Garmin announces new Forerunner watches with splashy colors and running metrics
Garmin's back with a bunch of goodies for runners. That includes two new Forerunner watches, a new chest strap, and several new running and triathlete features that won't be paywalled behind its newly launched Garmin Connect Plus subscription.
On the watch front, there's the $749.99 Forerunner 970, which replaces the 965 as its top-of-the-line running watch and includes offline maps. Meanwhile, the $549.99 Forerunner 570 is a new mid-range option that's a slight step-up from the more affordable Forerunner 265. It doesn't have offline maps.
Let's start with what the Forerunner 570 and 970 have in common. (There are currently eight lineups of multisport watches on Garmin's site, each with several models and SKUs.) Both add a built-in speaker and microphone so you can take calls on the go, OLED displays, skin temperature sensors, a new evening report feature that summarizes how much sleep you need, plus your workouts, events, and weather for the next day. For both models, Garmin is introducing bolder colors with spiffy translucent bands. I got to see all the new models at Garmin's launch event, and the color combos really do pop compared to past models. The translucent bands in pa …