Both variants live on this page — pick from the variant selector above. The standard FR170 ($299.99) and the FR170 Music ($349.99) share identical hardware: same sensors, same GPS, same AMOLED display, same training features, same battery. The only difference is what the extra $50 gets you: the Music variant adds 4 GB of onboard music storage, Wi-Fi for direct downloads, and offline playback from Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer (subscription required) so you can run without your phone. If you run with music and want to leave your phone at home, pick Music. If you always run with your phone or use earbuds connected to your phone, the standard FR170 saves you $50 with zero feature loss.

The FR265 ($449.99) upgrades the FR170 Music in two meaningful ways: multi-band (L1+L5) GPS for better accuracy in tree cover, urban canyons, and tunnels, and 8 GB of music storage (vs 4 GB). Both watches share the same Elevate Gen 4 HR sensor, the same Garmin training stack, the same AMOLED touchscreen, the same Garmin Pay, and the same 80+ sport profiles. If you run primarily on open roads or tracks where single-frequency GPS is plenty, the FR170 Music saves you $100 and gives you the same training experience. If you run technical trails, in dense urban areas, or you want the most accurate GPS Garmin sells at the mid-tier, the FR265 is worth the upgrade.

No. The FR170 Music uses single-frequency multi-GNSS — GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo, but only on the L1 frequency. Multi-band (L1+L5) GPS, which improves accuracy in difficult environments like dense forest, urban canyons, and deep canyons, is reserved for the Forerunner 265 and above. For road and track running, the difference is rarely noticeable; for technical trail running or city running between tall buildings, multi-band makes a real-world difference.

Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer offline playlists — all require an active premium subscription with the respective service. You download playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks directly to the watch over Wi-Fi, then play to any Bluetooth headphones. The watch has 4 GB of onboard storage, which holds roughly 500 songs at standard quality. No third-party music app store, no Apple Music, no on-watch streaming.

No. The FR170 Music uses Garmin's Elevate Gen 4 optical heart rate sensor — the same generation as the previous Forerunner 165. ECG and wrist-based skin temperature tracking require the Elevate Gen 5 sensor, which is only on the Forerunner 570, Forerunner 970, and Venu 4. If you specifically need ECG, the FR970 is currently the only Forerunner that offers it.

Up to 10 days in smartwatch mode with notifications and 24/7 heart rate active. Up to 20 hours with continuous GPS. Music playback over Bluetooth shortens GPS battery life — Garmin rates GPS + music at roughly 7 hours. Real-world numbers depend on always-on display setting, screen-on time, GPS frequency, and notification volume. The FR170 Music charges via Garmin's standard USB-C charging cable.

Yes — 5 ATM water resistance (50 m), suitable for swimming, showering, and rain. The FR170 Music includes both Pool Swim and Openwater Swim activity profiles with GPS-based swim tracking. Not designed for high-velocity water sports, scuba, or hot tubs. Wireless Bluetooth headphone signals do not penetrate water well, so music playback while submerged is unreliable — use a bone-conduction headphone or save the music for dry land.

The Forerunner 170 is the direct successor to the FR165 (released March 2024). The hardware sensor stack is largely identical (same Elevate Gen 4 HR, same single-frequency GNSS, same AMOLED display), but the FR170 adds a barometric altimeter (the FR165 didn't have one), a 3-axis compass, gyroscope, and thermometer, plus the full Garmin physio stack that was previously gated behind the FR255 and above — Training Readiness, HRV Status, Training Load, Trail VO2 Max, and Garmin Coach adaptive plans.

No dedicated triathlon (multisport auto-transition) mode. The FR170 Music has separate Pool Swim, Openwater Swim, Cycling, and Running profiles — you can run a triathlon by manually starting each leg. Garmin's auto-transition triathlon mode is reserved for the Forerunner 265 and above. If you race triathlons regularly, the FR265 ($449.99) or higher is the right tier.

Yes. The FR170 Music supports ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart accessories — chest heart rate straps (Garmin HRM-Pro Plus, HRM-Dual, Polar H10, Wahoo TICKR), bike speed/cadence sensors, foot pods, power meters, and Garmin Varia bike radars/lights all pair directly. Useful for high-intensity intervals or strength training where wrist-based HR can lag.