The Garmin Forerunner 170 Music is presented as a watch designed above all for road running, with a positioning focused on simplicity and ease of use. The author notes that it is lightweight, easy to read and “well equipped”, while also saying that it does not aim to compete with the most sophisticated models in the range.
Compared with its predecessor, the Forerunner 170 Music is described as more modern, easier to read and lighter, in particular thanks to the AMOLED screen. This display is considered bigger, brighter, more colourful, touch-enabled and comfortable to read “at a glance”, whether in town or during a session. The watch also retains a classic five-button navigation system, with a silicone strap and 41 grams.
On the GPS side, the author says that “the fix” comes quickly and that the track seems more stable, whereas he had noticed connection dropouts on the previous model. He also specifies that the watch shows the usual run information, and adds indicators to better understand its fitness state and adapt training. Among them, the training readiness score incorporates several elements mentioned in the text.
For tracking, the watch includes a sleep score and recovery-related data, as well as daily workouts suggested according to the user’s profile and form. The test also indicates the ability to create your own workout and to upload a GPX file to get an itinerary, while noting a precision limitation linked to the absence of mapping compared with the higher-end range.
Battery life and music are the final aspects highlighted. Garmin states up to 10 days in connected watch mode and around 20 hours with GPS alone, which the author considers sufficient for his use, with a caveat for very long trail runs. The Music version offers 4 GB of storage for playlists or podcasts (via a paid subscription), and the text also cites Garmin Pay as a contactless payment option.
