner 970 vs Google Pixel Watch 4: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Garmin Forerunner 970: 68% of 75 owners recommend it, vs 43% of 68 for the Google Pixel Watch 4.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Garmin Forerunner 970

68%of 75 owners recommend

68% recommend · 9% neutral · 23% don't

Owners praise

Remarkably light, slim, and comfortable for all-day and 24/7 wear
Packs the full Fenix-level feature set into a smaller, cheaper package
Strong battery life in typical use, often a week or more

Owners complain about

Ghost touches and an oversensitive touchscreen, sometimes unusable until disabled
Battery can drain badly, dying mid-run or dropping to around 30 hours
Reboots and reliability issues during workouts, with slow Garmin support

Full owner report →

Google Pixel Watch 4

43%of 68 owners recommend

43% recommend · 17% neutral · 40% don't

Owners praise

Owners upgrading from the Pixel Watch 2/3 (or switching from OnePlus, Amazfit, or Samsung) say the PW4 is a clear step up and are glad they made the switch
Clean, elegant watch face and UI design is a standout, with several owners calling it their favorite-looking smartwatch they've owned
Battery life is strong for many owners, with reports of 82% remaining after a day and stretches of 2.5 days between charges

Owners complain about

Glass and overall durability are a recurring worry, no sapphire glass, easily scratched Gorilla Glass, cracked/broken screens, and a quoted $175 lens repair that's nearly half the watch's price
Battery life still lags rivals like Garmin, with some owners reporting only 30-40 hours (vs. a week on Garmin) and calling it the main reason they gave up on the Pixel Watch
No wireless charging, and the included charger/charging setup is described as awkward or a source of complaints

Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Garmin Forerunner 970 if

✓Runners wanting a lightweight, full-featured GPS watch
✓Small-wrist users needing a thin, comfortable watch
✓Fenix owners wanting the same features but lighter
✓24/7 wearers who track sleep

Skip it if

Those wanting a rugged, heavy-duty build
Budget-conscious buyers put off by the high price

Get the Google Pixel Watch 4 if

✓Pixel phone owners who want tap-to-pay, notifications, and Google Home integration on the wrist
✓PW2/PW3 upgraders after bigger display, faster charging, and user-replaceable battery
✓Casual fitness trackers fine with 1-2 day battery who value watch faces and clean UI
✓Hikers/backcountry users wanting satellite SOS as an emergency backup to a phone

Skip it if

Serious athletes/Garmin switchers needing multi-day battery and rigorous health tracking
Anyone wanting wireless charging or scratch-resistant sapphire glass

What Garmin Forerunner 970 owners say

“I just upgraded from the 935 to the 970 and I am very happy with this decision!”
— @WolfgangUllrichPhoto on YouTube

“getting the Flashlight for a forerunner is amazing!”
— @vpnconsult on YouTube

“Garmin overpriced the 970.”
— @mccask on YouTube

What Google Pixel Watch 4 owners say

“they upgraded everything there is to upgrade really. Bigger, brighter display with slimmer bezzels, faster more efficient processor, bigger user replaceable battery, stronger haptics, faster charging, improved sensors, dual gps.”
— VendettaxRiich on Reddit

“It’s super convenient, I keep my watch under my coat sleeve, I don’t even roll it up, I just hold the watch close to the reader and it works automatically.”
— lemikeone on Reddit

“no upgrades for me”
— Darkpoet67 on Reddit

Garmin Forerunner 970 vs Google Pixel Watch 4: frequently asked questions

Is the Garmin Forerunner 970 or the Google Pixel Watch 4 better?

Real owners lean toward the Garmin Forerunner 970: 68% of 75 owners recommend it, vs 43% of 68 for the Google Pixel Watch 4.

Who should get the Garmin Forerunner 970?

Owners point the Garmin Forerunner 970 at runners wanting a lightweight, full-featured GPS watch, and small-wrist users needing a thin, comfortable watch.

Who should get the Google Pixel Watch 4?

Owners point the Google Pixel Watch 4 at pixel phone owners who want tap-to-pay, notifications, and Google Home integration on the wrist, and pW2/PW3 upgraders after bigger display, faster charging, and user-replaceable battery.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Garmin Forerunner 970 is ghost touches and an oversensitive touchscreen, sometimes unusable until disabled. For the Google Pixel Watch 4, it's glass and overall durability are a recurring worry, no sapphire glass, easily scratched Gorilla Glass, cracked/broken screens, and a quoted $175 lens repair that's nearly half the watch's price.