Smartwatches · owner-verdict comparison

Garmin Forerunner 970 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8: what real owners say

Real owners rate these about evenly: 68% of 75 Garmin Forerunner 970 owners recommend it, vs 73% of 11 for the Samsung Galaxy Watch8.

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 →

Samsung Galaxy Watch8

73%of 11 owners recommend
73% recommend · 0% neutral · 27% don't
Owners praise
  • Runs fast and smooth, with lag and freezing gone for upgraders
  • One UI Watch 8 looks polished and feels responsive
  • Owners are enjoying it day to day
Owners complain about
  • Can't be charged wirelessly from a phone, so you must carry the charger
  • Annoying bugs, like raise-to-wake not re-enabling after sleep mode
  • The Classic feels cheapened by plastic around the buttons and detachable lugs
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 Samsung Galaxy Watch8 if
  • ✓Upgraders from older Galaxy watches wanting smoother performance
  • ✓Users happy with roughly two-day battery life
  • ✓Anyone tired of lag and freezing on prior models
Skip it if
  • Buyers wanting a premium, all-metal classic look
  • People who rely on wireless charging from a phone

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 Samsung Galaxy Watch8 owners say

“I really like the GW8 this year idk why ppl are hating on it so much? It looks comfortable to me.”
— @katinasoutherland7693 on YouTube
“The watch 8 looks way better than watch 7”
— @BIU-Intelligence on YouTube
“Samsung has lost me with the square design.”
— @reneguittet876 on YouTube

Garmin Forerunner 970 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8: frequently asked questions

Is the Garmin Forerunner 970 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 better?

Real owners rate these about evenly: 68% of 75 Garmin Forerunner 970 owners recommend it, vs 73% of 11 for the Samsung Galaxy Watch8.

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 Samsung Galaxy Watch8?

Owners point the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 at upgraders from older Galaxy watches wanting smoother performance, and users happy with roughly two-day battery life.

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 Samsung Galaxy Watch8, it's can't be charged wirelessly from a phone, so you must carry the charger.