new Garmin Forerunner 970 Leak – first official leak HERE WE GO ! Hold On
We can see on the Garmin Taiwan site that the new Forerunner 970 (not 975) is listed as available for an extended warranty. Here is the translated page and the original in Korean for those who prefer that.
what This Means
Several months ago, I had heard one suggestion- cum-rumour- that a FR970 was on the cards, but I dismissed it as unlikely as it was from one new source. Ahem. Sorry.
This could be a typo by Garmin Taiwan, but I highly doubt it. So it looks like the FR970 will be inbound soon, most likely in a few weeks. I would guess the 6th or 7th of May as likely, or the week after.
Try these two posts regarding the hardware and software features I anticipate being added. My views haven’t changed, except in one small part I’ll cover in a minute.
- Garmin Forerunner 970 likely software features
- Garmin Forerunner 970 likely hardware features – new GNSS, new OHR, better battery, perhaps new mic/speaker, maybe new buttons, maybe flashlight, maybe 5G/LTE, maybe smaller format.
Why not the FR975?
Going back many years, there were a Forerunner 230 and a Forerunner 235. The only difference I recall was that the 235 had optical HR and the 230 had no sensor. I’d be happy if Garmin were to make the FR970 without an HR sensor. It would make a great race-focused device that would benefit from the sensible option I’ve often touted on this site…ie using a chest strap! The freed-up space could be used for a bigger battery.
- Q: Do I think that’s the case
- A: No! There will be a hardware difference, but probably not that.
I bet the Forerunner 970 is a small-format 975 with an extra twist. We will also get the FR975, maybe at the same time…maybe later…maybe never.
970 😉 See Ya Soon
Knuckle down for the ride!
I bet the 970 will be MIP and the 975 will be Amoled
I know mip is superieur for a sportwatch and amoled only has disadvantages (more expensive, higher battery use, need a gesture to wake the screen which doesn’t work very well on a garmin, change of burn in, less durable due to wear, less readable in direct sunlight, too bright in the dark).
But mip is seen as something from the past and a pretty screen sells better than a functional screen. Not going to happen that garmin marketing allows something that looks old fashioned on their watches.
Just get over it.
Sadly, yes. Looking forward to MicroLED some day 🙂
“amoled only has disadvantages (more expensive)”
An AMOLED screen is actually cheaper than a MIP one. It’s just that Garmin charges you more for an AMOLED-screen watch, as it’s more attractive for a lot of consumers.
genuinely would like evidence of that.
I know Leo is trolling again, but I figure it is still worth recording that AMOLED has pplenty of advantages over MIP:
Much richer display and better visibility/rehabilitation (including in direct sunlight!)
Higher resolution
(Many!) More colors
No separate backlight required
Thinner and available with touchscreen (MIP requires a separate layer for touchscreen, making it thicker)
Cheaper to source and easier to use in manufacturing
Also, it is not just Garmin that is promoting AMOLED/OLED – in fact, it is the opposite with Garmin still offering non-OLED versions for most models, while Polar, Suunto, Coros etc. have almost fully moved to OLED.
It’s not trolling. There are many people including me who think this way. AMOLED sells because it’s a new (in sports watches world) shiny tech but I know many people who tried it and went back to MIP. We simply don’t want another phone on our wrists. Garmin made a huge mistake when they decided we don’t need a smaller MIP Fenix 😕
It’s not trolling. Sure, I make my arguments a bit sharper for discussion sake.
But I do find that mip is the superior technique for a sportwatch. Things you mention, like higher resolution and more colors do nothing to support my training or race. The poor gesture detection or very poor battery life (because forced to use aod) definitely don’t do anything positive for my race or training.
And amoled is cheaper? Might be for garmin, but they charge me more, and that is what counts for me.
Do have to say, the thinner display might be an advantage, but if I look how many use a fenix, I don’t think thickness is really an issue.
And then there is the visibility in direct sunlight. I know the gadgetbloggers all claim visibility is no problem and they make pictures in direct sunlight to ‘prove’ their claim. That is not my real life use case. When it is sunny I wear sunglasses. And I run in the forest, with open areas and tree cover. I can assure you, mip is way more visible than any amoled.
But I already accepted that garmin, and others, don’t sell sport watches anymore. They sell to gadget lovers. For them, more colors, more resolution and better specs on paper counts more than usability.
Sure it is trolling, because you are just repeating old arguments (many patently false) that add nothing to the discussion at this stage – at this point AMOLED/OLED is overwhelmingly the preferred display technology. You might not like and find MIP superior for you, but the market has spoken…
And it does not contribute anything to make things up or exaggerate, because you are lacking arguments:
1. Garmin does generally NOT charge more for AMOLED than MIP – Fenix 8 (and previously 7 and 7 Pro), Tactix, etc. are the SAME price for AMOLED and MIP.
2. The thinner display IS clearly an advantage, because a) it allows for a bigger battery in the unit, b) it allows for smaller/smaller diameter watches (there is no 43mm Fenix 8 Solar MIP because it would be too thick).
3. Visibility in direct sunlight: I much prefer the visibility of AMOLED in direct sunlight (including with sunglasses), in forests/trees, etc.. To use your own words: “I can assure you, AMOLED is way more visible than any MIP.” The vast majority of reviewers and (and more importantly) users agree with that. You do not – that is ok, but do not project and force your preferences onto the world.
4. The higher resolution and increased colors help with the improved visibility AND have other advantages, including the ability to have more and or clearer information on the display, useful graphic gauges/charts, etc.
5. The (supposedly) poor gesture detection is a strawman has fundamentally nothing to do with the AMOLED vs. MIP issue. Different brands have different implementations, some of which (Apple) are arguably better than others (Garmin).
6. The battery life argument is also a strawman. The current generation Garmin AMOLED watches last far longer than the older MIP ones – and almost nobody complained about the battery life of those devices.
7. Finally the statement that Garmin is not selling sportswatches is just demagogic and inflammatory. Actually, with your preference for MIP, Garmin is the ONLY company offering a range of proper sports watches. Why whine and complain when Garmin actually offers you (and the other small minority of users) what you are asking for IN ADDITION to what most of the world wants.
When can we expect reviewers to get the first loaners and more details on specification and price etc
Reviewers get loaners about 2-4 weeks before release. Very possible they already have them in their possession, but they are always notoriously tight-lipped about it so there’s no way to know (can’t blame them – they have to obey the embargo or Garmin stops sending them advance loaners).
Regarding specs and prices, no way to know when we might gets those. Sometimes it leaks months in advance, sometimes only a couple days in advance, sometimes not at all.
Aaagh. I can’t bear this waiting. Why did I look here today? I have a 945 and have been waiting soooo patiently!
Just doin’ my job 😉 sy
A smaller (e.g. 43mm) would be nice, although I don’t think this will be it. The name for that would probably be 965s.
i think it will be smaller BUT with something else hardware wise eg LTE or MIP, or it could simply have the ohr removed and made race-ready in some other ways. it could be an ‘e’ version but that doesn’t seem right. it could be a version with an inferior/lighter case.
am interested to hear other views. whatever it is, it’s a subtly new approach.
If it was MIP, I would expect it to be solar too, but its not mentioned in the name. Mysterious move by Garmin.
indeed so. i had the same chain of thought
It won’t have LTE, otherwise it would be “970 LTE” or so. One day, when all watches will have 5G, it won’t be mentioned in the name. My first Garmin was (besides ForeTrex 101) the Fenix 3, then I switched to “Fenix 3 hr” which had the heart rate sensor on its back and in its name. Nowadays all have “hr” but none is called “hr” anymore. Will be the same with LTE / 5G, I guess. Since there are almost none with LTE, imo it would have been mentioned in the name.
Maybe I’m wrong…. we’ll probably see some day soon.
hi
LTE is a techy term that shouldn’t be in the name of products imho.
I suspect a great many people don’t know what LTE is. (I just included the term LTE because readers of the techy stuff DO know what it means and are familiar with Garmin’s LTE products)
FR970 could easily have the capability without the name and doesn’t have to follow naming conventions in the past.
that said it won’t have LTE but might have 5G Redcap which i assume is what all the current gen components would support.
garmin prepared some of the additional comms/connectivity stuff in ciq a couple of years ago. AWU3 is rumoured to have satellite connectivity. maybe this is the year that garmin gives satellite in fenix 8 Pro, and 5G in Fenix and FR970?
Hungry for more news. When do we expect this to be released ?
its in the article above!
DC Rainmaker often goes on a trip and strava goes quiet when he’s testing new goods. This has hasppended now so expecting news any day now 👀
Awaiting an update, have my first 50k ultra May 31st and hoping its going to be out by then maybe!
i’m hoping it will be too! a good chance.
edges are delayed but, afaik, not the forerunners
If you were a betting man – do you still think a FR 270 or 275 will be releaed by June?
yes
this is updated with my current view on specific product release timeframes: https://the5krunner.com/2025/01/21/new-garmin-gps-watch-sports-2025/