Smartwatches · owner-verdict comparison

Garmin Forerunner 970 vs Galaxy Watch Ultra: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Galaxy Watch Ultra: 75% of 16 owners recommend it, vs 68% of 75 for the Garmin Forerunner 970.

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 →

Galaxy Watch Ultra

75%of 16 owners recommend
75% recommend · 6% neutral · 19% don't
Owners praise
  • Reported battery life is genuinely long for many owners, with people citing 2-5 days, 60 hours with AOD off, or 2 days 21 hours on a charge
  • Premium, eye-catching design that looks better in person than in photos, including the black and white colorways
  • Rugged, tank-like build quality that survives dust, scratches, and rough daily use (including construction work) without concern
Owners complain about
  • Battery life is the most common complaint, with many owners getting only 1-2.5 days per charge (some as low as 20-30 hours) despite Samsung's 2-4 day claims
  • Removal of the physical rotating bezel is a recurring dealbreaker, with owners missing it, wishing it returned, or refusing to buy without it
  • Health-tracking accuracy issues, especially sleep tracking that owners call a 'complete failure,' along with inconsistent heart rate and step counts
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 Galaxy Watch Ultra if
  • ✓Samsung/Android phone owners wanting a rugged, premium-feeling smartwatch with WearOS features
  • ✓Outdoor and adventure users who value a bright always-on display and tough build over ultralight design
  • ✓Buyers upgrading from an older Galaxy Watch who want better performance and battery than the base models
  • ✓Wearers who prioritize looks and comfortable bands over multi-day battery life or a rotating bezel
Skip it if
  • Multi-day battery seekers, since owners consistently report only 1.5-3 days, far short of Garmin
  • Rotating-bezel loyalists from the Classic line, a recurring dealbreaker complaint

What Galaxy Watch Ultra owners think

Most owners are won over by the Galaxy Watch Ultra's premium, rugged design and its comfortable bands, and many describe it as a clear upgrade over older Galaxy Watches like the 6 Classic and 5 Pro, with a solid contingent reporting 2-5 days of battery life. But a large and vocal minority pushes back hard on battery performance, with dozens of owners getting only a day and a half to two days despite Samsung's multi-day claims. The missing rotating bezel is a recurring sore point that some say is a dealbreaker on its own, and health-tracking features -- sleep tracking especially, along with heart rate and step accuracy -- draw repeated skepticism. A smaller group also flags slow charging times and laggy software, and some owners directly compare it unfavorably to Garmin or Apple Watch for sports and overall polish.

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 Galaxy Watch Ultra owners say

“I have been enjoying my watch very much although the battery drains pretty quickly”
— @jesuscervantesj82 on YouTube
“I thought pictures of it were ugly, but when I saw it in the metal...wow!”
— @myfakeguuglaccount on YouTube
“Had it for couple of a days and we just didnt clicked so I sold it.”
— @0ISthisIT0 on YouTube

Garmin Forerunner 970 vs Galaxy Watch Ultra: frequently asked questions

Is the Garmin Forerunner 970 or the Galaxy Watch Ultra better?

Real owners lean toward the Galaxy Watch Ultra: 75% of 16 owners recommend it, vs 68% of 75 for the Garmin Forerunner 970.

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 Galaxy Watch Ultra?

Owners point the Galaxy Watch Ultra at samsung/Android phone owners wanting a rugged, premium-feeling smartwatch with WearOS features, and outdoor and adventure users who value a bright always-on display and tough build over ultralight design.

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 Galaxy Watch Ultra, it's battery life is the most common complaint, with many owners getting only 1-2.5 days per charge (some as low as 20-30 hours) despite Samsung's 2-4 day claims.